Vortical-Flow Direct Contact Air Washer for Corrosion Prevention

ABSTRACT: Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) proposes to develop a Liquid Desiccant (LD) based Air Washer (AW) by utilizing Vortical-flow, Direct-contact Mass Exchanger (VDMX) technology recently developed by ACT. This system is based on principles similar to conventional Liquid Desiccant Air Conditioning systems (LDAC), such as falling film or porous wheel, but with the added capability of removing corrosion-causing chlorides from incoming salty air. Furthermore, the proposed VDMX design offers an additional benefit over conventional LD systems: significantly higher throughput for a specific device volume. For instance, unlike falling film LD systems, this device has been shown to handle high air velocity with zero entrainment of droplets. This advantage allows for the VDMX to process considerably more air flow than a traditional LD system of equivalent volume. The result is the potential for a smaller, lighter, and less expensive LD system that, in addition to dehumidification, is also capable of particle filtration. BENEFIT: If the Phase II program is successful, ACT will have designed, fabricated, and demonstrated an effective dehumidification and chloride filtration system for military aircraft hangers. This approach could also be applied to other facilities at coastal locations where corrosion is a concern, including commercial aircraft hangers, manufacturing facilities, storage facilities, and data centers. At the end of the Phase I program, ACT will investigate these markets and identify a commercial partner for collaboration in Phase II.