초록 ▼

An apparatus for removing moisture from air which includes a moist air inlet area, a dry air outlet area, a regeneration air inlet area, a regeneration air outlet area and a desiccant medium. A drying fan is provided for drawing the moist air through the moist air inlet area, through the desiccant,

An apparatus for removing moisture from air which includes a moist air inlet area, a dry air outlet area, a regeneration air inlet area, a regeneration air outlet area and a desiccant medium. A drying fan is provided for drawing the moist air through the moist air inlet area, through the desiccant, as to exit the unit through the dry air outlet area. A regeneration fan is provided for drawing regeneration air through the regeneration air inlet area, through the desiccant medium, so as to exit the unit through the regeneration air outlet area.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A moisture control apparatus, comprising:a housing having first and second sides spaced apart from each other by an interior of the housing;a moist gas inlet provided in the first side of said housing;a dry gas outlet provided in the first side of said housing in spaced-apart relationship to said

1. A moisture control apparatus, comprising:a housing having first and second sides spaced apart from each other by an interior of the housing;a moist gas inlet provided in the first side of said housing;a dry gas outlet provided in the first side of said housing in spaced-apart relationship to said moist gas inlet;a desiccant medium provided in said housing between said moist gas inlet and said dry gas outlet;a drying fan provided in said housing for generating a flow of a moist gas through said moist gas inlet, into said housing, through said desiccant medium, so as to be discharged from said housing through said dry gas outlet; andan arrangement for reactivating said desiccant medium comprising a regeneration gas inlet provided in the second side of said housing, a regeneration gas outlet provided in the second side of said housing in spaced-apart relationship to said regeneration gas inlet, and a regeneration fan provided in said housing between said regeneration gas inlet and said regeneration gas outlet. 2. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said arrangement for reactivating the desiccant medium further comprising:desiccant medium heating device; andsaid regeneration fan is provided for drawing said regenerating gas into said housing through said regeneration gas inlet, through said desiccant medium, so as to be discharged from said housing through said regeneration gas outlet. 3. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 2, further comprising:a first resilient flap covering said moist gas inlet;a second resilient flap covering said dry gas outlet;a third resilient flap covering said regeneration gas inlet; anda fourth resilient flap covering said regeneration gas outlet. 4. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said gas is ambient air and the first resilient flap covers a moist air inlet; the second resilient flap covers a dry air outlet; a third resilient flap covers a regeneration air inlet; and the fourth resilient flap covers a regeneration air outlet. 5. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said first and second resilient flaps are positioned against said housing such that, during operation of said drying fan, said first resilient flap is drawn inwardly into the interior of the housing and away from the moist air inlet, and said second resilient flap is forced outwardly away from the dry air outlet to facilitate the flow of air through the moist air inlet and the dry air outlet. 6. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said third and fourth resilient flaps are positioned against said housing such that, during operation of said drying fan, said third resilient flap is forced outwardly into sealing engagement with the regeneration air inlet, and said fourth resilient flap is drawn inwardly toward the interior of the housing in sealing engagement with said regeneration air outlet, so as to prevent the flow of air through said regeneration air inlet and said regeneration air outlet. 7. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said third and fourth resilient flaps are positioned against said housing such that, during operation of said regeneration fan, said third resilient flap is drawn inwardly toward the interior of the housing and away from said regeneration air inlet, and said fourth resilient flap is forced outwardly away from said regeneration air outlet, so as to facilitate the flow of air through said regeneration air inlet and said regeneration air outlet. 8. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said first and second resilient flaps are positioned against said housing such that, during operation of said regeneration fan, said first resilient flap is forced outwardly in sealing engagement with said moist air inlet, and said second resilient flap is drawn inwardly toward the interior of the housing in sealing engagement with said dry air outlet, so as to prevent the flow of air through said moist air inlet and said dry air outlet. 9. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said drying fan is positioned within said housing between said desiccant medium and said dry air outlet. 10. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said regeneration fan is positioned within said housing between said desiccant medium and said regeneration air outlet. 11. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said first, second, third and fourth resilient flaps are formed from a silicone material and said desiccant medium further comprises silica gel beads. 12. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said desiccant medium heating device is positioned between said desiccant medium and said drying fan. 13. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 12, further comprising:a circuit board secured within said housing; andat least one microprocessor associated with said circuit board;said microprocessor electronically controlling the function of said drying fan, said regeneration fan, and said desiccant medium heating device. 14. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said desiccant medium heating device is positioned between said desiccant medium and said regeneration fan. 15. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 3, further comprising:a first desiccant retention plate secured within said housing; anda second desiccant retention plate secured within said housing in spaced-apart relationship to said first desiccant retention plate;wherein said first and second desiccant retention plates define a desiccant chamber therebetween for maintaining said desiccant medium. 16. A moisture control apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said desiccant medium heating device further comprises at least one low voltage power resistor disposed between said desiccant medium and at least one of said desiccant retention plates. 17. A moisture control apparatus comprising a housing having first and second sides spaced apart from each other by an interior of the housing, a moist air inlet and a first resilient flap associated therewith provided at the first side of the housing, a dry air outlet and a second resilient flap associated therewith provided at the first side of the housing in spaced-apart relationship to said moist air inlet;a regeneration air inlet and a third resilient flap associated therewith provided at the second side of the housing;a regeneration air outlet and a fourth resilient flap associated therewith provided at the second side of the housing in spaced-apart relationship to the regeneration air inlet;a desiccant medium provided within the housing between said moist air inlet and dry air outlet; anddrying and regeneration fans provided within said housing,wherein said drying fan generates a flow of a moist air through said moist air inlet, through said desiccant medium, so as to be discharged from said housing through said dry air outlet, and said regeneration fan draws said regenerating air into said housing through said regeneration air inlet, through said desiccant medium, so as to be discharged from said housing through said regeneration air outlet. 18. A method for removing moisture from a gas situated within an interior space of an enclosure by means of a moisture control apparatus consisting of a housing having first and second ports extending through a first side thereof and third and fourth ports extending through a second side thereof, said ports cooperating with respective first, second, third and fourth flexible cover flaps, and the housing containing a desiccant medium, a drying fan and a regeneration fan; said first and second ports are communicatively associated with the interior space of said enclosure, and said third and fourth ports are communicatively associated with ambient air surrounding said enclosure, said method comprising at least the step of:actuating said drying fan to induce a pressur e gradient within said housing to effect a drying air flow therethrough, said drying air flow passing through said first and second ports and forcing said first and second flaps away from the respective first and second ports, and said drying air flow causing sealing engagement of said third and fourth flaps against the respective third and fourth ports;halting operation of said drying fan; andactuating said regeneration fan to produce a regeneration air flow therethrough, said regeneration air flow being independent of said drying air flow and passing through said third and fourth ports.wherein, said drying air flow causes moist air from within the interior space of said enclosure to enter the apparatus housing through said first port, flow through said desiccant medium, and exit the apparatus housing through said second port in a substantially dried state. 19. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:said actuating of the regeneration fan induces and maintains a pressure gradient within said housing in said step of actuating the regeneration fan said regeneration air flow forces said third and fourth flaps away from the respective third and fourth ports, and said air flow causing sealing engagement of said first and second flaps against the respective first and second ports,wherein, said actuating of said regeneration fan and said regeneration air flow associated therewith cause ambient air to enter the apparatus housing through said third port, flow through said desiccant medium, and exit the apparatus housing through said fourth port such that said exiting regeneration air flow transfers moisture away from said desiccant medium to ambient air outside of said enclosure, thereby effecting reactivation of said desiccant medium. 20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein after the step of actuating the drying fan, there is a step of heating of said desiccant medium is provided, and after the step of actuating said regeneration fan, the following steps are provided:halting heating of said desiccant medium; and continuing operation said regeneration fan to effect cooling of said desiccant medium. 21. A moisture control apparatus, comprising:A housing having first and second sides spaced apart from each other by an interior of the housing;a moist gas inlet provided in the first side of said housing;a dry gas outlet provided in the first side of said housing in spaced-apart relationship to said moist gas inlet;a desiccant medium provided in said housing between said moist gas inlet and said dry gas outlet;a drying fan provided in said housing for generating a flow of a moist gas through said moist gas inlet, into said housing, through said desiccant medium, so as to be discharged from said housing through said dry gas outlet;an arrangement for reactivating said desiccant medium comprising a regeneration gas inlet provided in the second side of said housing;a regeneration gas outlet provided in the second side of said housing in spaced-apart relationship to said regeneration gas inlet;desiccant medium heating device; anda regeneration fan provided in said housing between said regeneration gas inlet and said regeneration gas outlet for drawing regenerating gas into said housing through said regeneration gas inlet, through said desiccant medium, so as to be discharged from said housing through said regeneration gas outlet.