Flat Membrane Device for Dehumidification of Air

A device based on the transport of water through a membrane to a vacuum has been developed for dehumidifying a stream of air in the life-support system of a spacecraft or space suit. The device could also be adapted to terrestrial use in dehumidification of air in an air-conditioning stream or drying of air or another gas in a chemical processing stream. The design of this device is an advance in that it decreases (relative to prior designs) the weight, power consumption, and volume of the dehumidifier in the life-support system or other gas-circulation system in which the device is used. In the case of a spacecraft or space suit, the design thereby also increases safety and health margins. Although the membranes in the device must be replaced periodically and a vacuum source is essential for its operation, no other dehumidifier works as well in a spacecraft or space suit.