Refrigeration – Processes – Circulating external gas
Patent
1998-02-04
1999-07-27
Doerrler, William
Refrigeration
Processes
Circulating external gas
62 96, 95 96, 96128, B60H 306, F24F 316, F24F 500
Patent
active
059270845
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an air conditioning system that is particularly suitable for an enclosed space such as a room, building or, in particular, a vehicle. Such systems are generally well-known and are capable of delivering air at a controlled temperature and with some degree of filtering to remove contaminants. There is, however, a need for a system that will deliver air of high purity even when operating in a heavily contaminated environment and the invention seeks to provide such a system.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an air conditioning system for conditioning air to be supplied to an enclosed space, which comprises: parallel filter beds, (ii) valve means for directing air from an inlet to flow through the first filter bed and for directing purified air from the first bed so that a greater proportion flows to an outlet while a smaller proportion flows in counter direction as purge gas through the second bed and then to a purge outlet, (iii) a plurality of heater units at spaced apart locations along each of the filter beds for heating a gas as it flows through the heater bed, and (iv) means for controlling the heater, the compressor then through the first passage of the first heat exchanger, through the first passage of the second heat exchanger and through the air/water separator to the inlet of the purification unit, then from the outlet of the purification unit through the second passage of the first heat exchanger and through the heater for delivery into the space, and cooled refrigerant through the second passage of the second heat exchanger and means for cooling the exterior of a heat exchange section of the refrigerant unit.
In operation, the compressor drives the air through the system, the air is pre-filtered before passing into the first heat exchanger, and is further filtered before passing into the second heat exchanger. In the first heat exchanger some pre-cooling is effected by the counterflow air coming from the purification unit; in the second heat exchanger further cooling is effected by the counterflowing refrigerant. This further cooling has the additional effect of condensing water from the air, and this water is removed by the air/water separator. The cool, dry air is then passed into the purification unit. The filter medium contained within each filter bed of this unit may be any medium appropriate to the particular purification that is to be effected. It will usually be a bed of granular or other adsorbent material, which may be a desiccant material, a microporous material or a mesoporous material or a combination of two or more such materials.
Impurities contained in the air flowing through the filter bed from the air/water separator are adsorbed within that bed and purified air leaves the bed. A minor proportion of this air is directed through the second of the parallel beds as purge air to strip previously adsorbed impurities from that bed and discharge them from the system, usually back to atmosphere. The major proportion of the purified air is directed to the first heat exchanger where it pre-cools the incoming air and is itself warmed. A final filter after the first heat exchanger removes any dust or other particulate material that may have carried over from the purification unit, the air is then heated to the required temperature and delivered into the space.
The system is compact, is capable of delivering air of very high purity and is energy-efficient. Preferably the purge outlet gas is allowed to depressurise after leaving the purification unit and is then directed over the external heat exchange section of the refrigerant unit. The depressurisation expands and cools the air and the resulting flow of cool air can be sufficient to give effective cooling of the refrigerant unit before exhausting to atmosphere. This further enhances the energy efficiency of the system. It is, however, not essential, and cooling of the refrigerant unit could be effected by a separate fan, by air admitted through an inlet flap, for example when the unit is for use on a veh
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patent: 5203889 (1993-04-01), Brown
patent: 5298054 (1994-03-01), Malik
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Doerrler William
Domnick Hunter Limited
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