Carbon monoxide air exchange system

Abstract

An air exchange system for use in commercial and residential buildings for monitoring the concentration of carbon monoxide or other gaseous components of air present in the building, and for removing the carbon monoxide from the air upon reaching a predetermined threshold concentration. The system utilizes standard carbon monoxide detectors located in rooms on all floors of the building which are electrically connected to a central control unit. When an excessive level of carbon monoxide is detected by one or more of the detectors, the control unit triggers shut-down of all potential sources of carbon monoxide within the building. The control unit simultaneously reverses the flow of air through the central heating/air conditioning system to remove the ambient room air and any carbon monoxide present at floor level and vents the room air to the outside of the building while bringing fresh air into the building. Audible and visual alarms sound to warn persons within the building that an undesirable level of carbon monoxide has been detected and that the ventilation mode has started.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An air exchange system for use with a forced air system within a building, the forced air system being of the type having a blower unit which moves air from an inlet to an outlet thereof, an intake duct assembly being connected to the inlet for gathering air from above a floor of the building, and an outlet duct assembly connected to the outlet for distributing the air back throughout the building, the air exchange system which monitors the concentration of at least one gaseous component of air present in the building and removes the gaseous component from the air upon reaching a predetermined threshold concentration, the air exchange system comprising: 
 at least one detector which detects the level of the gaseous component, generating an alarm signal upon the level of the gaseous component reaching the predetermined threshold concentration;    an exhausting unit having an upright housing which includes an internal chamber extending therethrough, said housing having an exhaust air inlet disposed above the floor, and an exhaust air outlet adapted to discharge air externally of the building, a blower being operatively associated with said housing for moving air inside the building into said exhaust air inlet and out of the building through said exhaust air outlet;    an inlet air duct assembly which includes an inlet air duct having a fresh air inlet adapted to receive fresh air external of the building and a fresh air outlet internal to the building, and a normally closed bypass air valve disposed along said inlet air duct; and    an electrical control system operatively connected to each of said detectors for receiving the alarm signal and activating said blower to remove air from within the building opening said bypass air valve to replenish removed air through said inlet air duct with fresh air from outside the building.    
     
     
         2 . The air exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein each detector plugs into an electrical wall outlet which powers said detector.  
     
     
         3 . The air exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of detectors each being insulated from the alarm signals of others of said detectors so as not to be triggered thereby.  
     
     
         4 . The air exchange system according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of detectors comprise respective carbon monoxide detectors.  
     
     
         5 . The air exchange system according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one electrically actuatable, normally open gas shutoff valve disposed along a gas inlet line feeding gas to an internal combustion device in the building which might be the source of carbon monoxide, said gas shutoff valve being operatively connected to the electrical control system such that when one of the detectors detects the level of a gaseous component associated with combustion and fires in buildings above a predetermined level, the alarm signal sent from said detector causes said electrical control system actuate said gas shutoff valve to a closed position wherein gas is shut off from the internal combustion device which might be the source of the carbon monoxide.  
     
     
         6 . The air exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein the alarm signal sent from the detector causes the electrical control system to stop the blower unit from running and moving air therethrough.  
     
     
         7 . The air exchange system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sprinkler activation system which includes at least sprinkler assembly connected to a main water supply pipe for receiving pressurized water from a water supply of the building, each sprinkler assembly having a water supply pipe mounted below a ceiling of the building, being connected at one end to the main water supply pipe and a water spray nozzle connected at an opposite end thereof, an electrically actuatable, normally closed water valve being disposed along the water supply pipe to stop water from flowing through said spray nozzle, said valve being operatively connected to the electrical control system such that when one of the detectors detects the level of a gaseous component associated with combustion and fires in buildings above a predetermined level, the alarm signal sent from said detector causes said electrical control system actuate said water valves to an open position wherein water discharges through said spray nozzles to extinguish any fire which may be present thereunder.  
     
     
         8 . An air exchange system for use in buildings to monitor and the concentration of at least one gaseous component of air present in the building, and remove the gaseous component from the air upon reaching a predetermined threshold concentration, comprising: 
 at least one detector which detects the level of the gaseous component, generating an alarm signal upon the level of the gaseous component reaching the predetermined threshold concentration;    an exhausting unit having an upright housing which includes an internal chamber extending therethrough, said housing having an exhaust air inlet disposed above the floor, and an exhaust air outlet adapted to discharge air externally of the building, a blower being operatively associated with said housing for moving air inside the building into said exhaust air inlet and out of the building through said exhaust air outlet;    an inlet air duct assembly which includes an inlet air duct having a fresh air inlet adapted to receive fresh air external of the building and a fresh air outlet internal to the building, and a normally closed bypass air valve disposed along said inlet air duct; and    an electrical control system operatively connected to each of said detectors for receiving the alarm signal and activating said blower to remove air from within the building, and opening said bypass air valve to replenish removed air through said inlet air duct with fresh air from outside the building.    
     
     
         9 . The air exchange system according to  claim 8 , wherein each detector plugs into an electrical wall outlet which powers said detector.  
     
     
         10 . The air exchange system according to  claim 8 , wherein there are a plurality of detectors each being insulated from the alarm signals of others of said detectors so as not to be triggered thereby.  
     
     
         11 . The air exchange system according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of detectors comprise respective carbon monoxide detectors.  
     
     
         12 . The air exchange system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a sprinkler activation system which includes at least sprinkler assembly connected to a main water supply pipe for receiving pressurized water from a water supply of the building, each sprinkler assembly having a water supply pipe mounted below a ceiling of the building, being connected at one end to the main water supply pipe and a water spray nozzle connected at an opposite end thereof, an electrically actuatable, normally closed water valve being disposed along the water supply pipe to stop water from flowing through said spray nozzle, said valve being operatively connected to the electrical control system such that when one of the detectors detects the level of a gaseous component associated with combustion and fires in buildings above a predetermined level, the alarm signal sent from said detector causes said electrical control system actuate said water valves to an open position wherein water discharges through said spray nozzles to extinguish any fire which may be present thereunder.  
     
     
         13 . An air exchange system for use with a forced air system within a building, the forced air system being of the type having a blower unit which moves air from an inlet to an outlet thereof, an intake duct assembly being connected to the inlet for gathering air from the building, and an outlet duct assembly connected to the outlet for distributing the air back throughout the building through a plurality of floor registers disposed closely adjacent a floor thereof, the air exchange system which monitors and the concentration of at least one gaseous component of air present in the building and removes the gaseous component from the air upon reaching a predetermined threshold concentration, the air exchange system comprising: 
 at least one detector which detects the level of the gaseous component, generating an alarm signal upon the level of the gaseous component reaching the predetermined threshold concentration;    an inlet air duct assembly includes an inlet air duct having a fresh air inlet adapted to receive fresh air external of the building and a fresh air outlet connected to the intake duct assembly, and a normally closed bypass air valve disposed along said inlet air duct;    an outlet duct assembly includes an outlet air duct having an exhaust air inlet for receiving air from within the building and an exhaust air outlet for discharging the air externally of the building;    a valve assembly operatively associated with at least one of said an inlet and outlet duct assemblies to normally block fresh air from flowing through said fresh air inlet into the building and air inside the building from flowing out through said outlet air duct to outside of the building; and    an electrical control system operatively connected to each of said detectors for receiving the alarm signal and activating reversing the blower and activating said valve assembly from a normally blocked position to a reversed position to reverse the flow of air such that air is drawn from inside the building through the floor registers and blown out through said outlet duct assembly, and fresh air drawn from outside the building through inlet air duct assembly to replenish removed air.    
     
     
         14 . The air exchange system according to  claim 13 , wherein the valve assembly includes a pair of valves, one operatively associated with the inlet duct assembly to normally block fresh air from flowing through the fresh air inlet into the building, and one operatively associated with the outlet duct assembly to normally block air inside the building from flowing out through the outlet air duct to outside of the building.  
     
     
         15 . The air exchange system according to  claim 14 , wherein the valve assembly further includes an additional valve operably disposed in the intake duct assembly between the pair of valves, said additional valve being controlled by the electrical control system.  
     
     
         16 . The air exchange system according to  claim 13 , wherein each detector plugs into an electrical wall outlet which powers said detector.  
     
     
         17 . The air exchange system according to  claim 13 , wherein there are a plurality of detectors each being insulated from the alarm signals of others of said detectors so as not to be triggered thereby.  
     
     
         18 . The air exchange system according to  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of detectors comprise respective carbon monoxide detectors.  
     
     
         19 . The air exchange system according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least one electrically actuatable, normally open gas shutoff valve disposed along a gas inlet line feeding gas to an internal combustion device in the building which might be the source of carbon monoxide, said gas shutoff valve being operatively connected to the electrical control system such that when one of the detectors detects the level of a gaseous component associated with combustion and fires in buildings above a predetermined level, the alarm signal sent from said detector causes said electrical control system actuate said gas shutoff valve to a closed position wherein gas is shut off from the internal combustion device which might be the source of the carbon monoxide.  
     
     
         20 . The air exchange system according to  claim 13 , further comprising a sprinkler activation system which includes at least sprinkler assembly connected to a main water supply pipe for receiving pressurized water from a water supply of the building, each sprinkler assembly having a water supply pipe mounted below a ceiling of the building, being connected at one end to the main water supply pipe and a water spray nozzle connected at an opposite end thereof, an electrically actuatable, normally closed water valve being disposed along the water supply pipe to stop water from flowing through said spray nozzle, said valve being operatively connected to the electrical control system such that when one of the detectors detects the level of a gaseous component associated with combustion and fires in buildings above a predetermined level, the alarm signal sent from said detector causes said electrical control system actuate said water valves to an open position wherein water discharges through said spray nozzles to extinguish any fire which may be present thereunder.