GB2458285A

GB2458285A - Self-sufficient dehumidifier

Info

Publication number: GB2458285A
Application number: GB0804529A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Siamak Pakbaz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-03-12
Filing date: 2008-03-12
Publication date: 2009-09-16
Also published as: GB0804529D0

Abstract

A Self Sufficient Dehumidifier unit 1, can be mounted on an external wall 2 or window of a building, which can constantly operate to reduce the level of humidity in the building, without need to any type of energy and without need to any maintenance. The unit comprises a sealed hollow object which uses air from the outside of a building to keep its surface cold facilitating condensation of the moisture in the building on its cold surface 3. A trough may be provided 5 to collect the condensed water. A pipe 4 connected to the wall provides the cool outside air to the hollow object to cool the surface and, drainage tubes 6 may be provided from the trough into the tube to drain off collected water. The hollow object may have the shape of a triangle, circle or other random shape; or the condensation surface may be provided as the ceiling of a shower room or a mirror.

Description

Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier This invention relates to a device for reducing level of humidity inside buildings.

The moisture content of our air plays a very important role in our health. Too much moisture can make us feel uncomfortable. When the level of humidity is too high, condensation will occur, with all its consequences including mould, mildew and rust. Excess moisture can also worsen medical conditions such as arthritis, rheumatism and asthma.

With today's labour saving house appliances, we are adding to the moisture content of our environment constantly by using dishwashers, tumble driers, boiling kettles, en-suites etc. After generations of conventional dehumidifiers, the problem is still there, because of the following reasons: * Power dehumidifiers are too big and noisy in order to be accepted as a part of permanent furniture of a house or office.

* Power dehumidifiers run on electricity, which means running it 24/7 is costly.

* Power dehumidifiers need maintenance; cleaning the filter, emptying the water tank and other replaceable parts.

* Non-power dehumidifiers which don't need any energy (electricity) to run, are not effective and are only suitable for small areas like wardrobes.

* Non-power dehumidifiers have short life spans.

Statement of invention

To reduce the level of humidity inside the buildings, the present invention proposes a vertical hollow object to be mounted on a hole on an external wall or external window (Figure 1) in order to allow cold air from outside to flow inside the hollow object. Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier uses the cold air from outside in order to keep the surface of its hollow object cold. Since the saturation vapour pressure of water decreases with decreasing temperature, the water vapour in the air condenses on the cold surface of the Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier, and drips into a collecting trough at the bottom of the cold surface of the unit and gets drained out of the building.

Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier can be made in different sizes (Figure 4) to suit the buildings with different levels of humidity. More than one unit of Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier can be used in one building if necessary.

Although it is possible to design the cold surface of the Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier in any shape, it is more practical to keep it as a triangle or circle with gentle slopes to direct the condensate to a collecting trough (See Fig 4 for a few more possibilities).

The invention will now be described as solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a unit of Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier which can be mounted on a duct 1 secured on an external wall 2. The cold air from outside the building can flow through the dehumidifier via the duct. This will allow the surface of the Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier 3 to stay cold constantly and condensate the moisture in the air. The condensate drips into the collecting trough 5, and gets carried out of the building through U-shaped tubes 6 located at the bottom of the collecting trough 5.

Figure 2 shows a unit of Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier with its polished surface 2 and U-shaped tubes 1 at the bottom of the collecting trough 3 which allow the collected condensate water to flow out of the building.

Figure 3 shows the cross section of Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier, in which collecting trough I and U-shaped tubes 2 can be seen.

Figure 4 shows a few of possible shapes for design of Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier.

In figure 1, a Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier unit includes a vertical hollow surface 3, which is attached to an L shaped pipe 4. The L-shaped pipe 4 also acts as the holder of Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier and will be inserted to the hole onto the external wall 2 and secured and sealed properly. Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier itself is a sealed unit, therefore cold air from outside only flows inside the unit and will be trapped inside. The lower end of the hollow surface 3 is shaped like a pipe with a circumference smaller than the circumference of the L-shaped tube 4, so a collecting trough 5 can be formed. As moisture in the air condenses constantly on the surface of the unit, water drops form on the surface of the Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier and drip down into the collecting trough 5 at the bottom of the dehumidifier. Two U-shaped tubes 6 have been installed in the bottom of the collecting trough to carry the collected water outside the building. The condensed water gets carried out of the building instantly and directly and does not get a chance to evaporate inside the building again. The Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier works around the clock to decrease the level of humidity inside the building. The greater the difference between the temperature of outside and inside, the better the Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier works.

The Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier runs without need to any form of energy; it works faster if the level of humidity in the building increases, and stops working if there is no humidity in the building. For spas and places where a lot of moisture gets produced constantly, multiple units of Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier can solve the problem or alternatively Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier units in bigger sizes can be built.

This design is so flexible that, it can be built in form of a ceiling for a shower room, or mirror on a wall and still function as dehumidifier.

Advantages of Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier: * Eco friendly, because it does not need any energy in order to operate * Zero-maintenance; once it has been installed, it does not need any maintenance * Can be used in any damp area in a building provided there is an external wall or window * Can be made in different shapes in order to look ornamental too, and can be made in different sizes to suit different buildings with different level of humidity.

Claims

Claims 1. A Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier unit, comprising a sealed hollow object, which uses the air form outside to keep its surface cold facilitating condensation of the moisture in the building on its cold surface.
2. A Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier unit according to claim 1, in which a collecting trough is attached to the bottom of the hollow object, so the condensate water can drip inside it and get carried out of the building.
3. A Self-Sufficient Dehumidifier unit according to claim 2, in which the water collected in the collecting trough gets carried out of the building by means of a few tubes at the bottom of the collecting trough.