Systems and methods for air-conditioning systems with scrubbing systems including a scrubbing bypass mode

• US 9,939,163 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enverid Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enverid Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Meirav, Udi, Biran, Israel, Meruham, Asael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lindsay, Bernard G
• Application Number:
  US15/085,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20160282001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• 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 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/72 for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/81 by controlling the air supply to heat-exchangers or bypass channels
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/871 by controlling outdoor fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2011/0002 for admittance of outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/22 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/66 Volatile organic compounds [VOC]
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/70 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/003 : in combination with air cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/10 : by separation, e.g. by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/108 : using dry filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/117 : using wet filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 : Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 : Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Methods and systems for a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for an enclosed environment may be configured to at least one of heat and cool air and include an air circulation system configured to circulate air at least within the enclosed environment. The air within the enclosed environment may comprise at least the indoor air. The system may further include an outdoor air inlet for introducing at least a portion of outdoor air into the enclosed environment, where the outdoor air comprises air from outside the enclosed environment. The system may further include a scrubbing system having an adsorbent material to reduce presence of at least one gas contaminant in the indoor air. A controller system may be included for controlling the operation of at least one of the circulation system and the scrubbing system.

Claims

1. An HVAC system, comprising:

a fan-coil unit configured for arrangement adjacent to or within an enclosed space and to at least one of heat and cool a first airflow from indoor air in the enclosed space;

a scrubbing system including an adsorbent material to reduce presence of at least one gas contaminant in the indoor air; and

a controller system configured for controlling at least an operation of the scrubbing system, the controller system configured to operate in two or more of at least the following modes;

a scrubbing mode configured to cause scrubbing of the at least one gas contaminant from the indoor air;

a regeneration mode configured to cause regeneration of the adsorbent material;

an economizer mode configured to cause introduction of a second air from outside the enclosed environment space;

a scrubbing bypass mode, configured to cause bypassing of wherein circulated air bypasses the scrubbing system and/or the scrubbing system is turned off; and

a standby mode, wherein the indoor air is not circulated; and

at least one sensor and/or at least one input for receiving information for determining at least one of the following parameters;

an occupancy level of the enclosed environment space;

a level of the at least one contaminant in the indoor air;

a level of the at least one contaminant in the adsorbent material;

a level of the at least one contaminant in air exiting the adsorbent material;

at least one of an indoor air temperature and an indoor air humidity level;

at least one of an outdoor air temperature and an outdoor air humidity level; and

at least one of a time and a date the HVAC system is operating;

wherein;

the controller system controls activation of the fan-coil unit and the scrubbing system according to the operative modes based upon the at least one parameter determined by the at least one sensor and/or at least one input, and

upon a level of the at least one gas contaminant in air exiting the scrubbing system being greater than a level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system, the scrubbing bypass mode is activated.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fan-coil unit is supplied a refrigerant or heating fluid from a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an outdoor air inlet for introducing at least a portion of outdoor air into the enclosed environment space, the outdoor air being from outside the enclosed environment space.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein flow of the indoor air from the indoor space to the fan-coil unit or from the fan-coil unit to the indoor space is ductless.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the level of the at least one gas contaminant in the adsorbent material is determined based on the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air exiting the scrubbing system to the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the fan-coil unit is configured to at least one of heat and cool indoor air without introducing outdoor air into the indoor space.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the scrubber regeneration mode comprises flowing a purging airflow over the adsorbent material so as to eliminate at least a portion of the at least one gas contaminate contaminant held by the adsorbent material.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the economizer mode comprises introducing into the enclosed environment space at least a portion of outdoor air to reduce an amount of recirculated indoor air required to be conditioned or treated.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the fan-coil unit includes a housing, the housing including a fan and one or more of a cooling coil, a heating coil, a radiator, an electrical heater, a chiller and a heat exchanger.