Heat recovery ventilator

Claim 2

A compact heat recovery ventilator comprising: a housing having first and second sections to convey separate first and second streams of air; a heat exchanger rotatably disposed in said housing for rotation about a central axis, and adapted to intersect said first and second sections; means for forcing said separate first and second streams through said first and second sections; a source of rotary power; first means for transmitting said rotary power to rotatably drive said heat exchanger; and second means for transmitting said rotary power to drive said means for forcing, said second means for transmitting comprising a central shaft rotatably driven by said source of rotary power, said central shaft extending through the central axis of said heat exchanger and freely rotatable therethrough and connected to said means for forcing.

Claim 3

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for forcing comprises first and second impellers rotatably disposed in first and second impeller housings, respectively, said first and second impellers and impeller housings disposed in said housing to force said first and second streams through said first and second sections, respectively.

Claim 4

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 2 wherein said first and second impellers comprise first and second centrifugal impellers, respectively, and said first and second impeller housings comprise first and second centrifugal impeller housings, respectively.

Claim 5

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim I wherein said source of rotary power comprises an electric drive motor having at least one rotary drive shaft.

Claim 6

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 4 wherein said drive motor includes control means for varying the speed of said motor.

Claim 7

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein said source of rotary power comprises a drive shaft rotatably driven by a power source outside said housing.

Claim 8

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein said first means for transmitting said rotary power comprises a drive wheel attached to said source of rotary power, said drive wheel frictionally engaging at least a portion of the periphery of said heat exchanger.

Claim 9

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein said first means for transmitting said rotary power comprises a drive wheel attached to said source of rotary power, said drive wheel adapted to retain and drive a peripheral drive belt which frictionally engages at least a portion of the periphery of said heat exchanger, whereby said heat exchanger is rotated.

Claim 10

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein said central shaft further includes at least one shaft bearing assembly disposed in said housing upon which said central shaft is supported and freely rotates.

Claim 11

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1: wherein said means for forcing comprise first and second impellers positioned to force said first and second streams through said first and second sections, respectively; and wherein said second means for transmitting further includes: a first pulley and first drive belt rotatably driven by said source of rotary power; a second pulley disposed on said central shaft engaging said first drive belt and rotating said central shaft; a third and fourth pulleys disposed on said central shaft; fifth and sixth pulleys attached to said first and second impellers, respectively; a second drive belt engaging said third and fifth pulleys to drive said first impeller; and a third drive belt engaging said fourth and sixth pulleys to drive said second impeller.

Claim 12

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 10 wherein: said housing has a plurality of faces; and said first, second and third drive belts are positioned so that all are accessible for removal from at least one face of said housing.

Claim 13

A heat recovery Ventilator as recited in claim I wherein said housing comprises a frame having one or more sides and having one or more apertures communicating with said first and second sections; one or more mounting angles supported by said housing on opposite sides of said heat exchanger, said central axis extending therethrough; a peripheral baffle secured to the inside of said housing, said peripheral baffle having an aperture wherein said heat exchanger may rotate; one or more seals communicating between said peripheral baffle and said heat exchanger, adapted to prevent passage of air between said peripheral baffle and said heat exchanger; and one or more baffle assemblies further defining said first and second sections

Claim 14

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 12: wherein said frame has at least four apertures, said apertures including a first inlet and a first outlet related to said first section, and a second inlet and a second outlet related to said second section; wherein portions of said frame, at least one of said one or more baffle assemblies, said peripheral baffle, and said heat exchanger define first and second inlet chambers for said first and second sections, respectively, said first and second inlet chambers communicating with said first and second inlets, respectively; and wherein portions of said frame, at least one of said one or more baffle assemblies, said peripheral baffle and said heat exchanger further define first and second outlet chambers for said first and second sections, respectively, said first and second outlet chambers communicating with said first and second outlets, respectively; whereby said first stream is conveyed in said first section from said first inlet through said first inlet chamber, across said heat exchanger, and through said first outlet chamber to said first outlet; and said second stream is conveyed in said second section from said second inlet through said second inlet chamber, across said heat exchanger, and through said second outlet chamber to said second outlet.

Claim 15

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing includes: a peripheral baffle secured to the inside of said housing, said peripheral baffle having an aperture wherein said heat exchanger may rotate and further having a groove adapted to receive one or more seals; one or more seals disposed in said groove and communicating between said peripheral baffle and said heat exchanger, said one or more seals adapted to prevent passage of air between said peripheral baffle and said heat exchanger; at least one mounting angle holder disposed in said groove having an opening extending therethrough generally aligned with said groove, and through which said one or more seals may be resiliently joined; and means for resiliently joining said one or more seals, said means for joining substantially disposed in said opening in said mounting angle holder.

Claim 16

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein: said housing comprises a frame having one or more sides and at least four apertures, said apertures including a first inlet and a first outlet related to said first section, and a second inlet and a second outlet related to said second section; and said housing further includes one or more vents associated with one or more of said apertures, said one or more vents adjustably positionable in one or more directions to direct said first and second streams conveyed by said first and second sections.

Claim 17

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger comprises: heat exchanger media; a container enclosing said media and having one or more apertures along each of two parallel faces of said container; means for supporting said media, said means for supporting said media comprising a plurality of spokes extending radially outward from the hub of said container to the periphery thereof, said spokes further extending axially substantially between said parallel faces; and screen material attached along said two parallel faces of said container, said container, said screen material and said media adapted to allow substantially free passage of air therethrough.

Claim 18

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger includes at least one bearing assembly disposed along said central axis, whereby said heat exchanger may freely rotate about said second means for transmitting which extends through the central axis of said heat exchanger.

Claim 19

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger comprises a random matrix media and means to support said random matrix media.

Claim 20

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 18 wherein said random matrix media comprises randomly interrelated, small diameter, heat retentive, fibrous material.

Claim 21

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 further comprising one or more filters removably disposed in at least one of said first and second sections, and means for retaining said one or more filters therein.

Claim 22

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 20 wherein at least one first filter is removably disposed in said first stream of air, and at least one second filter is removably disposed in said second stream of air.

Claim 23

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 21: wherein: said housing has a plurality of faces; and said first and second filters are accessible for insertion and removal from one or more faces of said housing, at least one of said one or more faces from which said first and second filters are accessible comprising the same face of said housing.

Claim 24

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 21 wherein at least one of said filters is a carbon filter.

Claim 25

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 further comprising a front panel, portions of said front panel and said housing defining an inlet plenum communicating with said first section and an outlet plenum communicating with said second section.

Claim 26

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 24 further comprising one or more diffuser baffles disposed in said outlet plenum.

Claim 27

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1 further comprising: at least one temperature sensor; and a temperature sensor readout connected to said temperature sensor and disposed on said housing.

Claim 28

A compact heat recovery ventilator comprising: a housing having first and second sections to convey separate first and second streams of air; a heat exchanger rotatably disposed in said housing for rotation about a central axis, and adapted to intersect said first and second sections; first and second impellers rotatably disposed in first and second impeller housings, respectively, to force said separate first and second streams through said first and second sections, respectively; a drive motor; a drive wheel rotatably driven by said drive motor and imparting rotation to said heat exchanger; and a central shaft rotatably driven by said drive motor and extending through said central axis of said heat exchanger, said central shaft freely rotatable therethrough and connected to said first and second impellers to rotatably drive said impellers.

Claim 29

A compact heat recovery ventilator comprising: a housing having first and second sections to convey separate first and second streams of air; a heat exchanger rotatably disposed in said housing for rotation about a central axis, and adapted to intersect said first and second sections; first and second impellers rotatably disposed in first and second impeller housings, respectively, to force said separate first and second streams through said first and second sections, respectively; a drive motor; a drive wheel rotatably driven by said drive motor and imparting rotation to said heat exchanger; and a central shaft rotatably driven by said drive motor and extending through said central axis of said heat exchanger, said central shaft freely rotatable therethrough and connected to said first and second impellers to rotatably drive said impellers.

Claim 30

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 27 wherein said heat exchanger further includes at least one bearing assembly disposed along said central axis between said heat exchanger and said central shaft, whereby said heat exchanger is freely rotatable on said central shaft independent of the rotation of said central shaft.

Claim 31

A heat recovery ventilator as recited in claim 27 wherein said central shaft further includes at least one bearing assembly disposed along said central axis and supported by said housing, whereby said central shaft is freely rotatable in said housing, independent of the rotation of said heat exchanger.

Claim 32

A compact heat recovery ventilator comprising: a housing having first and second sections to convey separate first and second streams of air, said first stream of air conveyed between a first inlet and first outlet, said second stream of air conveyed between a second inlet and second outlet; a heat exchanger rotatably disposed in said housing for rotation about a central axis and positioned to intersect said first and second streams of air; means for forcing said first and second streams through said first and second sections, respectively; a source of rotary power; first means for transmitting rotary power from said source of rotary power to the periphery of said heat exchanger to rotatably drive said heat exchanger; and second means for transmitting rotary power from said source of rotary power to operate said means for forcing, said second means for transmitting comprising a central rotatably driven by said source of rotary power and extending through the central axis of said heat exchanger, said central shaft freely rotatable therethrough and connected to said means for forcing; whereby said source of rotary power peripherally drives aid heat exchanger, and operates said means for forcing.

Claim 33

A compact heat recovery ventilator comprising: a housing having first and second sections to convey separate first and second streams of air, said first stream of air conveyed between a first inlet and first outlet, said second stream of air conveyed between a second inlet and second outlet; a heat exchanger rotatably disposed in said housing for rotation about a central axis and positioned to intersect said first and second streams of air; means for forcing said first and second streams through said first and second sections, respectively; a source of rotary power; first means for transmitting rotary power from said source of rotary power to the periphery of said heat exchanger to rotatably drive said heat exchanger; and second means for transmitting rotary power from said source of rotary power to operate said means for forcing, said second means for transmitting comprising a central rotatably driven by said source of rotary power and extending through the central axis of said heat exchanger, said central shaft freely rotatable therethrough and connected to said means for forcing; whereby said source of rotary power peripherally drives aid heat exchanger, and operates said means for forcing.