Dehumidifier for High Airflow Rate Systems

Abstract

An HVAC system includes a dehumidifier having an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, and an expansion device. The dehumidifier is disposed in at least one of a main supply duct, a main return duct, and an indoor unit of the HVAC system. The dehumidifier comprises no application specific air moving device, as the airflow through the dehumidifier is generated solely by an indoor fan disposed in the indoor unit of the HVAC system such that all of the airflow through an air circulation path of the HVAC system passes through the dehumidifier, regardless of whether the dehumidifier is being operated to dehumidify or provide humidity to the airflow.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 an indoor unit comprising a blower configured to generate an airflow; and   a dehumidifier;   wherein the entirety of the airflow generated by the blower passes through the dehumidifier.   
     
     
         2 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the dehumidifier comprises an evaporator and a condenser, wherein the evaporator is disposed upstream from the condenser with respect to the airflow through the dehumidifier. 
     
     
         3 . The HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the airflow bypasses the evaporator through an evaporator bypass section. 
     
     
         4 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the dehumidifier is disposed in a main return duct of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         5 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the dehumidifier is disposed in a main supply duct of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         6 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the dehumidifier is disposed in the indoor unit of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         7 . The HVAC system of  claim 6 , wherein the dehumidifier comprises a common drain with an indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit of HVAC system. 
     
     
         8 . A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 an indoor unit comprising a blower configured to generate an airflow; and   a dehumidifier comprising an evaporator and a condenser;   wherein at least a portion of the airflow passes through the evaporator of the dehumidifier, and wherein the entirety of the airflow passes through the condenser of the dehumidifier.   
     
     
         9 . The HVAC system of  claim 8 , wherein the entirety of the airflow generated by the blower passes through the dehumidifier. 
     
     
         10 . The HVAC system of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the airflow bypasses the evaporator through an evaporator bypass section. 
     
     
         11 . The HVAC system of  claim 9 , wherein the dehumidifier is disposed in at least one of a main return duct and a main supply duct of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         12 . The HVAC system of  claim 11 , wherein the blower is configured to deliver the airflow from an air supply opening in the indoor unit to at least one zone through the main supply duct, and wherein the indoor unit is configured to receive a return airflow through a main return duct. 
     
     
         13 . The HVAC system of  claim 9 , wherein the dehumidifier is disposed in the indoor unit of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         14 . The HVAC system of  claim 13 , wherein the dehumidifier comprises a common drain with an indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit of HVAC system. 
     
     
         15 . The HVAC system of  claim 8 , wherein the blower is configured to generate the airflow and pass the airflow through the dehumidifier to dehumidify the airflow while the indoor unit is not being operated to provide heating or cooling to the airflow. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a heating, ventilation, and/or air-conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 providing an indoor unit and a dehumidifier in an HVAC system;   monitoring the humidity of a zone conditioned by the HVAC system;   generating an airflow via a blower of the indoor unit;   passing the entirety of the airflow through the dehumidifier;   reducing the humidity of the airflow; and   delivering the reduced humidity airflow to at least one zone conditioned by the HVAC system.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the dehumidifier is disposed in a main return duct of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the dehumidifier is disposed in a main supply duct of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the dehumidifier is disposed in the indoor unit of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein reducing the humidity of the airflow is accomplished when the indoor unit is not being operated to provide heating or cooling to the airflow.