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US 6,427,454 B1Granted
Air conditioner and controller for active dehumidification while using ambient air to prevent overcooling
OwnerMichael K. Westinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Dehumidification is achieved using an air conditioning system, by employing an independent humidity control signal to direct ambient air through a heat exchanger and a bypass to the heat exchanger. The air passing through the heat exchanger is dehumidified and mixed with the bypassed air before returning dehumidified air to a controlled space.
Claims49
An air conditioning system for humidity control, comprising,
- a means for cooling;
- a means for directing an air flow to said means for cooling and to a bypass to said means for cooling, and to a mixing means for mixing said air flow to said means for cooling and to said bypass;
- a means for controlling connected to said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow, for producing an active or inactive humidity signal responsive to a change in relative humidity in relation to a humidity setting, for controlling said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow;
- said means for directing an air flow, increasing said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal.
1 more element
In an air conditioning system for cooling ambient air or ambient and outside air for dehumidifying a controlled space, a dehumidifying system, comprising,
- a means for cooling;
- a means for directing an air flow to said means for cooling and to a bypass for bypassing said means for cooling and to a mixing means for mixing said cooled air flow and said bypassed air flows;
- a means for controlling connected to said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow and for producing an active or inactive humidity signal responsive to a change in relative humidity in relation to a humidity setting, for controlling said cooling means and said air flow means;
- said means for directing an air flow, increasing said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal;
- said means for cooling, responsive to said active humidity control signal, cooling said air flow to said cooling means;
- said means for controlling producing an active or inactive temperature signal responsive to a change in temperature in relation to a temperature setting;
- and
- said humidity signal is independent of said temperature signal and said means for directing an air flow, increases said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal and when said temperature signal is inactive.
5 more elements
A method for dehumidification, comprising the steps of,
- directing an air flow to a means for cooling, and to a bypass to said means for cooling, and to a mixing means for mixing the air flow to said means for cooling and the said bypass;
- controlling said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow, in response to an active or inactive humidity signal indicative of a change in relative humidity;
- and
- increasing said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal.
1 more element
An air conditioning system for humidity control, comprising,
- a means for cooling;
- a means for directing an air flow to said means for cooling and to a bypass to said means for cooling, and to a mixing means for mixing said air flow to said means for cooling and to said bypass;
- a means for controlling connected to said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow, for producing an active or inactive humidity signal responsive to a change in relative humidity in relation to a humidity setting, for controlling said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow;
- said means for directing an air flow, increasing said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal;
- and wherein,
- said active humidity signal is a proportional signal responsive to said change in relative humidity relative to said humidity setting and said means for controlling produces a proportional control signal for varying the speed of said fan in response to said active humidity signal.
3 more elements
An air conditioning system for humidity control, comprising,
- a means for cooling;
- a means for directing an air flow to said means for cooling and to a bypass to said means for cooling, and to a mixing means for mixing said air flow to said means for cooling and to said bypass;
- a means for controlling connected to said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow, for producing an active or inactive humidity signal responsive to a change in relative humidity in relation to a humidity setting, for controlling said means cooling and said means for directing an air flow;
- said means for directing an air flow, increasing said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal;
- and wherein,
- said means for directing an air flow includes means for directing an ambient air flow to said cooling means and an outside air flow to said cooling means and for separating said ambient air flow from said outside air flow.
3 more elements
An air conditioning system for humidity control, comprising,
- a means for cooling;
- a means for directing an air flow to said means for cooling and to a bypass to said means for cooling, and to a mixing means for mixing said air flow to said means for cooling and to said bypass;
- a means for controlling connected to said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow, for producing an active or inactive humidity signal responsive to a change in relative humidity in relation to a humidity setting, for controlling said means cooling and said means for directing an air flow;
- said means for directing an air flow, increasing said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal;
- said means for directing an air flow includes a means for damping for increasing said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal;
- and wherein,
- said means for damping includes means for latching said means for damping in a closed position when said humidity signal is inactive.
4 more elements
A method for dehumidification, comprising the steps of,
- directing an air flow to a means for cooling, and to a bypass to said means for cooling, and to a mixing means for mixing the air flow to said means for cooling and the said bypass;
- controlling said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow, in response to an active or inactive humidity signal indicative of a change in relative humidity;
- increasing said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal;
- and
- the steps of directing an ambient air flow to said cooling means and an outside air flow to said cooling means and separating said ambient air flow from said outside air flow.
2 more elements
An air conditioning system for humidity control of a controlled space, comprising,
- a means for cooling;
- a means for directing an air flow to said means for cooling, and to a bypass to said means for cooling, and to a mixing means for mixing said air flow to said means for cooling and to said bypass, for producing a mixed air flow for a controlled space;
- a means for sensing humidity in said controlled space and for providing a humidity signal indicative of the humidity level in said controlled space;
- a means for controlling connected to said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow, and to said means for sensing humidity, for producing an active or inactive humidity control signal in response to a humidity signal indicative of a change in humidity in said controlled space, for controlling said means for directing an air flow;
- and
- said means for directing an air flow, increasing said air flow to said bypass and to said mixing means relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity control signal.
3 more elements
An air conditioning method for humidity control of a controlled space, comprising the steps of,
- directing an air flow to a heat exchanger for cooling said air flow, and to a bypass to said heat exchanger and to a mixing means for mixing said air flow to said heat exchanger and said bypass, for producing a mixed air flow for a controlled space;
- sensing humidity in said controlled space and providing a humidity signal indicative of a humidity level in said controlled space;
- producing an active or inactive humidity signal in response to a humidity signal indicative of a change in humidity in said controlled space;
- controlling said air flow, in response to said active or inactive humidity signal;
- and increasing said air flow to said bypass and to said mixing means relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity signal.
2 more elements
An air conditioning system for humidity control of a controlled space, comprising,
- a means for cooling;
- a means for directing an air flow to said means for cooling, and to a bypass to said means for cooling, and to a mixing means for mixing said air flow from said means for cooling and from said bypass, for producing a mixed air flow for a controlled space;
- a means for sensing humidity in a controlled space relative to a humidity setting, for providing an active humidity signal indicative of a humidity level in said controlled space above said humidity setting;
- a means for controlling for controlling said means for cooling and said means for directing an air flow;
- said means for directing an air flow, increasing said air flow to said bypass relative to said air flow to said cooling means, in response to said active humidity control signal.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.