US2492757A - Air-conditioning system - Google Patents

Description

De. 27, G, W MEEK AIR CONDITIONING SYSEM 3 Sheets-Sheet' 1 Filed July 26, 1945 De@ 27, 1949 G. w. MEI-:K 2,492,757

AR CONDITIONING SYSTEM BVM De@ 27, 1949 G. w. MEEK 2,492,757

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed July 26, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 56 @vw `F|G.7

sai sa Patented Dec. 27, 1949 2,492,151 AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM George William Meek, Syracuse, N. Y.,"assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 26, 1945, Serial No. 607,132

3 Claims. (Cl. 257-3) This invention relates to air conditioning systems and more particularly to an air conditioning system in 'which air is tempered under diierent operating conditions by the circulation of heated or cooled water or other fluid through a heat exchanger.

An air conditioning system in extensive commercial use includes the conditioning of a volume of air to a desired degree at a central conditioning point and the distribution of conditioned air at relatively high static pressure and at relatively high velocity to a plurality of units respectively disposed in and serving a plurality of enclosures to be conditioned. The high pressure air supplied to each unit is discharged therein through nozzle formations or the like and in this manner induces a great circulation of air withdrawn from the area served by the unit. The primary or conditioned air and the secondary or induced air are then supplied to the area to be conditioned.

Primary air is conditioned to a predetermined dewpoint at the central conditioning station and heat exchange means such as coils or the like are disposed in the various local units to effect sensible cooling or heating of air induced into the unit as required. In such system it is necessary to provide a plurality of risers for circulation of conditioning uid from the heating or cooling station to the heat exchange members of the units; in addition it is essential to provide a plurality of risers to withdraw conditioning medium after passage through the various heat exchange members of the units. It will be appreciated that provision of numerous risers and the necessary ttings greatly increase thel initial cost of such systems; in addition due to the large number of ttings and risers such systems are complicated in design.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide an improved air conditioning system. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved air conditioning system in which a plurality of risers are eliminated, a single riser being suicient to distribute conditioning medium to the various conditioning units disposed in different areas and it desired in diierent zones. A further object is to provide an air conditioning system including a single riser for distribution of conditioning medium to various units and containing ttings disposed in the riser adapted to withdraw conditioning medium from the riser to supply it to the heat exchange members of the units and to return such conditioning medium to the riser after it passes through the various heat exchange members. A still further object is to provide an improved air conditioning system containing an improved conditioning unit. A still further object is to provide an air conditioning system in which a fitting of special designis `placed in the riser at the return connection with each heat exchange member of the various units, the fitting being adapted to restrict the flow of conditioning medium through the riser thereby increasing its velocity to induce conditioning medium from the heat exchange member to enter the riser.

This invention relates to an air conditioning system for conditioning a plurality of areas. A conditioner for conditioning primary air, for example, outside air, is disposed in a place remote from the area to be conditioned. Means are provided for supplying air to be conditioned to the conditioner. A plurality of conditioning units are disposed in the various areas to be conditioned, at least one of such units serving each area to be conditioned. A conduit is provided for supplying conditioned air to the various units, the air being delivered thereto by any suitable means, for example, fans or the like; means are provided in each individual unit including a nozzle for discharging conditioned air within the units at relatively high velocity. Secondary air is induced within the unit by the high velocity discharge of primary air therein, the conditioned primary air and the induced secondary air being mixed together and discharged into the area being served.

A heat exchange member is provided in each unit. A riser is provided to supply hot or cold conditioning medium, depending upon seasonal conditions, to the various heat exchange members. Fittings are provided in the riser for supplying conditioning medium to the heat exchange members and return fittings are also supplied in the riser to return conditioning medium from the heat exchange members to the riser. The return fittings serve to restrict the now of conditioning medium through the riser thereby increasing its velocity to induce the return of conditioning medium to the riser from each heat exchange member. Means are also provided for varying the quantity of sensible heat delivered to or removed from the induced air. Such means may comprise a valve, manually or automatically operable, disposed in the supply lines to the various units for metering the amount of conditioning medium delivered to the various heat exchange members. Preferably, however, a substantially constant quantity of conditioning medium is supplied to each heat exchange member, and the quantity of induced air passing in heat exchange relation therewith is varied by means of a damper in the unit which permits a desired quantity of induced air to pass through the heat exchange member of each unit or to bypass the heat exchange member as desired in order to vary the amount of sensible heat applied to or removed from the induced air.

The attached drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic vic-w of the system of my invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view in exaggerated scale of an air conditioning unit connected to the IlSel;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a return fitting;

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation of the conditioning unit used in the air conditioning system shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the conditioning unit shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig-ure 1 of a modication of the invention; and

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view of the conditioning unit included in the system shown in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure l the air conditioning system of my invention. Such system may comprise a source of supply 2 of heated conditioning medium such as heated water and a source of supply 3 of cooled conditioning medium such as cooled water. The heating and refrigerating systems usually employed for providing conditioning medium at desired elevated and reduced temperatures are not illustrated as they per se form no part of the present invention. Under winter operating conditions hot water, for example, may be passed through line I, valve 5 being open, to riser 6. Under summer operating conditions, valve 5 is closed and valve 'I may be opened to supply cold water from supply 3 through line 8 to riser 6. A pump 9 delivers the water to riser 6 from whence it passes to the various air conditioning units I serving respectivelyl rooms or similar enclosed areas II. It will be understood the system is not limited to any number of units and is normally employed in oiice buildings, hotels and similar buildings having a great many rooms of different size.

I will describe my invention with particular reference to one unit, it being understood that similar units are connected in the same manner to riser 6. A supply fitting II is disposed in riser 6 at the juncture of a supply duct I2 with riser 6. Supply duct I2 furnishes conditioning medium to the heat exchange member I3 such as a coil or the like disposed in each unit I0. A return duct I4 is provided to pass conditioning medium from heat exchange member I3 to riser 6. A return tting I is disposed in riser 6 at its juncture with return duct I4.

Fittings II and I5 are of special design. Fitting I5, for example, may be a so-called Mono- Flo fitting, such as is manufactured by Bell and Gossett Company of North Chicago, Illinois. Such fitting is illustrated in Figure 3. A cone shaped tube member I6 is provided in such tting. Member I6 serves to restrict free ow of conditioning medium through riser 6 thereby increasing the velocity of ow of the conditioningx medium through the riser. This increased velocity of flow conditioning medium in riser 6 induces a ow of conditioning medium through the return duct Il thereby withdrawing conditioning medium from heat exchanger I3. The supply fittings II, preferably, are similar except that the cone shaped' tube member I6 is turned in the opposite direction to facilitate flow of conditioning medium into supply duct I2.

Conditioning medium returned to riser 6 is then supplied with the conditioning medium in riser 6 to the various other units of the system. It will be understood such units may be supplied in series or parallel. The conditioning medium after its passage through riser 6 passes into duct II which leads it to a suitable source of discharge or if desired, may return it to sources of supply 2 or 3, depending upon the seasonal operating conditions.

Primary air is provided by means of conditioner I8. As indicated, conditioner I8 is disposed in an area remote from the areas to be conditioned, for example, it may be disposed in an attic, a basement, or any suitable storage space in the building to be conditioned. Preferably, outside air is conditioned in conditioner I8 and is supplied through duct I9 by means of a fan 20 at relatively high static pressure to riser 2I which supplies it to the various conditioning units I0 disposed in the spaces or areas to be conditioned.

Air from riser 2| is supplied to each unit I0 by means of a supply duct 22. Preferred conditioning units for use in the present invention are disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 607,131, led July 26, 1945, and consequently do not require detailed explanation.

Air from duct 22 is discharged within the plenum chamber 23 of each unit III. A nozzle plate 24 is connected to chamber 23 and is provided with a plurality of separate relatively small nozzles or orices 25 through which air is discharged at relatively high velocity. The discharge of air at high velocity through orifices 25 produces a relatively great circulation of air within the unit through the inlet grille 26. The induced air is mixed with the primary conditioned air in mixing chamber 21 and is discharged into the area to be conditioned through outlet grille 28. Preferably, the heat exchange member I3 of each unit III is disposed across unit I0 at approximately the center of inlet grille 26. A damper 29 is provided to close the upper portion of inlet grille 26. Induced air under such circumstances ows through heat exchange member I3.

The damper 29 may be controlled by any suitable means, automatic or manual; as shown in Figures 4 and 5, manual means 30 may be provided. In normal position, damper 29 closes the upper portion of inlet grille 26, and permits induced air to enter through the lower portion of grille 26 and to flow through member I3 to mixing chamber 21. When damper 29 is rotated about shaft 3| it opens the upper portion of inlet grille 26 to a desired extent and closes partially the passage leading from the lower portion of inlet grille 26 to the mixing chamber. Thus. some portion of the induced air bypasses heat exchange member I3. In all cases a substantially constant quantity of air is induced. It will be appreciated the quantity of induced air passing through the heat exchange member I3 or bypassing such member may be varied as desired to permit all induced air to pass through member I3 or to prevent any of the induced air from passing through member I3.

It will be understood, of course, that each conditioning unit I0 may be provided with a suitable manual or automatic valve control as shown in Figure 2 adapted to meter the amount of conditioning medium passing to heat exchange member I3 to vary the amount of conditioning medium supplied to the unit instead of varying the quantity of induced air passing in heat relation with such member; for example, the control valve disclosed in Carrier Patent No. 2,342,- 328, grated February 22, 1944, may be used.

Assuming it is desired to operate the air conditioning system of my invention under winter conditions, valve 1 is closed and valve 5 is opened. permitting pump 6 to supply heated conditioning medium such as heated water from source 2 to riser 6. Conditioning medium passes through 4fitting II to supply duct I2 and then to heat exchange member I3 and returns through duct I4 to riser 6, induced by the ow of conditioning medium through line 6. As explained above, fitting I5 restricts the ilow of conditioning medium in riser 6 and increases the velocity of such flow thereby inducing conditioning medium from duct I4 into riser 6.

Conditioned primary air is supplied to each unit Il through riser 2l connected to conditioner I8. Such air is forced along the riser 2I at high velocity by means of fan 20. The primary air is discharged within unit I0 at relatively high velocity and induces a flow of secondary air within the unit from the area to be conditioned. This induced air passes through heat exchange member I3 or bypasses such member as desired depending upon the temperature of the space to be conditioned. The amount of air passing through heat exchange member I3 is varied, of course,

by movement of damper 29. The streams of secondary air are mixed with the stream of primary air and discharged through outlet grille 28 into the area to be conditioned. A similar operation is conducted at each conditioning unit and its various fittings.

The conditioning medium in each case is returned to riserv 6 and after conditioning medium has been supplied to the various units I0 such medium passes to discharge duct I1 and is discharged from the system or returned to supply 2 as desired.

Operation under summer conditions is similar except that valve 1 is opened and valve 5 is closed, permitting the ow of conditioning medium. cooled water, for example, from supply 3 to riser 6, and its subsequent supply to the heat exchange members I3 of the various conditioning units Ill.

Figures 6 and '7 illustrate a modification of my invention in which heated or cooled conditioning mediums are supplied to any enclosed area depending upon existing conditions within such area. and regardless of seasonal operating conditions. For clearness of illustration I have omitted the means for supplying conditioned primary air to each unit. It will be understood, however, that conditioned primary air will be supplied to each unit as described in connection with Figure 1.

exchange l dium may be supplied alternately as desired to Referring to Figures 6 and '1, there is disclosed' a source of supply of heated conditioning medium such as heated water and a source of supply 36 of cooled .conditioning medium such as cooled water. Pump 31 delivers heated conditioning medium through line 38 to risers 39, from which it passes to heating coils 40 of conditioning units 4I disposed'within areas to be conditioned. Sup ply fitting 42 and return ttings 43, similar to fittings II and I5 respectively, are placed at the juncture of risers 35 with supply ducts 44 and return ducts 45 as previously described. Pump 46 delivers cooled conditioning medium through line coils 40 and 5I in accordance with existing conditions encountered in the area being conditioned.

In Figure 7 there is illustrated diagrammati-v cally the conditioning unit 4I including coils 4l and 5I. Such unit is similar to the unit disclosed in Figures 4 and 5; it diners therefrom in that separate heating and cooling coils 40 and 5I are provided as described above.

In unit 4I conditioned primary air is discharged Awithin plenum 53 from duct 54. The primary air is discharged at high velocity through nozzle plate 55 into mixing chamber 56 and induces secondary air to enter the unit through inlet 51. As described previously, damper 58 closes the upper portion of inlet 51 so that induced air iiows through coils 40 and 5I. MovementI of damper 58 to open the upper portion of inlet 51 to any desired extent permits at least some quantity of induced secondary air to bypass coils 40 and 5I. The quantity of induced secondary air passing through coils 40 and 5I may be varied as desired to permit all induced air to pass through the coils or to prevent any of the induced air from passing through the coils.

This modified air conditioning system permits the supply of heated and cooled conditioning medium alternately to the conditioning unit disposed in an area to be conditioned in response to existing conditions in such area regardless of seasonal conditions; both heated and cooled conditioning medium may be supplied simultaneously to each conditioning unit if desired. The system so designed ls not dependent upon the operation of a source of supply in accordance with seasonal requirements for heated or cooled conditioning medium is available at all times to each unit, and, depending on the conditions in the enclosed area, either heated or cooled conditioning medium may be used to correct such conditions. This system of particular advantage in connection with large buildings in which it is desired to heat certain local areas in the building while simultaneously it is desired to cool adjacent 'areas in the same zone of the building.

My invention provides an improved air conditioning system in which the cost of installation as well as the expenses of design are decreased materially. My invention provides an air conditioning system in which a large portion of the piping heretofore deemed necessary is omitted together with the various connections and ttings required by such piping. The air conditioning system so provided includes an improved condi- `tioning unit of economical design which assists in reducing the complete or over-all cost of the ,system. The design of the equipment required for conditioning air to be used for ventilation requirements in the areas to be conditioned is no more expensive than those heretofore provided in systems of less efciency and consequently an improved air conditioning system is provided at a reduced cost due to the eiilciencies in piping and conditioning units.

While I have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood my invention is not limited thereto since it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a system of the character described for conditioning a plurality of areas, a conditioner remote from said areas, means for supplying air to be conditioned to said conditioner, a plurality of induction units in said areas, at least one of said units serving each area to be conditioned, means for delivering a quantity of conditioned air for ventilation from said conditioner to said iunits, means in each of said units for discharging the conditioned air within said units at relatively high Velocity, means for supplying Within the units other air from within the conditioned areas induced by the high velocity discharge of conditioned air within the units, means for discharging said conditioned air and said induced air from each unit into the area served thereby, a plurality of heat exchange members disposed in each unit adapted to adjust the sensible heat of induced air, means for supplying heated conditioning medium only to one of said heat exchange members in said unit, means for supplying cooled conditioning medium only to a second heat exchange member in said unit, and means for determining whether heated or cooled conditioning medium is supplied to each unit in accordance with temperature conditions existing within the area in which the unit is placed.

2. In a system of the character described for conditioning a plurality of areas, a conditioner remote from said areas, means for supplying air to be conditioned to said conditioner, a plurality of induction units in said areas, at least one of said units serving each area to be conditioned, means for delivering a quantity of conditioned air for ventilation from said conditioner to said units, means in each of said units for discharging the conditioned air within said units at relatively high velocity, means for supplying within the units other air from within the conditioned areas induced by the high velocity discharge of conditioned air within the units, means for discharging said conditioned air and said induced air from each unit into the areas served thereby, a plurality of heat exchange members disposed in each unit adapted to adjust the sensible heat of induced air, a riser for supplying heated conditioning medium only to one of said heat exchange members in each unit, a second riser for supplying cooled conditioning medium only to a second heat exchange member in each unit, a tting in each riser at each unit adapted to dive'rt a substantially constant volume of the conditioning medium in the riser to each heat exchange member, means for returning conditioning medium to each riser after it has passed through said member, and means for determining whether heated or cooled conditioning medium is supplied to each unit in accordance with temperature conditions existing within the area in which the unit is placed.

Athe conditioned air within said units at relatively high velocity, means for supplying within the units other air from within the conditioned areas induced by the high velocity discharge of conditioned air Within the units, means for discharging said conditioned air and said induced air from each unit into the area served thereby, each of said units including a passage for secondary air induced by the high velocity discharge of conditioned primary air within the unit, a plurality of heat exchange members disposed within said passage adapted to adjust the sensible heat of induced air. a bypass, a damper for opening and closing the bypass thereby varying the amount of induced air passing to the heat exchange members, a riser for supplying a substantially constant quantity of heated conditioning medium only to one of said heat exchange members in each u'nit, a supply fitting in said riser at each unit adapted to divert a substantially constant volume of conditioning medium in said riser to each heat exchange member, means for returning conditioning medium to said riser after it has passed through said heat exchange member, a second riser for supplying a substantially constant quantity of cooled conditioning medium only to a second heat exchange member in each unit, a supply iitting in said second riser at each unit adapted to divert a substantially constant volume of conditioning medium in said second riser to a second heat exchange member in each unit, means for returning conditioning medium to said second riser after it has passed through said second heat exchange member, and means for determining whether heated or cooled conditioning medium is supplied to each unit in accordance with temperature conditions existing within the area in which the unit is placed.

GEORGE WILLIAM MEEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references'are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,065,789 Bolsinger Dec. 29, 1936 2,159,276 Lawless 1 May 23, 1939 2,191,519 Cornell, Jr Feb. 2'7, 1940 2,240,731 VanVulpen May 6, 1941 2,308,482 Adams, Jr. Jan. 19. 1943 2,363,294 Carrier Nov. 21, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 379.430 Great Britain Sept. 1, 1932

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