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The present invention relates to an apparatus for ventilation systems which include an element for the transfer of heat from warm exhaust air (taken from inside a building) to cooler exterior fresh air which is drawn into the building. The present invention in particular provides an apparatus whereb

The present invention relates to an apparatus for ventilation systems which include an element for the transfer of heat from warm exhaust air (taken from inside a building) to cooler exterior fresh air which is drawn into the building. The present invention in particular provides an apparatus whereby, during a defrost cycle, interior air may circulate through both of the fresh air and exhaust air paths for delivery back into the building, i.e. the warm interior air, used as defrost air, may be able to circulate from the interior of the building into the ventilation apparatus and back to the interior of the building. The apparatus can thus use interior air as defrost air while diminishing or avoiding the creation of a negative air pressure in the building.

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What is claimed: 1. A ventilation apparatus, for exchanging air between the interior and exterior of a building, and for transferring, a member of the group comprising i) sensible heat and ii) sensible heat and water moisture, between exhaust air taken from the building and fresh air taken from the

What is claimed: 1. A ventilation apparatus, for exchanging air between the interior and exterior of a building, and for transferring, a member of the group comprising i) sensible heat and ii) sensible heat and water moisture, between exhaust air taken from the building and fresh air taken from the exterior ambient air for delivery to the building, said ventilation apparatus comprising fresh air path means having a fresh air intake side and a fresh air discharge side, exhaust air path means having an exhaust air intake side and an exhaust air discharge side, an exchanger for exchanging, a member selected from the group comprising i) sensible heat and ii) sensible heat and water moisture, between fresh air and exhaust air, said exchanger means being configured and disposed so as to define a first air stream path and a second air stream path, said first air stream path defining a portion of the fresh air path means between the fresh air intake side and the fresh air discharge side thereof and said second air stream path defining a portion of said exhaust air path means between the exhaust air intake side and the exhaust air discharge side thereof, characterized in that said ventilation apparatus comprises first, second, third and fourth static pressure taps, said first and second static pressure taps being configured and disposed for the determination of a first static pressure difference there between in said fresh air path means, said first air stream path being disposed between said first and second static pressure taps, said third and fourth static pressure taps being configured and disposed for the determination of a second static pressure difference therebetween in said exhaust air path means, said second air stream path being disposed between said third and fourth static pressure taps. 2. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises a first adjustable damper component for adjusting air flow through said fresh air path means, and a second adjustable damper component for adjusting air flow through said exhaust air path means. 3. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said first adjustable damper component is disposed on the fresh air discharge side of said fresh air path means, and said second adjustable damper component is disposed on the exhaust air intake side of said exhaust air path means. 4. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second pressure taps each comprise a pressure sampling aperture defined by a wall of said fresh air path means and wherein said third and fourth pressure taps each comprise a pressure sampling apertures defined by a wall of said exhaust air path means. 5. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a fan component for forcing air to pass through said first and second air stream paths. 6. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said ventilation apparatus is configured as a constant flow ventilation apparatus. 7. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said exchanger comprises a rotary exchanger wheel for exchanging sensible heat. 8. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said exchanger comprises a rotary exchanger wheel for exchanging sensible heat and water moisture. 9. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said exchanger element comprises a sensible heat exchanger and comprises air-to-air heat exchanging walls between said first and second air stream paths. 10. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said sensible heat exchanger is of a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the first and second air paths thereof are disposed at right angles to each other and said sensible heat exchanger element is so disposed such that the first and second air paths are diagonally oriented so that they are self draining. 11. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said fresh air path means, said exhaust air path means, and said (heat/exchanger means are disposed in a cabinet, wherein said fresh air intake side, said exhaust air discharge side, said fresh air discharge side and said exhaust air intake side each includes one respective air opening in a wall of said cabinet, wherein said first and second pressure tap means each comprise a pressure sampling aperture defined by a wall of said fresh air path means and wherein said third and fourth pressure tap means each comprise a pressure sampling apertures defined by a wall of said exhaust air path means. 12. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said fresh air path means comprises a wall of said cabinet which defines said apertures of said first and second pressure tap means, wherein said exhaust air path means comprises a wall of said cabinet which defines said apertures of said third and fourth pressure tap means. 13. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said apparatus comprises a first adjustable damper component for adjusting air flow through said fresh air path means, and a second adjustable damper component for adjusting air flow through said exhaust air path means. 14. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said first adjustable damper component is disposed on the fresh air discharge side of said fresh air path means, and said second adjustable damper component is disposed on the exhaust air intake side of said exhaust air path means. 15. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said exchanger means comprises a rotary exchanger wheel. 16. A ventilation apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said apparatus includes a fan component for forcing air to pass through said first and second air stream paths. 17. A defrostable ventilation apparatus, for exchanging air between the interior and exterior of a building, for transferring water moisture and sensible heat between exhaust air taken from the building and fresh air taken from the exterior ambient air for delivery to the building, and wherein air from the interior of the building is used as defrost air to defrost the ventilation apparatus, said ventilation apparatus comprising fresh air path means having a fresh air intake side and a fresh air discharge side, exhaust air path means having an exhaust air intake side and an exhaust air discharge side, an exchanger comprising a desiccant exchanger element for transfer of water moisture and sensible heat between said exhaust air and said fresh air, and a sensible heat exchanger element for transfer of sensible heat between said exhaust air and said fresh air, said desiccant exchanger element comprising a rotary exchanger wheel configured and rotatably disposed so as to define a second air stream path and a third air stream path, said second air stream path defining a portion of said fresh air path means and said third air stream path defining a portion of said exhaust air path means, said sensible heat exchanger element comprising a first air path defining a portion of said fresh air path means and a fourth air path defining a portion of said exhaust air path means, said first and second air stream paths defining respective portions of said fresh air path means between the intake and discharge sides of said fresh air path means, said third and fourth air stream paths defining respective portions of said exhaust air path means between the intake and discharge sides of said exhaust air path means, said fresh air path means and said exhaust air path means being disposed and configured such that during a ventilation cycle, exhaust air entering the exhaust air intake side flows through said third air stream path and then through said fourth air stream path and fresh entering said the fresh air intake side flows through said first air stream path and then through said second air stream path, said ventilation apparatus including a rotation component for inducing rotation of said exchanger wheel through said fresh air path means and said exhaust air path means, defrost air path means for providing an air path by-passing said first air steam path, said defrost air path means comprising a defrost air discharge side and being configured to connect the exhaust air discharge side with the defrost air discharge side thereof for conveying defrost air to said defrost air discharge side from said exhaust air discharge side, and a damper component, said damper component being displaceable between a ventilation configuration for a ventilation cycle wherein said defrost air path means is closed off and said fresh air intake side and said exhaust air discharge side are open, and a defrost configuration for a defrost cycle wherein said fresh air intake side and said exhaust air discharge side are closed off and said defrost air path means is open, and wherein during a ventilation cycle, when said damper component is in said ventilation configuration, fresh air is able to flow through said fresh air path means and exhaust air is able to flow through said exhaust air path means, and during a defrost cycle, when said damper component is in said defrost configuration, defrost air taken from the building, is able to circulate, for delivery back into the building, through said exhaust air intake side, through said second air stream path, then through said defrost air path means, and through said defrost air discharge side. 18. A defrostable ventilation apparatus, for exchanging air between the interior and exterior of a building, for transferring water moisture and sensible heat between exhaust air taken from the building and fresh air taken from the exterior ambient air for delivery to the building, and wherein air from the interior of the building is used as defrost air to defrost the ventilation apparatus, said ventilation apparatus comprising fresh air path means having a fresh air intake side and a fresh air discharge side, exhaust air path means having an exhaust air intake side and an exhaust air discharge side, an exchanger comprising a desiccant exchanger element for transfer of water moisture and sensible heat between said exhaust air and said fresh air, and a sensible heat exchanger element for transfer of sensible heat between said exhaust air and said fresh air, said desiccant exchanger element comprising a rotary exchanger wheel configured and rotatably disposed so as to define a second air stream path and a third air stream path, said second air stream path defining a portion of said fresh air path means and said third air stream path defining a portion of said exhaust air path means, said sensible heat exchanger element comprising a first air path defining a portion of said fresh air path means and a fourth air path defining a portion of said exhaust air path means, said first and second air stream paths defining respective portions of said fresh air path means between the intake and discharge sides of said fresh air path means, said third and fourth air stream paths defining respective portions of said exhaust air path means between the intake and discharge sides of said exhaust air path means, said fresh air path means and said exhaust air path means being disposed and configured such that during a ventilation cycle, exhaust air entering the exhaust air intake side flows through said third air stream path and then through said fourth air stream path and fresh entering said the fresh air intake side flows through said first air stream path and then through said second air stream path, said ventilation apparatus including a rotation component for inducing rotation of said exchanger wheel through said fresh air path means and said exhaust air path means, defrost air path means for providing an air path by-passing said first air steam path, said defrost air path means being configured to connect the exhaust air discharge side with the fresh air discharge side for conveying defrost air to said fresh air discharge side from said exhaust air discharge side, and a damper component, said damper component being displaceable between a ventilation configuration for a ventilation cycle, wherein said defrost air path means is closed off and said fresh air intake side and exhaust air discharge side are open, and a defrost configuration for a defrost cycle wherein said fresh air intake side and said exhaust air discharge side are closed off, and said defrost air path means is open, and wherein during a ventilation cycle, when said damper component is in said ventilation configuration, fresh air is able to flow through said fresh air path means and exhaust air is able to flow through said exhaust air path means, and during a defrost cycle, when said damper component is in said defrost configuration, defrost air taken from the building, is able to circulate, for delivery back into the building, through said exhaust air intake side, through said second air stream path, then through said defrost air path means, and through said fresh air discharge side.