초록 ▼

An air conditioning apparatus includes a subcooling heat exchanger for subcooling refrigerant being delivered to an evaporator and for reheating air flow downstream from the evaporator; and a hot vapor heat exchanger, connectable in fluid communication with a refrigerant outlet of a compressor and p

An air conditioning apparatus includes a subcooling heat exchanger for subcooling refrigerant being delivered to an evaporator and for reheating air flow downstream from the evaporator; and a hot vapor heat exchanger, connectable in fluid communication with a refrigerant outlet of a compressor and positioned in the air flow downstream from the evaporator, for further reheating the air flow from the evaporator to further lower the relative humidity of the air flow. The air conditioning apparatus also preferably includes a hot vapor heat exchanger controller for selectively connecting the hot vapor heat exchanger in fluid communication with the refrigerant outlet of the compressor responsive to a sensed temperature. More particularly, the hot vapor heat exchanger controller may preferably include a solenoid valve connected in fluid communication between the hot vapor heat exchanger and the refrigerant outlet of the compressor, a thermostatic switch operatively connected to the solenoid valve for opening the solenoid valve when a temperature of air downstream from the hot vapor heat exchanger is below a predetermined temperature, a check valve connected in fluid communication with the hot vapor heat exchanger, and a differential pressure control valve connected in fluid communication between the compressor and the condenser and across the hot vapor heat exchanger for further controlling reheating by the hot vapor heat exchanger when the solenoid valve is open. Method aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

An air conditioning apparatus comprising: an evaporator, a condenser, and a compressor for circulating refrigerant through said condenser and said evaporator, said evaporator having a refrigerant inlet, said compressor having a refrigerant outlet; air handling means for generating an air flow over s

An air conditioning apparatus comprising: an evaporator, a condenser, and a compressor for circulating refrigerant through said condenser and said evaporator, said evaporator having a refrigerant inlet, said compressor having a refrigerant outlet; air handling means for generating an air flow over said evaporator to cool the air flow and remove moisture therefrom; a subcooling heat exchanger, connected in fluid communication with the refrigerant inlet of said evaporator and positioned in the air flow downstream from said evaporator, for subcooling refrigerant being delivered to said evaporator and for reheating the air flow downstream from said evaporator to lower a relative humidity of the air flow; and a hot vapor heat exchanger, connectable in fluid communication with the refrigerant outlet of said compressor and positioned in the air flow downstream from said evaporator, for further reheating the air flow from said evaporator to further lower the relative humidity of the air flow.