Energy exchange system for conditioning air in an enclosed structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11761645-B2
Application number	US-202117168928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2021
Priority date	Sep 2, 2011
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

Certain embodiments provide an energy exchange system that includes a supply air flow path, an exhaust air flow path, an energy recovery device disposed within the supply and exhaust air flow paths, and a supply conditioning unit disposed within the supply air flow path. The supply conditioning unit may be downstream from the energy recovery device. Certain embodiments provide a method of conditioning air including introducing outside air as supply air into a supply air flow path, pre-conditioning the supply air with an energy recovery device, and fully-conditioning the supply air with a supply conditioning unit that is downstream from the energy recovery device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An energy exchange system comprising:
a supply air flow path;
an exhaust air flow path;
a return air duct that connects the supply air flow path and the exhaust air flow path to define a recirculation air flow path;
an energy recovery device disposed within the supply and exhaust air flow path;
a supply conditioning unit disposed within the supply air flow path to condition supply air using a liquid desiccant, wherein the supply conditioning unit is downstream from the energy recovery device;
a regenerator disposed within the exhaust air flow path to regenerate the liquid desiccant using exhaust air;
a remote conditioner disposed within the recirculation air flow path to condition recirculation air using the liquid desiccant; and
a liquid handling device that receives the liquid desiccant from and supplies the liquid desiccant to the supply conditioning unit, the regenerator, and the remote conditioner.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid handling device comprises a liquid source, wherein a concentration of the liquid desiccant within the liquid handling device is configured to be adjusted through the liquid source.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid handling device comprises:
a first heat exchanger in a supply liquid path;
a second heat exchanger in an exhaust liquid path; and
a conditioner that circulates heat transfer fluid between the first and second heat exchangers.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising at least one more conditioner downstream or upstream of the first and second heat exchangers.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid handling device comprises a moisture transfer loop including a desiccant supply conduit and a desiccant return conduit, wherein at least portions of the desiccant supply conduit and the desiccant return conduit contact one another in a manner that facilitates thermal energy transfer therebetween.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the desiccant supply conduit is formed concentric within, or concentric to, the desiccant return conduit.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the desiccant supply conduit is arranged co-radial with the desiccant return conduit with flow occurring in opposite directions through the desiccant supply and return conduits.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the supply conditioning unit comprises a liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE).

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the regenerator comprises a liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE).

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote conditioner comprises a liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE).

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a post-conditioner disposed downstream of the energy recovery device and upstream of the supply conditioning unit in the supply air flow path.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a post-conditioner disposed downstream of one or both of the energy recovery device and the regenerator in the exhaust air flow path.

13. A method of conditioning air comprising:
introducing outside air as supply air into a supply air flow path;
directing exhaust air through an exhaust air flow path;
shunting a portion of the exhaust air through a recirculation air flow path, the recirculation air flow path being from the exhaust air flow path to the supply air flow path through a return air duct;
pre-conditioning the supply air with an energy recovery device;
further conditioning the supply air with a supply conditioning unit circulating a liquid desiccant, the supply conditioning unit being disposed downstream of the energy recovery device;
regenerating the liquid desiccant with a regenerator disposed within the exhaust air flow path;
conditioning recirculation air with a remote conditioner circulating the liquid desiccant, the remote conditioner disposed within the recirculation air flow path; and
supplying the liquid desiccant to and returning the liquid desiccant from the supply conditioning unit, the regenerator, and the remote conditioner using a liquid handling device.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising adjusting a concentration of the liquid desiccant within the liquid handling device using a liquid source of the liquid handling device.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising adjusting a temperature of the liquid desiccant within the liquid handling device using at least one heat exchanger of the liquid handling device.

Assignees

• Nortek Air Solutions Canada Inc

Inventors

• Coutu Kenneth Paul
• Hemingson Howard Brian
• Gerber Manfred

Classifications

• F24F3/1417 Primary

  with liquid hygroscopic desiccants · CPC title

• F28D19/042

  Rotors; Assemblies of heat absorbing masses · CPC title

• F28D21/0015

  Heat and mass exchangers, e.g. with permeable walls · CPC title

• F24F12/002

  using an intermediate heat-transfer fluid · CPC title

• Y02B30/52

  Heat recovery pumps, i.e. heat pump based systems or units able to transfer the thermal energy from one area of the premises or part of the facilities to a different one, improving the overall efficiency · CPC title