Air Source Heat Exchange System and Method Utilizing Temperature Gradient and Water

Abstract

An air source heat exchange system and method in which usable heat is exchanged between a predetermined volume of a fluid heat exchange medium, preferably water, within a heat exchange chamber and ambient air outside the chamber. At least one and preferably a plurality of air source heat exchange chambers are provided, each having a volume for containing the predetermined volume of water, including a retarded volume detained so as to be dwelled within the chamber as water is flowed into and out of the chamber. The chamber has a chamber wall constructed of a material enabling heat transfer between the detained water dwelled within the chamber and adjacent ambient air outside the chamber. A circulation system circulates the water along a path of flow passing into and out of the volume of the chamber at a rate of flow so related to the predetermined volume of water that usable heat is transferred through the chamber wall, between the ambient air and the retarded volume of detained water dwelled within the chamber.

1 . An air a source heat exchange method for effecting a transfer of heat between ambient air and an air source heat exchange system comprised of an air source heat exchange unit, the air source heat exchange method comprising:
 providing the air source heat exchange unit with a chamber having a wall including a predetermined heat transfer area of the wall of the chamber;   containing a predetermined volume of a fluid heat exchange medium within the chamber, in juxtaposition with the heat transfer area of the wall of the chamber, during operation of the system;   exposing the heat transfer area of the wall of the chamber to ambient air;   flowing fluid heat exchange medium into the chamber at a prescribed rate of flow while, at the same time, flowing fluid heat exchange medium out of the chamber at the prescribed rate of flow; and   configuring the chamber such that the predetermined volume of fluid heat exchange medium contained within the chamber during operation of the air source heat exchange system is great enough to include a volume of retarded heat exchange medium detained to be dwelled within the chamber, in juxtaposition with the heat transfer area of the wall of the chamber, as the fluid heat exchange medium is flowed into and out of the chamber at the prescribed rate of flow, promoting heat exchange between the volume of detained, dwelled heat exchange medium and ambient air during movement of the fluid heat exchange medium through the air source heat exchange system.   
     
     
         2 . The air source heat exchange method of  claim 1  including moving ambient air across the chamber wall, in juxtaposition with the heat transfer area of the wall of the chamber and, consequently, in juxtaposition with the detained, dwelled fluid heat exchange medium contained within the chamber, to facilitate the transfer of usable heat between the ambient air and the fluid heat exchange medium within the chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The air source heat exchange method of  claim 1  wherein the fluid heat exchange medium is water. 
     
     
         4 . An air source heat exchange method comprising providing a plurality of air source heat exchange units of  claim 1  exposed to the ambient air and connected in series, and circulating the fluid heat exchange medium serially through the plurality of air source heat exchange units. 
     
     
         5 . The air source heat exchange method of  claim 4  wherein the fluid heat exchange medium is water. 
     
     
         6 . The air source heat exchange method of  claim 4  including moving ambient air across each chamber wall, in juxtaposition with the detained, dwelled volume of fluid heat exchange medium within each corresponding air source heat exchange chamber to facilitate the transfer of usable heat between the ambient air and the fluid heat exchange medium within the corresponding air source heat exchange chamber. 
     
     
         7 . An air source heat exchange method in which a fluid heat exchange medium is circulated at a given volumetric flow rate through an air source heat exchange system, during operation of the system, while usable heat is exchanged between a volume of the fluid heat exchange medium within an air source heat exchange unit of the air source heat exchange system and ambient air outside the air source heat exchange unit, the air source heat exchange method comprising:
 providing an air source heat exchange chamber within the air source heat exchange unit, the air source heat exchange chamber having a predetermined volume for containing a corresponding volume of fluid heat exchange medium within the air source heat exchange unit during operation of the air source heat exchange system;   providing the air source heat exchange chamber with a chamber wall contiguous with the volume of fluid heat exchange medium within the air source heat exchange chamber and exposing the chamber wall to adjacent ambient air outside the air source heat exchange chamber, to effect heat transfer between the fluid heat exchange medium within the air source heat exchange chamber and the adjacent ambient air outside the air source heat exchange chamber;   flowing the fluid heat exchange medium along a path of flow passing into and out of the predetermined volume of the air source heat exchange chamber, during operation of the air source heat exchange system, at the given volumetric flow rate such that at any time during operation of the air source heat exchange system, the volume of fluid heat exchange medium contained within the air source heat exchange chamber is greater than the volume of fluid heat exchange medium flowing along the path of flow through the air source heat exchange chamber at the given volumetric flow rate, by a difference that establishes a volume of retarded fluid heat exchange medium detained so as to be dwelled within the air source heat exchange chamber, thereby promoting the transfer of usable heat through the chamber wall, between the ambient air and the volume of fluid heat exchange medium within the air source heat exchange chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The air source heat exchange method of  claim 7  including moving ambient air across the chamber wall, in juxtaposition with the volume of fluid heat exchange medium within the air source heat exchange chamber to facilitate the transfer of usable heat between the ambient air and the volume of fluid heat exchange medium within the air source heat exchange chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The air source heat exchange system of  claim 7  wherein the fluid heat exchange medium is water. 
     
     
         10 . The air source heat exchange method of  claim 7  including interconnecting a plurality of said air source heat exchange chambers serially such that the fluid heat exchange medium is flowed along the path of flow sequentially from one of the plurality of air source heat exchange chambers to a next consecutive air source heat exchange chamber of the plurality of said air source heat exchange chambers, along the path of flow. 
     
     
         11 . The air source heat exchange method of  claim 10  including moving the ambient air across each chamber wall in juxtaposition with the volume of fluid heat exchange medium within each corresponding air source heat exchange chamber to facilitate the transfer of usable heat between the ambient air and the volume of fluid heat exchange medium within each corresponding air source heat exchange chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The air source heat exchange system of  claim 11  wherein the fluid heat exchange medium is water.