US 12,345,441 B2
Membrane-contactor-based air conditioner
Michael J Sweeney, Seattle, WA (US); Ryan Vetsch, Fort Saskatchewan (CA); David Patrick Selmser, St Albert (CA); Andrew Kim Liang Chan, Edmonton (CA); Philip Thai, Edmonton (CA); and Nicholas Labonte, Edmonton (CA)
Assigned to TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH, Neuhausen am Rheinfall (CH)
Filed by Tyco Fire & Security GmbH, Neuhausen am Rheinfall (CH)
Filed on Sep. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/373,135.
Application 18/373,135 is a continuation of application No. 17/482,181, filed on Sep. 22, 2021, granted, now 11,767,992.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/147,420, filed on Feb. 9, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0011650 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F24F 5/00 (2006.01); F28D 5/00 (2006.01); F28D 21/00 (2006.01); F24F 3/14 (2006.01)
CPC F24F 5/0035 (2013.01) [F28D 5/00 (2013.01); F28D 21/0015 (2013.01); F24F 2003/1435 (2013.01); F28D 2021/0064 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An air conditioner, comprising:
an air flow path configured to direct an air flow in an average air flow direction;
a plurality of evaporative cooling membrane panels extending across the air flow path transverse to the average air flow direction and forming a closed array configured to prevent a substantial portion of the air flow from bypassing the plurality of evaporative cooling membrane panels;
a first evaporative cooling membrane panel of the plurality of evaporative cooling membrane panels;
a second evaporative cooling membrane panel of the plurality of evaporative cooling membrane panels, wherein the first evaporative cooling membrane panel and the second evaporative cooling membrane panel are disposed in a V-banked array in the closed array such that the first evaporative cooling membrane panel and the second evaporative cooling membrane panel are obliquely angled relative to the average air flow direction;
a third evaporative cooling membrane panel of the plurality of evaporative cooling membrane panels; and
a fourth evaporative cooling membrane panel of the plurality of evaporative cooling membrane panels, wherein the third evaporative cooling membrane panel and the fourth evaporative cooling membrane panel are disposed in an additional V-banked array in the closed array such that the third evaporative cooling membrane panel and the fourth evaporative cooling membrane panel are obliquely angled relative to the average air flow direction, wherein the V-banked array and the additional V-banked array are disposed side-by-side in alignment across the air flow path, and wherein each evaporative cooling membrane panel of the plurality of evaporative cooling membrane panels comprises a face that is defined by a plurality of microporous fibers, each microporous fiber of the plurality of microporous fibers being configured to:
receive liquid in a fluid flow path of the microporous fiber such that the air flow over the microporous fiber generates a vapor; and
release the vapor into the air flow via pores of the microporous fiber.