METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HYBRID DEHUMIDIFICATION

• US 20190309999A1
• Filed: 04/09/2018
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: GOEL, Rakesh, TRAN, John
• Granted Patent: US 10,969,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0083 with dehumidification means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/1405 in which the humidity of the air is exclusively affected by contact with the evaporator of a closed-circuit cooling system or heat pump circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2339/02 Details of evaporators
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2511 Evaporator distribution valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2515 Flow valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/02 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 39/02 Evaporators
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 39/028 having distributing means
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/22 between evaporator and compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/24 Arrangement of shut-off valves for disconnecting a part of the refrigerant cycle, e.g. an outdoor part
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/42 Arrangements for diverging or converging flows, e.g. branch lines or junctions
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems

Abstract

An evaporator coil system includes a segmented evaporator coil. The segmented evaporator coil includes a primary segment and a secondary segment. A first plurality of evaporator circuit lines are fluidly coupled to the primary segment and a second plurality of evaporator circuit lines are fluidly coupled to the secondary segment. A suction line includes a first connection fluidly coupled to the primary segment and a second connection fluidly coupled to the secondary segment. A valve is arranged in fluid communication with the secondary segment so as to selectively restrict refrigerant flow through the secondary segment.

Claims

1. An evaporator coil system, comprising:

a segmented evaporator coil comprising a primary segment and a secondary segment;

a first plurality of evaporator circuit lines fluidly coupled to the primary segment;

a second plurality of evaporator circuit lines fluidly coupled to the secondary segment;

a suction line having a first connection fluidly coupled to the primary segment and a second connection fluidly coupled to the secondary segment; and

a valve arranged in fluid communication with the secondary segment so as to selectively restrict refrigerant flow through the secondary segment.

2. The evaporator coil system of claim 1, comprising:

a first distributor fluidly coupled to the first plurality of evaporator circuit lines; and

a second distributor fluidly coupled to the second plurality of evaporator circuit lines.

3. The evaporator coil system of claim 2, wherein the valve is disposed upstream of the second distributor.

4. The evaporator coil system of claim 2, wherein the valve restricts flow of refrigerant through the secondary segment responsive to a signal to operate in a dehumidification mode.

5. The evaporator coil system of claim 2, wherein the valve permits flow of refrigerant through the secondary segment responsive to a signal to operate in a cooling mode.

6. The evaporator coil system of claim 1, comprising a distributor fluidly coupled to the first plurality of evaporator circuit lines and fluidly coupled to the second plurality of evaporator circuit lines.

8. The evaporator coil system of claim 6, wherein the valve restricts flow of refrigerant through the secondary segment responsive to a signal to operate in a dehumidification mode.

9. The evaporator coil system of claim 6, wherein the valve permits flow of refrigerant through the secondary segment responsive to a signal to operate in a cooling mode.

7. The evaporator coil system of claim, wherein the valve is disposed downstream of the secondary segment.

10. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“

HVAC”

) system comprising;

a condenser coil;

a metering device fluidly coupled to the condenser coil;

a segmented evaporator coil comprising a primary segment and a secondary segment, the primary segment being fluidly coupled to the metering device via a first plurality of evaporator circuit lines, the secondary segment being fluidly coupled to the metering device via a second plurality of evaporator circuit lines;

a compressor fluidly coupled to the segmented evaporator coil via a suction line, the suction line comprising a first connection fluidly coupled to the primary segment and a second connection fluidly coupled to the secondary segment;

a valve arranged in fluid communication with the secondary segment, the valve being movable between an open position and a closed position so as to selectively restrict refrigerant flow through the secondary segment; and

an HVAC controller electrically coupled to the valve.

11. The HVAC system of claim 10, comprising:

a first distributor fluidly coupled to the first plurality of evaporator circuit lines and fluidly coupled to the metering device; and

a second distributor fluidly coupled to the second plurality of evaporator circuit lines and fluidly coupled to the metering device.

12. The HVAC system of claim 11, wherein the valve is fluidly coupled between the metering device and the second distributor.

13. The HVAC system of claim 11, wherein:

the valve closes responsive to receiving a signal from the HVAC controller to operate in dehumidification mode; and

the valve opens responsive to receiving signal from the HVAC controller to operate in cooling mode.

14. The HVAC controller of claim 10, comprising a distributor fluidly coupled to the metering device and fluidly coupled to the first plurality of evaporator circuit lines and the second plurality of evaporator circuit lines.

15. The HVAC controller of claim 14, wherein the valve is disposed in the second connection of the suction line.

16. The HVAC system of claim 14, wherein:

the valve closes responsive to receiving a signal from the HVAC controller to operate in dehumidification mode; and

the valve opens responsive to receiving signal from the HVAC controller to operate in cooling mode.

17. A method of controlling a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to regulate relative humidity, the method comprising:

measuring, via an HVAC controller, an operational time of the HVAC system;

determining, via the HVAC controller, if the operational time exceeds a pre-defined run-time threshold;

determining, via the HVAC controller, if a relative humidity of an enclosed space exceeds a pre-defined set point relative humidity;

responsive to a determination that the operational time exceeds the pre-defined run-time threshold and the relative humidity of the enclosed space exceeds the pre-defined set point relative humidity, signaling a valve to close thereby restricting flow of refrigerant through a secondary segment of an evaporator coil; and

responsive to a determination that the operational time does not exceed the pre-defined run-time threshold or the relative humidity of the enclosed space does not exceed the pre-defined set point relative humidity, signaling the valve to open thereby permitting flow of refrigerant through a secondary segment of an evaporator coil.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the operational time is run time minutes.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the operational time is a percentage of time that the HVAC system is operational.

20. The method of claim 17, comprising responsive to a determination that the operational time exceeds the pre-defined run-time threshold and the relative humidity of the enclosed space exceeds the pre-defined set point relative humidity, directing a subsequent cooling cycle to begin in dehumidification mode.