US2134544A - Adsorption air conditioning system - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 25, 1938. c. M. ASHLEY ADSORPTION AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed Apri; 22, 1937 @@@QQQQ Patented Oct. 25, 1938 TED sTATEs ADSORPTION AIR CONDITIONENG SYSTEM Carlyle M. Ashley, Summit, N. J.; assigner to Carrier Corporation, Newark, N. .La corporation of Delaware Application April 22, 1937, Serial No. 138,341

8 Claims This invention relates to air conditioning, and more particularly air conditioning systems of the adsorption type.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved method of and apparatus for conditioning air in which the moisture content of the conditioned air is reduced by adsorption.

It isv well known that dehydrating agents or adsorbers, after they have taken up a certain amount of moisture, must be regenerated in order that they may become once again useful for the purpose of removing moisture from air or other gas contacting therewith. -Regenera tion of adsorbers is accomplished by subjecting them to heat so that the adsorbed moisture is driven off. Obviously, during the period of regeneration adsorbers must be relieved from immediate air conditioning service. Thus, in prior practice, it has often been necessary periodically to interrupt the conditioning of air in order that adsorbers used to condition the air might be regenerated. Where continuous conditioning has been required, it has been necessary to provide two or more dehydrating chambers through which the air to be conditioned is routed at diiferent times. v

An object of the invention is to provide an improved air conditioning system utilizing a dry or solid adsorber in which the dehydration of air may be carried on continuously in a single condi# tioning chamber.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved air conditioning system in which a continuous belt formed of and/or carrying a hygros'copic material is passed through an air conditioning chamber and then through a regenerating chamber, in which it is prepared for a repetition of the adsorption cycle.

It is another object of the invention to provide a continuous system for dehydrating air in which the air is cleaned aswell as dehydrated by an adsorber.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved method of and apparatus for conditioning air in which air to be conditioned is contacted with an adsorber, whereby the adsorber takes up both moisture and dirt from the air, and in which other air is utilized to effect both the regeneration and the cleaning of the adsorber.

It is another object of the invention to provide an air conditioning system which is continuous, highly eflicient and reliable in operation, and which is adapted to condition air relatively inexpensively.

(Cl. 18S-d) A feature of the invention resides in contacting air to be conditioned with a continuous belt made of and/or carrying hygroscopic material, removing the belt from contact with the air to be conditioned and preparing it for a repetition of its dehydrating function. y

Another feature of the invention resides in circulating air to. be conditioned in contact with a moving belt made of and/or carrying hygroscopic material, whereby moisture and dirt are removed from the air to be conditioned, removing such moisture and dirt from the belt at a point outside the chamber in which the air to be conditioned is contacted with the belt, and returning the belt for a repetition of its dehydrating and cleaning function.

Another feature of the invention resides in passing air in contact with a continuous belt made of and/or carrying hygroscopic material, passing the belt from the chamber in which it contacts with the air to be conditioned to a regenerating chamber and then baci; to the air conditioning chamber, and regenerating the belt by circulating through and in contact therewith in the regenerating chamber a heated gas, such as air.v

Another feature of the invention resides in passing air in contact with a continuous belt made of and/or carrying hygroscopic, material, passing the belt from the chamber in which it contacts with the air to be conditioned to a regenerating chamber and then back to the air conditioning chamber, regenerating the belt by circulating through and in' contact therewith in the regenerating chamber a heated gas, such as air, the regenerating gas being withdrawn from the regenerating chamber through a relatively narrow slot positioned proximate the surface of the belt, whereby the gas withdrawn from the regenerating chamber passes therefrom at relatively high velocity, entraining and carrying off dirt particles from the belt.

Another feature of the invention resides in passing air in contact with a continuous belt made of and/or carrying a hygroscopic material, passing the belt from the chamber in which it contacts with the air to be conditioned to a regenerating chamber and then back to the air conditioning chamber, the belt passing to the regenerating chamber and the belt passing therefrom being in heat exchange relation but being separated from each other by a partition adapted to prevent moisture interchange therebetween.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following description, to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing, which diagrammatically represents an air conditioning system in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 5 designates an air conditioning chamber through which air to be conditioned is circulated by a fan 6 in the direction indicated by arrows 'I. `Within chamber 5 the air circulated by fan 6 contacts With continuous belt 8, whichis suitably carried within the conditioning chamber by means such as rollers 9. One or more of the rollers 9 will be rotated by any suitable driving means to cause travel of the belt 8, preferably in the direction indicated by the arrows 9a, while the remainder of rollers 9 may idle while properly supporting and guiding the belt 8. The belt 8 preferably extends across the entire cross -sectional area of chamber 5 so that substantially all of the air passing through the conditioning chamber contacts with and/or passes through the belt.

[Belt 8 may be formed of an adsorber, such as cotton, or other fibrous material, or it may be formed of material which is non-hygroscopic. When the belt is formed of hygroscopic material it-is preferably arranged to serve as a carrier for other hygroscopic material, such as calcium chloride, lithium chloride, silica gel or the like, with which it is preferably impregnated or coated. When the belt t is formed of non-hygroscopic material, it is coated with or otherwise carries such a material as eects the adsorption of moisture from the air. While the belt il is preferably sumciently sieve-like so that air may pass therethrough without encountering excessive resistance, the mesh or openings in the belt formation are preferably suciently fine to entrap dirt particles and the like from the air to be conditioned, so that the belt serves not only to dehydrate the air but to clean it as well. It is advantageous to construct the belt of fibrous textile material, not only because it is itself hygroscopic, but also because such material provides eective cleaning action while not oering excessive resistance to air flow therethrough.

After the belt 8 has been passed through the chamber il, it is withdrawn therefrom through a duct Ill and supplied to regenerating chamber il of any desired shape or design, through which it is carried on suitable rollers I2. As explained in connection with rollers 9, one or more of the rollers I2 may be driven to effect desired motion of the belt while the remainder of the rollers I2 may idle. Air or other gas is supplied to the chamber II through connection I3. Preferably, the air so supplied is preheated as by heating coils 2l), but such preheating is not essential to the intended operation, since within the chamber II and preferably positioned close to the belt 8 are heating coils I4. Coils I 4 serve to heat not only the belt B but also the air intaken within the chamber II from connection I3. Thus the moisture removed from the air in conditioning chamber 5 is driven off from the belt and/or the hygroscopic material it carries, in preparation for a repetition of the cycle. If desired, of course, coils I4 may be eliminated, the air in such case being sumciently preheated to effect the desired regeneration.

Preferably, bailles I5 are provided Within chamber I I to route the introduced air through the belt 8 and between the coils Il in a serpentine course, thus assuring intimate and highly effective contact between the reactivating air and the belt. Preferably, as illustrated, the air is circulated through the chamber II in a direction counter to I6, which is connected to a fan 2|, preferably of the high pressure type. Outlet connection I is so formed that its inlet end I1 is a'comparatively small orifice or slotted opening extending substantially completely across the full width of belt 8, and this orifice is located relatively close to the surface of the belt entering the regenerating chamber II. This arrangement insures the withdrawal of air and water vapor from the regenerating chamber at relatively high velocity, and this in turn causes the entrainment and carrying oil of dirt particles from' the belt entering the regenerating chamber. Thus, it will be noted that the air or other gas which is used for regenerating the belt also serves to'clean the vsame in a continuous process.

Since the adsorption oi moisture from air causes a substantial increase in its dry bulb temperature, due to the release of the heat of vaporization, cooling coils I8 are provided in the conditioning chamber t to reduce the dry bulb temperature of the dehydrated air. As illustrated, the cooling coils lil are positioned within the path described by the belt t; thus the air is cooled between the two dehydrating stages provided by its passage twice through the belt. This intercooling tends to make the second dehydrating step more eiiectlve than if no provision were made for intercooling but, if desired, the coils lil may be positioned beyond the belt 8. Further to reduce the dry bulb temperature of the dehydrated air, cooling coils ita are preferably provided within the casing and beyond the belt t.

The belt passing from the conditioning chambei' 5 to the regenerating-chamber I i is relatively warm due to the liberation of the heat of vaporization from the conditioned air as above described. However, the belt passing from the regenerating chamber Ii to conditioner chamber t is considerably hotter than the belt passing through duct iii in a reverse direction, due to the high temperature of the reactivating air. It is desirable that the temperature within regenerating chamber ii be maintained at a high value to facilitate regeneration of the adsorber, whereas it is desirable that the temperature within the conditioning chamber 5 be maintained as low as possible to reduce the cooling load on coils I8 and to provide more eillcient adsorption. According ly, applicant provides for heat exchange between the belt leaving the regenerating chamber and the belt passing thereto by passing these portions of the belt in close proximity to each other within the relatively narrow duct I0. However, to prevent moisture interchange between the belt portions, a partition I9, of metal or other material impervious to moisture, is provided within the duct I0 to separate the belt portions therein. As will be understood, the partition I9 is preferably formed of material having a high heat conductivity to facilitate heat interchange within the duct I il.

The duct I0 connecting the conditioning chamber and the regenerating chamber is relatively at. 'I'he space between each side of the duct I0 and the partition I9 is made as small as possible, consistently with the provision of enough space for the passage of the belt 8 and some clearance on either side thereof, in order to prevent the circulation of air between the conditioning chamber and the regenerating chamber.

Since many modifications may be made in the invention without departing from its scope, it is to be understood that the above description and accompanying drawing are intended as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense, applicant limiting himself only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim: Y

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a regenerating chamber, means for supplying to and passing through said chamber hygroscopic material which is to be regenerated and relieved of dirt particles, means for passing through said chamber in contact with said material gas having a relatively high temperature, and means for withdrawing said gas from said material at a velocity which is considerably higher than the velocity at which said gas is passed in contact with said material, whereby to remove particles of foreign matter from said material.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a regenerating chamber, means for supplying to and passing through said chamber hygroscopic material which is to be regenerated and relieved of dirt particles, means for passing through said chamber in contact with said material gas having a relatively high temperature, and means for withdrawing from said material at relatively high velocity gas which has contacted therewith, said last mentioned means including a slot positioned relatively close to the surface of said material, the cross-sectional area of said slot being considerably smaller than the smallest free area provided for the passage of said gas through said regenerating chamber Y 3. In an apparatus of the character described, a regenerating chamber. means for supplying to and passing through the chamber hygroscopic material to be regenerated, means for passing through said chamber in contact with said material and in a direction counter to that of said material gas having a relatively high temperature, and means for withdrawing said gas from said chamber at a point proximate the point at which said material is supplied to said chamber at a velocity which is considerably higher than the velocity at which said gas is passed in contact with said material.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a regenerating chamber, means for supplying to and passing through the chamber hygroscopic material to be regenerated, means for passing through said chamber in contact with said material and in a direction counter to that of said material gas having a relatively high temperature, and means for withdrawing said gas from said chamber at a point proi'zimate the point at which said material is supplied to said chamber and at a velocity considerably higher than the velocity at which said gas is in contact 5. In combination with an apparatus including a regenerating chamber, an air conditioning chamber, and an endless hygroscopic belt passing to and from each of said chambers; conduit means connecting said conditioning chamber and said regenerating chamber through which said 'belt passes to and from each chamber, and waterimpervious partition means within said conduit means for separating belt portions passing through said conduit means in opposite directions.

6. In combination With an apparatus including a regenerating chamber, an air conditioning chamber, and an endless hygroscopic belt passing to and from each of said chambers; conduit means connecting said conditioning chamber and said regenerating chamber through which said belt passes to and from each chamber, and water-impervious partition means having relatively high heat conductivity for separating belt portions passing through said conduit means in opposite directions.

7. In combination with an apparatus including a regenerating chamber, an air conditioning chamber, and an endless hygroscopic belt passing to and from each of said chambers; relatively narrow conduit means connecting said conditioning chamber and said regenerating chamber through which said belt passes to and from each chamber, and water-impervious partition means within said conduit means for separating belt portions passing through said conduit means in opposite directionasaid conduit means being sufllciently narrow to prevent appreciable gas now between said regenerating chamber and said conditioning chamber.

8. In combination with an apparatus including a regenerating chamber, an air conditioning chamber, and an endless hygroscopic belt passing to and from each of said chambers; conduit means connecting said conditioning chamber and said regenerating chamber through which said belt passes to and from each chamber, and a metal partition within said conduit means for separating and segregating belt portions passing through said conduit means in opposite directions, whereby heat interchange is permitted between belt portions moving in opposite directions through said conduit means and whereby moisture interchange between said belt portions moving in opposite directions is prevented.

cAaLYLn mesurait.

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