Multiple Fan HVAC System with Optimized Fan Location

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system that includes an outdoor heat exchanger (HX) and outdoor fans. The outdoor fans are arranged in either an in-line configuration or a staggered configuration to satisfy one or more requirements to optimize the airflow across the outdoor HX. Additionally, a compressor is operable to circulate the refrigerant through a refrigerant circuit including the outdoor HX.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system that circulates a refrigerant, comprising:
 an outdoor heat exchanger (HX) comprising a length and a projection of a distance between top and bottom ends of the outdoor HX in a plane;   outdoor fans, each outdoor fan comprising a center, a diameter, and a perimeter; and   a compressor operable to circulate the refrigerant through a refrigerant circuit including the outdoor HX,   wherein the outdoor fans are arranged in a plane parallel with the length of the outdoor HX such that a ratio of a distance between the centers of the outdoor fans to a largest diameter of the fans is from 1.3 to 2.1.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system is a package rooftop HVAC unit. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of outdoor HXs arranged in a V-shape. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor HX is planar. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor HX is formed in a non-planar configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an indoor HX and an expansion device operable to control flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor fans are identical to each other. 
     
     
         8 . A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system that circulates a refrigerant, comprising:
 an outdoor heat exchanger (HX) comprising a length and a projection of a distance between top and bottom ends of the outdoor HX in a plane;   outdoor fans, each outdoor fan comprising a center, a diameter, and a perimeter; and   a compressor operable to circulate the refrigerant through a refrigerant circuit including the outdoor HX,   wherein the outdoor fans are arranged in a plane parallel with the length of the outdoor HX such that a ratio of a largest diameter of the outdoor fans to a length of the projection is from 0.5 to 0.95.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the HVAC system is a package rooftop HVAC unit. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a pair of outdoor HXs arranged in a V-shape. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the outdoor HX is planar. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the outdoor HX is formed in a non-planar configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising an indoor HX and an expansion device operable to control flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the outdoor fans are identical to each other. 
     
     
         15 . A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system that circulates a refrigerant, comprising:
 an outdoor heat exchanger (HX) comprising a length and a projection of a distance between top and bottom ends of the outdoor HX in a plane;   outdoor fans, each outdoor fan comprising a center, a diameter, and a perimeter; and   a compressor operable to circulate the refrigerant through a refrigerant circuit including the outdoor HX,   wherein the outdoor fans are arranged in a plane parallel with the length of the outdoor HX such that a ratio of a distance between the perimeter of the outdoor fan and an edge of the outdoor HX and the length of the outdoor HX is from 0.05 to 0.3.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the HVAC system is a package rooftop HVAC unit. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a pair of outdoor HXs arranged in a V-shape. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the outdoor HX is planar. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the outdoor HX is formed in a non-planar configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an indoor HX and an expansion device operable to control flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit.