Passive split heat recovery system

Abstract

A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between an inside airstream flowing within an interior of a building structure and an outdoor airstream flowing outside of the interior of the building structure includes a heat pipe system comprising a refrigerant. A first heat pipe assembly is installed within the interior of the building structure such that heat is transferrable between the first heat pipe assembly and the inside airstream flowing within the interior of the building structure. A second heat pipe assembly is installed outside of the interior of the building structure such that heat is transferrable between the second heat pipe assembly and the outside airstream flowing outside of the interior of the building structure. The heat pipe system is configured such that the inside airstream remains within the interior of the building structure and the outside airstream remains outside of the interior of the building structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between an inside airstream flowing within the interior of a building structure and an outdoor airstream flowing outside of the interior of the building structure, the heat exchanger comprising:
 a heat pipe system comprising a refrigerant, the heat pipe system including a first heat pipe assembly and a second heat pipe assembly fluidly connected to the first heat pipe assembly such that the refrigerant can flow through the heat pipe system between the first heat pipe assembly and the second heat pipe assembly, the first heat pipe assembly being installed within the interior of the building structure such that heat is transferrable between the first heat pipe assembly and the inside airstream flowing within the interior of the building structure, the second heat pipe assembly being installed outside of the interior of the building structure such that heat is transferrable between the second heat pipe assembly and the outside airstream flowing outside of the interior of the building structure;   wherein the heat pipe system is configured such that the inside airstream remains within the interior of the building structure and the outside airstream remains outside of the interior of the building structure.   
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second heat pipe assemblies comprises a top header, a bottom header, and a plurality of heat pipes extending vertically to provide fluid communication between the respective top header and the respective bottom header. 
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the top header has a cross-sectional dimension of at least 3 inches (7.6 cm). 
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the cross-sectional dimension of the top header is greater than 3 inches (7.6 cm). 
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes has a cross-sectional dimension of at least about ¼ inch (0.6 cm). 
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the second heat pipe assembly is installed in a housing mounted on top of the building structure. 
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising as least one fan mounted on the housing for drawing the outside airstream into the housing for transferring heat between the second heat pipe assembly and the outside airstream. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is free of any valves, compressors, or pumps for facilitating heat exchange whereby the heat exchanger is a passive heat exchanger. 
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe system comprises a split heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , in combination with the building structure, wherein the building structure comprises a data center configured to house computer systems. 
     
     
         11 . A condenser module for exchanging heat between an outdoor airstream flowing outside of an interior of a building structure, the condenser module comprising:
 a housing configured to be mounted on a top of the building structure; and   a heat pipe assembly disposed in the housing, the heat pipe assembly being configured for fluid connection to a heat pipe assembly disposed in the interior of the building such that a refrigerant can flow between the heat pipe assembly disposed in the housing and the heat pipe assembly disposed in the interior of the building, the heat pipe assembly disposed in the housing being configured to transfer heat to the outside airstream flowing outside of the interior of the building structure when the heat pipe assembly disposed in the housing is fluidly connected to the heat pipe assembly disposed in the interior of the building, the condenser module being free of any valves, compressors, or pumps for facilitating heat exchange.   
     
     
         12 . A condenser module as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the heat pipe assembly comprises a top header, a bottom header, and a plurality of heat pipes extending vertically to provide fluid communication between the top header and the bottom header. 
     
     
         13 . A condenser module as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the top header has a cross-sectional dimension of at least 3 inches (7.6 cm). 
     
     
         14 . A condenser module as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the cross-sectional dimension of the top header is greater than 3 inches (7.6 cm). 
     
     
         15 . A condenser module as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes has a cross-sectional dimension of at least about ¼ inch (0.6 cm). 
     
     
         16 . A condenser module as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the heat pipe assembly in the housing comprises a first heat pipe assembly, the condenser module further comprising a second heat pipe assembly disposed in the housing, the second heat pipe assembly being arranged in parallel with the first heat pipe assembly. 
     
     
         17 . A condenser module as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein each of the first and second heat pipe assemblies comprises a top header, a bottom header, and a plurality of heat pipes extending vertically to provide fluid communication between the respective top header and the respective bottom header. 
     
     
         18 . A condenser module as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein each of the first and second heat pipe assemblies comprises a vapor conduit connected to the respective top header, and a liquid conduit connected to the respective bottom header, the vapor conduit of the first heat pipe assembly being connected to the vapor conduit of the second heat pipe assembly, and the liquid conduit of the first heat pipe assembly being connected to the liquid conduit of the second heat pipe assembly such that a single vapor conduit section and a single liquid conduit section extend from the housing for connection to the heat pipe assembly disposed in the interior of the building. 
     
     
         19 . A condenser module for exchanging heat between an outdoor airstream flowing outside of an interior of a building structure, the condenser module comprising:
 a housing configured to be mounted on a top of the building structure; and   a heat pipe assembly disposed in the housing, the heat pipe assembly being configured for fluid connection to a heat pipe assembly disposed in the interior of the building such that a refrigerant can flow between the heat pipe assembly disposed in the housing and the heat pipe assembly disposed in the interior of the building, the heat pipe assembly disposed in the housing being configured to transfer heat to the outside airstream flowing outside of the interior of the building structure when the heat pipe assembly disposed in the housing is fluidly connected to the heat pipe assembly disposed in the interior of the building, the heat pipe assembly comprising a top header, a bottom header, and a plurality of heat pipes extending vertically to provide fluid communication between the top header and the bottom header.   
     
     
         20 . A condenser module as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes has a cross-sectional dimension of at least about ¼ inch (0.6 cm).