Air conditioning system

Abstract

A first air path with a first fan is adapted to move air in a first direction and a moisture absorbing zone. A second air path with a second fan is adapted to move air in a second direction and a moisture desorbing zone. A rotatable desiccant wheel is located partially in the moisture absorbing zone and partially in the moisture desorbing zone. A heater in the second air path is adapted to desorb moisture from the desiccant wheel. A gas feed line and an air feed line supply the heater. The air feed line has an inlet adjacent to one of the fans.

1 . An air conditioning system for controlling humidity in an efficient and economical manner comprising: 
 a first air path having an input end and an output end and with a first fan adapted to move air in a first direction towards the output end, the first air path including a moisture absorbing zone at an intermediate region of the first air path;    a second air path having an input end and an output end with a second fan adapted to move air in a second direction, opposite from the first direction, towards the output end, the second air path including a moisture desorbing zone at an intermediate region of the second air path;    a desiccant wheel having a surface area located partially in the moisture absorbing zone and partially in the moisture desorbing zone and having a motor adjacent the wheel and adapted to rotate the wheel sequentially through the two zones whereby the desiccant wheel will absorb moisture from air moving through the first air path;    a gas heater in the second air path between the input end and the moisture desorbing zone adapted to heat and activate the desorption of moisture from the desiccant wheel; and    a gas feed line with a gas valve and an air feed line with an air valve having an inlet adjacent to one of the fans.    
   
   
       2 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the inlet of the air feed line is located adjacent to the input end of the first air path following the first fan and further including an air conducting line through the second air path with the gas heater within the air feed line.  
   
   
       3 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the inlet of the air feed line is located adjacent to the input end of the first air path following the first fan and further including an air conducting line through the second air path with the gas flame within the air feed line and with a fan to move the air through the air conducting line.  
   
   
       4 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the inlet of the air feed line is located adjacent to the output end of the second air path following the second fan and further including an air conducting line through the second air path with the gas heater within the air feed line.  
   
   
       5 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the inlet of the air feed line is located adjacent to the output end of the second air path following the second fan and further including an air conducting line through the second air path with the gas heater within the air feed line and with a fan to draw the air through the air conducting line.  
   
   
       6 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the inlet of the air feed line is located adjacent to the input end of the first air path and further including an air conducting line in the second air path with the gas heater within the air conducting line and with the air conducting line having a terminating end in the second air path between the input end and the desorbing zone.  
   
   
       7 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the inlet of the air feed line is located adjacent to the output end of the second air path following the second fan and further including an air conducting line in the second air path with the gas heater within the air conducting line and with the air conducting line having a terminating end in the second air path between the input end and the adsorbing zone.  
   
   
       8 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the inlet of the air feed line is located adjacent to the input end of the first air path following the first fan and further including an air conducting line through the second air path and having a terminating end adjacent to the output end of the second air path and with the gas heater in proximity to the second air path.  
   
   
       9 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the inlet of the air feed line is located adjacent to the input end of the first air path following the second fan and further including an air conducting line through the second air path and having a terminating end adjacent to the output end of the second air path and with the gas heater within the air feed line.  
   
   
       10 . An air conditioning system for controlling and humidity in an efficient and economical manner comprising: 
 a first air path having an input end and an output end and with a first fan adapted to move air in a first direction towards the output end, the first air path including a moisture absorbing zone at an intermediate region of the first air path;    a second air path having an input end and an output end with a second fan adapted to move air in a second direction, opposite from the first direction, towards the output end, the second air path including a moisture desorbing zone at an intermediate region of the second air path;    a desiccant wheel having a surface area located partially in the moisture absorbing zone and partially in the moisture desorbing zone with a motor to rotate the wheel sequentially through the two zones whereby the desiccant wheel will absorb moisture from air moving through the first air path; and    a heater in the second air path between the input end and the moisture desorbing zone adapted to desorb moisture from the desiccant wheel.    
   
   
       11 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the heater is a fluid recirculating line with a first end in the second air path adjacent to the input end and a second end remote from the air paths with a gas heater at the second end with a gas feed line and an air feed line.  
   
   
       12 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the heater is a recirculating line with a first end in the second air path adjacent to the input end and a second end remote from the air paths with a gas heater at the second end with a gas feed line and an air feed line with a terminating end at the input end of the second air path.  
   
   
       13 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the first air path includes an air conditioner with an evaporator adjacent to the output end of the first air path and with a condenser and a compressor located remote from the air paths.  
   
   
       14 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the first air path includes an air conditioner with an evaporator adjacent to the output end of the first air path and with a condenser and a compressor located in the second air path adjacent to the input end.  
   
   
       15 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the first air path includes an air conditioner with an evaporator adjacent to the output end of the first air path and a condenser and with a condenser in the second air path adjacent to the input end and with a compressor located remote from the air paths and coupled to the output end of the first air path.  
   
   
       16 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the indirect evaporative cooler has a housing with an ambient air intake and an output with a circulating fan, the housing having a body of water below with a submersible pump and a plurality of misters above coupled to a pump and a plurality of air conduits in the path of water dispensed from the misters.  
   
   
       17 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  and further including an indirect evaporative cooler coupled to the output end of the first air path, the indirect evaporative cooler having a housing with an ambient air intake and an output with a circulating fan, the housing having a body of water below with a submersible pump and a plurality of misters above coupled to a pump and a plurality of air conduits in the path of water dispensed from the misters, the system further including an upper interface between the output of the first path and the air conduits and a lower interface between the output of the first path and space beneath the air conduits and above the body of water.  
   
   
       18 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the input to the first air path comes from a fresh air intake and a recirculator of the indoor air with a regulator damper therein, the output of the second air path including an exhaust  156  for exhausting to outdoors, the system further having a mixing box coupled to the output of the first path, to the input of the second path, to the input of the recirculator, to the indoor air space, and an evaporator of an HVAC subsystem, the HVAC subsystem being adapted to supply cold dry air to the indoor environment.  
   
   
       19 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  and further including a primary supply conduit with an output to a living space and an input as a return air intake having an evaporator of an HVAC subsystem and a blower coupled to the supply conduit and with a one way damper therein, the system also having a secondary conduit coupled with the main conduit before and after the one way damper and including there between the first air path.  
   
   
       20 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the input to the first air path comes from a fresh air intake, the output of the second air path including an exhaust for exhausting to outdoors, the system further having a mixing box coupled to the output of the first path, to the input of the second path, to a return from space, to an evaporator of an HVAC subsystem adapted to supply cold dry air to the indoor environment, to a supplemental exhaust air conduit, the system including a rotatable enthalpy heat exchanger wheel sequentially rotatable through the exhaust air conduit and the input to the first air path for thereby pre-treating the outside air with an enthalpy recovery wheel before the desiccant wheel, and with regeneration of the enthalpy wheel by the differential of vapor pressure between two air stream paths.  
   
   
       21 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the input to the first air path comes from a fresh air intake, the output of the second air path including an exhaust for exhausting to outdoors, the system further having a mixing box coupled to the output of the first path, to the input of the second path, to the indoor air space, to the return from space and an evaporator of an HVAC subsystem adapted to supply cold dry air to the indoor environment whereby the desiccant wheel functions as a desiccant dehumidifier regenerated by heat and when it is required, the motor will increase speed to work as a total energy/enthalpy wheel, exchanging energy between outdoor, exhaust and indoor air.  
   
   
       22 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the input to the second air path includes a one way damper and a filter coupled to a hot attic air environment wherein the output from the first air path is coupled to a conditioned air environment.  
   
   
       23 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the input to the second air path includes a one way damper and a filter coupled to a hot attic air environment wherein the output from the first air path is coupled to a conditioned air environment, the system further including a solar collector functioning as a pre-heater or heat to regenerate the desiccant wheel.  
   
   
       24 . The system as set forth in  claim 10  and further comprising: 
 a first air intake conduit coupling the outside environment to the input of the second air path;    an exhaust conduit coupling the outside environment to the output end of the second air path;    a closed space wherein the user wishes to control the temperature and humidity, the closed space having a thermostat and a humidistat;    a HVAC subsystem coupled to the closed space, the HVAC subsystem having an evaporator and a blower electrically coupled to the thermostat;    an output conduit coupled to the output end of the first air path and also coupled to the closed space, the fan of the first air path being electrically coupled to the humidistat with a first humidistat sensor;    a return conduit coupled to the input end of the first air path and the closed space with a damper therein and being electrically coupled to a timer;    a second air intake conduit having a configuration with one input and two outputs with a first portion coupled to the outside environment with a shut off damper electrically coupled to the timer, the configuration having a second portion coupled to the return conduit adjacent to the input end of the first air path and a third portion coupled to the first air path adjacent to the output end with a damper at a point where the three portions come together and the damper being electrically coupled to the humidistat with a second humidistat sensor.    
   
   
       25 . The temperature and humidity control system as set forth in  claim 24  in the indoor dehumidification mode wherein the first humidistat sensor being on, the second humidistat sensor being not applicable, the timer being not applicable, the shut off damper of the input end of the first portion being closed, the damper of the return conduit being open, the damper where the three portions come together being not applicable.  
   
   
       26 . The temperature and humidity control system as set forth in  claim 24  in the fresh air with no dehumidification mode wherein the first humidistat sensor being not applicable, the second humidistat sensor being on, the timer being on, the shut off damper of the input end of the first portion being open, the damper of the return conduit being closed, the damper where the three portions come together being open to the second portion.  
   
   
       27 . The temperature and humidity control system as set forth in  claim 24  in the purge mode wherein the first humidistat sensor being not applicable, the second humidistat sensor being off, the timer being on, the shut off damper of the input end of the first portion being open, the damper of the return conduit being closed, the damper Where the three portions come together being open to the third portion.  
   
   
       28 . The temperature and humidity control system as set forth in  claim 24  in the dehumidification of indoor air mode wherein the first humidistat sensor being not applicable, the second humidistat sensor being on, the timer being on, the shut off damper of the input end of the first portion being open, the damper of the return conduit being closed, the damper where the three portions come together being open to the second portion.  
   
   
       29 . A temperature and humidity control system with a conventional dehumidifier comprising, in combination: 
 a first air loop coupled to an input end and an output end with a fan adjacent to the input end and adapted to push air towards the output end with both the input end and the output end being coupled to a closed space where the user wishes to control the temperature and humidity and having a thermostat and a humidistat;    a conventional dehumidifier being positioned within the first air loop;    a HVAC subsystem being coupled to the closed space and having an evaporator and a blower being electrically coupled to the thermostat;    an output conduit being coupled to the output end of the first air path and being further coupled to the closed space, the fan of the first air path being electrically coupled to the humidistat;    a return conduit being coupled to the input end of the first air path and the closed space with a damper therein and being electrically coupled to a timer;    a second air intake conduit having one input and two outputs with a first portion coupled to the outside environment with a shut off damper being electrically coupled to the timer, a second portion coupled to the return conduit adjacent to the input end of the first air path and a third portion coupled to the first air path adjacent to the output end with a damper at a point where the three portions come together and the damper being electrically coupled to the humidistat.    
   
   
       30 . The temperature and humidity control system as set forth in  claim 29  and further comprising: 
 a second air loop adapted to push air in an opposite direction of the first air loop, with the second air loop having an input end coupled to outside environment, an output end being coupled to the outside environment and an fan adjacent to the output end and adapted to pull air through the second air loop opposite the flow of air in the first air loop, the input end of the second air loop being adjacent to the output end of the first air loop and the output end of the second air loop being adjacent to the input end of the first air loop, the input end of the second air loop having a control box and filter coupled thereto;    the conventional dehumidifier having an exchange of energy between the first air loop and the second air loop;    a first air intake conduit coupling the outside environment to the input of the second air path; and    an exhaust conduit coupling the out side environment to the output end of the second air path.    
   
   
       31 . A temperature and humidity control system with a heat source comprising, in combination: 
 a first air loop coupled to a regulatable air space having an input end in and an output end with a fan adjacent to the input end and adapted to push air towards the output end with both the input end and the output end being coupled to the regulatable air space;    a second air loop adapted to move air in an opposite direction of the first air loop, with the second air loop having an input end coupled to an air source, an output end being coupled to an exhaust air receiving area and an fan adjacent to the output end and adapted to pull air through the second air loop opposite the flow of air in the first air loop, the input end of the second air loop being adjacent to the output end of the first air loop and the output end of the second air loop being adjacent to the input end of the first air loop, the input end of the second air loop having a control box and filter coupled thereto; and    a heating loop having an air receiving conduit and a gas receiving conduit, both of the receiving conduits being coupled to a mixing conduit which is coupled to a firing region and adapted to heat and dry the incoming air of the second air loop, the firing region being adapted to receive ambient air and being coupled to an exhaust conduit.