Method and system for integrated home cooling utilizing solar power
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B01D-053/06
F24F-003/147
출원번호
US-0235338
(2011-09-16)
등록번호
US-8790451
(2014-07-29)
발명자
/ 주소
Narayanamurthy, Ramachandran
출원인 / 주소
PVT Solar, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Armstrong Teasdale LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
3인용 특허 :
8
초록▼
A system for utilizing solar energy for home utility supply includes an air collector coupled to a solar module disposed to collect ambient air carrying thermal energy generated from the solar module. The system includes an energy transfer module (ETM) comprising a first heat-exchanger configured to
A system for utilizing solar energy for home utility supply includes an air collector coupled to a solar module disposed to collect ambient air carrying thermal energy generated from the solar module. The system includes an energy transfer module (ETM) comprising a first heat-exchanger configured to process a first air stream from the air collector and output a second air stream carrying a portion of the thermal energy. Additionally, the system includes an air-conditioning module for processing a third air stream from interior space. The system includes an air processor comprising a desiccant material to pre-condition the third air stream utilizing the second air stream in the ETM and form a fourth air stream for the air-conditioning module and a fifth air stream in the ETM. Furthermore, the system uses a second heat-exchanger to process the fourth air stream and form a six air stream with reduced temperature and humidity.
대표청구항▼
1. A system for utilizing solar thermal energy for integrated home utility supply, the system comprising: an air collector coupled to a solar module disposed outside a building to collect external air carrying thermal energy generated from the solar module;an energy transfer module comprising a firs
1. A system for utilizing solar thermal energy for integrated home utility supply, the system comprising: an air collector coupled to a solar module disposed outside a building to collect external air carrying thermal energy generated from the solar module;an energy transfer module comprising a first heat exchanger disposed in a first pathway between a first air inlet and a first air outlet, the first air inlet being coupled to the air collector for receiving a first air stream carrying a portion of the thermal energy, the first heat exchanger being configured to process the first air stream and output a second air stream by carrying at least partially the portion of the thermal energy;an air conditioning module comprising a second heat exchanger disposed in a second pathway between a second air inlet and a second air outlet, the second air inlet being coupled to interior space of the building for drawing a third air stream characterized by a first humidity and a first temperature; andan air processor comprising a desiccant material coupled to both the energy transfer module and the air conditioning module, the air processor being configured to cycle the desiccant material alternatively in the first pathway located after the first heat exchanger and in the second pathway located before the second heat exchanger;wherein the desiccant material absorbs moisture from the third air stream in the second pathway to form a fourth air stream toward the second heat exchanger, and alternatively releases the moisture to the second air stream in the first pathway to form a fifth air stream toward the first air outlet, the second heat exchanger processes the fourth air stream to form a sixth air stream characterized by a second humidity and a second temperature towards the second air outlet, the second humidity is no greater than the first humidity and the second temperature is lower than the first temperature. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy transfer module further comprises an air filter disposed in the first pathway located before the first heat exchanger and a blower disposed after the first heat exchanger. 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a coil of aluminum-copper tubing filled with water cycling from a water tank. 4. The system of claim 3 wherein the first heat exchanger processes the first air stream carrying a portion of the thermal energy to utilize a partial portion of the thermal energy to heat the water in the pipe coil as well as the water tank. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the air collector comprises a plenum structure disposed directly underneath the solar module configured to covert sun light into both electric energy and thermal energy. 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the air conditioning module further comprises a blower to draw the second air stream with a desired flow rate and a bypass channel to guide the second air stream to bypass the air processor under one or more pre-determined conditions. 7. The system claim 1 wherein the second heat exchanger comprises an evaporation cooling device using water as a work fluid. 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the desiccant material is a solid hygroscopic material selected from Silica gel, sodium (or potassium, or calcium) crystalline hydrated aluminosilicates, Activated Clay (Montmorillonite and Bentonite Clay). 9. The system of claim 1 wherein desiccant material is a liquid sorption material comprising water lithium chloride solution. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the air processor comprises a rotary wheel structure holding the desiccant material to continuously expose the desiccant material in the first pathway within a partial cycle and alternatively in the second pathway within another partial cycle. 11. The system of claim 1 wherein the first air outlet guides the fifth air stream to the interior space of the building for space heating and optionally redirected to an exhaust. 12. The system of claim 1 wherein the sixth air stream is guided to the second air outlet as a return air back to the interior space of building. 13. The system of claim 1 wherein the solar module includes any combination of photovoltaic panels, thermal solar panels, insulated glass panels, or heating pads. 14. The system of claim 1 further comprises a plurality of sensing devices configured to measure at least temperature and humidity in a vicinity thereof disposed at least at locations including the air collector, the first air inlet, the first air outlet, the second air inlet, the second air outlet, the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, front/back of the air processor. 15. The system of claim 14 further comprises a central controller configured to receive information from the plurality of sensing devices to generate input/feedback signals to control operations of the energy transfer module, the air conditioning module, and the air processor. 16. A system for utilizing solar energy for integrated building utility supply, the system comprising: A solar module mounted over a roof of a building;an air plenum associated with the solar module for collecting ambient air from external space of the building;an energy transfer module comprising a first air inlet, an air filter, a heat exchanger, a blower, a desiccant medium, and a first air outlet being disposed along a first channel structure, the first air inlet connecting the air plenum for the blower to draw a first airflow of the ambient air from the air plenum carried an amount of thermal energy generated by the solar module, the heat exchanger being configured to utilize a portion of the amount of thermal energy to form a second airflow, the desiccant medium being configured to utilize at least partially a remaining portion of the amount of thermal energy in the second airflow;an air conditioning module comprising a second air inlet, the desiccant medium, an evaporative cooler, and a second air outlet being disposed along a second channel structure, the second air inlet being coupled to internal space of the building for drawing a third airflow, the desiccant medium being configured to process the third airflow for the evaporative cooler;a rotary device configured to continuously exposing a portion of the desiccant medium in the second channel structure and a remaining portion of the desiccant medium in the first channel structure in a periodic cycle; anda controller coupled to the energy transfer module, the air conditioning module, and the rotary device for controlling integrated utility supply of the building. 17. The system of claim 16 wherein the solar module includes a combination of one or more photovoltaic panels for generating electricity (and extra thermal energy) and a one or more thermal solar panels for generating thermal energy from sun light. 18. The system of claim 16 wherein the air plenum comprises a space volume including a bottom surface of the solar module and an entry opening for collecting ambient air to pass by the bottom surface and carry at least partial thermal energy generated by the solar module. 19. The system of claim 16 wherein the heat exchanger comprises a heat reclamation coil made from aluminum finned copper tubing including an inlet port and an outlet port respectively connected to a water tank. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein the heat reclamation coil utilizes the portion of the amount of thermal energy in the first airflow at least partially determined by a flow rate set for the blower to heat the water within the copper tubing for supplying hot-water to the building. 21. The system of claim 16 wherein the desiccant medium comprises a solid hygroscopic material. 22. The system of claim 16 wherein the portion of the desiccant medium exposed in the second channel structure within the periodic cycle continuously absorbs moisture at least partially from the third airflow to form a fourth airflow with a substantially lower humidity than the third airflow. 23. The system of claim 22 wherein the evaporative cooler processes the fourth airflow by vaporizing a water coolant to form a fifth airflow having a lower temperature than the fourth airflow, the fifth airflow being guided by the second air outlet back to internal space of the building as a re-conditioned air. 24. The system of claim 22 wherein the remaining portion of the desiccant medium exposed in the first channel structure within the periodic cycle continuously releases the moisture by utilizing at least partially the remaining portion of the amount of thermal energy in the second airflow to form a sixth airflow. 25. The system of claim 24 wherein the sixth airflow is guided by the first air outlet to an exhaust of the building and optionally to the internal space of the building for space heating. 26. The system of claim 16 further comprising a plurality of sensing devices for collecting information associated with ambient weather and building utility conditions for the controller. 27. The system of claim 26 wherein the controller comprises a thermostat configured to use the information from the plurality of sensing devices to generate at least a first control signal for operating the blower to set a flow rate and a flow direction for the first airflow, a second control signal for operating the rotary device to set a cycling rate of the desiccant medium between the first channel structure and the second channel structure, a third control signal for operating the evaporative cooler based on predetermined internal temperature and humidity settings. 28. The system of claim 16 wherein the air conditioning module further comprises a blower to draw the third airflow and a bypass channel for the third airflow to optionally skip the desiccant medium to the evaporative cooler directly depending on internal air conditions. 29. The system of claim 16 wherein the energy transfer module further comprises a third air inlet disposed in a vicinity of the first air outlet for building ventilation by reversely driving the blower to draw the first airflow in a reversed direction.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (8)
Rush William F. (Park Ridge IL) Wurm Jaroslav (N. Riverside IL) Dufour Raymond J. (Wheaton IL), Air conditioning apparatus and method.
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