US 3,934,795 A · Dual duct variable volume air conditioning system

Abstract

A dual duct variable volume air conditioning system has a first, cold duct for supplying cold air and a second, reset duct for supplying either hot air in a first mode of operation or cold air in a second mode of operation. A self-contained system regulator positions first and second valves in the first and second ducts in response to changes in room temperature. The regulator is effective to reverse the direction of response of the second valve to temperature in the second mode of operation from the direction of response of that valve to a similar temperature change in the first mode of operation so that the reset duct can be used as a hot duct with the system supplying warm or cold air on demand in the heating season (without mixing) and as a cold duct to double the cooling capacity of the system in the cooling season. The system includes an integrated sensor-actuator for each air flow duct having a diaphragm which both senses the flow velocity in the duct and positions the valve in the duct through a direct mechanical connection. The actuator moves the valve with changes in flow velocity using the pressures in the duct without a relay.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A variable volume conditioned air distribution system for supplying a regulated volume of conditioned air to a room or other space and comprising,

a first, cold duct for supplying cold air,
a first movable member in the first, cold duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct,
a second, reset duct for supplying either hot air in a first mode of operation or cold air in a second mode of operation,
a second movable member in the second, reset duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct,
and control means for positioning the first and second movable members in response to temperature in the room and effective to supply in sequence either a controlled variable volume of hot air from the reset duct alone on demand or a controlled variable volume of cold air from the cold duct alone on demand in the first mode of operation and effective to reverse the direction of response of the second movable member to temperature change in the second mode of operation from the direction of response of the second movable member to a similar temperature change in the first mode of operation so that the reset duct can be used as a hot duct with the system supplying either hot or cold air on demand in the heating season and as a cold duct to increase the cooling capacity of the system in the cooling season up to the total combined capacity of the first and second ducts.

2 more elements

A variable volume conditioned air distribution system for supplying a regulated volume of conditioned air to a room or other space and comprising,

a first, cold duct for supplying cold air,
a first movable member in the first, cold duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct,
a second, reset duct for supplying either hot air in a first mode of operation or cold air in a second mode of operation,
a second movable member in the second, reset duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct,
and control means for positioning the first and second movable members in response to temperature in the room and effective to supply either a variable volume of hot air from the reset duct on demand or a variable volume of cold air from the cold duct on demand in the first mode of operation and effective to reverse the direction of response of the second movable member to temperature change in the second mode of operation from the direction of response of the second movable member to a similar temperature change in the first mode of operation so that the reset duct can be used as a hot duct with the system supplying either hot or cold air on demand in the heating season and as a cold duct to increase the cooling capacity of the system in the cooling season up to the total combined capacity of the first and second ducts, and wherein the control means include first orifice means for controlling the position of the first movable member and second and third orifice means for controlling the position of the second movable member and including sequence means for controlling the sequence of operation of the first, second and third orifice means and wherein each orifice means includes a fixed diameter bleed flow opening, a cap movable toward and away from the opening to vary the bleed flow through the opening and a diaphragm for positioning the cap, and wherein the sequencing means include a spring for each diaphragm and an adjustable member for changing the biasing force exerted by the spring on the diaphragm.

2 more elements

A distribution system for supplying a regulated variable volume of conditioned air to a room or other space, and comprising,

a first duct for supplying cold air,
a first volume regulator means in the first duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the first duct,
a second duct for supplying hot air,
a second volume regulator means in the second duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the second duct, a room temperature sensor simultaneously controlling both volume regulators.
and control means for positioning the first and second volume regulator means in response to temperature in the room and effective to supply conditioned air from only one of the ducts at a time without mixing with air from the other duct, except for a possible small overlap required to maintain minimum ventilation requirements.

2 more elements

A variable volume conditioned air distribution system for supplying a regulated volume of conditioning air to a room or other space and comprising,

a first cold duct for supplying cold air,
a first movable member in the first cold duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct,
first actuator means for moving the first movable member,
first air flow velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the first duct and operatively associated with the first actuator means for moving the first movable member in response to changes in the air flow velocity in said first duct,
a second reset duct for supplying either hot air in a first mode of operation or cold air in a second mode of operation,
a second movable member in the second reset duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct,
second actuator means for moving the second movable member,
second air flow velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the second duct and operatively associated with the second actuator means for moving the second movable member in response to changes in the air flow velocity in said second duct,
and control means operatively associated with the first and second air flow velocity sensing means and the first and second actuator means for positioning the first and second movable members in response to temperature in the room and effective to supply in sequence either a controlled variable volume of hot air from the reset duct on demand or a controlled variable volume of cold air from the cold duct on demand in the first mode of operation and effective to reverse the direction of response of the second movable member to temperature change in the second mode of operation from the direction of response of the second movable member to a similar temperature change in the first mode of operation so that the reset duct can be used as a hot duct with the system supplying either hot or cold air on demand in the heating system and as a cold duct to increase the cooling capacity of the system in the cooling season up to the total combined capacity of the first and second ducts.

6 more elements

A dual duct, variable volume, conditioned air distribution system for supplying a regulated volume of conditioned air to a room or other space, and comprising,

a first duct for supplying cold air,
a first volume regulator means including a first movable member in the first duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the first duct,
first air flow velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the first duct and operatively associated with the first volume regulator means for moving the first movable member in response to changes in the air flow velocity in said first duct,
a second reset duct for supplying either hot air in a first mode of operation or cold air in a second mode of operation,
a second volume regulator means including a second movable member in the second reset duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the second duct,
second air flow velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity in the second duct and operatively associated with the second volume regulator means for moving the second movable member in response to changes in the air flow velocity in said second duct,
control means operatively associated with the first and second air flow velocity sensing means and the first and second volume regulator means for positioning the first and second volume regulator means in response to temperature in the room and effective in the first mode of operation to supply conditioned air from only one of the hot and cold air ducts at a time without mixing with air from the other duct, except for a possible small overlap required to maintain minimum ventilation requirements, and also effective to reverse the direction of response of the second volume regulator means to temperature change in the second mode of operation from the direction of response to a similar temperature change in the first mode of operation so that the reset duct can be used as a hot duct with the system supplying hot or cold air on demand in the heating season and as a cold duct to increase the cooling capacity of the system in the cooling season up to the total combined capacity of the first and second ducts.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dual duct variable volume air conditioning system

Life of this patent

Dual duct variable volume air conditioning system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31