Integrated dehumidification system
First Claim
1. A system for controlling indoor environmental conditions, comprising:
- a vapor-compression refrigerant loop with a compressor, a condenser, a reheat coil, an expansion device, and an evaporator coil;
an air mover that drives an indoor air stream sequentially across the evaporator and a reheat coil;
a plurality of valves disposed within the vapor-compression loop; and
a controller operably connected to the vapor-compression loop, the air mover and the plurality of valves, wherein the condenser discharges heat to an outdoor environment, and the controller controls a plurality of dehumidification stages including a stage that causes refrigerant to condense in the reheat coil.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dynamic system controls indoor relative humidity and temperature to achieve specified conditions by applying multiple stages of dehumidification. In addition to an optional stage that increases dehumidification by reducing the speed of the indoor blower, the system uses a reheat coil and multiple valves that allow the reheat coil to function as either a subcooling coil or a partial condenser. Thus the system can maintain specified indoor temperature and humidity conditions even at times when no heating or cooling is needed. The system may have an outdoor condensing unit including a compressor and a condenser operably connected via refrigerant lines to an indoor unit to form a “split system” refrigerant loop.
63 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for controlling indoor environmental conditions, comprising:
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a vapor-compression refrigerant loop with a compressor, a condenser, a reheat coil, an expansion device, and an evaporator coil;
an air mover that drives an indoor air stream sequentially across the evaporator and a reheat coil;
a plurality of valves disposed within the vapor-compression loop; and
a controller operably connected to the vapor-compression loop, the air mover and the plurality of valves, wherein the condenser discharges heat to an outdoor environment, and the controller controls a plurality of dehumidification stages including a stage that causes refrigerant to condense in the reheat coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for controlling indoor environmental conditions, comprising:
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an outdoor condensing unit including a compressor and a condenser operably connected via refrigerant lines;
an indoor unit operably connected to the outdoor condensing unit to form a refrigerant loop, the indoor unit comprising;
an evaporator coil, a reheat coil, an expansion device, a refrigerant receiver for refrigerant volume control, an expansion device, and a plurality of valves, operably connected via refrigerant lines;
an air mover that drives a first air stream sequentially across the evaporator coil and the reheat coil; and
a controller operably connected to the outdoor condensing unit and the indoor condensing unit, wherein the condenser discharges heat to outdoor air, the reheat coil is located downstream of the evaporator coil in the first air stream, and the controller controls a plurality of dehumidification stages. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification