US 3,981,445 AGranted

Variable volume air wall

OwnerWarren L. Custerinventor

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Abstract

A temperature modifying system for a building having windows, some of which are exposed to the direct rays of the sun and some of which are not. The system includes a plurality of double paned windows, a heat exchange unit, an air ducting system interconnecting the windows and heat exchange unit, and an air handling unit for forcing air through the ducting system. The air moves sequentially through the heat exchange unit, the air handling unit, the ducting to the windows, through the double paned windows and back through ducting to the heat exchange unit. Each window includes parallel transparent panels spaced apart in a conventional manner, but including apertures for the entrance and exit of air conducted through the system. Light and heat reflecting slat means are mounted between the parallel panels to reflect outwardly the radiant heat from the sun. A temperature sensing device is mounted to measure the temperature of the air exiting from each active window unit. The temperature sensing device is connected with apparatus to regulate valving structure which controls the volume of air admitted to the window enclosure between the panels, i.e., with an increase in temperature the valving structure will move to increase the volume of air passing into the enclosure and thereby remove more heat from the enclosure to reduce the temperature of the exiting air.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A temperature modifying system primarily for the periphery of a building including the combination of a heat exchange unit, ducting means, at least two windows and means for forcing air through the unit, ducting means and windows,

the ducting means being for sequentially conducting air to the heat exchange unit, the air forcing means and the windows, said ducting means being connected to each of said windows such that air from said heat exchange unit passes through only one window prior to its return to the heat exchange unit,
the windows being located in window openings in the building, at least one window being exposed to direct radiant heat from the sun and at least one other being shaded from the sun,
each window including parallel transparent panels spaced apart by means forming a substantially fluid tight enclosure with said panels, said enclosure means including aperture means at its bottom and top for ingress and egress of air from the ducting means,
one said panel being exposed to air outside the building and the other said panel being exposed to air inside the building,
aligned slat means mounted between said parallel panels for absorbing and reflecting radiant heat,
separate volume control means for the shaded window and exposed window for regulating the volume of air passing into the enclosures such that the exit temperatures of the air from the enclosures are substantially equal,
a temperature sensing device near the point of egress of the air of each said windows, said temperature sensing device being operatively connected to means for modifying the size of the ingress aperture, said modifying means increasing the size of the ingress aperture when the temperature sensing device senses an increase in temperature of the air exiting the enclosure.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.