CA2473333C - Energy recovery unit - Google Patents

Energy recovery unit Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2473333C
CA2473333C CA2473333A CA2473333A CA2473333C CA 2473333 C CA2473333 C CA 2473333C CA 2473333 A CA2473333 A CA 2473333A CA 2473333 A CA2473333 A CA 2473333A CA 2473333 C CA2473333 C CA 2473333C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
air
energy recovery
recovery unit
plenum
chamber
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA2473333A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2473333A1 (en
Inventor
Maurice Lattanzio
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SPINNAKER INDUSTRIES Inc
Original Assignee
SPINNAKER INDUSTRIES Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SPINNAKER INDUSTRIES Inc filed Critical SPINNAKER INDUSTRIES Inc
Priority to CA2473333A priority Critical patent/CA2473333C/en
Publication of CA2473333A1 publication Critical patent/CA2473333A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2473333C publication Critical patent/CA2473333C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F12/00Use of energy recovery systems in air conditioning, ventilation or screening
    • F24F12/001Use of energy recovery systems in air conditioning, ventilation or screening with heat-exchange between supplied and exhausted air
    • F24F12/006Use of energy recovery systems in air conditioning, ventilation or screening with heat-exchange between supplied and exhausted air using an air-to-air heat exchanger
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2203/00Devices or apparatus used for air treatment
    • F24F2203/10Rotary wheel
    • F24F2203/1012Details of the casing or cover
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2203/00Devices or apparatus used for air treatment
    • F24F2203/10Rotary wheel
    • F24F2203/104Heat exchanger wheel
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2203/00Devices or apparatus used for air treatment
    • F24F2203/10Rotary wheel
    • F24F2203/1096Rotary wheel comprising sealing means
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02BCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B30/00Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
    • Y02B30/56Heat recovery units

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Wind Motors (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

Abstract

An energy recovery unit has an energy recovery wheel located in a plenum. Expelled air from the return duct is delivered to the plenum and after passing through the wheel is expelled by an exhaust fan through a side-wall. Makeup air is delivered to the plenum and after passing through the wheel is supplied to the return duct by a fan. The makeup air follows a serpentine path from an intake in a side wall to the return duct.

Description

4 [0001] The present invention relates to energy recovery units for use with air handling S systems.

8 [0002] It is a common practice to heat and cool premises using air as the heat transfer 9 medium. The air is ducted from an air handling unit that can either supply heat to or extract heat from the air to different outlets within the building. A.ir is returned from the building through a I 1 network of return ducts so that the air is continuously circulated within the building.
12 [0003] In order to maintain air quality at the requisite level, it is usual to reject a portion of 13 the return air and replace it with air from outside the building. This maintains the air quality 14 whilst avoiding continuous reheating of the air within the building.
However, the air rejected from the building has been conditioned so it represents a significant energy lass if it is simply 16 expelled. Similarly, the makeup air needs to be heated or cooled to the conditions within the 17 building which requires further use of energy.
I8 [0004] To minimize the energy consumption, it is known to recover energy from the expelled 19 air and utilize it to precondition the makeup air. Such units may be as simple as counter-flow heat exchangers so that the outgoing air flows in a parallel path to the incoming air and energy is 21 exchanged between the two. Alternatively, more sophisticated arrangements may be utilized in 22 which the expelled air is forced through a rotary energy recovery unit. The energy recovery unit 23 has a large rotating disc that traverses a pair of ducts, one for expelled air and one for makeup 24 air. The wheel absorbs heat and/or moisture from the expelled air and transfers it to the duct carrying the makeup air. The ducts are maintained separate from one another to minimize cross 1 bleeding of the air whilst the heat transfer efficiency is enhanced due to the large cross-sectional 2 area presented by the disc that the air must pass through.
3 [0005] Such arrangements have improved the energy consumption significantly but do not 4 readily lend themselves to compact installations within existing systems.
Typically, the wheels are oriented on a horizontal axis that increases the overall height of the unit and requires it to be 6 placed in a separate stand alone unit. This not only increases the expense of such a unit but also 7 effects the aesthetics of the building upon which it is installed. Moreover, the ducting of air 8 within the energy recovery unit results in the inlet and outlets being spaced apart a significant 9 distance that further increases the size of the unit and the overall installation.
[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above 11 disadvantages.
12 [0007] In general terms, the present invention provides an energy recovery unit for an air 13 handling system having a pair of ducts. The unit includes a pair of internal ducts, one for 14 expelled air and the other for makeup air. Each of the ducts pass through a plenum. An energy recovery wheel is located within the plenum and subdivides it to maintain the ducts separate.
16 The wheel is inclined to a horizontal plane and the make up air duct follows a serpentine path 17 within the unit to discharge adjacent to the inlet to the expelled air duct.

19 [0008] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
21 [0009] Figure l is a perspective view of an energy recovery unit.
22 [0010] Figure 2 is a front elevation of the energy recovery unit of Figure 1.
23 [0011] Figure 3 is a view on the line III-III of Figure 2.

1 [0012] Refernng therefore to Figure 1, an energy recovery unit 10 is located adjacent to a 2 return duct 12 of an air circulation system. The air circulation system includes a supply duct 14 3 and the ducts 12, 14 are connected through an air handling unit (not shown) that heats or cools 4 the air in the ducts 12, 14.
[0013] The energy recovery unit 10 has an inlet 16 and an outlet 18 that are connected at 6 spaced locations to the return duct 12. Aa will be described more fully below, a portion of the air 7 in the return duct 12 is diverted through the inlet 16 and a corresponding mass flow of makeup 8 air supplied to the return duct 12 through the outlet 18.
9 [0014] The energy recovery unit 10 has a base 20 and oppositely directed end walls 22, 24.
The end walls 22, 24 are connected by side walls 26 and a top wall 28 that collectively defines a 11 housing 30 for the energy recovery unit 10. The housing 30 contains an expelled air duct 32 and 12 a makeup air duct 34, each of which pass through a plenum 42. The expelled air duct 32 has an 13 inlet portion 33 that extends from inlet 16 to the plenum 42. The inlet portion 33 of duct 32 is 14 defined between the base 20 and an L-shaped panel 40 that defines one side of vertical plenum 42. The expelled air duct 32 has an exhaust chamber 35 that extends from the plenum 42 to an 16 exhaust 36 provided in the end wall 22. The exhaust chamber 35 is defined between the panel 40 17 and a longitudinal partition 38 and a fan 37 is located in the chamber 35 to force air from the 18 chamber 35 to the exhaust 36.
19 [0015] The makeup air duct extends from an intake 44 and has an inlet portion 46 defined between a longitudinal partition 48 and base 20. The inlet portion 46 terminates in the vertical 21 plenum 42. The makeup duct 34 extends from the vertical plenum 42 into a chamber 68 defined 22 between the upper side of the longitudinal partition 48 and the top wall 28. A fan 70 is mounted 23 on a vertical wall 72 to deliver air from the chamber 68 to a discharge run 74 connected to the 24 outlet 18. A smooth transition in the directional flow of the air is provided by a curved wall 76 extending between the top wall 28 and the upper side of the partition 38.
26 [0016] The vertical plenum 42 is subdivided into separate compartments 50, 51 by a central 27 divider 52 that extends from the base 20 to the upper longitudinal partition 38. The divider 52 . ........ ,.._._...,.,... ..._._.___. .._..__,._T..,_.._~.."...,.._ nu,...~.,."xw",fr, "",..,....-..."...,._."......
.._......._._._.._.,_....._,.,.."... ...._..._..._..r.. _ ._.,.,......,._, _,.............., ._,...____._.... ..___,...._ _ F....... ,.. _.........
.._.__ 1 supports an energy recovery wheel assembly 54 that extends between the L-shaped panel 40 and 2 a vertical panel 56 connecting the upper and Iower longitudinal partitions 38, 48. The wheel 3 assembly 54 is supported so as to be inclined relative to the base 20 and has a wheel 58 rotatably 4 mounted in a support frame 60. The wheel 58 is driven by a motor 62 and rotates relatively S slowly, typically 20 rpm, about its axis. .The wheel 58 is porous and has an energy absorbing 6 material. Such wheels are commercially available from American Energy Exchange of 7 Kalamazao Michigan. Seals 64, 66 seal between the wheel 58 and the divider 52 to inhibit the 8 flow of air between the compartments 50, 51.
9 [0017) In use, some of the air in the return air duct 12 is diverted through the inlet 16 where it is delivered through the inlet portion~33 of expelled air duct to the compartment SO of vertical 11 plenum 42. The air passes through the wheel 58 which absorbs energy from the air and stores it 12 within the wheel. The air flows into the chamber and is discharged through the exhaust 36 by 13 the fan.
14 [0018] Similarly, fresh air is drawn into the makeup duct 34 through the intake 44 and delivered to the compartment 51 of the vertical plenum 42. The air flows through the wheel 58 16 which transfers energy to the air flow as it passes to the chamber 68. The fan 70 delivers air 17 from the chamber 68 to the outlet 18 where it is mixed with the air in the return duct 12 for 18 subsequent passage to the air handling unit.
19 [OOI9] The wheel 58 is continuously rotating and therefore passes through the divider 52 so as to transfer energy from the diverted air into the makeup air. In this way, energy may be 21 recovered from the diverted air that is to be expelled.
22 [0020] It will be noted that the disposition of the wheel on an inclined plane relative to the 23 base maintains a relatively low profile for the housing 30. Moreover, the serpentine arrangement 24 of the passages within the housing 30 enables the inlet 16 and outlet 18 to be disposed adjacent one another in the duct 12 with the intake 44 and exhaust 36 located in opposite side walls to 26 provide a compact overall design.
- 4 _ _..__ ~. _....__ _..... .._.

Claims (5)

1. An energy recovery unit comprising a plenum, an energy recovery unit located within the plenum and passing through a divider that subdivides the plenum into a pair of compartments, an expelled air duct extending from an inlet through one of said compartments to an exhaust, a makeup air duct extending from an inlet through another of said compartments to a discharge, said intake and said exhaust being located on oppositely directed walls of said unit and said intake and discharge being located on a common wall.
2. An energy recovery unit according to claim 1 wherein said makeup air duct follows a serpentine path from said intake to said discharge.
3. An energy recovery unit according to claim 2 wherein said makeup air duct includes a chamber between said intake and discharge and a fan is located in said chamber to force air to said discharge.
4. An energy recovery unit according to claim 3 wherein said chamber is located between said other compartment of said plenum and said discharge.
5. An energy recovery unit according to claim 1 wherein said expelled air duct includes an inlet portion and an exhaust chamber separated by said one compartment, said exhaust chamber and said inlet portion being juxtaposed with an exhaust fan in said chamber.
CA2473333A 2004-07-09 2004-07-09 Energy recovery unit Expired - Lifetime CA2473333C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA2473333A CA2473333C (en) 2004-07-09 2004-07-09 Energy recovery unit

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA2473333A CA2473333C (en) 2004-07-09 2004-07-09 Energy recovery unit

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2473333A1 CA2473333A1 (en) 2006-01-09
CA2473333C true CA2473333C (en) 2010-08-10

Family

ID=35610380

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2473333A Expired - Lifetime CA2473333C (en) 2004-07-09 2004-07-09 Energy recovery unit

Country Status (1)

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CA (1) CA2473333C (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7484381B2 (en) * 2004-07-09 2009-02-03 Spinnaker Industries Inc. Energy recovery unit
PL3450872T3 (en) * 2017-09-01 2023-06-12 Enervent Zehnder Oy Air supply device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2473333A1 (en) 2006-01-09

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