Semco Corporation

Other

Semco Mfg., Inc.

John C Fischer

Richard K Mitchell

Stephen P Glen

Kirk T Mescher

Steven S Carroll

Michael L Boles

Yu-Wei Hung

Hashim Alsadah

Tudor L Thomas

David C Reed

Aaron S Bentley

Systems and methods for controlling temperature and humidity within a space in a building. Outdoor air and return air from the space are passed through particular equipment in a particular order. Equipment includes a secondary direct-expansion refrigeration circuit, a recovery wheel, a primary cooling coil, secondary circuit evaporator and condenser coils, and a dehumidification wheel. Various embodiments include multiple zones, chilled beams, and a dedicated outdoor air supply (DOAS) subsystem delivering dehumidified air to active chilled beams. In various embodiments, supply air passes first through the recovery wheel, then through the primary cooling coil, then through the dehumidification wheel, and then to the space. Further, in some embodiments, exhaust air passes through the dehumidification wheel and then through the recovery wheel. Pump modules may supply chilled beams and control their temperature to avoid condensation. A chiller may supply cooling water to both the primary cooling coil and the pump modules.

Air conditioning with recovery wheel, dehumidification wheel, cooling coil, and secondary direct-expansion circuit

Air conditioning systems for cooling multiple-zone spaces, each zone having a thermostat, where each of multiple pump modules delivers chilled water to chilled beams in a plurality of zones and a chilled-water distribution system circulates chilled water through a chilled-water distribution loop to the multiple pump modules. Current dew points are determined in zones that call for cooling, and temperature of chilled water delivered to the chilled beams is maintained for each pump module at least a predetermined temperature differential above the highest dew point within the zones served by that pump module. Each zone has a zone control valve to shut off flow to that zone. Serving a plurality of zones from each pump module reduces how many pump modules are required. Zones served by one pump module may be selected to have similar thermal loads. Pump modules may supply hot water when heat is needed instead of cooling.

Multi-zone chilled beam system and method with pump module

Fire-retardant panels that include: a frame with multiple holes that reduce heat conduction through the panel; or a frame that includes two portions separated by a layer of fire-resistant material (e.g., gypsum, calcium silicate, or gypsum board). Some embodiments include skins (e.g., sheet metal) or insulation (e.g., between skin and fire-resistant material, for instance, within the frame). In particular embodiments, the fire-resistant material is (e.g., midway) between: two skins, two layers of insulation, two portions of the frame, or a combination thereof. The portions of the frame can be: sheet metal, attached (e.g., screwed) to the skin(s) or to each other, or extend around the perimeter. The frame can include: various elongated members, (e.g., parallel) bends, or holes that are: in at least one row, elongated, or slots (e.g., parallel to each other or to the skin).

Fire-retardant panel with frame

Methods and systems for controlling temperature and humidity within a space in a building. Outdoor air and return air from the space are passed through particular equipment in a particular order. Equipment includes a secondary direct-expansion refrigeration circuit, a recovery wheel, a primary cooling coil or direct-expansion refrigeration circuit, secondary circuit coils, and a dehumidification wheel. Various embodiments include modulating the secondary circuit compressor to adjust reheat capacity at the secondary circuit condenser coil, a geothermal direct-expansion refrigeration circuit, a variable refrigerant flow subsystem, fan coil units, multiple zones, a dedicated outdoor air supply subsystem, an evaporative cooler, supplemental outdoor air, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, supply air passes first through the recovery wheel, then through the primary cooling coil, then through the dehumidification wheel, and then to the space. Further, in some embodiments, exhaust air passes through the dehumidification wheel, and then through the recovery wheel.

Air conditioning with recovery wheel, dehumidification wheel, and cooling coil

Multiple-zone chilled beam air conditioning systems for cooling multiple-zone spaces, methods of controlling chilled beams in multi-zone air conditioning systems, and chilled-beam modules for controlling zones of a chilled-beam heating and air conditioning system. Embodiments include a pump serving each zone that both recirculates water within the module and chilled beam and circulates water in and out of a chilled water distribution system through one or more valves to control the temperature of the water delivered to the chilled beams. Different embodiments adjust the temperature of the beam to avoid condensation, change pump speed to save energy or increase capacity, provide heating as well as cooling, use check valves to reduce the number of control valves required, can be used in two- or four-pipe systems, or a combination thereof.

Chilled beam module, system, and method

Air conditioning units, systems, and methods that control temperature and humidity within a space in a building, for example, using a recovery wheel, a desiccant-based or passive dehumidification wheel, a primary cooling coil; and a secondary direct-expansion refrigeration circuit that includes a secondary circuit compressor, a secondary circuit evaporator coil, and a secondary circuit condenser coil. In various embodiments, the system forms a supply airstream that passes outdoor air first through the recovery wheel, then through the primary cooling coil, then through the secondary circuit evaporator coil, then through the dehumidification wheel, and then to the space. Further, in many embodiments, the system forms an exhaust airstream that passes return air from the space first through the secondary circuit condenser coil, then through the dehumidification wheel, and then through the recovery wheel. In some embodiments, various quantities of heat and moisture are transferred between the two airstreams.

Air conditioning with recovery wheel, passive dehumidification wheel, cooling coil, and secondary direct-expansion circuit

Ventilating units that include a recovery wheel, a supply air outlet from the wheel, an outdoor air supply fan that moves outdoor air through the recovery wheel, an economizer damper that opens to bring outdoor air directly into the supply air outlet, and an exhaust air discharge fan that moves exhaust air through the recovery wheel and to outdoors; HVAC units that include air conditioning with an air handler supply fan, a recovery wheel, an economizer section, an outdoor air supply fan, and controls; and methods of controlling airflow in an HVAC unit that include controlling an economizer damper based on outdoor and return air temperature and enthalpy or dew point. Some ventilating units connect to a packaged air handler and other ventilating units include the air handler, cooling coil, and air handler supply fan. Some embodiments include another damper that opens to bypass the recovery wheel for power exhaust.

Unit with recovery wheel and economizer and method of control

Multiple-zone chilled beam air conditioning systems for cooling multiple-zone spaces, methods of controlling chilled beams in multi-zone air conditioning systems, and chilled-beam pump modules for controlling zones of a chilled-beam heating and air conditioning system. Embodiments include a pump serving each zone that both recirculates water within the module and chilled beam and circulates water in and out of a chilled water distribution system through one or more valves to control the temperature of the water delivered to the chilled beams. Different embodiments adjust the temperature of the beam to avoid condensation, change pump speed to save energy or increase capacity, provide heating as well as cooling, use check valves to reduce the number of control valves required, can be used in two- or four-pipe systems, or a combination thereof.

Chilled beam pump module, system, and method

Chilled-beam zone pump modules for controlling zones of a chilled-beam heating and air conditioning system, multiple-zone chilled beam air conditioning systems for cooling multiple-zone spaces, and methods of controlling chilled beams in multi-zone air conditioning systems. Embodiments include a pump serving each zone that both recirculates water within the module and chilled beam and circulates water in and out of a chilled or warm water distribution system through valves to control the temperature of the water delivered to the chilled beams. Different embodiments provide heating as well as cooling, use check valves to reduce the number of control valves required, adjust the temperature of the beam to avoid condensation, change pump speed to save energy or increase capacity, can be used in two- or four-pipe systems, or a combination thereof.

Control systems for recovery wheels, ventilation systems with recovery devices, buildings having ventilation, and methods of controlling recovery wheels and controlling or modifying ventilation systems. A parameter of ventilation systems or recovery devices, such as the speed of a recovery wheel, may be controlled as a function of pressure, differential pressure, flow rate, or fan speed, for example, to provide appropriate purge flow to maintain purge effectiveness and limit the carry-over of contaminants from a return/exhaust airstream to an outside/supply airstream, for instance, in a variable air-volume system. A purge angle may be set at a minimum position commensurate with a maximum flow rate and recovery-wheel speed may be reduced at lower flows to maintain purge effectiveness. In some embodiments, temperature and humidity are measured, and wheel speed is also controlled as a function of these measurements. Systems may utilize sensors, input devices, digital controllers, variable-speed drives, and alarms.

Building, ventilation system, and recovery device control

The present invention provides an apparatus for dehumidifying air supplied to an enclosed space by an air conditioning unit. The apparatus includes a partition separating the interior of the housing into a supply portion and a regeneration portion. The supply portion has an inlet for receiving supply air from the air conditioning unit and an outlet for supplying air to the enclosed space. A regeneration fan creates the regeneration air stream. The apparatus includes an active desiccant wheel positioned such that a portion of the wheel extends into the supply portion and a portion of the wheel extends into the regeneration portion, so that the wheel can rotate through the supply air stream and the regeneration air stream to dehumidify the supply air stream. A heater warms the regeneration air stream as necessary to regenerate the desiccant wheel. The invention also comprises a hybrid system that combines air conditioning and dehumidifying components into a single integrated unit.

Desiccant-based dehumidification system and method

A system and method for controlling the temperature and humidity level of a controlled space. The system includes a total energy recovery wheel and a dehumidification wheel in conjunction with a cooler to control the temperature and humidity of air supplied to a controlled space. In a method of controlling temperature and humidity of a controlled space, supply air is cooled and dehumidified by passing it through a rotating total energy recovery wheel. The total energy recovery wheel is cooled and dehumidified by passing exhaust air through it. The supply air is further cooled and dehumidified by passing it through a cooler. The supply air is warmed and further dehumidified by passing it through a rotating dehumidification wheel. The dehumidification wheel is warmed and dehumidified by passing exhaust air through it. During the heating mode, the system functions as an extremely effective total energy recovery device by operating the two wheels in series.

System and method for controlling temperature and humidity

A method and system for determining the airflow through an air preconditioning module having a sensible and/or latent energy transfer matrix having a pre-established relationship between airflow and pressure drop. The air preconditioning module processes an inlet air stream so that it becomes a uniformly distributed (and preferably substantially laminar) outlet air stream leaving the energy transfer matrix of the preconditioning module. The pressure differential between the inlet air stream and the outlet air stream is determined and translated into an airflow value based on the pre-established relationship between airflow and pressure drop through the energy transfer matrix of the air preconditioning module.

Method and apparatus for measuring the quantity of outdoor air processed

Desiccant-coated substrates, regeneratable rotary dehumidification wheels and other devices for gas (e.g., air) treatment using those substrates, and processes for making them are disclosed. The substrates may have coatings in thicknesses of from about 2 to about 10 mils containing particles of one or more adsorbent desiccants and an organic water-based binder. The desiccant particles retain a high fraction of their original adsorption capacity because the pores of the desiccant particles contain a pore-clearing agent prior to the binder setting and the pore-clearing agent leaves the pores during the manufacturing process to prevent the binder from blocking the pores. In preferred embodiments a mixture of different desiccants is used and a particle suspending agent keeps the particles well-mixed so that the desiccant particles in the coated substrate will be as well-mixed as possible. The suspending agent may also function as the pore-clearing agent. A pH-adjusting agent may be used to control the pH of the coating if the binder or another constituent of the coating is pH-sensitive.

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Marietta, GA, United States of America

John C Fischer