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An air conditioning system and method wherein a central pumping system circulates a heat-exchange liquid, through heating and cooling paths of a refrigeration system to and from air-treating units, and to and from a fluid cooler which acts as a heat sink and also as a heat source. The air-treating u

An air conditioning system and method wherein a central pumping system circulates a heat-exchange liquid, through heating and cooling paths of a refrigeration system to and from air-treating units, and to and from a fluid cooler which acts as a heat sink and also as a heat source. The air-treating units have fans or blowers positioned upstream of the air cooling coils so that the fan heat is discharged through the fluid cooler system during cooling load operation, and that heat is available in the air-treating units during heating-load operation. One embodiment includes a separate line for supplying neutral water to each air-treating unit. The neutral water is mixed with either the hot water or the cold water supplied to each treating unit for temperature control. Another embodiment has only hot and cold water with separate supply and return lines. The systems may also be designed and operated to utilize the heat pump principle to raise the temperature of the heat-exchange liquid flowing to the fluid cooler above the generally accepted level. The fluid cooler discharges heat during dominant cooling load conditions through air which is exhausted from the conditioned space. The condensate from the air-treating units is supplied to the fluid cooler and provides evaporative cooling. The fluid cooler is also a heat source during dominant heating load conditions, with the exhaust air and some outside air being the fluid. The invention contemplates that water from an outside source can be used as the "fluid" as the source of heat and as the heat sink.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby

1. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source. 2. An air conditioning system as described in claim 1 which includes means to pass a stream of fresh air in heat-exchange relationship with a liquid and thence to one or more of said air-treating units, and means to supply said liquid to said heat-exchange means in heat-exchange relationship with air being discharged from the conditioned space to thereby extract heat from said air being discharged and to deliver said heat to said stream of fresh air. 3. An air conditioning system as described in claim 1 which includes heat-exchange means and the means to pass said stream of fresh air and a stream of said heated liquid in heat-exchange relationship with each other. 4. An air conditioning system as described in claim 1 wherein said water pumping and circulating system comprises water supply lines extending to said air-treating units for said cooled water and said heated water and for neutral water which has not been heated or cooled after being returned from said air-treating units, and valve means to change the flow paths and thereby modulate the temperature of either said cooled water or said heated water being delivered to one or more of said units. 5. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air conditioning system includes water storage tank means in which excess heat is stored by increasing the temperature of the water in said tank means at such times as the condensing water temperature rises above that temperature needed instantaneously to handle the current cooling load, and wherein heat balance controller means directs said stream of heated water into said storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements and thereby increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required is less than the heat which is generated by the system. 6. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air conditioning system includes water storage tank means in which excess heat is stored by increasing the temperature of the water in said tank means at such times as the condensing water temperature rises above that temperature needed instantaneously to handle the current cooling load, and wherein heat balance controller means directs said stream of heated water into said storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements and thereby increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required is less than the heat which is generated by the system, and operating the system to include the steps of, during normal or peak heating load operation, measuring the temperature of the stored tank water and when a preset temperature is reached shutting off the delivery of hot water to said tank system and discharging the condensing water heat in excess of that required for instantaneous building-heating requirements to the fluid cooler which will then resume its normal function as a heat sink. 7. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air-conditioning system includes water-storage tank means whereby excess heat can be stored at such times as the condensing water temperature tends to rise above that temperature instantaneously called for by a heat balance controller and which includes water storage tank means and which is regulated in accordance with the outside temperature, and wherein said heat balance controller directs a stream of said heated water into said water-storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements, thereby to increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required instantaneously is less than the heat which is being generated by the system. 8. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air conditioning system includes water-storage tank means whereby excess heat can be stored at such times as the condensing water temperature tends to rise above that temperature instantaneously called for by a heat balance controller and which includes water storage tank means and which is regulated in accordance with the outside temperature, and wherein said heat balance controller directs a stream of said heated water into said water-storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements, thereby to increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required instantaneously is less than the heat which is being generated by the system, and including the steps of, measuring the temperature of the water stored in said tank means, and when a preset temperature is reached shutting off the delivery of heated water to said tank means and directing the condensing water in excess of that required for instantaneous building-heating requirements to said fluid cooler which will then resume its normal function as a heat sink. 9. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature and whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air conditioning system includes water storage tank means in which excess heat is stored by increasing the temperature of the water in said tank means at such times as the condensing water temperature rises above that temperature needed instantaneously to handle the current cooling load, and wherein heat balance controller means directs said stream of heated water into said storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements and thereby increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required is less than the heat which is generated by the system, and wherein said controller means prevents boiler or other supplementary heat from being introduced except when the water temperature in said tank means has been reduced to a set point. 10. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air conditioning system includes water storage tank means in which excess heat is stored by increasing the temperature of the water in said tank means at such times as the condensing water temperature rises above that temperature needed instantaneously to handle the current cooling load, and wherein heat balance controller means directs said stream of heated water into said storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements and thereby increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required is less than the heat which is generated by the system, and wherein said controller means can be set to direct excess cooled water directly to said tank means. 11. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air conditioning system includes water storage tank means in which excess heat is stored by increasing the temperature of the water in said tank means at such times as the condensing water temperature rises above that temperature needed instantaneously to handle the current cooling load, and wherein heat balance controller means directs said stream of heated water into said storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements and thereby increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required is less than the heat which is generated by the system, and wherein said controller means can be set to direct excess cooled water directly to said tank means, and wherein said controller means includes an override means for certain time periods. 12. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air conditioning system includes water storage tank means in which excess heat is stored by increasing the temperature of the water in said tank means at such times as the condensing water temperature rises above that temperature needed instantaneously to handle the current cooling load, and wherein heat balance controller means directs said stream of heated water into said storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements and thereby increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required is less than the heat which is generated by the system, and wherein said controller means can be set to direct excess cooled water directly to said tank means, and wherein for certain periods of peak capacity or peak system demand the water cooling load can be reduced or eliminated entirely and the cooling supplied by the cold tank water in said tank means. 13. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one side of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air conditoning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air conditioning system includes water storage tank means in which excess heat is stored by increasing the temperature of the water in said tank means at such times as the condensing water temperature rises above that temperature needed instantaneously to handle the current cooling load, and wherein heat balance controller means directs said stream of heated water into said storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements and thereby increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required is less than the heat which is generated by the system, and wherein said controller means can be set to direct excess cooled water directly to said tank means, and wherein for certain periods of peak capacity or peak system demand the water cooling load can be reduced or eliminated entirely and the cooling supplied by the cold tank water in said tank means, and wherein said over-ride means is responsive to a rise in the tank water temperature to the extent above said set point to restart said refrigeration means. 14. An air conditioning system which includes, refrigeration means which is operative to produce a stream of cooled water and a stream of heated water, a plurality of air-treating units each of which is operative to pass air in heat exchange relationship with water from one of said streams to thereby heat or cool air and to then deliver the air to an air conditioned space, a continuous water pumping and circulating system which circulates streams of water throughout the air-conditioning system, a water-to-fluid heat exchange which is adapted to pass water from one or the other of said streams of heated water or cooled water in heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which acts as a heat sink or as a heat source depending upon the relative temperatures of the water and the fluid, and control means which maintains a heat balance in the air conditioning system includes means for passing water from said stream of heated water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the ambient outside temperature is above the break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat sink, and passing water from said stream of cooled water through said water-to-fluid heat exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break even temperature whereby said fluid acts as a heat source, and wherein said air conditioning system includes water storage tank means in which excess heat is stored by increasing the temperature of the water in said tank means at such times as the condensing water temperature rises above that temperature needed instantaneously to handle the current cooling load, and wherein heat balance controller means directs said stream of heated water into said storage tank means in the amount which is in excess of that required instantaneously to produce said stream of heated water to satisfy the instantaneous heat requirements and thereby increase the amount of heat stored in said tank means in anticipation of a period when the amount of heat required is less than the heat which is generated by the system, and wherein said controller means can be set to direct excess cooled water directly to said tank means, and wherein for certain periods of peak capacity or peak system demand the water cooling load can be reduced or eliminated entirely and the cooling supplied by the cold tank water in said tank means, and wherein said over-ride means is responsive to a rise in the tank water temperature to the extent above said set point to restart said refrigeration means, and wherein the capacity of said refrigeration means will be limited during a period of peak demand to reduce the building demand within present demand limits. 15. The air conditioning system as described in claim 1 for operation between "summer" and "winter" seasons wherein heating may be required during one part of the day and cooling during another part, as indicated by an outside temperature setting of heat balance controller means, wherein said control means directs neutral water into said tank means to be cooled by the evaporator means of the refrigeration system to false load the evaporators, thus providing sufficient heated water from the condensers to the air treating units requiring heat and cooled water or water below the return water temperature to the units requiring cooling. 16. The invention as described in any of claims 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14 at different times of the year during different seasons, the combined means to maintain an automatic instantaneous heat balance in the building with controls and over-riding controls to limit operation and thereby in turn control or eliminate peak demand for present time periods while still maintaining an instantaneous building heat balance. 17. In a method of maintaining a heat balance condition in an air conditioning system which provides desirable conditions within a space or spaces, and which includes refrigeration means to produce a stream of heated water and a stream of cooled water and air-treating means to pass air to said space or spaces in heat-exchange relationship with said heated water or said cooled water, and wherein said system also includes a water-to-fluid heat exchanger which passes the desired amount of water from said stream of heated water into heat-exchange relationship with a fluid which constitutes a heat sink to which heat is delivered when the outside ambient temperature is above the break-even temperature, the improvement which includes the steps of, stopping the delivery of said heated water to said water-to-fluid heat-exchanger when the outside ambient temperature is below said break-even temperature, and delivering a controlled stream of cooled water from said stream of cooled water to said water-to-fluid heat-exchanger with said cooled water being maintained at a temperature below the temperature of said fluid to thereby deliver heat to said controlled stream of cooled water, and returning said controlled stream of cooled water to said refrigeration means, whereby said water-to-fluid heat exchanger acts as a source of heat for said system, and which includes the steps of, increasing the quantity of outside air to provide cooling when the system has a dominate cooling load and the outside air temperature is below the desired temperature within the air conditioned space and there is an anticipated dominate heating load condition, and passing water to said storage tanks at a temperature above the temperature of the water leaving said tanks to thereby increase the capacity of the water in said storage tanks to handle a subsequent heating load.