US3628600A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air-conditioning system and control including control method and means
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-02-24
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Granted: 1971-12-21
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Expires: 1990-02-24
Abstract
Abstract An air-conditioning system is disclosed for a building or buildings with a plurality of conditioned spaces or zones wherein there is a special control system which insures the proper heating and cooling of each of the conditioned spaces or zones with minimum equipment and energy consumption. Refrigeration units provide a constant supply of chilled water and a constant supply of hot water. Separate streams of the chilled and hot water are delivered to air coils through which air is supplied to the various conditioned spaces. The temperature of the water in the hot water line is used to determine whether there is an excess or deficiency of heat in the system, or if an exact balance has been achieved. The controls change the operation to achieve a proper heat balance.
Inventors
- 👤 Alden I Mcfarlan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 08:42
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F3/00; F24F3/044; F24F3/0442; F24F3/0444; F28; F28C; F28C1/00; F28C2001/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
In a system for maintaining acceptable temperature conditions within a plurality of zones or spaces wherein one or more of the zones or spaces requires cooling while another requires heating, the combination of, refrigeration means operative to provide separate streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, means tO supply said streams to a plurality of air-treating units and to return the liquid to the refrigeration means, means constituting a source of auxiliary heat for said zones or spaces, means to discharge heat from the system, and control means including means to sense the temperature of said stream of heated liquid after it passes from said refrigeration means and before it passes to said air-treating units, said control means acting to exert complete control upon the entire system responsive to the temperature of said stream of heated liquid and including means to control the amount of heat which is discharged from the system and to prevent the simultaneous addition of said auxiliary heat to the system and the operation of said means to discharge heat from the system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
In a system for maintaining acceptable temperature conditions within a plurality of zones or spaces wherein one or more of the zones or spaces requires cooling while another requires heating, the combination of, refrigeration means operative to provide separate streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, means tO supply said streams to a plurality of air-treating units and to return the liquid to the refrigeration means, means constituting a source of auxiliary heat for said zones or spaces, means to discharge heat from the system, and control means including means to sense the temperature of said stream of heated liquid after it passes from said refrigeration means and before it passes to said air-treating units, said control means acting to exert complete control upon the entire system responsive to the temperature of said stream of heated liquid and including means to control the amount of heat which is discharged from the system and to prevent the simultaneous addition of said auxiliary heat to the system and the operation of said means to discharge heat from the system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
109 words
A system as described in claim 1 wherein said refrigeration means includes a first condenser section through which liquid passes to said stream of heated liquid and a second condenser section in parallel therewith, and wherein said means to discharge heat comprises a cooling tower and a water-circulating system for passing cooled water through said second condenser section and including bypass means through which the cooled water may flow without passing through said cooling tower, said control means being operative to vary the flow of water through said bypass means and thereby exert control upon the amount of heat which is discharged from the system through said cooling tower.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
A system as described in claim 1 wherein one of said air-treating units receives fresh air and includes an air and liquid heat exchange unit through which liquid flows from said streams in heat exchange relationship with a stream of air which includes controlled portions of fresh air, said control means including means to increase the amount of said fresh air upon a rise in the temperature of said heated liquid above a predetermined set value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system as described in claim 1 wherein said control means includes modulating means responsive to the outside air temperature and having the status of a master control relationship to reset the control functions carried on in accordance with a predetermined set temperature.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
A system as described in claim 3 wherein said air-treating units include a second unit through which return air passes in heat exchange relationship with liquid from said streams and the liquid is then returned, said system including means by which liquid which has been passed in heat exchange relationship with fresh air may be directed to the second named air-treating unit in heat exchange relationship with the streams of return air, and means by which the liquid from said second named air-treating unit may be utilized as the stream of heated liquid passing to the first-named air-treating unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
125 words
A system as described in claim 1 wherein said means to supply said streams to said air-treating units is a three-pipe system with separate streams returning from the first named of said air-treating units and said second air-treating unit, and which includes a first pump and a second pump connected respectively to said separate streams with said first pump receiving the stream from the first named of said air-treating units and directing the liquid to the chilled liquid stream and said second pump receiving the stream from said second air-treating unit and directing the liquid to the heated liquid stream, and a line connecting the inlets of said pumps and another line connecting the outlets of said pump whereby said pumps operate in parallel relationship.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as described in claim 6, which includes means to deliver liquid from said second pump directly to the first named of said heat-treating units.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system as described in claim 1 which includes a booster heater through which said stream of heated liquid flows after it passes through said refrigeration system, and wherein said control means is responsive to the temperature of the heated liquid flowing from said booster heater.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A syStem as described in claim 4 which includes a cooling tower for discharging heat from the system, and wherein said control means varies the operation of said cooling tower in accordance with said set temperature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A system as described in claim 1 which includes a fan for delivering air through one of said air-treating units for the interior of a building, volume control means, a motor for operating said volume control means and a sensing element responsive to the temperature of the air leaving said fan and connected to control the volume of air delivered by said fan.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A system as described in claim 1 wherein said means to supply said streams of liquid to said units and to return the liquid is a three-pipe system comprising separate lines for the chilled liquid and the heated liquid extending to each of said air-treating units and a single line through which all of the liquid flows from the air-treating unit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
76 words
A system as described in claim 1 wherein a first of said air-treating units receives fresh air and a second of said air-treating units is for return air, and wherein said control means is operative to prevent the supplying of heated liquid to said first air-treating unit and to supply return liquid directly to said first air-treating unit from said second air-treating units, whereby heat is carried from the return air directly to the fresh air.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as described in claim 1 which includes, an air preheater for the fresh air, and wherein said control means varies the operation of said air preheater in accordance with said temperature of the heated liquid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as described in claim 3 wherein said control means includes means responsive to the outside temperature and operative to change said set temperature.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
94 words
In the art of conditioning a plurality of spaces or zones with a single system of interconnected streams of liquid wherein separate streams of heated liquid and cooled liquid are supplied to a plurality of air-treating units, the improvement which comprises, sensing the temperature of the heated liquid, adding heat to the system when the sensed temperature is below a predetermined set value, discharging heat from the system when said sensed temperature is above said predetermined set value, and maintaining the operating conditions unchanged when said sensed temperature is substantially at said set value.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
94 words
In the art of conditioning a plurality of spaces or zones with a single system of interconnected streams of liquid wherein separate streams of heated liquid and cooled liquid are supplied to a plurality of air-treating units, the improvement which comprises, sensing the temperature of the heated liquid, adding heat to the system when the sensed temperature is below a predetermined set value, discharging heat from the system when said sensed temperature is above said predetermined set value, and maintaining the operating conditions unchanged when said sensed temperature is substantially at said set value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
150 words
In a method for maintaining acceptable temperature conditions within a plurality of zones or spaces wherein one or more of the zones or spaces requires cooling while another requires heating, the steps of, utilizing refrigeration means to provide separate streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, supplying said streams to a plurality of air-treating zones and returning the liquid to the refrigeration means with a single stream flowing from each of said zones, sensing the temperature of said stream of heated liquid before it passes to said air-treating zones, adding auxiliary heat to the system when said temperature is below a set value, discharging heat from the system when said temperature is above said value, maintaining the operating conditions substantially unchanged when said temperature is substantially at said set temperature, and preventing the addition of said auxiliary heat when heat is being discharged from the system by the refrigeration system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
150 words
In a method for maintaining acceptable temperature conditions within a plurality of zones or spaces wherein one or more of the zones or spaces requires cooling while another requires heating, the steps of, utilizing refrigeration means to provide separate streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, supplying said streams to a plurality of air-treating zones and returning the liquid to the refrigeration means with a single stream flowing from each of said zones, sensing the temperature of said stream of heated liquid before it passes to said air-treating zones, adding auxiliary heat to the system when said temperature is below a set value, discharging heat from the system when said temperature is above said value, maintaining the operating conditions substantially unchanged when said temperature is substantially at said set temperature, and preventing the addition of said auxiliary heat when heat is being discharged from the system by the refrigeration system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3024008A
Cited
US3354943A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-20 | 1975-06-21 | 1975-12-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-20 | 1979-06-21 | 1979-12-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-20 | 1983-06-21 | 1983-12-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |