U.S. patent application number 13/054771 was filed with the patent office on 2011-08-04 for method and device for preparing air to be supplied to a room to a desired temperature and a desired humidity.
This patent application is currently assigned to MENTUS HODING AG. Invention is credited to Reto Holzner, Gustav Hans Weber, Urs A. Weidmann.
Application Number | 20110185752 13/054771 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41050350 |
Filed Date | 2011-08-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110185752 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Holzner; Reto ; et
al. |
August 4, 2011 |
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PREPARING AIR TO BE SUPPLIED TO A ROOM TO A
DESIRED TEMPERATURE AND A DESIRED HUMIDITY
Abstract
The air to be supplied to a room is brought to a desired
temperature and a desired humidity through the following process
steps: making outside air flow as a first air stream through a
first line (20) and making a first portion of exhaust air coming
from the room flow as a second air stream through a second line
(21), wherein moisture is exchanged between the first air stream
and the second air stream by means of a device for exchanging
humidity, condensing, by means of a dehumidifying and cooling
device (19), moisture in the form of water from the first air
stream and/or from the second air stream and/or inside the device
for exchanging humidity, and making a second portion of the exhaust
air flow as a third air stream through another line (32) comprising
another dehumidifying and cooling device (33) and returning said
second portion back to the room, wherein in the other dehumidifying
and cooling device (33) moisture is condensed from the third air
stream in the form of water.
Inventors: |
Holzner; Reto; (Zurich,
CH) ; Weber; Gustav Hans; (Freienstein, CH) ;
Weidmann; Urs A.; (Zug, CH) |
Assignee: |
MENTUS HODING AG
Cham
CH
|
Family ID: |
41050350 |
Appl. No.: |
13/054771 |
Filed: |
July 8, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
July 8, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2009/058652 |
371 Date: |
April 14, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/93 ;
62/412 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 12/006 20130101;
F24F 2003/1446 20130101; Y02B 30/563 20130101; Y02B 30/56 20130101;
F24F 2003/1435 20130101; F24F 3/147 20130101; F24F 5/0042
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/93 ;
62/412 |
International
Class: |
F24F 3/147 20060101
F24F003/147 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 18, 2008 |
CH |
1137/08 |
Claims
1. Method for the preparation of supply air to be supplied to a
room to a desired temperature and a desired humidity, comprising
the steps: making outside air flow as a first air stream through a
first line (20) and making a first portion of exhaust air coming
from the room flow as a second air stream through a second line
(21), wherein moisture is exchanged between the first air stream
and the second air stream by means of a device for exchanging
humidity, condensing, by means of a dehumidifying and cooling
device (19), moisture in the form of water from the first air
stream and/or from the second air stream and/or inside the device
for exchanging humidity, and making a second portion of the exhaust
air flow as a third air stream through another line (32) comprising
another dehumidifying and cooling device (33) and returning said
second portion back to the room, wherein in the other dehumidifying
and cooling device (33) moisture is condensed from the third air
stream in the form of water.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the
dehumidification and cooling of the air stream flowing through the
dehumidifying and cooling device (19) and/or through the other
dehumidifying and cooling device (33) is accomplished by means of
at least one Peltier element (39).
3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the
dehumidification and cooling of the air stream flowing through the
dehumidifying and cooling device (19) and/or through the other
dehumidifying and cooling device (33) takes place through the
steps: condensing the air stream by means of a compressor (46),
whereby the air stream is heated, passing an outside air stream
through a heat exchanger and releasing heat of the condensed air
stream to this outside air stream by means of the heat exchanger,
and relaxing the condensed air stream by means of a turbine (48),
whereby the condensed air stream is cooled to a temperature below
the dew point so that moisture is separated as water.
4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the
dehumidification and cooling of the air stream flowing through the
dehumidifying and cooling device (19) and/or through the other
dehumidifying and cooling device (33) takes place in that this air
stream is condensed by means of a compressor (46) and is separated
into a warm and a cold air stream by means of a vortex tube (53),
wherein the temperature of the cold air stream lies below the dew
point so that moisture is separated as water.
5. Method according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that
the exchange of moisture in said device for exchanging humidity
takes place by means of at least one air-air humidity
exchanger.
6. Device for the preparation of supply air to be supplied to a
room to a desired temperature and a desired humidity, comprising: a
first line (20) having an inlet (2) via which outside air can be
drawn in and an outlet (3) via which supply air can be delivered to
the room, a second line (21) having an inlet (4) via which exhaust
air can be drawn in from the room and an outlet (5) via which
outgoing air can be released to the surroundings, a device for
exchanging humidity between a first air stream flowing in the first
line (20) and a second air stream flowing in the second line (21),
a first dehumidifying and cooling device (19), which is disposed
either in the first line (20) or in the second line (21) or inside
the said device for exchanging humidity, another line (32) having
an inlet to which exhaust air can be supplied from the room, and an
outlet which opens into the room or into the first line (20)
upstream of the outlet (3) thereof, and another dehumidifying and
cooling device (33), which is disposed in the other line (32).
7. Device according to claim 6, characterized by another line (26)
through which outside air can be passed to the dehumidifying and
cooling device (19) and/or to the other dehumidifying and cooling
device (33) and then back to the surroundings, in order to remove
heat accumulating in the corresponding dehumidifying and cooling
device (19; 33).
8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that at least
one of the dehumidifying and cooling devices contains a Peltier
element (39) in order to cool the temperature of the air flowing
through the dehumidifying and cooling device below the dew
point.
9. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that at least
one of the dehumidifying and cooling devices contains a compressor
(46) in order to condense the air and a turbine (48) in order to
relax the condensed air and thereby cool the temperature of the air
to a temperature below the dew point.
10. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that at
least one of the dehumidifying and cooling devices contains a
compressor (46) and a vortex tube (53).
11. Device according to any of claims 6 to 10, characterized in
that the device for exchanging humidity comprises at least one
air-air humidity exchanger, which has two cavities (29, 30) which
are separated by a water-vapor-permeable membrane (31).
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a method and a device for preparing
air to be supplied to a room, which is designated in technical
language as supply air, to a desired temperature and a desired
humidity, wherein moisture and heat are exchanged with the exhaust
air to be removed from the room.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,966 is a dehumidifying
device, in which fresh outside air to be supplied to a room and
exhaust air to be removed from the room are passed through two
cavities separated by a water-vapor-permeable membrane in order to
transfer both moisture and also heat between the two air streams.
Known from EP 1521040 and EP 1748260 are devices in which the
outside air and the exhaust air are passed through two separate
humidity exchangers, wherein a third intermediary air stream
transports moisture from one humidity exchanger to the other
humidity exchanger. The third air stream makes it possible to
regulate the moisture exchange. These devices are used in winter to
transfer moisture and heat contained in the exhaust air to the
outside air to be prepared and in summer to transfer cold contained
in the exhaust air to the outside air to be prepared and moisture
contained in the outside air to be prepared to the exhaust air in
order to bring, with the lowest possible energy, the outside air to
a desired temperature and a desired humidity, which is perceived as
pleasant by persons residing in the room.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is the object of the invention to improve the preparation
of the supply air.
[0004] The said object is solved according to the invention by the
features of claims 1 and 6. Advantageous embodiments are obtained
from the dependent claims.
[0005] The invention relates to a method for the preparation of
supply air to a desired temperature and a desired humidity, wherein
the supply air comprises prepared outside air and a portion of
prepared exhaust air=prepared circulating air, and wherein moisture
and heat are exchanged between the outside air and the exhaust air.
The method comprises the steps: [0006] making outside air flow as a
first air stream through a first line and making a first portion of
exhaust air coming from the room as a second air stream flow
through a second line, wherein moisture is exchanged between the
first air stream and the second air stream by means of a device for
exchanging humidity, e.g., by means of a single humidity exchanger
or by means of coupled humidity exchangers, e.g. by means of two
humidity exchangers coupled through a closed air circuit or liquid
circuit, [0007] condensing, by means of a dehumidifying and cooling
device, moisture in the form of water from the first air stream
and/or from the second air stream and/or inside the device for
exchanging humidity, and [0008] making a second portion of the
exhaust air flow as a third air stream through another line
comprising another dehumidifying and cooling device, and returning
said second portion back to the room, wherein moisture is condensed
from the third air stream in the form of water in the other
dehumidifying and cooling device.
[0009] In this context, the third air stream is designated in
technical terminology as circulating air.
[0010] The dehumidification and cooling of the air stream flowing
through one of the necessary dehumidifying and cooling devices is
preferably accomplished by means of Peltier elements.
[0011] The dehumidification and cooling of the air stream flowing
through one such dehumidifying and cooling device can alternatively
take place by condensing this air stream by means of a compressor,
whereby the air stream is heated to a temperature above the ambient
temperature so that the air stream can release heat to the
surroundings, and by relaxing the condensed air stream by means of
a turbine, wherein the condensed air stream is cooled to a
temperature below the dew point so that moisture is separated as
water.
[0012] The dehumidification and cooling of the air stream flowing
through such a dehumidifying and cooling device can take place
according to a further alternative, whereby the second air stream
is condensed by means of a compressor and is separated into a warm
and a cold air stream by means of a vortex tube, wherein the
temperature of the cold air stream lies below the dew point so that
moisture is separated as water.
[0013] The invention relates on the other hand to a device suitable
for carrying out the method according to the invention. Such a
device comprises [0014] a first line having an inlet via which
outside air can be drawn in and an outlet via which supply air can
be delivered to the room, [0015] a second line having an inlet via
which exhaust air can be drawn in and an outlet via which outgoing
air can be released to the surroundings, [0016] a device for
exchanging humidity between a first air stream flowing in the first
line and a second air stream flowing in the second line, [0017] a
dehumidifying and cooling device, which is disposed either in the
first line or in the second line or inside said device for
exchanging humidity between the first and the second air stream,
and [0018] another line having an inlet to which exhaust air can be
supplied from the room, and an outlet which opens into the room or
into the first line upstream of the outlet thereof, and [0019]
another dehumidifying and cooling device, which is disposed in the
other line.
[0020] The device advantageously comprises another line or other
lines through which outside air can be passed to one or both
dehumidifying and cooling devices and then back (as outgoing air)
to the surroundings, in order to remove heat accumulating in the
corresponding dehumidifying and cooling device. If necessary, these
lines contain a separate fan.
[0021] The device for exchanging humidity between the first air
stream flowing through the first line and the second air stream
flowing through the second line is, for example, a single humidity
exchanger, advantageously an air-air humidity exchanger, which has
two cavities which are separated by a water-vapor-permeable
membrane, wherein the two air streams can flow through the two
cavities. However, it can also comprise a first and a second
humidity exchanger, wherein the first humidity exchanger comprises
a first cavity disposed in the first line, which is separated from
a second cavity by a water-vapor-permeable membrane, wherein the
second humidity exchanger comprises a third cavity disposed in the
second line, which is separated from a fourth cavity by a
water-vapor-permeable membrane, and wherein the second and the
fourth cavity are disposed in a closed air circuit in which an air
stream can circulate or in a closed liquid circuit. In this case, a
dehumidifying and cooling device can be disposed in this closed air
circuit or liquid circuit.
[0022] A water-vapor-permeable membrane is to be understood as any
structure which is permeable for water molecules but not for
air.
[0023] The invention is explained in detail hereinafter with
reference to exemplary embodiments and with reference to the
drawing. The figures are schematic and are not drawn to scale.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0024] FIGS. 1-5 show various exemplary embodiment of a device for
the preparation of outside air,
[0025] FIG. 6 shows a schematic functional diagram of a
dehumidifying and cooling device, and
[0026] FIGS. 7-10 show various examples for the dehumidifying and
cooling device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 show two different exemplary embodiments of a
device 1 for the preparation of outside air to a desired
temperature and a desired humidity, in which the outside air
exchanges moisture and heat with the exhaust air removed from the
room and is supplied to the room as supply air. The device has a
first inlet 2 at which the outside air is drawn in, passed as a
first air stream to a first outlet 3, and there released into the
room as supply air, and a second inlet 4, at which the exhaust air
is drawn in, passed to a second outlet 5 as a second air stream,
and there released as outgoing air. The device 1 comprises a first
fan 6, a second fan 7, optionally a first filter 8, optionally a
second filter 9, a heat exchanger 10, a first humidity exchanger 11
having two cavities designated as cavity 12 and cavity 13, which
are separated from one another by a water-vapor-permeable membrane
14, a second humidity exchanger 15 having two cavities designated
as cavity 16 and cavity 17, which are separated from one another by
a water-vapor-permeable membrane 18, and a dehumidifying and
cooling device 19. The outside air entering at the first inlet 2 is
passed in a first line 20 as a first air stream through the first
filter 8, the heat exchanger 10, and the cavity 12 of the first
humidity exchanger 11 to the first outlet 3. The exhaust air
entering at the second inlet 4 is passed in a second line 21 as a
second air stream through the second filter 9, the cavity 16 of the
second humidity exchanger 15, and the heat exchanger 10 to the
second outlet 5. The device further comprises a closed air circuit
22, in which a third air stream driven by a third fan 23 circulates
through the cavity 13 of the first humidity exchanger 11 and the
cavity 17 of the second humidity exchanger 15. The third air stream
preferably flows in counterflow to the first and to the second air
stream, as shown by the arrows of the fans 6, 7, and 23 in the
figures. The water-vapor-permeable membrane 14 or 18 of the two
humidity exchangers 11 and 15 is permeable for water vapor but not
for air. The exchange of moisture in the humidity exchangers 11 and
15 takes place in a passive manner, i.e. without supply of energy.
The two filters 8 and 9 comprise a coarse particle filter 24 and an
electric filter 25. The coarse particle filter 24 prevents insects
or any other larger dirt particles from entering into the electric
filter 25. The electric filter 25 prevents dust and other dirt from
entering into the heat exchanger 10 and/or onto the membrane of the
humidity exchanger. The heat exchanger 10 is preferably a plate
heat exchanger. The electric filter 25 can also be integrated in
the heat exchanger 10, as is described, for example, in WO
2004085946. Waste heat accumulates in the dehumidifying and cooling
device 19. A third line 26 is provided for removing this waste heat
to the surroundings, through which outside air is supplied to the
dehumidifying and cooling device, which outside air takes up the
waste heat and then releases it to the surroundings. The third line
26 opens, for example as shown, upstream of the second outlet 5
into the second line 21. In this example, a fourth fan 27 is
provided in the line 26, in order to allow the cooling outside air
to flow past the dehumidifying and cooling device 19. The fourth
fan 27 can possibly be omitted if the first fan 6 is disposed
directly downstream of the first inlet 2, as in the example
according to FIG. 2.
[0028] In the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the
dehumidifying and cooling device 19 is disposed between the cavity
17 of the second humidity exchanger 15 and the cavity 13 of the
first humidity exchanger 11 in the air circuit 22.
[0029] In the second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the
dehumidifying and cooling device 19 is disposed downstream of the
second filter 9 but upstream of the second cavity 16 in the second
line 21 or a dehumidifying and cooling device 19' is disposed
upstream of the first outlet 3 in the first line 20 or both
dehumidifying and cooling devices 19 and 19' are disposed at the
said locations.
[0030] In the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
heat exchanger 10 is provided to exchange heat between the exhaust
air and the outside air and the two humidity exchangers 11 and 15
are provided to exchange moisture with the third air stream. Two
further exemplary embodiments are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in which
the two humidity exchangers 11 and 15 not only exchange moisture
but also sufficient heat so that no separate heat exchanger is
required.
[0031] The first line 20 and the second line 21 are a part of the
device, as shown in the figures, on the other hand they are
connected to the surroundings or the room by means of additional
external lines.
[0032] The devices according to FIGS. 1 to 4 operate with two
humidity exchangers, which are coupled through the closed air
circuit 22 so that the exchange of moisture can be regulated. FIG.
5 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the exchange of moisture
between the first air stream and the second air stream takes place
by means of a single humidity exchanger 28, which comprises a
cavity 29 disposed in the first line and a cavity 30 disposed in
the second line, which are separated by a water-vapor-permeable
membrane 31. However, the use of a single humidity exchanger of
this design or another design is possible in all the exemplary
embodiments.
[0033] According to the invention, in all the exemplary
embodiments, as illustrated for the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 5,
a first portion of the exhaust air is left to flow as a third air
stream through a fourth line 32, treated, and fed back to the room
again. The third air stream is designated as circulating air stream
in technical terminology. The treatment of the third air stream is
accomplished by means of another dehumidifying and cooling device
33, which condenses moisture in the form of water from the third
air stream. The fourth line 32 has an inlet, optionally a filter
34, a fan 35, the dehumidifying and cooling device 33, and an
outlet. The inlet is either directly connected to the room or, as
shown, connected directly to the second line 21 downstream of its
inlet 4. The outlet either opens directly into the room or, as
shown, directly upstream of its outlet 3 into the first line 20.
The filter 34 advantageously comprises a coarse particle filter and
an electric filter.
[0034] According to the invention, such a circulating air stream is
also provided in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to
4.
[0035] A plurality of fans are required for conveying the various
air streams. The number of the fans and their arrangement inside
the device 1 can vary according to the specific design. The devices
1 presented are suitable for carrying out the method according to
the invention. They are to be understood as exemplary embodiments
which can be modified within the scope of the technical knowledge
of a person skilled in the art.
[0036] The humidity exchangers shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 are humidity
exchangers, which comprise two cavities separated by a
water-vapor-permeable membrane, in which humidity is exchanged
through the membrane. Alternatively, humidity exchangers based on
other physical principles can also be used, e.g. humidity
exchangers with adsorption and desorption processes or those with
absorption and degassing processes.
[0037] The devices 1 described are switchable between two operating
modes, which are designated as winter operation and summer
operation. These two operating modes are now explained in
detail.
Winter Operation
[0038] The device 1 transfers moisture and heat contained in the
exhaust air to the outside air. The first fan 6 conveys outside air
into the room and the second fan 7 conveys exhaust air out from the
room. The first fan 6 can be disposed anywhere in the first line
20, the second fan 7 can be disposed anywhere in the second line
21. The third fan 23 circulates the air stream in the closed air
circuit 22. The dehumidifying and cooling device 19 is switched
off, i.e. the air flows through the dehumidifying and cooling
device 19 without releasing moisture or heat.
Summer Operation
[0039] The device 1 transfers a portion of the moisture contained
in the outside air to the exhaust air and transfers a portion of
the heat of the outside air to the exhaust air, i.e. the cooler
exhaust air is used to cool the warmer outside air. The transfer of
the moisture from the outside air to the exhaust air is
accomplished by means of the two humidity exchangers 11 and 15
which are interconnected via the closed air circuit 22. Since the
exhaust air cannot absorb as much moisture as is necessary, in the
exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the air stream
circulating in the air circuit 22 is additionally dehumidified,
i.e. the dehumidifying and cooling device 19 extracts from the air
stream circulating in the air circuit 22 that portion of the
moisture which the exhaust air cannot absorb and which must be
extracted in order that the supply air has the desired humidity. In
the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the exhaust air is
additionally dehumidified, i.e. the dehumidifying and cooling
device 19 extracts so much moisture from the exhaust air that the
moisture extracted from the outside air in the humidity exchanger
11 can be transferred completely to the exhaust air by means of the
humidity exchanger 15. It is also possible to dehumidify both air
streams.
[0040] The first fan 6 conveys outside air into the room and the
second fan 7 conveys exhaust air out from the room. The
dehumidifying and cooling device 19 is operating so that the air at
the outlet of the dehumidifying and cooling device 19 is drier and
cooler than the air at the inlet of the dehumidifying and cooling
device 19. Air circulates in the closed air circuit 22, which,
depending on the design of the dehumidifying and cooling device 19,
is made to flow either by the third fan 23 or by the dehumidifying
and cooling device 19.
[0041] In addition, that portion of the exhaust air which flows as
circulating air through the fourth line 32, is cooled and/or
dehumidified by means of the dehumidifying and cooling device 33
and then returned to the room. The circulating air and the outside
air are prepared so that together they supply air of the desired
temperature and humidity to the room.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows a schematic functional diagram of the
dehumidifying and cooling device 19, through which an air stream 38
to be treated flows. The dehumidifying and cooling device 19 has a
cooling block 36 and optionally a subsequent thermal block 37. In
the cooling block 36 the air stream 37 is cooled to a temperature
below the dew point so that at least a portion of the moisture
contained in the air condenses out as water. As described above,
the heat accumulating there is supplied to the outgoing air at the
second outlet 5 (FIG. 1) by means of the air stream conveyed
through the line 26. If the thermal block 37 is present, a portion
of the accumulating heat is supplied directly to the outgoing air
and the remaining portion of the accumulating heat is supplied
directly or via a line 32 to the thermal block 37 and then to the
outgoing air in order to heat up again the cold air emanating from
the cooling block 36.
[0043] FIGS. 7 to 10 illustrate various examples for the
dehumidifying and cooling device 19, which also all contain the
thermal block 37. However, the thermal block 37 can also be
omitted. In this case, the accumulating heat is supplied to the
outgoing air.
Example 1
[0044] In the example shown in FIG. 7, the cooling of the air
stream 38 flowing through the dehumidifying and cooling device 19
in the cooling block 36 is accomplished by means of at least one
Peltier element 39. Two Peltier elements 39, having a cold wall 40
and a warm wall 41 are shown in the example. The temperature of the
cold wall 40 is cooled by supplying electrical energy, wherein at
least the last Peltier element viewed in the direction of flow of
the air stream 38 is cooled to a value which lies below the dew
point of the inflowing air. The air stream 38 flowing along this
cold wall 40 is cooled, wherein moisture contained in the air
stream 38 condenses out in the form of water at the cold wall 40 as
soon as the temperature of the air stream 38 falls below the dew
point. The water is supplied via a line 42 to a collecting basin 43
or removed directly to the surroundings. The heat accumulating
during cooling of the air stream 38 and during condensation of
moisture as well as the electrical energy supplied to the Peltier
elements 39, which is also converted into heat, reaches the warm
wall 41. A portion of this heat is supplied, for example via a line
44, to the thermal block 37 and transferred in the thermal block 37
by means of a heat exchanger 45 to the air stream 38 in order to
heat the air stream 38 in the thermal block 37 to a desired
temperature. The remainder of the heat is released to the air
flowing through the line 26. This is possible because the
temperature of the warm wall 41 is higher than the temperature of
the outside air.
[0045] A particularly advantageous embodiment is shown in FIG. 8.
The dehumidifying and cooling device 19 comprises a plurality of
Peltier elements 39 at which the air flowing past is cooled and
dehumidified. The air stream 38 is then passed along the cold side
of the Peltier elements 39 and then along the warm side of at least
one of the Peltier elements 39. That is, the thermal block 38 is
formed here by the warm side of this at least one Peltier
element.
[0046] In winter operation, the dehumidifying and cooling device 19
is usually not operating since the outside air is relatively dry
and does not need to be dehumidified. The Peltier elements 39
provided in this example can, however, be used to heat the air
stream flowing through the dehumidifying and cooling device 19. The
current flowing through the Peltier elements 39 then flows in the
reverse direction so that the wall 40 is now heated and the wall 41
is cooled.
Example 2
[0047] In this example shown in FIG. 9, the cooling block 36
comprises a compressor 46, a heat release chamber 47, a turbine 48,
and a condensation chamber 49, wherein the drive shafts of the
compressor 46 and the turbine 48 are coupled to one another. The
compressor 46 compresses the air in a mechanical manner, whereby
the air is heated. When the relatively hot air flows through the
heat release chamber 47, the heat release chamber 47 is heated to a
temperature which lies significantly above the local ambient
temperature so that the heat release chamber 47 can release heat to
the surroundings. The accumulating heat is removed by the outside
air flowing through the line 26. The supplied outside air therefore
cools the heat release chamber 47. In this way, heat is extracted
from the air stream 38. When the air stream 38 then flows through
the turbine 48, it drives the turbine 48. When driving the turbine
48, the air stream 38 must perform so much mechanical work that it
is cooled to a temperature below the dew point. The cold air
therefore cools the condensation chamber 49 so that moisture in the
condensation chamber 49 condenses in the form of water and is
collected via a line 42 in a collecting basin 43 or removed
directly to the surroundings. When the air stream 38 leaves the
condensation chamber 49, it is cold and dry. In order to heat up
the air stream 38 again, a portion of the heat accumulating in the
heat release chamber 47 is supplied to the thermal block 37, for
example, via two heat exchangers 45 and 52 which are interconnected
by a line 44. Since the drive shafts of the compressor 46 and the
turbine 48 are coupled to one another, the turbine 48 drives the
compressor 46 so that merely the power P=P.sub.K-P.sub.T needs to
be supplied to the compressor 46 from outside, where the quantity
P.sub.K denotes the power required by the compressor P.sub.K and
P.sub.T denotes the power delivered by the turbine 48.
Example 3
[0048] In the example shown in FIG. 10, the dehumidifying and
cooling device 19 comprises a compressor 46 and a vortex tube 53.
The compressor 46 compresses the air stream 38 and thereby
increases the pressure of the air so that the air stream 38 flows
into the vortex tube 53 at high speed. The temperature of the air
stream 38 is thereby increased. A portion of the heat is removed by
means of a heat exchanger 54 via the line 26. The vortex tube 53
separates the air stream into a hot air stream and a cold air
stream and is designed so that the temperature of the cold air
stream lies below the dew point so that the moisture contained in
the cold air stream condenses out in the form of water. The cold
air stream and the hot air stream are guided in separate lines 50
or 51, so that on the one hand the water can condense out and on
the other hand, heat can be extracted from the hot air stream, for
example, by means of another heat exchanger 55. The dehumidified
cold air stream and the hot air stream are then combined again
before they leave the dehumidifying and cooling device 19.
* * * * *