Controlled agricultural system with energy wheel for treating recirculating air and method of using same

A controlled agricultural system, comprising:

• an enclosure having sidewalls and an overhead wall defining an agricultural growing space;
• a heat wheel capable of transferring sensible heat, the heat wheel positioned in and rotatable through both a recirculating air duct and an outside air duct, the recirculating air duct adjacent the outside air duct and in fluid connection with the agricultural growing space and one or more recirculation fans, the recirculating air duct configured to recirculate air from the agricultural growing space back to the agricultural growing space, the outside air duct in fluid connection with one or more outside air fans positioned to cause outside air to flow countercurrent to recirculating air;
• and
• a desiccant wheel capable of transferring latent heat, the desiccant wheel positioned in and rotatable through the recirculating air duct in series with the heat wheel such that recirculating air passes through the desiccant wheel prior to passing through the heat wheel, wherein
• the agricultural growing space and the recirculating air duct are not vented to or from the outside air.

A method for treating air within an agricultural growing space of an agricultural system, the method comprising:

• recirculating air from the agricultural growing space through an air handling system, the air handling system comprising at least one energy wheel to reduce energy content of the recirculating air;
• returning the recirculating air to the agricultural growing space;
• and
• passing outside air through the at least one energy wheel, the outside air passing counter-current to and separated from the recirculating air, wherein
• the agricultural growing space and the recirculating air are not vented to or from the outside air.

A controlled air system in combination with a greenhouse, the controlled air system comprising:

• an enthalpy wheel capable of transferring sensible and latent heat, the enthalpy wheel positioned in and rotatable through a bifurcated duct, the duct having a recirculating air portion and an outside air portion, the recirculating air portion in fluid connection with the greenhouse and one or more recirculation fans, the recirculating air portion configured to recirculate air from the greenhouse back to the greenhouse, the outside air portion in fluid connection with one or more outside air fans positioned to cause outside air to flow countercurrent to recirculating air;
• and
• a cooling coil within the recirculating air portion of the bifurcated duct, downstream of and in series with the enthalpy wheel, the cooling coil circulating a heat transfer fluid to remove heat from air within the recirculating air portion of the bifurcated duct, wherein
• the greenhouse and the recirculating air duct are not vented to or from the outside air.