Ventilation system for high-rise structures

Abstract

A ventilation system for providing fresh outdoor directly to each floor through an intake damper on the floor and for admitting only as much air as is required to meet the required outdoor air requirements when the temperature of the outdoor is at extreme ambient temperatures. The system utilizes a compartment unit on each floor and a plurality of VAV's which are located in zones on the floor for achieving desired temperatures in each zone by combining the recirculating air with the outdoor fresh air for delivering to the VAV's at about 55° F.

1 . A ventilation system for a high rise building having a plurality of conditioned floors, the system comprising:
 a compartment unit at each of the plurality of conditioned floors for mixing outdoor air and returned air therein for delivering conditioned air to each floor at a design temperature;   an intake damper at each of the plurality of floors for directly connecting between the compartment unit and the outdoors, each intake damper directly admitting outdoor air from the outdoors to the compartment unit and capable of admitting a volume of outdoor air up to a total volume of conditioned air for the floor;   one or more distributors on each conditioned floor for receiving the conditioned air from the compartment unit at the design temperature and for controlling the amount of conditioned air delivered to each of one or more zones on the conditioned floor so as to achieve a desired zonal temperature in the one or more zones; and   an exhaust damper for each conditioned floor for exhausting excess air in an amount equal to or less than the admitted outdoor air.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the one or more distributors are variable air volume boxes. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an exhaust duct fluidly connected to each of the plurality of floors for exhausting at least some of the air from each of the plurality of floors to a base of the building. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the design temperature is about 55° F. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a re-heating coil is provided for heating the conditioned air for delivery to at least some of the one or more zones for achieving the desired zonal temperature. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising a re-heating coil in at least some of the variable air volume boxes on the conditioned floor for heating the conditioned air from the compartment unit for delivery to at least some of the one or more zones so as to achieve the desired zonal temperature. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a heat exchanger for cooling the conditioned air to the design temperature when outdoor air temperatures are elevated. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the compartment unit is located centrally on the floor. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the compartment unit is located peripherally on the floor adjacent the intake damper. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising sensors for determining an actual occupant load for admitting fresh outdoor air sufficient to meet at least a minimum fresh air requirement based on the actual occupant load. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the sensors are CO 2  monitors. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the heat exchanger is in the compartment unit. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the distributor further comprises:
 a floor plenum for receiving the conditioned air from the compartment unit;   one or more variable flow diffusers fluidly connected between the floor plenum and each of the one or more zones;   a ceiling space fluidly connected to the compartment unit; and   one or more return air grilles fluidly connected between each of the one or more zones and the ceiling space for re-circulating air from each of the one or more zones to the ceiling space for returning the re-circulated air to the compartment unit, and wherein   the exhaust damper is fluidly connected to the ceiling space; and   the one or more variable flow diffusers is adjustable for obtaining a desired zonal temperature.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the design temperature is about 65° F. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising one or more heating coils at the compartment unit for heating the conditioned air therein for delivery to the floor plenum.