초록 ▼

Described are an air conditioning and heat pump system and methods for conditioning air. The system is provided with valve means, control means, and an auxiliary refrigerant coil in airflow communication with an evaporator. The system operation for cooling and dehumidification air comprises of two s

Described are an air conditioning and heat pump system and methods for conditioning air. The system is provided with valve means, control means, and an auxiliary refrigerant coil in airflow communication with an evaporator. The system operation for cooling and dehumidification air comprises of two separate modes: a cooling mode and a dehumidification mode. In the cooling mode the valve means direct refrigerant to the auxiliary coil a way to absorb heat by refrigerant from conditioning air in the auxiliary coil, and in the dehumidification mode the valve means direct refrigerant to the auxiliary coil a way to reject heat to the air from refrigerant in the auxiliary coil. Thus, refrigerant in the dehumidification mode is subcooled and capacity of the evaporator is increased. In addition, the system is provided with a restrictor to expand refrigerant before the auxiliary coil and to reduce refrigerant evaporating pressure in the evaporator in the dehumidification mode.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [9.]9. A method for conditioning air with dehumidification using an air conditioning and heat pump system, the system including a refrigerant circuit and an air circuit, the refrigerant circuit including in serial connection a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, a restrictor ex

[ I claim:] [9.]9. A method for conditioning air with dehumidification using an air conditioning and heat pump system, the system including a refrigerant circuit and an air circuit, the refrigerant circuit including in serial connection a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, a restrictor expanding refrigerant in one direction and allowing a free pass in the other direction, an auxiliary coil, an evaporating coil, and valve means to direct refrigerant flow after the condenser either to the restrictor and then to the auxiliary coil or to the expansion device and then to the auxiliary coil and to direct refrigerant flow after the auxiliary coil either to the expansion device and then to the evaporating coil or to the restrictor and then to the evaporating coil, the air circuit including a fan moving air to be conditioned, the method comprising a cooling mode and a dehumidification mode of the system operation including the steps: in the cooling mode:compressing gaseous refrigerant in the compressor,condensing refrigerant in the condenser,flowing liquid refrigerant to the expansion device,expanding refrigerant in said expansion device,flowing refrigerant to the auxiliary coil,partly evaporating refrigerant in said auxiliary coil to cool said coil and passing air,flowing refrigerant to the restrictor,flowing refrigerant through the restrictor in the free pass direction,flowing partly liquid, partly vapor refrigerant to the evaporating coil,completely evaporating refrigerant in said evaporating coil to cool said coil and passing air,flowing vaporized refrigerant to said compressor,moving a stream of warm air against said evaporating coil and against said auxiliary coil to cool said air; and ) in the dehumidification mode:compressing gaseous refrigerant in the compressor,condensing refrigerant in the condenser,flowing liquid refrigerant to the restrictor,expanding refrigerant in the restrictor,flowing expanded refrigerant to the cooled auxiliary coil,condensing a part of refrigerant vaporized in said restrictor and subcooling liquid refrigerant in the auxiliary coil and partly warming passing air,flowing cooled liquid refrigerant after said auxiliary coil to the expansion device,expanding refrigerant in the expansion device,flowing refrigerant to the evaporating coil,evaporating refrigerant in said evaporating coil and cooling and dehumidifying passing air,flowing vaporized refrigerant to said compressor,moving the stream of warm air against said evaporating coil to cool and dehumidify said air stream,moving said cooled and dehumidified stream of air against said auxiliary coil to condense and subcool expanded in the restrictor refrigerant and partly to warm said air stream.