US 12,111,072 B2
Liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger
Robert Besant, Saskatoon (CA); Carey Simonson, Saskatoon (CA); Blake Norman Erb, Warman (CA); and Howard Brian Hemingson, Saskatoon (CA)
Assigned to Nortek Air Solutions Canada, Inc., Saskatoon (CA)
Filed by University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon (CA); and Nortek Air Solutions Canada, Inc., Saskatoon (CA)
Filed on Jun. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/345,852.
Application 17/345,852 is a continuation of application No. 16/351,046, filed on Mar. 12, 2019, abandoned.
Application 16/351,046 is a continuation of application No. 14/957,795, filed on Dec. 3, 2015, granted, now 10,302,317.
Application 14/957,795 is a continuation of application No. 13/702,596, granted, now 9,234,665, previously published as PCT/IB2011/002145, filed on Jun. 22, 2011.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/359,193, filed on Jun. 28, 2010.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/358,321, filed on Jun. 24, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2022/0003436 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. F24F 3/147 (2006.01); F24F 1/0007 (2019.01); F24F 1/0071 (2019.01); F24F 3/14 (2006.01); F24F 12/00 (2006.01); F28D 15/00 (2006.01); F28D 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC F24F 3/147 (2013.01) [F24F 1/0007 (2013.01); F24F 1/0071 (2019.02); F24F 3/1417 (2013.01); F24F 12/001 (2013.01); F24F 12/002 (2013.01); F24F 12/006 (2013.01); F28D 21/0015 (2013.01); F24F 2003/1435 (2013.01); F28D 15/00 (2013.01); Y02B 30/54 (2013.01); Y02B 30/56 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An energy exchanger comprising:
a plurality of panels forming liquid channels and air channels separated by at least one semi-permeable membrane, the air channels configured to direct an air stream through the exchanger at a predetermined air flow and each of the air channels defining an area, Ac, and a volume, Vc;
a liquid inlet in flow communication with the liquid channels; and
a liquid outlet in flow communication with the liquid channels, the liquid channels configured to channel liquid from the liquid inlet to the liquid outlet in a counter-flow direction with respect to the direction of the air stream to facilitate heat and water vapor transfer between the liquid in the liquid channels and the air stream in the air channels through the at least one semi-permeable membrane, wherein:
an air flow pressure drop ratio of the exchanger is between 103 and 104; and
the air flow pressure drop ratio is defined as (p Ac/Vc);
p is a pressure drop of the air stream across the energy exchanger;
Ac is the area of each of the air channels; and
Vc is the volume of each of the air channels.