DIY solar dehumidifier

jeff5may · 11-15-13, 09:01 PM

This story just keeps getting more interesting the deeper I look. It seems that AIL Research and the DOE/NREL/ORNL did a few proof of concept studies over the last couple of years.

First, AILR worked with Kathabar, Inc. as a subcontractor / consultant to build a large-scale prototype. It worked, but not real well for long.

Then, they built and beat the peewaddin out of a solar thermal powered system at Tyndall AFB in Florida. During this study, the original design had to be modified. The solar collector had been built with flow-through collectors (instead of heat pipes) using glycol water as the heat-transfer fluid, with no thermal dump. It was not a drainback system, so the unit had to be able to withstand freezing and stagnation. During stagnation, the collector developed 450+degF temps, generating glycol acid steam that they had not properly prepared for. It took 6 months to refine operation of the solar thermal unit. The resulting kludge that worked meh could not supply all the solar btu's to the regenerator it was originally designed for. It was redesigned to use straight water, so it had to be drained and winterized during the cold season, during which time it could not operate.

The LDAC achieved all its design criteria except one: target EER was 40, it could only muster between 15 and 25. Nevertheless, the system was deemed a proof of concept, with valuable lessons learned.

Meanwhile, Dr. Lowenstein, Andrew, the driving L in AIL Research, built a few of his own systems with the help of venture capital. Patents were awarded and rights licensed to third parties everywhere. Big ticket buyers are hospitals, hockey rinks, supermarkets, and indoor swimming facilities. He has licensed this LDAC technology to the Munters Corp., a commercial HVAC manufacturer, to bring this technology to the industrial world.

The research paper with glorious technical details and secrets is here:
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/56437-2.pdf

11-15-13, 09:01 PM	#25
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,428 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	This story just keeps getting more interesting the deeper I look. It seems that AIL Research and the DOE/NREL/ORNL did a few proof of concept studies over the last couple of years. First, AILR worked with Kathabar, Inc. as a subcontractor / consultant to build a large-scale prototype. It worked, but not real well for long. Then, they built and beat the peewaddin out of a solar thermal powered system at Tyndall AFB in Florida. During this study, the original design had to be modified. The solar collector had been built with flow-through collectors (instead of heat pipes) using glycol water as the heat-transfer fluid, with no thermal dump. It was not a drainback system, so the unit had to be able to withstand freezing and stagnation. During stagnation, the collector developed 450+degF temps, generating glycol acid steam that they had not properly prepared for. It took 6 months to refine operation of the solar thermal unit. The resulting kludge that worked meh could not supply all the solar btu's to the regenerator it was originally designed for. It was redesigned to use straight water, so it had to be drained and winterized during the cold season, during which time it could not operate. The LDAC achieved all its design criteria except one: target EER was 40, it could only muster between 15 and 25. Nevertheless, the system was deemed a proof of concept, with valuable lessons learned. Meanwhile, Dr. Lowenstein, Andrew, the driving L in AIL Research, built a few of his own systems with the help of venture capital. Patents were awarded and rights licensed to third parties everywhere. Big ticket buyers are hospitals, hockey rinks, supermarkets, and indoor swimming facilities. He has licensed this LDAC technology to the Munters Corp., a commercial HVAC manufacturer, to bring this technology to the industrial world. The research paper with glorious technical details and secrets is here: http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/56437-2.pdf