Make up air systems and methods

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a make-up air unit, comprising a first air inlet defining a portion of a first path and a portion of a second path; a second air inlet defining a third path that joins with the first path; a dehumidification unit disposed within the first path; an air conditioner with a portion of the air conditioner disposed within the first path downstream of where the third path joins the first path, and a portion of the air conditioner disposed within the third path; a first air outlet where the first path exits the make-up air unit; and a second air outlet wherein the second path exits the make-up air unit; wherein the air conditioner is disposed on a stand; wherein the dehumidification unit is disposed below the air conditioner; and wherein the first path is isolated from the third path.

1 . A make-up air unit, comprising:
 a first air inlet defining a portion of a first path and a portion of a second path;   a second air inlet defining a third path that joins with the first path;   a dehumidification unit disposed within the first path;   an air conditioner with a portion of the air conditioner disposed within the first path downstream of where the third path joins the first path, and a portion of the air conditioner disposed within the third path;   a first air outlet where the first path exits the make-up air unit; and   a second air outlet wherein the second path exits the make-up air unit;   wherein the air conditioner is disposed on a stand;   wherein the dehumidification unit is disposed below the air conditioner; and   wherein the first path is isolated from the third path.   
     
     
         2 . The make-up air unit of  claim 1 , wherein the air conditioner and the dehumidification unit are in a series configuration, such that air traveling on the first path that passes through the dehumidification unit later passes through a portion of the air conditioner. 
     
     
         3 . The make-up air unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first drain pan disposed below the air conditioner and above the dehumidification unit, and   a second drain pan disposed below the dehumidification unit.   
     
     
         4 . The make-up air unit of  claim 3 , wherein the first drain pan comprises a drain connection and the second drain pan comprises a drain connection, wherein the drain connection of the first drain pan and the drain connection of the second drain pan each extend in the same direction. 
     
     
         5 . The make-up air unit of  claim 3 , wherein the first drain pan comprises a drain connection and the second drain pan comprises a drain connection, wherein the drain connection of the first drain pan and the drain connection of the second drain pan are each the same size. 
     
     
         6 . The make-up air unit of  claim 3 , wherein the first drain pan comprises a drain connection and the second drain pan comprises a drain connection, wherein the drain connection of the first drain pan is bigger than the drain connection of the second drain pan. 
     
     
         7 . The make-up air unit of  claim 1 , wherein the air inlet comprises a first louver for air entering the first path and a second louver for air entering the second path. 
     
     
         8 . The make-up air unit of  claim 1 , wherein the air conditioner comprises an air conditioner refrigeration circuit comprising an air conditioner evaporator coil disposed in the first path downstream of where the third path joins the first path, an air conditioner condensing coil disposed in the second path, and an air conditioner compressor. 
     
     
         9 . The make-up air unit of  claim 8 , wherein the dehumidification unit comprises a dehumidification unit refrigeration circuit comprising a dehumidification unit evaporator coil disposed in the first path upstream of where the third path joins the first path, a dehumidification unit condensing coil, and a dehumidification unit compressor. 
     
     
         10 . The make-up air unit of  claim 9 , wherein the dehumidification unit condensing coil is disposed in the first path upstream of where the third path joins the first path. 
     
     
         11 . The make-up air unit of  claim 10 , wherein the air conditioner comprises an air conditioner fan configured to draw air across the air conditioner evaporator coil, wherein the dehumidification unit comprises a dehumidification unit fan configured to draw air across the dehumidification unit evaporator coil. 
     
     
         12 . The make-up air unit of  claim 11 , wherein the air conditioner fan is larger than the dehumidification unit fan, such that the air conditioner evaporator coil is exposed to more air than the dehumidification unit evaporator coil. 
     
     
         13 . The make-up air unit of  claim 12 , wherein the air conditioner fan and the dehumidification unit fan are each variable, such that they can draw varying levels of airflow in their respective units. 
     
     
         14 . The make-up air unit of  claim 1 , wherein the air conditioner and the dehumidification unit each comprise a power connection. 
     
     
         15 . The make-up air unit of  claim 1 , wherein the air conditioner defines an outer perimeter footprint, wherein the dehumidification unit is disposed within the area defined by the outer perimeter footprint. 
     
     
         16 . The make-up air unit of  claim 1 , wherein the air conditioner comprises a first filter rack and a second filter rack in the first path, wherein the first filter rack is adjacent to the second filter rack, wherein the first filter rack has a different depth than a depth of the second filter rack. 
     
     
         17 . The make-up air unit of  claim 1 , wherein the dehumidification unit is disposed within the first path upstream of where the third path joins the first path. 
     
     
         18 . A building, comprising:
 a plurality of individually temperature controlled spaces that are isolated from each other;   wherein each of the spaces comprises a make-up air unit, comprising:
 an first air inlet defining a portion of a first path and a portion of a second path; 
 a second air inlet defining a third path that joins with the first path; 
 a dehumidification unit disposed within the first path 
 an air conditioner with a portion of the air conditioner disposed within the first path downstream of where the third path joins the first path and a portion of the air conditioner disposed within the third path; 
 a first air outlet, wherein the first path exits the make-up air unit; and 
 a second air outlet wherein the second path exits the make-up air unit; 
 wherein the air conditioner is disposed on a stand; 
 wherein the dehumidification unit is disposed below the air conditioner. 
   
     
     
         19 . The building of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of spaces comprises at least 50 spaces that are isolated from each other. 
     
     
         20 . A make-up air unit, comprising:
 an first air inlet defining a portion of a first path and a portion of a second path;   a second air inlet defining a third path that joins with the first path;   a dehumidification unit disposed within the first path   an air conditioner with a portion of the air conditioner disposed within the first path downstream of where the third path joins the first path and a portion of the air conditioner disposed within the third path;   a first air outlet, wherein the first path exits the make-up air unit;   a second air outlet wherein the second path exits the make-up air unit;   a first drain pan disposed below the air conditioner and above the dehumidification unit; and   a second drain pan disposed below the dehumidification unit;   wherein the air conditioner is disposed on a stand;   wherein the dehumidification unit is disposed below the air conditioner;   wherein the air conditioner and dehumidification unit are in a series configuration, such that air traveling on the first path that passes through the dehumidification unit later passes through a portion of the air conditioner;   wherein the first drain pan comprises a drain connection and the second drain pan comprises a drain connection, wherein the drain connection of the first drain pan is bigger than the drain connection of the second drain pan; and   wherein the dehumidification unit comprises a refrigeration circuit comprising an evaporator coil disposed in the first path upstream of where the third path joins the first path, a condensing coil, and a compressor, wherein the condensing coil of the dehumidification unit is disposed in the first path upstream of where the third path joins the first path.