Water making apparatus

Details Water making apparatus Water making apparatus

2000-10-16

2003-07-08

Doerrler, William C. (Department: 3744)

Refrigeration

With means preventing or handling atmospheric condensate...

Retainer or flow director for atmospheric condensate

C062S093000, C062S291000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06588225

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention is directed to an apparatus for the production of water from air. In particular, the invention is directed to an apparatus for the production of drinking water.
BACKGROUND ART
There are many known systems for removing water from the air. These tend to be devices which are commonly called “dehumidifiers”. For example, New Zealand Patent No. 270431 to EBAC Limited, entitled “dehumidifiers” is a case in point. This New Zealand patent discloses a device for extracting moisture from the air in a building. The invention to which this New Zealand patent is directed is described as being a dehumidifier in which a refrigerant is circulated by a compressor through an evaporator, which becomes cold, and a condenser, which becomes warm, and air is passed over the evaporator so that any moisture in the air condenses on the evaporator, following which the air passes over the condenser to be warmed before leaving the dehumidifier. If the water that collects on the evaporator freezes, the dehumidifier periodically enters a defrost mode which allows the ice to melt. Therefore, creation of ice on the evaporator is a problem of operating a dehumidifier of this type. Such dehumidifiers are not directed to the production of drinking water but are rather directed to the removal of moisture from the air.
Devices which are directed specifically to the production of the water are also known. One device called the “WATERMAKER” is manufactured by Electric and Gas Technology, Inc. of Dallas, Tex., U.S.A. This device operates by drawing room air into the device through a disposable air filter. This filtered air then passes through cooling coils that are made of a refrigerator alloy coated with polyurethane. These coils are kept at a temperature of approximately 39° F. Some of the moisture in the filtered air will condense on these coils resulting in droplets of distilled water. The water droplets run down the coils and collect in a funnel that feeds the water into a holding tank. This tank is held inside a cooled box which has its own cooling system and is fully insulated. There are a number of difficulties with this technology. The apparatus requires humid air in the surrounding atmosphere. Once the air has been dehumidified, the apparatus stops. In addition, once ice forms on the coils, the melting of this ice is achieved by using hot gas from the condenser in a manner which is inefficient.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which meets some of the difficulties of prior art devices or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention in the first aspect is an apparatus for the production of water from air wherein the apparatus includes:
(a) an air intake device adapted to move air into the apparatus;
(b) an evaporator adapted to freeze the water contained in the air issuing from the air intake device; and
(c) defrosting means adapted to defrost the water frozen by the evaporator;
and wherein the volume of air passing over the frosting surface of the evaporator is controlled by either the air intake device or the evaporator.
Preferably the air intake device is adapted to move a variable volume of air over the evaporator and the evaporator is of constant frosting area.
Preferably the air intake device is adapted to move a constant volume of air over the evaporator and the evaporator has a variable frosting area.
Preferably, the apparatus further includes a reservoir to collect the water created from defrosting the evaporator.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises an air filter situated to filter the air moving into apparatus.
Preferably, the filter is a washable or a disposable filter.
Preferably, the filter is 200 micron washable filter.
Preferably, the defrosting means includes a defrost sensor to detect when a predetermined amount of ice or frost has formed in the evaporator.
Preferably, the air intake device is a fan adapted to draw air into the apparatus through the evaporator.
Preferably, the air intake device is a blower adapted to force air into the apparatus.
Preferably, the evaporator may include one or more helically corrugated conduits as described and claimed in International Patent Application Number PCT/NZ93/00087.
In an alternative form, the evaporator may include a plurality of interconnected coils.
Preferably, the evaporator may include a plurality of fins having at least 4 fins per 25 millimeters of coil. More preferably, the evaporator includes at least 6 fins per 25 millimeters of coil.
Preferably, the evaporator is cooled using a compressor and condenser system.
Preferably, the condenser may include one or more helically corrugated conduits as described and claimed in PCT/NZ93/00087.
Preferably, the compressor and condenser system includes a compressor, a condenser, and a plurality of capillary tubes, wherein the evaporator includes a plurality of interconnected coils and the capillary tubes feed directly into the evaporator coils, and wherein the compressor provides a gaseous refrigerant under pressure into the condenser, the cooled refrigerant exiting the condenser as a liquid under pressure and being directed to the capillary tubes via a high pressure feed, the capillary tubes then passing the refrigerant in a gaseous form into the evaporator from which the refrigerant exits as a gas under low pressure and returns via a low pressure feed to the compressor, and wherein the system is a closed system.
In one preferred form of apparatus of the present invention the compressor and condenser system may further include a compressor/evaporator line adapted, under pre-determined conditions, to enable hot gas refrigerant from the compressor to enter the coils of the evaporator to melt any ice or frost formed on the evaporator.
Preferably, a solenoid valve may be provided in the secondary line, said valve controllable by the defrost sensor.
Preferably, the plurality of capillary tubes exits from a filter situated between the capillary tubes and the high pressure feed from the condenser.
Preferably, at least one of the capillary tubes enters the evaporator coils at, or adjacent to, the base of the evaporator.
Preferably, the capillary tubes enter the evaporator coils at a variety of positions about the evaporator.
Preferably a TX valve may be used in lieu of the capillary tubes.
Preferably, the gaseous refrigerant exits the evaporator from the top portion of the evaporator.
Preferably, condenser is cooled by air drawn across the condenser by a suction fan situated inside the apparatus or blown across the condenser by a blower situated outside the apparatus.
Preferably, the defrosting means, the air intake device and the temperature of the evaporator are controlled via a single central processing unit.
Preferably, the apparatus includes two water reservoirs, the first being a temporary reservoir being used for temporary storage of water following melting of the ice/frost from the evaporator, the second being a permanent reservoir into which the water from the temporary reservoir is moved for longer term storage, one permanent reservoir can be used.
Preferably, the temporary reservoir contains water level sensors adapted to trigger a pump to move the water contained in the temporary reservoir to the permanent reservoir.
Preferably, the apparatus further includes at least one disinfecting or filtration device adapted to further purify the water. Preferably, the filter is an ozonic filter or an activated charcoal filter. Preferably, the disinfector is an electrical disinfector.
Preferably, the filtration and/or disinfecting device is situated between the temporary reservoir and the permanent reservoir, when one permanent reservoir is used the filtration/disinfecting device may be positioned before the reservoir, or, after the reservoir and before outlet water tap.
In a further preferred form the apparatus of the present invention may further include a heat exchanger connectable to the outlet from the compressor.
Preferably, the heat exchanger may include a conduit within a

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