WEST HARTFORD, Conn. and LONGBOAT KEY, Fla. — Nanocap Technologies LLC has announced the Nanocap Process, which uses capillary condensation and then osmosis through a semi-permeable membrane to dry air. Based on nanopore technology and available for licensing, this patented process is said to be significantly more efficient than conventional dehumidification, which cools air down to the dew point to get water vapor to condense and drip off refrigerated coils, then heats the air back up to a comfortable temperature. Nanocap’s process eliminates cooling and reheating the air.

With this new process, Nanocap Technologies said air is pre-dried, separate from the cooling process. There is no need to cool air to the dew point and then reheat it to comfortable temperatures. Air conditioning would be used much less in cool, high humidity weather. The company claims that energy savings of 20-35 percent can be expected during typical air conditioning use.

The technology is also said to increase comfort. Humidity control is independent of cooling so air is neither too warm nor too cold. A “comfort-stat” will have humidistat and thermostat controls for individual comfort.

The dehumidifier may be incorporated in air conditioning systems either as embedded technology during the manufacturing process, or as a simple retrofit to existing systems.

Nanocap said the technology’s polymer membranes are flexible, compact, and inexpensive. The membranes are also long-lasting and do not degrade.

For more information, visit www.nanocaptechnologies.com.

Publication date: 3/16/2015

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