High Efficiency Dehumidification Combined with Heating/Cooling Plant Including Thermal Energy Storage

Abstract

This document describes a high efficiency dehumidification system (HEDS) and method of operating the same. The HEDS systems and physical implementations can include a variety of equipment, such as fans, fluid-conveying coils, tubing and pipes, heat transfer coils, vents, louvers, dampers, valves, fluid chillers, fluid heaters, and/or the like. Any of the implementations described herein can also include controls and logic, responsive to one or more sensors or other input devices, for controlling the equipment for each implementation described herein. The HEDS system utilizes heat transfer between the fluid within the fluid-conveying coils and air passing over the coils to convert humid air into dehumidified air.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An enhanced high efficiency dehumidification system comprising:
 a high efficiency dehumidification system-based (HEDS-based) unit that provides reheated dehumidified air to a climate-controlled facility, the HEDS-based unit having a cooling coil and a cooling recovery coil; and   a cooling/heating plant that connects with the HEDS-based unit to effect relative humidity and temperature control in the climate-controlled facility, the cooling/heating plant including:   a hot or cold supply line connected to the cooling coil;   a return line connected to the cooling recovery coil;   a pump operationally connected with the hot or cold supply line;   a loop comprising a heating supply valve operationally connected on a first side near a top of a thermal energy storage tank, a cooling recovery valve operationally connected on a second side near the top of the thermal energy storage tank, a cooling supply valve operationally connected on the first side near a bottom of the thermal energy storage tank, a heating return valve operationally connected on the second side near the bottom of the thermal energy storage tank;   a second pump operationally connected to the return line; and   an evaporator and a condenser operationally connected to the second pump and the evaporator and the condenser operationally connected to a heat pump.   
     
     
         2 . The enhanced high efficiency dehumidification system of  claim 1 , wherein operationally connected means being connected however not necessarily functional at a given point in time, such as being open, closed, on and/or off. 
     
     
         3 . The enhanced high efficiency dehumidification system of  claim 1 , further comprising the first pump being a variable speed drive pump. 
     
     
         4 . The enhanced high efficiency dehumidification system of  claim 1 , further comprising the first pump being a variable frequency drive pump. 
     
     
         5 . The enhanced high efficiency dehumidification system of  claim 1 , further comprising an expansion tank. 
     
     
         6 . The enhanced high efficiency dehumidification system of  claim 5 , further comprising the expansion tank configured to handle pressure control in the system when the thermal energy storage tank is isolated from the system. 
     
     
         7 . The enhanced high efficiency dehumidification system of  claim 1 , further comprising an isolation valve operationally connected downstream of the evaporator and the condenser. 
     
     
         8 . The enhanced high efficiency dehumidification system of  claim 1 , further comprising a minimum flow bypass valve positioned between an isolation valve and upstream of the second pump. 
     
     
         9 . A method for generating hotter, lighter water, the method comprising:
 pumping by a first pump cooler, heavier warm water down a return line from a cooling recovery coil;   the cooler, heavier warm water entering a condenser;   an evaporator absorbs heat from a heat source;   hotter, lighter water leaving the condenser through an isolation valve;   the hotter, lighter water pumped by a second pump through a supply line; and   at least a portion of the hotter, lighter water reaching a cooling coil.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a remaining portion of the hotter, lighter water being diverted through a heating supply valve to the top of a thermal energy storage tank and dispersing cooler, heavier water from the bottom of the thermal energy storage tank to be pumped to the condenser. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising not operating a thermal energy storage tank. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising operating a thermal energy storage tank. 
     
     
         13 . A method for generating cold, heavy water, the method comprising:
 pumping by a first pump cool, light water down a return line from a cooling recovery coil;   the cool light water entering an evaporator;   a condenser of a heat pump or a chiller rejecting heat;   cold, heavy water leaves the evaporator through an isolation valve;   the cold heavy water pumped by a second pump through a supply line;   at least a portion of the cold heavy water reaches a cooling coil.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , the method further comprising:
 some of the cold, heavy water is diverted through a cooling supply valve to a bottom of a thermal energy storage tank and dispersing cool, light water from a top of the thermal energy storage tank and pumping by the first pump the cool, light water to the evaporator.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , the method further comprising not operating a thermal energy storage tank. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , the method further comprising operating a thermal energy storage tank. 
     
     
         17 . A method for delivering cold heavy water, the method comprising:
 flowing cool, light water down a return line from a cooling recovery coil;   flowing the cool, light water through a cooling return valve into a top of a thermal energy storage tank;   withdrawing cold, heavy water from a bottom of the thermal energy storage tank and pumping by a first pump the cold, heavy water through a cooling supply valve;   pumping by the first pump the cold, heavy water by the pump to a cold, heavy water supply line;   the cold heavy water reaching a cooling coil.   
     
     
         18 . A method for delivering hotter, lighter water, the method comprising:
 cooler, heavier warm water flowing down a return line from a cooling recovery coil;   the cooler, heavier warm water flowing through a heating return valve into a bottom of a thermal energy storage tank;   hot, light water leaving from a top of the thermal energy storage tank and being pumped by a pump through a heating supply valve;   pumping the hot, light water by the pump to a hotter lighter hot water supply line; and   the hot light water reaching a cooling coil.