主权项 |
1. A system for collecting atmospheric moisture comprising:
a variable frequency compressor to compress a refrigerant; a condenser disposed along a refrigerant flow path, receiving high pressure gaseous refrigerant from the compressor, wherein the high pressure gaseous refrigerant condenses into a low pressure liquid refrigerant and releases heat, the refrigerant moving along the flow path; an expansion device comprising an expansion valve, a capillary device or a combination thereof disposed along the refrigerant flow path, receiving liquid refrigerant from the condenser, wherein the expansion device adjusts a pressure of the refrigerant; an evaporator disposed along the refrigerant flow path, receiving refrigerant from the expansion device and delivering refrigerant to the compressor, wherein the liquid refrigerant evaporates into gas refrigerant and absorbs heat, whereby the external surface temperature of the evaporator is lower than the dew point but higher than about 0° C., when the environment's temperature is warm the evaporator is configured to catch the water vapor inside of air and convert the water vapor into liquid water, wherein the liquid water falls from the evaporator to a bottom water tank; when the environment's temperature is cold, and the dew point is near, or lower than, about 0° C., the external surface temperature of the evaporator is lower than the dew point or about 0° C., the evaporator is configured to catch the water vapor inside of air and convert the water vapor into liquid water, then freezing the liquid water into frost, for about 20 minutes; a bypass shunt directing refrigerant from the compressor to the evaporator without passing through the expansion device, whereby the external surface of the evaporator is warm relative to the ambient temperature when refrigerant is received from the bypass shunt; at least one bypass valve located on the bypass shunt controlling whether refrigerant flows through the bypass shunt; a frost sensor that detects frost accumulation on the external surface of the evaporator; a collection vessel located below the evaporator which collects liquid water and melted ice falling from the evaporator, thereby collecting atmospheric moisture; an ambient humidity sensor configured to measure the relative humidity of the ambient air; wherein the compressor effects the compression of refrigerant delivered from the condenser to the evaporator; wherein the compressor further comprises a regulator configured to control the variable frequency of the compressor, thereby modifying the external temperature of the evaporator; wherein the regulator is configured to receive input from the ambient humidity sensor; wherein the regulator is configured to lower the evaporator temperature to less than about 0° C. when the ambient humidity sensor measures an ambient humidity below a threshold value; a controller configured to initiate a frost cycle comprising a compressor startup to allow frost to form on the evaporator; the controller further configured to receive input from the frost sensor to initiate a melt cycle comprising a compressor stoppage after frost has formed on the evaporator, an activation of the bypass valve to switch the condenser and the evaporator and a compressor restart to allow defrosting to occur, and wherein the melt cycle further comprises a subsequent compressor stoppage and a deactivation of the bypass valve prior to the commencement of a subsequent frost cycle. |