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An air conditioning system includes a housing defining a first airflow path therein between an outside air inlet over a cooling coil and an outlet for delivering outside air from the outside air inlet over the coil to the outlet, a second airflow path between a return air inlet over the cooling coil

An air conditioning system includes a housing defining a first airflow path therein between an outside air inlet over a cooling coil and an outlet for delivering outside air from the outside air inlet over the coil to the outlet, a second airflow path between a return air inlet over the cooling coil and to the outlet for delivering return air over the cooling coil, and a third airflow path between the return air inlet and the outlet for delivering return air through the housing without passing over the cooling coil. The system includes outside, return, and bypass air dampers that are sequentially moveable between open and closed positions for directing air through or preventing air from entering the first, second, and third airflow paths, respectively. A controller independently controls the opening and closing of each damper in response to data received from the sensor.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An air conditioning system for dehumidifying and cooling air, and circulating said air through an interior space defined by a structure, the system comprising: a housing defining a chamber, the housing further defining an outside air inlet for receiving outside air into said chamber, a return air

1. An air conditioning system for dehumidifying and cooling air, and circulating said air through an interior space defined by a structure, the system comprising: a housing defining a chamber, the housing further defining an outside air inlet for receiving outside air into said chamber, a return air inlet for receiving return air from said interior space into said chamber, and an outlet for delivering air from the chamber to said interior space;a cooling and dehumidifying coil located in the chamber;said housing defining a first airflow path therein communicating between said outside air inlet over said coil and to said outlet for delivering outside air from said outside air inlet over said coil to said interior space, said system further defining a second airflow path between said return air inlet over said coil and to said outlet for delivering return air from said interior space over said coil to said interior space;said housing further defining a third airflow path between said return air inlet and said outlet for delivering return air through said chamber to said interior space without passing over said coil;a sensor located in said interior space for measuring a humidity level in said interior space;an outside air damper sequentially moveable between an open position permitting outside air to flow through said first airflow path and a closed position where the outside air inlet is closed;a return air damper sequentially moveable between an open position permitting return air to flow through said second airflow path, and a closed position where the return air is prevented from flowing through said second airflow path and over said coil;a bypass air damper sequentially moveable between a closed position permitting return air to flow to said second airflow path, and an open position where the return air flows through the third airflow path and toward said return air damper; anda controller configured to: independently control the opening and closing of the outside air damper, the return air damper and the bypass air damper through intermediate positions between the open and closed positions in response to data received from said sensor;reposition the bypass air damper into an intermediate position closer to the open position in response to a dew s point measurement measuring greater than a predetermined dew point range to increase the amount of return air traveling through the third airflow path bypassing the cooling coil, andreposition the return air damper into an intermediate position closer to the closed position in response to a dew point measurement measuring greater than a predetermined dew point range to decrease the amount of return air traveling through the second airflow path across the cooling coil. 2. The air conditioning system of claim 1, further comprising a fan for circulating air through said first, second, and third airflow paths. 3. The air conditioning system of claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises a dew point temperature sensor located in said interior space for measuring a dew point temperature level in said interior space, and wherein the controller is further configured to independently control the opening and closing of the outside air damper, the return air damper and the bypass damper through intermediate positions between the open and closed positions in response to data received from said dew point temperature sensor. 4. The air conditioning system of claim 3, further comprising a cooling compressor in fluid connection with the cooling coil, the cooling compressor configured to supply a flow of coolant through the cooling coil, the cooling compressor being at a coolant suction pressure determined by the compressor capacity output, wherein the controller is further configured to independently control the compressor capacity output in response to data received from said sensor. 5. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to reposition the bypass air damper towards the closed position to decrease the amount of return air traveling through the third airflow path bypassing the cooling coil, the bypass air damper being repositioned in response to a dew point measurement measuring less than a predetermined dew point range or a temperature measurement measuring greater than a predetermined temperature range. 6. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to reposition the return air damper towards the open position to increase the amount of return air traveling through the second airflow path across the cooling coil, the return air damper being repositioned in response to a dew point measurement measuring less than a predetermined dew point range or a temperature measurement measuring greater than a predetermined temperature range. 7. The air conditioning system of claim 4, further comprising a suction pressure sensor located in fluid connection with the cooling coil and the cooling compressor for measuring the coolant suction pressure, wherein the controller is further configured to independently control the opening and closing of the outside air damper, the return air damper and the bypass damper through intermediate positions between the open and closed positions in response to data received from said suction pressure sensor. 8. The air conditioning system of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to independently control the cooling compressor to increase the coolant suction pressure in response to the dew point or temperature measurement measuring less than a predetermined dew point or temperature range. 9. The air conditioning system of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to independently control the cooling compressor to decrease the coolant suction pressure in response to a dew point or temperature measurement measuring greater than a predetermined dew point or temperature range. 10. The air conditioning system of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to independently reposition the bypass air damper prior to controlling the cooling compressor coolant suction pressure in order to maintain the dew point measurement within a predetermined dew point range. 11. The air conditioning system of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to independently reposition the return air damper prior to controlling the cooling compressor coolant suction pressure in order to maintain the dew point measurement within a predetermined dew point range. 12. The air conditioning system of claim 3 wherein the controller is further configured to independently reposition the bypass air damper, the return air damper, and the outdoor air damper in order to maintain the dew point measurement within a predetermined dew point range prior to repositioning the bypass air damper, the return air damper, and the outdoor air damper in order to maintain a temperature measurement within a predetermined temperature range. 13. The air conditioning system of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to reposition the bypass air damper towards the closed position in response to a temperature measurement measuring within a predetermined temperature range and the dew point measurement measuring within a predetermined dew point range. 14. The air conditioning system of claim 13 wherein the controller is further configured to reduce the coolant suction pressure below a predetermined coolant suction pressure threshold in response to the temperature measurement measuring within a predetermined temperature range and the dew point measurement measuring within a predetermined dew point range. 15. The air conditioning system of claim 4 wherein the controller is further configured to reposition the outdoor air damper towards the open position to increase the amount of outdoor air traveling through the first airflow path in response to the return air damper being opened to a predetermined position thereby maintaining a total volume of air traveling through the first airflow path and the second airflow path above a predetermined minimum system air flow volume. 16. The air conditioning system of claim 15 wherein as the return air damper closes, the velocity of the air entering the housing via the outdoor air damper increases, as the return air damper closes and the bypass air damper opens, the velocity of the air passing through a bypass area increases, and when the return air damper closes, the outdoor air damper closes from 3- 6%. 17. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein each of the bypass air damper, return air damper, and outdoor air damper is mounted to the housing through a respective damper gear, each damper gear being mechanically linked to a respective independent control gear, the controller being further configured to independently control the opening and closing of the outside air damper, the return air damper and the bypass damper through intermediate positions between the open and closed positions by positioning a motor driven actuator that is connected to-a respective independent gear assembly in response to data received from said sensor. 18. The air conditioning system of claim 1, further comprising a fan assembly comprising a rotational fan located within said housing downstream of said cooling coil, the fan assembly connected to the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to control rotation of the rotational fan to suck outside air through the first airflow path, return air through the second airflow path, and return air through the third airflow path. 19. A method of dehumidifying and cooling air from an interior space defined by a structure with a dual path air conditioning system, the system comprising: a housing defining a chamber, the housing further defining an outside air inlet, a return air inlet, and an outlet;a cooling coil located in the chamber;said housing defining a first airflow path therein communicating between said outside air inlet over said coil and said outlet, said system further defining a second airflow path between said return air inlet over said coil and to said outlet;said housing further defining a third airflow path between said return air inlet and said outlet;a sensor located in said interior space;an outside air damper sequentially moveable between an open position directing outside air to flow through said first airflow path and a closed position where the outside air inlet is closed;a return air damper sequentially moveable between an open position permitting return air to flow through said second airflow path, and a closed position where the return air is prevented from flowing through said second airflow path and over said coil;a bypass air damper sequentially moveable between a closed position directing return air to flow to said second airflow path, and an open position where the return air flows through both the second and third airflow paths; anda controller configured to independently control opening and closing of the outside air damper, the return air damper and the bypass damper through intermediate positions between the open and closed positions, the controller in communication with the sensor;the method comprising:the outside air inlet receiving outside air into said first airflow path, the first airflow path delivering the outside air over said coil to said outlet;the return air inlet receiving return air into said second airflow path, the second airflow path delivering the return air over said coil to said outlet;the return air inlet receiving return air into said third airflow path, the third airflow path delivering the return air through said chamber to said outlet without passing over said coil;the outlet delivering air from the chamber to said interior space;the sensor measuring a humidity level in said interior space and communicating the humidity level measurement to the controller wherein humidity level is used in conjunction with a temperature measurement to calculate dew point;the controller independently controlling the opening and closing of the outside air damper, the return air damper, and the bypass air damper through intermediate positions between open and closed positions in response to the calculated dew point;the controller repositioning the bypass air damper into an intermediate position closer to the open position in response to a dew point measurement measuring greater than a predetermined dew point range to increase the amount of return air traveling through the third airflow path bypassing the cooling coil; andthe controller repositioning the return air damper into an intermediate position closer to the closed position in response to a dew point measurement measuring greater than a predetermined dew point range to decrease the amount of return air traveling through the second airflow path across the cooling coil. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the dual path air conditioning system further comprises: a temperature sensor located in said interior space, the temperature sensor in communication with the controller; anda cooling compressor in fluid connection with the cooling coil;the method further comprising the steps of:the temperature sensor measuring a temperature level in said interior space and communicating the temperature level measurement to the controller, the temperature level being at least one of a dry bulb temperature or a dew point temperature;the cooling compressor supplying a flow of coolant through the cooling coil, the cooling compressor being at a coolant suction pressure determined by the compressor capacity output;the controller independently controlling the compressor capacity output in response to the calculated dew point; andthe controller independently controlling the opening and closing of the outside air damper, the return air damper and the bypass damper through intermediate positions between the open and closed positions further in response to the temperature level measurement.