US3221512A

US3221512A - Air conditioner arrangement

Info

Publication number: US3221512A
Application number: US392806A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bakos Nikolaus
Original assignee: Heinrich Nickel GmbH
Current assignee: Heinrich Nickel GmbH
Priority date: 1964-08-28
Filing date: 1964-08-28
Publication date: 1965-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1982-12-07

Description

Dec. 7, 1965 N. BAKOS AIR CONDITIONER ARRANGEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1964 Conditioned Air Inner Air Inventor Nikolaus Hair 05 /r (l a! rI/{e/ Coolant Air ATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1965 N. BAKOS AIR CONDITIONER ARRANGEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 28, 1964 In venwr Nikolaus Bakes ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,221,512 AIR CONDITIONER ARRANGEMENT Nikolaus Bakes, lletzdorf, Germany, assignor to Heinrich Nickel G.rn.b.H., lietzdcrf (Sieg), Germany Filed Aug. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 392,306 14. Claims. (Cl. 62-28l) The present invention concerns an air conditioner arrangement and more particularly an arrangement of this type for producing and maintaining a uniform temperature and humidity in rooms. conventionally, arrangements of this type include an evaporator and a condenser and operate in such a manner that the air to be conditioned is guided in a stream along the evaporator of the refrigerator installation while a second air stream acting as a coolant is moved along the condenser for cooling the latter.

In known air conditioner arrangements of this type the two air streams are produced by two entirely independently operating blowers or fan wheels, one of these fan wheels or blowers bein arranged across the path of the air to be conditioned, and the other fan wheel or blower being arranged across the path of the coolant air for the condenser. It is clear that the use of two entirely independently operating blowers or the like results in a considerable investment of mechanical installation, and in addition the arrangement of separate blowers or the like calls for comparatively large space. Also, in such an arrangement it can easily occur that one of the two blowers or the like fails or stops without this being noticed whereby of course the efficiency of the entire air conditioning arrangement is greatly impaired and rapidly decreased no matter whether the incident affects the cooling of the condenser in the outer circulating coolant air stream or whether it affects the velocity of the circulation of the air to be conditioned in the internal circulation of air. Still another disadvantage of conventional air conditioning arrangements is due to the fact that the evaporator and condenser of the refrigerating unit are bound to be mounted separately from each other because of the complete separation between the two different air streams. Consequently separate and distinct means for draining condensate water collecting on the outside or in the neighborhood of condenser and evaporator, respectively, are needed. Finally, the separate construction of evaporator and condenser causes increased production cost.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide for an air conditioner arrangement which is free of the disadvantages of the conventional arrangements.

It is another object of this invention to provide for an arrangement of the type set forth in which the space requirements are reduced as compared with conventional arrangements.

It is still another object of the invention to provide for an air conditioner arrangement of the above type in which an unnoticed drop of the effectiveness of the arrangement is prevented.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

With above objects in view the invention includes in an air conditioner arrangement including an evaporator and a condenser, in combination, a housing means including partition means thereacross and a first air duct therein for the flow of air to be conditioned and arranged along one side of said partition means and having a first air inlet duct and a first air outlet duct, and a second air duct in said housing means for a flow of coolant air and arranged along the other side of said partition means and having a second air inlet duct and a second air outlet duct, said partition means having a transverse opening 3,221,512 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 located between said inlet ducts and said outlet duct; and fan wheel means mounted for operation in said transverse opening of said partition means and having its plane of rotation transverse of both said first and second air ducts, the area of operation occupied by said fan wheel means in said plane extending partly across said first air duct and partly across said second air duct, so that rotation of said fan wheel means causes said flow of air through both said first and second air ducts simultaneously.

It will be seen that an arrangement as just stated results in a considerable saving of space for accommodating the operative components of the arrangement, and in addition, a reduction of the amount of air moved along the outer circulation path or the internal. circulation path, i.e. a drop in effectiveness of the arrangement cannot go by unnoticed but will be noticed immediately.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a box-shape air conditioner arrangement according to the invention, some portions of the front walls of the housing being omitted in order to show interior parts;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of the arrangement according to FIG. 1, the section being taken along line A-A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial, diagrammatic elevational view of certain components of the arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2, at a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a similar view as FIG. 3 showing a modification of the arrangement according to FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a partial elevational view of an arrangement according to FIG. 3, the fan wheel being omitted.

An air conditioner arrangement according to the invention comprises according to FIGS. 1 and 2 e.g. a box shape housing 1. The housing 1 is lined with, or supplemented by, layers or port-ions of thermally insulating material 2 in a manner that, separated at least by

partition walls

17 and 20, a first air duct 3 for the air to be conditioned and a second air duct 4 for the coolant air are provided. The first duct 3 is provided with an inlet duct portion 12 and an outlet duct portion 13 while the second air duct 4 is provided with an inlet duct portion lltl and an outlet duct portion 11. A conventional evaporator 5 is located across the first air duct 3 while a conventional condenser 6 is arranged across the second air duct 4. In addition a conventional compressor may also be arranged in the outlet air duct 11 and constitutes together with the evaporator 5 and the condenser 6 essentially the refrigerator unit of the arrangement.

In FIG. 2 the side of the arrangement which faces to the left may be considered the front side of the arrangement because conventionally the illustrated arrangement would be mounted in a window or the like in such a manner that the front side with the inlet and outlet ducts Ill and 11 communicates with the outside air while the opposite side with the inlet and outlet ducts l2 and 13 is located inside the room or building for communication with the inside air. As can be seen, inside the housing 1. a blower or fan wheel 8 is arranged. behind and in a predetermined relation to the evaporator 5 and the condenser 6. These components of the actual refrigerator not forming a portion of the invention per se are shown only diagrammatically. The fan wheel 8 is driven by a motor 9. The first air duct 3 has substantially S-shape and is so arranged within the housing that it guides air sucked in through the inlet duct 12 in the direction of the arrows through the upper portion of the area occupied by the fan blades during operation. On the other hand, the second air duct 4 which has substantially U-shape so arranged within the housing that it guides the outer air from the inlet duct through the lower portion of the area occupied by the fan blades during operation and thereafter back to the outside through the outlet duct 11. Thus it can be seen that the operation of the fan Wheel 8 produces two streams of air completely separate from each other. The air stream in the air duct 4 is driven by the fan wheel 8 not only across the condenser 6 but also past the compressor 7 of the refrigeration unit conveniently mounted in the duct 11 so that this air stream cools not only the condenser but also the compressor 7. As can be seen the second outlet air duct 11 is located above the second inlet air duct 10 so that, due to the change of temperature which the air stream undergoes a favorable chimney effect is obtained whereby the efficiency of the air moving means is even improved. The opening of the inlet duct 12 is preferably located only a small distance above the floor of the room to which the air conditioning unit is assigned. The air to be conditioned and sucked in through the duct portion 12 is moved first across a large area dry filter 14a and blown by the fan wheel 8 across the evaporator 5 whereafter it is expelled through the first outlet air duct 13 at the upper face of the housing 1 through the opening 16. Between the fan Wheel 8 and the evaporator 5 preferably another filter 14b is mounted which serves to clean outside air which may be admixed to the inner circulating air that is to be conditioned, as will be described further below. Moreover, it is advisable to arrange downstream of the evaporator 5 some heating means for heating the air to be conditioned. These heating means may consist of an electric heater of conventional type 15a or of a radiator 15b heated by hot water or steam in a conventional manner. Thus it is possible to heat the air to be conditioned while it is treated. for reducing its humidity, or, when the

refrigerator unit

5, 6, 7 is switched off, only heating of the inner circulating air is desired. It is further advisable to arrange within the opening 16 a plurality of Venetion blind type adjustable flaps 16'.

On the suction side of the fan wheel 8 a tiltable control or baffle plate 18 is mounted in a corresponding opening 19 provided in the

partition

17, 20 as can be seen from FIGS. 1-3. The bafile plate 18 can be set to a position illustrated by FIG. 1 wherein its outer ends practically abut against portions 21', 21" of the partition so that influx of outside coolant air from the duct 4 into the stream of air to be conditioned in the duct 3 is prevented. From this first position the plate 18 can be tilted e.g. manually by actuating the handle 180, into adjusted positions whereby more or less passage of outer air through the opening 19 into the duct 3 is permitted. In this man ner, if desired, a certain renewal of the air-conditioned air in the internal circulation by admixture of fresh air from the outside can be achieved. It will be understood now that the above mentioned second filter 1411 may be ad vantageous in this type of operation. Preferably the axis of rotation of the plate 18 is aligned with the axis of rotation of the fan wheel 8 or motor 9. If this is done, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the tiltable plate 18 can be utilized with great advantage for also correcting the flow of air through the operating area of the fan wheel. This is desirable because, as illustrated by FIG. 3, ordinarily the inlet air is deflected by the rotating blades of the fan wheel 8 from the direction A of arrival in the direction of the rotation of the fan wheel, i.e. somewhat in the direction B to a direction of delivery as indicated by the arrow C. However, by setting the bafiie plate 18 to an angular position in a direction opposite to the rotation of the fan wheel 8 this diversion of the intake air from direction A to direction C can be counteracted.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the evaporator 5 and the condenser 6 of the refrigeration unit may be so constructed that the respective finned tubes 5' of the evaporator 5 are completely separated from the finned tubes 6 of the condenser 6, in which case the partition 20 on the delivery side of the fan wheel 8 is located between the duct 3 and the duct 4 and extends between the system of tubes 5 and the system of tubes 6 forward substantially as far as to the motor 9 as shown in FIG. 3. However, it is also possible to construct the evaporator and condenser so that the tubes 5 of the former are directly connected with the tubes 6 of the latter as is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4. In this case it is necessary to arrange the partition 20' as illustrated in FIG. 4 in such a manner that it projects like a comb between the finned tubes. In both cases the

partition

20 or 20 is made of material which is porous in order to permit passage of condensed water that may form on these partitions. In this manner it is simpler to drain away such outer condensed water.

In some cases it is desirable to arrange matters so that the amount of air to be conditioned conveyed by the fan wheel 8 through the first air duct 3 is diiferent from the volume of outer coolant air conveyed simultaneously through the second duct 4. In this case the partition 20 as shown in FIG. 5, although it otherwise corresponds to the illustrations in FIGS. 24, should be composed of two portions enclosing between each other an angle diiferent from with its apex located in line with the center of the fan wheel. Then the sector of the fan area having a smaller center angle is assigned to that duct Which is supposed to carry a smaller amount of air. Of course, it is advisable and possible to make at least one portion of this partition 20" tiltable or adjustable so that the ratio between the amounts of air carried through the two ducts 3 and 4 can be varied as may be desired.

The above described arrangement can be further improved if the blower arrangement comprises a plurality of adjacent fan wheels, and if at least the blades thereof are made of synthetic material and if at least the blades of the fan wheels are at least on the outside colored white so that heat is reflected and not absorbed thereby.

Although the above described examples all refer to a box-shaped air conditioner it will be understood that the principle of the invention may as well be utilized within other types of air conditioning equipment. The most important characteristic is that the two types of air stream are moved simultaneously but separate from each other by means of one common blower or fan whee'l.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of an air conditioner arrangement of the type described differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an air conditioner arrangement including a single fan wheel for moving two separate air streams, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily [adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an air conditioner arrangement including an evaporator and a condenser, in combination, a housing means including partition means thereacross and a first air duct therein for the flow of :air to be conditioned and arranged along one side of said partition means and having a first air inlet duct and a first air outlet duct, and a second air duct in said housing means for a flow of coolant air and arranged along the other side of said partition means and having a second air inlet duct and a second air outlet duct, said partition means having a transverse opening located between said inlet ducts and said outlet ducts; and fan wheel means rotating substantially in one plane for blowing during rotation air in direction substantially normal to said means, said fan wheel means basing mounted for operation in said transverse opening of said partition means and having its plane of rotation transverse of both said first and second air ducts, the area of operation occupied by said fan wheel means in said plane extending partly across said first air duct and partly across said second air duct, so that rotation of said fan wheel means causes said flow of air through both said first and second air ducts simultaneously and in the same direction.

2. In an air conditioner arrangement including an evaporator and a condenser, in combination, a housing means including partition means thereacross and a first air duct therein for the flow of air to be conditioned and arranged along one side of said partition means and having a first air inlet duct and a first air outlet duct, the evaporator being located at least partly along said first air duct so as to be exposed to said. flow of air, and a second air duct in said housing means for a fiow of coolant air and arranged along the other side of said partition means and having a second air inlet duct and a second air outlet duct, said partition means having a transverse opening located between said inlet ducts and said outlet ducts, the condenser being located at least partly along said second air duct so as to be exposed to said flow of coolant air; and fan wheel means rotating substantially in one plane for blowing during rotation air in direction substantially normal to said means, said fan wheel means basing mounted for operation in said transverse opening of said partition means and having its plane of rotation transverse of both said first and second air ducts, the area of operation occupied by said fan wheel means in said plane extending partly across said first air duct and partly across said second air duct, so that rotation of said fan wheel means causes said flow of air through both said first and second air ducts simultaneously and in the same direction.

3. In an air conditioner arrangement including an evaporator and a condenser, in combination, a housing means including partition means thereacross and a first air duct therein for the flow of air to be conditioned and arranged along one side of said partition means and having a first air inlet duct and a first air outlet duct, the evaporator being located at least partly along said first air duct so as to be exposed to said flow of air, and. a second air duct in said housing means for a flow of coolant air and arranged along the other side of said partition means and having a second air inlet duct and a second air outlet duct, said partition means having a transverse opening located between said inlet ducts and said outlet ducts, the condenser being located at least partly along said second air duct so as to be exposed to said flow of coolant air, air flow control means being mounted in said transverse opening for causing when desired a cross-flow of air from said second inlet duct into said first inlet duct; and fan wheel means mounted for operation in said transverse opening of said partition means and having its plane of rotation transverse of both said first and second air ducts, the area of operation occupied by said fan wheel means in said plane extending partly across said first air duct and partly across said second air duct, so that rotation of said fan wheel means causes said flow of air through both said first and second air ducts simultaneously.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said air flow control means is a tiltable closure member having its axis of rotation in substantial alignment with that of said fan wheel means and being mounted on the intake side of said fan wheel means, said closure member being movable between a position in which said crossflow is subject to maximum obstruction, and positions in which said cross-flow is permitted to varying degrees.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said partition means include on the output side of said fan wheel means partition walls extending in planes directed radially from the axis of rotation of said fan wheel means so as to determine which portion of the total air sucked in by said fan vheel means is to flow into said first air outlet duct and into said second air outlet duct.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said partition means include on the output side of said fan Wheel means partition walls extending in planes directed radially from the axis of TvtZtfiOIl of said fan wheel means so as to determine which portion of the total air sucked in by said fan wheel means is to flow into said first air outlet duct and into said second air outlet duct.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said partition means include on the output side of said fan wheel means partition walls extending in planes directed radially from the axis of rotation of said fan wheel means so as to determine which portion of the total air sucked in by said fan wheel means is to flow into said first air outlet duct and into said second air outlet duct.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said partition means are at least partly made of porous material capable of permitting passage of condensed water.

9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said partition means are at least partly made of porous material capable of permitting passage of condensed water.

10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said partition means are at least partly made of porous material capable of permitting passage of condensed water.

11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein said partition means are at least partly made of porous material capable of permitting passage of condensed water.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said partition means are at least partly made of porous material capable of permitting passage of condensed Water.

13. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said partition means are at least partly made of porous material capable of permitting passage of condensed water.

14. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fan wheel means include an assembly of rotatable blades made of synthetic material and having a substantially white color for reflecting heat radiation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,212,050 8/1940 Samuelson 230-47 2,780,929 2/1957 Roseman 62--427 2,836,123 5/1958 Banerian 103-96 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN AN AIR CONDITIONER ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING AN EVAPORATOR AND A CONDENSER, IN COMBINATION, A HOUSING MEANS INCLUDING PARTITION MEANS THEREACROSS AND A FIRST AIR DUCT THEREIN FOR THE FLOW OF AIR TO BE CONDITIONED AND ARRANGED ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID PARTITION MEANS AND HAVING A FIRST AIR INLET DUCT AND A FIRST AIR OUTLET DUCT, AND A SECOND AIR DUCT IN SAID HOUSING MEANS FOR A FLOW OF COOLANT AIR AND ARRANGED ALONG THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID PARTITION MEANS AND HAVING A SECOND AIR INLET DUCT AND A SECOND AIR OUTLET DUCT, SAID PARTITION MEANS HAVING A TRANSVERSE OPENING LOCATED BETWEEN SAID INLET DUCTS AND SAID OUTLET DUCTS; AND FAN WHEEL MEANS ROTATING SUBSTANTIALLY IN ONE PLANE FOR BLOWING DURING ROTATION AIR IN DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID MEANS, SAID FAN WHEEL MEANS BIASING MOUNTED FOR OPERATION IN SAID TRANSVERSE OPENING OF SAID PARTITION MEANS AND HAVING ITS PLANE OF ROTATION TRANSVERSE OF BOTH SAID FIRST AND SECOND AIR DUCTS, THE AREA OF OPERATION OCCUPIED BY SAID FAN WHEEL MEANS IN SAID PLANE EXTENDING PARTLY ACROSS SAID FIRST AIR DUCT AND PARTLY ACROSS SAID SECOND AIR DUCT, SO THAT ROTATION OF SAID FAN WHEEL MEANS CAUSES SAID FLOW OF AIR THROUGH BOTH SAID FIRST AND SECOND AIR DUCTS SIMULTANEOUSLY AND IN THE SAME DIRECTION.