Parallel evaporator coils for superheat control for a dehumidification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12339034-B2
Application number	US-202318305662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2023
Priority date	Mar 16, 2017
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A dehumidification system includes a primary evaporator, a primary condenser, a secondary evaporator, a secondary condenser, a superheat control evaporator, and a modulating valve. The superheat control evaporator is disposed parallel to the secondary evaporator and is configured to receive one of the inlet airflows and output a first airflow to the primary evaporator. The secondary evaporator is configured to receive another one of the inlet airflows and output a second airflow to the primary evaporator. The primary evaporator receives the first and second airflows and outputs a third airflow to the secondary condenser. The secondary condenser receives the third airflow and outputs a fourth airflow to the primary condenser. The primary condenser outputs a dischargeable airflow. The modulating valve directs the flow of refrigerant to the secondary condenser or to the primary evaporator, depending on the mode of operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dehumidification system comprising:
a primary metering device;
a secondary metering device;
a superheat control evaporator operable to:
receive a flow of refrigerant from a primary evaporator; and
receive a first inlet airflow and output a first airflow, the first airflow comprising cooler air than the first inlet airflow, the first airflow generated by transferring heat from the first inlet airflow to the flow of refrigerant as the first inlet airflow passes through the superheat control evaporator;

a secondary evaporator, disposed in parallel to the superheat control evaporator, with reference to airflow in the dehumidification system, operable to:
receive the flow of refrigerant from the primary metering device; and
receive a second inlet airflow and output a second airflow, the second airflow comprising cooler air than the second inlet airflow, the second airflow generated by transferring heat from the second inlet airflow to the flow of refrigerant as the second inlet airflow passes through the secondary evaporator;

a primary evaporator operable to:
receive the flow of refrigerant from a first modulating valve and/or a secondary condenser; and
receive both the first airflow and the second airflow and output a third airflow, the third airflow comprising cooler air than both the first airflow and the second airflow, the third airflow generated by transferring heat from both the first airflow and the second airflow to the flow of refrigerant as both the first airflow and the second airflow pass through the primary evaporator;

the secondary condenser operable to:
receive the flow of refrigerant from the first modulating valve; and
receive the third airflow and output a fourth airflow;

the first modulating valve operable to:
receive the flow of refrigerant from the secondary evaporator;
direct the flow of refrigerant to the secondary condenser during a first mode of operation;
direct the flow of refrigerant to the primary evaporator during a second mode of operation, wherein the flow of refrigerant bypasses the secondary condenser; and
direct a portion of the flow of refrigerant to the secondary condenser and a remaining portion of the flow of refrigerant to the primary evaporator during a third mode of operation;

a compressor configured to:
receive the flow of refrigerant from the superheat control evaporator and discharge the flow of refrigerant at a higher pressure than the flow of refrigerant received at the compressor; and

a primary condenser operable to:
receive the flow of refrigerant discharged from the compressor;
in response to receiving the flow of refrigerant from the compressor, output a dischargeable airflow.

2. The dehumidification system of claim 1 , further comprising a sub-cooling coil operable to:
receive the flow of refrigerant from the primary condenser;
output the flow of refrigerant to the primary metering device; and
receive the fourth airflow and output a fifth airflow, the fifth airflow generated by transferring heat from the flow of refrigerant to the fourth airflow as the fourth airflow passes through the sub-cooling coil.

3. The dehumidification system of claim 2 , wherein the sub-cooling coil and primary condenser are combined in a single coil unit.

4. The dehumidification system of claim 2 , wherein the primary condenser is further operable to:
receive the fifth airflow and generate the dischargeable airflow based on the received fifth airflow, the dischargeable airflow generated by transferring heat from the flow of refrigerant to the fifth airflow as the fifth airflow contacts the primary condenser.

5. The dehumidification system of claim 3 , wherein the primary condenser is further operable to:
receive the fifth airflow and generate the dischargeable airflow based on the received fifth airflow, the dischargeable airflow generated by transferring heat from the flow of refrigerant to the fifth airflow as the fifth airflow contacts the primary condenser.

6. The dehumidification system of claim 1 , wherein during the first mode of operation:
the fourth airflow comprises warmer and less humid air than the third airflow, the fourth airflow generated by transferring heat from the flow of refrigerant to the third airflow as the third airflow passes through the secondary condenser.

7. The dehumidification system of claim 1 , wherein during the second mode of operation, the fourth airflow comprises approximately the same temperature and humidity as the third airflow.

8. The dehumidification system of claim 1 , further comprising an alternate condenser disposed in an external condenser unit, operable to:
receive the flow of refrigerant discharged from the compressor;
in response to receiving the flow of refrigerant from the compressor, output a second dischargeable airflow, the second dischargeable airflow generated by transferring heat away from the flow of refrigerant received by the compressor.

9. The dehumidification system of claim 1 , wherein two or more members selected from the group consisting of the secondary evaporator, the primary evaporator, and the secondary condenser are combined in a single coil pack.

10. The dehumidification system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the primary evaporator and the secondary evaporator comprises two or more circuits for the flow of refrigerant.

Assignees

• Therma Stor Llc

Inventors

• Sloan Scott E
• Yu Weizhong
• Dingle Steven S
• Demonte Todd R
• Lorang Grant M
• O'Brien Timothy S

Classifications

• F24F3/153

  with subsequent heating, i.e. with the air, given the required humidity in the central station, passing a heating element to achieve the required temperature · CPC title

• F24F2003/144

  by dehumidification only · CPC title

• F25B2600/2515

  Flow valves · CPC title

• F25B2600/2513

  Expansion valves · CPC title

• F25B2339/047

  Water-cooled condensers · CPC title