Desiccant air conditioning system and method of operating the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a dew point temperature sensor, detects a dew point temperature of supply air that is supplied to a dry room (i.e., the dew point temperature of process side dried air cooled by a cold water coil), and supplies such to a control apparatus as a supply air dew point temperature tdpv. When the supply air dew point temperature tdpv decreases, the control apparatus lowers the rotational speed of a regeneration side fan and a motor (i.e., a motor that drives a desiccant rotor). Furthermore, the dew point temperature of return air and the like may be detected instead of the dew point temperature of the supply air. In addition, the rotational speed of the regeneration side fan alone may be lowered. In addition, the present invention may be of a type that does not comprise the cold water coil or of a type wherein the return air does not return to the process side air.

1 . A desiccant air conditioning system that comprises: a regeneration side fan, which forms a regeneration side air current; a process side fan, which forms a process side air current; a desiccant rotor, which is provided, and disposed such that it straddles the regeneration side air passageway and the process side air passageway, that, while rotating, continuously adsorbs humidity from the process side air and releases humidity to the regeneration side air; a heating apparatus, which heats the regeneration side air before its humidity is released by the desiccant rotor; and a space to be air conditioned, which receives the supply of the process side dried air whose humidity has been adsorbed by the desiccant rotor; comprising:
 a moisture amount detector detecting an amount of moisture at a prescribed position in a passageway wherethrough the process side dried air flows; and   a controller that, based on the amount of moisture detected by the moisture amount detector, controls the flow rate of the regeneration side air.   
     
     
         2 . A desiccant air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller controls, based on the amount of moisture detected by the moisture amount detector, the flow rate of the regeneration side air and the rotational speed of the desiccant rotor.   
     
     
         3 . A desiccant air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the moisture amount detector detects the amount of moisture contained in the supply air that is supplied to the space to be air conditioned.   
     
     
         4 . A desiccant air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the moisture amount detector detects the amount of moisture contained in the air that exits the space to be air conditioned.   
     
     
         5 . A desiccant air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the moisture amount detector detects the amount of moisture as a proxy for a dew point temperature. 
     
     
         6 . A desiccant air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the moisture amount detector detects the amount of moisture as a proxy for a level of humidity. 
     
     
         7 . A desiccant air conditioning system operating method adapted to a desiccant air conditioning system that comprises: a regeneration side fan, which forms a regeneration side air current; a process side fan, which forms a process side air current; a desiccant rotor, which is provided and disposed such that it straddles the regeneration side air passageway and the process side air passageway, that, while rotating, continuously adsorbs humidity from the process side air and releases humidity to the regeneration side air; a heating apparatus, which heats the regeneration side air before its humidity is released by the desiccant rotor; and a space to be air conditioned, which receives the supply of the process side dried air whose humidity has been adsorbed by the desiccant rotor; comprising the steps of:
 a moisture amount detecting step detecting an amount of moisture at a prescribed position in a passageway wherethrough the process side dried air flows; and   a controlling step controlling the flow rate of the regeneration side air based on the amount of moisture detected by the moisture amount detecting step.