Dehumidifier
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to dehumidification of air in a room, and more particularly to a desiccant container having desiccant on walls thereof spaced apart to provide a channel through which air in the room may flow for controlling the latent heat and water vapor in the air. 
     It is known to use a desiccant such as silica gel in large beds within tanks configured so that the air may pass through the desiccant bed. Although the surface area of such tanks is large compared to its depth, the depth of the beds are such that large pressure drops result from the air flowing therethrough. Compressors or other large energy consuming devices are therefore necessary for overcoming the pressure drop as the air flows through the bed. Consequently, such desiccant beds are impractical for use in a residence, and other dehumidification devices, including air conditioning, are in use. 
     Control of the relative humidity of the air within a room for comfort and for elimination of health problems by means of air conditioning can be relatively expensive, especially in certain parts of the country. This cost is not affordable to many people. Large dehumidifiers utilizing similar principles to air conditioning also may not be affordable to all people. As aforesaid prior art desiccant dehumidification may not only be costly, but impractical for use in a home. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Consequently, it is a primary object of the present invention to utilize the water vapor absorption abilities of a desiccant to control the relative humidity of the air within a residential environment in an inexpensive manner. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a desiccant containing package through which air may flow with little or substantially no pressure drop such that the air may flow through the package by natural convection. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a desiccant containing package having a decorative configuration suitable for use in residences and which provides effective water vapor absorption from the air at minimal cost while concomitantly improving the general quality of the air. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a desiccant containing package having a pair of walls spaced closely apart to form a flow channel therebetween, the walls having a desiccant such as silica gel affixed thereto for absorbing water vapor from the air stream. The package may be in the form of a box or the like open at opposite ends, such as the top and bottom thereof. As the water vapor in the air within the channel is absorbed by the desiccant, the latent heat of vaporization is released, and this together with the reduction of water vapor within the air results in the air rising through the channel drawing additional air through the channel creating a natural draft to continue the flow of air through the package. 
     The box may be in a decorative form and may carry a picture or the like whereby it can be hung upon the wall within the residence. In another form of the invention, forced convection can be provided by a small fan or the like mounted in the box. 
     Indicator particles of silica gel may be secured within the channel and a small window available for viewing when the desiccant is saturated may be provided. When saturated, regeneration of the desiccant may be accomplished by heating the desiccant to release the water therein by removing the package to a non residential convenient location. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view in diagrammatic form of a desiccant containing dehumidifier constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention having the configuration of a picture frame; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the dehumidifier illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the interior wall of the dehumidifier illustrated in FIG. 1 greatly enlarged; 
     FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic elevational view of the dehumidifier illustrated in FIG. 1 disposed within a heating box illustrating one method in which the desiccant may be reactivated; 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment thereof; and 
     FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 7--7 of FIG. 6. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, a dehumidifier 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention may comprise a box or the like formed from cardboard or a plastic material which may be injection molded into the desired form. The box includes a front wall 12, a rear wall 14, and a pair of side walls 16, 18. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the front wall 12 may be in the form of a picture frame for supporting a picture, or may have other decorative designs thereon for use within a residence. The box may be of any desirable configuration and size, but the depth of the box, i e , the side walls 16, 18 are envisioned as being approximately one inch. A space 20 is formed between the front and rear walls 12, 14 and the side walls 16, 18 to define a channel. 
     Suitably secured to the interior face of each of the front and rear walls 12, 14 are silica gel particles, the particles being fastened to the walls by means of a suitable glue such as a room temperature vulcanizing silican rubber. The glue is applied to the walls as a thin layer 24 or in liquid form so that the particles adhere thereto and substantially only a single layer of the silica gel desiccant is disposed on the walls within the channel, the thickness of the glue being only a small percentage of the thickness of each substantially spherical particle of the silica gel. The silica gel, being a porous rock mineral, has particles of a substantially spherical configuration and the particles are of such a size so as not to extend excessively into the chanel, and the glue is approximately 10 percent of the thickness of the spherical particles so that a substantial portion of the surface of the particles is available for absorption of water vapor. 
     In use the air initially in the channel 20 contains water vapor, the amount depending upon the relative humidity of the air, and sufficient amounts of this water vapor is absorbed by the silica gel particles 22 disposed on the walls within the channel. As the water vapor is condensed out of the air the latent heat of vaporization or condensation is released, and this heat is released into the air within the channel. As the air is heated and as the water vapor is removed therefrom, the air becomes lighter and rises, gradually exiting from the top of the channel 20. As the air flows through the channel it is replaced at the bottom of the channel by cooler air due to the natural draft resulting from the rising air. The air in the room thus gradually becomes drier until the silica gel on the walls has absorbed a saturating amount of water vapor. No further absorption or condensation will thereafter take place since the desiccant has absorbed all that it can under that condition. Silica gel can absorb approximately 40 percent of its dry weight of water. For example, if there is ten pounds of dry silica gel within the channel and it is exposed to 100 percent relative humidity conditions, the silica gel will absorb an additional four pounds of water out of the air flowing through the channel thereafter resulting in a total weight of 14 pounds. When the silica gel is saturated it has absorbed all of the water that it is capable under this condition. 
     The degree of saturation of the silica gel within the channel can be determined by the use of &#34;indicator&#34; silica gel particles 26 disposed so that it can be viewed through a window 28 in the box. The window 28 preferably is recessed so as not to protrude from the surface of the box if used as a picture frame or the like, but for purposes of illustration is disclosed in the drawings as a protuburance. Indicator particles of silica gel are those which change color as they become wet. For example, these particles are generally purple when dry and become pink when wet. Disposing the window 28 and indicator particles at or adjacent the top of the channel 20, the saturated condition of the entire desiccant within the dehumidifier can be determined. 
     When the desiccant on the walls of the channel has become saturated or wet to a desired amount, the desiccant can be regenerated by heating so as to release the water and dry the desiccant. The regeneration can be performed by any of a number of methods. A preferred regeneration of the desiccant is illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein a regeneration box 30 is formed for receiving the dehumidifier box such that the channel is disposed in substantially sealed relationship with a plenum chamber 32 in the regeneration box 30. A source of hot air may thereafter be applied to an inlet 34 in the regeneration box so that hot air can flow from the plenum chamber 32 up into the channel and heat the desiccant to release the water. A conventional hair dryer 36 may be inserted into the inlet 34 to supply the required hot air, the air entering the box being in a range of approximately 120° F. to 150° F. This regeneration of the silica gel particles may be accomplished in a garage, outside the house, or in, for example, a bathroom having an outside vent so that the water vapor released does not reenter the air stream in the room in which the dehumidifier is performing its function. Another device contemplated for regeneration of the desiccant particles may be a regeneration box having a solar collector including air heating capability. In any event, regeneration or drying out of the particles can be determined by the indicator particles 26 as viewed through the window. 
     An alternate embodiment of the invention is disclosed in FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein controlled amounts of air may be processed by the dehumidifier in a given time. In this embodiment the dehumidifier 110 may have a configuration similar to that of FIGS. 1 through 3 but a motor driven fan 140 may be inserted within the channel 120 and the air may be drawn up through the channel and exhausted through an opening 142 communicating with the channel adjacent the top thereof. If the opening is disposed in the front or rear wall of the box, the box may have a top closure member 144. The motor 146 which drives the fan may be utilized during the subsequent regeneration cycle to draw in hot air from a source. 
     Other desiccant holders contemplated by this invention can include a honeycomb or ribbed box which may be installed in the return air duct of the residence. Similarly a dehumidifier box of this nature may be installed in the air vent outlets of the various rooms receiving air from conventional air distribution systems in a residence. 
     It may be seen that a relatively simple and inexpensive dehumidifier can be utlized in a residence to reduce the relative humidity of the air. When used in conjunction with residential air conditioning systems during very high humidity conditions, the load on the air conditioning system can be reduced thereby to lower the energy consumption and the cost for controlling the comfort of those residing therein. It is well known that in most instance human discomfort in hot humid weather is more dependent upon the relative humidity than the temperature, such that when used in conjunction with an air conditioning system the energy cost can be reduced substantially. 
     Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.