EMBEDDED HEAT EXCHANGER FOR HEATING, VENTILATIION, AND AIR CONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20080164006A1
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John C. Karamanos
• Original Assignee: John C. Karamanos
• Inventors: Karamanos, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,714,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/67
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/09 Heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/08 substantially surrounding the pipe, cable or protective tubing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0063 by the mounting or arrangement of the heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/26 Refrigerant piping
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/0245 Manufacturing or assembly of air ducts; Methods therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/0272 Modules for easy installation or transport
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/12 transportable
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/36 Modules, e.g. for an easy mounting or transport
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0003 Exclusively-fluid systems
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/02 for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/002 with fastening means for other structures
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0246 Arrangements for connecting header boxes with flow lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A zone-control unit for use in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the zone-control unit includes a heat exchanger, an inlet piping assembly coupled with the heat exchanger for supplying fluid to the heat exchanger, an outlet piping assembly coupled with the heat exchanger for receiving fluid from the heat exchanger, a bracket that maintains the inlet piping assembly and the outlet piping assembly in positional relationship, and an ancillary component coupled with the heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A zone-control unit for use in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the zone-control unit comprising:

a heat exchanger;

an inlet piping assembly coupled with the heat exchanger for supplying fluid to the heat exchanger;

an outlet piping assembly coupled with the heat exchanger for receiving fluid from the heat exchanger;

a bracket that maintains the inlet piping assembly and the outlet piping assembly in positional relationship; and

an ancillary component coupled with the heat exchanger or the bracket.

2. The zone-control unit according to claim 1, wherein the ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a direct digital control (DDC) controller, an fluid flow sensor, an fluid pressure sensor, and a fluid temperature sensor.

3. The zone-control unit according to claim 1, wherein the ancillary component is coupled with the heat exchanger.

4. The zone-control unit according to claim 1, wherein the ancillary component is coupled with the bracket.

5. The zone-control unit according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger, the inlet piping, and the outlet piping form a closed, sealed, and insulated system.

6. The zone-control unit according to claim 5, wherein the heat exchanger, the inlet piping, and the outlet piping contain a pressurized fluid.

7. A zone-control unit for use in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the zone-control unit comprising:

a casing;

a coil disposed at least partially within the casing;

an inlet piping assembly coupled with the coil for supplying fluid to the coil;

an outlet piping assembly coupled with the coil for receiving fluid from the coil;

a bracket that maintains the casing, the inlet piping assembly, and the outlet piping assembly in positional relationship; and

an ancillary component coupled with the coil, the bracket, or the casing.

8. The zone-control unit according to claim 7, wherein the ancillary component comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a direct digital control (DDC) controller, an air flow sensor, an air pressure sensor, a leaving air temperature sensor, a water flow sensor, a water pressure sensor, a BTU monitoring sensor, and a humidity sensor.

9. The zone-control unit according to claim 7, wherein the ancillary component is coupled with the coil.

10. The zone-control unit according to claim 7, wherein the ancillary component is coupled with the bracket.

11. The zone-control unit according to claim 7, wherein the ancillary component is coupled with the casing.

12. The zone-control unit according to claim 7, wherein the coil, the inlet piping, and the outlet piping form a closed and sealed system.

13. The zone-control unit according to claim 7, wherein the coil, the inlet piping, and the outlet piping contain a pressurized fluid.

14. A method of manufacturing a plurality of portable piping structures, comprising:

providing a first heat exchange coil having a first dimension;

providing a second heat exchange coil having a second dimension;

coupling a first inlet piping assembly and a first outlet piping assembly with the first heat exchange coil to provide a first portable piping structure of the plurality of portable piping structures;

coupling a second inlet piping assembly and a second outlet piping assembly with the second heat exchange coil to provide a second portable piping structure of the plurality of portable piping structures;

coupling a first bracket with the first inlet piping assembly and the first outlet piping assembly, wherein the first bracket provides a known spacing distance between a central longitudinal axis defined by the first inlet piping assembly and a central longitudinal axis defined by the first outlet piping assembly; and

coupling a second bracket with the second inlet piping assembly and the second outlet piping assembly, wherein the second bracket provides the known spacing distance between a central longitudinal axis defined by the second inlet piping assembly and a central longitudinal axis defined by the second outlet piping assembly.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising coupling a first ancillary component with the first heat exchange coil of the first portable piping structure, and coupling a second ancillary component with the second heat exchange coil of the second portable piping structure.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first ancillary component comprises a first direct digital control (DDC) controller and the second ancillary component comprises a second direct digital control (DDC) controller.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising coupling a first ancillary component with the first bracket, and coupling a second ancillary component with the second bracket.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising coupling a first ancillary component with the first inlet piping assembly, and coupling a second ancillary component with the second inlet piping assembly.

19. The method according to claim 14, further comprising coupling a first ancillary component with the first outlet piping assembly, and coupling a second ancillary component with the second outlet piping assembly.

20. The method according to claim 14, further comprising sealing the first inlet piping assembly and the first outlet piping assembly such that the first portable piping structure comprises a sealed and closed system, and sealing the second inlet piping assembly and the second outlet piping assembly such that the second portable piping structure comprises a sealed and closed system.