Miniaturized Air Handler Assembly

Abstract

A miniaturized air handler assembly provides an air handler that resides completely on a drain pan, and comprises multiple panels. At least two panels join at the edges to form an enclosed chamber with central region. Two of the opposing panels are apertured to enable passage of air. Multiple coils carrying cooling fluid are disposed in a parallel relationship, and on the inner side, of the coil panels. A blower forces high velocity air through one or more opposing coil panels, and across the coils to cool the air. All of the condensate that inherently forms on the coils falls into the drain pan. From the coils, cooled air flows to central region of air handler. A fan at the top of the air handler draws the cooled air from an outlet opening that forms in a top panel for dispersing through a duct or plenum.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A miniaturized air handler assembly, the assembly comprising:
 multiple coil panels comprising multiple cooling coils arranged in fluid communication, the coil panels having multiple edges, the cooling coils operable to carry a cooling fluid, the cooling coils forming a fluid inlet operable to enable ingress of the cooling fluid, the cooling coils further forming a fluid outlet operable to enable egress of the cooling fluid;   multiple solid panels having multiple edges,   whereby the edges of the coil panels and the solid panels join to form an enclosed chamber, the enclosed chamber defining a central region;   at least one of the solid panels defining an outlet opening, the outlet opening enabling egress of the air from the enclosed chamber;   a fan disposed over the outlet opening, the fan operable to draw air into the enclosed chamber through the coil panels,   whereby the cooling coils help cool the incoming air,   whereby the air passing through the coil panels accumulates in the central region of the enclosed chamber,   the fan also operable to draw the cooled air from the central region through the outlet opening; and   a drain pan defining a surface having a perimeter flange, the surface of the drain pan supporting the coil panels and the solid panels, whereby the coil panels and the solid panels are substantially disposed inside the perimeter flange of the drain pan.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one screen overlaying the coil panels. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the screen defines multiple apertures, the apertures enabling ingress of air through the cooling coils, and into the enclosed chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the solid panels define an inner side and opposing an outer side, the inner side facing the enclosed chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coil panels comprise a flat shape having rectangular or square dimensions. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple coil panels comprise two coil panels. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple solid panels comprise two solid panels. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling coils comprise six rows of cooling coils that have about a total of one hundred-eighty tubes and two hundred-forty vertical fins. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling coils are arranged vertically. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling coils are arranged horizontally. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple cooling coils comprise evaporator cooling coils. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fan is operable to draw the air at a high velocity of at least 1,000 feet per minute through the cooling coils and into the enclosed chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a duct or a plenum, the duct or the plenum being joined with the top panel and in fluid communication with the enclosed chamber through the outlet opening, the duct or the plenum being operable to carry the cooled air drawn in by the fan. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket configured to fasten the fan to the panel that forms the outlet opening. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter flange of the drain pan forms a drain hole. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fan comprises a processor operable to regulate power and speed of the fan. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling fluid manifold having a manifold inlet and a manifold outlet, the manifold inlet and the manifold outlet being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the cooling coils. 
     
     
         18 . A miniaturized air handler assembly, the assembly comprising:
 multiple coil panels comprising multiple cooling coils arranged in fluid communication, the coil panels having multiple edges, the cooling coils operable to carry a cooling fluid, the cooling coils forming a fluid inlet operable to enable ingress of the cooling fluid, the cooling coils further forming a fluid outlet operable to enable egress of the cooling fluid;   a cooling fluid manifold having a manifold inlet and a manifold outlet, the manifold inlet and the manifold outlet being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the cooling coils;   at least one screen overlaying the coil panels, the screen defining multiple apertures;   multiple solid panels having multiple edges,   whereby the edges of the coil panels and the solid panels join to form an enclosed chamber, the enclosed chamber defining a central region;   at least one of the solid panels defining an outlet opening, the outlet opening enabling egress of the air from the enclosed chamber;   a fan disposed over the outlet opening, the fan operable to draw air into the enclosed chamber through the coil panels,   whereby the cooling coils help cool the incoming air,   whereby the air passing through the coil panels accumulates in the central region of the enclosed chamber,   the fan also operable to draw the cooled air from the central region through the outlet opening;   a drain pan defining a surface having a perimeter flange, the surface of the drain pan supporting the coil panels and the solid panels, whereby the coil panels and the solid panels are substantially disposed inside the perimeter flange of the drain pan; and   a duct or a plenum, the duct or the plenum being joined with the top panel and in fluid communication with the enclosed chamber through the outlet opening, the duct or the plenum being operable to carry the cooled air drawn in by the fan.   
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the fan comprises a processor operable to regulate power and speed of the fan. 
     
     
         20 . A miniaturized air handler assembly, the assembly consisting of:
 two or more coil panels comprising six rows of cooling coils that have about a total of one hundred-eighty cooling coils and two hundred-forty vertical tins arranged in fluid communication and in a generally parallel arrangement, the cooling coils further being arranged horizontally, the coil panels having multiple edges, the cooling coils operable to carry a cooling fluid, the cooling coils forming a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;   a cooling fluid manifold having a manifold inlet and a manifold outlet, the manifold inlet and the manifold outlet being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the cooling coils;   two screens overlaying the coil panels, the screen defining multiple apertures;   multiple filters joined with the screens;   two solid panels having multiple edges,   whereby the edges of the coil panels and the solid panels join to form an enclosed chamber, the enclosed chamber defining a central region;   at least one of the solid panels defining an outlet opening, the outlet opening enabling egress of the air from the enclosed chamber;   a fan disposed over the outlet opening, the fan operable to draw air into the enclosed chamber through the coil panels, the fan comprising a processor operable to regulate power and speed of the fan,   whereby the cooling coils help cool the incoming air,   whereby the air passing through the coil panels accumulates in the central region of the enclosed chamber,   the fan also operable to draw the cooled air from the central region through the outlet opening;   a bracket, the bracket configured to fasten the fan to the panel that forms the outlet opening;   a drain pan defining a surface having a perimeter flange, the surface of the drain pan supporting the coil panels and the solid panels, whereby the coil panels and the solid panels are substantially disposed inside the perimeter flange of the drain pan; and   a duct or a plenum, the duct or the plenum being joined with the top panel and in fluid communication with the enclosed chamber through the outlet opening, the duct or the plenum being operable to carry the cooled air drawn in by the fan.