U.S. patent application number 11/657444 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-09 for conditioning device of the free cooling type.
This patent application is currently assigned to EMERSON NETWORK POWER S.R.L.. Invention is credited to Maristella Bregantin, Marco Lazzarato, Moreno Lazzarato.
Application Number | 20070180848 11/657444 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38016553 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070180848 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lazzarato; Moreno ; et
al. |
August 9, 2007 |
Conditioning device of the free cooling type
Abstract
A free cooling conditioning device for climate controlling of an
enclosed space comprising, inside a box-like containment body, a
first main fan for aspirating air from the enclosed/outside space,
an evaporator, to which the first fan sends aspirated air to
introduce it in the enclosed space, a condenser associated with the
evaporator, a second fan for air flow over the condenser, a
compressor, associated with the condenser and the evaporator to
form a refrigeration circuit for aspirated air cooling, a first
shutter, upstream of the first fan, for selecting the air stream
aspirated by the first fan, from either ambient air, for a
direct-cooling conditioning, or external air for free cooling
conditioning, and a second shutter for redirecting the air stream
in output from the enclosed space either toward the second fan, in
the second free cooling mode, or toward the first shutter, at least
partly open toward the first fan, for aspiration of ambient air, in
the cooling mode.
Inventors: |
Lazzarato; Moreno; (Brugine,
IT) ; Bregantin; Maristella; (Brugine, IT) ;
Lazzarato; Marco; (Brugine, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MODIANO & ASSOCIATI
Via Meravigli, 16
MILAN
20123
omitted
|
Assignee: |
EMERSON NETWORK POWER
S.R.L.
|
Family ID: |
38016553 |
Appl. No.: |
11/657444 |
Filed: |
January 25, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/408 ; 62/419;
62/426; 62/428 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02B 30/542 20130101;
F24F 1/027 20130101; F24F 2011/0006 20130101; F24F 12/00 20130101;
Y02B 30/54 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/408 ; 62/426;
62/428; 62/419 |
International
Class: |
F25D 17/04 20060101
F25D017/04; F25D 17/06 20060101 F25D017/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 7, 2006 |
IT |
PD2006U000015 |
Claims
1. A free cooling conditioning device for climate-controlling of an
enclosed space comprising a box-like containment body and
thereinside: a first main fan for aspirating air from an enclosed
or outside space; an evaporator, to which said first fan sends
aspirated air in order to introduce the aspirated air in the
enclosed space to be climate-controlled; a condenser operatively
connected with said evaporator; a second fan for air flow passing
over said condenser; a compressor, which is operatively connected
with said condenser and said evaporator to form a refrigeration
circuit for cooling aspirated air; and comprising a first shutter,
provided upstream of said first fan, for selecting a stream of air
aspirated by said first fan, from either ambient air, for a first
direct-cooling conditioning mode, or external air for a second free
cooling conditioning mode; and a second shutter, which is adapted
to redirect air stream in output from said enclosed space either
toward said second fan, when the device operates in the second free
cooling mode, or toward said first shutter, which is at least
partly open toward said first fan, for aspiration, at least partly,
by said first fan of ambient air, in the first direct-cooling mode
with ambient air recirculation.
2. The conditioning device of claim 1, wherein said first shutter
is a basket shutter, being constituted by a first basket, by at
least one complementarily shaped second basket which is inserted
inside said first basket and by rotation means, said first basket
being open onto the first fan and being provided with first front
ports on a bottom thereof and second lateral ports on a lateral
surface thereof, said at least one second internal basket being
adapted to form flow control means for flow control of the first
shutter, being connected to said rotation means for rotating with
respect to the first basket and being shaped so as to have bottom
and lateral surface portions thereof which alternately block the
first front ports and the second lateral ports.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein said first shutter is constituted
by two baskets, with a second basket thereof being selectively
actuatable so as to be located in a position such as to provide one
among the following three configurations: a first configuration, in
which the first ports are closed and the second ports are open; a
second configuration, in which the first ports are open and the
second ports are closed; a third configuration, in which the first
ports and the second ports are partially open, said first
configuration allowing operation of the device in the first cooling
mode with ambient air recirculation and active refrigeration
circuit, said second configuration allowing operation of the device
in the second free cooling mode, connecting the outside space to
said first fan.
4. The device of claim 2, comprising a first outflow port for
outflow of air from the enclosed space and a redirection wall
arranged in front of the first port, said second shutter being
formed by a louver which is arranged so as to open/close a
corresponding opening which is formed in said redirection wall.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein said redirection wall is inclined
so that when said opening is closed, air is redirected toward the
first shutter and toward the first fan, whereas when the louver is
open internal air can pass through said opening toward the outside
space through said second fan.
6. The device of claim 5, comprising an electronic control unit and
electromechanical movement means, said louver being actuated by
said electromechanical movement means, which are actuated by said
electronic control unit which also manages said first shutter and
said two fans.
7. The device of claim 6, operatable selectively in one of three
modes: a first direct-cooling conditioning mode; a second free
cooling conditioning mode; a third forced free cooling conditioning
mode.
8. The device of claim 7, comprising a second emission port for
emission into environment, the refrigeration circuit being active
in said first direct-cooling conditioning mode, and the first
shutter being in said first configuration, in which the first ports
are closed and the second ports are open, and the first fan drawing
air from the enclosed space through the first port; the second
shutter being closed, and the air aspirated by the first port being
redirected entirely toward the first fan and from there toward the
evaporator, from which cooled air then is allowed to reach the
enclosed space through said second port; the refrigeration circuit
being active, and so being the second fan, which forces air flow
from the outside space to outside space over said condenser.
9. The device of claim 7, comprising a third port which is open
onto the outside, in said second free cooling conditioning mode,
with the refrigeration circuit off, the first shutter being in the
second configuration, in which the first ports are open and the
second ports are closed, and the first fan aspirates air from the
outside space through said third port, the second shutter being
open and air rising from the first port and being redirected
entirely toward the second fan, which is inactive and to so arrive
in the outside space.
10. The device of claim 7, having said third forced free cooling
conditioning mode in which: the first shutter is in the second
configuration, in which the first ports are open and the second
ports are closed, and the first fan aspirates air from the outside
through the third port which is open onto the outside; the second
shutter is open, and the air rises through the first port toward
the second fan, which is active and by means of which it is forced
outside; the refrigeration circuit is off.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein said opening is suitable, in
said third mode, to connect the first port, for outflow of the air
from the enclosed space, to the second fan, whereby an efficiency
and effectiveness increase of the free cooling operating mode and
of air rate replacement in the enclosed space are achieved.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a conditioning device of
the free cooling type.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Air conditioning devices provided with the option known as
"free cooling" are currently known in the field of climate control
of enclosed spaces ranging from industrial facilities to telephone
exchanges to offices to private dwellings and the like.
[0003] The free cooling option is based on the ability of the
climate control unit to use, for the conditioning of an enclosed
space, air which arrives from outside when said air has an enthalpy
value which is higher than that of the air of the internal
space.
[0004] Free cooling allows considerable energy saving on the part
of the user as well as a healthier management of the air of the
internal space, which is replaced appropriately by activating free
cooling.
[0005] Known types of free cooling conditioning device are
generally installed externally or are wall-mounted with respect to
the walls which form the space to be climate-controlled.
[0006] These known conditioning devices are constituted generally
by a box-like body which contains: [0007] a first main fan for
aspirating air from the enclosed space or from outside; [0008] a
shutter, arranged upstream of the first fan, for selecting the air
stream aspirated by the first fan: ambient air for a first
direct-cooling conditioning mode or external air for a second free
cooling conditioning mode; [0009] an evaporator, to which the first
fan sends the aspirated air to introduce it in the enclosed space
to be climate-controlled; [0010] a condenser associated with said
evaporator; [0011] a second fan for the flow of air over said
condenser; [0012] a compressor which is associated with the
condenser and the evaporator so as to form a refrigeration circuit
for cooling the aspirated air.
[0013] In the first conditioning mode, the refrigeration circuit is
active, the shutter closes a first port for aspirating air from
outside and opens a second port for aspirating air from the
enclosed space, forming a first intake channel which connects said
second port to the first fan, from which the air reaches the
evaporator and from there returns to the space to be
climate-controlled.
[0014] At the same time, the second fan also is active and
aspirates air from outside in order to send it to the condenser of
the refrigeration circuit.
[0015] The transition from this first mode to the second free
cooling operating mode occurs by tilting the shutter, which is
arranged in a second configuration which is adapted to close the
first intake channel between the second port, which is open onto
the inside environment, and the first fan, and to open a second
channel between a third port, which is open onto the outside, and
the first fan, and a third channel between the second port and a
fourth port, which also is open onto the outside.
[0016] In this second operating mode, the second fan is off, the
refrigeration circuit is inactive, warm air flows from the internal
environment outward through the third channel, and the fan
aspirates cool air from the outside in order to introduce it into
the environment by means of the second channel.
[0017] Although these known conditioning devices are highly
appreciated because of the saving on consumption that they can
achieve, together with the quality of their climate control, in the
free cooling operating mode they typically have a certain slowness
in the outflow of warm air inside the enclosed space, due both to
the relatively convoluted path that said warm air must follow to
arrive outside and because it is pushed outward only by the
pressure determined by the inflow of the air from the outside by
means of the first fan and by its natural rise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The aim of the present invention is to provide a
conditioning device of the free cooling type which is capable of
obviating the drawbacks revealed by known types.
[0019] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to
provide a conditioning device which is capable of increasing the
efficiency and effectiveness of the free cooling operating
mode.
[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
conditioning device which is not less compact than known types of
device.
[0021] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
conditioning device of the free cooling type which can be
manufactured cheaply with known systems and technologies.
[0022] This aim and these and other objects, which will become
better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a conditioning device
of the free cooling type, which comprises, inside a box-like
containment body: [0023] a first main fan for aspirating air from
the enclosed space or from the outside; [0024] at least one
shutter, upstream of the first fan, for selecting the air stream
aspirated by the first fan: either ambient air for a first
direct-cooling conditioning mode or external air for a second free
cooling conditioning mode; [0025] an evaporator, to which the first
fan sends the aspirated air in order to introduce it in the
enclosed space to be climate-controlled; [0026] a condenser
associated with said evaporator; [0027] a second fan for the flow
of air over said condenser; [0028] a compressor, which is
associated with the condenser and the evaporator to form a
refrigeration circuit for cooling the aspirated air;
[0029] said device being characterized in that it has a first
shutter, upstream of the first fan, for selecting the stream of air
aspirated by the first fan, either ambient air, for a first
direct-cooling conditioning mode, or external air for a second free
cooling conditioning mode, and a second shutter, which is adapted
to redirect the stream of air in output from the enclosed space
either toward said second fan, when the device operates in the
second free cooling mode, or toward said first shutter, which is at
least partly open toward the first fan, for the aspiration on the
part of said first fan at least partly of ambient air, in the first
cooling mode with ambient air recirculation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will
become better apparent from the following detailed description of a
preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated by way
of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional side view of a device
according to the invention in a first configuration for a first
operating mode;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional side view of a device
according to the invention in a second configuration for a second
operating mode;
[0033] FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional side view of a device
according to the invention in the same configuration as in FIG. 2,
for a third operating mode;
[0034] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device according to the
invention in the configuration of FIG. 3;
[0035] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a detail of a
device according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] With reference to the figures, a conditioning device of the
free cooling type according to the invention is generally
designated by the reference numeral 10.
[0037] The conditioning device 10 comprises, within a box-like
containment body 11: [0038] a first main fan 12 for aspirating air
from the enclosed space 13 or from the outside 14; [0039] at least
one shutter 15, upstream of the first fan 12, for selecting the air
stream aspirated by the first fan 12: either ambient air for a
first direct-cooling conditioning mode or external air for a second
free cooling conditioning mode; [0040] an evaporator 16, to which
the first fan 12 sends the aspirated air in order to introduce it
in the enclosed space 13 to be climate-controlled; [0041] a
condenser 17 associated or operatively connected with the
evaporator 16; [0042] a second fan 18 for passing the flow of air
over the condenser 17; [0043] a compressor 19, which is associated
or operatively connected (i.e. connected for controlled,
cooperating operation) with the condenser 17 and the evaporator 16
to form a refrigeration circuit for cooling the aspirated air;
[0044] and a second shutter 20, which is adapted to redirect the
stream of air in output from the enclosed space 13 either toward
the second fan 18, when the device 10 operates in the second free
cooling mode, or toward the first shutter 15, which is at least
partly open toward the first fan 12, for the aspiration on the part
of said first fan at least partly of ambient air, in the first
cooling mode with ambient air recirculation.
[0045] The first shutter 15 is of the type with baskets, shown
schematically in FIG. 5 and constituted by a first basket 21 and by
at least one complementarily shaped second basket 22 inserted
within it.
[0046] The first basket 21 opens onto the first fan 12 and is
provided with first front ports 21a on its bottom and second
lateral ports 21b on its lateral surface.
[0047] The second basket 22, which is internal and is a single one
in the embodiment of the invention described here, forms the flow
control means of the first shutter 15, by being connected to
rotation means for rotation with respect to the first basket 21 and
by being contoured so that portions of its bottom and its lateral
surface alternately block the first front ports 21a and the second
lateral ports 21b; the second basket 22 can be actuated so as to
provide selectively one of the following three configurations:
[0048] a first configuration, in which the first ports 21a are
closed and the second ports 21b are open; [0049] a second
configuration, in which the first ports 21a are open and the second
ports 21b are closed; [0050] a third configuration, in which the
first ports 21a and the second ports 21b are partially open.
[0051] The first configuration allows the operation of the device
10 in the first mode for cooling with ambient air recirculation and
active refrigeration circuit.
[0052] The second configuration is designed for the operation of
the device 10 in the second free cooling mode, by connecting the
outside to the first fan 12.
[0053] The second shutter 20 is provided by a louver 23, which is
arranged so as to open/close a corresponding opening 24 which is
formed on a redirection wall 25 which is arranged in front of a
first port 26 for the outflow of air from the enclosed space
13.
[0054] The redirection wall 25 is inclined so that when the opening
24 is closed the air is redirected toward the first shutter 15 and
the first fan 12, as shown by way of example in FIG. 1.
[0055] If the louver 23 is open, the internal air can pass through
the opening 24 and flow out through the second fan 18.
[0056] The louver 23 is actuated by electromechanical movement
means, not shown for the sake of simplicity, which are actuated by
an electronic control unit, which also manages the first shutter 15
and the two fans 12 and 18.
[0057] The device 10 according to the invention is therefore
capable of operating in three modes.
[0058] In a first mode, for direct-cooling conditioning, i.e., with
the refrigeration circuit active: [0059] the first shutter 15 is in
the first configuration, in which the first ports 21a are closed
and the second ports 21b are open (FIG. 1), and the first fan 12
draws air from the enclosed space 13 through the first port 26;
[0060] the second shutter 20 is closed, and the air aspirated by
the first port 26 is redirected entirely toward the first fan 12
and from there toward the evaporator 16, from which the cooled air
then reaches the enclosed space 13 by means of a second port 28 for
emission into the environment; [0061] the refrigeration circuit is
active, and so is the second fan 18, which forces the flow of air
from outside to outside over the condenser 17.
[0062] In a second mode for free cooling conditioning, i.e., with
the refrigeration circuit off: [0063] the first shutter 15 is in
the second configuration, in which the first ports 21a are open and
the second ports 21b are closed, and the first fan 12 aspirates air
from the outside 14 through a third port 29, which is open onto the
outside; [0064] the second shutter 20 is open and the air rises
from the first port 26 and is redirected entirely toward the second
fan 18, which is inactive and by means of which it arrives outside;
[0065] the refrigeration circuit is off, and so is the second fan
18, as mentioned.
[0066] In a third mode for forced free cooling conditioning: [0067]
the first shutter 15 is in the second configuration, in which the
first ports 21a are open and the second ports 21b are closed, and
the first fan 12 aspirates air from the outside 14 through the
third port 29 which is open onto the outside; [0068] the second
shutter 20 is open, and the air rises through the first port 26
toward the second fan 18, which is active and by means of which it
is forced outside; [0069] the refrigeration circuit is off, but the
second fan 18 is active.
[0070] This third mode therefore allows to obviate the drawback of
known types of device, since thanks to the opening 24 which
connects the first port 26 (for the outflow of the air from the
enclosed space 13) to the second fan 18, it is able to increase the
efficiency and effectiveness of the free cooling operating mode,
simply by activating the second fan 18 with the refrigeration
circuit off.
[0071] In this third mode, the second fan 18 is adapted to aspirate
air from the enclosed space 13, accelerating its replacement.
[0072] This is allowed by the particular structure of the device 10
according to the invention, which differently from known types of
device has the port for the outflow of air from the enclosed space,
i.e., the first port 26, connected by means of the second shutter
20 to the air passage chamber to which both the condenser 17 and
the second fan 18 lead.
[0073] In practice it has been found that the invention thus
described solves the problems noted in known types of free cooling
conditioning device.
[0074] In particular, the present invention provides a conditioning
device which is capable of increasing the efficiency and
effectiveness of the free cooling operating mode with respect to
known devices.
[0075] Moreover, the present invention provides a conditioning
device which is not less compact than known types of device.
[0076] Moreover, the present invention provides a conditioning
device of the free cooling type which can be manufactured cheaply
with known systems and technologies.
[0077] In practice, the materials employed, so long as they are
compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions, may be
any according to requirements and to the state of the art.
[0078] The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No.
PD2006U000015 from which this application claims priority are
incorporated herein by reference.
* * * * *