Contactor module with hydrophobic capillary membranes, integrated in a heat exchanger and hybrid plant for the dehumidification/conditioning of air

Abstract

The present invention concerns a contact module ( 10 ) operating with three fluids, air, coolant fluid and desiccant solution, with hydrophobic tubular membranes for the dehumidification and/or cooling of process air, said contact module comprising plurality of conduits ( 1 ) for the refrigerant fluid, in particular typically frigorific evaporating fluid, the contact module being characterized in that:—the space between said plurality of conduits ( 1 ) is substantially filled with a plurality of capillary pipes ( 2 ) in hydrophobic micro-porous membrane whose lumen is suitable to be crossed by and whose main extension direction is perpendicular to said plurality of conduits ( 1 );—on the two opposite surfaces of the contact module at the ends of said plurality of capillary pipes, one or more closing material layers, in particular of hardening resin, are disposed, for incorporating the end parts of said plurality of capillary pipes and sealing the thus created space between said plurality of capillary pipes, said space being suitable to let a desiccant solution pass which laps the external surface of said plurality of capillary pipes without being able to penetrate in their interior owing to the hydrophobic nature of their material, said two opposite surfaces having been subjected to cutting mechanical operations to the end of opening the lumen of said more capillary pipes making thus possible the passage of the air to be dehumidified and/or cooled;—on the opposite surfaces at the ends of said plurality of conduits ( 1 ) respective collectors ( 2 ) are arranged for the collection of the coolant fluid and the desiccant solution. The invention further concerns an integrated plant ( 300, 400 ) for the dehumidification and conditioning of air, which makes use of one or two contact modules according to the invention.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A contact module comprising:
 a plurality of conduits for a coolant fluid;   a plurality of capillary pipes made of a hydrophobic micro-porous membrane substantially filling a conduit space between said plurality of conduits, the capillary pipes having a section of any geometry and being configured to contrast an external pressure of a liquid phase to maintain the section's shape, the capillary pipes having openings suitable to be crossed by air to be dehumidified and/or cooled, and having a direction of main extension perpendicular to said plurality of conduits;   one or more layers of closing material disposed on two opposite surfaces of the contact module at ends of said plurality of capillary pipes, for incorporating end parts of said plurality of capillary pipes and sealing a thus created pipe space between said plurality of capillary pipes, said pipe space being suitable to let a desiccant solution pass, the desiccant solution bordering an external surface of said plurality of capillary pipes without being able to penetrate in the interior of the capillary pipes; and   respective collectors arranged on opposite surfaces at the ends of said plurality of conduits for collection of the coolant fluid and the desiccant solution.   
     
     
         15 . The contact module according to  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of capillary pipes have a diameter comprised between 0.4 and 6 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The contact module according to  claim 15 , wherein said diameter is comprised between 0.8 and 3 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The contact module according to  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of fins disposed on sides of said plurality of conduits substantially perpendicularly with respect to said sides, said fins extending only partially between said sides and being fixed in an alternate pattern on said sides. 
     
     
         18 . The contact module according to  claim 14 , wherein a conduit space portion between some of said plurality of conduits is filled with said plurality of capillary pipes while a remaining conduit space portion is provided with heat exchange fins to increase a thermal exchange with the air, thus operating in said remaining conduit space portion as a traditional heat exchanger. 
     
     
         19 . An integrated plant for dehumidification and conditioning of air, comprising:
 the contact module of  claim 14 , operating as a conditioning and/or dehumidification unit for dehumidification and cooling of air by way of a desiccant solution;   cooling means, connected to said contact module, suitable to feed said contact module with a coolant fluid; and   a regeneration unit for regeneration of said desiccant solution, said regeneration unit being connected to the contact module and being suitable for reconcentration of said desiccant solution when it comes from the contact module where said desiccant solution has been diluted by contact with humidity, by discharging outside water and using for said reconcentration a condensation thermal energy of the coolant fluid or energy provided by another thermovector fluid, the desiccant solution being returned, after said reconcentration, to said contact module.   
     
     
         20 . The integrated plant according to  claim 19 , wherein said regeneration unit comprises a liquid/liquid membrane distillatory. 
     
     
         21 . The integrated plant according to  claim 19 , wherein said regeneration unit is formed by a further contact module. 
     
     
         22 . The integrated plant according to  claim 19 , wherein said cooling means also feed separate condensation coils and evaporation coils. 
     
     
         23 . The integrated plant according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 said contact module dehumidifies a part of air flow which is subsequently collected and mixed up with a non-dehumidified part to create an air mixture;   said air mixture is cooled down with an exchange coil arranged in series on an air pathway, the exchange coil being fed with a part of the flow of coolant fluid coming from said cooling means;   said regeneration unit operates in parallel with a condensing coil; and   exchange of desiccant solution between said contact module and said regeneration unit, in order to regenerate the desiccant solution, is effected through suitable conduits.   
     
     
         24 . The integrated plant according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 evaporation temperature of the coolant fluid is same in said contact module and in said separate exchange coil; and   condensation temperature of the coolant fluid is same in said regeneration unit and in said separate condensation coil.   
     
     
         25 . The integrated plant according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 in the contact module, a conduit space portion between some of said plurality of conduits is filled with said plurality of capillary pipes while a remaining conduit space portion is provided with heat exchange fins to increase a thermal exchange with the air, thus operating in said remaining conduit space portion as a traditional heat exchanger;   said cooling means do not comprise an evaporation coil external to the contact module; and   the pipe space that is not occupied by said capillary pipes operates as a traditional refrigerating coil arranged in parallel.   
     
     
         26 . The integrated plant according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 in the contact module, a conduit space portion between some of said plurality of conduits is filled with said plurality of capillary pipes while a remaining conduit space portion is provided with heat exchange fins to increase a thermal exchange with the air, thus operating in said remaining conduit space portion as a traditional heat exchanger;   said cooling means do not comprise a condensation coil external to the contact module; and   the pipe space that is not occupied by said capillary pipes operates in parallel as traditional condensation coil.