Adsorbent based air conditioning system

Abstract

An adsorbent-based air conditioning system for conditioning an air supply to an enclosed space, such as a building, room, or the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, aircraft, or the like, utilizes interchangeable adsorbent-containing vessels. Two of the vessels are employed to condition the air supply with respect to temperature and humidity while, at the same time a third and, optionally, a fourth vessel are regenerated by drying and cooling to provide replacements vessels as needed. In operation, ambient air is dehumidified by passing through vessel 1 and the moisture collected in the vessel by adsorption. The exiting air may be cooled by means of a heat exchanger, then directed through vessel 2, containing moist adsorbent, for further cooling and humidification. The air is then supplied to the room, or other space to be conditioned. A heat source, such as a solar collector, or auto exhaust heat, is used to provide a stream of hot air which is passed through a third vessel to dry the adsorbent therein by desorption. Vessel 3 is then cooled by passing stream of cool air therethrough. The vessels are interchangeable and rotatable so that: as the adsorbent in vessel 1 becomes saturated, it is replaced by vessel 3, which has been cooled and dried; vessel 2 is replaced by vessel 1 to provide a moist adsorbent to humidify the air passing through, and vessel 3 is replaced by vessel 2, to be regenerated.