AU2021253247A1

AU2021253247A1 - Device for recovering water from ambient air

Info

Publication number: AU2021253247A1
Application number: AU2021253247A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Wolfgang Fuchs
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-04-06
Filing date: 2021-04-06
Publication date: 2022-12-08
Also published as: AT523683A1; AT523683B1; WO2021203155A1; EP4133133A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for recovering water (2) from ambient air (3) having humidity, comprising at least one inlet (4), at least one outlet (7), an air channel (5) which connects the inlet (4) and the outlet (7) and which suctions the ambient air (3) via the inlet (4) and blows same out at the outlet (7), and a refrigeration machine (8), which has cooling surfaces (8a) in the air channel (5) and is designed to recover water (2) from the humidity of the suctioned ambient air (3) by drying same via the cooling surfaces (8a). A high degree of efficiency can be achieved by running the air channel (5) in an underground section (9) at least in the section upstream of the cooling surfaces (8a) of the refrigeration machine (8) in order to pre-cool the suctioned ambient air (3).

Description

Device for recovering water from ambient air

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a device for recovering water from ambient air having humidity, comprising at least one inlet, at least one outlet, an air channel which connects the inlet and the outlet and which suctions in the ambient air via the inlet and blows said air out at the outlet, and a refrigeration machine, which has cooling surfaces in the air channel and is designed to recover water from the humidity of the suctioned ambient air by drying it via the cooling surfaces.

Description of the prior art

Devices for recovering water, in particular drinking water, from the humidity of ambient air are known from the prior art. These devices draw in ambient air via an inlet, dry it with the aid of a condenser of a refrigerant circuit, thereby recovering water, and blow out this dried ambient air via an outlet. Disadvantageously, such devices require a comparatively high amount of energy, especially for the operation of the refrigerant circuit. In addition, these devices have a comparatively complex design and are limited in the amount of water produced due to their size.

Summary of the invention

Based on the prior art described above, the invention has set itself the object of creating a device that can extract a large amount of water from ambient air with reduced energy requirements. In addition, the device should be simple in design and therefore inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention solves the given object by the features of claim 1.

If the air channel extends in an underground section at least in the section in front of the cooling surfaces of the refrigeration machine, this ambient air can be precooled, which can significantly increase the energy efficiency of the device, which occurs in particular by a reduced power consumption of the refrigerant circuit. In addition, the use of the underground section for accommodating the air channel allows increased dimension on the device, whereby increased volume of ambient air can be sucked in in terms of time and thus the production volume of water can be increased. The device according to the invention is therefore characterized not only by energy efficiency, but also by its comparatively high capacity in the production of water. Preferably, the refrigeration machine has a refrigerant circuit with a condenser, with the condenser forming the cooling surfaces.

Energy efficiency can be further improved if the air channel has a tubular heat exchanger embedded in the underground section.

Further improvements are obtained when the air channel is essentially underground.

Preferably, the inlet and/or outlet protrudes from the underground section so that ambient air can be drawn in and blown out in a stable manner.

Increased amount of water can be removed from the ambient air by condensation if the refrigeration machine has a cooling coil forming the cooling surfaces of the refrigeration machine.

The condensing capacity can be increased if the air channel has a cooling tower in which the cooling surfaces of the refrigeration machine are provided.

A compact device can be created if the cooling tower has the outlet.

For this purpose, it is conceivable that the cooling tower has the outlet above the underground section. This allows the dehumidified ambient air to be blown out above the underground section, creating a kind of air cushion with cold air. Alternatively, it is conceivable that the cooling tower may have the outlet in the plane of the underground section, thereby further simplifying the cooling tower in design.

A compact and energy efficient device can be made possible if multiple inlets are provided. The inlets are preferably arranged in a circle or in several concentric circles around the cooling tower.

A high cooling capacity can be delivered to the ambient air if one inlet each is connected to the cooling tower via a radially extending air path of the mutually parallel air paths of the air channel.

Condensed water can be reliably collected if the air channel extends at a, preferably steady, gradient to the cooling tower.

The performance of the device can be further increased if an annular space is provided between the tubular heat exchanger and the cooling tower, which forms a collecting basin for condensed humidity from the ambient air drawn in.

Preferably, the air channel has fans to draw in a sufficient amount of ambient air.

In addition, if a closed perimeter wall is provided around the outside of the inlets, the discharged dry and cooled ambient air can be kept in the area of the device. This favors ground condensation, fog formation, drizzle, etc., and subsequently also the vegetation around the device, especially in areas with high daytime temperatures, for example in deserts.

Preferably, ambient air with a temperature greater than or equal to 20, preferably , degrees Celsius is drawn in through the inlet. Preferably, the ambient air with a temperature of less than or equal to 10 degrees Celsius is blown out through the outlet. Thus, a comparatively high efficiency can be achieved.

Preferably, the air channel in front of the cooling surfaces has a non-return valve. This allows the ambient air to be precooled in a stable manner in front of the cooling surfaces. In addition, the ambient air can be guided through the device in a stable manner.

The amount of recovered water can be increased if a drainage for water seeping into the underground section is provided below the section of the air channel in the underground section. Preferably, the drainage, which is designed as a collecting basin, is arranged along the tubular heat exchanger.

Preferably, the inlet is adjoined by an inlet chamber in the air channel, which has a flow diverter for optionally extending the length of the section in front of the cooling surfaces of the refrigeration machine by an extension in the underground section. This allows the ambient air to be cooled even deeper, further increasing the energy efficiency of the device.

The device can have a water pipe extending in the underground section, which is preferably provided near the surface in the underground section. This allows the underground section to be recooled, further increasing the energy efficiency of the device.

The energy efficiency of the device can be further improved if the refrigeration machine comprises a high-temperature side, a heat-to-flow converter and a thermally insulated chamber, in which chamber at least a part of the high temperature side and a hot side of the heat-to-flow converter are provided, and that the cold side of the heat-to-flow converter is provided outside the chamber.

Brief description of the drawings

In the drawings the subject matter of the invention is shown by way of example in more detail by means of several exemplary embodiments, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of the device, Fig. 2 shows a top view of the device according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows an enlarged representation of Fig. 1 according to a first exemplary embodiment, Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view of Fig. 1 with a cooling tower modified from Fig. 3 according to a second exemplary embodiment, Fig. 5 shows a representation of the non-return valves of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 a schematic representation of the refrigeration machines 8 of Figs. 3 and 4, and Figs. 7a and 7b an enlarged view to an inlet chamber of Fig. 1.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

According to Figs. 1 and 2, a device 1 for recovering water 2 from an ambient air 3, which has humidity, can be seen. This device 1 has a plurality of inlets 4 for drawing in the ambient air 3, which are connected to an air channel 5. Fans 6 in the air channel provide a stronger flow of the ambient air 3 towards the outlet 7, through which the ambient air 3 is blown out.

The device 1 also has a first refrigeration machine 8, which is provided with cooling surfaces 8a in the air channel 5. The humidity of the ambient air 3 drawn in condenses on the cooling surfaces 8a. Water 2 is thus obtained from the ambient air 3 by drying it. Preferably, the refrigeration machine 8 is based on a refrigerant circuit or is a compression refrigeration machine.

The device has a high energy efficiency because the air channel 5 in the section in front of the cooling surfaces 8a of the refrigeration machine 8 in an underground section 9, which significantly precools the ambient air 3 sucked in. This in particular because preferably the device 1 is placed in hot areas of the earth. In such areas, the ambient air drawn in has a temperature greater than or equal to 20 degrees Celsius. This precooling (via a so-called air/earth heat exchanger) means that water 2 can be extracted from the ambient air 3 with less cooling power for the refrigeration machine 8.

Sufficient precooling of the ambient air 3 is achieved in that the air channel 5 has a tubular heat exchanger 10. The tubular heat exchanger 10 is embedded in the underground section 9 and consists of parallel guided tubes 10a.

In particular, it can be recognized in Fig. 1 that the entire air channel 5 extends in the underground section 9. Only inlet and outlet 4, 7 protrude from this underground section 9, which further improves the energy efficiency of the device 1.

The efficiency in drying and cooling the ambient air 3 is increased if the refrigeration machine 8 has a cooling register 11 forming the cooling surfaces 8a of the refrigeration machine 8. The cooling register 11 is located in a cooling tower 12 in the center of the device 1. Moreover, the cooling tower 12 also forms the outlet 7 of the device 1. The outlet 7 has a plurality of radially blowing outlet openings, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In the cooling tower 12, 12a shown in Fig. 3, according to a first exemplary embodiment, the outlet 7, 7a with its radially discharging outlet openings is arranged above the underground section. In the cooling tower 12, 12b shown in Fig. 4, according to a second exemplary embodiment, the outlet 7, 7b with its radially discharging outlet openings is arranged in the plane of the underground section 9. Both cooling towers 12, 12a, 12b provide an advantageous distribution of the dehumidified ambient air 3 in the area of the device 1.

According to Fig. 2, it can also be recognized that the device 1 has a plurality of inlets 4 provided, arranged in a circle around the outlet 7. The air channel 5 divides into parallel air paths 5a to 5j, each of which extends radially from an inlet 4 to a common outlet 7, forming a star-shaped device 1 provided in the underground section 9. A tubular heat exchanger 10 is provided in each air path 5a to 5j, as shown in the figures.

In addition, the air channel 5 extends at a steady gradient to the cooling tower 12, with an annular space 14 being provided between the tubular heat exchanger 10 (as an example of an air/earth heat exchanger) and the cooling tower 12, which annular space 14 forms a collecting basin for condensed humidity from the ambient air 6 drawn in. The condensed water from the annular space 14 and also the condensed water collected from the cooling tower 12 is optionally purified and then introduced into a water tank 15.

A closed perimeter wall 13 is provided around the outside of the inlets 4 to keep the discharged and cooled ambient air 6 in the area of the system.

In addition, the dried ambient air 3 with a temperature of less than or equal to 10 degrees Celsius is blown out into the open via the outlet 7. This cold air 3 sinks to the ground and forces the hot ambient air above it to condense (in the form of mist forming, drizzle). The cold air cushion 17 formed by the device 1 is limited by the wall 13 and thus kept in the area of the device 1. The amount of precipitation thus decreases outwardly as seen from cooling tower 12. The mixing with the hot air takes place slowly and a fine precipitation is formed, which leads to the greening of the surroundings and subsequently enables an agricultural use of the area. In addition, the water 16 that condenses in the process seeps forward into the underground section 9 and cools the air channel 5 in front of the cooling surfaces 8a of the refrigeration machine 8. A drainage system, which is not shown in more detail, also uses this water 16 that has seeped into the ground and feeds it to the water tank 15 after cleaning.

Preferably, the device according to Fig. 1 has non-return valves 18, as are shown enlarged in Fig. 5. These non-return valves 18 are provided at the end of the tubular heat exchanger 10 at each of its tubes 10a and ensure the direction of flow of the ambient air 3 through the device 1. This non-return valve 18, designed for example as a double flap, has two flaps 18a, 18b which can assume various positions on spring bearings.

In addition, it can be seen in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 that below the section of the air channel in the underground section 9, a collecting basin 19 is provided as a drainage for water 16 that has seeped into the underground section 9. This drainage extends over the entire length of the tubular heat exchanger 10. In addition, this drainage is connected to the annular space 14 in order to feed the water 16 that has seeped in there to the recovered water 2. For this purpose, the collecting basin 19 extends towards the annular space 14 with a gradient. Preferably, this collecting basin 19 is provided at a depth of 30 meters in the underground section 9.

As can be seen in Fig. 1, the inlet 4 adjoins an inlet chamber 20. The tubular heat exchanger 10, for example, adjoins this inlet chamber 20. The inlet chamber 20 has a flow diverter 21 to direct the sucked-in ambient air 3 either into the section, namely tubular heat exchanger 10, in the underground section 9 (cf. Fig. 1 or Fig. 7a) or into an extension 22 in the underground section 9 (cf. Fig. 7b). Thus, the length of the section in front of the cooling surfaces 8a of the refrigeration machine 8 in the underground section 9 can be extended. Depending on requirements or optionally, the precooling of the ambient air 3 drawn in can thus be increased. The extension 22 extends from the inlet chamber 20 and reenters this inlet chamber at its end. According to Fig. 7b, the flow diverter 21 forces the ambient air first into the extension 22 and then into the tubular heat exchanger 10 via the inlet chamber 20. The flow diverter 21 is simply designed as a rotatable plate 21a as shown in Figs. 7a and 7b. The flow diverter 21 can be used as an alternative or in addition to a heat exchanger 23 in the inlet chamber 20, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Drainage 19 is also located below extension 22, as shown in Fig. 1.

In addition, the device has a water pipe 24 provided with openings extending close to the surface in the underground section 9. This can be used to cause recooling of the underground section 9. The water pipe 24 is supplied with the recovered water 2, which has not been shown in more detail. This allows the ground to be moistened with cool water between the inlets 4, which actively recools the ground heated by the device 1. The water discharged into the ground from the water pipe 24 is collected by the drainage 19.

Fig. 6 shows the refrigeration machine 8 in more detail, which has refrigerant circuit 801 with a high-temperature side 802 and a low temperature side 803. The high temperature side 802 includes a condenser 804 which releases heat to the environment, and the low temperature side 803 includes an evaporator 805 which absorbs heat from the environment or releases cold. Associated with the evaporator 805 are cooling surfaces 8a in the air channel 5, on which cooling surfaces 8a the humidity of the ambient air 3 drawn in condenses.

A compressor 809 in the refrigerant circuit 801 ensures the circulation of the refrigerant. The refrigerant, which is strongly heated by the compression, is then fed to the condenser 804 of the high-temperature side 802. A corresponding expansion valve 811 allows the refrigerant to expand again and thereby cool down considerably, whereupon it flows through the evaporator 805. In addition, a heat-to-current converter 806 configured as a thermoelectric generator is provided in the refrigerant circuit 801 and has a hot side 807 and a cold side 808 to generate electric energy depending on the temperature difference between the hot and cold sides 807, 808. The hot side 807 of the heat-to-current converter 806 is thermally coupled to the high-temperature side 2 of the refrigerant circuit 801, whereby the latter is fed by the waste heat energy of the refrigerant circuit 801, in particular of the condenser 804. The cold side 808 of the heat-to-flow converter 806 is in turn thermally coupled to a colder energy reservoir, such as ambient air. To achieve the most efficient feeding of the heat-to-flow converter 806 with the waste heat of the condenser 804, the condenser 804 is provided - at least partially - in a thermally insulated chamber 812. The hot side 807 of the heat-to-current converter 806 is also provided in the thermally insulated chamber 812 - its cold side 808, on the other hand, is provided outside the chamber 812. In this way, a controlled discharge path for the heat energy emitted by the condenser 804 via the heat-to current converter 806 can be created and its efficiency and performance can be increased. It is also possible to likewise provide the compressor 809 within the thermally insulated chamber 812. In doing so, it is conceivable to significantly reduce the net energy consumption of the refrigeration machine 8 and thus improve the energy efficiency of the device 1.

For example, the invention may provide the following: Ambient air 4 at 650 C and 30% relative humidity has approx. 50 ml water/M3 . With 400 million m3 of air sucked in/day - cooled to approx. 80 C (degrees Celsius) by exploiting the underground section, this means approx. 20 million liters of drinking water (water) per day. A further 280 million liters of drinking water are obtained via seepage water through soil condensation with the aid of the drainage system. This is done by blowing out the cooled ambient air from the device, thus falling below the dew point of the warm air above it in a radius of up to approx. 800 meters. In cooler areas (or on cooler days/nights in deserts) with, for example, ambient air 4 at 200 C and 30% relative humidity, this has approx. 5 ml water/M3 . This means with 400 million m3 of sucked in air/day - cooled down to approx. 0 degrees Celsius - by utilizing the underground section, approx. 2 million liters of drinking water per day. In order to achieve (guarantee) a daily drinking water quantity of 300 million liters, a further 298 million liters of drinking water are obtained via the seepage water by soil condensation with the help of the drainage system. This is carried out by blowing out cold air from the device and thus falling below the dew point (at these outside temperatures approx. 2 0C) of the warmer air above it over up to approx. 400 m radius. The device can guarantee a constant daily amount of drinking water (300 million liters per day), no matter where, whether it is 650 C or only 200 C in this desert area, because, for example, the main part of the water comes from ground condensation (fog and drizzle). The plant will operate day and night and the daily amount of drinking water will not depend on the air temperature (as is the case with existing plants). At higher temperatures or outside temperatures, there is more water yield due to the air conduction in the underground section. At lower outdoor temperatures there is more yield of water through the drainage system. The daily constant amount of drinking water is balanced/regulated in which water pipes 24 of the device lead less water to planting for example forest outside the wall and thus more can seep into the ground. On cooler days the forest needs less water - on hotter days the forest needs more water. The water seeps to the drainage system at a depth of, say, 30 meters (where this water is collected). Thus, the seepage water cools back the heated underground section. The heat is transferred to the water tank via the drained water. This adds about 3-5 degrees of heat to each liter of water extracted, which can cool and dehumidify about 400 million m3 of heated air per day.

In addition, this reduces waste heat from the refrigeration machine.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Device for recovering water (2) from ambient air (3) having humidity, comprising at least one inlet (4), at least one outlet (7), an air channel (5) which connects the inlet (4) and outlet (7) and which suctions in the ambient air (3) via the inlet (4) and blows said air out at the outlet (7), and a refrigeration machine (8), which has cooling surfaces (8a) in the air channel (5) and is designed to recover water (2) from the humidity of the suctioned ambient air (3) by drying it via the cooling surfaces (8a), characterized in that the air channel (5), at least in the section upstream of the cooling surfaces (8a) of the refrigeration machine (8), extends in an underground section (9) for precooling the suctioned ambient air (3).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the air channel (5) comprises a tubular heat exchanger (10) embedded in the underground section (9).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the air channel (5) extends substantially in the underground section (9).

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that inlet and/or outlet (3, 7) protrude from the underground section (9).

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the refrigeration machine (8) comprises a cooling register (11) forming the cooling surfaces (8a) of the refrigeration machine (8).

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the air channel (5) comprises a cooling tower (12) in which the cooling surfaces (8a) of the refrigeration machine (8) are provided.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the cooling tower (12) comprises the outlet (7).

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the cooling tower (12, 12a) has the outlet (7, 7a) above the underground section (9), or in that the cooling tower (12, 12b) has the outlet (7, 7b) in the plane of the underground section (9).

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a plurality of inlets (4) are provided, preferably arranged in a circle or in a plurality of concentric circles around the cooling tower (12).

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that one inlet (4) each is connected to the cooling tower (12) via a radially extending air path (5a to 5j) of the mutually parallel air paths (5a to 5j) of the air channel (5).

11. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the air channel (5) extends with a, preferably continuous, gradient to the cooling tower (12).

12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that an annular space (14) is provided between the tubular heat exchanger (10) and the cooling tower (12), which annular space (14) forms a collecting basin for the condensed humidity of the suctioned ambient air (3).

13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the air channel (5) has fans (6).

14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a closed circumferential wall (13) is provided on the outside around the inlets (4).

15. Device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that ambient air (3) having a temperature greater than or equal to 20, preferably 30, degrees Celsius is sucked in via the inlet (4) and/or ambient air (3) having a temperature less than or equal to 10 degrees Celsius is blown out via the outlet (7).

16. Device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the air channel (5) has a non-return valve (18) upstream of the cooling surfaces (8a), which are provided in particular downstream of the tubular heat exchanger (10).

17. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 16, characterized in that below the section of the air channel (5) in the underground section (9), in particular along the tubular heat exchanger (10), a drainage, in particular collecting basin, (19) is provided for water (16) seeping into the underground section (9).

18. Device according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the inlet (4) is adjoined by an inlet chamber (20) in the air channel (5) having a flow diverter (21) for selectively extending the length of the section in front of the cooling surfaces (8a) of the refrigeration machine (8) by an extension (22) in the underground section (9).

19. Device according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the device (1) comprises a water pipe (24) extending in the underground section (9), which is preferably provided near the surface in the underground section (9).

20. Device according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the refrigeration machine (8) comprises a high-temperature side (802), a heat-to-current converter (806) and a thermally insulated chamber (812), in which chamber (812) at least a part of the high-temperature side (802) and a hot side (806) of the heat-to-current converter (806) are provided, and in that the cold side (808) of the heat-to-current converter (806) is provided outside the chamber (812).