Integrated make-up air system in 100% air recirculation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10834855-B2
Application number	US-201616067446-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2016
Priority date	Jan 8, 2016
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling conditions in an enclosed space can include an integral make-up air system that can be arranged in the interior of the housing for an air conditioning system that uses scavenger air in an air-to-air heat exchanger (AAHX) to condition process air from an enclosed space. The make-up air system can take replenishment air from outside the air conditioning system and deliver it into the process air stream. The make-up air system can include at least one heating or cooling device to condition the replenishment air before the replenishment air mixes with the process air. In an example, the make-up air system can include a DX coil to selectively cool and dehumidify the replenishment air. The make-up air system can include a humidifier arranged in the flow path of process air between the process air inlet and the AAHX to selectively add humidity to the process air.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for conditioning air in an enclosed space, the system comprising:
a housing formed by a plurality of walls that at least partially enclose an interior of the housing;
an air-to-air heat exchanger (AAHX) arranged in the interior of the housing in a flow path of process air between a process air inlet and outlet and in a flow path of scavenger air between a scavenger air inlet and outlet; and
a make-up air unit arranged in the interior of the housing in the flow path of process air downstream of the AAHX and upstream of the process air outlet, the make-up air unit configured to deliver replenishment air into the flow path of process air, the make-up air unit comprising:
a damper to selectively prevent and allow replenishment air to enter the flow path of process air; and
at least one heating or cooling device to selectively condition the replenishment air entering into the flow path of process air.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one heating or cooling device includes a DX coil to selectively reduce a temperature of the replenishment air.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising
a second DX coil arranged in the flow path of process air between the AMAX and the make-up air unit to provide additional cooling to the process air exiting the AAHX.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the DX coil of the make-up air unit and the second DX coil are part of a DX system comprising at least one of a plurality of compressors located in a first shared space in the interior of the housing and a plurality of condensers located in a second shared space in the interior of the housing.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one heating or cooling device includes a heating device to selectively increase a temperature of the replenishment air.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a humidifier arranged in the interior of the housing in the flow path of process air between the process air inlet and the AAHX to selectively add humidity to the process air.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the humidifier is a direct evaporative cooler.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising:
a first damper at the process air inlet and in fluid connection with the humidifier, the first damper configured to direct process air through the humidifier; and
a second damper at the process air inlet and configured to divert process air around the humidifier.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more fans located in the flow path of process air between the make-up air unit and the process air outlet.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a direct evaporative cooler (DEC) arranged in the flow path of the scavenger air between the scavenger air inlet and the AAHX to cool the scavenger air before entering the AAHX.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the AAHX is a sensible wheel arranged vertically within the housing, and the flow path of the scavenger air is through a top portion of the housing and the flow path of the process air is through a bottom portion of the housing.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the AAHX is a sensible wheel arranged horizontally within the housing, and the flow path of the scavenger air is through a first side portion of the housing and the flow path of the process air is through a second side portion of the housing.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the enclosed space is a data center.

14. A system for conditioning air in an enclosed space, the system comprising:
a housing formed by a plurality of walls that define an inside and an outside of the housing;
a first inside portion of the housing configured to receive a flow of scavenger air, the first inside portion having a scavenger air inlet and outlet;
a second inside portion of the housing configured to receive a flow of process air, the second inside portion having a process air inlet and outlet;
a direct evaporative cooler (DEC) arranged in the first inside portion and configured to selectively receive the flow of scavenger air through the DEC to condition the scavenger air;
an air-to-air heat exchanger (AAHX) arranged partially in the first inside portion and partially in the second inside portion, the AAHX configured to receive the flow of scavenger air and the flow of process air through the AAHX;
a humidifier arranged in the second inside portion between the process air inlet and the AAHX to selectively humidify the process air; and
a make-up air unit arranged inside the second inside portion between the AAHX and the process air inlet, the make-up air unit comprising:
a damper to selectively introduce replenishment air into the flow of process air in the second inside portion between the AAHX and the process air outlet;
a filter to filter the replenishment air prior to introducing the replenishment air into the flow of process air; and
a cooling component to selectively condition the replenishment air.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the cooling component is a first DX coil and the system further comprises a DX expansion system comprising:
the first DX coil;
a first condenser coil; and
a first compressor.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the DX expansion system comprises a second DX coil arranged in the flow path of process air between the AAHX and the make-up air unit, the second DX coil cooling the process air exiting the AAHX.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the DX expansion system comprises a second condenser coil associated with the second DX coil, the first and second condenser coils being disposed adjacent to one another within the housing.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the DX expansion system comprises a second compressor associated with the second DX coil, the first and second compressors being disposed adjacent to one another within the housing.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the make-up air unit further comprises an airflow sensor.

20. The system of claim 14 further comprising a partition inside the housing separating the first and second inside portions, wherein the flow of scavenger air and the flow of process air remain separate from one another in the housing, and the scavenger air indirectly and sensibly cools the process air flowing through the AAHX.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the cooling component is a DX coil and the system further comprises an external condenser attached to an external side of the housing, and the external condenser is in fluid connection with the DX coil.

Assignees

• Nortek Air Solutions Canada Inc

Inventors

• Ghadiri Moghaddam Davood
• Lepoudre Philip Paul
• Gerber Manfred
• Vivier Stephane

Classifications

• F24F6/02

  by evaporation of water in the air · CPC title

• H05K7/20827

  within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. air conditioning devices · CPC title

• F24F2203/104

  Heat exchanger wheel · CPC title

• H05K7/20745 Primary

  within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device · CPC title

• F24F12/006

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