Air conditioning system

Abstract

An air conditioning system ( 10 ) using a refrigerant fluid ( 102 ) and a cooling liquid, the air conditioning system ( 10 ) comprising: a first compartment ( 22 ) defining a first air inlet ( 31 ) and a first air outlet ( 33 ) and a first ventilator ( 28 ) for creating a first air flow ( 35 ) through the first compartment ( 22 ) from the first air inlet ( 31 ) to the first air outlet ( 33 ); a first heat exchange unit ( 16 ) provided in the first compartment ( 22 ) for allowing heat exchange between the refrigerant fluid ( 102 ) and the first air flow ( 35 ) when the refrigerant fluid ( 102 ) is circulated through the first heat exchange unit ( 16 ); a second heat exchange unit ( 14 ) also provided in the first compartment ( 22 ) for allowing heat exchange between the refrigerant fluid ( 102 ) and the first air flow ( 35 ) when the refrigerant fluid ( 102 ) is circulated through the second heat exchange unit ( 14 ), the second heat exchange unit ( 14 ) being provided downstream from the first heat exchange unit ( 16 ) relatively to the first air flow ( 35 ), the second heat exchange unit ( 14 ) being in fluid communication with the first heat exchange unit ( 16 ) for allowing circulation of the refrigerant fluid ( 102 ) from the second heat exchange unit ( 14 ) to the first heat exchange unit ( 16 ). The second heat exchange unit ( 14 ) is a desuperheater in which the refrigerant fluid ( 102 ) is cooled down by the first air flow ( 35 ) while remaining gaseous and the first heat exchange unit ( 16 ) is a condenser in which the refrigerant fluid ( 102 ) condenses when cooled by the first air flow ( 35 ).

1 . An air conditioning system using a refrigerant fluid and a cooling liquid, said air conditioning system comprising:
 a first compartment, said first compartment defining a first air inlet and a first air outlet;   a substantially elongated first air outlet duct in fluid communication with said first air outlet, said first air outlet duct defining a first duct longitudinal axis;   a first ventilator operatively coupled to said first air inlet and said first air outlet for creating a first air flow through said first compartment and said first air outlet duct from said first air inlet through said first air outlet and into said first air outlet duct;   a first heat exchange unit provided in said first compartment for allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said first air flow when said refrigerant fluid is circulated through said first heat exchange unit;   a second heat exchange unit also provided in said first compartment for allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said first air flow when said refrigerant fluid is circulated through said second heat exchange unit, said second heat exchange unit being provided downstream from said first heat exchange unit relatively to said first air flow, said second heat exchange unit being in fluid communication with said first heat exchange unit for allowing circulation of said refrigerant fluid from said second heat exchange unit to said first heat exchange unit;   a third heat exchange unit provided in said first air outlet duct for allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said first air flow when said refrigerant fluid is circulated through said third heat exchange unit, said third heat exchange unit being in fluid communication with said second heat exchange unit for allowing circulation of said refrigerant fluid from said third heat exchange unit to said second heat exchange unit, said third heat exchange unit extending along said first air outlet duct, said third heat exchange unit being angled with respect to said first duct longitudinal axis;   a first liquid sprinkler provided substantially adjacent said first and second heat exchange units, said first liquid sprinkler being positioned, configured and sized for simultaneously sprinkling said cooling liquid onto both said first and second heat exchange units;   a second compartment, said second compartment defining a second air inlet and a second air outlet;   a second ventilator operatively coupled to said second air inlet and said second air outlet for creating a second air flow through said second compartment from said second air inlet to said second air outlet;   a compressor unit in fluid communication with said third heat exchange unit for compressing said refrigerant fluid to produce a compressed refrigerant fluid in gas phase and providing said compressed refrigerant fluid to said third heat exchange unit;   an evaporator for evaporating said refrigerant fluid and allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said second air flow, said evaporator being provided in said second compartment substantially across said second air flow, said evaporator being in fluid communication with said compressor unit and said first heat exchange unit for receiving said refrigerant fluid from said first heat exchange unit and releasing said refrigerant fluid to said compressor unit;   wherein said second and third heat exchange units are desuperheaters in which said refrigerant fluid is cooled down by said first air flow while remaining gaseous and said first heat exchange unit is a condenser in which said refrigerant fluid condenses when cooled by said first air flow.   
     
     
         2 . An air conditioning system using a refrigerant fluid and a cooling liquid, said air conditioning system comprising:
 a first compartment, said first compartment defining a first air inlet and a first air outlet;   a substantially elongated first air outlet duct in fluid communication with said first air outlet, said first air outlet duct defining a first duct longitudinal axis;   a first ventilator operatively coupled to said first air inlet and said first air outlet for creating a first air flow through said first compartment and said first air outlet duct from said first air inlet through said first air outlet and into said first air outlet duct;   a first heat exchange unit provided in said first compartment for allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said first air flow when said refrigerant fluid is circulated through said first heat exchange unit;   a second heat exchange unit also provided in said first compartment for allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said first air flow when said refrigerant fluid is circulated through said second heat exchange unit, said second heat exchange unit being provided downstream from said first heat exchange unit relatively to said first air flow, said second heat exchange unit being in fluid communication with said first heat exchange unit for allowing circulation of said refrigerant fluid from said second heat exchange unit to said first heat exchange unit;   a third heat exchange unit provided in said first air outlet duct for allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said first air flow when said refrigerant fluid is circulated through said third heat exchange unit, said third heat exchange unit being in fluid communication with said second heat exchange unit for allowing circulation of said refrigerant fluid from said third heat exchange unit to said second heat exchange unit, said third heat exchange unit extending along said first air outlet duct, said third heat exchange unit being angled with respect to said first duct longitudinal axis; and   a first liquid sprinkler provided substantially adjacent said first and second heat exchange units, said first liquid sprinkler being positioned, configured and sized for simultaneously sprinkling said cooling liquid onto both said first and second heat exchange units;   wherein circulating said first air flow with said first ventilator and circulating said refrigerant fluid from said third heat exchange unit, through said second heat exchange unit and to said first heat exchange unit while sprinkling said first and second heat exchange units with said cooling liquid cools down said refrigerant fluid when said refrigerant fluid is hotter than said first air flow.   
     
     
         3 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said second and third heat exchange units are desuperheaters in which said refrigerant fluid cools down while remaining gaseous. 
     
     
         4 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said first heat exchange unit is a condenser in which said refrigerant fluid condenses. 
     
     
         5 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 2 , further comprising a compressor unit in fluid communication with said third heat exchange unit for compressing said refrigerant fluid to produce a compressed refrigerant fluid in gas phase and providing said compressed refrigerant fluid to said third heat exchange unit. 
     
     
         6 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said compressor unit is provided in said first compartment. 
     
     
         7 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 5 , further comprising a second compartment, said second compartment defining a second air inlet and a second air outlet. 
     
     
         8 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising
 a second ventilator operatively coupled to said second air inlet and said second air outlet for creating a second air flow through said second compartment from said second air inlet to said second air outlet;   an evaporator for evaporating said refrigerant fluid and allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said second air flow, said evaporator being provided in said second compartment, said evaporator being in fluid communication with said compressor unit and said first heat exchange unit for receiving said refrigerant fluid from said first heat exchange unit and releasing said refrigerant fluid to said compressor unit, said evaporator being located in said second compartment across said second air flow.   
     
     
         9 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising
 a second air outlet duct in fluid communication with said second air outlet; and   an air heating element provided in said second air outlet duct for selectively heating said second air flow.   
     
     
         10 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said second compartment is provided substantially adjacent to said first compartment, said first and second compartments sharing a common central wall thermally isolating said first and second compartments from each other. 
     
     
         11 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising a air-to-air heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a third air flow and a fourth air flow, said air-to-air heat exchanger being provided substantially adjacent said first and second compartments and extending substantially perpendicularly to said common central wall. 
     
     
         12 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said air-to-air heat exchanger is operatively coupled to said first and second compartments so that said third and fourth air flows are exhausted from said air-to-air heat exchanger respectively in said first and second compartments. 
     
     
         13 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 10 , wherein a portion of said second air flow is directed toward said air-to-air heat exchanger with said third air flow to allow heat exchange between said portion of said second air flow and said fourth air flow. 
     
     
         14 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 9 , further comprising a second liquid sprinkler provided substantially adjacent said evaporator, said second liquid sprinkler being positioned, configured and sized for sprinkling water onto said evaporator. 
     
     
         15 . An air conditioning system using a refrigerant fluid and a cooling liquid, said air conditioning system comprising:
 a first compartment, said first compartment defining a first air inlet and a first air outlet;   a first ventilator operatively coupled to said first air inlet and said first air outlet for creating a first air flow through said first compartment from said first air inlet to said first air outlet;   a first heat exchange unit provided in said first compartment for allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said first air flow when said refrigerant fluid is circulated through said first heat exchange unit;   a second heat exchange unit also provided in said first compartment for allowing heat exchange between said refrigerant fluid and said first air flow when said refrigerant fluid is circulated through said second heat exchange unit, said second heat exchange unit being provided downstream from said first heat exchange unit relatively to said first air flow, said second heat exchange unit being in fluid communication with said first heat exchange unit for allowing circulation of said refrigerant fluid from said second heat exchange unit to said first heat exchange unit;   a compressor unit in fluid communication with said second heat exchange unit for compressing said refrigerant fluid to produce a compressed refrigerant fluid in gas phase and providing said compressed refrigerant fluid to said second heat exchange unit;   an evaporator for evaporating said refrigerant fluid, said evaporator being in fluid communication with said compressor unit and said first heat exchange unit for receiving said refrigerant fluid from said first heat exchange unit and releasing said refrigerant fluid to said compressor unit;   wherein said second heat exchange unit is a desuperheater in which said refrigerant fluid is cooled down by said first air flow while remaining gaseous and said first heat exchange unit is a condenser in which said refrigerant fluid condenses when cooled by said first air flow.   
     
     
         16 . An air conditioning system as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising a first liquid sprinkler provided substantially adjacent said first and second heat exchange units, said first liquid sprinkler being positioned, configured and sized for simultaneously sprinkling said cooling liquid onto both said first and second heat exchange units. 
     
     
         17 . A method for cooling a refrigerant fluid in an air conditioning system using an air flow, said method comprising:
 compressing said refrigerant fluid in a gas phase;   in a first cooling step subsequent to compressing said refrigerant fluid, cooling said refrigerant fluid by transferring heat from said refrigerant fluid to said air flow with said refrigerant fluid remaining in said gas phase;   in a second cooling step subsequent to said first cooling step, cooling said refrigerant fluid by transferring heat from said refrigerant fluid to said air flow with said refrigerant fluid condensing to a liquid phase;   wherein said air flow flows in a manner such that said air flow is used first in said second cooling step and then circulated to be used in said first cooling step.   
     
     
         18 . A method as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising evaporating said refrigerant fluid after said second cooling step. 
     
     
         19 . A method as defined in  claim 18 , wherein evaporating said refrigerant fluid after said second cooling step includes reducing a pressure of said refrigerant fluid. 
     
     
         20 . A method as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said first and second cooling steps are performed in separate heat exchangers. 
     
     
         21 . A method as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising cooling said refrigerant fluid by transferring heat from said refrigerant fluid to a cooling liquid. 
     
     
         22 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein cooling said refrigerant fluid by transferring heat from said refrigerant fluid to said cooling liquid is performed substantially simultaneously both with said first and second cooling steps.