Dehumidification process and apparatus using collodion membrane

• Main Authors: KESTEN ARTHUR S, SATYAPAL SUNITA, TSAI CHUNG-YI A, BLECHNER JACK N, JARVIS REBECCA
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 24.12.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AIR-CONDITIONING, AIR-HUMIDIFICATION, VENTILATION, USE OF AIRCURRENTS FOR SCREENING; BLASTING; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; RANGES; SEPARATION; TRANSPORTING; VENTILATING; WEAPONS

A humid gas stream is dehumidified by bringing that stream into contact with the front surface of a hydrophilic capillary condenser layer that captures the water and moves it adjacent the rear surface of the capillary layer. A semi-permeable collodion membrane, is disposed on the rear capillary surface of the condenser layer, and an osmotic fluid, such as glycerol, is disposed adjacent the collodion membrane. An osmotic driving force, resulting from a water concentration gradient across the collodion membrane, transports the condensed water from the condensing layer through the thickness of the membrane and into an osmotic fluid. The collodion membrane also inhibits the osmotic fluid from flowing into the condenser layer.