Ducted Heating and Cooling System

Abstract

A heating and cooling system or installation for heating or cooling air within a building space, including a water chiller for chilling water and a coil to which the chilled water can be delivered. Air can then be driven by a fan through the coil to cool the air and the cooled air can be delivered into the building space for cooling the building space. The system can include a water heating facility to heat water that is delivered to the coil so that air driven through the coil can be heated. The coil is connected to ducting for delivering cooled or heated air to the building space.

1 . A heating and cooling system for heating or cooling air within a building space, the system including:
 a. a water heating facility to heat water,   b. a water chiller to cool or chill water,   c. a coil in fluid connection with the water heating facility and the water chiller and through which air can be passed for heating or cooling,   d. a fan for driving air through the coil, and   e. ducting comprising delivery ducting through which air which has been heated or cooled by the coil can be delivered into the building space and return ducting through which air within the building space can be returned to the coil for heating or cooling,   the system being operable such that the water heating facility or the water chiller supplies either heated or cooled or chilled water to the coil and the fan causes air to flow through the return ducting from the building space, then through the coil, and then through the delivery ducting for delivery into the building space.   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , the water heating facility and the water chiller being integrated into a single unit. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1 , the water heating facility and the water chiller being separate from each other. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1 , the fan and coil being included in a single complete fan/coil unit. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1 , the fan being connected to the return ducting or being positioned on the side of the return ducting and the coil being connected to the delivery ducting or being positioned on the side of the delivery ducting, so that the fan is positioned upstream of the coil unit. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , further including a photovoltaic (PV) solar collection system for providing electrical power to the water heating facility. 
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 1 , further including a water storage tank. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 7 , the water heating facility and the water chiller being in fluid communication with the water storage tank to deliver heated or cooled water to the storage tank for storage. 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1 , further including a solar hot water system and the solar hot water system being in fluid communication with the water storage tank to deliver heated water to the storage tank for storage. 
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 1 , the water chilling system having a power rating of at least less than 60% of the heating device, or of at least less than 50% of the heating device, or of at least less than 45% of the heating device, or of at least less than 40% of the heating device, or about 36% of the heating device. 
     
     
         11 . A method of cooling a building space, the method involving installing a heating and cooling system according to  claim 1  and thereafter operating the cooling device. 
     
     
         12 . A method of cooling a building space according to  claim 11 , the method including chilling the water of the water chiller to a low temperature at the commencement of a cooling operation, and thereafter operating the water chiller to deliver chilled water to the coil. 
     
     
         13 . A method of cooling a building space according to  claim 11 , including controlling the cooled temperature within the building space by fan speed to adjust the airflow across or circulating through the coil. 
     
     
         14 . A heating and cooling system for heating or cooling air within a building space, the system including:
 a. a heating device which is operational to heat air passing through it, and a cooling device,   b. a fan, and   c. ducting comprising delivery ducting through which air heated by the heating device or cooled by the cooling device can be delivered into the building space and return ducting through which air within the building space can be returned to the heating and cooling devices,
 the cooling device comprising a water chilling system having a coil which is operational to cool air passing through it and each of the heating device and the coil having an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet of one of the heating device and the coil being connected to the return ducting, and the air outlet of that device being connected to the air inlet of the other of the heating device and the coil, 
 the water chilling system further including a water chiller which is in closed loop connection with the coil to deliver chilled water to the coil and to receive water from the coil, 
 the system being operable such that operation of the fan causes air flow through the return ducting from the building space, then through the heating device and the coil, and the delivery ducting for delivery into the building space, and the system further being operable such that only one of the heating and the cooling devices is operational at any one time. 
   
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 14 , the air inlet of the heating device being connected to the return ducting, so that air that is returned from the building space flows into the heating device first and then into the coil of the cooling device and the air inlet of the coil being connected to the return ducting, so that air that is returned from the building space flows into the coil first and then into the heating device. 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 14 , the heating device being positioned upstream of the cooling device so that the heating device is connected to the return ducting. 
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 14 , the water chilling system having a power rating of at least less than 60% of the heating device, or of at least less than 50% of the heating device, or of at least less than 45% of the heating device, or of at least less than 40% of the heating device, or about 36% of the heating device. 
     
     
         18 . A method of cooling a building space, the method involving installing a heating and cooling system according to  claim 14  and thereafter operating the cooling device. 
     
     
         19 . A method of cooling a building space according to  claim 18 , the method including chilling the water of the water chiller to a low temperature at the commencement of a cooling operation, and thereafter operating the water chiller to deliver chilled water to the coil. 
     
     
         20 . A method of cooling a building space according to  claim 18 , including controlling the cooled temperature within the building space by fan speed to adjust the airflow across or circulating through the coil.