US2721449A

US2721449A - Year'round air conditioning system

Info

Publication number: US2721449A
Application number: US237600A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth R Dennick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-07-19
Filing date: 1951-07-19
Publication date: 1955-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1972-10-25

Description

Oct. 25, 1955 K. R. DENNICK YEAR ROUND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19 1951 A T TOR/YE) Oct. 25, 1955 K. R. DENNICK YEAR ROUND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19 1951 o o o o a o o o o o o o m o o o 0 sh \Q.N kNhN ml C @QQQ J J Q Q U QM A: MN N mN w kw w QM m. N WM. wg @Q INVENTOR. KEN/V5 TH A. DEN/WCK ATTO/EWFY United States Patent YEAR ROUND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Kenneth R. Dennick, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application July 19, 1951, Serial No. 237,600

2 Claims. (Cl. 62-6) The invention relates to air conditioning systems having a central source of thermal energy with means for circulating the same and a plurality of absorption refrigeration apparatus, variously located and suitable for conditioning the air in individual rooms of a multi-story building in winter as well as in summer.

It has for an objectto provide a system of this nature which will admit of individual and independent control of the temperature and the humidity conditions in the respective rooms; also to have the control means self-contained within each unit and automatically operating to maintain desired conditions, and adjustable through manual operation by an occupant of a particular room.

A further object is to provide a refrigerating unit of the conventional console type; and, also, to dispense with the conventional radiator for room heating purposes in that a unit operating under the novel system is automatically convertible to this end.

With a system of the aforesaid nature, it is possible, in the case of summer operation thereof, to provide not only for sensible cooling of the ambient atmosphere but as well for latent cooling and to secure and maintain the desired degree of relative humidity. In the case of winter operation, heating and humidification of the ambient atmosphere are afforded. The novel system admits of automatic operation also during periods between normal heating and cooling seasons. All-year ventilation, air movement, and cleansing of the air are also provided for, so that ideal conditions are maintained throughout the year.

In carrying out the invention, use is made of a steam boiler, a heat exchanger, and a circulating water pump which may all conveniently be centrally located as in the basement of the building; a cooling means for water, such as a tower located, for example, on the roof of the building; and console-type room conditioning units located in the various rooms, together with suitable piping connections from the boiler, water pump and heat exchanger among the various members.

The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary and more or less conventional showing in vertical section, through a multi-story building, illustrating the novel air conditioning system installed therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of an individual room conditioning unit with front panel and top of its enclosing console removed, at least one of such units being provided in a room to be air conditioned.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2 of the drawings, looking in the direction of the arrows, and with portions omitted.

Referring to the drawings, more particularly Fig. 1, the novel conditioning system is indicated as installed in a multi-story building upon the roof 11 of which there may be supported a cooling tower 12 or similar means for water circulated through the system, as will hereinafter be set forth. Each floor is equipped with one or more 2,721,449 Patented Oct. 25, 1955 console-type room conditioners 13 independently operating on the absorption refrigeration principle, and shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. These units may operate with conventional refrigerants and it is preferred for this purpose to utilize Water, as an aqueous solution of lithium chloride or bromide. Provision is made to introduce air, both internal and external, to each conditioner unit 13 through a filter 14 at the lower portion of a unit, the internal air having communication through a grille 15 with a chamber 16 immediately below the filter, and said chamber communicating with the external air, to mix with recirculated air, through a duct 17 provided through the building wall and having also an adjustable damper 18 for control of outside air through a unit.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a central and preferably low-pressure steam boiler 20, for example in the building basement 21 in which is located also the pump 22 for circulating water through the system, and a heat exchanger 23. The latter is arranged for connection both with the boiler 20 and with the pump 22, the connections being permanent in the latter case and in the former being efifected automatically under control of a valve 24 subject to regulation by a thermostat 25 operated by the temperature of the water within the exchanger and by a reset thermostat 25 for the former thermostat 25 and located in the air external the building 10.

The respective room conditioning units, while comprising generally the conventional elements, to wit: a generator 26 with separator 27 and absorber 28, a condenser 29, evaporator 30 and motor-driven fans 31 providing air movement through a unit for discharge through a grille or the like 32 of the enclosing console casing 33, are modified more especially with respect to the condenser element thereof both in its construction and with respect to its location within the console. Thus, a condenser 29 is of coaxial tubular design, the water flow being directed through the space between the outer and

inner tubes

29 and 29" respectively, and the refrigerant through the inner one 29". In addition, the outer tube is equipped with integral fins 34 to provide an extended radiation surface.

The condenser as a whole, also, is located in the system in a novel manner with respect to the air flowing from the evaporator. To this end a dual duct 35 is provided at, for example, the upper portion of the console in advance of the discharge grille 32, and jointly operable dampers 36 are provided between the two duct portions, in one of which latter the condenser is located and in the other the evaporator. A by-pass is thus afforded between the said duct portions, and the extent of diversion of flow is effected by the dampers 36 under control of a dry bulb thermostat 37 having its bulb 37' positioned in the chamber 16 and the circulating air stream in advance of the evaporator. The latter is located in advance of the condenser in the direction of air to be discharged in order that the bypassed volume of air passing over the fins 34 of the condenser will modify the air leaving a unit through grille 32 to the necessary extent to secure the desired relative humidity for the sensible and latent cooling loads.

A wet bulb 38' of a thermostat 38 is located adjacently to a further but dry bulb 38" thereof and in the chamber 16, said thermostat operating to actuate a valve 39 controlling the admission of steam from boiler 20 to the generator 26 of a conditioner 13 in effecting vapor flow in the refrigeration cycle, as is well understood. Connec tions are made to the respective conditioner generators from a steam main 20' and return main 20" to this end. Thermostat 38 is designed to be reset if the wet bulb depression for sensible heat removal is not sufiicient to satisfy latent heat removal requirements.

The vapor from generator 26 passes through separator 27 and from it through tube 26' to the condenser 29, then the condensed vapors pass through tube 30' to the evaporator and ther efro m to absorber 28 associated with a heat exchanger 28'. Absorbent liiiilid from "separator 27 passes through a tube 4% through a liquid heat exchanger 41 to the absorber. The absorbent liquid and refrigerant pass then from the absorberithrough a tube 42and the heat exciiahger back toj generator 26. Atube ibe z tw een tube -4-2 and the separator serves to equalizepressui'e differ entials. V y y u 7,

From the cooling tower 12, water is returned'through a main d' to the pump 22 and then is circulated by the latter byjfneans ofa riser 46 and intermediate piping connections 46', 451'0 and tram the respective conditioning units, preferably entering the absorber 2:8 of a ulnit as at 47 to passjtherethrough in heat exchangingrelationship and thence ltotheiinits condenser element 29 through a tube 47. Pram the respective condensers it is returned by therespective piping conneet'ion 46" through a return main 4-8, to the cooling tower 12 for cooling and recirculation. The ternperatufe of the water-leaving the cooling tower 12 is: controlled by a by-pass connection 49 between the mains '45 and 48, avnv; 56 being included therein andregula'ted au natia1t p a thermo stat 51,' one bulb offw hich is lo cate d in the main 45 to the pump.

In'the caseof wi nter operation, ajfurther bulb 52 resets thetherrno statfil for valve 50 to' providea fully open position thereof, saidfurther bulb being'exposed to outdoor temperatures as in locating it on the roof 11. The thermostat 25, with bulb l ocated in h eat exchanger 23, then causesthe steam control valve 24 toopen for controlling the temperature of the: water in said heat exchanger in relation to theoutside air temperature thermostat 25 being reset undercontrol of the further thermostat 25 exposed t'o' outdoor temperatures. Water thus heated is circulated throughthe condenser 29 of a room unit and returns'to the circulation pump 2; through by-pass valve 50 whichis'reset'in an open position under the influence of the outside air on the bulb 52 of thermostat 51, as hereinb'efore noted. The quantity of heat admitted to the room 'to offset losses is governed by the position of the dampers which are positioned by' the dry bulb controlled 'the'r'most at 37. Humidification is accomplished by a wet bulb thermOstat SS, having its bulb 53 located in the chamber 16, positioning a valve 54 which adds moisture to the" a ir t hrough sprays 55. 1

Excess'water accumulated by latent cooling in the summer and humi'dification in theiwinter is drained from a room conditionerby a drain pan 56 which maybe connected to' the building drainage system '(not shown).

In winter the refrigeration cycle, of course, is inactive "nbsfeam 'is admitted tb the generators 2'6 through 'tl'fe control valve 39. Between'the heating and cooling seasons the proposed system operates by supplying, as hereinbefore set forth, heating or cooling as required.

I claim:

1. An absorption-type, single-cycle, refrigeration air conditioning unit, comprising a single tubular-type refrigerant condenser having coaxial tubes one for'the'refrigerant and the other for a circulating liquid, an evaporator for '1 the refrigerant 'and 'ahousing about the evaporator, a generator communicating with the condenser and evaporator, av'alve'fo'r admittiiig ste'am tosaid generator, thermostatic means including a controlling dry bulb and a controlling Wet bulb subjected to the ambient air, the former bulb being responsive to open said valve and the latter bulb to reset the same; and means for cir culating for dischargea stream of air through the housin andover the fevaporator, said'housing providing a dufi outlet duct and within one of which duct portions the condenser is located, said one duct portion afiordinga bypass for the air stream beyondthe evaporatorQWhichlatt'er is in permanent communication with the other-duct; and further'therrnostatic means, including a dry bulb subjctedto the ambient air, controlling automatically communication between the two said ducts. h

L2. -An air conditioning unit accordingto claim 1, wherein dampenrneansare provided together with an operating solenoid c ontrolled by the said further thermostatic means, whereby the circulated air may be divertedover the entire condenser.

"Rrerms Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,909 Peters 'Feb."12,'l907 1; 52 7 ,833 'B'uchel Feb. 24, 19 25 2,093,725 H -1t.- Sept. 21, 1937 2,111, 18 'Erbach 1Mar. 2 2,193'8 -2-;1 3o,0s9 Hull Sept. 13, 193 8 251 87982 Moncri'ef Jan. 23, 1-940 2,268; 7 6 9 Newton Jan. '6, 1942 2,272,099 Smith Feb. 3, 1942 2309,1565 Candor Jan. 2 -1 143 2,378; 177 Bichowskv 'Iun'e 12, 1945 2,492,757 Meek Decf2 7,f1949 {2;52 2;-4-s4 "Ringq'u ist "'Se'pt. 12,10 sis-815122 "McNely 'J'an. 1, 1952