Flexible heat and moisture transfer system

Abstract

A heat and moisture transfer system may include a flexible heat and moisture exchanger in fluid communication with an environment control unit and an enclosed space. The flexible heat and moisture exchanger may include at least one flexible water vapor-permeable membrane, and may be configured to pass air streams simultaneously in different directions in adjacent subchannels formed by the membrane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An environmental control system comprising:
 an environmental control device having a supply air inlet and a conditioned air outlet in fluid communication with an enclosed space; and   a flexible heat and moisture exchanger including:
 a flexible shell enclosing an interior channel, and 
 a flexible, water vapor-permeable barrier disposed within the interior channel, the barrier partitioning the interior channel into a plurality of separate subchannels such that a first subchannel is in fluid communication with an atmosphere external to the enclosed space and with the supply air inlet, and a second, adjacent subchannel is in fluid communication with the external atmosphere and with the enclosed space; 
   wherein the exchanger is configured to receive a supply air stream flowing in a first direction through the first subchannel, and to receive an exhaust air stream flowing simultaneously in a second direction through the second subchannel.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a resilient, air-permeable spacer disposed within each subchannel configured to bias the respective subchannel against collapse. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat and moisture exchanger is convertible, without disassembly of the heat and moisture exchanger, between an operational configuration in which the heat and moisture exchanger conforms at least in part to a surface of the enclosed space, and a portable configuration in which the heat and moisture exchanger is collapsed. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the water vapor-permeable barrier comprises a membrane that is substantially impermeable to constituent gases of air. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a conduit portion configured to conduct the supply air stream from an end portion of the heat and moisture exchanger to the supply air inlet of the air conditioning device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further including a header portion configured to directionally separate the supply air stream from the exhaust air stream at the end portion of the heat and moisture exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat and moisture exchanger is a first heat and moisture exchanger, the system further including a substantially identical second heat and moisture exchanger and a flexible manifold configured to place the respective end portions of the first and second heat and moisture exchangers into fluid communication with each other. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible heat and moisture exchanger is further configured to be disposed at least partially on a surface of the enclosed space. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein flexible heat and moisture exchanger is further configured to be disposed with the second subchannel disposed closer to the surface of the enclosed space than the first subchannel. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for enabling heat and moisture exchange, the apparatus comprising:
 a flexible shell enclosing an interior channel; and   a flexible, water vapor-permeable barrier within the interior channel, the barrier partitioning the interior channel into a plurality of separate subchannels;   wherein the apparatus is configured to receive a first gas stream flowing in a first direction through a first one of the subchannels and a second gas stream flowing simultaneously in a second direction through an adjacent second one of the subchannels.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further including a resilient, air-permeable material disposed within each subchannel for biasing the respective subchannel against collapse. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the water vapor-permeable barrier comprises a membrane that is substantially impermeable to constituent gases of air. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the flexible shell further comprises a layer having an emissivity of about 0.05 to about 0.15 in the solar spectrum. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be in fluid communication with an enclosed space. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is configured to conform at least in part to a surface of the enclosed space. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the enclosed space comprises a tent, and the apparatus is configured to conform at least in part to a roof portion of the tent. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is configured to form at least a portion of an outer surface of the portable enclosed space. 
     
     
         18 . A heat and moisture transfer apparatus comprising:
 a flexible heat and moisture exchanger having a flexible outer shell enclosing a plurality of subchannels formed by at least one flexible, water vapor-permeable barrier;   wherein the exchanger is convertible without disassembling the exchanger between an operational mode in which a first air stream is received flowing in a first direction through a first subchannel and a second air stream is simultaneously received flowing in a second direction through an adjacent second subchannel, and a collapsed mode in which the exchanger is disconnected from the first and second air streams and arranged into a portable configuration.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the exchanger is configured to be arranged into the portable configuration by folding. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , the first subchannel of the exchanger further including a resilient, porous spacer configured to bias the first subchannel against collapse.