Economizer having source-specific damper blade assemblies and heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit employing the same
AssigneeLennox Industries Inc.
InventorsJonathan Douglas, Erroll Eaton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An economizer having a first air inlet, a second air inlet and an air outlet, a method of operating an economizer and a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system employing the economizer. In one embodiment, the economizer includes: (1) a first damper blade assembly in fluid communication with the first air inlet and the air outlet and having a first plurality of damper blades configured to move in parallel and (2) a second damper blade assembly in fluid communication with the second air inlet and the air outlet and having a second plurality of damper blades configured to move in opposition.
Claims9
An economizer having a first air inlet, a second air inlet, an air outlet and source-specific damper blade assemblies, comprising:
- a first damper blade assembly in fluid communication with said first air inlet and said air outlet and having a first plurality of damper blades configured to move in parallel with each other;
- a second damper blade assembly in fluid communication with said second air inlet and said air outlet and having a second plurality of damper blades, wherein adjacent damper blades of said second plurality of damper blades are configured to move in opposition to each other;
- a frame, wherein said first damper blade assembly and said second damper blade assembly are both mounted in said frame;
- an elongated member configured to separate said first damper blade assembly from said second damper blade assembly in said frame;
- wherein the first and the second damper blade assemblies are interconnected using a plurality of links;
- wherein a first link of the plurality of links is configured to couple a first damper blade of the first plurality of damper blades with a second damper blade of the first plurality of damper blades;
- wherein a second link of the plurality of links is configured to couple the second damper blade of the first plurality of damper blades with a first damper blade of the second plurality of damper blades;
- wherein a third link of the plurality of links is configured to couple the second damper blade of the first plurality of damper blades with a second damper blade of the second plurality of damper blades;
- wherein a fourth link of the plurality of links is configured to couple the second damper blade of the second plurality of damper blades with a third damper blade of the second plurality of damper blades;
- and
- wherein, during operation of the economizer, the first plurality of damper blades are operable to move in parallel with each other and the second plurality of damper blades are operable to move in opposition to each other at the same time.
A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
- an economizer having a return air inlet, an outdoor air inlet and a blended air outlet and including:
- a frame;
- an elongated member;
- a first damper blade assembly mounted in said frame, in fluid communication with said return air inlet and said blended air outlet and having a first plurality of damper blades configured to move in parallel with each other;
- a second damper blade assembly mounted in said frame, in fluid communication, with said outdoor air inlet and said blended air outlet and having a second plurality of damper blades, wherein adjacent damper blades of said second plurality of damper blades are configured to move in opposition to each other and said return air inlet and said outdoor air inlet receive air from different sources, wherein said elongated member is positioned to separate said first damper blade assembly from said second damper blade assembly in said frame;
- wherein the first and the second damper blade assemblies are interconnected using a plurality of links;
- wherein a first link of the plurality of links is configured to couple a first damper blade of the first plurality of damper blades with a second damper blade of the first plurality of damper blades;
- wherein a second link of the plurality of links is configured to couple the second damper blade of the first plurality of damper blades with a first damper blade of the second plurality of damper blades;
- wherein a third link of the plurality of links is configured to couple the second damper blade of the first plurality of damper blades with a second damper blade of the second plurality of damper blades;
- wherein a fourth link of the plurality of links is configured to couple the second damper blade of the second plurality of damper blades with a third damper blade of the second plurality of damper blades;
- and
- wherein, during operation of the economizer, the first plurality of damper blades are operable to move in parallel with each other and the second plurality of damper blades are operable to move in opposition to each other at the same time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.