Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a cooling unit having a cooling coil and a fan, the cooling unit for cooling recirculated air from a return duct; a bypass duct providing an air pathway bypassing the cooling unit; a phase change material (PCM) module including a PCM and a PCM fan for drawing makeup air over the PCM; and a supply duct fluidly coupled to the cooling unit and the PCM module, the supply duct for supplying conditioned air to a space to be conditioned.

Abstract: A method of operating an air conditioning system includes operating a refrigeration unit to cool a volume of refrigerant and circulating the refrigerant to a heat exchanger. A serviced space is cooled via a thermal energy exchange between the serviced space and the refrigerant at the heat exchanger. Thermal energy generated by operation of the refrigeration unit is stored at a thermal energy storage system. An air conditioning system includes a refrigeration unit and a heat exchanger operably connected to the refrigeration unit. The heat exchanger is configured to transfer thermal energy between a serviced space and the refrigeration unit, thus cooling the serviced space. A volume of thermal energy storage medium is utilized to absorb thermal heat generated by the refrigeration unit for dissipation into the ambient environment at a selected time.

Abstract: An energy recovery heat exchanger (100) includes a housing (102). The housing has a first flowpath (144) from a first inlet (104) to a first outlet (106). The housing has a second flowpath (146) from a second inlet (108) to a second outlet (110). Either of two cores may be in an operative position in the housing. Each core has a number of first passageways having open first and second ends and closed first and second sides. Each core has a number of second such passageways interspersed with the first passageways. The ends of the second passageways are aligned with the sides of the first passageways and vice versa. A number of heat transfer member sections separate adjacent ones of the first and second passageways. An actuator is coupled to the carrier to shift the cores between first and second conditions. In the first condition, the first core (20) is in the operative position and the second core (220) is not. In the second condition, the second core is in the operative position and the first core is not.

Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a chiller system including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator; a phase change material in thermal communication with the condenser; an actuator coupled to the phase change material; and a controller providing a trigger signal to the actuator to initiate changing the phase change material from a supercooled state to a solid state.

Abstract: A method of operating an air conditioning system includes operating a refrigeration unit to cool a volume of refrigerant and circulating the refrigerant to a heat exchanger. A serviced space is cooled via a thermal energy exchange between the serviced space and the refrigerant at the heat exchanger. Thermal energy generated by operation of the refrigeration unit is stored at a thermal energy storage system. An air conditioning system includes a refrigeration unit and a heat exchanger operably connected to the refrigeration unit. The heat exchanger is configured to transfer thermal energy between a serviced space and the refrigeration unit, thus cooling the serviced space. A volume of thermal energy storage medium is utilized to absorb thermal heat generated by the refrigeration unit for dissipation into the ambient environment at a selected time.

Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a cooling unit having a cooling coil and a fan, the cooling unit for cooling recirculated air from a return duct; a bypass duct providing an air pathway bypassing the cooling unit; a phase change material (PCM) module including a PCM and a PCM fan for drawing makeup air over the PCM; and a supply duct fluidly coupled to the cooling unit and the PCM module, the supply duct for supplying conditioned air to a space to be conditioned.

Abstract: An energy recovery heat exchanger (100) includes a housing (102). The housing has a first flowpath (144) from a first inlet (104) to a first outlet (106). The housing has a second flowpath (146) from a second inlet (108) to a second outlet (110). Either of two cores may be in an operative position in the housing. Each core has a number of first passageways having open first and second ends and closed first and second sides. Each core has a number of second such passageways interspersed with the first passageways. The ends of the second passageways are aligned with the sides of the first passageways and vice versa. A number of heat transfer member sections separate adjacent ones of the first and second passageways. An actuator is coupled to the carrier to shift the cores between first in and second conditions. In the first condition, the first core (20) is in the operative position and the second core (220) is not. In the second condition, the second core is in the operative position and the first core is not.

Abstract: A subcooler (15) for a vapor compression cycle having a refrigerant. The subcooler (15) including a conduit (45) and one or more thermoelectric modules (17). The conduit (45) being in fluid communication with the vapor compression cycle for flow of the refrigerant therethrough. Each of the one or more thermoelectric modules (17) has a cold side in thermal communication with an inner volume of the conduit (45) for subcooling the refrigerant.

Abstract: A system is disclosed which incorporates low pressure drop contaminant removal from gas phases or streams, which advantageously can be used to enhance efficiency, improve humidity characteristics, and reduce capital cost of air handing systems such as HVAC systems and the like. Placement of the low pressure drop contaminant removal mechanism for enhancing effectiveness of same is also disclosed.

Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes at least one vertical shaft (32) extending between at least two levels (24, 36) of a building (22). One of the levels (24) includes at least one passageway (28) between an interior of the building and the outside environment. At least one second shaft (40) extends between the other building level (36) and at least one other level within the building. The interior of the second shaft (40) is isolated from airflow on the building level (24) that includes the passageway (28) to the outside environment. Disclosed examples include enclosures (52) for isolating the first shaft (32) from airflow on at least one of the levels to which the first shaft provides access.

Abstract: Existing plate-type heat exchangers typically include plates that are constructed of metal or paper, which are only capable of transferring a limited amount of moisture, if any, from one side of the plate to the other side. The present invention is a plate-type heat exchanger wherein the plates are constructed of ionomer membranes, such as sulfonated or carboxylated polymer membranes, which are capable of transferring a significant amount of moisture from one side of the membrane to the other side. Incorporating such ionomer membranes into a plate-type heat exchanger provides the heat exchanger with the ability to transfer a large percentage of the available latent heat in one air stream to the other air streams. The ionomer membrane plates are, therefore, more efficient at transferring latent heat than plates constructed of metal or paper.

Abstract: Existing plate-type heat exchangers typically include plates that are constructed of metal or paper, which are only capable of transferring a limited amount of moisture, if any, from one side of the plate to the other side. The present invention is a plate-type heat exchanger wherein the plates are constructed of ionomer membranes, such as sulfonated or carboxylated polymer membranes, which are capable of transferring a significant amount of moisture from one side of the membrane to the other side. Incorporating such ionomer membranes into a plate-type heat exchanger provides the heat exchanger with the ability to transfer a large percentage of the available latent heat in one air stream to the other air streams. The ionomer membrane plates are, therefore, more efficient at transferring latent heat than plates constructed of metal or paper.

Abstract: Existing plate-type heat exchangers typically include plates that are constructed of metal or paper, which are only capable of transferring a limited amount of moisture, if any, from one side of the plate to the other side. The present invention is a plate-type heat exchanger wherein the plates are constructed of ionomer membranes, such as sulfonated or carboxylated polymer membranes, which are capable of transferring a significant amount of moisture from one side of the membrane to the other side. Incorporating such ionomer membranes into a plate-type heat exchanger provides the heat exchanger with the ability to transfer a large percentage of the available latent heat in one air stream to the other air streams. The ionomer membrane plates are, therefore, more efficient at transferring latent heat than plates constructed of metal or paper.

Abstract: Existing plate-type heat exchangers typically include plates that are constructed of metal or paper, which are only capable of transferring a limited amount of moisture, if any, from one side of the plate to the other side. The present invention is a plate-type heat exchanger wherein the plates are constructed of ionomer membranes, such as sulfonated or carboxylated polymer membranes, which are capable of transferring a significant amount of moisture from one side of the membrane to the other side. Incorporating such ionomer membranes into a plate-type heat exchanger provides the heat exchanger with the ability to transfer a large percentage of the available latent heat in one air stream to the other air streams. The ionomer membrane plates are, therefore, more efficient at transferring latent heat than plates constructed of metal or paper.

Abstract: Existing plate-type heat exchangers typically include plates that are constructed of metal or paper, which are only capable of transferring a limited amount of moisture, if any, from one side of the plate to the other side. The present invention is a plate-type heat exchanger wherein the plates are constructed of ionomer membranes, such as sulfonated or carboxylated polymer membranes, which are capable of transferring a significant amount of moisture from one side of the membrane to the other side. Incorporating such ionomer membranes into a plate-type heat exchanger provides the heat exchanger with the ability to transfer a large percentage of the available latent heat in one air stream to the other air streams. The ionomer membrane plates are, therefore, more efficient at transferring latent heat than plates constructed of metal or paper.

Abstract: Volatile organic compounds are removed from contaminated soil by introducing one or both of a water soluble peroxygen compound, such as a persulfate, and a permanganate into the soil, either in situ or ex situ, in amounts and under conditions wherein both the soil oxidant demand is satisfied and volatile organic compounds in the soil are oxidized. In a preferred embodiment, when both are used, the peroxygen satisfies the soil oxidant demand and the permanganate oxidizes the volatile organic compounds. Sodium persulfate is the preferred persulfate and potassium permanganate is preferred permanganate. The persulfate and the permanganate may be added to the soil sequentially, or may be mixed together and added as an aqueous solution.

Abstract: A method for the remediation of arsenic is presented, comprising providing an aqueous solution of inorganic arsenic species, and passing the solution of inorganic arsenic species over a substrate comprising zero valent iron under anaerobic conditions, thereby reducing the arsenic species and forming arsenic-metal co-precipitates. Preferably, the metal is iron in the form of iron filings, and a source of sulfate ions is also present, resulting in the precipitation of arseno-pyrites.

Abstract: Cylindrical heat exchangers are typically constructed of a plurality of spiral passageways created by multiple concentric annuluses, with increasing diameters, overlaying one another. Each passageway, however, typically includes a corrugated sheet between such circular layers, and the corrugated sheet acts as an obstruction, thereby decreasing the pressure of an air stream as it passes therethough. The present invention is a cylindrical heat exchanger having a plurality of spiral passageways created by a spirally wound rectangular sheet, wherein the overlapping spiral layers, that are formed by the winding the rectangular sheet, are spaced apart by a plurality of radially aligned dividers. The dividers, along with an open interface layer that is interposed between the spiral layers, maintain the constant gap between the spirals. Therefore, manufacturing the cylindrical heat exchanger with spiral rather than concentric layers improves the process of manufacturing such devices.

Abstract: In a method for the remediation of inorganic arsenic species, a solution of inorganic arsenic is passed over zero valent iron under abiotic and anaerobic conditions, thereby removing the inorganic arsenic species and forming arsenic-metal co-precipitates. The metal is preferably in the form of iron filings, and is provided together with sand.

Abstract: A combustion driven laser employs HBr as one of a plurality of lasing species. One embodiment of the invention lases simultaneously on the three species HF, HCl, HBr.