US3853172A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air conditioning system and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-11-13
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Granted: 1974-12-10
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Expires: 1992-11-13
Abstract
Abstract An air conditioning system particularly for large buildings in which separate streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid are provided from a refrigeration system to produce cooling and heating throughout the building. A booster heater supplies auxillary heat when that is desirable, and heat is discharged from the system through a heat sink, e.g., a cooling tower or towers. The heat sink has a closed liquid cooling circuit with a coil through which a controlled stream of heat-exchange liquid flows from a condenser of the refrigeration system when it is desirable to discharge heat from the system. The heat-exchange liquid from the air-treating units is returned in an interconnected return liquid supply circuit. When desirable, a stream of the return liquid flows through the closed liquidcooling circuit and thence through the chiller circuit to provide precooling of that liquid. The entire system is controlled to provide a heat balance at all times, and auxillary heat is added to the system only when the heat within the system is less than that which is required.
Inventors
- 👤 A Mcfarlan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 10:34
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B29/00; F25B29/003; F24; F24F; F24F3/00; F24F3/06; F24F3/10; F25B2400/00; F25B2400/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
In an air conditioning system having a plurality of zones, the combination of, means to supply a substantially uniform stream of outside air to said system, refrigeration means having a chiller in which one stream of heat-exchange liquid is cooled to provide a stream of chilled liquid and also having condenser means in which a stream of the heat-exchange liquid is heated to provide a stream of heated liquid, air-treating means to pass streams of air which includes said stream of outside air to said zones in heat-exchange relationship with controlled portions of said streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, means to pass the liquid from said air-treating means to said refrigeration means as return liquid, heat-sink means having a Liquid flow path along which liquid flows in heat-exchange relationship with a heat absorbing fluid, means to pass along said liquid-fluid flow path a stream of liquid which comprises all or part of said stream of said heated liquid or part of said return liquid or a mixture of the two, and control means which is responsive to the requirements for heating and cooling in said zones and which acts to regulate the portion of said stream of heated liquid flowing along said liquid flow path of said heat-sink means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
211 words
In an air conditioning system having a plurality of zones, the combination of, means to supply a substantially uniform stream of outside air to said system, refrigeration means having a chiller in which one stream of heat-exchange liquid is cooled to provide a stream of chilled liquid and also having condenser means in which a stream of the heat-exchange liquid is heated to provide a stream of heated liquid, air-treating means to pass streams of air which includes said stream of outside air to said zones in heat-exchange relationship with controlled portions of said streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, means to pass the liquid from said air-treating means to said refrigeration means as return liquid, heat-sink means having a Liquid flow path along which liquid flows in heat-exchange relationship with a heat absorbing fluid, means to pass along said liquid-fluid flow path a stream of liquid which comprises all or part of said stream of said heated liquid or part of said return liquid or a mixture of the two, and control means which is responsive to the requirements for heating and cooling in said zones and which acts to regulate the portion of said stream of heated liquid flowing along said liquid flow path of said heat-sink means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
117 words
A system as described in claim 1 wherein said air-treating means comprises a plurality of independently operating air-treating units through which air is supplied to said zones, and wherein controlled portions of said streams of heated liquid and chilled liquid are delivered to each of said air-treating units, and wherein return liquid from said units provides the liquid for said streams of heated liquid and chilled liquid, and means to pass a portion of said return liquid along said liquid flow path of said heat-sink means and thence through said chiller to said chilled liquid stream whereby a portion of the return liquid is cooled in said heat-sink means and then is further cooled by said chiller.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as described in claim 1 wherein said heat-sink means comprises a liquid coil in which the stream of liquid passes in heat-exchange relationship with a stream of air.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
The system as described in claim 1 which includes means operable to add heat to the system, and wherein said control means includes means to exert control over the operation of the entire system to discharge heat from the system through said heat-sink means when there is excess heat in the system and to add heat to the system when there is a deficiency of heat in the system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
114 words
An air conditioning system as described in claim 4 which includes pump means in the flow circuit for liquid passing through said heat-sink means, bypass means to divert liquid from the discharge side of said flow path back to the entry side of said flow path, and liquid flow control means to mix recirculated liquid from said bypass means with liquid flowing from said stream of heated liquid to thereby regulate the temperature of liquid flowing through said heat-sink means in response to the need to control the rate at which heat is discharged through said heat-sink means and thereby provide only the amount of heat required to satisfy the deficiency in the system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
An air conditioning system as described in claim 5 wherein said control means exerts overall control on the system in response to the temperature of said stream of heated liquid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
An air conditioning system as described in claim 1 wherein the liquid returning from said air-treating means provides a common source for liquid flowing to said stream of heated liquid and said stream of chilled liquid and which may also be returned without a substantial change in its temperature to said air-treating means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
An air conditioning system as described in claim 1 wherein said refrigeration means includes a second chiller whereby the stream of chilled liquid is cooled by stages, and wherein said chillers are evaporator chillers of separate refrigeration units, and which includes a cooling tower which provides cooling water for the condenser of one of said refrigeration units.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
An air conditioning system as described in claim 1 wherein said air-treating units includes one air-treating unit which is supplied with liquid from said stream of chilled liquid and the return liquid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
An air conditioning system as described in claim 9 which includes means to deliver a portion of said stream of heated liquid and the return liquid to one of said air-treating units.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
An air conditioning system as described in claim 10 wherein said heat-sink means comprises an evaporative cooling tower, and wherein said control means includes means to pass a stream of return liquid through said heat sink means and thence to said stream of chilled liquid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as described in claim 1 wherein said heat-absorbing fluid comprises a stream of external water.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as described in claim 12 wherein said stream of external water is water from a well.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as described in claim 11 which includes means to pass the entire stream of liquid from said heat-sink means along the path to form said stream of chilled liquid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as described in claim 1 which includes means to recirculate liquid along said liquid-flow path by mixing a portion of such liquid with the liquid supplied from said streams.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
200 words
In an air conditioning system having a plurality of zones, the combination of, means to supply a substantially uniform stream of outside air to said system, refrigeration means including a chiller in which one stream of heat-exchange liquid is cooled to provide a stream of chilled liquid and also having condenser means in which a stream of the heat-exchange liquid is heated to provide a stream of heated liquid, air-treating means to pass streams of air which includes said stream of outside air to said zones in heat-exchange relationship with controlled portions of said streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, heat-sink means having a liquid-fluid flow path along which heated liquid flows in heat-exchange relationship with a heat-absorbing fluid, means to pass a portion of said stream of heated liquid along said flow path of said heat-sink means and thence back to said condenser means thereby to deliver heat from said condenser means to said heat-absorbing fluid in said heat-sink means, and control means which is responsive to the requirements for heating and cooling in said zones and which acts to regulate the heat discharged by the portion of said stream of heated liquid flowing to said heat-sink means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
200 words
In an air conditioning system having a plurality of zones, the combination of, means to supply a substantially uniform stream of outside air to said system, refrigeration means including a chiller in which one stream of heat-exchange liquid is cooled to provide a stream of chilled liquid and also having condenser means in which a stream of the heat-exchange liquid is heated to provide a stream of heated liquid, air-treating means to pass streams of air which includes said stream of outside air to said zones in heat-exchange relationship with controlled portions of said streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, heat-sink means having a liquid-fluid flow path along which heated liquid flows in heat-exchange relationship with a heat-absorbing fluid, means to pass a portion of said stream of heated liquid along said flow path of said heat-sink means and thence back to said condenser means thereby to deliver heat from said condenser means to said heat-absorbing fluid in said heat-sink means, and control means which is responsive to the requirements for heating and cooling in said zones and which acts to regulate the heat discharged by the portion of said stream of heated liquid flowing to said heat-sink means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system as described in claim 16 which includes means to mix a portion of the liquid flowing from said heat-sink means with said portion of said stream of heated liquid to thereby reduce the temperature of the liquid flowing along said liquid-flow path.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
133 words
In an air conditioning system, the combination of, refrigeration means having a chiller in which a stream of heat exchange liquid is cooled to provide a stream of chilled liquid and having condenser means in which a stream of the liquid is heated to provide a stream of heated liquid, heat-sink means having a liquid-fluid flow path along which heated liquid flows in heat-exchange relationship with a heat-absorbing fluid, means to pass a portion of said stream of heated liquid along said flow path of said heat-sink means and thence back to said condenser means thereby to deliver heat from said condenser means to said heat-absorbing fluid in said heat-sink means, and control means which regulates the heat discharged by the portion of said stream of heated liquid flowing to said heat-sink means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
133 words
In an air conditioning system, the combination of, refrigeration means having a chiller in which a stream of heat exchange liquid is cooled to provide a stream of chilled liquid and having condenser means in which a stream of the liquid is heated to provide a stream of heated liquid, heat-sink means having a liquid-fluid flow path along which heated liquid flows in heat-exchange relationship with a heat-absorbing fluid, means to pass a portion of said stream of heated liquid along said flow path of said heat-sink means and thence back to said condenser means thereby to deliver heat from said condenser means to said heat-absorbing fluid in said heat-sink means, and control means which regulates the heat discharged by the portion of said stream of heated liquid flowing to said heat-sink means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
119 words
In an air conditioning system of the character described wherein streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid are supplied to air-treating units from a refrigeration system at a central station and the heat exchange liquid is returned to the central system as return liquid, the combination of, heat-sink means for discharging heat from the system when that is desirable, means to direct a portion of the stream of heated liquid through said heat-sink means in a controlled manner to discharge heat from the system at a desired rate, and means to direct a stream of return liquid through said heat sink means and thence back to the refrigeration unit to provide the liquid for said stream of chilled liquid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
119 words
In an air conditioning system of the character described wherein streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid are supplied to air-treating units from a refrigeration system at a central station and the heat exchange liquid is returned to the central system as return liquid, the combination of, heat-sink means for discharging heat from the system when that is desirable, means to direct a portion of the stream of heated liquid through said heat-sink means in a controlled manner to discharge heat from the system at a desired rate, and means to direct a stream of return liquid through said heat sink means and thence back to the refrigeration unit to provide the liquid for said stream of chilled liquid.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination as described in claim 19 which includes means to recirculate liquid through said heat-sink means in the form of a composite stream of recirculated liquid and a portion of the stream of heated liquid.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
202 words
In an air conditioning system having a plurality of zones, the combination of, refrigeration means having a chiller with a chiller path in which one stream of heat-exchange liquid is cooled to provide a stream of chilled liquid And condenser means with a heating path in which a stream of the heat-exchange liquid is heated to provide a stream of heated liquid, air-treating means to pass streams of air to said zones after passing in heat-exchange relationship with controlled portions of said streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, means to pass the liquid as return liquid from said air-treating means to said chiller path and said heating path of said refrigeration means, heat-sink means having a liquid-fluid flow path, means to pass a stream of heat-sink liquid along said liquid-fluid flow path, said stream of heat-sink liquid comprising all or part of said stream of said heated liquid or part of said return liquid or a mixture of the two, and control means which is responsive to the requirement for discharging heat from the system and and which acts to regulate the portions of said streams of heated liquid and return liquid flowing to said flow path of said heat-sink means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
202 words
In an air conditioning system having a plurality of zones, the combination of, refrigeration means having a chiller with a chiller path in which one stream of heat-exchange liquid is cooled to provide a stream of chilled liquid And condenser means with a heating path in which a stream of the heat-exchange liquid is heated to provide a stream of heated liquid, air-treating means to pass streams of air to said zones after passing in heat-exchange relationship with controlled portions of said streams of chilled liquid and heated liquid, means to pass the liquid as return liquid from said air-treating means to said chiller path and said heating path of said refrigeration means, heat-sink means having a liquid-fluid flow path, means to pass a stream of heat-sink liquid along said liquid-fluid flow path, said stream of heat-sink liquid comprising all or part of said stream of said heated liquid or part of said return liquid or a mixture of the two, and control means which is responsive to the requirement for discharging heat from the system and and which acts to regulate the portions of said streams of heated liquid and return liquid flowing to said flow path of said heat-sink means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
83 words
A system as described in claim 21 which includes means to supply a substantially uniform stream of outside air to said system, and wherein said air-treating means comprises a plurality of independently operating air-treating units through which air is supplied to air zones, and wherein controlled portions of said streams of heated liquid and chilled liquid are delivered to each of said air-treating units, and wherein return liquid from said units provides the liquid for said streams of heated liquid and chilled liquid.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as described in claim 21 wherein a stream of said liquid flows from said heat-sink means to said stream of chiller liquid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2930593A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-09 | 1978-06-10 | 1978-12-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-09 | 1982-06-10 | 1982-12-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-09 | 1986-06-10 | 1986-12-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |