Oct 22, 1946.

B, GRANVILLE
2,409,624
APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING WATER FROM ATMOSPHERIC AIR
Filed July 20 V 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l

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Oct. 22, 1946. B, GRANVILLE 2,409,624
APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING WATER FROM ATMOSPHERIC AIR
Filed July 20, 1943 3. Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Oct. 22, 1946 2,409,624

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2.409.624
APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING WATER
FROM ATMOSPEERICAR
Bernard Granville, Los Angeles, Calif.
Application July 20, 1943, Serial No. 495,452
6 Claims. (Cl. 62—140)
1. 2
This invention relates to an apparatus for each passage has a bottom opening 6 near its
extracting Water from atmospheric air. An ob outlet end for Outflow of condensate.
ject of the invention is to provide means for ob The fan or blower may be of any suitable
taining water, for drinking or other purpose, kind which will supply air in sufficient volume,
directly from atmospheric air, and another object the discharge conduit, or end of the blower
is to provide means for reducing the moisture casing 8 being connected to the end of the tank
content of air drawn from the atmosphere. about the intake ends of the air flow passages.
The invention comprises an apparatus where A Sirocco blower, as shown, is preferred for a
in a heat-conducting Surface is cooled to a ten hand-operated machine Such as the One illus
perature below the dew point temperature of 0 trated.
the Surrounding atmosphere, and air from the To increase the length of the flow paths of the
Surrounding atmosphere is caused to flow past air through the passages 5, the passages have
Such cooled Surface, With the result that the air alternating upper and lower baffles 20 therein,
is cooled and the excess water vapor in Such of and the walls of the passages are most desirably
the air as is cooled to a temperature below its 5 corrugated So that the fiOW paths shall be of
dew point liquefies in the air flow passages and serpentine form in the direction of the length of
is drained off; all as more fully hereinafter set the tank, this being for the purpose of reducing
forth and as claimed. The invention includes Stratification of the flowing air and causing a
apparatus for practicing the method. more general contact of the air with the passage
A full understanding of the invention can best 20 Walls.
be given by a detailed description of an appara The water spaces 2 in the tank between the
tus of approved form suitable for practicing the air passages should be considerably wider than
method and embodying the apparatus features of the air passages, and for equalizing the Water
the invention, and such a description will now level in the Water Spaces they are connected, as
be given in connection with the accompanying 25 by the pipe 22. For the small hand-operated
drawings illustrating Such an apparatus. In said machine shown, which may be something less
diraWingS: than two feet long, the water Spaces in a tank
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus with cer of the construction shown are most desirably
tain parts of the apparatus, including the Outer about 4' wide and the air passages not more
casing, shown in section; than about 4' wide.
Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 Means according to any Suitable refrigerating
With parts broken away to show other parts in System may be employed for cooling the water
section; or other liquid in the tank ). The Well known
Fig. 3 is a transverse Sectional view taken on Sulphuric acid System is preferred as most Suit
line 3-3 of Fig. 1; 35 able for a Small hand-operated apparatus, and
Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken refrigerating means according to this system is
on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and shown in the drawings. This System operates by
FigS. 5 and 6 are Sectional views taken on lines absorbing Water vapor from the gases above a
5-5 and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 4. body of Water thereby causing evaporation of a
Referring to the drawings, the apparatus 40 part - of Such body of water with consequent ab
straction of heat from such body equivalent to
shown comprises a closed tank to which in the the heat of vaporization of the water so evapo
use of the apparatus is nearly but not quite filled rated.
With Water or other suitable liquid and which From the space in the top of the tank above
has a plurality of air flow passages extending the level of the liquid therein a passage 25 leads
therethrough; a fan or blower for causing air 45 to the top of a Sulphuric acid container 26 and
from the Surrounding atmosphere to flow through from a point Within the container 26 a suction
Said air paSSages; and refrigerating means 2 for tube 21 leads to a suction pump 30. The intake
cooling the Water or other liquid in the tank. end of the suction tube should be slightly above
The air flow passages 5 are formed most de 50 the Surface of the acid in the container so that
Sirably by closely spaced thin metal plates ex the vapor and any other gases from the space
tending between and opening through the end above the liquid in tank 10 sucked out through
Walls of the tank and extending from the bottom passage 25 to the acid container and thence
of the tank to near the top thereof, the passages through the tube 27 to the vacuum pump will
being closed at the top and bottom except that 55 have to flow in contact with the acid and thereby
 2,409,624
3. 4.
have the water vapor therein largely removed when the hub is turned in one direction shaft 60
by the acid before entering the intake end of is turned and when the hub is turned in the other
the suction tube. i he suction tube has most de direction shaft 60 is not turned. The notch. 72
sirably at its intake end an end piece of inverted extends lengthwise of shaft 60 for a distance Suf
funnel shape to provide a comparatively large 5 ficient so that it may be engaged by the pawl
intake opening directly over the surface of the whether the hub is in position for clutching or
acid. for releasing shaft 35. Therefore, when the hub
The vacuum pump 39 may be of any suitable is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the vacuum
forma, Such as the single acting piston pump pump and the blower may both be operated by
shown mounted on the base of the apparatus, its 10 turning the handle in one direction, or the pump
piston 3 being reciprocated by a crank 32 on a alone may be operated by turning the handle in
shaft 35 through a pitman 36 connected to the the other direction; and by adjusting the hub
upper end of the piston rod. The pump Will outward to release shaft 35 and then turning the
have in the usual manner a check valve 3 in its handle in the first mentioned direction, the
intake from the suction tube and a check valve 5 blower alone may be operated.
38 in its piston 3. As shown, the machine has a hollow base 75
In order to seal the acid container when the which serves as a tank to receive the Water from
apparatus is not in use, the Suction tube 27, the openings f6, and there is a valved outlet 16
which extends upward from the acid container from one lower corner of this tank. An Open
and through the upper wall of the passage 25, 20 bottomed casing 77 for enclosing all the machine
is slidably mounted in the upper wall of the pas parts excepting the operating handcrank 43 fits
Sage and the conically extended intake end of the onto the base 75 so as to be readily removable,
suction tube is provided with a packing ring 40 suitable means being provided for releasably Se
of Suitable material which when the intake end curing the casing to the base. The casing has a
of the tube is drawn upward seats against the screened air intake opening 8 opposite the in
shoulder at the neck of the acid container to take opening of the blower Casing, and has a
make a tight closure. To permit the intake end suitably located air outlet opening 79. The out
portion of the suction tube to be moved up and side walls of tank fo, and especially the two side
down, a part if of the tube is formed of flexible walls as shown, are most desirably suitably heat
tubing of rubber or other suitable material. A 30 insulated.
suitable valve is provided for closing the suction In operation.-The tank ) being filled with
tube when the apparatus is not in use, Such as water or other suitable liquid to about the top
the pinch clip 42 on the part 4. of the air-flow passages and the container 26
All parts of the apparatus with which the acid having sulphuric acid therein up to near the
is normally, or may be, in contact, or which may intake of suction tube 27 and the handcrank hub
be subject to attack by fumes of the acid, are 65 being in the position shown in Fig. 3, the
made of glass or rubber or other suitable mate handcrank is turned until the liquid in tank ft)
rial resistant to sulphuric acid. has been cooled to a temperature below the dew
Crankshaft 35 is turned for operating the vac point temperature of the surrounding atmos
uum pump by means of a handcrank 43. The 40 phere. During this preliminary cooling of the
blower if is also driven by means of the hand tank liquid, the handle is most desirably turned
crank 43 through a speed-increasing train of in the direction not to operate the blower. Then,
sprocket Wheels 45, 6, 47 and 48 and chains 59 when the tank liquid has been sufficiently cooled,
and 5, or other suitable Speed-up gear train. the blower is operated, by turning the Crank in
The blower shaft 52 carries sprocket wheel 48, 45 the other direction, to cause air from the sur
and is journaled in bearings carried by Standards rounding atmosphere to flow through the air paS
53 extending upward from the machine base, and sages 5, and the air flowing past and in contact
the sprocket wheels 4 and 46 are fast on a short with the relatively cold walls of the passages is
shaft 54 mounted in a bearing carried by a cooled, and when so cooled below its deW point
standard 55. Crankshaft 35 is journaled in a 50 some of the water vapor in the air is condensed
hollow shaft 60 which carries fast thereon the in the air passages and escapes through the out
sprocket wheel 45 and is mounted in a bearing let openings 6 into the base tank 75 and may
carried by a standard 6i, being held against end be withdrawn through the valved outlet 76.
wise movement in this bearing by the Sprocket The required degree of cooling of the tank liq
wheel at one end of the bearing and by a collar 55 uid Will depend upon the temperature and hu
62 secured to the shaft at the other end of the midity of the surrounding air. The greater the
bearing. Shaft 35 has a flange 63 at its outer percentage of humidity in the air, the less the
end, and is held against endwise movement in drop in temperature required to bring the air to
shaft 69 by this flange and the crank 32. the point of saturation, that is, dew point, and
The shafts 35 and 60 are both turned by means 60 therefore the less the drop in temperature re
of the handcrank 43, which extends from a hol quired to cau Se conden Sation Of Some Of the Water
low hub 65 mounted with a sliding fit on the vapor in the air, and, therefore, the less the re
end of the shaft 60 and held against the pres quired lowering of the temperature of the tank
sure of a spring 66 by a thumb screw 67 which liquid in order to effect the necessary cooling of
screws into a threaded bore in the end of the 65 the air going through the air passages. The
shaft 35. When the hub 65 is in the position amount of Water obtained from air of any given
shown in Fig. 3, lugs 70 extend from the hub into degree of humidity, however, will depend on the
recesses in the flange 63 of shaft 35, Which is degree to Which the air is cooled below its dew
thereby held to turn with the hub. When screw point. It is desirable, therefore, that the tank
6 is unscrewed, the hub is moved outward by liquid should be cooled to a suitably low temper
spring 66, the lugs 70 being thereby withdrawn 70 ature, and for best results the cooling of the tank
from the flange recesses and shaft 35 being re water or other liquid may be carried to the point
leased from the hub. A pawl 7 on the inner Where it becomes frozen, whatever the freezing
end of the hub 65, by engaging in a notch 2 temperature of the liquid may be. After the tank
in shaft 60, acts as a one-way clutch whereby liquid has been frozen or cooled to a Suitably low
 2,409,624
5 6
temperature, the handcrank hub 6.5 may be ad having Walls of heat-conducting material, means
justed outward to release the pump-operating for Vaporizing part of the Water in said tank to
shaft 35, and the handcrank then turned to oper Cool the remaining Water in said tank to a tem
ate the blower alone until the temperature of the perature below the dew point temperature of the
tank liquid rises to a point too close to the dew Surrounding atmosphere, means for forcing air
point temperature of the surrounding air; or, from the surrounding atmosphere through said
after cooling the Water by turning the handcrank air paSSages, means for baffling the air flowing
in a direction to operate the suction pump alone, through said passages, and means for collecting
the handle, with its hub remaining in the posi the Water which is condensed from the cooled
tion of Fig. 3, may be turned in the opposite O flowing air. Y-
direction to operate the blower and at the same 3. Apparatus for extracting water from atmos
time to continue operation of the suction pump. pheric air, comprising in combination a closed
When both the vacuum pump and the blower tank for containing liquid, means providing a
are being operated after the tank liquid has been plurality of air flow passages extending through
Cooled to a desired temperature, it will not usu 5 Said tank having Walls of heat-conducting mate
ally be necessary in order to maintain the liquid rial, refrigerating means for cooling liquid in said
at the desired low temperature to have the pump tank to a temperature below the dew point tem
Operated So forcefully as when reducing the ten perature of the surrounding atmosphere, said re
peratures of the liquid. Provision is made, there frigerating means including a vacuum pump, a
fore, for reducing the stroke of the pump by re blower for forcing air from the surrounding at
ducing the effective length of the crank 32. For noSphere through said air passages, and driving
this purpose two or more pivot openings are pro connections for operating the pump and the
Vided in the crank at different distances from the blower whereby the pump and the blower may be
Shaft axis, in each of which the pivot pin for operated together or either one alone.
Connecting the pitman 36 may be entered. 4. Apparatus for extracting water from atmos
If the air which has passed through the air pheric air, comprising in combination a closed
paSSages 5, from which air water has been ex tank for containing liquid, means providing a
tracted and its moisture content thus reduced, is plurality of air flow passages extending through
Warmed to the temperature of the ingoing air, its said tank having Walls Of heat-conducting mate
humidity, that is, the amount of moisture it con 30 rial, refrigerating means for cooling liquid in said
tains as compared with that required to saturate tank to a temperature below the dewpoint tem
it at that temperature, will then be lower than perature of the Surrounding atmosphere, Said re
that of the ingoing air. frigerating means including a Vacuum pump, a
For showing the temperature of the tank liquid, blower for forcing air from the Surrounding at
a, thermometer 80 is desirably provided and may nosphere through said air passages, and driving
be an ordinary transparent tube thermometer, Connections for Operating the pump and the
as shown, extending from the top wall of the tank blower whereby the pump and the blower may be
down into one of the liquid Spaces near one of operated together or either one alone, said con
the end walls of the tank, which has a glass nections including means for changing the length
Covered sight Window 8 through Which the scale 40 of stroke of the pump.
on the thermometer tube may be viewed. A vac 5. Apparatus for extracting Water from atmos
uum gauge 85 is also desirably provided for show pheric air, comprising in combination a tank for
ing the degree of vacuum, or negative pressure, containing liquid having a plurality of air flow
in the Space in the tank below the liquid level. passages extending between and opening through
The apparatus shown and to which the descrip its end walls, said passages being formed each by
tion has been largely confined is designed for two closely spaced thin plates of heat-conducting
Small readily portable units intended to be used material transversely corrugated to provide a pas
for obtaining water, and is to be taken as an illus sage of serpentine form and the passages being
trative embodiment of the apparatus features of 50 baffled to increase the length of the airflow paths,
refrigerating means for cooling liquid in Said tank
the invention, and it is to be understood that to a temperature below the dew point tempera
apparatus embodying apparatus features of the
invention and for practicing the method may ture of the surrounding atmosphere, means for
differ Widely in construction and arrangement of forcing air from the Surrounding atmosphere
parts and in the character of parts thereof With through said passages, and means for collecting
out departing from the invention as defined in the water which is condensed from the cooled
the claims. w foWing air.
What is claimed is: 6. Apparatus for extracting Water from atmos
i. Apparatus for obtaining water from atmos pheric air, comprising in combination a closed
pheric air, comprising in combination a tank for tank for containing water, means providing a
containing water, means providing a plurality of 60 plurality of air flow passages extending through
tortuous air flow passages extending through said said tank having walls of heat-conducting mate
tank having walls of heat-conducting material, rial, refrigerating means for cooling the Water in
means for vaporizing part of the Water in said said tank to a temperature below the dew point
tank to cool the remaining Water in said tank to temperature of the surrounding atmosphere, said
a temperature below the dew point temperature 65 refrigerating means including a vacuum pump to
of the surrounding atmosphere, means for forcing reduce the pressure above the Water in Said tank
air from the Surrounding atmosphere through and thereby cause part of said Water to vaporize
said air passages, and means for Collecting the with abstraction of heat from the remainder
Water which is condensed from the cool flowing thereof, a blower for passing air from the Sur
air. 70 rounding atmosphere through said air paSSages
2. Apparatus for obtaining water from atmos and driving connections for operating the pump
pheric air, comprising in combination a tank for and the blower whereby the pump and the blower
containing water, means providing a plurality of may be operated together or either one alone.
air flow passages extending through said tank BERNARD GRAN WITLE.