US 12,247,759 B2
Systems and methods for air dehumidification in an enclosed space
Gaoming Ge, Saskatoon (CA); and Philip Paul LePoudre, Saskatoon (CA)
Assigned to Nortek Air Solutions Canada, Inc., Saskatoon (CA)
Filed by Nortek Air Solutions Canada, Inc., Saskatoon (CA)
Filed on Dec. 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/535,908.
Application 18/535,908 is a continuation of application No. 17/311,207, abandoned, previously published as PCT/CA2019/051750, filed on Dec. 4, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/775,288, filed on Dec. 4, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0110712 A1, Apr. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. F24F 3/147 (2006.01); A01G 9/24 (2006.01); F24F 3/14 (2006.01); F24F 12/00 (2006.01)
CPC F24F 3/147 (2013.01) [F24F 3/1417 (2013.01); F24F 12/001 (2013.01); F24F 12/002 (2013.01); A01G 9/246 (2013.01); F24F 2003/1435 (2013.01); F24F 2003/144 (2013.01); F24F 2003/1458 (2013.01); F24F 2012/007 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for dehumidifying an enclosed space, the system comprising:
a supply plenum including a return air inlet and a supply air outlet;
a scavenger plenum including an outdoor air inlet and an exhaust air outlet;
a desiccant dehumidifier arranged in the supply plenum and configured to remove water from air using a desiccant;
a desiccant regenerator arranged in the scavenger plenum and operatively connected to the desiccant dehumidifier, the desiccant regenerator configured to remove water from a dilute desiccant using air passing through the desiccant regenerator;
a heat recovery system including a first portion arranged in the scavenger plenum upstream of the desiccant regenerator and operatively connected to a second portion arranged in the scavenger plenum downstream of the desiccant regenerator, the first portion configured to reject heat to air flowing therethrough and the second portion configured to absorb heat from air flowing therethrough;
a dehumidifier damper arranged in the supply plenum upstream of the desiccant dehumidifier;
a regenerator damper arranged in the scavenger plenum upstream of the desiccant regenerator;
a first redirection damper connecting the supply plenum to the scavenger plenum upstream of the desiccant dehumidifier and downstream of the desiccant regenerator;
a second redirection damper connecting the supply plenum to the scavenger plenum downstream of the desiccant dehumidifier and upstream of the desiccant regenerator; and
a controller configured to operate the system in a plurality of modes, the plurality of modes comprising:
a wet mode in which the desiccant dehumidifier and the desiccant regenerator are operational, the dehumidifier damper and the regenerator damper are fully open, and the first and second redirection dampers are fully closed;
a dry mode in which the desiccant dehumidifier and the desiccant regenerator are off, the dehumidifier damper and the regenerator damper are fully closed, and the first and second redirection dampers are fully open; and
a blended mode in which the desiccant dehumidifier and the desiccant regenerator are operational, the dehumidifier damper and the regenerator damper are partially open, and the first and second redirection dampers are partially open.