Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D5/00—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation
  • B01D5/0003—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation by using heat-exchange surfaces for indirect contact between gases or vapours and the cooling medium
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D5/00—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation
  • B01D5/0033—Other features
  • B01D5/0054—General arrangements, e.g. flow sheets
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D5/00—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation
  • B01D5/0078—Condensation of vapours; Recovering volatile solvents by condensation characterised by auxiliary systems or arrangements
  • B01D5/009—Collecting, removing and/or treatment of the condensate
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
  • B01D53/26—Drying gases or vapours
  • B01D53/265—Drying gases or vapours by refrigeration (condensation)
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A20/00—Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for extracting water contained in the air.
• the invention also relates to a drinking water production system comprising the device for extracting water contained in the air.
• the invention also relates to a machine comprising the system for producing drinking water.
• EP 0 597 716 and EP 0 891 523 propose such machines.
• the main performance criterion of these machines is the amount of water produced per unit of operating energy of the machine.
• the invention proposes a device for extracting water contained in the air by condensation, the device comprising:
• a compressor of the heat-exchange fluid evaporated by the evaporator the compressor being placed in the airstream downstream of the evaporator.
• the fan pushes the airflow on the evaporator.
• the extraction device comprises a sealed duct for the air flow created by the fan, the duct channeling the flow of air between the fan, the evaporator and the compressor.
• the extraction device comprises:
• a condenser of the heat transfer fluid for condensing the compressed fluid by the compressor
• the inlet and outlet of the coolant being provided to be connected to a circuit bringing the heat transfer fluid from the outlet to the inlet.
• the extraction device further comprises:
• a condenser for condensing the compressed fluid by the compressor
• a dehydrator for dehydrating the fluid condensed by the condenser downstream of the condenser
• the extraction device is arranged in block adapted to be installed interchangeably, in a system for producing drinking water from the air.
• the invention also proposes a system for producing drinking water from air, comprising:
• the device for extracting water contained in the preceding air the device for extracting water contained in the preceding air
• control unit controlling the extraction of water contained in the air according to the temperature and hygrometry measurements provided by the sensors.
• the device for extracting water contained in the air comprises a heat transfer fluid solenoid valve between the evaporator and the compressor, for selectively returning heat transfer fluid upstream of the evaporator, the solenoid valve being controlled for adjust the temperature of the evaporator.
• the system comprises a filter, the filter comprising a part for the physical filtering of the air flow and a part for the sanitary treatment of the air flow, the part for the sanitary treatment being chosen from the group consisting of a physical filter treated to prevent bacterial or microbial growth, a plasma filter, and an ultraviolet light-emitting diode filter.
• system further comprises:
• a pump for pumping water stored in the storage tank; the pump being provided for the consumption of water stored by a user, the duration of the actuation of the pump determining a volume of water pumped;
• the control unit controlling the extraction of water contained in the air by the extraction device according to the volume of water pumped for consumption.
• the system further comprises a refrigeration circuit of the water stored in the storage tank, the refrigeration circuit comprising:
• the system further comprises a set of stored water treatment filters, the filter set comprising at least one filter selected from the group consisting of a sediment filter, a compressed activated carbon filter, and an ultrafiltration membrane, the set of filters filtering the water pumped by the pump.
• the filter set comprising at least one filter selected from the group consisting of a sediment filter, a compressed activated carbon filter, and an ultrafiltration membrane, the set of filters filtering the water pumped by the pump.
• the system further comprises: - a discharge circuit, in the storage tank, the filtered water by the set of filters;
• the system comprises an ultraviolet lamp for the sanitary treatment of the water stored in the storage tank.
• the invention also proposes a machine for producing drinking water from air, the machine comprising:
• the system for producing drinking water from the previous air divided into three parts over the height, including a lower part comprising the storage tank, an intermediate portion comprising the extraction device, and a high part comprising the control unit;
• a structure comprising hollow plastic pipes for the passage of the cables of the system to the different parts of the machine.
• the machine comprises a device for transmitting remote information to a centralized storage of information on a server or to a remote receiver, the remote communication device comprising a remote communication member chosen from the group consisting of a transmitter / receiver power point, GPRS transceiver, WIFI transceiver.
• the invention also proposes a set of remote information processing of a drinking water production machine, the assembly comprising:
• a device for transmitting information remotely the device being external to the machine and designed to communicate by carrier current with the data collection member, the device comprising a modem for sending data remotely collected by the collecting member and received by the device;
• the invention then proposes a remote information processing method of a drinking water production machine using the preceding processing set, the method comprising:
• the communication via carrier current, to the transmission device, of the data collected by the data collection member; - Transmission of data remotely by the transmission device via its modem, the data being processed by the processing software.
• the method furthermore comprises, after the processing of the data transmitted remotely, the adaptation of the control of the machine by sending instructions for adapting the control of the machine to the device for transmitting the information. remote.
• FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of the water extraction device contained in the air
• FIG. 2 a schematic diagram of the drinking water production system, with the fluidic connections represented in filament;
• FIG. 3 a block diagram of the wiring of the drinking water production machine, with the electric and electronic cables shown in filial;
• the invention relates to a device for extracting water contained in the air by condensation.
• the device 30 for extracting water contained in the air comprises a fan 28.
• the fan 28 creates a flow of air inside the device 30 for extracting water contained in the air flow.
• the flow of air is represented by dashed lines in FIG. 1.
• the direction of the air flow is indicated by solid arrows upstream and downstream of the air flow passing through the device 30.
• the device 30 further comprises an evaporator 32 of heat transfer fluid.
• the evaporator 32 is a heat exchanger of the coolant with the air flow.
• the heat transfer fluid in the evaporator 32 is at a temperature lower than that of the air flow downstream of the evaporator 32 to condense the water contained in the air flow.
• the air flow cools in contact with the evaporator 32, the thermal energy lost by the air flow being transmitted to the heat transfer fluid which evaporates.
• the evaporator 32 extracts the water from the air flow by condensation of the water.
• the saturation vapor pressure of water in the air decreases with temperature.
• Cold air can contain less water in gaseous form than hot air can hold.
• the cooling air flow reaches the limit temperature below which the amount of water in gaseous form in the air exceeds the limit of water that the air can contain at this temperature.
• the dew point is reached, the water that exceeds the limit of air capacity condenses.
• part of the water initially contained in gaseous form in the air stream is in liquid form in contact with the evaporator 32.
• the device 30 further comprises, placed in the stream of air downstream of the evaporator 32, a compressor 34 of the coolant. After the evaporator 32, the air flow is fresh (for example, with a temperature of about 11 ° C), it passes directly on the compressor 34 to cool.
• the compressor 34 is permanently cooled when the device 30 is actuated.
• the air stream from which the water has been extracted removes the heat generated by the compressor 34 and can maintain it at a temperature below 45 ° C.
• This arrangement avoids the overheating problem of the compressor 34.
• the compressor 34 continuously cooled does not reach the safe operating limit conditions, for example 75 ° C.
• the operating time of the extraction device 30 can thus be increased and the amount of water extracted is greater.
• the device 30 is thus not subjected to restrained shutdowns for safety reasons while the conditions for extracting water can be ideal.
• the device 30 can therefore concentrate the extraction of water at the moment when the conditions are ideal, thus limiting the consumption of operating energy of the compressor 32 and the fan 28.
• the compressor 34 is disposed downstream of the evaporator 32 for the coolant.
• the compressor 34 compresses the heat transfer fluid evaporated by the evaporator 32 with the air flow.
• a heat transfer fluid circuit can then be provided to bring the heat transfer fluid upstream of the evaporator 32.
• the heat transfer fluid then travels a thermodynamic cycle.
• the extraction device 30 thus makes it possible to improve the quantity of water extracted per unit of operating energy of the machine.
• the integration of this device 30 in a water production system or machine thus makes it possible to obtain a production of water from air with a better performance.
• the fan 28 may be disposed upstream in the airflow with respect to the evaporator 32 and the compressor 34.
• the fan 28 pushes the airflow over the evaporator 32, rather than sucking the flow of air. air through the evaporate.
• Such an arrangement allows an air passage on the evaporator 32 more important, because for the same power consumption, the fans pushing the air on the evaporator 32 have a better performance compared to the fans sucking the air on the evaporator 32).
• the device 30 may comprise a sealed duct for the air flow created by the fan 28.
• the duct channels the flow of air between the fan 28, the evaporator 32 and the compressor 34.
• the extraction device 30 is an airtight compartment with limited losses between the fan 28, the evaporator 32 and the compressor 34.
• the entire flow of air passes on the evaporator 32, then on the compressor 32. This allows a gain for the extraction of water of the order of 15 to 20% with respect to an extraction device not comprising a sealed conduit.
• Table I comparative tests were conducted between a conventional water production system not comprising no sealed conduit and the system object of the invention comprising a sealed conduit. Both systems are located in the same casing (packing box) of water machine.
• the conventional system is not placed in a sealed conduit while the system object of the invention is placed in a sealed conduit as previously described.
• the only open parts of the sealed duct correspond to the air inlet and the air outlet.
• the yields correspond to the production in dm 3 / h.
• the device 30 may comprise a condenser 36 of the coolant.
• the condenser 36 is placed downstream of the compressor 34 for the coolant, that is to say that the condenser 36 condenses the compressed fluid by the compressor 34.
• the condenser 36 is preferably disposed downstream of the compressor 34 in the air flow, particularly in the sealed conduit of the device 30.
• the compressed heat transfer fluid present in the condenser 36 transfers its heat to the air flow to the external contact of the condenser 36.
• the fluid which can still be in gaseous form after the compressor 34, gradually liquefies as it advances in the tubes making up the condenser 36.
• the coolant is liquid and hot.
• the condenser 36 contributes to the thermodynamic cycle of the coolant.
• the device 30 may include, in addition to the condenser 36 of the heat transfer fluid, an inlet of the coolant and an outlet of the heat transfer fluid.
• the heat transfer fluid inlet is disposed upstream of the evaporator 32.
• the heat transfer fluid outlet is disposed downstream of the condenser 36.
• the inlet and the outlet are designed to be connected to a circuit bringing the heat transfer fluid from the outlet to the inlet, allowing the coolant to travel through a thermodynamic cycle.
• the circuit may comprise a dehydrator 42, to dehydrate the condensed fluid by the condenser 36.
• the dehydrator is downstream of the condenser 36.
• the circuit may comprise an expander to relax the dehydrated fluid by the dehydrator 42.
• the expander 44 is upstream of the evaporator 32.
• the expander 44 provides a significant pressure drop of the heat transfer fluid. This pressure drop causes a drop in temperature to a value lower than that of the air flow through the evaporator 32. Downstream of the expander 44, the heat transfer fluid enters the evaporator 32, for example in liquid form mainly with 15 to 20% in vapor form.
• the expander 44 may be chosen from the group consisting of a thermostatic expansion valve, an electronic expansion valve or a capillary expander.
• the electronic expansion valve has the advantage of allowing a precise and optimum adjustment when associated with temperature probes and a regulator.
• the capillary expander has the advantage of simplicity of design (a simple tube of 1, 2mm diameter) with a limited price and implementation.
• the thermostatic expansion valve has the advantage of regulating the flow of fluid as a function of the heat load of the air.
• the thermostatic expansion valve is preferred for the drinking water production system.
• the dehydrator 42 is particularly useful when using a thermostatic expansion valve. Indeed it is then preferable to have a reservoir called "liquid bottle” with the thermostatic expansion valve.
• the coolant can then contain traces of moisture, due to the liquid bottle, which combine with oil, provided in the coolant circuit for the lubrication of the compressor 34.
• the "bottle dehydrator” has the advantage of combining filtration, dehydration and buffer volume in a single volume. coolant.
• the expander 44 is a regulating member that allows more or less heat transfer fluid depending on the air temperature, which varies the flow of fluid. This variation is absorbed by the volume of the bottle and provides a coolant supply of the expander 44.
• the circuit may comprise a pressure switch 48.
• the pressure switch 48 is preferably downstream of the expander 44 and upstream of the evaporator 32, in the low-pressure part of the heat transfer fluid circuit.
• the pressure switch 48 makes it possible to measure the pressure drops of the fluid in the heat transfer fluid circuit. If the filters of the dehydrator 42 are fouled the pressure of the coolant drops. The fouling of the dehydrator 42 is then determined as a function of the pressure of the coolant.
• the control unit 80 informed by the pressure switch 48, can cut the compressor 34.
• the damage to the compressor 34 is limited and may indicate clogging of the filters of the dehydrator 42.
• the service life of the compressor is improved.
• the circuit bringing the heat transfer fluid can be arranged outside, independently of the extraction device 30.
• Such an arrangement of the circuit bringing the upstream fluid allows to arrange device in the form of a compact block.
• the block is adapted to be installed interchangeably in a system for producing drinking water from the air. The block is thus independent of the rest of the drinking water production system and can be easily replaced or changed depending on maintenance requirements for example.
• the circuit bringing the coolant can alternatively be included in the device 30.
• the inlet and the heat transfer fluid outlet are then no longer necessary.
• the circuit may still comprise a dehydrator 42, a pressure reducer 44, a pressure switch 48 as previously described.
• the arrangement in the form of an interchangeable block to be installed in a drinking water production system, as previously described, is still possible.
• the drinking water production system is represented in FIG. 2 by a schematic diagram.
• the system comprises the extraction device described above.
• the system further comprises sensors (shown in Figure 3 by reference 86) for measuring the temperature and moisture content of the air outside the system. Hygrometry, or degree of hygrometry, or hygrometric degree, characterizes the humidity of the air, namely the amount of water in gaseous form contained in the air.
• the temperature and humidity sensors 86 can be installed at the inlet of the airflow in the system.
• the system further includes a control unit.
• Figure 3 shows the control unit 80.
• the control unit 80 controls the extraction of water contained in the air by the extraction device 30.
• the control of the extraction of water contained in the air by the device 30 can be carried out according to the temperature and hygrometry measurements provided by the sensors 86.
• the temperature for example, at least 15 ° C
• the hygrometry rate for example, at least 30%
• the extraction device 30 is controlled in operation by the control unit 80. Different operating values are described in more detail by the after.
• the sensors 86 make it possible to determine the yield of water extracted immediately.
• the control unit 80 optimizes the efficiency of the machine to the maximum with the help of the information from the sensors 86.
• the control unit 80 thus determines the ideal dew point.
• the ideal dew point is on average between 9 ° C and 12 ° C difference with the air temperature at the entrance. If the temperature of the air entering the evaporator 32 is 24 ° C, the ideal temperature should be between 12 ° C and 15 ° C on the evaporator. For each degree of incoming air temperature, the temperature degree on the evaporator 32 is calculated automatically. Different values of correspondence between the temperature of the incoming air and the temperature of the evaporator 32 are described below.
• the control unit 80 controls the regulation of the temperature of the heat transfer fluid entering the evaporator 32 (the temperature of the evaporator 32), for example by means of a solenoid valve 40 of the device 30, between the evaporator 32 and the compressor 34.
• the electro valve 40 is thus downstream of the evaporator 32 and upstream of the compressor 34.
• the electro valve 40 can selectively bring coolant upstream of the evaporator 32, as shown in FIG.
• a small amount of hot heat transfer fluid for example in the form of gas which has been evaporated by the evaporator 32
• a small amount of hot heat transfer fluid for example in the form of gas which has been evaporated by the evaporator 32
• a coolant temperature sensor downstream of the evaporator 32 to allow the control unit 80 to have a control loop on the temperature of the heat transfer fluid.
• the control unit 80 can control the extraction of water contained in the air according to the water consumption of the user.
• the control unit 80 then limits the extraction of water to the amount of water usually consumed by the user. It is estimated that 1.5 liters of water consumption per person per day. Water consumption can also be determined using the various measures available to the control unit 80, as described in the following description, for example. This optimizes the energy consumption of the system.
• the airflow entering the extraction device is preferably filtered. Indeed, the better the quality of air, the better the water extracted from the air.
• the system comprises a filter 46.
• the filter 46 preferably comprises two parts. A first part of the filter performs a physical filtering. It prevents the passage of solid particles in the air flow. A second part of the filter carries out a sanitary treatment of the air flow, a fungicidal and bactericidal treatment of the air.
• the sanitary treatment portion may be selected from the group consisting of a physical filter treated to prevent bacterial or microbial growth, a plasma filter and an ultraviolet light-emitting diode filter.
• the system can be an air treatment system.
• the filter material is treated with a specific product that acts to prevent any bacterial growth or micro-organisms. It can be provided to have a pressure switch downstream of the filter for detecting the fouling of the filters. Thus the abnormal pressure rise downstream of the filter can be caused by a reduced air passage due to a dirty filter. The pressure switch can also detect the failure of the fan.
• a plasma filter electrical son for example copper
• These electrical wires are called electrodes.
• a device with negative charge conductive, shaped honeycomb On the bottom of the frame is hung a device with negative charge conductive, shaped honeycomb. It is arranged in such a way that all the air sucked by the fan 28 passes through.
• the electrodes are particularly arranged so that they cover about 40% of the total area. The air that will pass through is thus fully processed. Between these electrodes an important electric field is created. This electric field is powerful enough to create positive and negative ions in large quantities that will create a plasma. Plasma is a form gaseous neutral, but with a very strong bactericidal and germicidal action.
• a safety contactor can be installed to shut off power to the entire system when removing the first part of the filter 46.
• This switch can be installed on a door that gives access to the air filter to change it.
• LEDUV light-emitting diodes
• the LEDUV are hung on a frame. On the bottom of the frame is hung a shiny metallic mesh device. The LEDUV radiation is thus diffused over an entire passage section of the air flow. The flow of air passing through this section is thus treated.
• the rays emitted by the LEDUV are for example UV-C rays.
• UV-C rays are known to have a very strong bactericidal and germicidal action. The airflow is rid of all bacteria, spores and germs that could pollute the water to extract air.
• LEDUVs have the advantage of having a very long life (about 20 years) compared to existing UV-C lamps. The maintenance of the system, the replacement of the ultraviolet filter, is thus greatly reduced.
• the realization of a device 30 with a sealed conduit and a fan 28 disposed upstream in the air flow maintains a slight excess air pressure inside the conduit of the device 30.
• the air outside duct has a lower pressure than the air inside the duct.
• the filter can also be arranged between the fan 28 and the evaporator 32. All the air from which the water is extracted has thus undergone a sanitary treatment.
• the system may comprise a collection tank 38 collecting the water extracted by gravity.
• the collection tank 38 can be placed under the evaporator 32, in the device 30, to recover the runoff of the water extracted on the evaporator 32.
• the collection tank 38 can be slid like a drawer under the evaporator 32
• the collection tray 38 may take the form of a diamond tip whose bottom contains a hole. The water extracted from the air is thus directed towards this hole.
• the system may include a water storage bin 60 collected by the collection tank 38.
• the storage tank 60 is preferably located just below the collection tank 38. This allows a tube gain and simplification mounting. For example, during a series production, a skilled worker can prepare the system without being hindered to perform the welds and connections.
• the system may comprise a pump 56 for pumping water stored in the storage tank 60.
• the pumping of water is then provided for the consumption of water stored by a user.
• the pump 56 can have a constant flow. In this case it is possible to determine the volume of water pumped from the duration of operation of the pump. The volume of water pumped determines the amount of water consumed. The user's consumption can then be taken
• the control unit 80 can then control the extraction of water contained in the air by the extraction device 30 as a function of the volume of water pumped for consumption. The control of the extraction of water according to the consumption by the user is described in more detail below.
• the system may comprise a refrigeration circuit of the water stored in the storage tank 60.
• the refrigeration circuit then comprises a heat exchanger 64 wound externally to the storage tank 60 for refrigerating the stored water.
• heat exchanger 64 takes the form of a copper coil.
• the heat transfer fluid can not then be in contact with the water of the storage tank 60, preventing problems of pollution of the water extracted in case of leakage.
• the remainder 66 of the refrigeration circuit supplies, to the heat exchanger 64, the coolant with a temperature lower than the stored water.
• the storage tank 60 is surrounded by the copper coil in which the cooling fluid passes.
• the cooling of the water to the temperature desired by the user can be controlled by a temperature probe provided in the storage tank 60.
• the system may therefore include a set of 70 water treatment filters stored.
• the set 70 of filters preferably comprises one of the filters selected from the group consisting of a sediment filter 72, a compressed activated carbon filter 74 and an ultrafiltration membrane 76.
• the sediment filter 72 preferably has a fineness 0.5 micron filtration.
• the ultrafiltration membrane 76 preferably has a filtration fineness of 0.0 ⁇ .
• the filter set 70 comprises the three filters of the preceding group.
• Known systems use a filtration system equipped with an osmosis membrane.
• the osmosis membrane can create complications over time. To make a liter of osmosis water, we reject 2 liters of water. In general on domestic installations this water is rejected in the sewer. On traditional water machines these 2 liters return to a first tank, which recovers condensed water. If ever a bacterial development is created, the discharge water of the membrane that returns to the first tank, will pollute the pure water that has just extracted. It is therefore preferable to adopt filters passing from osmosis membrane.
• This filter may be associated with vitamins or drugs.
• the pump 56 can cause filtration of the water from the storage tank 60.
• the filter assembly 70 is then disposed downstream of the pump 56 as shown in FIG.
• the system may comprise a discharge circuit, in the storage tank 60, of the water filtered by the set 70 of filters.
• the filtered water is discharged into the storage bin 60.
• the stored water is then kept potable. Water can be filtered at regular intervals to maintain water quality for the user's consumption. For example, filtration can occur every hour, for 15 minutes.
• the tank water is regenerated 24 times a day.
• a solenoid valve 78 is then preferably provided for switching the filtered water between the discharge circuit, and a circuit for consuming the filtered water that is filtered by the user.
• the water consumed is thus pumped by the pump 56, then filtered by the set of filters 30 and finally switched by the solenoid valve 78, depending on the user's demand, in the consumption circuit for its consumption by the pump.
• the duration of the simultaneous activation of the solenoid valve 78 with the activation of the pump 56 makes it possible to deduce the volume of water consumed by the user.
• the volume of water consumed may alternatively be counted by a water meter which is located just before a tap and after the switching solenoid valve 78.
• the control unit 80 can control the pumping of the water stored in the storage bin 60 immediately after the extraction device 30 is turned on. The water that has just been extracted is thus treated immediately.
• the control unit 80 can control the pumping of the water only when a minimum level of water in the storage tank 60 is reached, for example 2 liters. This prevents the pump 56 from running empty.
• a minimum level of water in the storage tank 60 for example 2 liters. This prevents the pump 56 from running empty.
• the case where the minimum water level is reached can be determined using a level sensor described below.
• the filters 72, 74, 76 connect independently of each other without the need for connection disconnection from the pumped water circuit.
• the filter assembly 70 may comprise a head with a single water inlet and a single water outlet.
• the head of the filter assembly 70 includes connectors for replacing each filter independently.
• the bottom of the storage bin 60 may be slightly inclined to bring the water to the suction of the filtration, preventing some of the stored water from stagnating.
• the system may include an ultraviolet lamp for sanitary treatment of water stored in the storage bin 60.
• the ultraviolet lamp 58 is disposed near the discharge of the water pumped into the storage bin 60. the water after filtration returns to the tank by falling or flowing directly on the ultraviolet lamp 58. All the volume of water treated by the filters is treated with ultraviolet radiation, preventing any bacterial growth or micro-organisms.
• a constant flow pump 56 or a pump 56 associated with a flow meter makes it possible to determine the quantity of water stored which has passed through the set 70 of filters and / or the ultraviolet lamp 58. Such determination of the quantity of treated water allows a better maintenance of the system, in particular the end of life of the water treatment, by warning the user or by sending the information to the system maintenance department.
• the ultraviolet lamp 58 is preferably replaced by a LEDUV assembly having a longer life, thus limiting the maintenance costs of the system.
• the system may include a level sensor 68 of the water stored in the storage bin 60.
• the level sensor 68 may be selected from electronic level sensors and membrane level sensors.
• the level sensor is a membrane level sensor for reliable accuracy of the stored water level.
• the information on the amount of water available is based on the water pressure. For example, when a liter of water causes a pressure of 1.67mbars, if the sensor registers 4.17mbars the water level is 2.5 liters. The measurement is reliable, precise and allows to inform the user to centilitre.
• the level sensor 68 is preferably at the bottom of the storage tank 60, away from the water intake for pumping water, to limit measurement errors.
• the system may include an overflow sensor 62 of the storage bin 60.
• the overflow sensor 62 is a slat sensor.
• the slat sensor may be integrated into a pipe at the top of the storage bin 60.
• the pipe incorporating the overflow sensor 62 may also act as an exhaust air, when the storage tank 60 fills with extracted water. This pipe can be equipped with a T.
• the level sensor 68 and / or the overflow sensor 62 make it possible to determine the quantity of water stored in the storage tank 60. Depending on this quantity of water, the control unit 80 can control or stop the extraction of water contained in the air.
• the level and overflow sensors, 62 and 68 can trigger an audible alarm and / or stop the operation of the extraction of water contained in the air.
• the overflow sensor 62 allows redundancy of the level sensor 68, useful in the event of a malfunction of the level sensor 68 and thus limiting the cost of maintenance.
• the control unit 80 In the case of the use of a refrigeration circuit of the stored water, it is preferable to store only a minimum quantity of water in the storage tank 60. The energy expenditure of the system for the refrigeration of the stored water stored water are then limited. Preferably the amount of water stored is set by the control unit 80 according to the measurements of the amount of water consumed by the user.
• the system can be arranged in a machine divided into three parts over the height. Each part has a plate for the arrangement of the various members of the system This allows the manufacture to mount each tray separately, to assemble thereafter, representing a significant time saving during manufacture.
• the machine is preferably arranged in the following manner an upper part with a plate on which the control unit 80 is implanted (the control unit 80 may comprise printed circuits as well as a power supply board and a control circuit);
• a lower part comprising a plate on which the storage tank 60, the heat exchanger 64 and the filtering elements (the set of filters 70 and the ultraviolet lamp 58, the pump 56, the solenoid valve 78) are installed) .
• the storage bin 60 is located in the lower part, so the heat released by all the equipment goes up in the machine and does not affect the refrigeration of the water.
• the remainder 66 of the refrigeration circuit operates then consumes little operating energy.
• water leaks stored in the storage bin 60 can not flow over the rest of the equipment, limiting damage to the system.
• the structure of the machine may comprise hollow pipes of plastic, preferably of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC.
• PVC pipes are generally used for the flow or circulation of water in homes.
• the material of such pipes may also be selected from the group comprising polypropylene or natural materials, such as bamboo. They have the advantage of being easy to use by anyone, to cut themselves to size just with a traditional hacksaw or with a specialized tube cutter, to be strong and light.
• the inside of the pipes is hollow, allowing the passage of all the electric cables. They thus isolate the electrical wiring of each tray.
• PVC tubes exist in various forms such as T or sleeves to easily set up the trays that will constitute the machine. It is thus possible to arrange tube sleeves between each tray, to mount the machine progressively, tray by tray.
• the structure of the machine can thus be composed of four pipes located at the four corners of the rectangular trays. This allows the insulators to differentiate traditional electrical cables from electronic cables.
• the electrical cables are routed to the top plate by one of the four pipes and the electronic cables by another.
• a T leads the cables to the upper plate.
• the cables are prepared and protected during the assembly of the machine. At the installation of the last upper plate, the cables are ready to be connected to the control unit 80.
• the machine may have on its upper part, in a front face, a liquid crystal display 82, or Liquid Crystal Display in English or LCD, communicating information on the operation of the machine to the user. Outdoor temperature and humidity measurements can be indicated to the user. The percentage of possible water extraction can also be indicated, for example on a scale of 0 to 100%. So the user knows exactly whether the machine is effective or not.
• the information on the amount of stored water can also be indicated to the user with the temperature of the stored water.
• Each important element, or organ, of the machine is under control: the pump, the compressor, the operation of the solenoid valves and the state of the filters. Several diagnoses for each part can be determined.
• DCE 001 no power supply, no current measurements for the compressor 28, in the case where the supply current of the compressor 34 is not measured while the compressor 34 is in its operating range;
• DCE 002 abnormal measured intensity, in case the values recorded in normal operation such as voltage and intensity increase abnormally;
• DCE 003 the calibrated value of the low-pressure sensor of the coolant circuit is abnormal when the measured pressure falls below a calibrated value threshold
• DCE 004 the calibrated value of the high-pressure sensor of the coolant circuit is abnormal, when the measured pressure passes above a calibrated value threshold;
• DCF 005 no power supply, no current measurements for the compressor of the remainder 66 of the refrigeration circuit;
• DCF 006 Abnormal measured intensity for the compressor of the remainder 66 of the refrigeration circuit
• DCF 007 the calibrated value of the low pressure sensor of the refrigeration circuit of the stored water is abnormal, when the measured pressure falls below a calibrated value threshold;
• DCF 008 the calibrated value of the high pressure sensor of the refrigeration circuit of the stored water is abnormal, when the measured pressure passes above a calibrated value threshold
• DP 009 the pump 56 is stopped while it is in its operating range, when its supply current is not measured while the pump 56 must operate;
• the pump 56 is abnormally stopped, when the user presses the external button to take water and the pump does not engage and the flow meter does not record a water passage;
• the filter pump is abnormally stopped, when the flow meter has not recorded water flow for more than two hours while the storage tank is three-quarters full;
• - DP 012 The filters are clogged or the pump has a problem, when the flow meter registers a weak water passage below a calibrated flow rate threshold; DV 013: the fan motor is abnormally stopped, when its supply current is not measured while the fan is running;
• the air pressure is too high, the sucked air is hard to cross the air filter, it is certainly clogged or dirty, when the air pressure is too high upstream of the filter and exceeds values calibrated at high pressure, it is also possible in this case to stop the compressor and the fan.
• the water level sensor 62 is defective, when the hygrometry rate and the air temperature are favorable to the production of water, the compressor 34 operates as well as the fan 28 while the reservoir 60 water storage does not fill;
• the water level sensor 62 is defective when the air extraction device operates with a hygrometry rate and an air temperature favorable to the production of water while the capacity of the tank 60 does not change after 4 hours of operation;
• the level sensor is defective or false information is stored in the memory, when the tank capacity display values 60 are abnormal and do not correspond to basic values, (which may be related to overvoltage problems or micro electrical interruptions);
• DT 018 the UV lamp is no longer connected or the lamp is broken, when the lamp supply current is not measured by an appropriate sensor and the pump 56 operates;
• DT 019 The UV lamp needs to be changed or the whole machine needs maintenance, when the life of the UV lamp (eg 7,600 hours) approaches the life of the UV lamp which can be for example 8000 hours;
• DT 020 Cartridges are changed when the amount of water filtered by the filter cartridges approaches the maximum quantity (such as 900 liters of filtered water for maximum intended use at 1000 liters of water).
• All this information and all associated diagnostic triggers can be recorded and stored for 30 days in a loop.
• the information can be displayed for the user on the LCD screen 82.
• Various light-emitting diodes can be provided near the LCD screen 82, as a control the operation or malfunction of the different parts of the machine. It is possible to provide for the cancellation of the diagnostic display by intervening in some way on the buttons located on the front of the machine and provided that the problem displayed has been solved.
• the machine may include a remote information transmitting device 88.
• the sending of information to the maintenance service can be carried out by power lines via the electrical network supplying the system or by a modem integrated in the system and via the telephone network.
• the machine can be interrogated remotely to check that it is working just by means of an electrical outlet. Any type of information can thus be collected centrally such as water consumption, electricity consumption, the number of liters of water produced, as well as error messages, or the operation of the various devices of the system during a period of time. abnormal duration.
• the transmission of information can be performed to a centralized storage of information on a server or to a tele-convenience store. Information stored remotely can then be used to provide remote repair services. The user can thus be warned by telephone that an intervention on the machine must be performed, and / or, we can give him the address of a reseller of consumables of the machine.
• the machine can thus include transmitting and collector current connectors.
• the machine may also include a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) system, collector and transmitter of information.
• GPRS General Packet Radio Service
• WIFI Wireless Fidelity
• data recovery from the machine can be done manually using a Universal Serial Bus, USB, PC connection, or removable data storage media.
• the information can be collected by a "data collector” card interrogating, for example every 10 seconds, the different organs of the machine.
• the "data collector” card is a data collector. This information or data received correctly, are immediately communicated to the device 88 for transmitting remote information.
• the device 88 may be external to the machine, to be placed closer to a phone jack at the user of the machine.
• the device 88 becomes an information receiving system of the "data collector” card integrated in the control unit 80 of the machine.
• the communication of the data collected between the control unit and the receiver system can be carried out by carrier current on the user's home network (for example 220V network).
• the data frames are stored with the date and time of reception by the receiving system.
• the receiver system can be composed of an LCD touch screen and a support for integration of a modem.
• the receiving medium via its integrated modem can be connected to the telephone line of the user of the machine, thus enabling the transmission to a tele-convenience store or to the manufacturer of the machine of the history of the operation of the machine, ie data collected. by the "data collector" card and received by the receiving system.
• This transmission of the operating history can be performed automatically during a malfunction for a long time, for example three days.
• the transmission of information can take place in case of malfunction.
• the troubleshooter retrieves all the data stored by the receiving system.
• Data processing software thus received may be provided, allowing for example the archiving of data, printing or graphing.
• the receiver system communicates with the control unit 80 of the machine to adapt the control of the machine to the detected malfunction.
• the adaptation of the control of the machine can for example include the modification of the production of water, the forced start or automatic operation, the modification of the desired threshold of the temperature of the water.
• the receiving system sends the data it has stored in the convenience store and receives an appointment (date and time), to which the receiving system must recall the TV troubleshooter to retrieve ordering orders from the machine control to fix the problem.
• a direct intervention on the machine and information of the user of the machine can be provided.
• the user can thus be warned by telephone that an intervention on the machine must be performed, and / or, we can give him the address of a reseller of consumables of the machine.
• the "data collector" card, the receiver system and the tele-troubleshooter software can form a remote information processing unit of the machine.
• This set of remote information processing allows to reduce the time of intervention to carry out an intervention after sale or to know, before sending a technician in the field, what kind of failure should be solved. In particular, this saves maintenance costs by ensuring that technicians leave the worksite with the defective part and can prepare for the type of fault detected.
• the set of remote information processing of the machine also advantageously to avoid moving a technician while the machine is not down but the user does not use it properly. In fact, such cases of unnecessary displacement can represent up to 60% of intervention trips by a technician.
• the proposed set still makes it possible to determine in advance which faults will be possible in the future.
• the proposed set still allows the improvement of the speed of the intervention which is particularly useful for problem solving on key parts of the machine such as the compressor.
• FIG. 3 shows a possibility of cabling the machine with the control unit 80.
• the control unit 80 is thus connected to various devices or members of the machine making it possible to centralize the information for the user, on the screen LCD 82, or for a maintenance center via the information transmission device, allowing operation of the system under remote surveillance.
• the fan 28 can be selected from three types of fans: the centrifugal fan, the helical fan and the tangential fan.
• the centrifugal fan has the advantages of a high dynamic pressure, necessary to maintain a constant air flow through the device 30 (the air filter and the exchangers: the evaporator 32 and the condenser 36), a noise reasonable, of a correct price and of a good life.
• the tangential fan has the advantages of a long service life and a good dynamic pressure.
• the helical fan has the advantages of a small footprint, a wide variety depending on price and layout. It can thus easily be chosen as pushing the air inside the device or sucking the air inside the device.
• the helical fan is preferred for producing the extraction device.
• the evaporator 32 can be composed of four rows of tubes whose diameter is three-eighths of an inch, or 0.9525 cm.
• the evaporator 32 preferably comprises fins to increase the heat exchange surfaces between the air flow and the coolant. A maximum of air is thus in contact with the cold walls and the dehumidification is optimized.
• the pitch of the fins can be 1, 6mm.
• the distribution of the coolant can be done in three points.
• the cold heat transfer fluid is thus distributed in the same way in the upper part, in the middle part and in the lower part.
• Fluid circulation is provided against current of air.
• the fluid outlet may be provided at the top to prevent the return of liquid from the compressor 34 in the evaporator 32.
• the compressor 34 may be chosen to satisfy a compromise between the desired power to sufficiently cool the airflow at the evaporator 32 and prevent it from cooling too much.
• the compressor 34 may be selected from the group consisting of a piston compressor, a scroll compressor and a rotary compressor.
• the piston compressor is the most common. It is cheap, quiet, with a small footprint.
• the Scroll compressor or scroll compressor has the advantages of a high efficiency, a speed and therefore a variable heat transfer fluid flow rate.
• the rotary compressor has the advantage of affordability, average efficiency, variable speed and throughput, and low width footprint.
• the rotary compressor is preferred for its good performance, and its price is affordable.
• the powers available for this type of compressor correspond to the subtle balance to be created at the level of the evaporator 32, to get as close as possible to the dew point, neither too hot nor too cold. Its size corresponds to a limited space, allowing a facilitated implementation of the system in the machine. It is more mechanically resistant.
• the condenser 36 may be composed of three rows of copper tubes whose diameter is three-eighths of an inch, or 0.9525 cm. Preferably the circulation of the heat transfer fluid is against the flow of air. The inlet of the coolant is then at the top of the condenser 36 and the outlet at the bottom of the condenser 36.
• the heat dissipated at the condenser is that captured by the evaporator plus the heat of the mechanical work of the compressor.
• the diameter of the tube corresponds to the power of the compressor 34 and ensures a correct flow velocity of the fluid and the oil along the entire path of the coolant.
• the capacitor 36 preferably comprises fins to increase the exchange surface between the fluid and the air.
• the fins are preferably aluminum.
• the pitch of the fins can be 1.6 mm. The closer the pitch, the greater the heat exchange.
• the different organs along the heat transfer fluid path can be connected to each other by copper tubes with a diameter of a quarter inch, or 0.635 cm, for the high pressure part (HP) of the path and three-eighth of an inch, or 0.9525 cm, on the low pressure part (BP) of the course. It can also be provided pressure taps on the course: an HP pressure tap and two BP on the course (one for the load of the heat transfer fluid and one for the pressure switch 48).
• the heat transfer fluid is preferably the fluid R407C.
• the heat transfer fluid load is preferably 650 g.
• the refrigeration circuit comprises one of the following characteristics, alone or in combination with others:
• a capillary expansion valve with a diameter of 1.2 mm and a length of 1.5 m;
• the storage bin 60 it is round, its diameter is 15 cm, its height of 22 cm, its capacity of 10 liters.
• the bottom of the tank is slightly inclined to bring water to the suction of the filtration and prevent some of the water stagnates.
• Its material is stainless steel.
• a flat rectangular shape, forming a flat, was imagined over the entire height and a width of 4cm. This part is pierced at several points, for example six holes, each equipped with a nut and a lock nut to seal them. These holes are made in diameter of 10 mm with a central hole diameter of 20 mm:
• the second hole next to the first one (about 2 cm) is equipped with a 0.75 inch brass connection (1.905cm) to connect a 0.25 inch or 0.635cm pipe that connects on the suction of the pump 56.
• the third hole in the center of the flat receives a quartz tube, in which is inserted the ultraviolet lamp 58.
• the tube with its lamp 58 penetrates inside the tank and quenched in the storage water.
• the fourth hole is just above the third at about 10 cm. This drilling allows the reception of the discharge circuit of the pumped water. It is preferable to place it just above the ultraviolet lamp 58 to obtain maximum efficiency in the treatment of water. The water then falls systematically on the ultraviolet lamp 58. It is therefore treated against all bacterial or microorganism developments.
• the fifth hole is at the top near the top. It is equipped with a 0.75 inch (1.905cm) brass fitting to connect a 0.25 inch or 0.635cm pipe, allowing the installation of overflow sensor 62.
• the sixth hole is at the bottom of the tank on the left and away from the second about 10 cm. It receives the level sensor 68 with membranes.
• the system may include forced operation and operation in automatic operation.
• the system may comprise a user interface 84, for example comprising buttons, for selecting the operation in forced operation or in automatic operation.
• the user interface 84 may also make it possible to control the solenoid valve 78 and / or the pump 56, for example via the control unit 80, for the water consumption by the user.
• the user interface 84 may also allow the user to obtain information sequentially on the operating state of the machine, on the water consumption or on the water extraction performance recorded by the unit of operation. order 80 over time.
• Figure 4 shows a flowchart of operation of the system in forced operation and in automatic operation.
• the system whose flowchart is shown in FIG. 4 comprises a storage tank 60 of 12 liters.
• control unit 80 only commands the stop when the storage bin 60 is full.
• the control unit 80 optimizes the extraction of water contained in the air. It can then be provided a minimum stored water reserve, for example one third of the volume of the storage tank 60, as shown in Figure 4. When the reserve minimum is reached, the control unit 80 controls the extraction of water contained in the air if the external conditions of temperature and hygrometry are favorable to the extraction of water contained in the air. The extraction of the water is continued until a maximum extraction is obtained, determined according to the daily consumption of the user or set at the maximum capacity of the storage tank 60, as represented by FIG. 4.
• control unit 80 delays the extraction of water contained in the air until night, for example until midnight. For example if the conditions for water production are good, the water level is below the minimum threshold when it is 21 Hour or more, water production is delayed to 24H.
• the delay can also be calculated based on the user's consumption. For example, if the amount of water in the storage bin 60 is greater than the daily consumption of the user, the control unit 80 can delay the water extraction at nightfall. This delay in the extraction of water contained in the air optimizes the efficiency of the system. Indeed, during the night the hygrometry rate is higher than during the day. The system then fills the storage bin faster, thus consuming less energy. In addition, the energy cost can be cheaper during these periods. So optimization is also economical.
• the control unit 80 can control the opening of a solenoid valve for connection to the running water network, in the case where the system can not produce water.
• the control of the opening of this solenoid valve may be subordinated to a confirmation signal of the presence of water in the running water network, for example by measuring a pressure switch calibrated at 2 bar.
• the control unit 80 can control the operation of the extraction device for a minimum duration. Thus, if just after the start of operation of the extraction device 30, the conditions are no longer favorable, the control unit 80 controls the operation for a duration of, for example, three minutes. This avoids the succession of starts and stops of the device 30 too close together in time. Similarly, when the shutdown of the device 30 has been controlled by the control unit 80, the stop command can be maintained for a minimum period, for example three minutes.
• the system may have limited operating conditions, below which the control unit 80 stops the water extraction. For example, for an outdoor temperature of 15 ° C with a humidity level of 40%, for an outside temperature of 20 ° C with a humidity level of 29%, for an outside temperature of 25 ° C with a humidity level of hygrometry at 22%, for an outside temperature of 30 ° C. with a hygrometry rate of 16%, for an outside temperature of 35 ° C. with a humidity level of 11.5%.
• the control unit 80 controls the temperature of the heat transfer fluid entering the evaporator 32 as a function of the temperature of the air entering the device 30.
• a control curve of the evaporator 32 can be defined as a function of the incoming air temperature.
• Such a curve comprises for example the points: for an incoming temperature of 15 ° C, a controlled temperature of 5 ° C; for an incoming temperature of 20 ° C, a controlled temperature of 9.5 ° C; for an incoming temperature of 25 ° C, a controlled temperature of 13 ° C; for an incoming temperature of 30 ° C, a controlled temperature of 15.5 ° C; for an incoming temperature of 35 ° C, a controlled temperature of 18 ° C.
• the machine may include the remote information transmitting device 88.
• the machine may also include a system for memorizing all the information of the system such as:
• diagnostic values are, for example, possible.
• This information can be recorded at least three times a day for 30 days in a loop. However it may be better to keep the information about the occurrence of power outages or diagnostics triggering.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• Vaporization, Distillation, Condensation, Sublimation, And Cold Traps (AREA)
• Physical Water Treatments (AREA)
• Drying Of Gases (AREA)
• Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
• Separation Using Semi-Permeable Membranes (AREA)

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• 2010
  • 2010-03-24 FR FR1052117A patent/FR2957949B1/fr active Active
• 2011
  • 2011-03-24 EP EP11730433A patent/EP2550409A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-03-24 SG SG2012070868A patent/SG184241A1/en unknown
  • 2011-03-24 WO PCT/IB2011/051263 patent/WO2011117841A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2011-03-24 BR BR112012024013A patent/BR112012024013A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2011-03-24 CN CN201180020632.9A patent/CN102859083B/zh active Active
  • 2011-03-24 AU AU2011231163A patent/AU2011231163A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2011-03-24 US US13/636,978 patent/US20130008196A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2011-03-24 JP JP2013500644A patent/JP5788962B2/ja active Active
• 2016
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