Energy Recovery Ventilator And Dehumidifier

Abstract

An energy recovery ventilator system includes a belt partially located in each of a first chamber and a second chamber. First and second desiccant units are positioned on the belt. At least some of the first desiccant units are in the first chamber at a first relative humidity, causing air received in the first chamber to achieve a first air humidity. At least some of the second desiccant units are in the second chamber at a second relative humidity, the second relative humidity being caused by the air received in the first chamber. The second relative humidity is modified to the first relative humidity by air passing through the second chamber, the air achieving a second air humidity. A controller causes the belt to move second desiccant units from the second chamber to the first chamber when the first air humidity fails to comply with a specific air humidity.

1 . An energy recovery ventilator system comprising:
 a first chamber and a second chamber;   a moving belt having a first portion positioned in the first chamber and a second portion positioned in the second chamber;   a plurality of desiccant units positioned on the moving belt, the desiccant units including a plurality of first desiccant units and a plurality of second desiccant units, each of the desiccant units being in a saturated stated,
 the first desiccant units being located in the first chamber at a first relative humidity and causing air received in the first chamber to achieve a first air humidity, and 
 the second desiccant units being located in the second chamber at a second relative humidity, the second relative humidity being caused by the air received in the first chamber, the second desiccant units being modified back to the first relative humidity by air passing through the second chamber, the air passing through the second chamber achieving a second air humidity; and 
   a controller communicatively coupled to the moving belt and operable to cause movement of the moving belt, the controller causing the moving belt to move at least some of the second desiccant units from the second chamber to the first chamber when the first air humidity fails to comply with a predetermined air humidity.   
     
     
         2 . The energy recovery ventilator system of  claim 1 , wherein a gap is formed along an adjacent boundary between the first chamber and the second chamber, the moving belt including a plurality of separators positioned at predetermined intervals on the moving belt, at least one of the separators being positioned in the gap to seal the first chamber from the second chamber and prevent cross-contamination between air in the first chamber and air in the second chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The energy recovery ventilator system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of desiccant units are packets of silica gel. 
     
     
         4 . The energy recovery ventilator system of  claim 1 , wherein the first chamber operates in a dehumidifier mode in which moisture is removed from the air in the first chamber by passing through the first desiccant units, the second chamber operating in an energy recovery mode in which moisture is added to the air passing through the second chamber by passing through the second desiccant units. 
     
     
         5 . The energy recovery ventilator system of  claim 1 , wherein the first chamber operates in a dehumidifier mode during a first time period and in a reverse mode during a second time period. 
     
     
         6 . The energy recovery ventilator system of  claim 1 , wherein, in an energy recovery mode, the air passing through the second chamber is expelled to the external environment. 
     
     
         7 . The energy ventilator system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of sensors, including humidity and temperature sensors, a position sensor, and a temperature sensor,
 a first one of the humidity and temperature sensors being positioned near the first chamber;   a second one of the humidity and temperature sensors being positioned near the second chamber;   a third one of the humidity and temperature sensors being positioned near an outlet duct of a heat exchanger that is located adjacent to the first chamber and the second chamber; and   a fourth one of the humidity and temperature sensors being positioned near an inlet duct of the heat exchanger;   wherein the position sensor is located in the second chamber near the moving belt and the temperature sensor is located in the second chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The energy ventilator system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is coupled to a position sensor, the controller determining whether a gap between the first chamber and the second chamber is properly sealed based on positioning input received from a position sensor located near the moving belt. 
     
     
         9 . The energy ventilator system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger including a plurality of layers, each of the layers having two plates separated by a plurality of separator segments. 
     
     
         10 . The energy ventilator system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of separator segments include one or more foam tape segments or molded tape segments. 
     
     
         11 . The energy ventilator system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plates is an aluminum plate having at least one deformation formed on a plate surface for deflecting flow of air in the heat exchanger to create a turbulent air flow. 
     
     
         12 . The energy ventilator system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one deformation is selected from a group consisting of a protrusion deformation and an embossment deformation. 
     
     
         13 . The energy ventilator system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plates has an array of deformations formed on a plate surface, the array causing a turbulent air flow in the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . A method for recovering energy in a ventilator system, the method comprising:
 receiving fresh air from an external environment into a dehumidifier chamber;   adsorbing moisture from the fresh air to a plurality of first desiccant units to lower the humidity of the fresh air, the first desiccant units being in a saturated state at a first relative humidity;   sending dehumidified air into a room environment;   receiving room air from the room environment into an energy recovery chamber;   removing moisture from the room air to a plurality of second desiccant units, the second desiccant units being in a saturated state at a second relative humidity, the removing of the moisture causing the saturated state at the second relative humidity of the second desiccant units to change to the saturated state at the first relative humidity; and   in response to determining that relative humidity of fresh air is higher than a predetermined humidity, replacing at least one of the first desiccant units from the dehumidifier chamber with a corresponding one of the second desiccant units from the energy recovery chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising expelling the room air to the external environment after passing through the energy recovery chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising sealing gaps formed between the dehumidifier chamber and the energy recovery chamber with separators formed in a rotating belt. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising passing the dehumidified air through layers of a heat exchanger, the layers being formed by two adjacent plates separated by tape segments. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising creating a turbulent air flow by passing the dehumidified air passed an array of deformations formed on a surface of at least one of the plates.