AIR HEATER AND HUMIDIFIER USING DIRECT CONTACT HEATING PRINCIPLES AND METHOD OF OPERATION

摘要

An air heating and humidifying system and method using direct contact heating principles. The system consists in providing a source of hot water by feeding hot flue gases in a direct contact water heater and wherein the water sprayed over a packing in the water heater is heated as it percolates through the packing and is in contact with the hot rising flue gases. This hot water from the direct contact water heater is used in a direct contact air treating chamber wherein it is sprayed over a further packing whereby to heat and humidify fresh air which is pushed through the packing by a fan and exits at an outlet flue of the treating chamber to supply hot moist fresh air in a building air conditioning system. The cooled water in the direct contact air treating chamber is collected and supplies the spray nozzle of the direct contact water heater to cool the hot flue gases which are rising therein and thereby enhances considerably the efficiency of the direct contact water heater.