Nortek Air Solutions Canada, Inc.

Venmar Ces, Inc.

Nortek Air Solations Canada, Inc.

Manfred Gerber

Philip Paul LePoudre

Davood Ghadiri Moghaddam

Howard Brian Hemingson

Maury Brad Wawryk

Blake Norman Erb

Kenneth Paul Coutu

David Martin Wintemute

Cam Forman

Can Wen Rong

Paul Lorenzo Pieper

Ken Coutu

Ahmed Hamdi Abdel-Salam

Stephane Vivier

Philip Paul Lepoudre

Systems and methods for controlling conditions in an enclosed space, such as a data center, or for providing cooling to a device, can include using a Liquid-to-Air Membrane Energy Exchanger (LAMEE) as an evaporative cooler. The LAMEE or exchanger can cool water to the outdoor air wet bulb temperature in a cooling system disposed outside of the enclosed space or device. The reduced-temperature water can be delivered to the enclosed space or device or can cool a coolant that is delivered to the enclosed space or device. The air in the enclosed space, or one or more components in the enclosed space, can be cooled by delivering the reduced-temperature water or coolant to the enclosed space, rather than moving the supply air from the enclosed space to the cooling system. In an example, the cooling system can include one or more cooling coils, upstream or downstream of the LAMEE.

Using liquid to air membrane energy exchanger for liquid cooling

A conditioning system includes a first plenum and a second plenum. The second plenum receives heated air from an enclosed space and supplies cooled air to the space. The system also includes a first liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE) arranged inside the first plenum. LAMEEis configured to use a liquid desiccant to lower an enthalpy of the first air stream. A LAMEEis arranged inside the first plenum downstream of LAMEE. LAMEEis configured to use the first air stream to evaporatively cool water flowing through LAMEE. A first LAHX (LAHX) is arranged inside the second plenum. LAHXis configured to directly and sensibly cool the second air stream using a first cooling fluid. A second LAHX (LAHX) is in fluid communication with LAMEEand is configured to receive the liquid desiccant from LAMEEand cool the liquid desiccant using outdoor air.

Systems and methods for managing conditions in enclosed space

Conditioning systems and methods for providing cooling to a heat load can include an evaporative cooler arranged in a scavenger plenum with a pre-cooler upstream and a recovery coil downstream of the evaporative cooler. Outdoor or scavenger air can be conditioned in the evaporative cooler such that the conditioned scavenger air can provide cooling to a cooling fluid circulating through the recovery coil. The reduced-temperature cooling fluid can provide liquid cooling or air cooling for an enclosed space (for example, a data center) or for one or more devices that are enclosed or open to the atmosphere. Given the design and arrangement of the pre-cooler, evaporative cooler and recovery coil in the plenum, the system can operate in multiple modes. The pre-cooler can be configured to circulate a cooling fluid to condition the scavenger air. The pre-cooler fluid circuit can be coupled or decoupled from a process cooling fluid circuit.

Systems and methods for providing cooling to a heat load

A hybrid system and method for conditioning air for an enclosed space can include a direct cooling system in combination with an indirect cooling system. The hybrid system can use direct cooling when ambient temperature and humidity levels are such that 100% outdoor air can be delivered to the enclosed space. The hybrid system can use indirect cooling when 100% of the return air can be conditioned using an external cooling unit and then returned to the enclosed space as supply air. The external cooling unit can include an evaporative cooler and operate in a dry mode and a wet mode. The external cooling unit can produce a reduced temperature cooling fluid and provide liquid cooling to the air when the system is operating in the indirect mode, and in some cases, in the direct mode. The hybrid system can operate in a mixed mode in which the external cooling unit is off and a mix of return air and outdoor air can be delivered to the enclosed space.

Hybrid direct and indirect air cooling system

Certain embodiments provide an energy exchange system that includes a supply air flow path, an exhaust air flow path, an energy recovery device disposed within the supply and exhaust air flow paths, and a supply conditioning unit disposed within the supply air flow path. The supply conditioning unit may be downstream from the energy recovery device. Certain embodiments provide a method of conditioning air including introducing outside air as supply air into a supply air flow path, pre-conditioning the supply air with an energy recovery device, and fully-conditioning the supply air with a supply conditioning unit that is downstream from the energy recovery device.

Energy exchange system for conditioning air in an enclosed structure

An air delivery system may include a housing, a first liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE), and a desiccant storage tank. The housing includes a supply air channel and an exhaust air channel. The first LAMEE may be an exhaust LAMEE disposed within an exhaust air channel of the housing. The exhaust LAMEE is configured to receive the outside air during a desiccant regeneration mode in order to regenerate desiccant within the exhaust LAMEE. The desiccant storage tank is in communication with the exhaust LAMEE. The exhaust LAMEE is configured to store regenerated desiccant within the desiccant storage tank. The regenerated desiccant within the desiccant storage tank is configured to be tapped during a normal operation mode.

Control system and method for a liquid desiccant air delivery system

Systems and methods for controlling temperature in an enclosed space can include an air-to-air heat exchanger (AAHX) and a direct evaporative cooler (DEC). The DEC can be located in a scavenger or outdoor air stream such that the DEC cools the outdoor air, which is then used to cool or reject heat from a process air stream passing through the AAHX. In an example, the AAHX can be a sensible wheel. In another example, the AAHX can be a counter-flow flat plate. The system can operate in various modes, including an economizer mode and an evaporation mode, depending, in part, on the outdoor air conditions and a load on the system. In some examples, the system can include a DX coil to provide additional cooling to the process air in another operating mode.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for a three-fluid liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE) to condition air (a first overall fluid). A liquid panel assembly used in the LAMEE can include a first fluid circuit for a first cooling fluid (a second overall fluid) and a second fluid circuit for a second cooling fluid (a third overall fluid). The first cooling fluid, also referred to herein as a desiccant, can be configured to circulate through the liquid panel assembly and condition an air stream passing through the LAMEE. The second cooling fluid, also referred to herein as a coolant, can be configured to also circulate through the panel assembly and reject heat from the first cooling fluid. The second cooling fluid can increase the cooling capacity and overall performance of the LAMEE. The first and second cooling fluids can be separate from each other during circulation through the panel assembly. Low operating pressures of the first fluid circuit can be facilitated by the design of the liquid panel to at least partially offset hydrostatic pressure gain with friction pressure loss of the first cooling fluid.

Three-fluid liquid to air membrane energy exchanger

An energy exchange system that includes a supply air flow path, an exhaust air flow path, an energy recovery device disposed within the supply and exhaust air flow paths, and a supply conditioning unit disposed within the supply air flow path. The supply conditioning unit may be downstream from the energy recovery device.

Systems and methods for controlling conditions in an enclosed space can include an integral make-up air system that can be arranged in the interior of the housing for an air conditioning system that uses scavenger air in an air-to-air heat exchanger (AAHX) to condition process air from an enclosed space. The make-up air system can take replenishment air from outside the air conditioning system and deliver it into the process air stream. The make-up air system can include at least one heating or cooling device to condition the replenishment air before the replenishment air mixes with the process air. In an example, the make-up air system can include a DX coil to selectively cool and dehumidify the replenishment air. The make-up air system can include a humidifier arranged in the flow path of process air between the process air inlet and the AAHX to selectively add humidity to the process air.

Integrated make-up air system in 100% air recirculation system

Conditioning systems and methods for providing cooling to a heat load can include an evaporative cooler arranged in a scavenger plenum with a pre-cooler upstream and a recovery coil downstream of the evaporative cooler. Outdoor or scavenger air can be conditioned in the evaporative cooler such that the conditioned scavenger air can provide cooling to a cooling fluid circulating through the recovery coil. The reduced-temperature cooling fluid can provide liquid cooling or air cooling for an enclosed space (for example, a data center) or for one or more devices that are enclosed or open to the atmosphere. Given the design and arrangement of the pre-cooler, evaporative cooler and recovery coil in the plenum, the system can operate in multiple modes. The pre-cooler can be configured to circulate a cooling fluid to condition the scavenger air. The pre-cooler fluid circuit can be coupled or de-coupled from a process cooling fluid circuit.

An example system is configured to control conditions in an enclosed space. The system includes scavenger and process plenums, a liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE), a first liquid-to-air heat exchanger (LAHX), a second LAHX, and a fluid circuit The scavenger plenum is configured to direct scavenger air from a scavenger inlet to a scavenger outlet. The process plenum is sealed from the scavenger plenum and is configured to direct process air from a process inlet to a process outlet The process inlet receives heated air from the space and the process outlet supplies cooled air to the space. The LAMEE is arranged inside the scavenger plenum. The LAMEE is configured to use the scavenger air to evaporatively cool a first fluid flowing through the LAMEE. The temperature of the first fluid at a LAMEE outlet is lower than the temperature of the first fluid at a LAMEE inlet. The first LAHX is arranged inside the process plenum. The first LAHX is configured to directly and sensibly cool the heated air from the space to a supply air temperature using a second fluid flowing through the first LAHX. The second LAHX is arranged inside the scavenger plenum downstream of the LAMEE. The second LAHX is configured to receive and cool the second fluid heated by the first LAHX using the scavenger air. The fluid circuit transports the first and second fluids among the LAMEE, the first LAHX, and the second LAHX.

Growing community of inventors

Saskatoon, Canada

Manfred Gerber