| 主权项 |
1. A desiccant air conditioning system for heating an air stream, comprising:
(a) a conditioner including a plurality of first plate structures arranged in a substantially vertical orientation, each of the first plate structures including a passage through which a heat transfer fluid can flow, each of the first plate structures having at least one surface across which a liquid desiccant can flow, each of the first plate structures further includes a desiccant collector at a lower end of the at least one surface for collecting liquid desiccant that has flowed across the at least one surface of the first plate structures; (b) a water recovery system, comprising: (i) a generally sealed enclosure; (ii) a first air treatment unit within the enclosure, said first air treatment unit receiving liquid desiccant collected in the desiccant collectors of the conditioner, drawing water vapor from the liquid desiccant, and transferring the water vapor to an air stream flowing through the first air treatment unit, said first air treatment unit including a plurality of second plate structures arranged in a substantially vertical orientation, each of the second plate structures having at least one surface across which the liquid desiccant can flow, wherein the air stream flows between second plate structures such that the liquid desiccant humidifies the air stream, each of the second plate structures further includes a desiccant collector at a lower end of the at least one surface for collecting liquid desiccant that has flowed across the at least one surface of second plate structures; (iii) a second air treatment unit within the enclosure receiving the air stream treated by the first air treatment unit, the second air treatment unit including a plurality of third plate structures arranged in a substantially vertical orientation configured to enable a flow of the air stream between third plate structures, each structure including a surface on which the water vapor in the air stream condenses without use of a desiccant to form drinkable liquid water, wherein the air stream treated by the second air treatment unit is received by the first air treatment unit; (iv) one or more filters for absorbing combustion contaminants; and (v) an air mover for circulating air between the first and second air treatment units within the enclosure; (c) a heating system for heating the heat transfer fluid used in the conditioner, the heating system comprising a gas burner for heating the heat transfer fluid, said gas burner producing combustion contaminants that are carried by the air stream flowing through the first plate structures of the conditioner, wherein the liquid desiccant in the conditioner absorbs combustion contaminants and transfers the combustion contaminants to the first air treatment unit where they can be captured by the one or more filters; (d) a regenerator including a plurality of fourth plate structures arranged in a substantially vertical orientation to permit a substantially vertical flow of an air stream between the fourth plat structures, each of the fourth plate structures having an internal passage through which a heat transfer fluid can flow, each of the fourth plate structures also including an outer surface across which a liquid desiccant can flow such that the liquid desiccant dehumidifies the air stream, each of the fourth plate structures further includes a desiccant collector at a lower end of the fourth plate structures for collecting liquid desiccant that has flowed across the outer surface of the fourth plate structures, said regenerator configured to receive heat transfer fluid utilized in the second air treatment unit; (e) a liquid moving apparatus for circulating the liquid desiccant between the conditioner and the first air treatment unit and between the conditioner and the regenerator; and (f) a liquid moving apparatus for circulating the heat transfer fluid between the regenerator and the second air treatment unit. |
