U.S. patent number RE43,865 [Application Number 13/032,573] was granted by the patent office on 2012-12-18 for dehumidifying element and manufacturing method for the same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Korea Institute of Science and Technology. Invention is credited to Guido Falk, Stephan Faust, Dae-Young Lee.
United States Patent |
RE43,865 |
Faust , et al. |
December 18, 2012 |
Dehumidifying element and manufacturing method for the same
Abstract
A dehumidifying element includes a super absorbing polymer
(SAP), and a hygroscopic base, thereby maintaining hygroscopic
characteristics regardless of aging and a high humidity absorbing
rate and needing a smaller amount of energy for regeneration.
Inventors: |
Faust; Stephan (Weisen,
DE), Falk; Guido (Saarbrucken, DE), Lee;
Dae-Young (Seoul, KR) |
Assignee: |
Korea Institute of Science and
Technology (Seoul, KR)
|
Family
ID: |
7711242 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/032,573 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2002 |
PCT
Filed: |
December 27, 2002 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/KR02/02456 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
November 29, 2004 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO03/055595 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
July 10, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
12698842 |
Feb 2, 2010 |
Re. 42282 |
|
|
Reissue of: |
10500254 |
Nov 29, 2004 |
7326363 |
Feb 5, 2008 |
|
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 27, 2001 [DE] |
|
|
101 64 632 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
252/194;
96/154 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01J
20/046 (20130101); B01J 20/3236 (20130101); B01J
20/28028 (20130101); B01J 20/3212 (20130101); B01J
20/28033 (20130101); B01J 20/262 (20130101); B01J
20/2804 (20130101); B01J 20/28045 (20130101); B01J
20/267 (20130101); B01J 20/28035 (20130101); B01J
20/3085 (20130101); B01J 20/28023 (20130101); B01J
20/261 (20130101); B01J 20/2805 (20130101); B01D
53/28 (20130101); B01J 20/2803 (20130101); B01J
20/28004 (20130101); F24F 2203/1036 (20130101); B01J
2220/68 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01J
20/26 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;252/194
;96/108,118,134,154 ;95/117 ;62/94,271 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 882 502 |
|
Dec 1998 |
|
EP |
|
8-225610 |
|
Sep 1996 |
|
JP |
|
WO 00/53816 |
|
Sep 2000 |
|
WO |
|
Other References
An Office Action of the corresponding Chinese patent application
No. 02828323.6 mailed Jun. 2, 2006 (4 pages) with the English
translation thereof (4 pages). cited by other .
Heinrich, G., "Sorption-Supported Air Conditioning", 1997. cited by
other.
|
Primary Examiner: Lawrence, Jr.; Frank
Attorney, Agent or Firm: NSIP Law
Parent Case Text
.Iadd.The present application is a divisional reissue application
of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/698,842, filed Feb. 2, 2010,
now U.S. Pat. No. Re. 42,282 which is a reissue application under
35 U.S.C. .sctn.251 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/500,254,
filed Nov. 29, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,363, issued Feb. 5,
2008, which claims priority to International Application No.
PCT/KR02/02456, filed Dec. 27, 2002, which claims priority to
German Application No. 101 64 632.1-43, filed Dec. 27, 2001, the
disclosure of each which is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety for all purposes..Iaddend.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
.[.1. A method of preparing a desiccant comprising the steps of:
selecting a salt solution; drying a super absorbing polymer (SAP);
contacting the dried SAP with the salt solution in order to perform
an ionic modification of the SAP; and drying a hydrogel generated
by the contact between the SAP and the salt solution..].
.[.2. The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of the salt
solution is between 5-15 wt %..].
.[.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the salt solution comprises
water as a solvent..].
.[.4. A method of making a dehumidifying element comprising the
steps of: engaging a SAP to a carrier; drying the carrier to which
the SAP is engaged; selecting a salt solution; contacting the
carrier with the salt solution in order to perform an ionic
modification of the SAP; and drying the carrier to which the SAP is
engaged..].
.[.5. The method of claim 4, wherein the concentration of the salt
solution is between 5-15 wt %..].
.[.6. The method of claim 4, wherein the salt solution comprises
water as a solvent..].
.[.7. The method of claim 4, wherein the carrier is contacted with
the salt solution by soaking or spraying the salt solution into the
carrier..].
.[.8. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of contacting the
carrier with the salt solution is repeated..].
.Iadd.9. A dehumidifying element, comprising: a superabsorbing
polymer (SAP); a hygroscopic salt contacted with the SAP; and a
porous carrier configured to contain the SAP and the hygroscopic
salt..Iaddend.
.Iadd.10. The dehumidifying element of claim 9, wherein the SAP is
formed with granules having a diameter equal to or less than 1,000
.mu.m..Iaddend.
.Iadd.11. The dehumidifying element of claim 9, wherein the
hygroscopic salt includes one of lithium chloride, magnesium
chloride, calcium chloride, and lithium bromide..Iaddend.
.Iadd.12. The dehumidifying element of claim 9, wherein the porous
carrier includes a 3-dimensional channel through which air having
humidity to be removed is guided..Iaddend.
.Iadd.13. The dehumidifying element of claim 12, wherein the
carrier is a fiber composite of natural fiber and artificial
fiber..Iaddend.
.Iadd.14. The dehumidifying element of claim 12, wherein the SAP is
contained in the carrier while being contained in a textile, meshed
textile, knitted fabric, knit, or bonded fabric..Iaddend.
.Iadd.15. The dehumidifying element of claim 9, wherein the SAP
comprises an acryl acid cross-linked with at least one of
acrylamide, starch, and cellulose..Iaddend.
.Iadd.16. The dehumidifying element of claim 9, wherein the SAP
includes polymer in which acryl acid and acyrlamide are
cross-linked..Iaddend.
.Iadd.17. The dehumidifying element of claim 9, wherein the SAP
includes polymer in which amylum and cellulose are
cross-linked..Iaddend.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a desiccant, dehumidifying element
and a manufacturing method for the same.
BACKGROUND ART
A humidity exchanger element dehumidifies gas by sorption mechanism
of the desiccants such as aluminum oxide-silicate or titanium
silicate/titanium-aluminum silicate.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,769, the elements can be included
in a sheet composed of inorganic fiber, or can be included in a
device formed by the sheet.
However, the conventional humidity exchanger element necessitates
regeneration at excessively elevated temperatures (approximately
90.about.150.degree. C.). In addition, the element has demerits
that a sorption capacity thereof is limited and that it causes a
large amount of pressure loss of supply air for being dehumidified.
Also, a sorption capacity of the humidity exchanger element is
decreased over time, that is, the element is greatly influenced by
aging.
Also, nucleus and bio-film are formed while the element
dehumidifies, thereby closing pores of the humidity exchanger
element.
According to G. Heinrich's paper entitled "sorption-supported
air-conditioning" published by the C.F. Muller Publishing Company
in 1997, the dehumidifying element is made by containing lithium
chloride in corrugated cardboard, wherein hygroscopic
characteristics of the lithium chloride are used for
dehumidifying.
However, The humidity exchanger element containing lithium chloride
can not be used in highly humid environment. This is because the
lithium chloride tends to liquefy after absorbing the moisture in
the air especially in a highly humid condition.
That is, when a solid lithium chloride is changed into a liquid
lithium chloride and the cellulose, the carrier thereof, comes to
be unable to absorb and maintain the liquid lithium chloride due to
its limited sorption capacity, then excessive liquid lithium
chloride is dripping away from the element resulting in a reduced
content of the lithium chloride in the element.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a
desiccant and a dehumidifying element which shows high humidity
absorbing capacity without the aging influence while necessitating
a small amount of energy for regeneration and a methods for
fabricating the same. To achieve these and other objects and
advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present
invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is
provided a desiccant which has an improved sorption capacity
prepared by the ionic modification of a super absorbing polymer
(SAP) through contacting it with a salt solution.
There is also provided two methods for fabricating a dehumidifying
element. The one method for fabricating a dehumidifying element
which consists of a desiccant itself, comprises a step of selecting
a salt solution; a step of drying a super absorbing polymer (SAP),
a step of contacting the dried SAP with the salt solution; and a
step of drying a hydrogel generated by the contact between the SAP
and the salt solution.
There is provided another method for fabricating a dehumidifying
element which comprises a step of engaging a SAP to a carrier; a
step of drying the carrier to which the SAP is engaged; a step of
selecting a salt solution; a step of contacting the carrier with
the salt solution in order to perform an ionic modification of the
SAP; and a step of drying the carrier to which the SAP is
engaged.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a porous carrier
including fibers and granules having a super absorbing polymer
(SAP), in which the granules are applied to an upper portion
thereof;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a porous carrier having
a wave shape of a trapezium and formed by a structured sheet;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the porous carrier of FIG. 2;
and
FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are schematic views showing methods by which
three dimensional channels are generated in which the plural porous
carriers are structured and/or flat sheets are arranged.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will now be described with reference to
accompanying drawings.
The desiccant according to the present invention is prepared by the
ionic modification of a super absorbing polymer (SAP). The
desiccant can absorb more than four times larger amount of the
moisture as compared with conventional desiccants such as
silica-gels and zeolites. When the relative humidity is 50%, the
desiccant can absorb the moisture approximately as much as its dry
mass.
A hygroscopic salt such as lithium chloride is used in the ionic
modification of the SAP. It has been found that the hygroscopic
salt such as lithium chloride has an excellent bonding force with
the SAP by substitution of Na.sup.+ by Li.sup.+).
That is, by the bonding with the SAP, the hygroscopic salt is
prevented from weeping after absorbing moisture from the air. At
the same time, the hygroscopic characteristics of the SAP are
improved enormously by the ionic modification with the hygroscopic
salt.
One of the most important finding as in the present invention is
that the improvement in the sorption capacity by the ionic
modification is strongly dependent upon the concentration of the
hygroscopic salt solution. When too high concentration of the salt
solution is used in order to allow the SAP to contact with
sufficiently large amount of hygroscopic salt ions, the salt
solution is found not to be absorbed at all or completely into the
SAP. The reason for this is considered that the swelling of the SAP
is restrained in a high concentration of the salt solution and thus
the amount of the absorbed solution into the SAP is reduced.
Consequently, the ionic modification is not performed to a proper
extent and the sorption capacity is not improved sufficiently.
On the other hand, if too low concentration of the salt solution is
used, the absorbed amount of the salt ions is not sufficiently
large even though the SAP absorbs large amount of the liquid
solution. As a consequence, the ionic modification thereof is not
performed to a proper extent and the sorption capacity is not
improved sufficiently.
The hydrogel generated by contacting the SAP with a salt solution
can be changed into a proper state capable of absorbing moisture
via a step of drying.
In the present invention, the preferable SAPs include polymers and
copolymers in which acryl acid and acrylamide are weakly
cross-linked, and .[.propfpolymers.]. .Iadd.graft polymers
.Iaddend.of starch, cross-linked amylum, and cellulose
derivative.
The dehumidifying element including the SAP can be fabricated to
have a predetermined shape, can be contained in a container formed
of material which permits gas to pass, or can be contained in a
porous carrier or attached to an outer surface of the porous
carrier. That is, the dehumidifying element can be constructed
variously.
The dehumidifying element including the SAP can be formed with
granules, and the dehumidifying element formed with the granules is
contained in a container through which air passes or fixed on a
carrier having a predetermined shape.
In case that the dehumidifying element is formed with granules, a
particle diameter of the respective granules is selected in a range
of 0.1 .mu.m.about.10,000 .mu.m; grain fraction in a range of 1
.mu.m.about.5,000 .mu.m is more preferable, and grain fraction in a
range of 20 .mu.m.about.1,000 .mu.m is most preferable.
The base of the SAP is a water swelling polymer and/or copolymer
based on (methyl-)acryl acid, (methyl-)acrylonitrile,
(methyl-)acrylamide, vinyl-acetate, vinyl-pyrrolidone,
vinyl-pyridine, maleic acid (anhydride), itaconic acid (anhydride),
fumaric acid, and vinyl sulfone acid, base, amide, N-alkyl
derivative, N,N-dialkyl derivative and five-acid ester which can be
polymerized, or natural ingredients such as a product made of
rubber, that is, carboxymethyl cellulose, xanthan alginate, gum
Arabic, hydroxyethylcellulose, methylcellulose, starch and amylum
derivative, and a product of said components combined or partially
cross-linked.
When the dehumidifying element including the SAP is realized as
fibers, it can be used in many fields. Especially, if the porous
carrier includes the dehumidifying element including the SAP, the
dehumidifying element can be realized as a textile, meshed textile,
knitted fabric, knit, or bonded fabric. It is also possible to
combine the aforementioned embodiments of the porous carrier.
Methods for providing the dehumidifying element including the SAP
in the carrier or on a surface of the carrier include a method for
coating the dehumidifying element on the porous carrier or a method
for inserting the dehumidifying element in the porous carrier.
Preferably, by realizing the porous carrier as a fiber composite
formed of natural fiber and artificial fiber, humidity carrying
characteristics of the natural fiber and mechanical characteristics
of the porous carrier formed by the artificial fiber can be
improved.
The porous carrier can be formed with a single layer or multiple
layers, or can be flat or structured. Herein, if the porous carrier
is formed with one or plural sheets, it is formed as a
dehumidifying body along the periphery of which air flows along, or
which air passes through. More preferably, the sheet is structured
by forming a wave-shape of the sheet as a trapezoid or a triangle
in a horizontal sectional surface. Then, plural and smooth sheets
are arranged in such a method that spatial 3-dimensional channels
are generated. Through the channels, air from which humidity will
be removed is guided.
Then, the hygroscopic characteristics of the element fabricated in
the 3-dimension shape can be realized by selecting the salt
solution. Regardless of the realization form that the SAP takes a
granular form or the SAP is included in the carrier, by drying the
SAP at first, the SAP can absorb the salt solution much more.
According to this, the SAP can be contacted to the hygroscopic
salt. The SAP is provided with the hygroscopic salt by contacting
the salt solution with the SAP. The hydrogel generated by
contacting the granules with the salt solution or SAP is dried,
thereby being converted into a state capable of absorbing
moisture.
When the granules of the SAP is engaged to each other and forms
large agglomeration, it is preferable that the agglomeration of the
SAP is crushed to pieces and the granules are classified before
contacting with the salt solution. According to this, uniform
characteristics of the element can be realized. Likewise, if the
SAP is engaged to each other and forms large agglomeration after
the step of final drying, it is also desirable that the
agglomeration of the modified SAP is crushed to pieces and the
granules are classified.
Another method for fabricating a dehumidifying element with an SAP
desiccant modified ionically is making contact the carrier
including the SAP with a salt solution.
If the carrier including the SAP is contacted to the salt solution,
dried slowly, and the drying temperature is increased slowly, an
adequate regeneration is possible and the salt solution is
excellently absorbed by the SAP. On the contrary, it has been
observed that the salt is extracted from the surface of the carrier
instead of being absorbed perfectly into the SAP when the
regeneration temperature is increased fast to level.
The most important in the preparation of the desiccant is to select
the concentration of the salt solution between 5-15 wt %. In case
of using the salt solution of the concentration between 5-15 wt %,
the sorption capacity of the modified SAP can be optimized between
the restrictions in the liquid sorption capacity and in the highest
concentration of the salt solution. That is, the hygroscopic salt
of the maximum amount can be contacted to the SAP by selecting the
salt concentration between 5-15 wt %, or more preferably as 10 wt
%. The reason is that the salt solution cannot be absorbed properly
into the SAP in case of using too high concentrated solution due to
the inherent characteristics of the SAP restraining itself from
swelling in high ion density, and that the salt ions are not
absorbed sufficiently into the SAP in case of using too low
concentrated solution due to the limitation on the liquid sorption
capacity of the SAP.
When the carrier including the SAP of a granular form is contacted
with the salt solution, if the absorption capacity for the salt
solution of the SAP is very high, the granule particles tend to be
agglomerated to form a large lump after a step of drying.
Therefore, it is preferred that the carrier is contacted with the
salt solution in several steps. At this time, at each step, the
carrier is partly contacted with the salt solution, and the contact
is realized by drizzling, sprinkling, spraying, etc.
Preferred Embodiment
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the dehumidifying
element according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the dehumidifying element of the present
invention is composed of a porous carrier 2 to the surface or the
inside of which SAP is attached. The SAP is formed in the porous
carrier or at a surface thereof as granular particles 1.
The granular particles 1 include the SAP, and the SAP is contacted
to a hygroscopic base (not shown). At this time, the carrier 2
consists of fiber composed of natural or composite polymer and a
filament. Further, the carrier 2 includes fibers 3 containing the
SAP therein, in which the fibers 3 are inserted into the porous
carrier 2. The fibers 3 are contacted to the hygroscopic base in a
finely distributed form like the granules 1, and can be applied to
a surface of the porous carrier 2.
A particle diameter of the granules 1 is approximately identical
for all granular particles and is in a range of 20
.mu.m.about.1,000 .about.m. Less preferably, but always suitably, a
diameter of grain fraction is in a range of 1 .about.m.about.5,000
.mu.m, in which particles of 20 .mu.m.about.1,000 .mu.m are
basically considered. The SAP forming the granules includes polymer
and copolymer in which acryl acid and acrylamide are weakly
cross-linked, and amylum and cellulose derivatives corresponding to
.[.propfpolymer.]. .Iadd.graft polymer .Iaddend.of starch and
cross-linked.
Also, the granules 1 having a hygroscopic base as a finely
distributed shape can form the carrier itself without an additional
carrier and perform a dehumidifying function. Also, the granules 1
can be applied on the surface of the porous carrier 2 by coating
and included in the porous carrier 2. Also, in case that the porous
carrier 2 is a fiber composite, the SAP can be integrated in the
carrier 2 as a part of the fibers.
The fiber composite is a matrix and includes natural fibers or one
or plural artificial fiber materials corresponding to reinforcing
fibers. The artificial fiber material improves mechanical
characteristics of the porous carrier 2 or the fiber composite, and
the natural fiber carries humidity better.
Also, the natural fiber stores its humidity, that is, water vapor,
water or aqueous solution. The porous carrier composed of fiber or
filament includes textile, meshed textile, knitted fabric, knit, a
combination therebetween, bonded fabric, etc.
The SAP is contacted to the hygroscopic base by soaking a
water-based solution of the hygroscopic base into the granules of
the SAP or the SAP fibers, drizzling, sprinkling or by other
methods. Herein, the SAP absorbs the salt solution by its own
absorption characteristics.
As a modification method, the modification of the SAP, in other
words, contacting the SAP with the salt solution, the SAP can be
modified before the granules of the SAP or the SAP fibers are
included in the carrier or at a surface of the carrier, or can be
modified after the SAP granules or the SAP fibers are already
included in the carrier or at the surface of the carrier.
If the porous carrier is modified in several fabrication steps,
structured, or arranged, the modification of the SAP and the salt
solution can be performed at any fabrication step in consideration
with a time point of the most preferable modification.
In order to modify the SAP granules or the SAP fibers, first of
all, the salt solution has to be selected. The salt solution
includes a strong hygroscopic base such as lithium chloride,
magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, or lithium bromide, and
includes water as solvent.
The salt solution is completely desalinated, deionized, and
distilled, wherein a base concentration is 5.about.15 wt % and a
maximum concentration is 15 wt %.
In order to maintain the residual content of the moisture in the
SAP to a minimum extent and thus to allow the SAP to absorb the
salt solution as much as possible in contacting with the salt
solution afterwards, it is necessary that the granules or fibers be
dried completely before contacting with the salt solution. For this
purpose, a vacuum drier can be used preferably. The vacuum drier
exerts very small thermal influence on the granules at the time of
drying, thereby preventing a stability depreciation by temperature
change through a long term view.
Then, the dried SAP granules are modified ionically by the salt
solution, and can be variously processed. For example, the SAP
granules can be provided in the salt solution or the solution can
be added to the granules.
After the ionic modification, the hydrogel generated from the SAP
granules is dried, thereby regenerating the granules. The hydrogel
can be layered on a plate as thin as possible thereby restricting
the formation of the lump in the step of drying. In case of lump
formation, it is necessary to crush the lump. It is suitable to use
an impact crusher or a breaker for this end.
When the SAP granules or the SAP fibers are located within the
carrier or thereon, in order to perform an ionic modification of
the SAP, firstly it is required for the carrier including the SAP
to be dried, thereby reducing the amount of the water contained
therein to a minimum extent. And the selection of the salt solution
is carried out similar to the aforementioned methods.
When the porous carrier 2 including the SAPs 1 and 3 is contacted
with the salt solution, it would be better to contact in multistage
plural times between the porous carrier 2 and the salt solution.
The reason is that the granular particles 1 can be engaged and
agglomerated into a lump in or on the porous carrier 2. Although it
is possible to crush a lump formed through an ionic modification of
the SAP itself, it would be impossible to crush a lump formed
through an ionic modification of a SAP engaged into a carrier.
Therefore, it is important to restrict the generation of the lump
in a step of contacting the carrier containing the SAP with the
salt solution. The solution can be prudently contacted with the
carrier including the SAP in multistage by drizzling, sprinkling,
or spraying.
Finally, the carrier 2 including the SAP is dried slowly, wherein
the drying temperature is gradually increased through the drying
process until it rises to the maximum regeneration temperature.
This step of slowly drying of the carrier 2 including the SAP by
slowly increasing the temperature causes to maintains the structure
of the modified SAP. That is, the SAP is not decomposed. The drying
method includes a freeze drying, a microwave drying, a normal
drying, or a combination drying therebetween.
A method for fabricating the dehumidifying element, which is formed
to increase the contact area with air, with modified SAP granules
or the modified SAP fiber can be properly performed. The structure
of the porous carrier, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, includes a
trapezoid wave shape as a structured sheet, and at the same time, a
sheet of a corrugated reed shape has a ripple of 2.5.about.7 mm, an
interval length (a), a ripple of 1.about.5 mm, and a wave height
(b).
The forming is attained by an embossing process using a rippling or
a stamping in heat reaction at a 180.degree. C. temperature.
FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are schematic views showing the respective
embodiments in which the plural sheets according to FIGS. 1 and 2
are arranged by a method such that 3-dimensional channels are
generated.
The channels permit gas from which the humidity will be removed,
for example, air, to penetrate or to flow at the periphery.
In FIG. 4A, one structure is generated by a combination between
flat sheets and shaped sheets. The structure is coiled to the
dehumidifying body simply or laminated, thereby properly being
arranged like a general humidity exchanging body.
FIG. 4B shows two sheets structured as a trapezoid. The sheets form
a honeycombed structure, and form 3-dimensional channels like in
FIG. 4A. Through the channels, gas from which humidity will be
removed can flow.
FIG. 4C illustrates a plurality of layers according to the
arrangement of FIG. 4B, by which a dehumidifying body having
3-dimensional channels can be formed.
Regardless of the point in time of the ionic modification, that is,
regardless of whether the SPA granules or the SAP fiber is
contacted to the hygroscopic base or not, whether the SPA granules
or the SAP fiber is contacted to the hygroscopic base with a
location in the porous carrier or thereon or not (FIG. 1), or
whether the modification is started after the porous carrier passes
several transformation steps or not (FIGS. 3, 4B, and 4C), lithium
chloride adjacent on the surface of the SAP permits not only water
to be added but also water to be guided inside of the
superabsorber.
At this time, preferably, on one hand, the base is spontaneously
regenerated as water is guided into the superabsorber. And, on the
other hand, humidity is removed into the superabsorber and thus
does not remain on the surface any longer.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
As so far described, according to the dehumidifying element and the
method for fabricating the same, hygroscopic characteristics
regardless of aging and high humidity absorbing rate are maintained
and a small amount of energy for regeneration is required.
* * * * *