Heat exchange – Structural installation – Related to wall – floor or ceiling structure of a chamber
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-12-11
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Structural installation
Related to wall, floor or ceiling structure of a chamber
C165S008000, C165S222000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328095
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to air ventilation and an improved air ventilation system which includes the capability of adjusting air pressure within the conditioned space.
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62-1989 was established to address the need for increased ventilation of buildings due to poor indoor air quality. Increased levels of contaminants from humans, fuel burning appliances, building materials and furnishings have resulted from current construction practices which produce tighter, low leakage buildings. For example, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde have been identified. Continued exposure to VOCs can cause illness. Recommended ventilation rates range from about 0.3 air changes per hour to over 1.0 air changes per hour. The actual level of recommended outdoor air intake depends on the use, size and occupancy of the building.
Homeowners also are becoming more aware of the importance of including air ventilation systems within their homes. In recent years, there is an increasing move toward houses with higher air tightness. Due to insufficient natural ventilation, however, air fouled with tobacco smoke and poisonous emissions from gas burning devices tend to stagnate inside homes. In addition, unless ventilation is sufficient during rainy seasons, dew may be formed on walls, thereby inducing growth of mold. Insufficient ventilation is therefore unsanitary. There exists a need for smaller, less complex, less expensive ventilation systems that are appropriate for residential use.
An additional problem associated with air-tight homes concerns differences in air pressure inside and outside the home. When ventilation systems are installed the builder typically ensures that the system draws as much air into the building as the system removes, thereby keeping the air pressure inside balanced with the air pressure outside. However, problems arise when the inhabitants activate other ventilation systems within the home such bathroom and kitchen fans. When these devices are activated they can produce a pressure drop inside the home and can potentially accumulate harmful gases such as carbon monoxide from open-flame combustion devices like furnaces and stoves. This potentially deadly back-draft of harmful gases could be avoided if the ventilation system could draw in more air than it takes out in order to make-up for other systems removing air from the space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a ventilation system for ventilating fresh air to a conditioned space. The present system is constructed within a unit housing. Passing through the unit housing is an inflow chamber, an outflow chamber, and a make-up air duct. Two blowers, an intake blower and an exhaust blower, are placed within the inflow chamber and the outflow chamber in order to motivate inflow and outflow currents of air. A damper acts to open and close the make-up air duct. When the damper is in an open position and the intake blower operates at a higher speed than the exhaust blower the system increases the air pressure within the conditioned space. A heat transfer wheel is disposed within both the inflow chamber and the outflow chamber to exchange heat between the two currents of air. A pre-heater is placed in the make-up air duct to be used in cold weather conditions to heat the air which bypasses the heat recovery wheel. The present system may also include a desiccant wheel and regenerative heater in order to provide the function of dehumidification. The desiccant wheel is both regenerated and defrosted by a regenerative heater which is positioned to heat the outflow current of air before the outflow current passes through the desiccant wheel. Additionally, the blowers can be arranged so as to create an air pressure differential between the inflow chamber and the outflow chamber so that any leakage of air between the two chambers will occur from the inflow chamber to the outflow chamber.
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Felber Steven M.
Kensok Timothy J.
Ragland Ron S.
Rotering Leisha J.
Smith Timothy J.
Ciric Ljiljana V.
Honeywell International , Inc.
Lazarus Ira S.
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