Energy recovery wheel array

Abstract

An energy recovery assembly for exchanging energy between fluid flows. The energy recovery assembly includes an intake manifold having one or more intake flow openings and one or more outlet flow openings. The energy recovery assembly further includes an exhaust manifold having one or more exhaust flow openings and one or more inlet flow openings. The energy recovery assembly further includes a wheel wall comprising a plurality of energy recovery wheels arranged between the intake and exhaust manifolds.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An energy recovery assembly for exchanging energy between fluid flows, the system comprising:
 an intake manifold ( 16 ) having one or more intake flow openings ( 20 ) and one or more outlet flow openings ( 24 );   an exhaust manifold ( 18 ) having one or more exhaust flow openings ( 34 ) and one or more inlet flow openings ( 38 ); and   a wheel wall arranged between the intake and exhaust manifolds, the wheel wall comprising a plurality of energy recovery wheels, each energy recovery wheel comprising a rotating wheel and a seal system dividing the rotating wheel into an intake side and an exhaust side,   wherein at least one of the inlet flow openings of each of the intake and exhaust manifolds are arranged in communication with each other through the intake side of the rotating wheel of at least two energy recovery wheels of the wheel wall, wherein at least one of the outlet flow openings of each of the intake and exhaust manifolds are arranged in communication with each other through the exhaust side of the rotating wheel of at least two energy recovery wheels of the wheel wall.   
     
     
         2 . The energy recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the intake manifold includes one or more intake plenums each defining one of the intake flow openings for receiving intake flow, each intake plenum forming an intake-flow transition between the corresponding intake flow opening and at least two energy recovery wheels of the energy recovery wall. 
     
     
         3 . The energy recovery system of  claim 2 , wherein the intake manifold includes one or more outlet plenums each defining one of the outlet flow openings for exhausting exhaust flow, each outlet plenum forming an outlet-flow transition between the corresponding outlet flow opening and at least two energy recovery wheels of the energy recovery wall, the intake-flow transition is offset from the outlet-flow transition. 
     
     
         4 . The energy recovery system of  claim 3 , wherein the intake manifold includes a first intake plenum having a first intake flow opening and a second intake plenum having a second intake flow inlet, the first and second intake plenums spaced apart from one another by at least one outlet plenum. 
     
     
         5 . The energy recovery system of  claim 4 , wherein each intake flow opening is offset vertically and horizontally from each outlet flow opening. 
     
     
         6 . The energy recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust manifold includes one or more exhaust plenums defining one of the exhaust flow openings for receiving exhaust flow, each exhaust plenum forming an exhaust-flow transition between the corresponding exhaust flow opening and at least two energy recovery wheels of the energy recovery wall. 
     
     
         7 . The energy recovery system of  claim 6 , wherein the exhaust manifold includes one or more inlet plenums each defining one of the inlet flow openings for exhausting intake flow, each inlet plenum forming an inlet-flow transition between the corresponding inlet flow opening and at least two energy recovery wheels of the energy recovery wall, the exhaust-flow transition is offset from the inlet-flow transition. 
     
     
         8 . The energy recovery system of  claim 7 , wherein the exhaust manifold includes a first exhaust plenum having a first exhaust flow opening and a second exhaust plenum having a second exhaust flow inlet, the first and second exhaust plenums spaced apart from one another by at least one intake plenum. 
     
     
         9 . The energy recovery system of  claim 8 , wherein each exhaust flow opening is offset vertically and horizontally from each inlet flow opening. 
     
     
         10 . The energy recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy recovery wheels are arranged in a stacked formation that is at least two energy recovery wheels high. 
     
     
         11 . The energy recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel wall comprises four energy recovery wheels arranged in two vertical columns and two horizontal rows. 
     
     
         12 . An energy recovery assembly for exchanging energy between fluid flows, the system comprising:
 an intake manifold having a first intake flow opening, a second intake flow opening, and an outlet flow opening;   an exhaust manifold having a first inlet flow opening, a second inlet flow opening, and an exhaust flow opening; and   a wheel wall arranged between the intake and exhaust manifolds, the wheel wall comprising a plurality of energy recovery wheels,   wherein the first intake flow opening and the first inlet flow opening are formed in a first side portion of the assembly, the second intake flow opening and the second inlet flow opening are formed in a second side portion of the assembly, and the outlet flow opening and the exhaust flow opening are formed in a middle portion of the assembly between the first and second side portions.   
     
     
         13 . The energy recovery assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second intake flow openings are offset from the first and second inlet flow openings. 
     
     
         14 . The energy recovery assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the outlet flow opening is offset from the exhaust flow opening. 
     
     
         15 . The energy recovery assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second intake flow openings are offset from the first and second inlet flow openings. 
     
     
         16 . An energy recovery assembly for exchanging energy between fluid flows, the system comprising:
 an intake manifold having a first intake flow opening, a second intake flow opening, and an outlet flow opening;   an exhaust manifold having a first inlet flow opening, a second inlet flow opening, and an exhaust flow opening; and   a wheel wall arranged between the intake and exhaust manifolds, the wheel wall comprising a plurality of energy recovery wheels,   wherein the first and second intake flow openings and the first and second inlet flow openings each have a first area, and the outlet flow opening and the exhaust flow opening each have a second area, and wherein the first area is less than the second area.   
     
     
         17 . The energy recovery assembly of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first areas combined have a first cumulative area and each of the second areas combined have a second cumulative area, and wherein the first and second cumulative areas are about the same. 
     
     
         18 . The energy recovery assembly of  claim 16 , wherein intake manifold defines a first intake plenum, a second intake plenum separate from the first intake plenum, and an outlet plenum separate from the first and second intake plenums, and wherein the exhaust manifold defines a first inlet plenum, a second inlet plenum separate from the first inlet plenum, and an exhaust plenum separate from the first and second inlet plenums. 
     
     
         19 . The energy recovery assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second intake plenums each have a first volume and the first and second inlet plenums each have a second volume that is about equal to the first volume. 
     
     
         20 . The energy recovery assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the outlet plenum has a third volume greater than the first and second volumes and the exhaust plenum has a fourth volume greater than the first and second volumes, and wherein the third volume is about equal to the fourth volume.