Regenerative bed heat exchanger and valve therefor

A ventilator comprising two regenerative bed heat exchangers each provided with a regenerative heat exchange bed, comprising

• a first enclosed heat exchange compartment containing a first air permeable heat exchange bed having
• a first air inlet provided with a first fresh air inlet port and a first stale air inlet port, and
• a first air outlet provided with a first air outlet port and a first stale air outlet port,
• a second enclosed heat exchange compartment containing a second air permeable heat exchange bed having
• a second air inlet provided with a second fresh air inlet port and a second stale air inlet port, and
• a second air outlet provided with a second air outlet port and a second stale air outlet port,
• the first and second heat exchange beds each comprising a bed of a heat recovery medium capable of absorbing and releasing heat, for alternately absorbing heat from and releasing heat into an air stream, each bed having opposed air-permeable faces which permit a flow of air through the medium,
• the first heat exchange bed separating the first fresh air inlet port from the first stale air inlet port and separating the first stale air outlet port from the first fresh air outlet port and the second heat exchange bed separating the second fresh air inlet port from the second stale air inlet port and separating the second stale air outlet port from the second fresh air outlet port such that
• a first fresh air flow path is created through the first fresh air inlet port, through the first heat exchange bed and through the first fresh air outlet port,
• a first stale air flow path is created through the first stale air inlet port, through the first heat exchange bed and through the first stale air outlet port,
• a second fresh air flow path is created through the second fresh air inlet port, through the second heat exchange bed and through the second fresh air outlet port, and
• a second stale air flow path is created through the second stale air inlet port, through the second heat exchange bed and through the second stale air outlet port, and
• valve means for alternately
• simultaneously opening the first stale air inlet port, the first stale air outlet port, the second fresh air inlet port and the second fresh air outlet port while closing the first fresh air inlet port, the first fresh air outlet port, the second stale air inlet port and the second stale air outlet port, or
• simultaneously opening the first fresh air inlet port, the first fresh air outlet port, the second stale air inlet port and the second stale air outlet port while closing the first stale air inlet port, the first stale air outlet port, the
• second fresh air inlet port and the second fresh air outlet port,
• wherein the valve means comprises a rotating inlet valve member having a valve surface interposed between the first air inlet and the first heat exchange bed and between the second air inlet and the second heat exchange bed, comprising a first inlet valve opening positioned to come into alignment with the first fresh inlet port when a second inlet valve opening comes into alignment with the second stale air inlet port, and a rotating outlet valve member having a valve surface interposed between the first air outlet and the first heat exchange bed and between the second air outlet and the second heat exchange bed, fixed in position relative to the inlet valve member and comprising a first outlet valve opening positioned to come into alignment with the first fresh outlet port when a second outlet valve opening comes into alignment with the second stale air outlet port, such that when the first inlet valve opening comes into alignment with the first stale air inlet port the first outlet valve opening comes into alignment with the first stale air outlet port, and when first the inlet valve opening comes into alignment with the fresh air inlet port the first outlet valve opening comes into alignment with the fresh air outlet port.

A valve for a heat exchange apparatus comprising an enclosed heat exchange compartment containing an air permeable regenerative heat exchange bed comprising a bed of a heat recovery medium capable of absorbing and releasing heat, for alternately absorbing heat from and releasing heat into an air stream, the bed having air-permeable faces which permit a flow of air through the medium, an air inlet provided with a fresh air inlet port and a stale air inlet port and an air outlet provided with a fresh air outlet port and a stale air outlet port, the heat exchange bed separating the fresh air inlet port from the stale air inlet port and separating the stale air outlet port from the fresh air outlet port such that a fresh air flow path is created through the fresh air inlet port, through the heat recovery medium and through the fresh air outlet port and a stale air flow path is created through the stale air inlet port, through the heat recovery medium and through the stale air outlet port, the valve comprising

• a rotating inlet valve member having a valve surface interposed between the air inlet and the heat exchange bed, comprising an inlet valve opening positioned to come into alignment with the stale air inlet port or the fresh air inlet port, and
• a rotating outlet valve member having a valve surface interposed between the air outlet and the heat exchange bed, fixed in position relative to the inlet valve member and comprising an outlet valve opening offset circumferentially relative to the inlet valve opening,
• such that when the inlet valve opening comes into alignment with the stale air inlet port the outlet valve opening comes into alignment with the stale air outlet port, and when the inlet valve opening comes into alignment with the fresh air inlet port the outlet valve opening comes into alignment with the fresh air outlet port.