Environmental control system with adsorption based water removal

Abstract

The present invention includes an adsorbent sub-system to concentrate water vapor from an incoming pressurized air stream to a level that allows efficient water condensation with ambient air as the single cooling source. The heat released when condensing the water is transferred to the ambient air, without affecting the cooling capacity of the system.

1 . A system comprising:
 a compressor; and   an adsorbent sub-system having a desorbing portion and an adsorbing portion, said desorbing portion in flow communication with said compressor.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said compressor provides a compressor outlet flow, said compressor outlet flow comprises a desorbing portion inlet flow. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a turbine operationally connected to said compressor; and wherein said adsorbing portion provides an adsorbing portion outlet flow, said adsorbing portion outlet flow comprises a turbine inlet flow. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an air supply sub-system in flow communication with said compressor, said air supply sub-system receiving a supply of outside air; said compressor positioned between and in flow communication with said air supply sub-system and said desorbing portion. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air supply sub-system in flow communication with said compressor, said air supply sub-system receiving a supply of outside air and providing an air supply sub-system outlet flow; and   an enclosure in flow communication with said compressor, said enclosure providing an enclosure outlet flow, said compressor receiving said air supply sub-system outlet flow and said enclosure outlet flow, said compressor providing a compressor outlet flow, said compressor outlet flow comprising a desorbing portion inlet flow.   
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air supply sub-system in flow communication with said compressor, said air supply sub-system receiving a supply of outside air and providing an air supply sub-system outlet flow; and   a primary heat exchanger positioned between and in flow communication with said air supply sub-system and said compressor, said primary heat exchanger receiving said air supply sub-system outlet flow and providing a primary heat exchanger outlet flow, said compressor receiving said primary heat exchanger outlet flow and providing a compressor outlet flow, said compressor outlet flow comprising a desorbing portion inlet flow.   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air supply sub-system in flow communication with said compressor;   an enclosure in flow communication with said adsorbing portion, said enclosure providing an enclosure outlet flow; and   an additional compressor wheel positioned between and in flow communication with said adsorbing portion and said enclosure, said additional compressor wheel receiving said enclosure outlet flow and providing a compressed enclosure air flow, said compressed enclosure air flow comprising an adsorbing portion inlet flow.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a secondary heat exchanger in flow communication with said desorbing portion, said secondary heat exchanger providing a secondary heat exchanger outlet flow; and   a water extractor positioned between and in flow communication with said secondary heat exchanger and said adsorbing portion, said water extractor receiving said secondary heat exchanger outlet flow and providing a water extractor outlet flow, said water extractor outlet flow comprising an adsorbing portion inlet flow.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a turbine operationally connected to said compressor; and   an enclosure in flow communication with said turbine, said enclosure comprising an aircraft cabin.   
   
   
       10 . A system comprising:
 an air supply sub-system;   an air cycle machine having a compressor and a turbine, said compressor in flow communication with said air supply sub-system;   an adsorbent sub-system having a desorbing portion and an absorbing portion, said adsorbing portion in flow communication with said turbine;   a secondary heat exchanger in flow communication with said desorbing portion; and   a water extractor in flow communication with said secondary heat exchanger.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an enclosure in flow communication with said desorbing portion, said enclosure providing an enclosure outlet flow; and   a motorized recirculation compressor positioned between and in flow communication with said desorbing portion and said enclosure such that at least a portion of said enclosure outlet flow comprises a desorbing portion inlet flow.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said compressor provides a compressor outlet flow, said compressor outlet flow comprises a desorbing portion inlet flow. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising an additional heat exchanger positioned between and in flow communication with said compressor and said adsorbing portion, said additional heat exchanger providing an additional heat exchanger outlet flow; and wherein said compressor provides a first portion of compressor outlet flow and a second portion of compressor outlet flow, said first portion of compressor outlet flow comprising a desorbing portion inlet flow, said second portion of compressor outlet flow comprising an additional heat exchanger inlet flow, at least a portion of said additional heat exchanger outlet flow directed towards said adsorbing portion. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein another portion of said additional heat exchanger outlet flow is directed towards said turbine. 
   
   
       15 . A system comprising:
 an air supply sub-system;   an air cycle machine having a compressor and a turbine, said compressor in flow communication with said air supply sub-system;   an adsorbent sub-system having a desorbing portion and an absorbing portion, said adsorbing portion in flow communication with said turbine;   a primary heat exchanger positioned between and in flow communication with said air supply sub-system and said desorbing portion, wherein said primary heat exchanger provides a desorbing portion inlet flow and said desorbing portion provides a compressor inlet flow;   a secondary heat exchanger in flow communication with said compressor; and   a water extractor in flow communication with said secondary heat exchanger and said adsorbing section.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a primary heat exchanger positioned between and in flow communication with said air supply sub-system and said compressor; wherein said primary heat exchanger provides a compressor inlet flow and said compressor provides a desorbing portion inlet flow. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an enclosure in flow communication with said desorbing portion, said enclosure providing an enclosure outlet flow;   an additional compressor wheel positioned between and in flow communication with said enclosure and said desorbing portion; and   a recuperator positioned between and in flow communication with said enclosure and said additional compressor wheel, said secondary heat exchanger providing a secondary heat exchanger outlet flow, said recuperator in thermal contact with said secondary heat exchanger outlet flow.   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an enclosure in flow communication with said desorbing portion, said enclosure providing an enclosure outlet flow;   a second compressor operationally in contact with said enclosure outlet flow;   a recuperator heat exchanger in flow communication with said compressor and with said second compressor outlet flow; said recuperator in flow communication with said desorbing portion;   an additional heat exchanger positioned between and in flow communication with said recuperator and said adsorbing portion; and   a second turbine in flow communication between said water extractor and said enclosure.   
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an enclosure in flow communication with said desorbing portion, said enclosure providing an enclosure outlet flow;   an additional heat exchanger positioned between and in flow communication with said desorbing section and said water separator;   a second compressor in flow communication with said desorbing portion;   a recuperator heat exchanger in flow communication with said enclosure and in with said second compressor inlet flow, said recuperator in flow communication with said second heat exchanger and said water separator; and   a second turbine in flow communication between said water extractor and said enclosure.   
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said adsorbent sub-system comprises at least one adsorbent wheel. 
   
   
       21 . A method of removing a supply of water from an air stream comprising the steps of:
 providing a compressed air stream;   increasing the moisture content of said compressed air stream such that a super-humidified air stream is provided;   positioning said super-humidified air stream in thermal contact with a cooling air flow such that a moisture saturated air flow having a supply of condensed water is provided; and   extracting said supply of condensed water from said moisture saturated air flow such that said supply of water and a saturated flow are provided.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising a step of passing said saturated flow through an adsorbing portion of an adsorbent sub-system such that a dried flow is provided. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 passing said moist flow through an adsorbing portion of an adsorbent sub-system such that a dried flow is provided; and   expanding said dried flow with a turbine.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 passing said moist flow through an adsorbing portion of an adsorbent sub-system such that a dried flow is provided; and   cooling said dried flow by heat exchange with a cooling fluid.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said step of increasing the moisture content of said compressed air stream such that a super-humidified air stream is provided comprises passing said compressed air stream through a desorbing portion of an adsorbent sub-system. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said step of increasing the moisture content of said compressed air stream such that a super-humidified air stream is provided comprises passing said compressed air stream through a desorbing portion of an adsorbent sub-system wherein said desorbing portion includes an adsorbent material having a supply of adsorbed water vapor. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said step of increasing the moisture content of the compressed air stream comprises passing the compressed air stream through an adsorbent sub-system, said adsorbent sub-system including at least one adsorbing portion, at least one desorbing portion and at least one switchover valve. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said step of increasing the moisture content of the compressed air stream comprises passing the compressed air stream through at least one adsorbent wheel comprising adsorbing and desorbing sections and capable of rotation so the adsorbing and desorbing sections can be alternatively exchanged and regenerated.