초록 ▼

An apparatus for dehumidifying gas is provided which converts humid gas into dehumidified gas using a hydrophilic membrane that includes a superabsorbent polymer. A sub-dew point cooling tower, sub-dew point evaporative cooler and sub-dew point water harvesting system which utilize the apparatus for

An apparatus for dehumidifying gas is provided which converts humid gas into dehumidified gas using a hydrophilic membrane that includes a superabsorbent polymer. A sub-dew point cooling tower, sub-dew point evaporative cooler and sub-dew point water harvesting system which utilize the apparatus for dehumidifying gas are also provided.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for dehumidifying gas, comprising: an inlet for receiving humid gas;an internal hydrophilic membrane including a superabsorbent polymer;a flow path for passing the humid gas across the internal hydrophilic membrane, wherein the membrane absorbs moisture from the humid gas to yield de

1. An apparatus for dehumidifying gas, comprising: an inlet for receiving humid gas;an internal hydrophilic membrane including a superabsorbent polymer;a flow path for passing the humid gas across the internal hydrophilic membrane, wherein the membrane absorbs moisture from the humid gas to yield dehumidified gas; andan outlet for the dehumidified gas;wherein the membrane absorbs moisture from a first surface and releases water from a second surface upon achieving a steady state absorption/desorption rate; andthe apparatus further comprises a water basin for temporarily storing water that is released from the second surface and an outlet for water from the basin, and a heat exchanger for cooling the water in the basin, the cooled water in the basin providing a positive vapor pressure gradient resulting in a decrease in vapor pressure between the first surface and the second surface of the membrane. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum generating device for providing a positive vapor pressure gradient resulting in a decrease in vapor pressure between the first surface and the second surface of the membrane. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a circulating liquid desiccant for providing a positive pressure gradient resulting in a decrease in vapor pressure between the first surface and the second surface of the membrane. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the superabsorbent polymer is selected from the group consisting of hydrolyzed acrylonitrile-grafted starch; acrylic acid-grafted starch; methyl cellulose; chitosan; carboxymethyl cellulose; hydroxypropyl cellulose; natural gums; alkali metal and ammonium salts of polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylamides and polyvinyl ethers; hydrolyzed maleic anhydride copolymers with vinyl ethers and alpha-olefins; polyvinyl pyrrolidone; polyvinyl morpholinone; polyvinyl alcohol; chloride and hydroxide salts of polyvinyl amine; polyquaternary ammonium polyamine; hydrolyzed polyamide; and combinations of the foregoing with each other and with zeolites. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the internal hydrophilic membrane comprises a hydrophilic base material upon which the superabsorbent polymer is disposed. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the hydrophilic base material is selected from the group consisting of Manila paper, filter paper, cotton fabrics, and combinations thereof. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a porous support material for the hydrophilic membrane. 8. A sub-dew point cooling tower, comprising an apparatus for dehumidifying gas, the apparatus for dehumidifying gas comprising: an inlet for receiving humid gas;an internal hydrophilic membrane including a superabsorbent polymer;a flow path for passing the humid gas across the internal hydrophilic membrane, wherein the membrane absorbs moisture from the humid gas to yield dehumidified gas; andan outlet for the dehumidified gas;the sub-dew point cooling tower further comprising one or more cooling tower inlets for receiving the dehumidified gas, a heat exchanger separating the dehumidified gas from a counter-flow stream, a flow path for the dehumidified gas through the heat exchanger enabling a cooling of the counter-flow stream using the dehumidified gas, and a cooling tower outlet for exhausting at least the dehumidified gas;wherein water is produced from the humid gas and used in the cooling tower as a recirculating coolant. 9. The sub-dew point cooling tower of claim 8, wherein the counter-flow stream is cooled to a temperature below a wet bulb temperature of the humid gas. 10. The sub-dew point cooling tower of claim 8, further comprising an exhaust fan for controlling the flow rate of the dehumidified gas through the heat exchanger. 11. The sub-dew point cooling tower of claim 8, wherein the counter-flow stream in the cooling tower is a liquid, further comprising a basin for collecting the liquid after it has been cooled. 12. A sub-dew point evaporative cooler comprising an apparatus for dehumidifying gas, the apparatus for dehumidifying gas comprising: an inlet for receiving humid gas;an internal hydrophilic membrane including a superabsorbent polymer;a dehumidifier flow path for passing the humid gas across the internal hydrophilic membrane, wherein the membrane absorbs moisture from the humid gas to yield dehumidified gas; andan outlet for the dehumidified gas;the sub-dew point evaporative cooler further comprising an evaporative cooler inlet for receiving the dehumidified gas from the dehumidifying apparatus, an evaporative cooler membrane having a dry surface and a wet surface, a first flow path for passing the dehumidified gas across the dry surface of the evaporative cooler membrane to cool the dehumidified gas, and a second flow path for passing a portion of the dehumidified gas across the wet surface of the evaporative cooler membrane to cause evaporative cooling of the evaporative cooler membrane. 13. The sub-dew point evaporative cooler of claim 12, wherein the cooled dehumidified gas has a temperature below a wet bulb temperature of the humid gas. 14. The sub-dew point evaporative cooler of claim 12, wherein the first flow path carries the cooled dry gas into an inner space for cooling of the inner space. 15. The sub-dew point evaporative cooler of claim 14, wherein the first flow path recycles gas from the inner space to the dry surface of the evaporative cooler membrane for further cooling. 16. The sub-dew point evaporative cooler of claim 14, wherein the first flow path recycles gas from the inner space to the inlet for receiving humid gas for further dehumidification. 17. The sub-dew point evaporative cooler of claim 12, wherein the first flow path at first coincides with, and then diverges from the second flow path. 18. A sub-dew point membrane water harvesting system comprising an apparatus for dehumidifying gas, the apparatus for dehumidifying gas comprising: an inlet for receiving humid gas;an internal hydrophilic membrane including a superabsorbent polymer;a dehumidifier flow path for passing the humid gas across the internal hydrophilic membrane, wherein the membrane absorbs moisture from the humid gas to yield dehumidified gas and water;a water basin for collecting the water from the internal hydrophilic membrane; andan outlet for the dehumidified gas;the water harvesting system further comprising a water evaporation channel, a water condensing channel, and a water harvesting flow path that carries a portion of the dehumidified gas through the water evaporation channel and the condensing channel to yield potable water, and a water flow path to carry water from the water basin to the water evaporation channel. 19. The water harvesting system of claim 18, further comprising a supply of heat to the evaporation channel. 20. The water harvesting system of claim 18, wherein the water harvesting flow path flows upward through the evaporation channel and downward through the condensing channel.