Patent · US Expired

Method of and apparatus for conditioning air in enclosures

US4685617A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
1References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 6, 1985
Grant dateAug 11, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 6, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S165/909
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A system for conditioning the air in an enclosure, such as a greenhouse, uses low grade heat contained in a liquid, e.g., condenser cooling water that is normally discharged downstream of a power plant. The system includes an indirect contact heat exchanger with a heat exchange surface having one side contacted by the fluid, and a direct contact air-brine heat exchanger associated with the enclosure including a blower for exchanging air between the enclosure and the air-brine heat exchanger. The system also includes a pump for exchanging brine between the direct contact heat exchanger and the other side of the heat exchange surface of said indirect contact heat exchanger. Thus, an efficient indirect, liquid-to-liquid heat exchange operation takes place between the brine and the low grade heated liquid; and an efficient direct, air-brine heat exchange operation takes place to heat the air in the enclosure without increasing its humidity.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.