GB2099987A

GB2099987A - Air conditioning apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2099987A
Application number: GB8210321A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: WEATHERITE AIR CONDITIONING LT
Current assignee: WEATHERITE AIR CONDITIONING LT
Priority date: 1981-04-07
Filing date: 1982-04-07
Publication date: 1982-12-15

Abstract

Air conditioning apparatus comprises a supply fan in an upper section 10, a combined exhaust/condenser fan in a lower section 16, and distributing means in a middle section 14. The distributing means comprises a pivotally mounted vane 34 which divides a distribution chamber into two parts. On opposite sides of the vane are inlets 48 and 50 for fresh air and used air respectively. Upper and lower edge portions 40 and 42, respectively, of the vane are positioned within upper and lower outlets 44 and 46, respectively, leading from the chamber to the two fans. Accordingly the relative proportions in which fresh air and used air are delivered to each of the two fans are determined by the adjusted position of the vane and are the inverse of the relative proportions delivered to the other fan. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Air conditioning systems It is usual for an air conditioning system to comprise a supply fan, whose primary function in a ventilation circuit of the system is to deliver conditioned air to a space which is to be ventilated, and a condenser fan whose primary function is to pass air over the condenser of a refrigeration circuit of the system.

There is normally provision for fresh air to be drawn into the ventilation circuit, and correspondingly an exhaust fan is usually provided to remove air from the ventilation circuit and prevent an unacceptable pressure build-up.

The invention provides, in one of its aspects, air conditioning apparatus comprising a first fan arranged to operate as a supply fan for a ventilation circuit of an air conditioning system, and a second fan arranged to operate as an exhaust fan for the ventilation circuit, each of said fans being arranged to draw air from adjustable distributing means of the apparatus whereby fresh air can be drawn into the ventilation circuit by the first fan and used air can be drawn from the ventilation circuit by the second fan, the distributing means being adapted to deliver fresh air and used air to each of the two fans in variable relative proportions which are the inverse of the relative proportions delivered to the other fan.

In a preferred arrangement the second fan is arranged to operate both as an exhaust fan and as a condenser fan for a refrigeration circuit of the air conditioning system. In this way it is possible to eliminate the need for separate exhaust and condenser fans, and to provide a particularly compact and efficient apparatus.

In a preferred arrangement the distributing means comprises a vane which is pivotally mounted in a distribution chamber, to divide the chamber into two parts. Inlets by means of which fresh air and used air from the ventilation circuit, respectively, can enter the chamber are arranged on opposite sides of the vane, and the relative proportions in which fresh air and used air are delivered to each of the fans are determined by the adjusted position of the vane.

Preferably the capacity of the exhaust/condenser fan is of the order of 95% of the capacity of the supply fan, in order that there can be a slight pressurisation of the ventilation circuit to militate against the ingress of outside air into a ventilated space; this may be particularly of value where, as for example in a telephone exchange, cleanliness is important and the induction of dust into the space is to be avoided.

The distributing means may be adjustable between two extreme positions in one of which all of the fresh air ingested by the distributing means is passed to the first fan and all of the used air ingested is passed to the second fan, and in the other of which all of the fresh air is passed to the second fan and all of the used air is passed to the first fan.

There nowfollows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of air conditioning apparatus which illustrates the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure lisa diagrammatic illustration of the apparatus viewed from the front; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the apparatus viewed in section on line ll-ll of Figure 1.

The apparatus comprises as a unit an upper section 10 in which is housed a supply fan 12, a middle section 14 comprising adjustable distributing means of the apparatus, and a lower section 16 in which is housed an exhaust/condenser fan 18. Each of the two fans is arranged to draw air from the distributing means.

The supply fan 12, in the upper section 10, is arranged to be driven by a motor 20 to drive air through a ventilation circuit of an air conditioning system comprising the apparatus. The air is propelled through a flexible connection 22 to an outlet 24 of the upper section, from which the air can enter a space to be ventilated.

The exhaust/condenser fan 18, in the lower section 16, is arranged to be driven by a motor 26 to drive air through a flexible connection 28 to a condenser chamber 30 of the lower section, the air leaving the lower section through an outlet 32, from which it can be ducted to atmosphere.

The distributing means comprises a vane 34, which is pivotally mounted in a distribution chamber 36 and divides the chamber into two parts, and means (not shown) within a separate compartment 38 of the middle section 14 for adjusting the inclination of the vane. Upper and lower edge portions 40 and 42, respectively, of the vane 34 are positioned within upper and lower outlets 44 and 46, respectively, from the chamber 36, the outlets leading respectively to the fans in the upper and lower sections of the apparatus. On opposite sides of the vane 34 are inlets 48 and 50 by means of which fresh air and used air from the ventilation circuit, respectively, can enter the distribution chamber. The used air inlet 50 is louvred. A duct (not shown) may lead to the fresh air inlet 48 from outside the building.The relative proportions in which fresh air and used air are delivered to each of the two fans is determined by the adjusted position of the vane and, as seen from Figure 2, the position of the vane 34 can be adjusted between one extreme position in which fresh air only will be drawn into the upper section 10 by the supply fan 12, and used air only will be drawn into the lower section 16 by the exhaust/condenser fan 18, and an opposite extreme position in which vice versa. [A fresh air bleed (not shown), which is independent of the distributing means, ensures that whatever the setting of the vane 34, at least a small amount of fresh air is drawn into the upper section by the supply fan.] The apparatus comprises refrigerating means of a conventional kind comprising an evaporator coil 52 mounted in an evaporator chamber 54 of the upper section 10, and a condenser coil 56 mounted in the condenser chamber 30 of the lower section 16.The arrangement is such that the supply fan 12 is arranged to draw air from the upper outlet 44 of the distribution chamber through filtering means 58 and over the evaporator coil 52 for cooling of the air, and the exhaust/condenser fan 18 is arranged to draw air from the lower outlet 46 of the distribution chamber and propel it into the condenser chamber 30, the condenser 54 being positioned adjacent the outlet 32 from the chamber 30 so that the air leaving the chamber 30 passes over the condenser, on its way to atmosphere, to cool the condenser. A compressor of the refrigerating means, and terminal boxes and other control equipment of the apparatus, can conveniently be located within the chamber 30 of the lower section.

It can be seen that the distributing means serves, in use of the apparatus, to deliver fresh air and used air, from the ventilation circuit, to each of the two fans in variable relative proportions which are the inverse of the relative proportions delivered to the other. The capacity of the exhaust/condenser fan 18 is only 95% of the capacity of the supply fan 12so that a slight pressurisation of the ventilation circuit occurs.

Claims

1. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a first fan arranged to operate as a supply fan for a ventilation circuit of an air conditioning system, and a second fan arranged to operate as an exhaust fan for the ventilation circuit, each of said fans being arranged to draw air from adjustable distributing means of the apparatus whereby fresh air can be drawn into the ventilation circuit by the first fan and used air can be drawn from the ventilation circuit by the second fan, the distributing means being adapted to deliver fresh air and used air to each of the two fans in variable relative proportions which are the inverse of the relative proportions delivered to the other fan.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 in which the second fan is arranged to operate both as an exhaust fan and as a condenser fan for a refrigeration circuit of the air conditioning system.

3. Apparatus according to either of Claims 1 and 2 in which said distributing means comprises a vane which is pivotally mounted in a distribution chamber, inlets by means of which fresh air and used air from the ventilation circuit, respectively, can enter the chamber being arranged on opposite sides of the vane, and the relative proportions in which fresh air and used air are delivered to each of said first and second fans being determined by the adjusted position of the vane.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3 in which upper and lower outlets from the chamber lead to the first and second fans respectively.

5. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 in which the distributing means is adjustable between two extreme positions in one of which all of the fresh air ingested by the distributing means is passed to the first fan and all of the used air ingested is passed to the second fan, and in the other of which all of the fresh air is passed to the second fan and all of the used air is passed to the first fan.

6. Air conditioning apparatus constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.