Systems and methods for forming spacer levels of a counter flow energy exchange assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10132522-B2
Application number	US-201414230682-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2014
Priority date	Mar 31, 2014
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly may include a plurality of air channel levels configured to allow air to pass therethrough. Each of the air channels may include a spacer layer having a plurality of modular spacer components secured together. At least two of the modular spacer components are identical in size and shape. The spacer layer includes a plurality of air channels. Each of the plurality of air channels extends from an air inlet to an air outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly including a plurality of air channel levels configured to allow air to pass therethrough, wherein each of the plurality of air channel levels comprises:
a spacer layer including: (a) a plurality of modular spacer components secured together, and (b) a plurality of air channels, wherein each of the plurality of air channels extends from an air inlet to an air outlet,
wherein an outer boundary of the spacer layer is shaped as a hexagon, and
wherein the plurality of modular spacer components comprises a first spacer component and a second spacer component that is identical in size and shape to the first spacer component, and each of the first and second spacer components has an outer boundary shaped as a trapezoid, the outer boundary of each spacer component formed by a plurality of walls.

2. The counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of air channels forms a Z-shape.

3. The counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of air channels forms a U-shape.

4. The counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first spacer component directly secures to the second spacer component.

5. The counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modular spacer components further comprises a third spacer component that differs from the first and second spacer components, wherein the third spacer component is positioned between the first and second spacer components.

6. The counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly of claim 5 , wherein an outer boundary of the third spacer is shaped as a hexagon.

7. The counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of modular spacer components further comprises a fourth spacer component that is identical to the third spacer component, wherein the fourth spacer component connects to the third spacer component, and wherein the third and fourth spacer components are positioned between the first and second spacer components.

8. The counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modular spacer components further comprises third and fourth spacer components that are identical to the first and second spacer components.

9. The counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of modular spacer components further comprises a fifth spacer component that differs from the first, second, third, and fourth spacer components,
wherein the fifth spacer component provides an expansion piece.

10. A method of forming a counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly including a plurality of air channel levels configured to allow air to pass therethrough, the method comprising:
securing a plurality of modular spacer components together, wherein the plurality of modular spacer components comprises a first spacer component and a second spacer component that is identical in size and shape to the first spacer component, and each of the first and second spacer components has an outer boundary shaped as a trapezoid, the outer boundary of each spacer component formed by a plurality of walls;
forming a spacer layer through the securing operation, the spacer layer having an outer boundary shaped as a hexagon;
positioning at least one membrane on the spacer layer to form an air channel level; and
stacking the air channel level over another air channel level, wherein each of the plurality of air channels extends from an air inlet to an air outlet.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of air channels forms a Z-shape.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of air channels forms a U-shape.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the forming operation comprises directly securing the first spacer component to the second spacer component.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the forming operation comprises positioning a third spacer component between the first and second spacer components, wherein the third spacer component differs from the first and second spacer components.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein an outer boundary of the third spacer is shaped as a hexagon.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the forming operation comprises:
positioning the third spacer components and a fourth spacer component between the first and second spacer components, wherein the third spacer is identical to the fourth spacer; and
connecting the third and fourth spacer components together.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of modular spacer components further comprises third and fourth spacer components that are identical to the first and second spacer components.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of modular spacer components further comprises a fifth spacer component that differs from the first, second, third, and fourth spacer components, wherein the fifth spacer component provides an expansion piece.

19. A spacer layer assembly configured to form part of an air channel level of a counter flow air-to-air energy exchange assembly, the spacer layer assembly comprising:
a plurality of modular spacer components secured together to form a single spacer layer having an outer boundary shaped as a hexagon, wherein the plurality of modular spacer components comprises a first spacer component and a second spacer component that is identical in size and shape to the first spacer component, and each of the first and second spacer components has an outer boundary shaped as a trapezoid, the outer boundary of each spacer component formed by a plurality of walls.

Assignees

• Nortek Air Solutions Canada Inc

Inventors

• Erb Blake Norman
• Hanson Stephen
• Afshin Mohammad

Classifications

• F24F12/006 Primary

  using an air-to-air heat exchanger (F24F12/002 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B21D53/02

  heat exchangers {or parts thereof}, e.g. radiators, condensers {fins, headers}(making finned or ribbed tubes by fixing strip material or the like to tubes B21C37/22) · CPC title

• F28D21/0014

  the heat being recuperated from waste air or from vapors (for air conditioning F24F12/001) · CPC title

• Y10T29/4935

  Heat exchanger or boiler making · CPC title

• F28D9/0068 Primary

  with means for changing flow direction of one heat exchange medium, e.g. using deflecting zones · CPC title