Air Conditioning Apparatus

Abstract

A heat exchanger is provided having a first path and a second path through which air passes with heat transferred between the two paths. Exterior moist air is delivered to the first path together with a dissolved desiccant. An exothermic reaction takes place with heat transferred to the second path. Moist air passes through the second path with water in the second path being caused to evaporate thereby cooling air passing along the second path.

1 . An air conditioning apparatus including:
 a heat exchanger having a first air path and a second air path, each air path having an inlet and an outlet, with heat transfer to take place between air passing along the first path with respect to the air passing along the second path;   a first air pump, the first air pump providing for the flow of air along the first path from the inlet to the outlet of the first path;   a second air pump, the second air pump providing for the flow of air along the second path from the inlet to the outlet of the second path;   a delivery member to deliver a dissolved desiccant to the first path so that an exothermic reaction will take place along the first path to heat air passing therealong and therefore heat air passing along the second path;   a collection chamber located to receiving the dissolved desiccant from the first path outlet; and   a water/desiccant pump to take the dissolved desiccant from the chamber to provide for the delivery of the dissolved desiccant to the delivery member.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery member is a nozzle, and apparatus includes a further nozzle, the further nozzle being positioned to deliver a water spray to the inlet of the second path to thereby lower temperature of air passing along the second path. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an evaporative cooling pad downstream of the first path outlet through which air passes to be delivered to a room interior. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a medium to which the dissolved desiccant is delivered, and a further air pump operatively associated with the medium to cause air to pass therethrough to cause water in the medium to be evaporated. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir to receive water from the medium with the desiccant disclosed therein, and wherein the pump communicates with the reservoir and the first nozzle to provide for the delivery of the dissolved desiccant to the first nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising a further collection chamber, the further collection chamber receiving air from the second path and air from the medium, and a further reservoir, the further reservoir being provided to collect water from the further collection chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heater to heat air from the first path prior to delivery to the interior. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to receive air from the interior for delivery to the second air pump. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a first heat exchanger, and the apparatus further includes:
 a second heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger providing a third air path and a fourth air path each with an inlet and an outlet, with heat transfer to take place between air passing along the fourth air path with respect to air passing along the third air path; and   a duct to provide for delivery of air from the third path to the second path.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further including a delivery member configured to deliver dissolved desiccant to the third path. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further including a delivery member to deliver water to the fourth path. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises:
 a plurality of stacked frames, each frame being of a rectangular configuration so as to have four sides, a plurality of baffles extending between two opposite sides of the four sides so that adjacent baffles define a passage extending between the opposite sides;   a sheet material located between adjacent frames and covering the passages of the adjacent frames and providing for the transfer of heat between fluid passing betweens the passages of adjacent frames;   a plurality of the passages of each frame include an entry passage portion, a generally central passage portion and an exit passage portion, with the generally central passage portion extending diagonally relative to the opposite sides; and wherein   a plurality of the frames provide passages providing the first path, while other frames provide a plurality of passages providing the second path.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein in respect of each passage, arcuate passage portions join the entry passage portion and the exit passage portion to the central passage portion. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the central passage portion extends at approximately 45° to the opposite sides. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each of the opposite sides includes a first side portion and a second side portion, with the first side portions being located directly opposite each other, and the second side portions being located directly opposite each other and wherein in respect of each passage of the plurality of passages, the inlet portions extending from a first one of the first side portions, and the exit portions extending from the second side portion of the other opposite side. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each side portion extends approximately half the length of the respective side. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the entry portions and the exit portions extend generally normal to their respective side. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the frames are arranged so that the central passage portions of adjacent frames are substantially perpendicular. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 12 , wherein the sheet material is substantially moisture impervious. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the sheet material is sheet polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         21 . A method of cooling air, the method comprising:
 delivering air containing water to a first path;   delivering air to a second path that is in a heat transfer relationship to the first path;   delivering a desiccant to the first path so that water in the first path and the desiccant provide a solution passing along the first path to thereby generate heat that is at least partly transferred to the second path;   delivering water in liquid form to the second path so as to at least partly travel therealong with air passing along the second path and so that heat transferred from the first path to the second path causes at least part evaporation of water in the second path to thereby cool the air passing along the second path.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further including collecting the dissolved desiccant from the first path and evaporating water therefrom and returning the desiccant for delivery to the first path. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the desiccant is delivered to the first path it is delivered in a water solution. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the water and desiccant solution is delivered to the first path in spray form. 
     
     
         25 . The method of any one of  claims 21 , wherein the desiccant is delivered to the first path at a downstream location thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The method of any one of  claims 21 , wherein the desiccant is delivered to the first path at an upstream location thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The method of any one of  claims 21 , wherein water is delivered to the second path in spray form. 
     
     
         28 . The method of any one of  claims 21 , further comprising:
 passing air along a third path;   passing air along a fourth path, with the third path being in heat transfer relationship with the fourth path with air from the first path being delivered to a downstream position of the fourth path so that warm air from the first path pass along the fourth path.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein water is delivered to the third path so as to pass therealong and to be heated by heat transfer from the fourth path to cause at least part evaporation of water passing along the third path to cool air passing along said third path.