System and Method for Reducing Static Pressure in Air Handlers

Abstract

A system and method for improving the efficiency of air handling units by reducing the static air pressure within units. The system and method utilizes rotary union mounts to fluidly connect the heating and cooling coils within the system. The rotary union mounts allow the heating and/or cooling coils to be rotated flush within the housing of the air handling unit when the coil(s) are not in use and thereby out of the air flow path. Rotating the coils out of the air flow path reduces the static air pressure within the air handling unit and significantly improves the efficiency of the system by reducing the horsepower requirement and power consumption of the system fan. The rotary union mounts allow the coil(s) to be selectably rotated out of the air flow path based on system demand requirements.

Description

I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a system and method for improving the efficiency of air handling systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a system and method for improving the air flow within the ducts of air handling systems by significantly reducing the static pressure therein.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems are used to condition and control the air within enclosed spaces, such as office buildings, mainframe rooms, and data centers (or server farms). These systems heat, cool, and/or circulate the air within the space in order to meet the environmental air requirements of the space. HVAC systems utilize air handlers or air handling units (AHUs) to supply heating and cooling in the most efficient and cost effective manner possible.

Air handling units typically include cooling coils, heating coils, filters, and a fan or blower unit. The air handling units connect to the ductwork of the HVAC system to supply the conditioned air throughout the space. The system may also include humidifiers or dehumidifiers to control the humidity level of the air. The cooling coils act to cool or reduce the temperature of the air within the ductwork. The heating coils act to heat or increase the temperature of the air within the ductwork. The optional filter acts to remove excessive particulate matter from the air flow. Importantly, the filter and coils are typically disposed over substantially the entire internal cross-section of the ductwork in order to help ensure that all of the air is conditioned.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary known air handling unit 100. Air handling unit 100 includes housing 110 that connects to the ductwork (not shown) the HVAC system. Inlet air flow 120 is pulled through the ductwork and into housing 110 by fan or blower unit 150. Fan 150 also pulls the air flow 120 through filter 130, cooling coil or element 140, and heating coil or element 150. The conditioned air flow 170 is then forced into the space by fan 160. As the air flow 120 is pulled through filter 130 particulate matter is removed from the air flow stream. The air flow 120 is then pulled through both cooling coil 140 and heating coil 150 by fan 160 in order to cool or heat the air before the air is forced back into circulation by fan 160.

In the known air handling system, both the cooling coil 140 and heating coil 150 remain fixed across the entire cross-section of the housing 110 at all times. This is true even though only either the cooling coil(s) or heating coil(s) will be in operation at any given time, i.e., the cooling coil 140 and heating coil 150 do not operate simultaneously. For example, during times in which the cooling function of the air handling unit 100 is in operation, only the cooling coil 140 is utilized to condition (cool) the air flow 120. Similarly, during times in which the heating function of the air handling unit 100 is in operation, only the heating coil 150 is utilized to condition (heat) the air flow 130.

The static air pressure within the air handling unit is increased by the various components disposed within the system which provide resistance to the air flow from the fan, such as the cooling coils, heating coils, filters, ductwork, etc. A significant power user in air handling units is the fan motor which must develop enough energy to overcome the static air pressure created by the various components in the air flow path. Any reduction in the static air pressure within the air flow path will provide significant savings in fan motor horsepower and power consumption of the unit.

The filter 130, cooling coil 140 and heating coil 150 all increase the static air pressure within housing 110. The increased static air pressure diminishes the efficiency of the fan 160 and requires the fan to work harder to move the air flow 120 through the housing and the conditioned air flow 170 into the space. Removing the unutilized (additional) cooling or heating coil(s) from the cross-section of the housing 110 when the coil(s) are not in use would significantly improve the efficiency of the air handling unit 100.

III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention in at least one embodiment provides an apparatus for allowing air to flow through the HVAC unit without having to flow through unnecessary heating or cooling coils, thus reducing fan energy required due to pressure drop across the coils.

This invention in at least one embodiment provides a method for reducing the static pressure losses associated with the heating and cooling coils in an HVAC system

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a known Air Handling Unit (AHU).

FIG. 2A illustrates an embodiment of the Air Handling Unit (AHU) of the present invention.

FIG. 2B illustrates an alternative view of a coil of the Air Handling Unit (AHU) of the present invention.

FIG. 2C illustrates an alternative view of a heating of the Air Handling Unit (AHU) of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the Air Handling Unit (AHU) of the present invention in cooling mode.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the Air Handling Unit (AHU) of the present invention in heating mode.

FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate a method of converting the Air Handling Unit (AHU) of the present invention to cooling mode.

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate a method of converting the Air Handling Unit (AHU) of the present invention to heating mode.

Given the following enabling description of the drawings, the invention should become evident to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention in at least one exemplary embodiment provides a system and method that reduces the static air pressure within air handling systems. The present invention includes flexibly configurable components that allow for a more efficient system layout based on current user needs. FIG. 2A illustrates an embodiment of the air handling unit 200 of the present invention. Air handling unit 200 includes air handling unit housing 210, optional filter 230, cooling coil or element 240, rotary unions 245, heating coil or element 250, rotary unions 255, and fan or blower unit 260. Fan 270 pulls inlet air flow 220 through the ductwork (not shown) of the HVAC system and into housing 210. Air flow 220 passes through the optional filter 230 in order to remove excessive particulate matter from the air. The air flow 220 is then pulled through cooling coil 240 and/or heating coil 250 by fan 260 to cool or heat the air. The conditioned, i.e., heated or cooled, air flow 270 is then forced into circulation by fan 260.

FIG. 2B-2C, respectively, illustrate front views of examples of the cooling coil 240 and heating coil 250 of the air handling unit 200 of present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, rotary unions 245 are attached to both (inlet and outlet) sides of cooling coil 240 to mount and provide a rotatable attachment of cooling coil 240 to housing 210. Similarly, as illustrated in FIG. 2C, rotary unions 255 are also attached to both sides of heating coil 250 to mount provide a rotatable attachment of heating coil 250 to housing 210. The rotary unions 245, 255 provide fluidic coupling of the coils 240, 250 while allowing the coils 240, 250 to be selectably rotated out of the fluid flow path within the housing 210. Rotary unions 245, 255 may be mounted on any wall of the housing 210, e.g., top wall, bottom wall, or either side wall.

Rotary unions 245 allow the cooling coil 240 to be rotated to a position that is flush or flat adjacent the wall of housing 210 and out of the path of air flow 220 when the cooling coil 240 is not in use, i.e., the cooling function is “OFF” or the heating function is “ON”. Similarly, rotary unions 255 allow the heating coil 250 to be rotated flat against housing 210 and out of the path of air flow 220 when the heating coil 250 is not in use, i.e., the heating function is “OFF” or the cooling function is “ON”. The coils 240, 250, including rotary unions 245, 255, may be rotated by various actuation means, e.g., cable-pulley, rack-pinion, pistons, and the like, based on system demand requirements. The actuation means may be manually controlled, e.g. through an access panel, or automatically controlled, e.g., by a programmable computer. The system may also include, for example, a latch to attach the coils 240, 250 to the housing 210.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the air handling unit 300 of the present invention in cooling mode. Air handling unit 300 includes optional filter 330, cooling coil 340, rotary unions 345, heating coil 350, rotary unions 355 and fan 360. In cooling mode, the heating coil 350, which is not being used, is rotated to a position flat against housing 310 and out of the path of air flow 320. This arrangement reduces the static pressure within housing 310 and improves the efficiency of fan 360. The conditioned air flow 370 is forced into circulation by the fan 360.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the air handling unit 400 of the present invention in heating mode. Air handling unit 400 includes optional filter 430, heating coil 440, rotary unions 445, heating coil 450, rotary unions 455 and fan 460. In heating mode, the cooling coil 440 is rotated to a position flush with housing 410 and out of the path of air flow 420. This arrangement reduces the static pressure within housing 410 and improves the efficiency of fan 460. The conditioned air flow 470 is forced into circulation by the fan 460.

FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate a method of converting the air handling unit 500 of the present invention to cooling mode. The method of converting the air handling unit 500 of the present invention to cooling mode begins at FIG. 5A with the air handling unit 500 in dual mode. The air handling unit 500 includes optional filter 530, cooling coil 540, rotary unions 545, heating coil 550, rotary unions 555, and fan 560. In dual mode both the cooling coil 540 and heating coil 550 are perpendicularly deployed over substantially the entire internal cross-section of the housing 510 such that the air flow passes through both the cooling coil 540 and heating coil 550 en route to fan 560. At FIG. 5B, the heating coil 550 is rotated about the rotary unions 555 toward the housing 510. At FIG. 5C, the heating coil 550 is rotated about rotary unions 555 to a position flat against housing 510 such that inlet air flow 520 is substantially unobstructed by the heating coil 550 as the air flow travels towards fan 560. The air handling unit 500 is now in cooling mode and the static air pressure within the air handling unit 550 is substantially reduced compared to the static air pressure within the air handling unit 500 in dual mode as shown, for example, in FIG. 5A. Therefore, fan 560 can more efficiently cycle the inlet air flow 560 and conditioned air flow 570 through the air handling unit 500.

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate a method of converting the air handling unit 600 of the present invention to heating mode. The method of converting the air handling unit 600 of the present invention to heating mode begins at FIG. 6A with the air handling unit 600 in dual mode (heating and cooling). The air handling unit 600 includes optional filter 630, cooling coil 640, rotary unions 645, heating coil 650, rotary unions 655, and fan 660. In dual mode both the cooling coil 640 and heating coil 650 are perpendicularly deployed over substantially the entire internal cross-section of the housing 610 such that the air flow passes through both the cooling coil 640 and heating coil 650 en route to fan 660. At FIG. 6B, the cooling coil 640 is rotated about the rotary unions 645 toward the housing 610. At FIG. 6C, the cooling coil 640 is rotated about rotary unions 645 to a position flat against housing 610 such that inlet air flow 620 is substantially unobstructed by the cooling coil 640 as the air flow travels towards fan 660. The air handling unit 600 is now in heating mode and the static air pressure within the air handling unit 600 is substantially reduced compared to the static air pressure within the air handling unit 650 in dual mode as shown, for example, in FIG. 6A. Therefore, fan 660 can more efficiently cycle the inlet air flow 660 and conditioned air flow 670 through the air handling unit 600.

As used above “substantially”, “generally”, “relatively” and other words of degree are relative modifiers intended to indicate permissible variation from the characteristic so modified. It is not intended to be limited to the absolute value or characteristic which it modifies but rather possessing more of the physical or functional character than its opposite, and preferably, approaching or approximating such a physical or functional characteristic.

The exemplary embodiments described above may be combined in a variety of ways with each other. Furthermore, the steps and number of the various steps illustrated in the figures may be adjusted from that shown.

It should be noted that the present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, the embodiments set forth herein are provided so that the disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of particular exemplary embodiments, it is not limited to those embodiments. Alternative embodiments, examples, and modifications which would still be encompassed by the invention may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the exemplary embodiments described above can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a housing;

a cooling coil disposed within said housing;

at least a first rotary union in fluid communication with said cooling element and mounted to the inside of said housing;

a heating coil disposed within said housing;

at least a second rotary union in fluid communication with said heating element and mounted to the inside of said housing; and

a fan disposed within said housing.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said cooling coil is rotatably connected to said first rotary union mount.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said cooling coil is capable of rotating about said first rotary union mount to a position substantially flush with said housing.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said heating coil is rotatably connected to said second rotary union mount.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said heating coil is capable of rotating about said second rotary union mount to a position substantially flush with said housing.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said cooling coil is capable of rotating about said first rotary union mount to a position substantially flush with said housing and said heating coil is capable of rotating about said second rotary union mount to a position substantially flush with said housing.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said cooling coil includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said heating coil includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said cooling coil is placed upstream from said heating coil.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said heating coil is placed upstream from said cooling coil.

11. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a filter disposed within said housing.

12. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first ductwork attached to an inlet side of said housing, and

a second ductwork attached to an outlet side of said housing.

13. A system comprising:

a housing;

a cooling element disposed across substantially the entire interior cross-section of said housing;

at least a first rotary union mount attached to said cooling element and said housing;

a heating element disposed across substantially the entire interior cross-section of said housing; and

at least a second rotary union mount attached to said heating element.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a fan disposed within said housing.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said cooling element is rotatably connected to said first rotary union mount and is capable of rotating about said first rotary union mount to a position substantially flush with said housing.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said heating element is rotatably connected to said second rotary union mount and is capable of rotating about said second rotary union mount to a position substantially flush with said housing.

17. A method comprising:

providing a housing;

disposing a cooling coil within said housing;

providing at least a first rotary union mount in fluid communication with said cooling element;

disposing a heating coil within said housing;

providing at least a second rotary union mount in fluid communication with said heating element; and

disposing a fan within said housing.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

rotating said cooling coil about to a position substantially flush with said housing.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

rotating said heating coil about to a position substantially flush with said housing.

20. A system according to claim 17, further comprising:

attaching a first ductwork to an inlet side of said housing, and

attaching a second ductwork to an outlet side of said housing.