WO2006046046A1 - Drying apparatus - Google Patents

Drying apparatus Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2006046046A1
WO2006046046A1 PCT/GB2005/004157 GB2005004157W WO2006046046A1 WO 2006046046 A1 WO2006046046 A1 WO 2006046046A1 GB 2005004157 W GB2005004157 W GB 2005004157W WO 2006046046 A1 WO2006046046 A1 WO 2006046046A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
air
building
drying
drying apparatus
interior
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2005/004157
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Tony Simpson
Original Assignee
Homeserve Enterprises Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Homeserve Enterprises Limited filed Critical Homeserve Enterprises Limited
Publication of WO2006046046A1 publication Critical patent/WO2006046046A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/30—Control or safety arrangements for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B21/00—Arrangements or duct systems, e.g. in combination with pallet boxes, for supplying and controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects
    • F26B21/001—Drying-air generating units, e.g. movable, independent of drying enclosure
    • 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
    • B01D53/02—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 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography
    • B01D53/06—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 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography with moving adsorbents, e.g. rotating beds
    • 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
    • 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
    • B01D53/261—Drying gases or vapours by adsorption
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/02—Self-contained room units for air-conditioning, i.e. with all apparatus for treatment installed in a common casing
    • F24F1/022—Self-contained room units for air-conditioning, i.e. with all apparatus for treatment installed in a common casing comprising a compressor cycle
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
    • F24F1/02—Self-contained room units for air-conditioning, i.e. with all apparatus for treatment installed in a common casing
    • F24F1/04—Arrangements for portability
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2110/00—Control inputs relating to air properties
    • F24F2110/20—Humidity
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F3/00—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems
    • F24F3/044—Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems
    • F24F3/048—Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems with temperature control at constant rate of air-flow
    • F24F3/052—Multiple duct systems, e.g. systems in which hot and cold air are supplied by separate circuits from the central station to mixing chambers in the spaces to be conditioned
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F3/00—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems
    • F24F3/12—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling
    • F24F3/14—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling by humidification; by dehumidification
    • F24F3/1411—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling by humidification; by dehumidification by absorbing or adsorbing water, e.g. using an hygroscopic desiccant
    • F24F3/1423—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling by humidification; by dehumidification by absorbing or adsorbing water, e.g. using an hygroscopic desiccant with a moving bed of solid desiccants, e.g. a rotary wheel supporting solid desiccants
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F3/00—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems
    • F24F3/12—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling
    • F24F3/14—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling by humidification; by dehumidification
    • F24F3/147—Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling by humidification; by dehumidification with both heat and humidity transfer between supplied and exhausted air
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H3/00—Air heaters
    • F24H3/02—Air heaters with forced circulation
    • F24H3/06—Air heaters with forced circulation the air being kept separate from the heating medium, e.g. using forced circulation of air over radiators
    • F24H3/065—Air heaters with forced circulation the air being kept separate from the heating medium, e.g. using forced circulation of air over radiators using fluid fuel
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B21/00—Arrangements or duct systems, e.g. in combination with pallet boxes, for supplying and controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects
    • F26B21/06—Controlling, e.g. regulating, parameters of gas supply
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B21/00—Arrangements or duct systems, e.g. in combination with pallet boxes, for supplying and controlling air or gases for drying solid materials or objects
    • F26B21/06—Controlling, e.g. regulating, parameters of gas supply
    • F26B21/08—Humidity
    • F26B21/083—Humidity by using sorbent or hygroscopic materials, e.g. chemical substances, molecular sieves
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B23/00—Heating arrangements
    • F26B23/001—Heating arrangements using waste heat
    • F26B23/002—Heating arrangements using waste heat recovered from dryer exhaust gases
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B23/00—Heating arrangements
    • F26B23/02—Heating arrangements using combustion heating
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
    • F28D19/00—Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus in which the intermediate heat-transfer medium or body is moved successively into contact with each heat-exchange medium
    • F28D19/04—Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus in which the intermediate heat-transfer medium or body is moved successively into contact with each heat-exchange medium using rigid bodies, e.g. mounted on a movable carrier
    • F28D19/041—Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus in which the intermediate heat-transfer medium or body is moved successively into contact with each heat-exchange medium using rigid bodies, e.g. mounted on a movable carrier with axial flow through the intermediate heat-transfer medium
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2203/00—Devices or apparatus used for air treatment
    • F24F2203/10—Rotary wheel
    • F24F2203/1008—Rotary wheel comprising a by-pass channel
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2203/00—Devices or apparatus used for air treatment
    • F24F2203/10—Rotary wheel
    • F24F2203/1012—Details of the casing or cover
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2203/00—Devices or apparatus used for air treatment
    • F24F2203/10—Rotary wheel
    • F24F2203/1032—Desiccant wheel
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2203/00—Devices or apparatus used for air treatment
    • F24F2203/10—Rotary wheel
    • F24F2203/104—Heat exchanger wheel
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2203/00—Devices or apparatus used for air treatment
    • F24F2203/10—Rotary wheel
    • F24F2203/1056—Rotary wheel comprising a reheater
    • F24F2203/1064—Gas fired reheater
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2203/00—Devices or apparatus used for air treatment
    • F24F2203/10—Rotary wheel
    • F24F2203/1072—Rotary wheel comprising two rotors
    • 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
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P70/00—Climate change mitigation technologies in the production process for final industrial or consumer products
    • Y02P70/10—Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to drying apparatus for providing drying air to an interior of a building.
  • flooding of residential and commercial buildings is becoming an increasing problem. This may, for example, be due to rainwater penetrating a building directly, or due to flood water caused by flooding of nearby rivers and the like. Flooding or water damage may also occur when there has been a fire in a building and fire extinguishers, hoses, or sprinkler systems are employed to extinguish the fire.
  • drying apparatus for providing drying air to an interior of a building, the drying apparatus being beatable in an interior of a building to be dried and comprising an air inlet arrangement for receiving moist air from the interior of the building, a heating arrangement for heating a proportion of the moist air from the air inlet arrangement to provide heated air, a dehumidifying arrangement for removing moisture from a proportion of the moist air from the air inlet arrangement to provide dehumidified air, and a drying air outlet for supplying the heated air and the dehumidified air to the interior of the building to dry the interior of the building.
  • the apparatus is preferably portable and may be dimensioned such that it can pass through a standard doorway in a domestic building.
  • the apparatus may have exterior dimensions of approximately 1.4 to 1.7 metres in length, approximately 0.4 to 0.8 metres in width, and approximately 0.7 to 1.1 metres in height.
  • the exterior dimensions of the apparatus are approximately 1.5 metres in length, approximately 0.65 metres in width, and approximately 0.9 metres in height.
  • the air inlet arrangement may comprise a first air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the heating arrangement, and may comprise a second air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the dehumidifying arrangement.
  • the apparatus may comprise a control arrangement which may be arranged to control the heating arrangement to heat the moist air from the first air inlet to a predetermined first temperature.
  • the control arrangement may be arranged to control the heating arrangement to heat the moist air from the first air inlet to provide heated air at a predetermined first temperature of between approximately 350°C and 55O 0 C, and more preferably between approximately 400°C and 500 0 C.
  • the apparatus may comprise a first subsidiary air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the heating arrangement, and for mixing said moist air with the air heated to the predetermined first temperature to reduce the temperature of the heated air.
  • the control arrangement may be arranged to control the volume of moist air conveyed through the first subsidiary air inlet to reduce the temperature of the heated air to a predetermined second temperature.
  • the control arrangement may be arranged to control the volume of moist air conveyed through the first subsidiary air inlet to reduce the temperature of the heated air to a predetermined second temperature between approximately 12O 0 C and 160"C 1 and more preferably to a predetermined second temperature of approximately 140 0 C.
  • the apparatus may comprise a second subsidiary air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building and for mixing said moist air with the air at the predetermined second temperature.
  • the heating arrangement may comprise a burner, which may be a gas fired burner.
  • the gas fired burner may be a liquefied natural gas fired burner, for example a propane fired burner.
  • the apparatus may be arranged such that the moist air from the first air inlet is conveyed to the burner to provide combustion air.
  • the burner may include a combustion chamber.
  • the combustion chamber may include side walls and a lower wall which may define an interior of the combustion chamber.
  • An upper end of the combustion chamber may be open to enable hot combustion gases to escape upwardly from the combustion chamber.
  • a burner head may project into the combustion chamber, and may project generally horizontally into the combustion chamber, preferably through a side wall thereof.
  • the combustion chamber may have interior dimensions in the order of approximately 250mm in width, 250mm in length, and 600mm in height.
  • the heating arrangement may be arranged to operate in a high power mode in which it may be arranged to provide heat energy of up to 5OkW to heat the moist air received from the first air inlet.
  • the heating arrangement is arranged to provide heat energy of approximately 35kW when operating in the high power mode.
  • the heating arrangement may be arranged to operate in a low power mode in which it may be arranged to provide heat energy of approximately 15kW to heat the moist air received from the first air inlet.
  • the apparatus may comprise a heat exchanger to extract heat energy from the air at the predetermined second temperature, and the apparatus may be arranged to convey the air at the predetermined second temperature through a heat extraction portion of the heat exchanger to enable the extraction of heat energy from the air.
  • the heat exchanger may be a rotary heat exchanger.
  • the apparatus may include an external air inlet for conveying moist air from the exterior of the building in which the apparatus is located through a heat recovery portion of the heat exchanger to recover heat therefrom and thereby increase the temperature of the external air to a drying temperature.
  • the apparatus may be arranged to increase the temperature of the exterior air to a drying temperature of between approximately 25°C and 65°C, and more preferably between approximately 30 ° C and 55°C.
  • the apparatus may include air movement means for conveying moist air from the exterior of the building through the external air inlet and subsequently through the heat recovery portion of the heat exchanger.
  • the air movement means may be arranged to convey the heated air from the heat recovery portion into the interior of the building via the drying air outlet.
  • the apparatus may include an exhaust air outlet for removing cooled exhaust air from the heat extraction portion of the heat exchanger.
  • An exhaust duct may be connected, in use, to the exhaust air outlet to convey the exhaust air to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus is located, in use.
  • the dehumidifying arrangement may comprise a desiccant wheel, which is preferably rotatable.
  • the apparatus may divide the desiccant wheel into a dehumidifying section, in which moisture is absorbed from moist air by the desiccant wheel, and a regeneration section, in which moisture is removed from the desiccant wheel.
  • the apparatus may be arranged such that a proportion of the air from the second air inlet is mixed with heated air from the combustion chamber to provide heated air at the predetermined first temperature.
  • the apparatus may include air movement means for conveying moist air from the interior of the building in which the apparatus is located through the second air inlet to the dehumidifying section of the desiccant wheel.
  • Said air movement means may be arranged to convey dehumidified air from the dehumidifying section to the interior of the building, and is preferably arranged to convey the dehumidified air to the interior of the building via the drying air outlet.
  • the apparatus is preferably arranged such that the relative humidity of the moist air conveyed through the dehumidifying section into the interior of the building is between approximately 10% and 50%, more preferably between approximately 25% and 50%, and preferably approximately 35%.
  • the apparatus may be arranged such that the heated air at the drying temperature and the dehumidified air are mixed to provide drying air prior to being conveyed into the interior of the building via the drying air outlet.
  • the apparatus may be arranged to convey a proportion heated air at the predetermined first temperature from the heating arrangement to the regeneration section of the desiccant wheel.
  • the apparatus may be arranged to mix moist air from the second air inlet with the heated air at the predetermined first temperature to provide desiccant regeneration air, preferably at a predetermined desiccant regeneration temperature, for example at a predetermined desiccant regeneration temperature of approximately 140°C.
  • the control arrangement may be arranged to control the volume of air from the second air inlet and the volume of heated air at the predetermined first temperature to provide air at the predetermined desiccant regeneration temperature.
  • the apparatus may include a desiccant regeneration air movement means for conveying the desiccant regeneration air through the regeneration section to remove moisture from the desiccant wheel.
  • the desiccant regeneration air movement means may be arranged to convey a proportion of the heated air at the predetermined first temperature and a proportion of the moist air from the second air inlet to the regeneration section.
  • the desiccant regeneration air movement means may be arranged to convey moist air from the regeneration section to the exhaust air outlet and to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus is located, in use.
  • a method of drying an interior of a building using drying apparatus comprising conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the heating arrangement to heat the air, conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the dehumidifying arrangement to dehumidify the air, mixing the heated and dehumidified air to provide drying air, and conveying the drying air to the interior of the building to dry the interior of the building.
  • Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view from a first side of drying apparatus according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view from a second side of drying apparatus according to the invention.
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the drying apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2;
  • Fig. 4 is a first diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3 from the first side with exterior panels removed;
  • Fig. 5 is a second diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 4 from the first side with exterior panels removed;
  • Fig. 6 is a first diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of Figs.
  • Fig. 7 is a second diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 6 from the second side with exterior panels removed.
  • drying apparatus 10 for providing drying air to an interior of a building (not shown) to dry the building, for example following flooding or as a result of other water damage.
  • the apparatus 10 is located, in use, in the interior of the building to be dried and comprises an air inlet arrangement preferably in the form of first and second air inlets 12a, 12e for receiving moist air from the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located, a heating arrangement 14 for heating the moist air from the first air inlet 12a to provide heated air, a dehumidifying arrangement 16 for removing moisture from the moist air from the second air inlet 12e to provide dehumidified air, and a drying air outlet 18 for supplying the heated air and the dehumidified air to the interior of the building to dry the interior of the building.
  • an air inlet arrangement preferably in the form of first and second air inlets 12a, 12e for receiving moist air from the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located
  • a heating arrangement 14 for heating the moist air from the first air inlet 12a to provide heated air
  • a dehumidifying arrangement 16 for removing moisture from the moist air from the second air inlet 12e to provide dehum
  • the apparatus 10 includes a plurality of exterior panels 20 which together define an interior region of the apparatus 10 in which the heating arrangement 14 and the dehumidifying arrangement 16 are located.
  • the apparatus 10 is generally portable and includes wheels, for example in the form of castors, which enable the apparatus 10 to be easily manoeuvred.
  • the exterior dimensions of the apparatus are approximately 1.5 metres long, approximately 0.65 metres wide and approximately 0.9 metres high.
  • the apparatus 10 may have exterior dimensions of between approximately 1.4 and 1.7 metres long, approximately 0.4 and 0.8 metres wide and approximately 0.7 and 1.1 metres high. It is particularly important that the exterior dimensions of the apparatus 10 are such that it can pass through a standard doorway in a domestic building, thus enabling the apparatus 10 to be located inside a building to be dried, in use.
  • the heating arrangement 14 is located in a heating chamber 25 of the apparatus 10 and comprises a gas burner 22 which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is a propane fired burner.
  • the burner 22 comprises a combustion chamber 24 having side walls 26 and a lower wall 28 which together define an interior 30 of the combustion chamber 24.
  • the combustion chamber 24 is mounted on a vertical support panel 32, and the burner 22 includes a burner head 34 which projects generally horizontally through the vertical support panel 32 and into the combustion chamber 24 through one of the side walls 26, which is provided with an appropriate cut out portion for receiving the burner head 34.
  • the combustion chamber 24 is open at an upper end thereof to enable heated air and combustion gases to escape upwardly from the interior 30 of the combustion chamber 24.
  • the combustion chamber 24 is designed to be compact relative to the overall dimensions of the apparatus 10, and according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the combustion chamber has interior dimensions in the order of approximately 250 millimetres in width, 250 millimetres in length and 600 millimetres in height.
  • the burner 22 may operate in a high power mode or a low power mode, depending upon the particular heating requirements.
  • the burner 22 In the high power mode, the burner 22 has an energy output of approximately 35 kW, although it may have an output of up to 50 kW.
  • the burner 22 In the low power mode, the burner 22 has an energy output of approximately 15 kW.
  • the dehumidifying arrangement 16 comprises a desiccant wheel 36 which includes a standard desiccant material capable of absorbing moisture from moist air forced through the desiccant wheel 36.
  • the apparatus 10 divides the desiccant wheel 36 into a dehumidifying section 38 through which moist air to be dehumidified, from the second air inlet 12e, is drawn and a regeneration section 40 through which heated regeneration air is drawn to evaporate moisture from the desiccant material and thereby regenerate the desiccant material so that it may again be used to absorb moisture from moist from the second air inlet 12e.
  • the desiccant wheel 36 is rotated continuously such that when desiccant material has absorbed moisture in the dehumidifying section 38, it is subsequently rotated into the regeneration section 40 where the moisture is removed by the heated regeneration air, before subsequently being rotated again into the dehumidifying section 38 where it absorbs moisture from the moist air conveyed from the second air inlet 12e.
  • the construction and operation of such rotatable desiccant wheels is well known to those skilled in the art and accordingly no further description will be provided here.
  • the apparatus 10 further includes a rotary heat exchanger 42 for extracting heat energy from the air heated by the burner 22.
  • the heat exchanger 42 is of conventional construction and will be well understood by those skilled in the art. The provision of the heat exchanger 42 to extract heat energy from the heated air is necessary since the air heated by the burner 22 comprises noxious combustion gases which it is highly undesirable to supply directly to the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located, in use.
  • a constant flow of drying air which comprises heated air and dehumidified air
  • moist air from the interior of the building in which the apparatus is located is conveyed by the first air inlet 12a to the burner 22.
  • the moist air from the first air inlet 12a is heated in the interior 30 of the combustion chamber 24 and, upon exiting the combustion chamber 24 from the upper open end, is at a predetermined first temperature in the order of between approximately 400°C and 500 0 C.
  • the burner 22 may in practice heat the air to a temperature in the order of 1200 0 C, and a proportion of the air from the second air inlet 12e is therefore mixed with the heated air to reduce its temperature to the aforementioned predetermined first temperature.
  • the apparatus 10 includes a first subsidiary air inlet 12b through which moist air from the interior of the building is conveyed and mixed with the air heated to the predetermined first temperature.
  • the first subsidiary air inlet 12b is located towards an upper end of the heating chamber 23.
  • the apparatus 10 includes a heated air conduit 44 into which the heated air at the predetermined second temperature is conveyed from the heating chamber 23.
  • An air flow control flap 46 is located in the conduit 44 and is adjustable to enable the volume of air conveyed from the heating chamber 23 to the conduit 44 to be varied.
  • the apparatus includes a second subsidiary air inlet 12c for conveying moist air from the interior of the building into the conduit 44 where it is mixed with the heated air at the predetermined second temperature. Adjustment of the air flow control flap 46 also enables the flow of air through the second subsidiary air inlet 12c to be controlled. This allows the temperature of the heated air to be controlled and varied as desired, although in the preferred embodiment the heated air transferred along the heated air conduit 44 is desirably at substantially the predetermined second temperature of approximately 140°C.
  • the heated air is conveyed along the heated air conduit 44 to the heat exchanger 42 where it is conveyed through a heat extraction portion 48 of the heat exchanger 42 to extract the heat energy from the heated air.
  • An exhaust duct (not shown) is connected to the exhaust air outlet 50 and leads to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located to thereby convey the cooled air, which contains noxious combustion gases, to the outside of the building.
  • the apparatus In order to recover the heat from the heat exchanger 42 and thereby provide heated air to the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located, the apparatus includes an external air inlet 12d through which external air from the exterior of the building is conveyed.
  • the external air is conveyed to a heat recovery portion 52 of the heat exchanger 42 and is conveyed through the heat recovery portion 52 where its temperature is raised and the heat thus recovered from the heat exchanger 42.
  • the temperature of the moist air is raised desirably to a drying temperature in the order of between 30 D C and 55°C.
  • the temperature of the external air may however be raised to a temperature anywhere between approximately 25°C and 65°C.
  • the heated external air from the heat recovery portion 52 of the heat exchanger 42 is subsequently conveyed to the interior of the building through the drying air outlets 18.
  • moist air is conveyed via the second air inlet 12e to the dehumidifying section 38 of the desiccant wheel 36.
  • the moist air is drawn through the dehumidifying section 38 to reduce the relative humidity of the air to approximately 35%.
  • the dehumidified air from the dehumidifying section 38 is then conveyed into the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located through the drying air outlets 18.
  • the heating chamber 23 includes an aperture 54 and associated air flow control flap 56 which enable a proportion of the air heated to the predetermined first temperature of between 400°C and 500 ° C to be conveyed towards the regeneration section 40 of the desiccant wheel 36.
  • the heated air Prior to reaching the regeneration section 40, the heated air is mixed with a proportion of the moist room air conveyed through the second air inlet 12e to thereby reduce the air temperature to a regeneration temperature in the order of approximately 14O 0 C.
  • the regeneration air is conveyed through the regeneration section 40 of the desiccant wheel 36 thereby heating the desiccant material and evaporating the moisture absorbed by the desiccant material in the dehumidifying section 38.
  • the moist air exiting from the regeneration section 40 is conveyed along a moist air duct 58 and subsequently through the exhaust air outlet 50 along the exhaust air duct and to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located.
  • the apparatus 10 includes air movement means in the form of a fan 60. As best seen in Fig. 3, the fan 60 is also operable to draw heated air upwardly through the heating chamber 23, along the heated air conduit 44, through the heat extraction portion 48 of the heat exchanger 42 and subsequently through the exhaust air outlet 50, to the exterior of the building.
  • the apparatus includes a further air movement means in the form of a fan 62 which is operable to convey external air from outside the building through the external air inlet 12d, through the heat recovery portion 52 of the heat exchanger 42, and subsequently through the drying air outlets 18 into the interior of the building.
  • a further air movement means in the form of a fan 62 which is operable to convey external air from outside the building through the external air inlet 12d, through the heat recovery portion 52 of the heat exchanger 42, and subsequently through the drying air outlets 18 into the interior of the building.
  • a further air movement means in the form of fan 64 is operable to convey moist air from the interior of the building through the second air inlet 12e, through the dehumidifying section 38 of the desiccant wheel 36 and subsequently into the interior of the building, again via the drying air outlets 18.
  • the preferred embodiment of the apparatus 10 includes two air outlets 18.
  • the fans 62 and 64 are preferably operable to mix the heated air and the dehumidified air together to provide drying air prior to conveying the drying air through the drying air outlet 18 into the interior of the building.
  • the apparatus includes a further air movement means in the form of a fan 66 which is operable to convey a proportion of the heated air at the predetermined first temperature through the aperture 54 from the heating chamber 23, and a proportion of the air from the second air inlet 12e to the regeneration section 40 of the desiccant wheel 36.
  • the fan 66 subsequently conveys the moist air from the regeneration section 40 through the exhaust air outlet 50 and to the exterior of the building.
  • the apparatus 10 includes a plurality of temperature sensors, such as Platinum Resistance Thermometer (PRT) sensors (not shown), to monitor the temperature of the air at different positions in the apparatus 10 and inside the building being dried.
  • the apparatus also includes a humidity sensor to monitor the humidity of the air inside the building being dried.
  • drying air is supplied from the drying air outlets 18 at a volume flow rate of approximately 2000 m 3 /hr.
  • a suitable flexible duct may be connected to the drying air outlet 18, and this may extend throughout the building and include an appropriate number of apertures to enable the drying air to escape from the duct.
  • drying apparatus 10 for providing drying air to an interior of a building which enables the interior of the building to be dried rapidly and effectively. Due to the fact that the apparatus 10 is dimensioned so that it can be located within any domestic or commercial building, there is no risk of theft or vandalism as with conventional large scale apparatus which must remain outside the building. Furthermore, the combination of the heating arrangement 14 and the dehumidifying arrangement 16 enables the provision of drying air at an optimum temperature, relative humidity and flow rate to achieve rapid drying of the interior of the building without causing damage to the interior of the building.
  • any suitable heating arrangement 14 may be employed.
  • the combustion chamber 24 may be of a different configuration.
  • Any suitable dehumidifying arrangement 16 or heat exchanger 42 may be employed.
  • the apparatus 10 may have a configuration other than that specifically illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Atmospheric Sciences (AREA)
  • Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)

Abstract

Drying apparatus (10) for providing drying air to an interior of a building to be dried and being locatable within the building to be dried comprises an air inlet arrangement preferably in the form of first and second air inlets (12a, 12e) for receiving moist air from the interior of the building in which the apparatus (10) is located. The apparatus comprises a heating arrangement (14) for heating the moist air from the air inlet arrangement to provide heated air, a dehumidifying arrangement (16) for removing moisture from a proportion of the moist air from the air inlet arrangement to provide dehumidified air, and a drying air outlet (18) for supplying the heated air and the dehumidified air to the interior of the building to dry the interior of the building.

Description

Drying Apparatus
The present invention relates to drying apparatus for providing drying air to an interior of a building.
With increasingly unpredictable weather conditions and heavy spells of rain becoming more common, flooding of residential and commercial buildings is becoming an increasing problem. This may, for example, be due to rainwater penetrating a building directly, or due to flood water caused by flooding of nearby rivers and the like. Flooding or water damage may also occur when there has been a fire in a building and fire extinguishers, hoses, or sprinkler systems are employed to extinguish the fire.
When a building becomes flooded or water damaged, water is absorbed by the various surfaces of the building, and thus even after the flood water has subsided, the interior of the building remains damp. Until the interior of the building has been dried, it cannot usually be reoccupied.
It is therefore desirable to dry the interior of a damp building as quickly as possible so that it can be reoccupied, whilst at the same time minimising the concentration of heat at particular points in the interior of the building to avoid shrinkage or other undesirable effects.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided drying apparatus for providing drying air to an interior of a building, the drying apparatus being beatable in an interior of a building to be dried and comprising an air inlet arrangement for receiving moist air from the interior of the building, a heating arrangement for heating a proportion of the moist air from the air inlet arrangement to provide heated air, a dehumidifying arrangement for removing moisture from a proportion of the moist air from the air inlet arrangement to provide dehumidified air, and a drying air outlet for supplying the heated air and the dehumidified air to the interior of the building to dry the interior of the building. The apparatus is preferably portable and may be dimensioned such that it can pass through a standard doorway in a domestic building. The apparatus may have exterior dimensions of approximately 1.4 to 1.7 metres in length, approximately 0.4 to 0.8 metres in width, and approximately 0.7 to 1.1 metres in height. Preferably, the exterior dimensions of the apparatus are approximately 1.5 metres in length, approximately 0.65 metres in width, and approximately 0.9 metres in height.
The air inlet arrangement may comprise a first air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the heating arrangement, and may comprise a second air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the dehumidifying arrangement.
The apparatus may comprise a control arrangement which may be arranged to control the heating arrangement to heat the moist air from the first air inlet to a predetermined first temperature. The control arrangement may be arranged to control the heating arrangement to heat the moist air from the first air inlet to provide heated air at a predetermined first temperature of between approximately 350°C and 55O0C, and more preferably between approximately 400°C and 5000C.
The apparatus may comprise a first subsidiary air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the heating arrangement, and for mixing said moist air with the air heated to the predetermined first temperature to reduce the temperature of the heated air. The control arrangement may be arranged to control the volume of moist air conveyed through the first subsidiary air inlet to reduce the temperature of the heated air to a predetermined second temperature. The control arrangement may be arranged to control the volume of moist air conveyed through the first subsidiary air inlet to reduce the temperature of the heated air to a predetermined second temperature between approximately 12O0C and 160"C1 and more preferably to a predetermined second temperature of approximately 1400C. The apparatus may comprise a second subsidiary air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building and for mixing said moist air with the air at the predetermined second temperature.
The heating arrangement may comprise a burner, which may be a gas fired burner. The gas fired burner may be a liquefied natural gas fired burner, for example a propane fired burner. The apparatus may be arranged such that the moist air from the first air inlet is conveyed to the burner to provide combustion air.
The burner may include a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber may include side walls and a lower wall which may define an interior of the combustion chamber. An upper end of the combustion chamber may be open to enable hot combustion gases to escape upwardly from the combustion chamber. A burner head may project into the combustion chamber, and may project generally horizontally into the combustion chamber, preferably through a side wall thereof. The combustion chamber may have interior dimensions in the order of approximately 250mm in width, 250mm in length, and 600mm in height.
The heating arrangement may be arranged to operate in a high power mode in which it may be arranged to provide heat energy of up to 5OkW to heat the moist air received from the first air inlet. Preferably, the heating arrangement is arranged to provide heat energy of approximately 35kW when operating in the high power mode. The heating arrangement may be arranged to operate in a low power mode in which it may be arranged to provide heat energy of approximately 15kW to heat the moist air received from the first air inlet.
The apparatus may comprise a heat exchanger to extract heat energy from the air at the predetermined second temperature, and the apparatus may be arranged to convey the air at the predetermined second temperature through a heat extraction portion of the heat exchanger to enable the extraction of heat energy from the air. The heat exchanger may be a rotary heat exchanger.
The apparatus may include an external air inlet for conveying moist air from the exterior of the building in which the apparatus is located through a heat recovery portion of the heat exchanger to recover heat therefrom and thereby increase the temperature of the external air to a drying temperature.
The apparatus may be arranged to increase the temperature of the exterior air to a drying temperature of between approximately 25°C and 65°C, and more preferably between approximately 30°C and 55°C.
The apparatus may include air movement means for conveying moist air from the exterior of the building through the external air inlet and subsequently through the heat recovery portion of the heat exchanger. The air movement means may be arranged to convey the heated air from the heat recovery portion into the interior of the building via the drying air outlet.
The apparatus may include an exhaust air outlet for removing cooled exhaust air from the heat extraction portion of the heat exchanger. An exhaust duct may be connected, in use, to the exhaust air outlet to convey the exhaust air to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus is located, in use.
The dehumidifying arrangement may comprise a desiccant wheel, which is preferably rotatable. The apparatus may divide the desiccant wheel into a dehumidifying section, in which moisture is absorbed from moist air by the desiccant wheel, and a regeneration section, in which moisture is removed from the desiccant wheel.
The apparatus may be arranged such that a proportion of the air from the second air inlet is mixed with heated air from the combustion chamber to provide heated air at the predetermined first temperature.
The apparatus may include air movement means for conveying moist air from the interior of the building in which the apparatus is located through the second air inlet to the dehumidifying section of the desiccant wheel. Said air movement means may be arranged to convey dehumidified air from the dehumidifying section to the interior of the building, and is preferably arranged to convey the dehumidified air to the interior of the building via the drying air outlet.
The apparatus is preferably arranged such that the relative humidity of the moist air conveyed through the dehumidifying section into the interior of the building is between approximately 10% and 50%, more preferably between approximately 25% and 50%, and preferably approximately 35%.
The apparatus may be arranged such that the heated air at the drying temperature and the dehumidified air are mixed to provide drying air prior to being conveyed into the interior of the building via the drying air outlet.
The apparatus may be arranged to convey a proportion heated air at the predetermined first temperature from the heating arrangement to the regeneration section of the desiccant wheel. The apparatus may be arranged to mix moist air from the second air inlet with the heated air at the predetermined first temperature to provide desiccant regeneration air, preferably at a predetermined desiccant regeneration temperature, for example at a predetermined desiccant regeneration temperature of approximately 140°C. The control arrangement may be arranged to control the volume of air from the second air inlet and the volume of heated air at the predetermined first temperature to provide air at the predetermined desiccant regeneration temperature.
The apparatus may include a desiccant regeneration air movement means for conveying the desiccant regeneration air through the regeneration section to remove moisture from the desiccant wheel. The desiccant regeneration air movement means may be arranged to convey a proportion of the heated air at the predetermined first temperature and a proportion of the moist air from the second air inlet to the regeneration section. The desiccant regeneration air movement means may be arranged to convey moist air from the regeneration section to the exhaust air outlet and to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus is located, in use.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of drying an interior of a building using drying apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the method comprising conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the heating arrangement to heat the air, conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the dehumidifying arrangement to dehumidify the air, mixing the heated and dehumidified air to provide drying air, and conveying the drying air to the interior of the building to dry the interior of the building.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view from a first side of drying apparatus according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view from a second side of drying apparatus according to the invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the drying apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is a first diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3 from the first side with exterior panels removed;
Fig. 5 is a second diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 4 from the first side with exterior panels removed;
Fig. 6 is a first diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of Figs.
1 to 5 from the second side with exterior panels removed; and
Fig. 7 is a second diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 6 from the second side with exterior panels removed. Referring to the drawings, there is shown generally drying apparatus 10 for providing drying air to an interior of a building (not shown) to dry the building, for example following flooding or as a result of other water damage.
The apparatus 10 is located, in use, in the interior of the building to be dried and comprises an air inlet arrangement preferably in the form of first and second air inlets 12a, 12e for receiving moist air from the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located, a heating arrangement 14 for heating the moist air from the first air inlet 12a to provide heated air, a dehumidifying arrangement 16 for removing moisture from the moist air from the second air inlet 12e to provide dehumidified air, and a drying air outlet 18 for supplying the heated air and the dehumidified air to the interior of the building to dry the interior of the building.
Referring in particular to Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus 10 includes a plurality of exterior panels 20 which together define an interior region of the apparatus 10 in which the heating arrangement 14 and the dehumidifying arrangement 16 are located. The apparatus 10 is generally portable and includes wheels, for example in the form of castors, which enable the apparatus 10 to be easily manoeuvred. In a preferred embodiment, the exterior dimensions of the apparatus are approximately 1.5 metres long, approximately 0.65 metres wide and approximately 0.9 metres high. However, the apparatus 10 may have exterior dimensions of between approximately 1.4 and 1.7 metres long, approximately 0.4 and 0.8 metres wide and approximately 0.7 and 1.1 metres high. It is particularly important that the exterior dimensions of the apparatus 10 are such that it can pass through a standard doorway in a domestic building, thus enabling the apparatus 10 to be located inside a building to be dried, in use.
In more detail and referring in particular to Figs. 3 to 7, the heating arrangement 14 is located in a heating chamber 25 of the apparatus 10 and comprises a gas burner 22 which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is a propane fired burner. The burner 22 comprises a combustion chamber 24 having side walls 26 and a lower wall 28 which together define an interior 30 of the combustion chamber 24. The combustion chamber 24 is mounted on a vertical support panel 32, and the burner 22 includes a burner head 34 which projects generally horizontally through the vertical support panel 32 and into the combustion chamber 24 through one of the side walls 26, which is provided with an appropriate cut out portion for receiving the burner head 34.
The combustion chamber 24 is open at an upper end thereof to enable heated air and combustion gases to escape upwardly from the interior 30 of the combustion chamber 24.
The combustion chamber 24 is designed to be compact relative to the overall dimensions of the apparatus 10, and according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the combustion chamber has interior dimensions in the order of approximately 250 millimetres in width, 250 millimetres in length and 600 millimetres in height.
The burner 22 may operate in a high power mode or a low power mode, depending upon the particular heating requirements. In the high power mode, the burner 22 has an energy output of approximately 35 kW, although it may have an output of up to 50 kW. In the low power mode, the burner 22 has an energy output of approximately 15 kW.
The dehumidifying arrangement 16 comprises a desiccant wheel 36 which includes a standard desiccant material capable of absorbing moisture from moist air forced through the desiccant wheel 36. The apparatus 10 divides the desiccant wheel 36 into a dehumidifying section 38 through which moist air to be dehumidified, from the second air inlet 12e, is drawn and a regeneration section 40 through which heated regeneration air is drawn to evaporate moisture from the desiccant material and thereby regenerate the desiccant material so that it may again be used to absorb moisture from moist from the second air inlet 12e. The desiccant wheel 36 is rotated continuously such that when desiccant material has absorbed moisture in the dehumidifying section 38, it is subsequently rotated into the regeneration section 40 where the moisture is removed by the heated regeneration air, before subsequently being rotated again into the dehumidifying section 38 where it absorbs moisture from the moist air conveyed from the second air inlet 12e. The construction and operation of such rotatable desiccant wheels is well known to those skilled in the art and accordingly no further description will be provided here.
The apparatus 10 further includes a rotary heat exchanger 42 for extracting heat energy from the air heated by the burner 22. Again, the heat exchanger 42 is of conventional construction and will be well understood by those skilled in the art. The provision of the heat exchanger 42 to extract heat energy from the heated air is necessary since the air heated by the burner 22 comprises noxious combustion gases which it is highly undesirable to supply directly to the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located, in use.
As highlighted above, in order to dry the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located as rapidly as possible, a constant flow of drying air, which comprises heated air and dehumidified air, is desirable. In order to provide heated air, moist air from the interior of the building in which the apparatus is located is conveyed by the first air inlet 12a to the burner 22. The moist air from the first air inlet 12a is heated in the interior 30 of the combustion chamber 24 and, upon exiting the combustion chamber 24 from the upper open end, is at a predetermined first temperature in the order of between approximately 400°C and 5000C. The burner 22 may in practice heat the air to a temperature in the order of 12000C, and a proportion of the air from the second air inlet 12e is therefore mixed with the heated air to reduce its temperature to the aforementioned predetermined first temperature.
In order to reduce the temperature of the air heated to the predetermined first temperature, the apparatus 10 includes a first subsidiary air inlet 12b through which moist air from the interior of the building is conveyed and mixed with the air heated to the predetermined first temperature. The first subsidiary air inlet 12b is located towards an upper end of the heating chamber 23. By mixing the air heated to the predetermined first temperature with moist air from the interior of the building, the temperature of the heated air is reduced from the predetermined first temperature to a predetermined second temperature of approximately 1400C.
The apparatus 10 includes a heated air conduit 44 into which the heated air at the predetermined second temperature is conveyed from the heating chamber 23. An air flow control flap 46 is located in the conduit 44 and is adjustable to enable the volume of air conveyed from the heating chamber 23 to the conduit 44 to be varied.
The apparatus includes a second subsidiary air inlet 12c for conveying moist air from the interior of the building into the conduit 44 where it is mixed with the heated air at the predetermined second temperature. Adjustment of the air flow control flap 46 also enables the flow of air through the second subsidiary air inlet 12c to be controlled. This allows the temperature of the heated air to be controlled and varied as desired, although in the preferred embodiment the heated air transferred along the heated air conduit 44 is desirably at substantially the predetermined second temperature of approximately 140°C.
The heated air is conveyed along the heated air conduit 44 to the heat exchanger 42 where it is conveyed through a heat extraction portion 48 of the heat exchanger 42 to extract the heat energy from the heated air. The cooled exhaust air exiting from the heat extraction portion 48 of the heat exchanger
42 is subsequently conveyed to an exhaust air outlet 50. An exhaust duct (not shown) is connected to the exhaust air outlet 50 and leads to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located to thereby convey the cooled air, which contains noxious combustion gases, to the outside of the building.
In order to recover the heat from the heat exchanger 42 and thereby provide heated air to the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located, the apparatus includes an external air inlet 12d through which external air from the exterior of the building is conveyed. The external air is conveyed to a heat recovery portion 52 of the heat exchanger 42 and is conveyed through the heat recovery portion 52 where its temperature is raised and the heat thus recovered from the heat exchanger 42. The temperature of the moist air is raised desirably to a drying temperature in the order of between 30DC and 55°C. The temperature of the external air may however be raised to a temperature anywhere between approximately 25°C and 65°C. The heated external air from the heat recovery portion 52 of the heat exchanger 42 is subsequently conveyed to the interior of the building through the drying air outlets 18.
In order to provide dehumidified air to the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located, moist air is conveyed via the second air inlet 12e to the dehumidifying section 38 of the desiccant wheel 36. The moist air is drawn through the dehumidifying section 38 to reduce the relative humidity of the air to approximately 35%. The dehumidified air from the dehumidifying section 38 is then conveyed into the interior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located through the drying air outlets 18.
The heating chamber 23 includes an aperture 54 and associated air flow control flap 56 which enable a proportion of the air heated to the predetermined first temperature of between 400°C and 500°C to be conveyed towards the regeneration section 40 of the desiccant wheel 36. Prior to reaching the regeneration section 40, the heated air is mixed with a proportion of the moist room air conveyed through the second air inlet 12e to thereby reduce the air temperature to a regeneration temperature in the order of approximately 14O0C. The regeneration air is conveyed through the regeneration section 40 of the desiccant wheel 36 thereby heating the desiccant material and evaporating the moisture absorbed by the desiccant material in the dehumidifying section 38. The moist air exiting from the regeneration section 40 is conveyed along a moist air duct 58 and subsequently through the exhaust air outlet 50 along the exhaust air duct and to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus 10 is located. In order to convey the moist air from the interior of the building through the first air inlet 12a and the first and second subsidiary air inlets 12b, 12c, the apparatus 10 includes air movement means in the form of a fan 60. As best seen in Fig. 3, the fan 60 is also operable to draw heated air upwardly through the heating chamber 23, along the heated air conduit 44, through the heat extraction portion 48 of the heat exchanger 42 and subsequently through the exhaust air outlet 50, to the exterior of the building.
The apparatus includes a further air movement means in the form of a fan 62 which is operable to convey external air from outside the building through the external air inlet 12d, through the heat recovery portion 52 of the heat exchanger 42, and subsequently through the drying air outlets 18 into the interior of the building.
A further air movement means in the form of fan 64 is operable to convey moist air from the interior of the building through the second air inlet 12e, through the dehumidifying section 38 of the desiccant wheel 36 and subsequently into the interior of the building, again via the drying air outlets 18. As best seen in Figs. 5 and 6, the preferred embodiment of the apparatus 10 includes two air outlets 18. In this preferred embodiment, the fans 62 and 64 are preferably operable to mix the heated air and the dehumidified air together to provide drying air prior to conveying the drying air through the drying air outlet 18 into the interior of the building.
The apparatus includes a further air movement means in the form of a fan 66 which is operable to convey a proportion of the heated air at the predetermined first temperature through the aperture 54 from the heating chamber 23, and a proportion of the air from the second air inlet 12e to the regeneration section 40 of the desiccant wheel 36. The fan 66 subsequently conveys the moist air from the regeneration section 40 through the exhaust air outlet 50 and to the exterior of the building. The apparatus 10 includes a plurality of temperature sensors, such as Platinum Resistance Thermometer (PRT) sensors (not shown), to monitor the temperature of the air at different positions in the apparatus 10 and inside the building being dried. The apparatus also includes a humidity sensor to monitor the humidity of the air inside the building being dried. These temperature sensors and humidity sensor are linked to a control arrangement 68 which is operable to switch the burner 22 between the high and low power operating modes, control the fans 60, 62, 64, 66, and control the air flow control flaps 46, 56 to maintain optimum air temperatures and air flow rates throughout the apparatus to provide drying air at substantially the desired predetermined drying temperature, relative humidity and desired volume flow rate. In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, drying air is supplied from the drying air outlets 18 at a volume flow rate of approximately 2000 m3/hr.
Although not illustrated, in order to enable the drying air from the drying air outlet 18 to be distributed throughout the building in which the apparatus 10 is located, a suitable flexible duct may be connected to the drying air outlet 18, and this may extend throughout the building and include an appropriate number of apertures to enable the drying air to escape from the duct.
There is thus provided drying apparatus 10 for providing drying air to an interior of a building which enables the interior of the building to be dried rapidly and effectively. Due to the fact that the apparatus 10 is dimensioned so that it can be located within any domestic or commercial building, there is no risk of theft or vandalism as with conventional large scale apparatus which must remain outside the building. Furthermore, the combination of the heating arrangement 14 and the dehumidifying arrangement 16 enables the provision of drying air at an optimum temperature, relative humidity and flow rate to achieve rapid drying of the interior of the building without causing damage to the interior of the building.
Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that various modifications to the examples given may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, any suitable heating arrangement 14 may be employed. The combustion chamber 24 may be of a different configuration. Any suitable dehumidifying arrangement 16 or heat exchanger 42 may be employed. The apparatus 10 may have a configuration other than that specifically illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims
1. Drying apparatus for providing drying air to an interior of a building, the drying apparatus being locatable in an interior of a building to be dried and comprising an air inlet arrangement for receiving moist air from the interior of the building, a heating arrangement for heating a proportion of the moist air from the air inlet arrangement to provide heated air, a dehumidifying arrangement for removing moisture from a proportion of the moist air from the air inlet arrangement to provide dehumidified air, and a drying air outlet for supplying the heated air and the dehumidified air to the interior of the building to dry the interior of the building.
2. Drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is portable.
3. Drying apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the apparatus is dimensioned such that it can pass through a standard doorway in a domestic building.
4. Drying apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus has exterior dimensions of approximately 1.4 to 1.7 metres in length, approximately 0.4 to 0.8 metres in width, and approximately 0.7 to 1.1 metres in height.
5. Drying apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the air inlet arrangement comprises a first air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the heating arrangement, and a second air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the dehumidifying arrangement.
6. Drying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus comprises a control arrangement arranged to control the heating arrangement to heat the moist air from the first air inlet to a predetermined first temperature.
7. Drying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control arrangement is arranged to control the heating arrangement to heat the moist air from the first air inlet to provide heated air at a predetermined first temperature of between approximately 350°C and 550°C.
8. Drying apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control arrangement is arranged to control the heating arrangement to heat the moist air form the first air inlet to provide heated air at a predetermined first temperature of between approximately 4000C and 500°C.
9. Drying apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the apparatus comprises a first subsidiary air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the heating arrangement, and for mixing said moist air with the air heated to the predetermined first temperature to reduce the temperature of the heated air.
10. Drying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control arrangement is arranged to control the volume of moist air conveyed through the first subsidiary air inlet to reduce the temperature of the heated air to a predetermined second temperature.
11. Drying apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control arrangement is arranged to control the volume of moist air conveyed through the first subsidiary air inlet to reduce the temperature of the heated air to a predetermined second temperature between approximately 120°C and 160°C.
12. Drying apparatus according to claim 10 or claim 11 , wherein the apparatus comprises a second subsidiary air inlet for conveying moist air from the interior of the building and for mixing said moist air with the air at the predetermined second temperature.
13. Drying apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the heating arrangement comprises a burner.
14. Drying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the burner is a gas fired burner.
15. Drying apparatus according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the moist air from the first air inlet is conveyed to the burner to provide combustion air.
16. Drying apparatus according to any of claims 13 to 15, wherein the burner includes a combustion chamber having side walls and a lower wall which define an interior of the combustion chamber, an upper end of the combustion chamber being open to enable hot combustion gases to escape upwardly from the combustion chamber.
17. Drying apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a burner head projects generally horizontally into the combustion chamber through a side wall thereof.
18. Drying apparatus according to any of claims 5 to 17, wherein the heating arrangement is arranged to operate in a high power mode in which it is arranged to provide heat energy of up to 5OkW to heat the moist air received from the first air inlet and a low power mode in which it is arranged to provide heat energy of approximately 15kW to heat the moist air received from the first air inlet.
19. Drying apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 18, wherein the apparatus comprises a heat exchanger to extract heat energy from the air at the predetermined second temperature, the apparatus being arranged to convey the air at the predetermined second temperature through a heat extraction portion of the heat exchanger to enable the extraction of heat energy from the air.
20. Drying apparatus according to claim 19, vvfierein the heat exchanger is a rotary heat exchanger. ""
21. Drying apparatus according to claim 19 or claim 20 , wherein the apparatus includes an external air inlet for conveying moist air from the exterior of the building in which the apparatus is located through a heat
5 recovery portion of the heat exchanger to recover heat therefrom and thereby increase the temperature of the external air to a drying temperature.
22. Drying apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the apparatus is arranged to increase the temperature of the exterior air to a drying
10 temperature of between approximately 250C and 650C.
23. Drying apparatus according to claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the apparatus includes air movement means for conveying moist air from the exterior of the building through the external air inlet and subsequently through
} 5 the heat recovery portion of the heat exchanger.
24. Drying apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the air movement means is arranged to convey the heated air from the heat recovery portion into the interior of the building via the drying air outlet. 0
25. Drying apparatus according to any of claims 19 to 24, wherein the apparatus includes an exhaust air outlet for removing cooled exhaust air from the heat extraction portion of the heat exchanger.
5 26. Drying apparatus according to claim 25, wherein an exhaust duct is connected, in use, to the exhaust air outlet to convey the exhaust air to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus is located, in use.
27. Drying apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the 0 dehumidifying arrangement comprises a rotatable desiccant wheel.
28. Drying apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the apparatus divides the desiccant wheel into a dehumidifying section, in which moisture is absorbed from moist air by the desiccant wheel, and a regeneration section, in which moisture is removed from the desiccant wheel.
29. Drying apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the apparatus is arranged such that a proportion of the air from the second air inlet is mixed with heated air from the combustion chamber to provide heated air at the predetermined first temperature.
30. Drying apparatus according to claim 28 or claim 29, wherein the apparatus includes air movement means for conveying moist air from the interior of the building in which the apparatus is located through the second air inlet to the dehumidifying section of the desiccant wheel.
31. Drying apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the air movement means is arranged to convey dehumidified air from the dehumidifying section to the interior of the building, via the drying air outlet.
32. Drying apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the relative humidity of the moist air conveyed from the dehumidifying section into the interior of the building is between approximately 10% and 50%,
33. Drying apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the relative humidity is between approximately 25% and 50%.
34. Drying apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the relative humidity is approximately 35%.
35. Drying apparatus according to any of claims 21 to 34, wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the heated air at the drying temperature and the dehumidified air are mixed to provide drying air prior to being conveyed into the interior of the building via the drying air outlet.
36. Drying apparatus according to any of claims 29 to 35, wherein the apparatus is arranged to convey a proportion of heated air at the predetermined first temperature from the heating arrangement to the regeneration section of the desiccant wheel.
37. Drying apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the apparatus is arranged to mix moist air from the second air inlet with the heated air at the predetermined first temperature to provide desiccant regeneration air, at a predetermined desiccant regeneration temperature.
38. Drying apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the control arrangement is arranged to control the volume flow rate of air from the second air inlet and the volume flow rate of heated air at the predetermined first temperature to provide air at the predetermined desiccant regeneration temperature.
39. Drying apparatus according to claim 37 or claim 38, wherein the apparatus includes a desiccant regeneration air movement means for conveying the desiccant regeneration air through the regeneration section to remove moisture from the desiccant wheel.
40. Drying apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the desiccant regeneration air movement means is arranged to convey a proportion of the heated air at the predetermined first temperature and a proportion of the moist air from the second air inlet to the regeneration section.
41. Drying apparatus according to claim 39 or claim 40, wherein the desiccant regeneration air movement means is arranged to convey moist air from the regeneration section to the exhaust air outlet and to the exterior of the building in which the apparatus is located, in use.
42. Drying apparatus for providing drying air to an interior of a building substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
43. A method of drying an interior of a building using drying apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, the method comprising conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the heating arrangement to heat the air, conveying moist air from the interior of the building to the dehumidifying arrangement to dehumidify the air, mixing the heated and dehumidified air to provide drying air, and conveying the drying air to the interior of the building to dry the interior of the building.
44. A method of drying an interior of a building substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
45. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.
PCT/GB2005/004157 2004-10-29 2005-10-27 Drying apparatus WO2006046046A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0424036.2 2004-10-29
GB0424036A GB2419662A (en) 2004-10-29 2004-10-29 A drying apparatus for drying an interior of a building

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2006046046A1 true WO2006046046A1 (en) 2006-05-04

Family

ID=33515770

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2005/004157 WO2006046046A1 (en) 2004-10-29 2005-10-27 Drying apparatus

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2419662A (en)
WO (1) WO2006046046A1 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102132120B (en) * 2008-11-13 2014-12-17 塞拉米克干燥系统有限公司 Drying and/or processing of materials
CN111819398A (en) * 2017-11-28 2020-10-23 蒙特斯公司 Humidity control unit and method
CN113170980A (en) * 2021-05-11 2021-07-27 刘秀松 Dampproofing archives storage unit and filing cabinet

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB0719264D0 (en) * 2007-10-03 2007-11-14 Solar Century Holdings Ltd Inflation and pressure maintenance
SE543369C2 (en) * 2019-06-10 2020-12-22 Reddo Floor Solutions Ab Drying device for a moisture-damaged floor construction

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2242017A (en) * 1990-02-16 1991-09-18 Management & Guidance Services Dehumimdifying apparatus
WO1996021834A1 (en) * 1995-01-10 1996-07-18 Corroventa Avfuktning Ab A method and an apparatus for increasing the yield of an airdrying process
US20030029054A1 (en) * 2001-03-06 2003-02-13 Cressy Charles S. Drying assembly and method of drying for a flooded enclosed elevated space
WO2003016647A1 (en) * 2001-08-17 2003-02-27 Corroventa Avfuktning Ab A method and a device for drying a water-damaged building
US6691427B1 (en) * 2003-01-16 2004-02-17 John P. Fernandes Concrete wall heating and drying system
EP1528333A1 (en) * 2003-10-31 2005-05-04 Spencer Ward Hess Air dehumidifier and dehumidification method

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6328095B1 (en) * 2000-03-06 2001-12-11 Honeywell International Inc. Heat recovery ventilator with make-up air capability
US6355091B1 (en) * 2000-03-06 2002-03-12 Honeywell International Inc. Ventilating dehumidifying system using a wheel for both heat recovery and dehumidification
US6386281B1 (en) * 2000-09-18 2002-05-14 American Standard International Inc. Air handler with return air bypass for improved dehumidification

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2242017A (en) * 1990-02-16 1991-09-18 Management & Guidance Services Dehumimdifying apparatus
WO1996021834A1 (en) * 1995-01-10 1996-07-18 Corroventa Avfuktning Ab A method and an apparatus for increasing the yield of an airdrying process
US20030029054A1 (en) * 2001-03-06 2003-02-13 Cressy Charles S. Drying assembly and method of drying for a flooded enclosed elevated space
WO2003016647A1 (en) * 2001-08-17 2003-02-27 Corroventa Avfuktning Ab A method and a device for drying a water-damaged building
US6691427B1 (en) * 2003-01-16 2004-02-17 John P. Fernandes Concrete wall heating and drying system
EP1528333A1 (en) * 2003-10-31 2005-05-04 Spencer Ward Hess Air dehumidifier and dehumidification method

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102132120B (en) * 2008-11-13 2014-12-17 塞拉米克干燥系统有限公司 Drying and/or processing of materials
CN111819398A (en) * 2017-11-28 2020-10-23 蒙特斯公司 Humidity control unit and method
CN113170980A (en) * 2021-05-11 2021-07-27 刘秀松 Dampproofing archives storage unit and filing cabinet
CN113170980B (en) * 2021-05-11 2022-07-01 湖南悍豹武装押运有限公司 Dampproofing archives storage unit and filing cabinet

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2419662A (en) 2006-05-03
GB0424036D0 (en) 2004-12-01

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7357831B2 (en) Method and apparatus for controlling humidity and mold
US7281389B1 (en) Enhanced performance dehumidifier
US7308798B2 (en) Dehumidification system
WO2006046046A1 (en) Drying apparatus
KR102438330B1 (en) Buildings with air treatment systems
US9170035B2 (en) Apparatus and method for thermo-transformation of wood
US7284387B2 (en) Diesel fuel heated dessicant reactivation with internal heat bypass
CN107611786A (en) It is a kind of except the distribution box of moisture
JP2524299B2 (en) Handling box for solar system house
RU72247U1 (en) SYSTEM FOR REMOVING THE SNOW AND NALEDIA FROM ROOF OF BUILDINGS
US20060185838A1 (en) Controlling humidity in zones during a drying process
EP2623179A1 (en) A rotary air drying apparatus
CN107725090B (en) Underground tunnel ventilation system and implementation method thereof
CN203454331U (en) Airflow jet carrier type ventilating system for large factory building
JP2003185207A (en) Ventilator for building
CN105736420A (en) Negative-pressure draught fan for cooling and dust removing
US20060064891A1 (en) Diesel fuel heated dessicant reactivation with pre-dry reactivation air
US7284385B2 (en) Pre-dried air reactivation for diesel fuel heated dessicant reactivator
CN209623295U (en) A kind of fire hose drying device of solar energy based on silica gel, the auxiliary heat of electric energy
CN107478039A (en) A kind of heat pump belt drying system and its drying means based on zonal control
US20060053817A1 (en) Diesel fuel heated dessicant reactivation with same direction reactivation and processed air flow
US20060060183A1 (en) Battery pack back-up for diesel fuel heated dessicant reactivation
US10145571B2 (en) Desiccant drying system
KR20080023134A (en) An air conditioner by using underground air
KR20150045007A (en) Ventilator with dehumidification function for ship building

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AE AG AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BW BY BZ CA CH CN CO CR CU CZ DK DM DZ EC EE EG ES FI GB GD GE GM HR HU ID IL IN IS JP KE KG KM KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV LY MD MG MK MN MW MX MZ NA NG NO NZ OM PG PH PL PT RO RU SC SD SG SK SL SM SY TJ TM TN TR TT TZ UG US UZ VC VN YU ZA ZM

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): BW GH GM KE LS MW MZ NA SD SZ TZ UG ZM ZW AM AZ BY KG MD RU TJ TM AT BE BG CH CY DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN GQ GW MR NE SN TD TG

121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 07042884

Country of ref document: CO

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 05798531

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1