Abstract: A geothermal desiccant cycle cools and dehumidifies the air in an indoor conditioned space. The return air is split into two streams. One of the streams passes through a desiccant wheel to remove water vapor and then through a cooling coil for sensible cooling from geothermal water. The other stream is heated to increase its capacity to absorb moisture, and then is passed through the desiccant wheel to pick up the moisture transferred from the first stream and regenerate the desiccant. The second air stream, which now has a higher dewpoint temperature, flows through a geothermal cooling coil, for sensible cooling as well as condensation of the moisture. The two air streams are mixed and supplied back to the conditioned space. A regenerative air-air heat exchanger can be used to recover some of the heat used in heating the second air stream.

Abstract: A geothermal desiccant cycle cools and dehumidifies the air in an indoor conditioned space. The return air is split into two streams. One of the streams passes through a desiccant wheel to remove water vapor and then through a cooling coil for sensible cooling from geothermal water. The other stream is heated to increase its capacity to absorb moisture, and then is passed through the desiccant wheel to pick up the moisture transferred from the first stream and regenerate the desiccant. The second air stream, which now has a higher dewpoint temperature, flows through a geothermal cooling coil, for sensible cooling as well as condensation of the moisture. The two air streams are mixed and supplied back to the conditioned space. A regenerative air-air heat exchanger can be used to recover some of the heat used in heating the second air stream.

Abstract: A refrigerant metering device for a vapor compression refrigeration system. The metering device employs a restrictor fabricated of a porous material to achieve the desired pressure reduction across the device. The porous material is housed in a casing that provides support for the restrictor and enables installation of the device into the system. Any suitable porous material may be used to make the restrictor, but in the preferred embodiments, a porous polyethylene material is used. In the preferred embodiments, a filter is provided upstream in the refrigerant flow path to reduce the possibility of restrictor fouling and resultant system performance degradation. In one embodiment, the filter and restrictor are combined as two sections of an integral filter and restrictor. The device is effective in reducing refrigerant flow noise during both steady state operation and post shutdown transients.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for defrosting the outside heat exchanger of a reversible vapor compression refrigeration (heat pump) system. The method and apparatus are particularly suited for use with smaller systems that employ a single fan motor to drive both the inside and outside heat exchanger fans. A heat storage apparatus is mounted in heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant piping between the system flow reversing valve and the inside heat exchanger. During operation in the heating mode, heat from the refrigerant is transferred to and stored in the heat storage apparatus. During operation in the defrosting mode, the refrigerant flow in the system is aligned as in the cooling mode but both fans are shut off. Heat stored in the heat storage apparatus is transferred to and used for defrosting the outside heat exchanger. The apparatus has little or no effect on system operation in the cooling mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for modulating the surface area of a radiant infrared burner over which combustion occurs as a function of burner heat output rate. This modulation serves to maintain the heat flux density on the surface of the burner at or near an optimum value over a range of heat output rates. The modulation is effected by means of a piston disposed in the internal cavity of a burner which blocks the passage of combustible gas to areas of the burner downstream of the piston from the gas inlet to the burner. The piston is displaced further downstream with increased gas flow rate resulting in combustion occuring over an increased area of the burner surface as burner heat output rate is increased. In its simplest embodiment, the invention comprises a burner oriented vertically with the combustible gas entering the bottom of the burner and a free piston which floats on the incoming gas stream at a level within the burner which is proportional to the gas flow rate.

Abstract: A method and control system are disclosed for operating an integrated heating system for space heating and tankless domestic hot water heating utilizing an infrared burner module and heat exchanger coil. When the system is below 100% capacity, the burner is pulsed using a constant pulse period and varying the on-pulse width to vary capacity, or where a minimum on-pulse width is maintained the off-pulse width is varied to vary capacity.

Abstract: Domestic tankless water heating is incorporated into a space heating system. The space heating system includes a fluid flow loop with a fluid pump for circulating the fluid in the loop and a remote fan coil for transferring heat to the air in the space to be heated. The heat source is an infrared burner and the heating of the domestic water may be either directly by the burner through radiative and convective heat exchange in an open loop system or by heat exchange in a tube-in-tube heat exchanger which is in series with the fan coil in a closed loop system.

Abstract: In an air conditioning system having a condensate tube interconnecting a condensate pan and a trap, a vent is provided in the condensate tube for relieving any internal pressure which would otherwise cause a restriction of condensate flow within the condensate tube.