Adsorption air conditioner

Claim 2

An air conditioning system for providing temperature controlled air to a conditioned space, said system comprising: a desiccant bed having a generally cylindrical configuration and a first radial dimension; regenerator means having a substantially cylindrical configuration and second radial dimension different from said first radial dimension; means for mounting said desiccant bed and said regenerator means in a generally concentric orientation; means for directing a first air flow through said desiccant bed and said regenerator means for controlling said conditioned space temperature; means for directing a second air flow through said regenerator means and said desiccant bed for desorbing said desiccant bed; and means for substantially isolating said first and second air flows.

Claim 3

The air conditioning system of claim 1 including means for producing relative rotation of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means.

Claim 4

The air conditioning system of claim 2 wherein said rotation producing means comprises first drive means for producing rotation of said desiccant bed in one direction and second drive means for producing rotation of said regenerator means in an other direction.

Claim 5

The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein said first radial dimension is greater than said second radial dimension.

Claim 6

The air conditioning system of claim 1 including heater means mounted between said regenerator means and said desiccant bed for heating at least a portion of said second air flow.

Claim 7

The air conditioning system of claim 5 wherein said heater means comprises a solar heater.

Claim 8

The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein said first and second air flow directing means comprises: housing means for containing said desiccant bed and said regenerator means; partition means for dividing said housing into a first section and a second section; means for directing said first air flow into said first housing section adjacent said desiccant bed; means for removing said first air flow from said first housing section adjacent said regenerator means; means for directing said second air flow into said second housing section adjacent said regenerator means; and means for removing said second air flow from said second housing section adjacent said desiccant bed.

Claim 9

The air conditioning system of claim 7 including: humidifier means; and means interposing said humidifier means in said first air flow between said first air flow removing means and said conditioned space.

Claim 10

The air conditioning system of claim 8 including: additional humidifier means; and means for connecting said additional humidifier means to said second air flow directing means.

Claim 11

The air conditioning system of claim 9 including means for feeding outside air to said additional humidifier means.

Claim 12

The air conditioning system of claim 7 including means for rotating said desiccant bed and said regenerator means through said first housing section and said second housing section.

Claim 13

The air conditioning system of claim 11 wherein said rotating means comprises: first drive means for rotating said desiccant bed in one direction; and second drive means for rotating said regenerator means in an other direction opposite said one direction.

Claim 14

The air conditioning system of claim 11 including means for defining a third housing section between said first housing section and said second housing section on one side of an axis of said desiccant bed; means for defining a fourth housing section between said first housing section and said second housing section on an other side of said axis opposite said one side; and means for directing a third air flow through said desiccant bed in each of said third housing section and said fourth housing section.

Claim 15

The air conditioning system of claim 13 wherein said third air flow directing means includes: partition means disposed in said housing generally perpendicular to said axis defining a fifth housing section; means for preventing air flow through said regenerator means from said third housing section and said fourth housing section; a first opening in said partition means communicating between said third housing section and said fifth housing section; and a second opening in said partition means communicating between said fifth housing section and said fourth housing section.

Claim 16

The air conditioning system of claim 11 wherein said first radial dimension is greater than said second radial dimension and including: heater means mounted between said regenerator means and said desiccant bed in said second housing section; recuperator means having first, second, and third interconnected portions; means for mounting said first recuperator portion in said first housing section between said desiccant bed and said regenerator means; means for mounting said second recuperator portion in said second housing section between said regenerator means and said heater means; and means for mounting said third recuperator portion in said second housing section outside said desiccant bed.

Claim 17

In an air conditioning system wherein air flows along a first path through a desiccant bed, regenerator means, and humidifier means for cooling a conditioned space, and air flows along a second path through humidifier means, said regenerator means, heater means, and said desiccant bed for desorbing said desiccant bed, the improvement comprising: a housing; a generally cylindrical desiccant bed having an axis and mounted in said housing for rotation around its axis; a generally cyclindrical regenerator means having an axis and mounted in said housing for rotation around its axis; and partition means for dividing said housing into a first housing section containing a portion of each of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means for receiving air along said first flow path, and a second housing section containing a portion of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means for receiving air along said second flow path.

Claim 18

In an air conditioning system wherein air flows along a first path through a desiccant bed, regenerator means, and humidifier means for cooling a conditioned space, and air flows along a second path through humidifier means, said regenerator means, heater means, and said desiccant bed for desorbing said desiccant bed, the improvement comprising: a housing; a generally cylindrical desiccant bed having an axis and mounted in said housing for rotation around its axis; a generally cyclindrical regenerator means having an axis and mounted in said housing for rotation around its axis; and partition means for dividing said housing into a first housing section containing a portion of each of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means for receiving air along said first flow path, and a second housing section containing a portion of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means for receiving air along said second flow path.

Claim 19

The air conditioning system of claim 16 including drive means for rotating said desiccant bed in one direction and rotating said regenerator means in an other direction.

Claim 20

The air conditioning system of claim 17 wherein said drive means comprises: first drive motor for rotating said desiccant bed; and second drive motor for rotating said regenerator means.

Claim 21

The air conditioning system of claim 18 including drive belts for respectively connecting said first and second drive motors to said desiccant bed and regenerator means.

Claim 22

The air conditioning system of claim 16 including solar heater means mounted in said second housing section between said regenerator means and said desiccant bed.

Claim 25

A module for an air conditioning system, said module comprising: a desiccant bed having a generally cylindrical configuration and a first radial dimension; regenerator means having a substantially cylindrical configuration and a second radial diemension different from said first radial dimension; means for mounting said desiccant bed and said regenerator means in a generally concentric orientation; means for directing a first air flow through said desiccant bed and said regenerator means for controlling the temperature of said conditioned space; means for directing a second air flow through said regenerator means and said desiccant bed for desorbing said desiccant bed; and means for substantially isolating said first and second air flows.

Claim 26

A module for an air conditioning system, said module comprising: a desiccant bed having a generally cylindrical configuration and a first radial dimension; regenerator means having a substantially cylindrical configuration and a second radial diemension different from said first radial dimension; means for mounting said desiccant bed and said regenerator means in a generally concentric orientation; means for directing a first air flow through said desiccant bed and said regenerator means for controlling the temperature of said conditioned space; means for directing a second air flow through said regenerator means and said desiccant bed for desorbing said desiccant bed; and means for substantially isolating said first and second air flows.

Claim 27

The air conditioning system of claim 22 including means for producing relative rotation of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means.

Claim 28

The air conditioning system of claim 23 wherein said rotation producing means comprises first drive means for producing rotation of said desiccant bed in one direction and second drive means for producing rotation of said regenerator means in an other direction.

Claim 29

The air conditioning system of claim 22 including heater means mounted between said regenerator means and said desiccant bed for heating at least a portion of said second air flow.

Claim 30

The air conditioning system of claim 25 wherein said heater means comprises a solar heater.

Claim 31

The air conditioning system of claim 22 wherein said first and second air flow directing means comprises: housing means for containing said desiccant bed and said regenerator means; partition means for dividing said housing into a first section and a second section; means for directing said first flow into said first housing section adjacent said desiccant bed; means for removing said first air flow from said first housing section adjacent said regenerator means; means for directing said second air flow into said second housing section adjacent said regenerator means; and means for removing said second air flow from said second housing section adjacent said desiccant bed.

Claim 32

The air conditioning system of claim 27 including means for rotating said desiccant bed and said regenerator means through said first housing section and said second housing section.

Claim 33

The air conditioning system of claim 28 wherein said rotating means comprises: first drive means for rotating said desiccant bed in one direction; and second drive means for rotating said regenerator means in an other direction opposite said one direction.

Claim 34

The air conditioning system of claim 28 including: means for defining a third housing section between said first housing section and said second housing section on one side of an axis of said desiccant bed; means for defining a fourth housing section between said first housing section and said second housing section on an other side of said axis opposite said one side; and means for directing a third air flow through said desiccant bed in each of said third housing section and said fourth housing section.

Claim 35

The air conditioning system of claim 30 wherein said third air flow directing means includes: partition means disposed in said housing generally perpendicular to said axis defining a fifth housing section; means for preventing air flow through said regenerator means from said third housing section and said fourth housing section; a first opening in said partition means communicating between said third housing section and said fifth housing section; and a second opening in said partition means communicating between said fifth housing section and said fourth housing section.

Claim 36

The air conditioning system of claim 28 wherein said first radial dimension is greater than said second radial dimension and including: heater means mounted between said regenerator means and said desiccant bed in said second housing section; recuperator means having first, second, and third interconnected portions; means for mounting said first recuperator portion in said first housing section between said desiccant bed and said regenerator means; means for mounting said second recuperator portion in said second housing section between said regenerator means and said heater means; and means for mounting said third recuperator portion in said second housing section outside said desiccant bed.

Claim 37

An air conditioning system for providing a temperature control to a conditioned space, said system comprising: a housing; a generally cylindrical desiccant bed having an axis and mounted in said housing for rotation around its axis; a generally cylindrical regenerator means having an axis and mounted in said housing within said desiccant bed for rotation around its axis; partition means for dividing said housing into a first housing section containing a portion of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means, and a second housing section containing a portion of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means; first drive motor and drive belt coupled to said desiccant bed for rotating said desiccant bed in one direction; second drive motor and drive belt coupled to said regenerator means for causing rotation of said regenerator means in an other direction; solar heater means mounted between said regenerator means and said desiccant bed in said second housing section; first and second humidifier means; means for circulating air from said conditioned space through the portion of said desiccant bed and the portion of said regenerator means in said first housing section and through said first humidifier means for return to said conditioned space; and means for directing air through said second humidifier means, through the portion of the regenerator means, said solar heater, and the portion of said desiccant bed in said second housing section for regenerating said desiccant bed.

Claim 38

An air conditioning system for providing a temperature control to a conditioned space, said system comprising: a housing; a generally cylindrical desiccant bed having an axis and mounted in said housing for rotation around its axis; a generally cylindrical regenerator means having an axis and mounted in said housing within said desiccant bed for rotation around its axis; partition means for dividing said housing into a first housing section containing a portion of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means, and a second housing section containing a portion of said desiccant bed and said regenerator means; first drive motor and drive belt coupled to said desiccant bed for rotating said desiccant bed in one direction; second drive motor and drive belt coupled to said regenerator means for causing rotation of said regenerator means in an other direction; solar heater means mounted between said regenerator means and said desiccant bed in said second housing section; first and second humidifier means; means for circulating air from said conditioned space through the portion of said desiccant bed and the portion of said regenerator means in said first housing section and through said first humidifier means for return to said conditioned space; and means for directing air through said second humidifier means, through the portion of the regenerator means, said solar heater, and the portion of said desiccant bed in said second housing section for regenerating said desiccant bed.

Claim 39

The air conditioning system in claim 33 including means for directing a portion of air from said second humidifier means through said regenerator means, bypassing said solar heater and said desiccant bed.

Claim 40

The air conditioning system of claim 34 including: means for defining a third housing section between said first housing section and said second housing section on one side of said axis; means for defining a fourth housing section between said first housing section and said second housing section on an other side of said axis opposite said one side; means for directing a third air flow through said desiccant bed in each of said third housing section and fourth housing section; partition means disposed in said housing generally perpendicular to said axis defining a fifth housing section; means for preventing air flow through said regenerator means from said third housing section and said fourth housing section; a first opening in said partition means communicating between said third housing section and said fifth housing section; and a second opening in said partition means communicating between said fifth housing section and said fourth housing section.

Claim 41

The air conditioning system of claim 33 including: recuperator means having first, second, and third interconnected portions; means for mounting said first recuperator portion in said first housing section between said desiccant bed and said regenerator means; means for mounting said second recuperator portion in said second housing section between said regenerator means and said solar heater; and means for mounting said third recuperator portion in said second housing section outside said desiccant bed.