US 5,461,877 AGranted

Air conditioning for humid climates

AssigneeLuminis Pty. Ltd.

InventorsAllan Shaw, Russell E. Luxton

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Abstract

An air conditioner with coolant pumped from a chiller first through a heat exchange conduit of an outside air heat exchanger to provide a minimum wetted surface temperature when treating undiluted outside air at its current temperature and humidity as it passes through this heat exchanger so to make maximum use of the available potential difference between the outside air and the coolant and therefore to cause maximum dehumidification. The leaving coolant from the outside air heat exchanger is the source of the coolant which then passes to the return air heat exchanger which cools and dehumidifies the return air. The leaving air streams from the return and outside air heat exchangers are mixed to become the supply air for a conditioned room which is economically dehumidified without need to overcool and reheat, nor to curtail the design flow rate of ventilation air and hence without contributing to conditions which are associated with the "sick building syndrome." As a consequence there results a design which performs to standards over its full range of operation with low noise and low operating costs.

Claims19

Dependent claims

Air conditioning means for controlling the temperature and humidity of air in at least one space, with respect to air outside of said at least one space and heat and moisture sources within said at least one space, to a set temperature and humidity, comprising:

an outside air heat exchanger through which said outside air passes before passing into said at least one space,
return air treatment means comprising at least one return air heat exchanger for each said space through which air from said space passes before returning to said space,
coolant flow conduits connecting said outside air and return air heat exchangers, the configuration of said conduits arranged so that coolant is directed first through said outside air heat exchanger and subsequently through said at least one return air heat exchanger,
pump means to circulate coolant through said outside and return air heat exchangers,
control means for controlling the flow rate of coolant through said return air heat exchangers,
air flow means to create both air flow of outside air through said outside air heat exchanger into said at least one space and to create air flow of air from within said at least one space through said return air heat exchanger connected to said space before returning back into said space, and
air flow directing means which causes air from said outside and return air heat;
exchangers to mix before flowing into said at least one space, said outside air flow equalling at least the ventilation air requirements for said at least one space,
the coolant flow through the outside air heat exchanger being such that the coolant entering said return air heat exchanger after exiting said Outside air heat exchanger is at the temperature required to cool the incoming return air to a temperature and humidity such that when the air from said outside and return air heat exchangers are mixed and supplied to said at least one space, the air in said at least one space is at said set temperature and humidity.

6 more elements

A method of air conditioning for controlling the temperature and humidity of air in at least one space, with respect to air outside of said at least one space and heat and moisture sources within said at least one space, to a set temperature and humidity comprising:

(a) passing said outside air through an outside air heat exchanger before passing said outside air into said space,
(b) passing air from within said space through a return air treatment means comprising at least one return air heat exchanger before returning said air to said at least one space,
(c) directing the air flow through said outside and return air heat exchangers so that air flow exiting said heat exchangers mixes prior to entering said at least one space, said outside air flow equalling at least the ventilation requirements for said at least one space,
(d) providing coolant flow to said outside air heat exchanger and said return air treatment means such that coolant is first directed through said outside air heat exchanger, and subsequently through said at least one return air heat exchanger,
(e) controlling the flow rate of coolant through said return air heat exchangers the flow rate of the coolant through said outside air heat exchanger such that the coolant leaving said outside air heat exchanger and entering said return air heat exchangers is at a temperature required to cool the incoming return air to a temperature and humidity such that when the air from said outside and return air heat exchangers are mixed and supplied to said at least one space, the air in said at least one space is at said set temperature and humidity.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.