US2274704A - Apparatus for conditioning air - Google Patents

Description

March 3, 1942. H. J. KAUFMAN APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR Filed Nov. 3Q, 1939 Fla.

, INVENTOR. ham yw m lwm BY M; W ATTORNEY:

Patented Mar. 3, 194-2 pairs-p stares rarest rricr 4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for conditioning air, and particularly to the use of a comparatively inexpensive deliquescent Joy-product, such as granulated or flake calcium chloride, for the dehumidification of air.

One of the objects of the invention isto provide a storage space for the deliquescent solid material for dehiunidifying air to anextremely dry condition and to provide a source for supplying another space with deliquescent solution for dehumidifying air to a normally dry condition. Another object of the invention is to provide a storage space for the fresh deliquescent solid material that can be periodically filled without efiecting the operation of the apparatus "and which will maintain a fixed amount of surface of deliquescent solid in contact with the .air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for conditioning the air for-human come fort in localities where the water supply has a comparatively high temperature, without the use of mechanical refrigeration,

A. further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that is self cleaning and self draining in all of its parts so that all vapors and solids removed from the air will be washed down through the apparatus and carried awaybythe waste solution.

This application is a continuation, in part, of my previous application, Serial No. 87,027, filed June 24, 1936, now Patent No. 2,184,998, granted December 6, 1939.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a longitudinal section through the air passages of the deliquescent solid dehydrator and through the deliquescent solution dehydrator showing the cooling coils, fan, motor and automatic regulation in diagram.

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the deliquescent solid and deliquescent solution dehydrators.

Figure 3 is a plan section throughuthe deliquescent solid dehydrator.

Figure 4 is a, plan section throughthe deliquescent solution dehydrator.

Referring particularly to Figure 1; air is drawn into the case [B through the inlet grille H, into the space 12, past the pre-cooling coil 13, between the dampers It and between the dampers l5, the said dampers are rotated on the .pivots 16 by means of the arms I! rotating on the pivots is which are attached to and moved by the rod [9, which is moved up -or down by the damper motor 20 operating the arm 2l, which rotates on the pivot 22 and islattached to the rod It :by the pivot 23. A portion .or all of the air is drawn'between the dampers M or 15 Vaccordingtothe position ofthe. said dampers.

Air passing between the dampers M is drawn through the air passages 24 in contact with the deliquescent solid :25 in the spaces 26, past the after-cooling coil 2;! and into the space 28.

Air passing betweenthe dampers I5 is drawn over and between the plates 29 in contact with the deliquescent solution, past the after-cooling coil 2 and into-the space .28.

Air is drawn from the space 28 the fan 30 driven by the motor 3! supported by the bracket 32 to the said case It and discharged through the outlet grille 33.

Deliquescent solid material in granulated or flake form 25 is poured into the hopper 34, which is kept airtight by means of the doors 3,5. The deliquescent material 25 flows down into the spaces 26 which are closed from each other and at the ends by the members 36. The sides 31 and the'bottoms 38 of the spaces '26 are formed of wire cloth or perforated metal, which supports the deliquescent solid material in place and which allows it to absorb vapors by'contact with the airin theair passages 24. The sides 31 of thespaces26 are held in place by the horizontal members 39. The tops-and the upperportions of the air passages 24 are formed of the solid members 48 in order .to prevent the moisture in the air in the air passages 24 from contacting the dry deliquescent material in the hopper M and in the upper portions of the spaces 26 and causing the deliquescent solid particles to unite in a solid mass bridging across the spaces 26, thereby pre-' venting the dry solid particles from flowing freely downinto the spaces 26.

The surfaces of the deliquescent solid material -25 in the spaces 26 is gradually melted by the water vapor, absorbed'from the air in the air passages 24, into a saturated deliquescent solution which flows down the porous sides 31 pof the spaces 26 on to and across the plates 29 in alternate direction, at right angles to and absorbing moisture from the air flow, until it reaches the bottom of the case H] in a diluted condition and wastes away through the drain ti, together with any moisture which may be condensed fromthe air by the precooling coil I3 which drains through the weep hole ,42. The ends 43 of the sloping plates 29, which are exposed to the air flow, are bent up .at a'n angle to confine the deliquescent solution to the said plates-29. The upper edges 44 of the plates 29 are attached to the sidesqf the .case [,0 and the lower edges 45 of the plates 29 by means of are bent down at an angle and are provided with a series of notches 46 to -break up the solution to cause it to drip in a series of small streams so as to be evenly distributed over the surfaces of the succeeding plates underneath.

Air passed in contact with a deliquescent solid will be dehydrated to an extremely dry condition due to the comparatively low vapor pressure of the deliquescent solid. Air passed in contact with a deliquescent solution will be dehydrated to a normally dry condition due to the comparatively normal vapor pressure of the deliquescent solution.

The degree of dehydration of the total volume of air is governed by varying the proportions of the air passed in contact with the deliquescent solid and that of the air passed in contact with the deliquescent solution by means of the dampers l4 and I5, which open and close oppositely.

Cooling water or other cooling means is supplied and wasted through the pipe 41 to and from the after-cooling coil 21 and to and from the precooling coil I3. Either or both of the cooling coils can be used and the amount of cooling is controlled by the motorized valve 48. When a comparatively high temperature cooling medium is used, the hand valves 49 and 52 should be opened and the hand valves 50 and should be closed, thereby doing all of the cooling after the latent heat of the water vapor, absorbed by the deliquescent solids and solution, has been converted into sensible heat. When a comparatively low temperature cooling medium is used, the hand valves 49 and 52 should be closed and the hand valves and 5| should be opened in order to concentrate the humidity by contracting the air volume to reduce the amount of deliquescent agent required, which decreases and increases inversely with relative humidity. When a comparatively mean temperature cooling medium is used, both cooling coils can be used in counterfiow principle by opening the hand valves 49 and 5| and closing the hand valves 50 and 52.

Electric powerto operate the apparatus is supplied by the positive wire 53 and the negative wire 54, which are connected to the low voltage transformer 55 and are opened and closed by the switch 56. Branch wires 51 and 58 are connected to the fan motor 3!. 55 a positive wire 59 is run to the motorized valve 48 and another positive wire 60 is run to the damper motor 20. From the motorized valve 48 the positive wires 6| and 62 are run to the thermostat 63, and from the damper motor 231 the two positive wires 64 and are run to the humidostat 66. The negative wire 51, which indirectly connects with the damper motor 20, the motorized valve 48, the thermostat 63 and the humidostat 66, is shown grounded at 68.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: on a rising temperature of the air in the space l2, the thermostat 63 completes a circuit through the positive wire 6| and the negative wire 61 to open the motorized valve 48, and on a lowering temperature of the air in. the said space, the thermostat 63 completes a circuit through the positive wire 62 and the negative wire 61 to close the motorized valve 48, to regulate the amount of water supplied to either or both of the cooling coils l3 and 27. On a rising humidity of the air in the space l2, the humidostat 56 completes a circuit by means of the positive wire 64 and the negative wire 61 to operate the damper motor 20 to open the dampers l4 and to close the dampers From the transformer I5 to increase the proportion of air drawn through the air passages 24 in contact with the deliquescent solid material 25 and to decrease the proportion of air drawn over and between the plates 29 in contact with the deliquescent solution, to decrease the humidity of the air in the space 28. On a decreasing humidity of the air in the space l2, the humidostat 66 completes a circuit through the positive wire 65 and the negative wire 61 to operate the damper motor 20 to close the dampers l4 and to open the dampers l5 to decrease the proportion of air drawn through the air passages 24 in contact with the deliquescent solid material 25 and to increase the proportion of air drawn over and between the plates 29in contact with the deliquescent solution to increase the humidity of the air in the space 28.

It is intended that commercial dihydrate calcium chloride or anhydrous calcium chloride in flake or granulated form, magnesium chloride, soda lime or other deliquescent solids which are dissolved by the vapors absorbed from the air or gases may be used in this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An air conditioning cabinet having an air inlet and an air outlet defined therein, a storage hopper located in the central upper portion of said cabinet, means defining a sealable opening in said hopper for charging the hopper at intervals with a solid, deliquescent material, the walls of said cabinet defining an air course between said inlet and outlet, a reticular receptacle projecting into said air course and having clearance with said walls, walls defining a gravity flow discharge passage between said hopper and receptacle for continuously replenishing the same with solid material from said hopper, said last named walls being of sufficient length to prevent access of air from said air stream to said deliquescent material adjacent the point of entrance to said passage from said hopper to prevent the bridging of said deliquescent material across said point of entrance, and means for moving said air stream between said inlet and outlet and past said receptacle in wiping relation with the walls thereof.

2. An air conditioning cabinet as set forth in claim 1 having spreading means for presenting liquefied material to the air stream passing through the cabinet, said spreading means being located below said receptacle and in said air stream, and means for discharging waste materials from said spreading means exteriorly of the cabinet.

3. An air conditioning unit to be supported in an air course comprising one or more receptacles of open work construction, a hopper for solid, deliquescent material of sealed construction except for a discharge opening into said receptacle, Walls defining said discharge opening, said last named walls being of sufiicient length to prevent access of air from said air stream to said deliquescent material adjacent .the point of entrance to said discharge opening from said hopper to prevent the bridging of said deliquescent material across said point of entrance to provide for the continuous replenishment of said receptacle from said hopper at a rate corresponding to the liquefaction of solid material in said receptacle, and air course defining structure to direct the air flow pastsaid receptacle in wiping relation with the sides thereof, whereby liquefaction of the solid material is confined to the areas immediately adjacent the open work construction in said receptacle.

4. An air conditioning unit to be supported in an air course comprising one or more receptacles of open work construction, a hopper for solid, deliquescent material of sealed construction except for a discharge opening into said receptacle, walls defining said discharge opening, said last named walls being of sufficient length to prevent access of air from said air streams to said deliquescent material adjacent the point of entrance to said discharge opening from said hopper to prevent the bridging of said deliquescent material across said point of entrance to provide for the continuous replishment of said receptacle from said hopper at a rate corresponding to the liquefaction of solid material in said receptacle, air course defining structure to direct the air flow past said receptacle in wiping relation with the sides thereof, whereby liquefaction of the solid material is confined to the areas immediately adjacent the open work construction in said receptacle, and a plurality of drip pans having open discharge ends located below the level of said first means and disposed in said air course, said drip pans being so located as to receive liquefied material from said receptacle, said pans being shaped and disposed to cascade liquid from one pan to another with the direction of the flow being transverse with the flow of said 15 air course.

HIRAM JOSEPH KAUFMAN.

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