Air circulation system

Abstract

An air circulation system is provided for a building having a plurality of zones to be heated, ventilated or cooled. The system includes an air circulating apparatus arranged to supply either heated, cooled or ventilated supply air to the various zones of the building via a plurality of supply ducts. The apparatus also draws return air from the zones via a plurality of return ducts. A damper is coupled to both the supply and return ducts of each zone, adjacent the air circulating apparatus, to balance the amount of supply and return air in each zone for reducing mixing of air between zones and stratification within a zone. Accurate and independent control of each zone in relation to the other zones in the building is thus permitted. The circular ducts are formed of sealed PVC or other suitable plastic material to improve the efficiency of the air delivery system both by reducing pressure losses and temperature losses conducted through the walls of the ducts.

1 . A method of controlling air circulation in a building having plural zones, the method comprising: 
 providing an air circulation apparatus having supply ducting arranged to discharge a flow of pressurised supply air from the apparatus and return ducting arranged to draw a flow of return air into the apparatus;    providing at least one supply duct associated with each zone;    coupling each supply duct in communication between the supply ducting and the zone associated with the supply duct;    providing a damper on each supply duct adjacent to the supply ducting of the air circulation apparatus arranged to control the flow of supply air through the supply duct;    providing at least one return duct associated with each zone;    coupling each return duct in communication between the return ducting and the zone associated with the return duct;    providing a damper on each return duct adjacent to the return ducting of the air circulation apparatus arranged to control the flow of return air through the return duct;    adjusting the dampers on the respective supply ducts such that each zone receives a desired amount of the flow of supply air delivered thereto;    adjusting the dampers on the respective return ducts such that the flow of return air through the return ducts of each zone is substantially equal to the flow of supply air delivered through the supply ducts to that zone.    
     
     
         2 . An air circulation system for a building having a plurality of zones, the system comprising: 
 an air circulation apparatus having a supply outlet arranged to discharge pressurised supply air from the apparatus and a return inlet arranged to draw return air into the apparatus;    a supply manifold coupled to the supply outlet of the air circulation apparatus;    at least one supply duct coupled in communication between each zone and the supply manifold;    a damper coupled to each supply duct adjacent the supply manifold and being arranged to control a flow of the supply air through the supply duct;    a return manifold coupled to the return inlet of the air circulation apparatus;    at least one return duct coupled in communication between each zone and the return manifold;    a damper coupled to each return duct adjacent the return manifold and being arranged to control a flow of the return air through the return duct.    
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the dampers on the supply ducts are commonly located adjacent the air circulation apparatus.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the dampers on the return ducts are commonly located adjacent the air circulation apparatus.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the dampers on both the supply and return ducts are commonly located adjacent the air circulation apparatus.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the dampers of said at least one supply duct and the dampers of the respective said at least one return duct for each zone are arranged such that the flow of supply air is approximately equal to the flow of return air for each zone.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein there is provided a single dedicated supply duct and a single dedicated return duct for each zone.  
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7  wherein the dampers of each dedicated supply duct and the respective dedicated return duct for each zone are arranged such that the flow of supply air is approximately equal to the flow of return air for each zone.  
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the supply ducts and the return ducts each comprise a rigid tube of circular cross section which is formed of plastic material.  
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9  wherein each of the supply and return ducts are formed of plural sections which are sealed therebetween such that the ducts each form a continuous sealed passage from the respective manifold to the respective zone.  
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 9  wherein the ducts are formed of PVC material.  
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11  wherein there is provided a boot on a free end of each supply and return duct arranged to mount the free end of the duct formed of PVC tubing within a supporting surface of the respective zone.  
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12  wherein each boot is formed of PVC material and arranged to be mounted on the free end of the respective duct in a sealed configuration therebetween.  
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the air circulation apparatus comprises a conventional air handler for buildings and wherein the supply and return manifolds are arranged to be mounted directly onto respective supply and return plenum takeoffs of the air handler.  
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14  wherein the supply and return ducts comprise conventional PVC tubing and the supply and return manifolds are adapted to mount the respective supply and return ducts directly thereon.  
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 15  wherein the supply and return manifolds include the dampers of the respective supply and return ducts mounted directly thereon.  
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the air circulation apparatus is arranged for heating the air and wherein there is provided a thermostat associated with each zone arranged to control the respective dampers associated with the zone to control a temperature of the zone.  
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the air circulation apparatus is arranged for cooling the air and wherein there is provided a thermostat associated with each zone arranged to control the respective dampers associated with the zone to control a temperature of the zone.  
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the air circulation apparatus is arranged to selectively heat and cool the air and wherein there is provided a thermostat associated with each zone arranged to control the respective dampers associated with the zone to control a temperature of the zone.  
     
     
         20 . A building having at least one control region comprising a plurality of zones and an air circulation system comprising: 
 an air circulation apparatus having a supply outlet arranged to discharge pressurised supply air from the apparatus and a return inlet arranged to draw return air into the apparatus;    said at least one control region having a supply manifold associated therewith, the supply manifold being coupled to the supply outlet of the air circulation apparatus;    at least one supply duct coupled in communication between each zone of said at least one control region and the supply manifold associated with said at least one control region;    a damper coupled to each supply duct adjacent the supply manifold of said at least one control region, the damper being arranged to control a flow of the supply air through the supply duct;    said at least one control region having a return manifold associated therewith, the return manifold being coupled to the return inlet of the air circulation apparatus;    at least one return duct coupled in communication between each zone of said at least one control region and the return manifold associated with said at least one control region;    a damper coupled to each return duct adjacent the respective return manifold of said at least one control region, the damper being arranged to control a flow of the return air through the return duct.