WO2013026126A1

WO2013026126A1 - Atmospheric water generator

Info

Publication number: WO2013026126A1
Application number: PCT/CA2011/000959
Authority: WO
Inventors: Diego CASTANON SEAONE
Original assignee: Castanon Seaone Diego
Priority date: 2011-08-23
Filing date: 2011-08-23
Publication date: 2013-02-28

Abstract

An atmospheric water generator includes a housing containing a substantially parallel array of plates mounted to and between a parallel pair of cooling walls having thermoelectric Peltier-effect modules mounted thereon which cool the cooling walls and hence cool the plates. The plates are spaced apart to form airways. The plates are each formed, when viewed in lateral cross-section, as substantially sinusoidally corrugated plates. A parallel, spaced apart array of ridges is formed on and along the length of each corrugation on both the inner and outer surfaces of each corrugation. Each ridge of the array of ridges extends along a corresponding airway in the direction of flow of the stream of air. A shaker is mounted to vibrate the array of plates. The plates are advantageously maintained just above freezing, for example at substantially three degrees centigrade above zero, irrespective of the local dew point in the airways.

Description

ATMOSPHERIC WATER GENERATOR

Field of the Invention This invention relates to the field of atmospheric water generators, and in particular to improvements in the field of atmospheric water generators which produce increased recovery and efficiency.

Background of the Invention

As applicant noted in PCT application Number PCT/CA2009/000780 published December 16, 2010:

Generally, natural freshwater resources are scarce or limited in many areas of the world, including areas such as, for example, deserts and arid lands, due to low precipitation and high salinity of surface and underground water. Shortage in supply of potable water and fresh water is increasing at a vast rate, as deserts expand and overtake fertile land, and as many of the natural ground water resources are being depleted. Furthermore, shifts in patterns of the global climate over time have resulted in a drop in the rate of rainfall in many areas. For example, hunger and starvation is spreading in areas such as, for example, Africa, because of shortage of fresh water to raise domestic animals and crops for food.

Sparse population and scattered population pockets in many areas make the application of water desalination and other water treatment technologies uneconomical due to the low demand and the high cost of water distribution from a central system over a wide stretch of land. For example, such methods of supplying potable water may be inaccessible to remote and/or impoverished areas of the world due to lack of natural resources, wealth, infrastructure and technical expertise. Alternatively, transportation of loads of fresh water is costly and exposes water to contamination en route and during handling and storage. For example, remote areas of the world may lack the necessary transportation infrastructure to allow transportation of potable water to these remote areas.

Accordingly, there is a need for localized production of fresh water to provide water for human drinking, and fresh water for raising animals and for irrigation as well as other human uses, that is reliable, affordable and produces little or no industrial pollution. Additionally, there is a need that the system may be transported and assembled in a number of remote areas inhabited by humans where little or no natural resources are available for providing potable water. The apparatus should be accessible to individuals with limited technical expertise and be available in a range of sizes so that it maybe used in areas that lack abundant space.

In the prior art applicant reported as being aware of the following United States

Patents:

United States Patent No. 3,675,442 which issued July 11, 1972 to Swanson discloses a mechanical refrigeration means which intermittently cools a fresh water bath. Water from the bath is conducted to vertically aligned condenser filaments by conduit means. The condenser filaments provide condensing surfaces at a temperature below the dew point of the air. A distributing means directs condensed water, depending on its temperature, to either the bath or from the apparatus as output water.

United States Patent No. 4,812,132 which issued to Nasser et al. on January 8, 1980 describes a tower having a pair of vertically aligned spaced apart air guides wherein the lower air guide includes a cooler which can simultaneously condense moisture from the air and wherein the upper air guide includes a heat dissipater of a refrigeration cycle. Air guides are associated with respective blowers and induce ambient air into the air guide at a location between the blowers. Air is displaced through the air guides into a heat exchanging relationship. The tower may be used to collect drinking water by condensation from the atmosphere. United States Patent No. 4,255,937 which issued March 17, 1981, to Ehrlich discloses a dehumidifier in an upper compartment of a cabinet, and a water collecting tank in a lower compartment of the cabinet. Oppositely perforated walls in the cabinet provide access of moisture carrying air to the dehumidifier. A water feed conduit leads from the dehumidifier to the water collecting tank. The water collecting tank is cooled by a refrigerator.

United States Patent No. 4,433,552 which issued February 28, 1984, to Smith discloses a refrigeration system including an evaporator positioned in an atmospheric duct whereon water vapour is then condensed and collected.

United States Patent No. 4,892,570 which issued to Littrell on January 9, 1990 discloses a water precipitator which provides a water supply over an extended surface area of land in a high temperature region by condensing water on piping chilled by a refrigerant circulating within the piping.

United States Patent Nos. 4,891 ,952 and 5,033,272 which issued respectively January 9, 1990, and July 23, 1991, to Yoshikawa et al. disclose a refrigerator having a refrigeration cycle which is applied alternatively to first and second coolers so as to provide for quick freezing of the second cooler by the refrigerant pressure being reduced in two steps by corresponding first and second capillary tubes corresponding to the first and second coolers. For quick freezing the coolant is evaporated in the second cooler only, and during usual operation no refrigerant flows into the second cooler whereby the second cooler remains substantially free of frost.

United States Patent No. 4,933,046 which issued June 12, 1990, to May discloses a water purifying system having a condenser made of two superposed sheets of hydrophobic plastic film bonded together to form a steam path through the condenser so that as steam entering the condenser is cooled by ambient air it condenses into water which is then removed from the condenser.

United States Patent Nos. 5,106,512, 5,149,446, and 5,203,989, which issued, respectively, April 21, 1992, September 22, 1992, and April 20 1993, to Reidy disclose a water generating device for obtaining potable water from ambient air wherein a condenser is provided for extracting water vapour.

United States Patent Nos. 5,259,203 and 6,755,037 which issued November 9, 1993, and June 29, 2004, respectively, to Engel et al. disclose using a refrigeration system which includes a compressor, evaporator, fan, condenser, and reservoir to extract drinking water from the air.

United States Patent No. 5,469,915 which issued November 28, 1995, to Cesaroni discloses a panel heat exchanger having a plurality of parallel tubes located between two plastic sheets that envelope and conform to the shape of the tubes, wherein the sheets are bonded together between the tubes.

United States Patent No. 5,555,732 which September 17, 1996 to Whiticar discloses a portable dehumidifier wherein a blower fan causes humid air to come into contact with a cold plate causing water vapour to condense from the air. The condensate drips from the cold plate into a trap.

United States Patent Nos. 5,669,221 and 5,845,504 which issued to LeBleu on, respectively, September 23, 1997 and December 8, 1998, disclose a portable, potable-water generator for producing water by condensation of dew from ambient air wherein an enclosed heat absorber cools air to its dew point and collects droplets of condensate into a closed system. United States Patent Nos. 6,289,689 and 6,779,358 which issued, respectively, September 18, 2001, and August 24, 2004, to Zakryk et al. disclose a water collection machine having an evaporator coil structured to cycle a cold refrigerant liquid therethrough wherein the coil is disposed in line in an air inlet so that moisture condenses on the coil and may be collected in the form of water droplets.

United States Patent No. 6,397,619 which issued to Cheng et al. on June 4, 2002, discloses a dehydrating device which includes an electrode member mounted under the lower end of the assembly. Positive and negative voltage sources are connected to the electrode member and the lower end of the assembly so as to form an electric field therebetween. Water condensed on the assembly is pulled and removed from the surface of the assembly by means of periodical change of the electric field.

United States Patent No. 7,140,425 which issued to Romero-Beltran on November 28, 2006, discloses a plate-tube type heat exchanger having a plate with a plurality of channels running parallel there along and a plurality of tubes housed and secured to the channels thus forming a circuit for circulation of a heating fluid, a cooling fluid or a means of heating.

United States Patent No. 7,269,967 which issued September 18, 2007 to Cole discloses removing excess moisture from the evaporator coils of an air-conditioning system by vibrating the coils, wherein the coils may be vibrated by mechanical or acoustic devices such as solenoid plungers or acoustic transducers.

United States Patent No. 7,272,947 which issued September 25, 2007, to Anderson et al. discloses a water producing system for condensing water from air and for collecting the condensed water in a storage tank. In a duct fluid circuit, an operating fluid dumps heat to a second circuit such as refrigeration cycle and the cooled operating fluid lowers the temperature of a water condensation member. Applicant is also presently aware of the following United States patents:

United States Patent No. 3,165,455 which issued January 12, 1965 to Rose et al for a Distilling Arrangement discloses a water distiller having a polygon shape to form condensate.

United States Patent No. 5,282,364 which issued February 1, 1994 to Cech for a Device in the Thermal Electric Heaters/Coolers discloses the use of fins for cooling and a fan to draw air wherein at least some components appear to be extruded and a thermo-electric block on which the metallic convector elements are mounted and over which the fan-generated current of forced air sweeps.

United States Patent No. 5,632,333 which issued May 27, 1997 to Imamura et al for a Temperature and Humidity Adjusting Apparatus and Control Method therefore discloses an air cooling and de-humidifying device which include thermo elements that use the Peltier effect wherein a heat exchanger is employed having stacked water passages, the water passages having fins with air passages in an intersecting manner, and wherein a plurality of thermo elements are arranged on the wall surfaces of the stack so as to have their cool sides in contact with the walls of the air passages and with the walls of the water passages at the heating sides of the elements.

United States Patent No. 6,581,849 which issued June 24, 2003, to Zhang for an Automatic Semi-Conductor Condensate Flower-watering Device discloses the use of condensing fins and heat dissipaters which includes a semi-conductor cooling block having a refrigerating and heat-conducting base plate and a heat radiating and conducting base plate attached to both of its sides wherein the condensing fins are installed on the refrigerating and heat conducting base plate and wherein the heat radiating fins are installed on the heat radiating and conducting base plate. United States Patent No. 6,834,515 which issued December 28, 2004, to Sunder et al for A Plate- fin Exchanger with Textured Surfaces discloses a heat exchanger, condenser and evaporating assembly which includes grooved or fluted plates wherein a plate-fin exchanger includes a plurality of fins disposed between neighbouring parting sheets and wherein at least one of the fins has a textured surface in the form of grooves or fluting formed on or applied to the surface of the fin material, Sunder et al teaching that the performance of plate fin heat exchangers is improved by the use of perforated, serrated or wavy fins which increase the turbulence relative to plain fins and the use of corrugated sheets of fins, at least one having a plurality of holes therein and wherein in one variation of the plate- fin exchanger at least a portion of the surface texture is in the form of horizontal striations, and in another variation where at least one fin between neighbouring parting sheets is corrugated, at least one of the fins having a textured surface.

United States Patent No. 7,337,615 which issued March 4, 2008 to Reidy for a Thermo-electric, High-efficiency Water Generating Device, discloses the use of Peltier technology in a water generating device utilizing thermo electric cooling which has a continuous duct for bringing a supply of ambient air to the device and for releasing the air back to the outside, the incoming air being cooled by a cold sink to below the dew point to condense the water vapour in the air and where the cooled air is then redirected over the heat sink to increase the efficiency and cooling capability of the device. A fan or blower is employed, the speed of which is determined by the current ambient dew point which is determined by measuring the temperature and relative humidity and the temperature of the cold sink. In the published corresponding prosecution history for this patent, Reidy distinguishes over United States Patent No. 5,634,342 to Peeters as including at least two elements not found in Peeters; namely, the inclusion of one or more air moving means for directing a stream of ambient air past the cold sink to cool the air below its dew point and condense the water from the airstream; and passage means for directing the air cooled by the cold sink past the heat sink to remove additional heat from the cooling device to increase its efficiency. United States Patent No. 7,886,547 which issued February 15, 2011, to Sullivan for Machines and Methods for Removing Water from Air discloses the use of bladed core heat exchangers wherein a first evaporator in a sequence extending across at least a first evaporator and a first condenser, maintains the first evaporator at a desired temperature at or below a dew point of air flowing across the first evaporator, this desired temperature being above the freezing point of water contained in the air flowing across the first evaporator.

Applicant has also noted applicant's United States patent applications filed, respectively, September 27, 2004, and December 22, 2004 and published March 30, 2006 under respectively, publication Nos. 20060065001 and 20060065002, wherein applicant describes a system for producing potable water from the atmosphere wherein the system includes a plurality of panels arranged within an enclosure substantially parallel to each other along a central axis, and wherein each of the panels is made of a material on which water condensate from the atmosphere forms in response to a temperature differential between the material and the atmosphere passed through the panels. Cooling fluid cools the panels so as to form water condensate on the surface of the panels. The panels are rotated about the central axis within the enclosure to remove the water condensate from the surfaces of the panels.

Summary of the Invention

In summary, the atmospheric water generator according to one aspect of the present invention maybe characterized as including a housing containing a substantially parallel array of plates. The array of plates are mounted to and between a parallel pair of heat conductive and distributive cooling walls having thermoelectric Peltier-effect modules mounted thereon. The cold sinks of the modules cool the cooling walls and hence cool the plates. A recirculating cooling fluid cooling circuit removes heat from the heat sink of each Peltier effect module. Each plate in the array of plates has a length, and a width perpendicular to the length and which extends between opposite first and second side edges of each plate. Each plate has a depth orthogonal to its length and width. The plates in the array of plates are spaced apart by a spacing gap to form airways. The airways extend the length and width of the plates, and have an upstream end, and an opposite downstream end. The length of each plate corresponds to longitudinal axis of the plate, which corresponds to, so as to align with, a direction of the flow of a stream of air flowing through the array of plates from the upstream end to the downstream end.

The pair of cooling walls include thermally conductive first and second cooling walls each having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface. The inner surfaces of the cooling walls are mounted to and across, respectively, all of the side edges of the plates in the array. The thermoelectric modules are mounted as a spaced apart substantially planar array of thermoelectric cooling modules mounted on the outer surfaces of the first and second cooling walls so that the cold sinks of each module of are mounted against the outer walls of the cooling walls, and so that the heat sink of each module is disposed outwardly of the outer surfaces of the cooling walls. The array of Peltier-effect thermoelectric modules may be substantially evenly distributed over the outside surface of a corresponding cooling wall of the first and second cooling walls. The plates are each formed, when viewed in cross-section laterally across the airways, that is, in cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plate, as substantially sinusoidally corrugated plates defining a substantially parallel array of corrugations wherein each corrugation is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plate. Each corrugation has opposite inner and outer surfaces. The inner surface is radially innermost of the curvature of the cross- section of the corrugation. The outer surface is radially outermost of the curvature of the cross-section of the corrugation. Each corrugation has a length extending completely along the length of the plate and along the airways. The array of corrugations extends substantially entirely across the width of each plate. A parallel, spaced apart array of ridges is formed on and along the length of each corrugation on both the inner and outer surfaces. Each ridge of the array of ridges extends along a corresponding airway in the direction of flow of the stream of air, that is, also substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plate.

In a preferred embodiment the plates are mounted substantially vertically so that the airways are also substantially vertical, although this is not intended to be limiting as off- vertical would also work so long as water droplets may be harvested from the plates, for example by means of the airflow generated by a flow motivator such as a fan or blowers cooperating with the airways for urging the stream of air in the flow along the airways. Consequently, as used herein, reference to vertical plates is intended to include inclined plates so long as water droplets accumulate and run down the plates to be harvested, and in particular so long as water droplets condense on each ridge on each plate and descend downwardly along the length of each plate by both force of gravity and urging by the flow motivator, and are captured below each plate. At least one vibratory shaker may be provided for example to a frame supporting the housing and plates, wherein the shaker is mounted to vibrate the array of plates.

At least one temperature sensor may be provided to detect a temperature of at least one plate in the array of plates. A processor communicates with the sensor for monitoring the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor. The processor cooperates with the array of thermoelectric modules to selectively cause cooling of the plates to the desired temperature and to maintain the array of plates at the desired temperature which is just above freezing, that is, just above zero degrees Celsius, irrespective of the local dew point of the air flow in the airways. The desired temperature of said array of plates is advantageously maintained at substantially three degrees centigrade above zero. The sensor may be mounted at substantially the centre of a centre plate of the array of plates.

The cooling circuit may include at least one re-circulating cooling fluid heat radiator circuit mounted to the heat sinks of the array of Peltier-effect thermoelectric modules, wherein cooling fluid within the heat radiator circuit is cooled at least in part by the flow of the stream of air exiting the downstream end of the airways.

Advantageously, the airways are sufficiently long along the length of the plates so that the stream of air becomes turbulent within the airways, and wherein the spacing gap is sufficiently small so that the turbulence extends substantially fully across the spacing gap. The spacing gap may be substantially in the range of 6 to 8 millimetres.

Further advantageously, each plate is made by an extrusion process so that each plate is extruded along its longitudinal axis during its formation.

The water generator may further include a perforated air diffuser plate mounted upstream of the upstream ends of the airways. The diffuser plate is positioned across the upstream ends of the airways so that a temperature of the flow of the stream of air entering the upstream ends of the airways is lowered without substantially decreasing humidity of the stream of air.

In a preferred embodiment, the cooling walls are metallic and have a thickness so as to evenly distribute cooling. The thickness may be substantially in the range of 3 to 6 millimetres so as to substantially evenly distribute to the array of plates the cooling effect of the cold sinks of the array of Peltier-effect thermoelectric modules.

Advantageously to increase efficiency and even distribution of cooling of the plates, the housing further includes thermal insulation across, so as to extend between ends of said cooling walls. In this manner the airways are bounded by the cooling walls and the thermal insulation, for example thermal insulation within thermally insulated walls, so as to substantially enclose the airways without obstructing the flow of the stream of air flowing through the airways. Regarding the form of the corrugations on the plates, the ridges may advantageously include ridges each having a sharp vertex. In one embodiment all of the ridges have sharp vertices. In one embodiment outer surface of each corrugation is formed as a one-half dodecagon having the array of ridges formed at vertices of the one-half dodecagon.

The array of ridges may be substantially equally spaced apart on each corrugation and for example include substantially at least five ridges on the outer surface of each corrugation. Advantageously the array of ridges on each corrugation includes at least one ridge on the inner surface. The outer surface of each corrugation may be substantially scalloped between the ridges when viewed in lateral cross-section across the plate.

A water saturation sensor may be provided cooperating with the array of plates and with the processor. The processor is adapted to actuate the vibratory shaker upon determining that the array of plates are substantially saturated with water droplets. In one embodiment the array of corrugations have a non-stick surface treatment.

The flow of said stream of air is at a rate of flow which is optimized to deposit said water droplets at a maximum collection rate and with a minimum loss of water droplets back to the stream of air due to excessive flow velocity of the flow. For example, the rate of flow may be a slow flow rate in the range of substantially 1.5 to 3 metres per second. Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings where like reference numerals denote corresponding parts in each view:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional dichromatic view through the cooling chamber of a water generator housing and associated cooling circuits illustrating the ambient air flowing downwardly through an air distributor plate and into the upstream end of the airways between the cooling plates mounted in the cooling chamber housing wherein the air passes between the plates downwardly and exits from beneath the plates so as to pass through the radiators in the water cooling circuit which cools the heat sinks on the thermoelectric cooling modules mounted to the cooling walls of the cooling chamber.

Figure 2 is, in partially exploded perspective view, the cooling chamber housing, Peltier-effect thermoelectric cooling plates and corresponding water jacket heat sink coolers of the water condensing unit of the atmospheric water generator system showing the use of corrugated condensing plates but which do not show ridges on the corrugations for clarity.

Figure 3 is, in bottom perspective view, the cooling chamber housing of figure 2.

Figure 4 is, in top perspective view, the cooling chamber housing of figure 3 with the array of thermoelectric cooling modules mounted thereon.

Figure 5 is the top perspective view of figure 4 with the insulated walls, the base and the thermoelectric modules removed and showing the corrugated condensing plates having their longitudinally extending ridges thereon, and showing the mounting holes for the bolts which bolt the water jacket of figure 2 to the cooling walls.

Figure 6 is, in plan view, one of the corrugated plates of figure 5. Figure 7 is, in partially cut away perspective view, the end of the corrugated plate of figure 6 showing the use of scalloped ridges on the corrugations.

Figure 8 is, in plan view, the end of a corrugated condensing plate according to a further embodiment showing the use of serrated ridges on the corrugations.

Figure 9 is, in perspective view, one example of a vibratory shaker which may be mounted to an end wall of the cooling chamber housing of figure 2. Figure 10 is an electrical diagrammatic view of a power supply for an array of

Peltier thermoelectric cooling modules.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention In the drawings referred to above, similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view.

Water generator 10 includes a closely spaced array of rippled or corrugated (herein collectively referred to as corrugated) plates 12 as better described below wherein each plate 12 is mounted at its opposite ends or edges to corresponding face plates 14. End plates 16 are mounted at opposite sides of face plates 14 so as to define an enclosure enclosing the array of plates 12. Face plates 14 are metallic or otherwise heat conductive. End plates 16 are thermally insulated. Plates 12 are metallic or otherwise heat conductive. In a preferred embodiment, the corrugations of plates 12 are shaped as concave, one half dodecagons or one half hexadecagons formed in a continuous and contiguous undulating or corrugated (again, herein collectively referred to as corrugated) plate such as seen wherein the surfaces on both sides of the corrugated plates each have thereon an array of substantially parallel raised ridges. Thus for example each one half dodecagon 12a, alternatively referred to herein as a single corrugation, has a parallel array of protruding ridges 12b running the vertical length of each plate 12. In one embodiment not intended to be limiting, each one half dodecagon 12a may be formed as a semi circular corrugation when viewed in the cross-section of Figure 6, having an inside diameter radius of for example 4 millimetres and an outside diameter radius of for example 7 millimetres from the centre of curvature of the corrugation, and wherein one plate for example may contain twelve one-half dodecagons 12a for a total width of 13.5 centimetres not including the additional stand off length of any protruding ridge 12b protruding from opposite ends of plate 12.

Within the enclosure defined by face plates 14 and end plates 16, the evenly spaced array of plates 12 define collectively a cold chamber and individually between adjacent plates cooling airways or conduits 18 through which humid ambient air passes in direction A. Thus ambient air flowing in direction A may in one embodiment, initially pass through a perforated plate 20 mounted on frame 22, plate 20 for example air distributor plate 20 which defines arrays of conical holes 20a therein which act as flow convergers converging the air flow in direction A so that the air exits holes 20a in direction B having had a mechanically induced temperature drop produced by air distributor 20 without a significant or any loss of air moisture within the air flow. Air flowing in direction B then, as may be seen in figure 1, enters into the cold chamber defined by the array of plates 12 so as to flow from the upstream end 18a of conduits 18, downstream through conduits 18 so as to exit from the cold chamber via downstream ends 18b in direction C.

The cold chamber is chilled by the operation of Peltier-effect thermoelectric modules or plates 24 mounted to the outside surfaces of face plates 14. As would be known to one skilled in the art, Peltier plates 24 are fhermo electric devices which, during operation, produce a cold sink and a heat sink on opposite sides of each Peltier plate. Peltier plates 24 may be arranged in a matrix array and powered for example by means of the electrical circuit diagram such as seen figure 10, although this is not intended to be limiting.

In one preferred embodiment, face plates 14 are non-stick coated, for example Teflon™ coated aluminium blocks. They may be formed by means of extrusion and are desirably relatively thick to uniformly transfer from plates 12 their heat energy to the cold sinks of the Peltier plates 24. Face plates 14 allow plates 12 to be uniformly chilled even though plates 12 extend to larger dimensions than the area directly overlaid by Peltier plates 24. Thus, for example face plates 14 may be 3 to 6 millimetres thick and for example may be sized so as to support on the outer face 14a nine Peltier plates 24, for a total of eighteen Peltier plates 24 (nine on each outside face 14a of each face plate 14). Peltier plates 24 may be mounted within a thermally insulating pad 26 which is formed with apertures 26a formed therein for conformally fitting within each aperture a corresponding Peltier plate 24. As seen, advantageously, pad 26 is of the same thickness as Peltier plates 24 so as to not interfere with the mounting of the heat sink side of each Peltier plate 24 against outside face 14a of each face plate 14, and the heat sink side of each Peltier plate 24 flush against a corresponding water jacket or water block 26.

A pair of water jackets or blocks 26 are mounted oppositely on water generator 10 against the heat sink sides of their corresponding Peltier plates 24, again, with plates 24, mounted against their corresponding opposite face plates 14. Water blocks 24 are metallic or otherwise formed so as to transfer heat energy from the heat sink side of each Peltier plate 24 in a re-circulating water-based cooling system which includes water block 26 in fluid communication with a downstream cooling tower 28, itself in fluid communication with a further downstream radiator 30 and water pump 32. Thus water or other cooling fluid as would be known to one skilled in the art flows in a circuit in direction H which leaves the downstream side of water block 26 so as to enter in to the upstream side of cooling tower 28 wherein the cooling fluid is cooled for example by the heat radiation from cooling tower fins 28a. Cooling fluid passes from the downstream exit of cooling tower 28 so as to enter in to the upstream end of radiator 30 which is a heat exchanger wherein cool air leaving the downstream end of air cooling conduits 18 in direction C are drawn by fans or blowers 34 or other air flow motivators in direction D through radiator 30 to thereby cool cooling fluid passing through radiator 30 from cooling tower 28. The cooling fluid thus cooled by the cold air from conduits 18 is pumped by water pump 32 into the intake of water block 26 wherein the cooled cooling fluid extracts heat from the heat sink side of Peltier plates 24 thereby allowing the temperature differential achieved by Peltier plates 24 to chill plates 12 to the desired temperature the desired temperature of plates 12 optimizes condensation 36 which flows as water droplets downwardly in direction E so as to drop into a container such as a water pan 38 from which the collected water 36a may be harvested.

In one embodiment, mirror image cooling systems are provided for cooling each of the pair of face plates 14. In the embodiment illustrated which is not intended to be limiting, nineteen plates 12 are aligned parallel with one another between face plates 14 and spaced apart approximately ten millimetres. A temperature censor 40 may be mounted within the cold chamber for example mounted to one of the centre plates 12, advantageously, towards the centre of a centre plate in the centre of the array of plates 12. Temperature sensor 40 communicates with processor 42 so that processor 42 knows or may determine the temperature of plates 12, at least in the vicinity of the temperature sensor. Processor 42 regulates the operation of Peltier plates 24 so as to maintain the temperature of plates 12 just above freezing, for example at an optimal substantially 3 degrees Celsius above zero, which is found by applicant to be optimal irrespective of the dew point of the ambient air.

Processor 42 also controls the operation of a mechanical vibrator such as offset- weight motorized mechanical vibrator 44 which, as would be known to one skilled in the art, may include a rotatable offset weight 44a driven by a motor 44b for a rotation of the offset weight about shaft 44c mounted for rotation on mounting brackets 44d for example mounted rigidly to one or both of end plates 16 by means of bolts 44e or other fasteners. End plates 16 may be mounted at the lower ends thereof by means of mounting brackets 46 to suspension springs 48, themselves mounted down onto a rigid base (not shown) such as a concrete floor or the like. Vibration or shaking of plates 12 by means of operation of vibrator 44 may be done intermittently or otherwise as dictated by processor 42, for example based at least in part on input from environmental or other sensors (not shown) by which processor 42 may determine to operate vibrator 44 when plates 12 are saturated and so as to assist breaking the surface tension of water condensed on plates 12. This helps to optimize the extraction of condensation 36 forming for example on ridges 12b of plates 12, applicant having found that water condensation droplets most readily form at sharp vertices, most efficiently formed for example by means of extrusion by plates 12 so that ridges 12b and their corresponding vertices run the entire length or height that is, in the direction of extrusion, of plates 12.

By experimentation and observation, applicant has determined that water droplet formation and ease of extraction is optimized by the use of clusters of ridges 12b such as efficiently formed on the sinusoidal corrugated shape, when viewed in cross section, of plates 12, for example, using the dimensions previously given which combined with spacing of approximately 6 to 8 millimetres provide for efficient airflow downstream through conduits 18 without choking of the flow and with optimized turbulence in the flow so as to deposit as much moisture from the ambient air on to the plates and given an airflow rate downstream of air distributor plate 20 approximately in the range of 1.5 to 3 m/s.

Applicant has determined that for a given rate of collection of water on any particular day, for example in the range of - litres per hour of harvested water using for example the illustrated array of plates 12 and array of Peltier plates 24 with for example a given flow length of approximately - centimetres/ metres in each conduit 18, that the rate at which moisture is collected may be increased approximately linearly by extruding longer lengths of plates 12 so that conduits 18 become longer and the corresponding height of face plates 14 and end plates 16 higher to accommodate the longer plates 12.

In a commercial water production facility, because face plates 14 and plates 12 may be formed by extrusion, the height of each water generator 10 may be increased so as to lengthen each of the conduits 18 running the full length between each of the rippled plates 12. Commercial sized water generators may thus be mounted for example side by side in a facility so as to maximize the efficiency, perhaps using one or more common water cooling system communicating with the water blocks 26 of each water generator thereby potentially reducing the cost of supplying cooling to the Peltier plates 24 while maximizing the optimized water production being harvested. The use of clustered sharp ridges clustered across each of plates 12 by the use of the above-described sinusoidal or corrugated cross sections provides the relatively high density of sharp elongate vertices on which water droplets will more quickly form than otherwise on flat plates. They are formed as parallel ridges in the direction of extrusion of plates 12. They are thus formed along each plate 12 in the same length as the plate by the extrusion process and thus may be cost effectively manufactured while still providing high density droplet formation. The use of the elongate plates 12 with their corrugated cross sections and formations of parallel linear ridges thereon, combined with use of for example surface coatings which reduce the surface tension by the use of for example Teflon™ and the use of vibration of the entire array by for example a pair of vibrators per generator, have been found to produce water which may be harvested in quantities which to applicant's knowledge exceed those now produced by conventional prior art water condensers.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An atmospheric water generator comprising: a housing containing a substantially parallel array of plates, each plate of said array of plates having a length, a width perpendicular to said length and extending between opposite first and second side edges of said each plate, a depth orthogonal to said length and said width, and wherein said plates in said array of plates are spaced apart by a spacing gap to form airways, wherein said airways extend said length and said width of said plates, and have an upstream end, and an opposite downstream end, said length corresponding to a direction of the flow of a stream of air flowing through said array of plates from said upstream end to said downstream end, wherein said housing includes thermally conductive first and second cooling walls each having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface, said inner surfaces of said cooling walls mounted to and across, respectively, all of said first and second side edges of said plates, a spaced apart substantially planar array of Peltier-effect thermoelectric cooling modules having heat and cold sinks, said array of Peltier-effect thermoelectric cooling modules mounted on said outer surfaces of said first and second cooling walls so that said cold sinks of each module of said array of Peltier-effect thermoelectric modules are mounted against said outer walls of said cooling walls, and so that said heat sink of each module is disposed outwardly of said outer surfaces of said cooling walls,

and wherein said plates are each formed, when viewed in cross-section across said airways, as substantially sinusoidally corrugated plates defining a substantially parallel array of corrugations wherein each corrugation of said array of corrugations has opposite inner and outer surfaces, wherein said inner surface is radially innermost of the curvature of said cross-section of said each corrugation, and wherein said outer surface is radially outermost of said curvature, said each corrugation having a length extending completely along said length of said plate and along said airways, said array of corrugations extending across said width of said each plate, and wherein a parallel, spaced apart array of ridges are formed on and along said length of said each corrugation on both said inner and outer surfaces wherein each ridge of said array of said ridges extends along a corresponding said airway in said direction of flow of said stream of air,

and wherein said plates are mounted substantially vertically so that said airways are substantially vertical, and further comprising a flow motivator cooperating with said airways for urging said stream of air in said flow along said airways and wherein water droplets condense on said each ridge on said each plate and descend downwardly along said length of said each plate by both force of gravity and urging by said flow motivator, and are captured below said each plate, and further comprising at least one vibratory shaker mounted to vibrate said array of plates, and further comprising at least one temperature sensor detecting a temperature of at least one said plate in said array of plates and a processor for monitoring a temperature sensed by said at least one temperature sensor and cooperating with said array of thermoelectric modules to maintain said array of plates at a temperature just above freezing, irrespective of the local dew point, and further comprising at least one re-circulating cooling fluid heat radiator circuit mounted to said heat sinks of said array of Peltier-effect thermoelectric modules wherein cooling fluid within said heat radiator circuit is cooled at least in part by said flow of said stream of air exiting said downstream end of said airways.

The water generator of claim 1 wherein said airways are sufficiently long along said length of said plates so that said stream of air becomes turbulent within said airways.

The water generator of claim 2 wherein said spacing gap is sufficiently small so that said turbulence extends substantially fully across said spacing gap.

The water generator of claim 3 wherein said each plate is made by an extrusion process so that said each plate is extruded during its formation in said direction of said flow of said stream of air.

The water generator of claim 1 further comprising a perforated air diffuser plate mounted upstream of said upstream ends of said airways and positioned across said upstream ends of said airways so that a temperature of said flow of said stream of air entering said upstream ends of said airways is lowered without substantially decreasing humidity of said stream of air.

The water generator of claim 1 wherein said spacing gap is substantially in the range of 6 to 8 millimetres.

The water generator of claim 1 wherein said cooling walls are aluminum and have a thickness which is in the range of substantially 3 to 6 millimetres so as to substantially evenly distribute to said array of plates a cooling effect of said array of Peltier-effect thermoelectric modules.

8. The water generator of claim 7 wherein said housing further includes thermal insulation across so as to extend between ends of said cooling walls, so that said airways are bounded by said cooling walls and said thermal insulation so as to substantially enclose said airways without obstructing said flow of said stream of air flowing through said airways,

9. The water generator of claim 1 wherein said ridges include ridges each having a sharp vertex.

10. The water generator of claim 9 wherein substantially all of said ridges have said sharp vertices.

11. The water generator of claim 1 wherein said outer surface of said each corrugation is formed as a one-half dodecagon having said array of ridges formed at vertices of said one-half dodecagon.

12. The water generator of claim 1 wherein said sensor is mounted at substantially the centre of a centre plate of said array of plates.

13. The water generator of claim 1 wherein each said array of Peltier-effect thermoelectric modules is substantially evenly distributed over said outside surface of a corresponding cooling wall of said first and second cooling walls.

14. The water generator of claim 1 wherein said array of ridges are substantially equally spaced apart on said each corrugation and include substantially at least five said ridges on said outer surface of said each corrugation.

15. The water generator of claim 14 wherein said array of ridges on each said corrugation includes at least one ridge on said inner surface.

16. The water generator of claim 1 wherein said outer surface of said each corrugation is substantially scalloped between said ridges when viewed in said cross-section.

17. The water generator of claim 1 further comprising a water saturation sensor cooperating with said array of plates and with said processor, said processor adapted to actuate said vibratory shaker upon determining that said array of plates are substantially saturated with said water droplets.

18. The water generator of claim 1 wherein said array of corrugations have a non-stick surface treatment.

19. The water generator of claim 1 wherein said temperature of said array of plates is maintained at substantially three degrees centigrade above zero.

20. The water generator of claim 1 wherein said flow of said stream of air is at a rate of flow which is optimized to deposit said water droplets at a maximum collection rate and with a minimum loss of water droplets back to said stream of air due to excessive flow velocity of said flow.

21. The water generator of claim 20 wherein said rate of flow is in the range of substantially 1.5 to 3 metres per second.