Environmental control system

An environmental control system for maintaining a predetermined air temperature and relative humidity level of the interior of an enclosure, comprising:

• a liquid chiller to cool a first liquid being pumped therethrough, said liquid chiller located exterior to the enclosure, said liquid chiller having first supply and return lines entering the enclosure;
• a first heat exchanging unit located interior to the enclosure and connected to said liquid chiller via said first supply and return lines to define a first liquid circuit, said first heat exchanging unit having second supply and return lines through which a second liquid flows in a second liquid circuit;
• an air handler having a cabinet with a second heat exchanging unit and a blower disposed therein, said second heat exchanging unit being connected to said second supply line to receive the cooled second liquid, said blower adapted to direct enclosure air over said second heat exchanging unit to cool the enclosure air;
• and
• a liquid cascade unit having at least one surface with an upper and lower portion and a liquid collection pan attached to said lower portion, said upper portion being operatively connected to said second heat exchanging unit such that the second liquid flows down from said upper portion toward said lower portion and into said liquid collection pan, said liquid collection pan connected to said first heat exchanging via second return line to complete said second liquid circuit;
• wherein said air handler is operative to cool the air inside the enclosure to a predetermined temperature and said liquid cascade unit is also operative to cool the air inside the enclosure and further operative to regulate the relative humidity within the enclosure.

An environmental control system for maintaining a predetermined air temperature and relative humidity level of the interior of an enclosure, comprising:

• a first control loop operative to cool the air interior to the enclosure comprising
• a liquid chiller to cool a first liquid being pumped therethrough;
• an air handler having a cabinet with a first heat exchanging unit and a blower disposed therein, said first heat exchanging unit being operatively connected to said liquid chiller to receive the cooled first liquid being discharged therefrom, said blower adapted to direct enclosure air over said heat exchanging unit such that the enclosure air is cooled;
• and
• a second heat exchanging unit connected to said first heat exchanger to receive the cooled first liquid and further connected to said chiller to return the first liquid thereto;
• and
• a second control loop operative to cool the air interior to the enclosure and maintain the relative humidity within the enclosure comprising
• a reservoir for holding a second liquid;
• a liquid pump associated with said reservoir, said liquid pump being operatively connected to a relative humidity sensor, said liquid pump being nonoperative when the relative humidity within the enclosure goes above a predetermined value;
• said liquid pump connected to said second heat exchanging unit such that the cooled first liquid cools the second liquid passing through said second heat exchanging unit;
• and
• a liquid cascade unit having at least one surface with an upper and lower portion and a liquid collection pan attached to said lower portion, said upper portion being operatively connected to said second heat exchanging unit such that the cooled second liquid flows down from said upper portion toward said lower portion and into said liquid collection pan, said liquid collection pan being connected to said reservoir to return the collected liquid.

A method for controlling the air temperature and relative humidity at predetermined levels within an enclosure, the steps comprising:

• circulating chilled water at a flow rate through a heat exchanging unit;
• drawing air over said heat exchanging unit to cool the air to a predetermined temperature;
• cascading the discharged chilled water from said heat exchanging unit down a liquid cascade unit to provide relative humidity control within the enclosure;
• and
• chilling the water discharged from said liquid cascade unit.

A method for controlling the air temperature and relative humidity at predetermined levels within an enclosure, the steps comprising:

• circulating a first chilled liquid through a first heat exchanging unit;
• circulating a second liquid through said first heat exchanging unit such that the second liquid is chilled by the first chilled liquid;
• circulating the second chilled liquid through a second heat exchanging unit
• drawing air over said second heat exchanging unit to cool the air to a predetermined temperature;
• cascading the discharged second chilled liquid from said second heat exchanging unit down a liquid cascade unit such that relative humidity control within the enclosure is maintain at a predetermined value;
• and
• recirculating the second liquid through said first heat exchanging unit.

A method for controlling the air temperature and relative humidity at predetermined levels within an enclosure, the steps comprising:

• circulating chilled water through a first water circuit, said first circuit comprising a first heat exchanging unit connected to a second heat exchanging unit connected to a liquid chiller;
• drawing air over said first heat exchanging unit to cool the air to a predetermined temperature;
• circulating water through a second water circuit at a predetermined flow rate, said first and second water circuits being separate of each other, said second water circuit comprising said second heat exchanging unit connected to a liquid cascade unit connected to a relative humidity control unit, said water in said second water circuit being cooled within said second heat exchanging unit by the chilled water in said first water circuit;
• cascading the chilled water from said second heat exchanging unit down said liquid cascade unit;
• monitoring the relative humidity within the enclosure;
• and
• changing the flow rate through said second water circuit to maintain the relative humidity a predetermined value.

An environmental control system for controlling an air temperature and relative humidity level of the interior of an enclosure, comprising:

• a chiller;
• an air handler having a cabinet with a heat exchanging unit and a blower disposed therein, said chiller operably connected to said heat exchanging unit, said blower adapted to direct enclosure air over said heat exchanging unit such that the enclosure air is cooled;
• and
• a liquid cascade unit coupled to said air handler and having at least one surface with an upper and lower portion and a liquid collection pan attached to said lower portion;
• a liquid supply configured to supply liquid to said upper portion such that liquid flows down from said upper portion toward said lower portion and into said liquid collection pan;
• wherein said air handler is operative to cool the air inside the enclosure and said liquid cascade unit is operative to regulate the relative humidity within the enclosure.