A device for cooling and dehumidifying a first stream of air includes a first heat exchanger that cools the first stream of air from a first temperature to a lower second temperature, an absorber, a regenerator and one or more pumps and conduits. The device operates under conditions where liquid desiccant removes moisture from the first stream of air in the absorber and the second temperature of the first stream of air that leaves the first heat exchanger is lower than the temperature of the liquid desiccant supplied to the absorber.

Provided is a moisture absorbing material, a dehumidifying device, and a dehumidifying method each of which makes it possible to efficiently release absorbed moisture without use of a large quantity of heat. A moisture absorbing material (22) (i) having (a) a first state in which the moisture absorbing material (22) is capable of absorbing moisture and (b) a second state in which the moisture absorbing material (22) releases the moisture absorbed in the first state and (ii) having a property of changing from the first state to the second state in response to an external stimulus and returning from the second state to the first state when the external stimulus disappears, the moisture absorbing material (22) including: first through fourth moisture absorbing bodies (22a) through (22d) which have respective different stimulus response levels and are provided in order of stimulus response level so as to be in contact with one another.

The present invention relates to a dehumidification system and method and, in particular, to a system and method for controlling the humidity of air in a process or location using a desiccant-coated fluid-air heat exchanger. The desiccant material adsorbs water at or above ambient temperatures during an adsorption cycle, and the resultant air stream is of a reduced humidity compared with the humidity of the supply air. The desiccant material may then be dried during a regeneration cycle through addition of heating fluid through the heat exchanger, driving water back into the vapour state with addition of latent energy of vaporization. The desiccant material may be cooled, during the adsorption cycle, through addition of cooling fluid through the heat exchanger to maintain the temperature within a range sufficient for water vapour to be removed from the stream of air.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a reheat valve configured to receive a refrigerant flow and regulate division of the refrigerant flow provided to a reheat coil and a condenser. The HVAC system also includes a condenser fan configured to draw a flow of outdoor air across the condenser and a controller communicatively coupled to the reheat valve and the condenser fan. The controller is configured to monitor a position of the reheat valve and to control operation of the condenser fan based on a correspondence between the position of the reheat valve and a threshold degree of opening.

Systems and methods for controlling temperature and humidity within a space in a building. Outdoor air and return air from the space are passed through particular equipment in a particular order. Equipment includes a secondary direct-expansion refrigeration circuit, a recovery wheel, a primary cooling coil, secondary circuit evaporator and condenser coils, and a dehumidification wheel. Various embodiments include multiple zones, chilled beams, and a dedicated outdoor air supply (DOAS) subsystem delivering dehumidified air to active chilled beams. In various embodiments, supply air passes first through the recovery wheel, then through the primary cooling coil, then through the dehumidification wheel, and then to the space. Further, in some embodiments, exhaust air passes through the dehumidification wheel and then through the recovery wheel. Pump modules may supply chilled beams and control their temperature to avoid condensation. A chiller may supply cooling water to both the primary cooling coil and the pump modules.

Disclosed is a control method of a ventilation apparatus, the method including: a determination step in which measured outdoor temperature and humidity and the measured indoor temperature and humidity are equal to or greater than a set temperature and a set humidity; and a drying operation step in which, when the outdoor temperature and humidity and the indoor temperature and humidity, reach the set temperature and the set humidity, a first desiccant heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger operate in a dry mode, wherein the first desiccant heat exchanger is provided in a first common passage, through which indoor space air or outdoor space air flows, to absorb or desorb moisture, and the second desiccant heat exchanger is provided in a second common passage, which is separate from the first common passage, and through which indoor air or outdoor air flows, to absorb or desorb moisture in air.

An integrated condensing heat exchanger and water separator includes a microporous graphite plate, one or more water passages defined at a first side of the microporous graphite plate, and one or more air passages defined at a second side of the microporous graphite plate opposite the first side. An air inlet operably is connected to the one or more air passages to direct a flow of air through the one or more air passages at a first pressure, and a water inlet is operably connected to the one or more water passages to direct a flow of water through the one or more water passages at a second pressure lower than the first pressure. The microporous graphite plate is configured such that moisture condenses from the flow of air onto the second side and is wicked through the microporous graphite plate to the one or more water passages.

Methods and systems for controlling temperature and humidity within a space in a building. Outdoor air and return air from the space are passed through particular equipment in a particular order. Equipment includes a secondary direct-expansion refrigeration circuit, a recovery wheel, a primary cooling coil or direct-expansion refrigeration circuit, secondary circuit coils, and a dehumidification wheel. Various embodiments include modulating the secondary circuit compressor to adjust reheat capacity at the secondary circuit condenser coil, a geothermal direct-expansion refrigeration circuit, a variable refrigerant flow subsystem, fan coil units, multiple zones, a dedicated outdoor air supply subsystem, an evaporative cooler, supplemental outdoor air, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, supply air passes first through the recovery wheel, then through the primary cooling coil, then through the dehumidification wheel, and then to the space. Further, in some embodiments, exhaust air passes through the dehumidification wheel, and then through the recovery wheel.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a reheat valve configured to receive a refrigerant flow and regulate division of the refrigerant flow provided to a reheat coil and a condenser. The HVAC system also includes a condenser fan configured to draw a flow of outdoor air across the condenser and a controller communicatively coupled to the reheat valve and the condenser fan. The controller is configured to monitor a position of the reheat valve and to control operation of the condenser fan based on a correspondence between the position of the reheat valve and a threshold degree of opening.

The present invention provides There is provided a unitary air conditioning system with temperature and humidity loosely-coupled control and a use method. The system includes a fresh air inlet, a return air inlet, an air mixing mechanism, a front-end air guide mechanism, a first and a second heat exchangers, a back-end air guide mechanism, an air supply outlet, and an air exhaust outlet. The fresh air inlet and the return air inlet are in communication with the air mixing mechanism, which is in communication with one end of an air flow passage of each of the first and the second heat exchangers through the front-end air guide mechanism; and the other ends of the air flow passages of the first and the second heat exchangers are respectively in communication with the air supply outlet and the air exhaust outlet through the back-end air guide mechanism.