Air conditioning system with provision for reheating

Claim 1

In an air conditioning system for providing cooled and dehumidified air to a space to be conditioned, a refrigeration unit comprising a compressor, a condenser, thermal expansion means, and an evaporator connected together in a closed circuit and having liquid refrigerant flowing in a first portion thereof, and vaporous refrigerant flowing in a second portion thereof, the improvement comprising: A. means to pass a relatively cold heat exchange medium in heat transfer relation with vaporous refrigerant flowing through said condenser from said compressor, said heat exchange medium absorbing heat from said vaporous refrigerant to condense the refrigerant; B. means to pass relatively warm air to be conditioned, for subsequent discharge into said space, in heat transfer relation with liquid refrigerant flowing through said evaporator, the refrigerant absorbing heat from said air, the air being cooled thereby; C. heat exchange means disposed in the path of flow of said cooled air downstream of said evaporator and upstream from said space; D. bypass means about said condenser to pass at least a portion of said vaporous refrigerant discharged from said compressor about said condenser; E. first valve means operably associated with said bypass means and having first and second operating positions, said valve means in its first position passing vaporous refrigerant about said condenser to mix with liquid refrigerant flowing therefrom and in its second operating position passing all the vaporous refrigerant discharged from the compressor through said condenser; F. second valve means disposed between said condenser and said evaporator and having first and second operating positions, said valve means when in its first operating position directing the refrigerant through said heat exchange means and thence through said evaporator and when in its second operating position directing the refrigerant about the heat exchange means and directly to the evaporator; and G. control means operable to place said first valve means in its first operating position and said second valve means in its first operating position when dehumidified air is solely required in said space and being further operable to place said first and second valve means in their second operating positions when cooled and dehumidified air is required in said space.