U.S. patent application number 15/187284 was filed with the patent office on 2016-12-15 for air handling system with integrated air treatment.
This patent application is currently assigned to EnVerid Systems, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is EnVerid Systems, Inc.. Invention is credited to Israel BIRAN, Udi MEIRAV.
Application Number | 20160363333 15/187284 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50342012 |
Filed Date | 2016-12-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160363333 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MEIRAV; Udi ; et
al. |
December 15, 2016 |
AIR HANDLING SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED AIR TREATMENT
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and
systems of circulating air in an enclosed environment. In such
embodiments, the system may comprise an air handling unit (AHU),
the AHU including an indoor air inlet to receive an indoor airflow
from the enclosed environment and an indoor air outlet to expel the
indoor airflow, a conditioning element arranged between the inlet
and the outlet configured to at least heat or cool the indoor
airflow as it flows thereover, one or more fan units arranged
between the inlet and the outlet configured to provide velocity to
the indoor airflow, and an air treatment assembly (ATA) arranged
within or proximate the AHU, the ATA including an air inlet
configured to receive a portion of the indoor airflow received by
the AHU indoor air inlet.
Inventors: |
MEIRAV; Udi; (Newton,
MA) ; BIRAN; Israel; (Avihayil, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
EnVerid Systems, Inc. |
Needham |
MA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
EnVerid Systems, Inc.
Needham
MA
|
Family ID: |
50342012 |
Appl. No.: |
15/187284 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14430863 |
Mar 24, 2015 |
9399187 |
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PCT/US2013/061422 |
Sep 24, 2013 |
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15187284 |
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61704831 |
Sep 24, 2012 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 2253/11 20130101;
F24F 2221/34 20130101; F24F 3/0442 20130101; F24F 13/00 20130101;
B01D 2253/25 20130101; B01D 2257/504 20130101; Y02C 20/40 20200801;
B01D 2257/302 20130101; B01D 2253/20 20130101; B01D 2257/404
20130101; F24F 2011/0002 20130101; F24F 11/30 20180101; F24F
2203/02 20130101; B01D 53/0462 20130101; B01D 2259/4508 20130101;
F24F 2110/50 20180101; F24F 3/16 20130101; B01D 2257/502 20130101;
F24F 7/065 20130101; B01D 2257/93 20130101; B01D 2257/708
20130101 |
International
Class: |
F24F 3/16 20060101
F24F003/16; F24F 3/044 20060101 F24F003/044; F24F 7/06 20060101
F24F007/06; B01D 53/04 20060101 B01D053/04; F24F 11/00 20060101
F24F011/00 |
Claims
1. An air management system for circulating air in an enclosed
environment, comprising: an air handling unit (AHU), the AHU
including an indoor air inlet to receive an indoor airflow from the
enclosed environment and an indoor air outlet to expel the indoor
airflow; a conditioning element arranged between the inlet and the
outlet configured to at least heat or cool the indoor airflow as it
flows thereover; an air treatment assembly (ATA) arranged within or
proximate the AHU, the ATA including an air inlet configured to
receive a portion of the indoor airflow received by the AHU indoor
air inlet, a regenerable adsorbent material configured to treat the
received indoor airflow by adsorbing at least one gaseous
contaminant contained in the received indoor airflow, and an outlet
for expelling the air treated by the adsorbent material hack into
the AHU.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ATA includes an
outdoor air inlet and an outdoor air outlet.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the AHU includes an
outdoor air inlet.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ATA inlet and ATA
outlet are arranged downstream from the conditioning element.
5-14. (canceled)
15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the AHU includes a
first housing and the ATA includes a second housing.
16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the second housing is
arranged within the first housing.
17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the second housing is
arranged outside the first housing.
18. A system according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent material
is contained within a cartridge configured to be removable from the
ATA.
19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ATA includes a
purging airflow inlet configured to direct a purging airflow over
and/or through the adsorbent material to release the at least one
gaseous contaminant previously adsorbed by the adsorbent material
to regenerate the adsorbent material.
20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the purging airflow
comprises outdoor air.
21. The system according to claim 19, wherein the purging airflow
is either directly or indirectly heated by at least one of a heat
pump, a gas furnace, solar heat, an electrical coil, and hot
water.
22. The system according to claim 19, wherein the AHU comprises a
condenser and the purging airflow is either directly or indirectly
heated by the condenser.
23. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
gaseous contaminant is selected from the group consisting of:
carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, sulfur oxides, radon,
nitrous oxides and carbon monoxide.
24. The system according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent material
comprises at least one of: activated carbon, carbon particles,
solid supported amine, molecular sieves, porous silica, porous
alumina, carbon fibers, metal organic frameworks, porous polymers
and polymer fibers.
25. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a central
air conditioning system (CACS) having a heat pump or compressor,
wherein the Mill comprises a part of the CACS.
26. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a
controller, the controller configured to control the operation of
the system between at least a scrubbing mode, wherein the at least
one gaseous contaminant contained within the indoor airflow is
adsorbed by the adsorbent material, and a regeneration mode,
wherein a purging airflow is directed over and/or through the
adsorbent material to release the at least one gaseous contaminant
previously adsorbed by the adsorbent material.
27. The system according to claim 26, further comprising computer
instructions operational on the controller to cause the controller
to control operation of at least the scrubbing mode and the
regeneration mode.
28-29. (canceled)
30. A method for circulating air in an enclosed environment,
comprising: providing an air management system fix circulating air
in the enclosed environment, the system comprising: an air handling
unit (AHU), the AHU including an indoor air inlet to receive an
indoor airflow from the enclosed environment and an indoor air
outlet to expel the indoor airflow; a conditioning element arranged
between the inlet and the outlet configured to at least heat or
cool the indoor airflow as it flows thereover; and an air treatment
assembly (ATA) arranged within or proximate the AHU, the ATA
including an air inlet configured to receive a portion of the
indoor airflow, a regenerable adsorbent material configured to
treat the received indoor airflow by adsorbing at least one gaseous
contaminant contained in the received indoor airflow, and an outlet
for expelling the received indoor airflow treated by the adsorbent
material; and directing the indoor airflow to the indoor air inlet
of the AHU; cooling the indoor airflow by directing the indoor
airflow to flow from the inlet of the AHU, over the conditioning
element; during a scrubbing cycle, receiving a portion of the
cooled indoor airflow received by the indoor air inlet of the ABU
and directing the received indoor airflow to the inlet of the ATA;
flowing the received indoor airflow over and/or through the
adsorbent material to adsorb the at least one gaseous contaminant;
directing the treated received indoor airflow to the outlet of the
ATA; cooling the indoor airflow again by directing the indoor
airflow to flow from the outlet of the ATA over the conditioning
element; during a regeneration cycle, directing a purging airflow
to the ATA; and flowing the purging airflow over and/or through the
adsorbent material to release the at least one gaseous contaminant
previously adsorbed by the adsorbent material, so as to regenerate
the adsorbent material.
31. An air management system for circulating air in an enclosed
environment, comprising: an air handling unit (AHU), the AHU
including an indoor air inlet to receive an indoor airflow from the
enclosed environment and an indoor air outlet to expel the indoor
airflow; a conditioning element arranged between the inlet and the
outlet configured to at least heat or cool the indoor airflow as it
flows thereover, one or more fan units arranged between the inlet
and the outlet configured to provide velocity to the indoor
airflow; and an air treatment assembly (ATA) arranged within or
proximate the AHU, the ATA including an air inlet configured to
receive a portion of the indoor airflow received by the AHU indoor
air inlet, a regenerable adsorbent material configured to treat the
received indoor airflow by adsorbing at least one gaseous
contaminant contained in the received indoor airflow, and an outlet
for expelling the air treated by the adsorbent material back into
the AHU, wherein the ATA includes a purging airflow inlet
configured to direct a purging airflow over and/or through the
adsorbent material to release the at least one gaseous contaminant
previously adsorbed by the adsorbent material to regenerate the
adsorbent material.
32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the adsorbent
material is contained within a cartridge configured to be removable
from the ATA.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 14/430,863, filed Mar. 24, 2015, entitled "Air
Handling System With Integrated Air Treatment," which in turn is a
35 U.S.C. .sctn.371 national stage entry of PCT/US2013/061422,
which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
61/704,831, filed Sep. 24, 2012, entitled "Air Handling Systems
with Integrated Air Treatment Systems." All the aforementioned
disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their
entireties.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to
air management systems and particularly to air management systems
integrating air treatment assemblies and systems and corresponding
methods thereof.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Air management systems including Heating, Ventilation and
Air-Conditioning ("HVAC") are common in modern enclosed spaces,
such as inter alia a building, vehicle or vessel. One of the goals
of HVAC systems is to provide a comfortable and healthy environment
for the enclosed space occupants, in terms of temperature,
humidity, composition and cleanliness of the indoor air.
Additionally, HVAC systems allow control of the substance
concentration for maintaining the indoor air at a desired degree,
thereby ensuring good air quality.
[0004] Air management systems typically comprise Air Handling Units
(AHU). The AHU supplies conditioned air to various locations in the
enclosed space, using fans and dampers to manage airflow while
bringing the air into contact with coils, screens, and other media.
Some air handling systems are supplied with chilled or warmed fluid
from a separate, possibly remote chiller or heater, whereas some
air handling units or handlers are integrated with a dedicated
chiller or heater; the latter are sometimes referred to as
"packaged units" (PU). In most HVAC installations, air circulates
in the enclosed space, in other words conditioned air ("supply
air", or SA) is delivered to the enclosed space from one or more
AHUs, typically through a network of ducts or conduits, and indoor,
return air (RA) also flows back from the enclosed space to the AHU
through separate ducts or channels, where it is reconditioned and
circulate back to the enclosed space.
[0005] Indoor air within and around enclosed spaces is affected by
a plurality of substances, comprising contaminants or pollutants.
Among these contaminants are gaseous contaminants, such as carbon
dioxide (CO.sub.2), carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, sulfur oxides
and radon and other inorganic gases as well as a broad class of
organic gases and vapors, referred to as Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs). Particles and microorganisms also represent non-gaseous
contaminants that affect indoor air quality and should be filtered
or removed. These contaminants are often generated inside the
building by its occupants, systems and content. In order to
maintain good air quality, HVAC systems are typically configured to
replace indoor air with outdoor air or, alternatively, to allow the
air to flow through air scrubbers. Outdoor air may be air from out
of the enclosed space.
SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE
[0006] According to some embodiments in order to maintain good air
quality, HVAC systems are provided and configured to replace indoor
air with outdoor air or, alternatively, to allow the indoor air
(and/or outdoor air) to flow through air scrubbers to remove
contaminants. Outdoor air may comprise air from outside of the
enclosed space.
[0007] In some embodiments, adsorbent based scrubbers may be used
for extended periods of time to scrub indoor air by undergoing a
repeated cycle of adsorption and regeneration. This cycle may also
be referred to as a temperature-swing or concentration-swing
adsorption and regeneration cycle. Normally, once a sorbent, i.e.,
an adsorbent material, becomes saturated with contaminants, it
loses its adsorption capacity. Regeneration may be achieved under
appropriate conditions where the contaminants that have been
captured by the adsorbent material are released and purged,
allowing the adsorbent material to regain its adsorptive
properties. In some embodiments, in-situ regeneration, namely
without having to move the adsorbent material or parts of the
scrubber, can be facilitated by a combination of heat and a flow of
a relatively clean purging gas, which can be outdoor air, for
example.
[0008] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure,
systems that benefit from scrubbing indoor air may be achieved more
efficiently and economically by combining an Air Treatment assembly
(ATA) with the AHU as a single integrated product for efficient and
economical manufacturing and installation. The ATA provides
improved air quality by virtue of the elimination of unwanted
gases, like carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs). The advantages of the integrated configuration
and manufacture include, inter alia, reduction in size and cost,
simplified installation, utilization of shared components, and
greater energy efficiencies.
[0009] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and
methods are described for circulating air in an enclosed
environment (i.e., enclosed space), comprising an AHU, the AHU
includes an indoor air inlet to receive an indoor airflow from the
enclosed environment and an indoor air outlet to expel the indoor
airflow, a conditioning element arranged between the inlet and the
outlet configured to at least heat or cool the indoor airflow as it
flows thereover, one or more fan units arranged between the inlet
and the outlet configured to provide velocity to the indoor
airflow, and an ATA arranged within or proximate the AHU, the ATA
including an air inlet configured to receive a portion of the
indoor airflow received by the AHU indoor air inlet, a regenerable
adsorbent material configured to treat the received indoor airflow
by adsorbing at least one gaseous contaminant contained in the
received indoor airflow, and an outlet for expelling the air
treated by the adsorbent material back into the AHU.
[0010] In accordance with some embodiments, the ATA includes an
outdoor air inlet and an outdoor air outlet. The AHU may include an
outdoor air inlet. In accordance with some embodiments, the ATA
inlet and ATA outlet are arranged downstream from the conditioning
element. The one or more fans may be located downstream from the
conditioning element, the ATA inlet may be arranged downstream from
the AHU inlet, and the ATA outlet may be arranged downstream from
the ATA inlet and upstream from the conditioning element.
[0011] In accordance with some embodiments, the one or more fans
may be located downstream from the conditioning element, the ATA
inlet may be arranged downstream from the one or more fans, and the
ATA outlet may be arranged downstream from the ATA inlet.
[0012] In accordance with some embodiments, the one or more fans
may be located downstream from the conditioning element, the ATA
outlet may be arranged downstream from the AHU inlet and upstream
from the conditioning element, and the ATA inlet may be arranged
downstream from the ATA outlet and downstream from the one or more
fans.
[0013] In accordance with some embodiments, the one or more fans
may be located downstream from the conditioning element, the ATA
outlet may be arranged upstream from the conditioning element, and
the ATA inlet may be arranged downstream from the conditioning
element and upstream from the one or more fans.
[0014] In accordance with some embodiments, the conditioning
element may be configured to receive the indoor airflow for cooling
thereof prior to entering the ATA inlet.
[0015] The indoor air may flow through the conditioning element
prior to entering the ATA inlet and following exiting the ATA
outlet the indoor air flows again through the conditioning element.
The ATA inlet may be arranged upstream from the one or more
fans.
[0016] In accordance with some embodiments, the one or more fans
may be located downstream from the conditioning element, the ATA
outlet may be arranged upstream from the one or more fans and the
ATA inlet may be arranged downstream from the one or more fans.
[0017] In accordance with some embodiments, the one or more fan
units may be configured to direct indoor airflow into the ATA
without requiring a booster fan associated with the ATA.
[0018] In accordance with some embodiments, the one or more fans
may be located downstream from the conditioning element, the ATA
outlet may be arranged upstream from the conditioning element and
the ATA inlet may be arranged downstream from the one or more
fans.
[0019] In accordance with some embodiments, the AHU may include a
first housing and the ATA includes a second housing. The second
housing may be arranged within the first housing or the second
housing may be arranged outside the first housing.
[0020] In accordance with some embodiments, the adsorbent material
may be contained within a cartridge configured to be removable from
the ATA.
[0021] In accordance with some embodiments, a purging airflow may
be directed to the ATA to regenerate the adsorbent material.
[0022] In accordance with some embodiments, the ATA may include a
purging airflow inlet and a purging airflow outlet, configured to
direct a purging airflow over and/or through the adsorbent material
to release gaseous contaminants previously adsorbed by the
adsorbent material to regenerate the adsorbent material.
[0023] In accordance with some embodiments, the purging airflow
comprises outdoor air. The purging airflow may either directly or
indirectly be heated by at least one of, a heat pump, a gas
furnace, solar heat, an electrical coil, and hot water.
[0024] In accordance with some embodiments, the AHU may comprise a
condenser and the purging airflow is either directly or indirectly
heated by the condenser.
[0025] In accordance with some embodiments, the gaseous contaminant
comprises CO2 or VOCs.
[0026] In accordance with some embodiments, the adsorbent materials
comprises at least one of: activated carbon, carbon particles,
solid supported amine, molecular sieves, porous silica, porous
alumina, carbon fibers, metal organic frameworks, porous polymers
and polymer fibers.
[0027] In accordance with some embodiments, the system may further
comprise a central air conditioning system (CACS) having a heat
pump or compressor, wherein the AHU comprises a part of the
CACS.
[0028] In accordance with some embodiments, the system may further
comprise a controller, the controller may be configured to control
the operation of the system between at least a scrubbing mode,
wherein gaseous contaminants contained within the indoor airflow
are adsorbed by the adsorbent material, and a regeneration mode,
wherein a purging airflow is directed over and/or through the
adsorbent material to release gaseous contaminants previously
adsorbed by the adsorbent material.
[0029] In accordance with some embodiments, the system may further
comprise computer instructions operational on the controller to
cause the controller to control operation of at least the scrubbing
mode and the regeneration mode.
[0030] In some embodiments of the present disclosure methods are
described for circulating air in an enclosed environment,
comprising providing an air management system for circulating air
in an enclosed environment, the system comprising, the AHU, the AHU
including an indoor air inlet to receive an indoor airflow from the
enclosed environment and an indoor air outlet to expel the indoor
airflow, a conditioning element arranged between the inlet and the
outlet configured to at least heat or cool the indoor airflow as it
flows thereover, one or more fan units arranged between the inlet
and the outlet configured to provide velocity to the indoor
airflow; and an ATA arranged within or proximate the AHU, the ATA
including an air inlet configured to intercept a portion of the
indoor airflow received by the AHU indoor air inlet, a regenerable
adsorbent material configured to treat the intercepted indoor
airflow by adsorbing at least one gaseous contaminant contained in
the intercepted indoor airflow, and an outlet for expelling the
intercepted indoor airflow treated by the adsorbent material, and
directing an indoor airflow to the indoor air inlet of the AHU,
during a scrubbing cycle, receiving a portion of the indoor airflow
received by the indoor air inlet of the AHU and directing the
intercepted indoor airflow to the inlet of the ATA, flowing the
intercepted indoor airflow over and/or through the adsorbent
material to adsorb the at least one gaseous contaminant, directing
the treated intercepted indoor airflow to the outlet of the ATA,
during a regeneration cycle, directing a purging airflow to the
ATA, and flowing the purging airflow over and/or through the
adsorbent material to release the gaseous contaminant previously
adsorbed by the adsorbent material, so as to regenerate the
adsorbent material.
[0031] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a
non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon
computer instructions operational on a computer processor which
controls a system for performing a method for circulating and/or
scrubbing air in an enclosed environment, is provided. The method
comprises directing an indoor airflow to an indoor air inlet of an
AHU, the AHU including the indoor air inlet to receive an indoor
airflow from the enclosed environment and an indoor air outlet to
expel the indoor airflow, during a scrubbing cycle, intercepting a
portion of the indoor airflow received by the indoor air inlet of
the AHU and directing the intercepted indoor airflow to an air
inlet of an ATA arranged proximate the AHU, the ATA including the
air inlet configured to intercept a portion of the indoor airflow
received by the AHU indoor air inlet, a regenerable adsorbent
material configured to treat the intercepted indoor airflow by
adsorbing at least one gaseous contaminant contained in the
intercepted indoor airflow, and an outlet for expelling the
intercepted indoor airflow treated by the adsorbent material,
flowing the intercepted indoor airflow over and/or through the
adsorbent material to adsorb the at least one gaseous contaminant,
directing the treated, intercepted indoor airflow to the outlet of
the ATA, during a regeneration cycle, directing a purging airflow
to the ATA and flowing the purging airflow over and/or through the
adsorbent material to release the gaseous contaminant previously
adsorbed by the adsorbent material, so as to regenerate the
adsorbent material.
[0032] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for
circulating air in an enclosed environment is described, the method
comprising providing an air management system for circulating air
in an enclosed environment, the system comprising an AHU, the AHU
including an indoor air inlet to receive an indoor airflow from the
enclosed environment and an indoor air outlet to expel the indoor
airflow, a conditioning element arranged between the inlet and the
outlet configured to at least heat or cool the indoor airflow as it
flows thereover, one or more fan units arranged between the inlet
and the outlet configured to provide velocity to the indoor airflow
and the ATA arranged within or proximate the AHU. The ATA may
include an air inlet configured to receive a portion of the indoor
airflow, a regenerable adsorbent material configured to treat the
intercepted indoor airflow by adsorbing at least one gaseous
contaminant contained in the intercepted indoor airflow, and an
outlet for expelling the intercepted indoor airflow treated by the
adsorbent material and directing the indoor airflow to the indoor
air inlet of the AHU, cooling the indoor airflow by directing the
indoor airflow to flow from the inlet of the AHU, over the
conditioning element, during a scrubbing cycle, receiving a portion
of the cooled indoor airflow received by the indoor air inlet of
the AHU and directing the intercepted indoor airflow to the inlet
of the ATA, flowing the intercepted indoor airflow over and/or
through the adsorbent material to adsorb the at least one gaseous
contaminant, directing the treated intercepted indoor airflow to
the outlet of the ATA, cooling the indoor airflow again by
directing the indoor airflow to flow from the outlet of the ATA
over the conditioning element. During a regeneration cycle,
directing a purging airflow to the ATA and flowing the purging
airflow over and/or through the adsorbent material to release the
gaseous contaminant previously adsorbed by the adsorbent material,
so as to regenerate the adsorbent material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] The principles and operations of the systems, apparatuses
and methods according to some embodiments of the present disclosure
may be better understood with reference to the drawings, and the
following description. These drawings are given for illustrative
purposes only and are not meant to be limiting.
[0034] FIGS. 1A and 1B are each a schematic illustration of an air
management system comprising an air treatment assembly according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0035] FIGS. 2A and 2B are each a schematic illustration of an air
management system comprising an air treatment assembly according to
another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0036] FIGS. 3A-3C are each a schematic illustration of an air
management system comprising an air treatment assembly according to
another embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0037] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an air management
system comprising an air treatment assembly according to another
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0038] FIG. 5 shows an example graph illustrating an increase in
adsorbent efficiency as a result of a decrease in the temperature
of air flowing through the adsorbents.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0039] FIGS. 1A-4 are each a schematic illustration of an air
management system 100 comprising an ATA 140, according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. The air management system
100 includes an air circulation system such as an HVAC system
provided to manage and circulate the indoor air within an enclosed
environment 102.
[0040] The enclosed environment 102 may comprise a commercial
environment or building; an office building; a residential
environment or building; a house; a school; a factory; a hospital;
a store; a mall; an indoor entertainment venue; a storage facility;
a laboratory; a vehicle; a vessel including an aircraft, a ship, a
sea vessel or the cabin of a sea vessel; a bus; a theatre; a
partially and/or fully enclosed arena; an education facility; a
library; and/or other partially and/or fully enclosed structure
and/or facility which can be at times occupied by equipment,
materials, live occupants (e.g., humans, animals, synthetic
organisms, etc.), etc., and/or any combination thereof. In some
embodiments, the enclosed space 102 may have access to outdoor air
130.
[0041] The HVAC system may comprise a standard AHU 110 supplying
air to the enclosed environment 102. The AHU 110 may include a
first housing 112. Within first housing 112 there may be provided
any suitable configuration for selectively adjusting properties of
air introduced therein, such as temperature and humidity, for
example. Return air, which is indoor air 114 flowing from the
enclosed environment 102, may flow therefrom via conduits or ducts
(not shown). The return, indoor air 114 typically comprises a
relatively higher concentration of unwanted contaminants than
desired for maintaining good air quality within the indoor air of
the enclosed environment 102.
[0042] In accordance with some embodiments, the indoor air 114 may
be partially exhausted into the outside atmosphere, or any other
environment in any suitable manner, such as via exhaust outlets
(not shown). The indoor air 114 may be partially or fully
recirculated into the enclosed environment 102. In some
embodiments, prior to entering the enclosed environment 102, the
indoor air 114 may flow into the AHU 110 via an indoor air inlet
118 provided to receive the indoor airflow. The AHU 110 may
comprise an indoor air outlet 120 to expel the indoor airflow
thereout. An indoor air inlet damper 122 may be provided to control
the volume of incoming indoor air 114 and an indoor air outlet
damper 124 may be provided to control the volume of the indoor
airflow expelled from the AHU 110.
[0043] In some embodiments the indoor air 114 may flow to another
section of the HVAC system, such as ducts, a plenum or a manifold
(not shown) in the vicinity of the enclosed environment 102.
[0044] The AHU 110 may comprise a conditioning element 125
configured to heat or cool the indoor airflow as it flows
thereover, such as a single or a plurality of cooling and/or
heating coils 126. The conditioning element 125 may be arranged
between the indoor air inlet 118 and the indoor air outlet 120. In
some embodiments, the AHU 110 may further comprise one or more fan
units 128 arranged between the indoor air inlet 118 and the indoor
air outlet 120. The fan unit 128 may be configured to provide
velocity to the indoor airflow. The AHU 110 may further comprise
one or more filters 129 for removing undesired substances, such as
dust, from the incoming indoor air 114.
[0045] In some embodiments a portion of outdoor air or namely
"makeup air" 130 may be introduced into the enclosed environment
102 for supplying nominally fresh, good quality air combining with
the return air 114. The outdoor air 130 may enter the AHU 110 via
ducts or an outdoor air inlet 134 for heating or cooling and/or
humidity adjustment thereof, prior to introduction into the
enclosed environment 102.
[0046] In some embodiments the ATA 140 may be provided to reduce
the concentration of contaminants contained in the airflow
introduced therein. In some embodiments, the ATA 140 may comprise a
second housing 142 within the AHU or adjacent to it.
[0047] The indoor air 114 may flow into the ATA 140 via an indoor
air inlet 144 and may exit the ATA 140 via an indoor air outlet
146. An indoor air inlet damper 148 may be provided to control the
volume of incoming indoor air 114 and an indoor air outlet damper
149 may be provided to control the volume of the indoor airflow
expelled from the ATA 140 into the AHU 110.
[0048] In accordance with some embodiments, the ATA 140 may be
configured to intercept and receive only a portion of the indoor
air 114 flowing within the AHU 110. In some embodiments, between
approximately 1% to approximately 50% of the indoor airflow 114 may
be diverted to the ATA 140, and a remainder of the indoor air 114
can bypass the ATA 140. In some embodiments, between approximately
3% to approximately 25% of the indoor airflow 114 may be diverted
to the ATA 140, and a remainder of the indoor air 114 may bypass
the ATA 140. In some embodiments, between approximately 5% to
approximately 15% of the indoor airflow 114 can be diverted to the
ATA 140, and a remainder of the indoor air 114 can bypass the ATA
140.
[0049] Within second housing 142 there may be provided a CO.sub.2
sorbent section 150 configured to scrub CO.sub.2 from the indoor
air 114 and/or a VOC sorbent section 152 configured to scrub VOCs
from the indoor air 114. The sorbent including adsorbent materials
may also be considered and referred to as scrubbers. Examples of
adsorbent material based scrubbers are disclosed in applicant's
U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,157,892 and 8,491,710, which are incorporated
herein by reference in their entirety. The scrubbers may comprise
any suitable material for capturing undesired contaminants from the
indoor air 114 flowing therein. For example, the scrubber may
comprise an adsorbent material including a solid support supporting
an amine-based compound, such as disclosed in applicant's PCT
application PCT/US12/38343, which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
[0050] Adsorbent materials may also include, but are not limited
to, clays, molecular sieves, zeolites, various forms of silica and
alumina, porous silica, porous alumina, various forms of carbon,
activated carbon, carbon fibers, carbon particles, titanium oxide,
porous polymers, polymer fibers and metal organic frameworks.
[0051] Adsorbent materials selective to VOCs may also include, but
are not limited to molecular sieves, activated carbon, zeolites,
carbon fibers and carbon particles, for example. In some
embodiments more than one type of adsorbent material is used.
[0052] The CO.sub.2 adsorbent section 150 may include a plurality
of scrubbing cartridges 156 arranged in any suitable arrangement.
For example, the scrubbing cartridges 156 may be parallel plates or
arranged in a v-bank formation. This staggered arrangement allows
substantially parallel airflow paths of the indoor air 114 through
the plurality of the scrubbing cartridges 156.
[0053] The VOC sorbent section 152 may include one or more VOC
scrubbing cartridges 158 arranged in any suitable arrangement. For
example, the VOC scrubbing cartridges may be parallel plates or
arranged in a v-bank formation. This staggered arrangement allows
substantially parallel airflow paths of the indoor air 114 through
the plurality of the VOC scrubbing cartridges 158. In some
embodiments the VOC cartridge 158 has a pleated or folded
configuration to increase surface area. In some embodiments the
cartridges 156 or 158 may be configured to be removable from the
ATA 140 and may also be replaceable.
[0054] Exemplary scrubbing cartridges and modules are disclosed in
applicant's US Patent Publication No. 20110198055, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0055] Additional air treatment functionalities 159 may be employed
for removing other contaminates from the indoor air 114. In some
embodiments, the ATA 140 may comprise any thin permeable sheet
structure, carbon fibers or particles attached to a sheet of some
other permeable material such as paper, cloth or fine mesh, for
example.
[0056] In some embodiments, the ATA 140 may include catalysts that
cause change or decomposition of certain molecules, such as, for
example, VOCs or ozone. Such catalysts may include, but are not
limited to, any of a number of metal oxides or porous heavy metals.
In some embodiments, the ATA 140 may include plasma or ionizers
that generate ions, which in turn can serve to eliminate VOCs or
microorganisms. Similarly, ultraviolet radiation can be employed to
destroy microorganisms or activate certain catalytic processes.
[0057] The ATA 140 may operate in a cycle comprising an adsorption
phase and a regeneration phase.
[0058] In the adsorption phase the contaminants are captured and
adsorbed by the adsorbent materials or any other means.
[0059] Following the capture of the contaminants in the adsorption
phase, the adsorbent material may be regenerated during the
regeneration phase by urging the release of the contaminants
therefrom. The regeneration may be performed in any suitable
manner. In some embodiments, regeneration may be performed by
streaming a purge gas through the adsorbent material for release of
at least a portion of the contaminants therefrom. The purge gas may
comprise outdoor air 160. The outdoor air 160 or any purge gas may
flow into the ATA 140 via an outdoor air inlet 164 (i.e. a purging
airflow inlet) and may exit the ATA 140 via an outdoor air outlet
168 (i.e. a purging airflow outlet). An outdoor air inlet damper
170 may be provided to control the volume of incoming outdoor air
160 and an outdoor air outlet damper 174 may be provided to control
the volume of the outdoor airflow expelled from the ATA 140.
[0060] In accordance with some embodiment, the ATA 140 and the AHU
110 may be configured and assembled as a single integrated system
180 in any suitable manner. The ATA 140 may be placed in proximity
to the AHU 110. In some embodiments the second ATA housing 142 may
be arranged within the first housing 112 of the AHU 110, as seen
FIG. 1A. In some embodiments, the second ATA housing 142 may be
arranged outside the first housing 112 and mounted or attached
thereon, beside or above the AHU housing, as seen in FIGS.
1B-4.
[0061] The integrated system 180 may be configured with the
components of the AHU 110 and ATA 140. The integrated system 180
may be reduced in size and cost and may be easily installed within
an air management system 100, as opposed to two separate units--the
AHU 110 and ATA 140. Additionally, in some embodiments, the
components of the AHU 110 may be utilized to operate the ATA 140,
thereby improving the efficiency of the adsorption of contaminants
from the indoor air, as will be further described in reference to
FIGS. 1A-4.
[0062] There are several topological choices regarding the airflow
patterns which relate to the overall configuration of the
integrated system 180 and may be addressed when configuring the
integrated system 180 and selecting its components. In some
embodiments, one consideration may include the placement of the ATA
indoor air inlet 144 relative to the components within the AHU
housing 112 (e.g. the filter 129, conditioning element 125 and fan
units 128).
[0063] The indoor air inlet 144 may be referred to as an intake
point or simply "intake" and the indoor air 114 flowing therein may
be referred to as "intake air". In some embodiments, one
consideration may include the placement of the ATA indoor air
outlet 146 relative to the components within the AHU housing 112.
The indoor air outlet 146 may be referred to as a feed point or
simply "feed" and air flowing thereout may be referred to as "feed
air".
[0064] In the following exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1A-4,
configurations are illustrated in the case of an integrated system
180 where the fans units 128 are downstream the conditioning
element 125, namely operating in a "pull" mode. It is appreciated
that the integrated system 180 may be configured with fan units 128
operating in a "push" mode, i.e. where the fans units 128 are
upstream the conditioning element 125.
[0065] It is noted that in the description herein the term
"downstream" refers to the direction of the airflow from the AHU
indoor air inlet 118 to the AHU indoor air outlet 120.
[0066] In the following description of FIGS. 1A-4 a "forward
topology" refers to an airflow pattern where the intake 144 is
upstream from the feed 146, parallel to the airflow direction of
indoor air 114 flowing from the AHU indoor air inlet 118 to the AHU
indoor air outlet 120. A "reverse topology" refers to where the
intake 144 is downstream from the Feed 146, opposite to the airflow
direction of indoor air 114 from the AHU indoor air outlet 120 to
the AHU indoor air inlet 118.
[0067] In FIGS. 1A and 1B, the integrated system 180 is configured
with a forward topology where the intake 144 and feed 146 are
illustrated upstream from the conditioning element 125 of the AHU
110. The difference between these two embodiments is the mechanical
layout, where in FIG. 1A the ATA 140 is placed within the housing
112 of the AHU 110 and in FIG. 1B the ATA 140 is mounted on the
housing 112 of the AHU 110.
[0068] According to some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B,
during the adsorption phase of the integrated system 180, indoor
air 114 may be directed to flow into the AHU 110 of the integrated
system 180, via the indoor air inlet 118 and indoor air inlet
damper 122, which is positioned in an open state. The fan unit 128
of the AHU 110 may direct the indoor air 114 to flow therethrough.
The indoor air 114 may be directed to flow through the filter
129.
[0069] In some embodiments, the ATA 140 may comprise an ATA fan
184, or an array of fans, provided to direct the portion of the
indoor air 114 to flow into the ATA 140, via the intake 144 and
indoor air inlet damper 148. The indoor air inlet damper 148 may be
positioned in an open state. The indoor air 114 may be directed to
flow through the CO.sub.2 sorbent section 150 and/or the VOC
sorbent section 152 or any other air treatment functionalities
159.
[0070] The now treated air 190 may be directed to flow out of the
ATA 140 via the feed 146 and indoor air outlet damper 149, which
may be positioned in an open state. The treated air 190 combined
with the untreated indoor air 114 and/or the outdoor makeup air 130
(when provided) may be directed to flow through the AHU 110 and may
be conditioned (e.g. cooled or heated) by conditioning element 125.
The combined air may be directed to exit the AHU 110 of the
integrated system 180 via the AHU indoor air outlet 120 and the
indoor air outlet damper 124, which may be positioned in an open
state. The combined air is thereafter introduced into the enclosed
environment 102 as supply air 196.
[0071] During a regeneration phase, the purge gas, e.g., outdoor
air 160, may flow into the integrated system 180, via the ATA
outdoor air inlet 164 and outdoor air inlet damper 170, which may
be positioned in an open state, while the ATA indoor air inlet
damper 148 and indoor air outlet damper 149 may be generally
closed.
[0072] The outdoor air 160 may be provided to the ATA 140 in any
suitable manner. For example, wherein the integrated system 180
comprises an AHU 110 configured as a rooftop unit, the outdoor air
160 may flow in from the ambient environment. Wherein the
integrated system 180 comprises an AHU 110 placed in a closed
machine room or without direct contact with the outdoor ambient
environment, the outdoor air 160 may flow from a conduit (not
shown) configured to provide outdoor air 160 to the integrated
system 180. Additionally, outdoor air 160 may be provided to the
integrated system 180 from other locations in the enclosed
environment 102, such as via an enclosed environment pier.
[0073] The outdoor air 160 may flow during the regeneration phase
from outdoor air inlet 164 to outdoor air outlet 168, which is the
opposite direction of the indoor air flow during the adsorption
phase, i.e. from intake 144 to feed 146. Alternatively, the outdoor
air 160 may flow during the regeneration phase from outdoor air
outlet 168 to indoor air inlet 164, which is the same direction of
the indoor airflow during the adsorption phase, i.e. from intake
144 to feed 146.
[0074] In some embodiments, the adsorbent material and/or the
outdoor air 160 may be heated prior to regeneration of the ATA 140,
typically within a range of approximately 20-120.degree. C.
Alternatively, the adsorbent material and/or outdoor air 160 may be
heated to a temperature less than 80.degree. C. Alternatively, the
adsorbent material and/or outdoor air 160 may be heated to a
temperature less than 50.degree. C. Alternatively, the adsorbent
material and/or outdoor air 160 may enter the ATA 140 at the
ambient temperature.
[0075] In accordance with one embodiment, outdoor air 160 is
directly or indirectly heated by at least one of, a heat pump, a
gas furnace, solar heat, an, heated fluid coil, an electrical coil
or hot water provided from outside or inside the air management
system 100. Alternatively, the outdoor air 160 may be directly or
indirectly heated by the condenser of the same heat pump that
provides refrigerant for the air management system 100 or the AHU
110.
[0076] In accordance with another embodiment, such as in the case
of an integrated system 180 comprising an AHU 110 configured as a
packaged unit (PU), as seen in FIG. 4, or configured as an AHU 110
with a nearby chiller, the outdoor air 160 may be heated directly
or indirectly by heat emitted from the condenser or radiator,
thereby capturing and utilizing "waste heat".
[0077] In FIGS. 2A and 2B the integrated system 180 is configured
with a forward topology and airflow patterns similar to the
integrated system 180 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. In FIGS. 2A and 2B the
intake 144 and feed 146 are downstream from the conditioning
element 125. In FIG. 2A, the intake 144 and feed 146 are both
intermediate the conditioning element 125 and the fan units 128. In
FIG. 2B, the intake 144 and feed 146 are both downstream the fan
unit 128. The integrated system 180 of FIGS. 2A and 2B is
relatively simple to implement. Additionally, according to some
embodiments, integrating the ATA 140 with the AHU 110 provides the
additional advantage of the indoor air 114 flowing into the ATA 140
following cooling by conditioning element 125. In some embodiments,
flowing relatively cool air over adsorbent materials, which are
configured to adsorb contaminants more efficiently at relatively
lower temperatures, improves the efficiency or capacity of
contaminant adsorption by the ATA 140.
[0078] Examples of adsorbent materials that adsorb more efficiently
at relatively lower temperatures may be, inter alia, activated
charcoal, zeolites and some amines.
[0079] In some embodiments, a forward topology may be operable with
the booster fan 184 to force airflow through the ATA 140, as there
will not be an appreciable forward pressure drop between the intake
144 and the feed 146. Providing the booster fan 184 does not reduce
the supply air throughput or change the requirements of the fan
units 128.
[0080] FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C illustrate reverse topologies according
to some embodiments. In FIG. 3A, an intake 200 is downstream from
the conditioning element 125 and the fan unit 128, and a feed 204
is upstream the conditioning element 125. In FIG. 3A, the indoor
air 114 flowing from AHU indoor air inlet 118 flows through
conditioning element 125 and is cooled thereby. The cooled air
enters the ATA 140 via intake 200 and is scrubbed therein. Treated
air 190 flows out of the feed 204 and once again flows through the
conditioning element 125 for further cooling thereby. The treated
air 190 flows thereon to fan units 128. In this configuration, the
indoor air 114 introduced into the ATA 140 is relatively colder air
and with higher pressure than the indoor air 114 entering the AHU
110 at the AHU indoor air inlet 118. In some embodiments, flowing
relatively cool air over adsorbent materials, which are configured
to adsorb contaminants more efficiently at relatively lower
temperatures, improves the efficiency or capacity of contaminant
adsorption by the ATA 140. In some embodiments, the high input
pressure of the indoor air at intake 200 may eliminate the need for
the separate, dedicated ATA booster fan 184 inside the ATA 140,
since the fans units 128 may be sufficient for urging indoor air
114 into the intake 200. Thus the ATA 140 of the integrated system
180 of FIG. 3A utilizes the components of the AHU 110 for operation
thereof.
[0081] In some embodiments, the treated air 190 may be returned
upstream from the conditioning element 125, assuring that the
treated air 190, which may have been heated during the treatment
process, is cooled before entering the enclosed environment
102.
[0082] Thus, the integrated system 180 may be configured to direct
the treated air 190 to the conditioning element 125 yet again for
further cooling thereof, such as shown in FIG. 3A. Thereby
introducing cooled supply air 196 into the enclosed environment 102
without investing additional energy or requiring additional
components.
[0083] In the embodiment of FIG. 3B the intake 200 may be between
the conditioning element 125 and the fan unit 128, whereas the feed
204 is upstream from the conditioning element 125. In this
embodiment, the indoor air 114 is cooled air and may require the
additional booster fan 184 to urge air through the adsorbent
material of the ATA 140. Here too, as in FIG. 3A the treated air
190 passes through the conditioning element 125 before being
supplied to the enclosed environment 102.
[0084] In the embodiment of FIG. 3C, the intake 200 is downstream
the fan unit 128 and the feed 204 is intermediate the conditioning
element 125 and the fan unit 128. In this configuration, the indoor
air 114 introduced into the ATA 140 is relatively colder air and
with higher pressure than the indoor air 114 entering the AHU 110
at the AHU indoor air inlet 118. In some embodiments, flowing
relatively cool air over adsorbent materials, which are configured
to adsorb contaminants more efficiently at relatively lower
temperatures, improves the efficiency of contaminant adsorption by
the ATA 140. In some embodiments the high input pressure of the
indoor air at intake 200 may eliminate the need for the separate,
dedicated ATA booster fan 184 inside the ATA 140, since the fans
units 128 may be sufficient for urging indoor air 114 into the
intake 200. Thus, the ATA 140 of the integrated system 180 of FIG.
3C utilizes the components of the AHU 110 for operation
thereof.
[0085] The integrated system 180 of FIGS. 3A-3C is relatively
simple to implement. Additionally, the reverse topology of the
integrated system 180 of FIGS. 3A-3C allows the indoor air 114 to
be first cooled by conditioning element 125 prior to entering the
ATA 140, which increases the adsorbent efficiencies of some
adsorbent materials, as described above.
[0086] Additionally, the embodiments of the integrated system 180
of FIGS. 3A and 3B allows the indoor 114 to be first cooled by the
conditioning element 125 during flow from the AHU indoor air inlet
118 to intake 200 and again to be cooled during flow from the feed
204 to the AHU indoor air outlet 120. Thus it is seen that the
integrated system 180 of FIGS. 3A and 3B is configured to
efficiently provide cool supply air 196 to the enclosed
environment.
[0087] FIG. 4 illustrates a generally similar configuration to that
of FIG. 3A. FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment where the air
management system 100 is a packaged central air conditioning
system. The integrated system 180 comprises the ATA 140 mounted on
an AHU 110 configured as a packaged rooftop unit (PU) 218. A
compressor and a condenser unit 220 may be located at the end of
the PU 218, as shown in FIG. 4, though it is understood that the
compressor and a condenser unit 220 can be positioned in other
adjacent locations. The compressor and a condenser unit 220 may be
in fluid communication with the cooling or heating coils 126 of the
PU 218. As noted before, heat generated by the condenser of the
compressor and a condenser unit 220 could be harvested to heat the
outdoor air 160 in regeneration mode.
[0088] Thus, it can be seen that the components of the PU 218 of
FIG. 4 may be utilized to efficiently regenerate the adsorbent
material of the ATA 140.
[0089] It is apparent that features described in reference to FIGS.
1A-3C or any other variations may be implemented in the embodiment
of the integrated system 180 of FIG. 4. In some embodiments the air
management system 100 may comprise a central air conditioning
system (CACS) having a heat pump or compressor. The integrated
system 180 may comprise the ATA 140 and the AHU 110, which
comprises a part of the CACS. In some embodiments the purge gas,
e.g. outdoor air 160 may be directly or indirectly heated by the
condenser of the heat pump that provides refrigerant for the air
management system 100.
[0090] In some embodiments, a controller 250 may be provided to
control the operation of the integrated system 180 of FIGS. 1A-4.
In some embodiments, the controller 250 may be configured to
control the operation of the air management system 100 between at
least the scrubbing mode, wherein gaseous contaminants contained
within the indoor airflow are adsorbed by the adsorbent material,
and the regeneration mode, wherein the purging airflow is directed
over and/or through the adsorbent material to release gaseous
contaminants previously adsorbed by the adsorbent material.
[0091] In some embodiments, the electronic and control functions
provided in a standard AHU 110 may be utilized for providing
electronic and control functions to the ATA 140. In some
embodiments, there may be provided computer instructions
operational on the controller 250 to cause the controller 250 to
control operation of at least the scrubbing mode and the
regeneration mode.
[0092] In some embodiments, the air management system 100 may
comprise air quality sensors, including but not limited to CO.sub.2
sensors, VOC sensors, and particle meters (not shown). In some
embodiments, the sensors may be positioned to monitor the air
quality of the indoor air 114 and the supply air 196. In some
embodiments, the sensors measure the ATA 140 air entering the
intake and exiting the feed, for monitoring the necessity and the
performance of the ATA 140. If the intake air meets certain quality
requirements, the ATA 140 may be shut down temporarily.
Alternatively, if the feed air is not sufficiently clean, an alert
can be generated for inspection and service.
[0093] In some embodiments, AHUs are configured to intake fresh air
130 from the outside, for supplementing the indoor air 114. The
amount of incoming fresh air 130 may be influenced in part by
dampers (such as indoor air inlet damper 122) which can be
controlled manually or electronically by the controller 250. An AHU
110 or PU 218 with a built-in, integrated ATA 140 can use less
fresh air to maintain desired air quality. Furthermore the amount
of fresh air used can be controlled by algorithms that optimize the
tradeoff between fresh air and scrubbing, depending on measured air
quality, outside conditions, and the energy requirements of the air
treatment subassembly.
[0094] It is appreciated that the ATA 140 shown in FIGS. 1B-4 may
be placed within the AHU 110 or PU 218, as shown in FIG. 1A.
[0095] In some embodiments, the integrated system 180 may comprise
the ATA 140 integrated with an air handler located within a
distributed air circulation system, such as a fan-coil system.
Additionally the ATA 140 may be integrated in a fan-coil unit.
[0096] In some embodiments, the intake 144 or 200 may be positioned
at a sufficient distance from the feed 146 or 204 so as to prevent
the urging of air into the feed 146 or 204 rather than into the
intake 144 or 200. In some embodiments, the ATA 140 may be
insulated so as to prevent undesired thermal exchange between the
ATA 140 and the AHU 110.
[0097] It is noted in reference to FIGS. 1A-4, that any suitable
means, such as blowers, dampers, valves, fans or shutters, may be
used to control the volume of air entering and/or exiting the
integrated system 180 or any other component of the air management
system 100.
[0098] In some embodiments, there may be provided a non-transitory
computer readable medium having stored thereon for performing the
method for circulating air in an enclosed environment. The method
may comprise directing an indoor airflow to the indoor air inlet
118 of the AHU 110. The AHU 110 may include the indoor air inlet
118 to receive the indoor airflow 114 from the enclosed environment
102 and the indoor air outlet 120 to expel the indoor airflow. In
some embodiments, during a scrubbing cycle, the method may comprise
intercepting a portion of the indoor airflow 114 received by the
indoor air inlet 118 of the AHU 110 and directing the intercepted
indoor airflow to the indoor air inlet 144 of the ATA 140 arranged
proximate the AHU 110. The ATA 140 may include the indoor air inlet
144 configured to intercept a portion of the indoor airflow
received by the AHU indoor air inlet 118, a regenerable adsorbent
material configured to treat the intercepted indoor airflow by
adsorbing at least one gaseous contaminant contained in the
intercepted indoor airflow, and an indoor air outlet 146 for
expelling the intercepted indoor airflow treated by the adsorbent
material. In some embodiments the method may further comprise
flowing the intercepted indoor airflow over and/or through the
adsorbent material to adsorb at least one gaseous contaminant,
directing the treated intercepted indoor airflow 190 to the outlet
146 of the ATA 140. During the regeneration cycle, the method may
comprise directing a purging airflow to the ATA 140 and flowing the
purging airflow over and/or through the adsorbent material to
release gaseous contaminants previously adsorbed by the adsorbent
material, so as to regenerate the adsorbent material.
[0099] Since air management systems 100 are utilized at times in
limited spaces, such as mechanical rooms, basements, plenums and
attics, reduction in size of components of the air management
system 100 yields functional and commercial superiority. Even on an
open rooftop space economy can be important, especially with regard
to available and usable footprint or floor space area. The
integrated system 180, according to some embodiments, combines the
AHU 110 and ATA 140 into a single unit and further eliminates the
need for ducts or conduits therebetween. This results in a
significantly reduced size system. In a non-limiting example, the
total floor space occupied by AHU 110 and ATA 140 and ducts
therebetween is about 175 square feet. The total floor space of the
integrated system 180 is about 150 square feet. In a smaller AHU
the relative space savings is even larger.
[0100] The reduced size integrated system 180 may be installed in
small areas, where a standard AHU 110 and separate ATA 140 would
otherwise be cumbersome or impossible to contain.
[0101] The integrated system 180 may be configured for further
reduction in size by eliminating components required in a standard
AHU 110 and separate ATA 140 configuration. For example, as shown
in FIGS. 3A and 3C, placement of the ATA indoor air inlet 144
upstream and in proximity to the fan units 128 of the AHU 110
allows elimination of the booster fan 184, while still directing
the indoor air 114 into the ATA 140. Additionally, as shown in FIG.
4, exploitation of an already existing condenser of the condenser
unit 220 for heating the outdoor air 160 eliminates the need to
provide additional heating components. This is easier to achieve
when the system is configured for this purpose, in other words an
integrated system 180 of AHU and ATA.
[0102] A skilled artisan will appreciate that reduction in the
energy required to operate the air management system 100 yields
functional and commercial superiority. In some embodiments, the
integrated system 180, by virtue of combining both the AHU 110 and
the ATA 140 in a single unit, enables exploitation of the already
existing components of the AHU 110 for efficiently treating the
indoor air within the ATA 140. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3A
and 3C, and described above, the indoor air 114 may be directed
into the ATA 140 by AHU fan units 128 without requiring the
operation and control of the booster fan 184. Additionally, as
shown in FIG. 4, exploitation of the already existing condenser of
the condenser unit 220 for heating the outdoor air 160 eliminates
the need to provide additional heating components and providing
energy for the operation thereof. Similarly, the same heat pump
that provides refrigerant for the AHU 110 may be used to heat the
outdoor air 160.
[0103] Moreover, in the art of air management it is recognized that
a system which provides the desired air quality with using the
least amount of energy is superior. It is known in the art that the
adsorption efficiency of some adsorbent materials significantly
increases by flowing indoor air 114 at a lower temperature than the
indoor air 114 flowing from the enclosed environment 102. In the
standard AHU 110 and separate ATA 140 cooling the indoor air
flowing into the ATA, the air reaching the ATA could be warmer than
desired for good adsorbency. The air would have to pass through a
conduit with imperfect insulation. In certain AHUs it would be
difficult to draw colder air from the side of the supply air. The
integrated system 180, by virtue of combining both the AHU 110 and
the ATA 140 in a single unit, eliminates the ducts, and in some
embodiments enables configuring a flow path which cools the indoor
air flowing into the ATA 140, without any additional cooling unit
or any investment of energy for operation of the cooling unit. For
example, as seen in FIGS. 2A-4, the indoor air 114 is first cooled
by the already existing conditioning element 125 of the AHU 110
thereby entering the ATA 140 at a reduced temperature. The
adsorption efficiency significantly increases without requiring any
additional investment of energy. The increase in adsorption
efficiency to the indoor air 114 cooling is shown in FIG. 5 and
described in the following example.
[0104] The example as set forth herein is meant to exemplify some
of the various aspects of carrying out the disclosure subject
matter and is not intended to limit the disclosure in any way.
Example
[0105] A circular cartridge of a diameter of 10 centimeters and a
depth of 2.5 cm was filled with approximately 200 grams of
bentonite-diethanolamine composite and was placed in an airflow
measurement apparatus with a temperature control component. Air was
introduced into the apparatus at a face velocity of 10 cm/sec at
25.degree. C. containing a CO.sub.2 concentration of 875 ppm. The
air was cooled to a temperature of 13.degree. C. The cartridge was
exposed to the air flow at 13.degree. C. through the entire cross
section of the cartridge. The weight of the cartridge was measured
prior to inflow of air and following flow of air through the
cartridge. The increase in weight was found to be 0.56866
grams.
[0106] The above experiment was repeated. This time the air was
cooled to a temperature of 17.degree. C. The cartridge was exposed
to the air flow at 17.degree. C. through the entire cross section
of the cartridge. The weight of the cartridge was measured prior to
inflow of air and following flow of air through the cartridge. The
increase in weight was found to be 0.498 grams.
[0107] The above experiment was again repeated. This time the air
was cooled to a temperature of 20.degree. C. The cartridge was
exposed to the air flow at 20.degree. C. through the entire cross
section of the cartridge. The weight of the cartridge was measured
prior to inflow of air and following flow of air through the
cartridge. The increase in weight was found to be 0.471 grams.
[0108] The above experiment was again repeated. This time the air
remained at a temperature of 25.degree. C. The cartridge was
exposed to the air flow at 25.degree. C. through the entire cross
section of the cartridge. The weight of the cartridge was measured
prior to inflow of air and following flow of air through the
cartridge. The increase in weight was found to be 0.368 grams.
[0109] Analysis:
[0110] Comparing the weight increase of the cartridge with inflow
of air at different temperatures shows that as the air flowing
through the cartridge is cooler the adsorbent efficiency increases,
as shown in the graph of FIG. 5. The reduction of the air
temperature from 25.degree. C. to 13.degree. C. resulted in an
increase of about 45% in adsorption capacity. Looking at the
results for 20.degree. C. as compared to 25.degree. C., it is
observed that a 28% increase is associated with the 5.degree. C.
temperature difference, suggesting that even small changes in
temperature, such as one degree centigrade, are impactful.
[0111] Various implementations of some of embodiments disclosed, in
particular at least some of the processes discussed (or portions
thereof), may be realized in digital electronic circuitry,
integrated circuitry, specially configured ASICs (application
specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware,
software, and/or combinations thereof. These various
implementations, such as associated with the controller 250, for
example, may include implementation in one or more computer
programs that are executable and/or interpretable on a programmable
system including at least one programmable processor, which may be
special or general purpose, coupled to receive data and
instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a
storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output
device.
[0112] Such computer programs (also known as programs, software,
software applications or code) include machine instructions/code
for a programmable processor, for example, and may be implemented
in a high-level procedural and/or object-oriented programming
language, and/or in assembly/machine language. As used herein, the
term "machine-readable medium" refers to any computer program
product, apparatus and/or device (e.g., non-transitory mediums
including, for example, magnetic discs, optical disks, flash
memory, Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs)) used to provide machine
instructions and/or data to a programmable processor, including a
machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a
machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers
to any signal used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a
programmable processor.
[0113] To provide for interaction with a user, the subject matter
described herein may be implemented on a computer having a display
device (e.g., a LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor and the like)
for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and/or a
pointing device (e.g., a mouse or a trackball, touchscreen) by
which the user may provide input to the computer. For example, this
program can be stored, executed and operated by the dispensing
unit, remote control, PC, laptop, smart-phone, media player or
personal data assistant ("PDA"). Other kinds of devices may be used
to provide for interaction with a user as well. For example,
feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback
(e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback),
and input from the user may be received in any form, including
acoustic, speech, or tactile input. Certain embodiments of the
subject matter described herein may be implemented in a computing
system and/or devices that includes a back-end component (e.g., as
a data server), or that includes a middleware component (e.g., an
application server), or that includes a front-end component (e.g.,
a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web
browser through which a user may interact with an implementation of
the subject matter described herein), or any combination of such
back-end, middleware, or front-end components.
[0114] The components of the system may be interconnected by any
form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication
network). Examples of communication networks include a local area
network ("LAN"), a wide area network ("WAN"), and the Internet. The
computing system according to some such embodiments described above
may include clients and servers. A client and server are generally
remote from each other and typically interact through a
communication network. The relationship of client and server arises
by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers
and having a client-server relationship to each other.
[0115] Any and all references to publications or other documents,
including but not limited to, patents, patent applications,
articles, webpages, books, etc., presented anywhere in the present
application, are herein incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
[0116] Example embodiments of the devices, systems and methods have
been described herein. As may be noted elsewhere, these embodiments
have been described for illustrative purposes only and are not
limiting. Other embodiments are possible and are covered by the
disclosure, which will be apparent from the teachings contained
herein. Thus, the breadth and scope of the disclosure should not be
limited by any of the above-described embodiments but should be
defined only in accordance with claims supported by the present
disclosure and their equivalents. Moreover, embodiments of the
subject disclosure may include methods, systems and devices which
may further include any and all elements/features from any other
disclosed methods, systems, and devices, including any and all
features corresponding to translocation control. In other words,
features from one and/or another disclosed embodiment may be
interchangeable with features from other disclosed embodiments,
which, in turn, correspond to yet other embodiments. Furthermore,
one or more features/elements of disclosed embodiments may be
removed and still result in patentable subject matter (and thus,
resulting in yet more embodiments of the subject disclosure).
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