Indoor air quality appliance

Abstract

A self-regulating appliance operable as an air-exchanger, humidifier, dehumidifier, air scrubber, and air sterilizer. The appliance includes a cabinet defining an interior with a plurality of fluid passageways, a first inlet configured to receive a first air flow from a dwelling interior, a second inlet configured to receive a second air flow from a dwelling exterior, a first outlet configured to deliver a third air flow to the dwelling interior, and a second outlet configured to deliver a fourth air flow to the dwelling exterior. At least one blower is fluidically coupled to the first and second outlets to expel the third air flow to the dwelling interior and the fourth air flow to the dwelling exterior. The cabinet also includes an energy exchange core and a desiccant wheel. The desiccant wheel configured to rotate to transfer moisture and sensible energy between at least two air streams.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-regulating appliance operable as an air-exchanger, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, an air scrubber, and an air sterilizer, comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior with a plurality of fluid passageways, the cabinet comprising a first inlet configured to receive a first air flow from a dwelling interior, a second inlet configured to receive a second air flow from a dwelling exterior, a first outlet configured to deliver a third air flow to the dwelling interior, and a second outlet configured to deliver a fourth air flow to the dwelling exterior;   at least one blower fluidically coupled to the first and second outlets configured to expel the third air flow to the dwelling interior and the fourth air flow to the dwelling exterior;   an energy exchange core fluidically coupled to the first and second inlets and outlets within the interior of the cabinet, the energy exchange core configured to transfer sensible energy between at least two air streams; and   a desiccant wheel fluidically coupled to the core and first and second inlets and outlets, the desiccant wheel configured to rotate to transfer moisture and sensible energy between at least two air streams.   
     
     
         2 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sterilization source coupled to the cabinet interior configured to emit a prescribed amount of light to kill airborne viruses.   
     
     
         3 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the sterilization source comprises at least one UV-C light source configured to emit ultraviolet light with a wavelength between 200 and 280 nanometers to kill the airborne viruses. 
     
     
         4 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a filtration subsystem coupled to the housing interior configured to filter out unwanted airborne particulates from an air stream within the appliance.   
     
     
         5 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the filtration subsystem comprises a first upstream pre-filter for removing large particulates and a second downstream filter for removing at least 99.7% of particulates greater than 0.3 microns in size. 
     
     
         6 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a heating subsystem coupled to the cabinet interior for heating an air stream and reactivating desiccant wheel media.   
     
     
         7 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the heating subsystem comprises at least one humidifier heater configured to heat an air stream and lower a relative humidity of the air and at least one reactivation heater for heating air adjacent to the desiccant wheel to reactivate the desiccant wheel media. 
     
     
         8 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a humidifying subsystem coupled to the cabinet interior configured to receive a flow of water and provide moisture to an air stream within the appliance.   
     
     
         9 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the humidifying subsystem comprises a water pad with a mesh substrate and a water wicking material for retaining and transferring moisture to the air stream within the appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the humidifying subsystem further comprises a pad tray for positioning and holding the water pad within the appliance, a fill tube for receiving and metering a flow of water through the water pad, a water valve coupled to an external water source for controlling the flow of water, and a water filter for removing impurities from the flow of water prior to being provided to the water pad. 
     
     
         11 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a plurality of external ducts coupled to the first and second inlets and outlets configured to provide the first and second air flows to the first and second inlets and receive the third and fourth air flows from the first and second outlets.   
     
     
         12 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a plurality of dampers coupled to the plurality of external ducts for regulating air flow within the plurality of external ducts.   
     
     
         13 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a control system configured to operate the appliance in a plurality of operating modes, wherein, in a first operating mode, the appliance receives the first airflow from the dwelling interior and sequentially passes the first airflow through the filtration subsystem, a bottom half of the desiccant wheel, the sterilization source, the energy exchange core, the humidifier heaters, and the humidifying subsystem prior to delivery into the first outlet.   
     
     
         14 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 13 , wherein, in a second operating mode, the appliance receives the first airflow from the dwelling interior, splits the first airflow into a fifth and sixth airflows within the cabinet interior, combines the fifth airflow and the second airflow from the dwelling exterior into a combined airflow, and passes the combined airflow sequentially through the filtration subsystem, a bottom half of the desiccant wheel, the sterilization source, the energy exchange core, the humidifier heaters, and the humidifying subsystem prior to delivery into the first outlet and the sixth airflow through the energy exchange core, the reactivation heaters, and a top half of the desiccant wheel prior to delivery into the second outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 14 , wherein over 80% of a temperature differential is transferred between the combined airflow and the sixth airflow within the energy exchange core. 
     
     
         16 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 14 , wherein, in a fourth operating mode, the appliance receives the first airflow from the dwelling interior and the second airflow from the dwelling exterior, passes the first airflow through the energy exchange core, the reactivation heaters, and the top of the desiccant wheel prior to delivery to the second outlet and the second airflow through the filtration subsystem, the bottom half of the desiccant wheel, the sterilization source, the energy exchange core, the humidifier heaters, and the humidifying subsystem prior to delivery into the first outlet. 
     
     
         17 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 16 , wherein, during the fourth operating mode, the desiccant wheel rotates at 30 revolutions per minute and over 80% of an enthalpy differential is transferred between the first and second airflows by the desiccant wheel. 
     
     
         18 . The self-regulating appliance of  claim 13 , wherein, in a fifth operating mode, the at least one blower operates in a high-speed mode to expel airflow through the second outlet, the plurality of external ducts, a by-pass duct, and an intake screen of an exterior port. 
     
     
         19 . A self-regulating appliance operable as an air-exchanger, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, an air scrubber, and an air sterilizer, comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior with a plurality of fluid passageways, the cabinet comprising a first inlet configured to receive a first air flow from a dwelling interior, a second inlet configured to receive a second air flow from a dwelling exterior, a first outlet configured to deliver a third air flow to the dwelling interior, and a second outlet configured to deliver a fourth air flow to the dwelling exterior;   at least one blower fluidically coupled to the first and second outlets configured to expel the third air flow to the dwelling interior and the fourth air flow to the dwelling exterior;   an energy exchange core fluidically coupled to the first and second inlets and outlets within the interior of the cabinet, the energy exchange core configured to transfer sensible energy between at least two air streams;   a desiccant wheel fluidically coupled to the core and first and second inlets and outlets, the desiccant wheel configured to rotate to transfer moisture and sensible energy between at least two air streams; and   a sterilization source coupled to the cabinet interior configured to emit a prescribed amount of light to kill airborne viruses.   
     
     
         20 . A self-regulating appliance operable as an air-exchanger, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, an air scrubber, and an air sterilizer, comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior with a plurality of fluid passageways, the cabinet comprising a first inlet configured to receive a first air flow from a dwelling interior, a second inlet configured to receive a second air flow from a dwelling exterior, a first outlet configured to deliver a third air flow to the dwelling interior, and a second outlet configured to deliver a fourth air flow to the dwelling exterior;   at least one blower fluidically coupled to the first and second outlets configured to expel the third air flow to the dwelling interior and the fourth air flow to the dwelling exterior;   an energy exchange core fluidically coupled to the first and second inlets and outlets within the interior of the cabinet, the energy exchange core configured to transfer sensible energy between at least two air streams;   a desiccant wheel fluidically coupled to the core and first and second inlets and outlets, the desiccant wheel configured to rotate to transfer moisture and sensible energy between at least two air streams;   a sterilization source coupled to the cabinet interior configured to emit a prescribed amount of light to kill airborne viruses; and   a control system configured to operate the appliance in a plurality of operating modes, wherein, in a first operating mode, the first air flow passes through a bottom half of the desiccant wheel, the sterilization source, the energy exchange core, and the at least one blower to the first outlet.