INTEGRATED VENTILATION UNIT

• US 20110308265A1
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Therma-Stor LLC
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Roberts, Timothy J., Phannavong, Seng K., Hughes, Christopher A., Clark, Thomas W., McKissack, John P., Street, David G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/160
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 15/04 using heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/526 giving audible indications
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 12/001 with heat-exchange between supplied and exhausted air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 12/006 using an air-to-air heat exchanger F24F12/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2012/007 using a by-pass for bypassing the heat-exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2203/1032 Desiccant wheel
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2203/104 Heat exchanger wheel
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/0442 with volume control at a constant temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/1423 with a moving bed of solid desiccants, e.g. a rotary wheel supporting solid desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 : Compressor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/12 : Hot water central heating systems using heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/56 : Heat recovery units

Abstract

An integrated ventilation unit configured to provide ventilation and conditioned air to an indoor space may include a heat pump system, an energy recovery device and a control unit. The heat pump system may include a first coil located at a supply air side of the ventilation unit, a second coil located at an exhaust air side of the ventilation unit, and a compressor. The energy recovery device may be configured to transfer heat between a return air stream and a supply air stream and the control unit may be configured to control operation of the heat pump system and the energy recovery device.

Claims

1. An integrated ventilation unit configured to provide ventilation and conditioned air to an indoor space, comprising:

a heat pump system comprising;

a first coil located at a supply air side of the ventilation unit,

a second coil located an exhaust air side of the ventilation unit, and

a compressor;

an energy recovery device configured to transfer heat between a return air stream and a supply air stream; and

a control unit configured to control operation of the heat pump system and the energy recovery device.

2. The ventilation unit of claim 1, further comprising:

an intake air chamber configured to receive outside air; and

a heater located adjacent the intake air chamber, wherein

the control unit is configured to;

determine whether the outside air is less than a predetermined value, and

activate the heater when the outside air is less than the predetermined value.

3. The ventilation unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a passageway or opening located between the intake air side and the exhaust air side of the ventilation unit, the passageway or opening being configured to provide outside air to the second coil of the heat pump system.

4. The ventilation unit of claim 3, further comprising:

a damper located in the passageway or opening, and

wherein the control unit is further configured to control the degree of opening or closing of the damper to control an amount of outside air provided to the second coil.

5. The ventilation unit of claim 3, wherein an amount of air provided to the second coil is greater than an amount of air provided to the first coil.

6. The ventilation unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a passageway or opening configured to provide outside air to the second coil of the heat pump system.

7. The ventilation unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a return air chamber configured to receive return air from the indoor space;

an exhaust air chamber, wherein the second coil is located in the exhaust air chamber; and

a passageway or duct coupling the return air chamber to the exhaust air chamber, the passageway or duct bypassing the energy recovery device and being configured to provide return air to the second coil.

8. The ventilation unit of claim 1, wherein the compressor comprises at least one of a variable speed or variable capacity compressor, and wherein

the control unit is configured to vary the speed of the variable speed compressor or variable capacity compressor based on conditions associated with air exiting the supply air side of the ventilation unit.

9. The ventilation unit of claim 1, wherein the energy recovery device is further configured to transfer moisture between the return air stream and the supply air stream.

10. The ventilation unit of claim 1, wherein the energy recovery device comprises a desiccant wheel, and wherein

the control unit is further configured to:

at least one of vary the speed, turn off or turn on the desiccant wheel based on environmental conditions associated with at least one of the supply air stream and the return air stream.

11. The ventilation unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a supply fan configured to supply air to the indoor space; and

an exhaust fan configured to expel air received from the indoor space and outdoor air provided to the second coil, and wherein the control unit is configured to;

control the speed of the supply fan and the exhaust fan.

12. The ventilator unit of claim 1, wherein the components are contained in a single housing.

13. A device configured to provide ventilation and conditioned air, comprising:

a heat pump system comprising;

a first coil located at a supply air side of the device,

a second coil located at an exhaust air side of the device, and

a compressor;

an energy recovery device located upstream of the first coil with respect to a supply air stream, and upstream of the second coil with respect to a return air stream, the energy recovery device being configured to transfer heat between the return air stream and the supply air stream; and

a control unit configured to control operation of the heat pump system and the energy recovery device.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

an intake air chamber configured to receive outside air; and

a heater located adjacent the intake air chamber, wherein

the control unit is configured to;

determine whether the outside air is less than a predetermined value, and

activate the heater when the outside air is less than the predetermined value.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a passageway or opening located in the device, the passageway or opening configured to provide outside air to the second coil of the heat pump system.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein an amount of air provided to the second coil is greater than an amount of air provided to the first coil.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the compressor comprises a variable speed compressor, and wherein

the control unit is configured to vary the speed of the variable speed compressor based on conditions associated with air exiting the supply air side of the device.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the energy recovery device is further configured to transfer moisture between the return air stream and the supply air stream.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the energy recovery device comprises a desiccant wheel, and wherein

the control unit is further configured to:

vary the speed of the desiccant wheel based on environmental conditions associated with at least one of the supply air stream and the return air stream.

20. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a supply fan configured to supply air to the indoor space; and

an exhaust fan configured to expel air from the indoor space, and wherein the control unit is configured to;

control the speed of the supply fan and the exhaust fan.

21. The device of claim 13, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

determine at least one environmental parameter associated with operation of the device without using a sensor to measure the at least one parameter.

22. The device of claim 13, wherein the components are contained in a single housing.