Air conditioning system

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 wherein subsequent to step (b) said pretreated incoming air is further subjected to a mechanical heating operation in the winter and a mechanical cooling operation in the summer, said heating and cooling operation further includes subjecting said incoming air to a washing operation wherein said air becomes saturated prior to delivery to said first area.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 wherein the fumous contaminated air is further passed over a coil in a heat rejection device subsequent to step (f) thus transferring heat from the air to the coil in the winter and transferring heat from the coil to the air in the summer operation.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1 wherein the cleansed air is washed in an air washer subsequent to step (d), so that the temperature is lowered and the humidity is elevated to a prescribed level.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1 wherein during the summer months, the fumous contaminated air exhausted from the second area is subjected to a water spray prior to step (f) thereby lowering the temperature of the air prior to its thermal engagement with said incoming air, so that the incoming air is precooled to an even greater extent.

Claim 7

A temperature and humidity control for use in a manufacturing plant having a first and second area in which diverse manufacturing operations are bEing carried on with consequent diverse effects on the temperature and or humidity and cleanliness of the air within said first and second areas, and wherein relatively large volumes of air are circulated, approximately one-half by volume of the circulated air being exhausted from said first area and containing solid contaminants and approximately one-half of the circulated air being exhausted from said second area and containing fumous contaminants, said system comprising: a. a makeup unit including a means for drawing in the outside air into said system and delivering it to said first area; b. a heat exchanger positioned in said system between the intake of said outside air and said makeup unit, said heat exchanger including a first means for passing said incoming air therethrough, said heat exchanger further including a second means for passing the fumous contaminated air exhausted from said second area therethrough, said first and second means being separated by a wall of heat conductive material, whereby heat is transferred between said incoming air and said fumous contaminated air while preventing actual mixing of the air masses; c. a dust collector positioned in the system between said first and second areas and receiving the solid contaminated air exhausted from said first area, said dust collector including a means therein for separating the solid particles present in said solid contaminated air from the clean air in preparation for the delivery of the cleansed air to said second area; and d. means connecting said heat reclaimer, makeup unit, and said dust collector with said first and second areas for providing an airflow path through said system.

Claim 8

The temperature and humidity control system according to claim 6 wherein said first means in said heat exchanger comprises a first set of passageways therethrough in one direction through which the incoming air passes and said second means in said heat exchanger comprises a second set of passageways extending transversely to and in alternating relation with said first set of passageways through which said fumous contaminated air passes, said first and second passageways being separated by a relatively thin sheet of heat conductive material.

Claim 9

The temperature and humidity control system according to claim 7 wherein said first and second passageways include at least one support member extending between and in engagement with adjacent surfaces of said thin sheets of heat conductive material, said supports including a strip of vibration absorbing material attached to the surfaces of said support which engage said thin sheets.

Claim 10

The temperature and humidity control system according to claim 6 wherein said makeup unit further comprises a mechanical heating/cooling unit for cooling said incoming air in summer months and heating said incoming air in the winter months.

Claim 11

The temperature and humidity control system according to claim 9 wherein said heating/cooling unit further comprising a compressor, a spray coil connected to one side of said compressor and over which said incoming air passes, said coil receiving cooling media in the summer and heating media in the winter, a condenser coil connecting said spray coil and the other side of said compressor.

Claim 12

The temperature and humidity control system according to claim 10 wherein said spray coil is enclosed within a housing through which said incoming air passes, said housing including a means for increasing the moisture content of said incoming air.

Claim 13

The temperature and humidity control system according to claim 10 wherein said condenser coil is enclosed in a housing through which the fumous contaminated air leaving said heat exchanger passes, whereby heat is transferred between the condenser coil and the air passing therethrough.

Claim 14

The temperature and humidity control system according to claim 6 where in an air washer is positioned in the airflow path between said dust collector and said second area to provide a coolinG effect on the cleansed air and to control the humidity thereof before the air enters said second area.

Claim 15

The temperature and humidity control system according to claim 6 wherein the means connecting said heat reclaimer, makeup unit, and said dust collector with said first and second areas comprises a series of conduits, the conduit connecting said second area and said heat reclaimer including a means for spraying water on the exterior surface thereof during the summer months when said first and second areas are being cooled.