Ventilator system and method

A ventilator device for selectively introducing outside air into and exhausting air from an enclosed space, said device comprising:

• a heat exchanger;
• an exhaust conduit and a fresh air conduit for said heat exchanger;
• an exhaust air mover for moving exhaust air through said exhaust conduit and said heat exchanger;
• a fresh air mover for moving fresh air through said fresh air conduit and said heat exchanger;
• a programmed controller;
• said controller being programmed to direct said exhaust air and said outside air through said heat exchanger to exchange heat between said exhaust air and said outside air in a first mode of operation, and to switch to a second mode of operation in which said exchange of heat is reduced or eliminated, said controller being programmed to operate said ventilator device in said second mode by energizing said fresh air handler while reducing the speed of or stopping said exhaust air handler.

A ventilator device for selectively introducing outside air into and exhausting air from an enclosed space, said device comprising:

• a heat exchanger;
• an exhaust air conduit and a fresh air conduit for said heat exchanger;
• an exhaust air mover for moving exhaust air through said exhaust conduit and said heat exchanger;
• a fresh air mover for moving fresh air through said fresh air conduit and said heat exchanger;
• in which said heat exchanger is a rotary heat wheel;
• and
• including an evaporative cooling device for selectively cooling exhaust air before said exhaust air passes through said heat exchanger.

A ventilator device for selectively introducing outside air into and exhausting air from an enclosed space, said device comprising:

• a heat exchanger;
• an exhaust air conduit and a fresh air conduit for said heat exchanger;
• an exhaust air mover for moving exhaust air through said exhaust conduit and said heat exchanger;
• a fresh air mover for moving fresh air through said fresh air conduit and said heat exchanger;
• an evaporative cooling device for selectively cooling exhaust air before said exhaust air passes through said heat exchanger;
• said evaporative cooling device including a water supply conduit for supplying water to said evaporative cooling device, and including another heat exchanger positioned in said fresh air conduit and connected to said water supply conduit to use said fresh air to heat the water being supplied through said water supply conduit and cool said fresh air.

A ventilator device for selectively introducing outside air into and exhausting air from an enclosed space, said device comprising:

• a heat exchanger;
• an exhaust air conduit and a fresh air conduit for said heat exchanger;
• an exhaust air mover for moving exhaust air through said exhaust conduit and said heat exchanger;
• a fresh air mover for moving fresh air through said fresh air conduit and said heat exchanger;
• a desiccant wheel and further conduit means for guiding said fresh air through a first portion of said wheel and for guiding said exhaust air through another portion of said wheel to exchange moisture between said desiccant wheel and said fresh air and said exhaust air.

A ventilator device for selectively introducing outside air into and exhausting air from an enclosed space, said device comprising:

• an exhaust air conduit;
• a fresh air conduit;
• air moving means for selectively moving fresh air through said fresh air conduit and for moving exhaust air through said exhaust air conduit;
• a refrigeration system using the phase change of a refrigerant fluid for refrigeration, said refrigeration system comprising
• an evaporator in said fresh air conduit;
• a first condenser in said fresh air conduit downstream from said evaporator;
• a second condenser in said exhaust air conduit;
• a compressor for compressing refrigerant gas received from said evaporator and delivering refrigerant liquid as an output;
• valve means for selectively guiding said refrigerant gas to said condensers to produce cooling of said fresh air with a variable amount of reheating of said fresh air.

A method of ventilating an enclosed space and reducing humidity in said space by means of refrigeration, said method including the steps of:

• (a) introducing fresh air into said space and cooling said fresh air by flowing said fresh air through an evaporator for a refrigeration system;
• (b) flowing said fresh air past a first condenser for said refrigeration system;
• (c) flowing exhaust air from said enclosed space past a second condenser for said refrigeration system;
• and
• (d) selectively flowing refrigerant gas in said refrigerant system through either said first or said second condenser to provide variable reheating of said fresh air.

A ventilator device for selectively introducing outside air into and exhausting air from an enclosed space, said device comprising:

• a heat exchanger;
• an exhaust air conduit and a fresh air conduit for said heat exchanger;
• an exhaust air mover for moving exhaust air through said exhaust conduit and said heat exchanger;
• a fresh air mover for moving fresh air through said fresh air conduit and said heat exchanger;
• a first liquid desiccant chamber in sdaid fresh air conduit for containing said fresh air with liquid desiccant after said fresh air leaves said heat exchanger, and a pump for circulating said liquid desiccant through said chamber in contact with said fresh air.

A ventilator device for selectively introducing outside air into and exhausting air from an enclosed space, said device comprising:

• a first heat exchanger;
• a second heat exchanger;
• each of said heat exchangers having
• a first plurality of flow passageways for conducting air in a first direction, and
• a second plurality of flow passageways interleaved with said first flow passageways for conducting air in a second direction transverse to said first direction,
• said heat exchangers being coupled together with said first flow passages in series with one another,
• a fresh air conduit and air mover for conducting fresh air through said first flow passages, and
• at least one exhaust air conduit and air mover for conducting exhaust air through said second flow passageways of said heat exchangers with said second flow passageways of said heat exchangers being in parallel with one another.

A ventilator device for selectively introducing outside air into and exhausting air from an enclosed space, said device comprising:

• a heating/cooling device for said enclosed space, said heating/cooling device having an air handler for distributing heated or cooled air into said enclosed space, said air handling having outlet and inlet conduits and sending heated or cooled air under positive pressure through said outlet conduit, and receiving return air from said enclosed space through said return conduit;
• a heat exchanger having a fresh air conduit and an exhaust air conduit with heat-exchange means for exchanging heat between the air flowing through said conduits;
• each of said fresh air and exhaust air conduits having an inlet and an outlet;
• said inlet of said exhaust air conduit being connected to said outlet conduit of said air handler for extracting a minor proportion of the air flowing through said outlet conduit;
• and
• said outlet of said fresh air conduit being connected to said return conduit for adding a minor proportion of fresh air to the return air flowing to said air handler.