Booster heat pipe for air-conditioning systems
US5333470A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 1991 |
| Grant date | Aug 2, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02B30/56
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An air conditioning system uses heat-pipes in combination with a cooling coil to increase either the dehumidification capacity or the efficiency and capacity of an air-conditioning system. In the dehumidification mode, the secondary cooling coil is inactive, and the heat pipes operate as a heat exchanger between the warm return air and the cold supply air of the air conditioning system to precool the return air and reheat the supply air, increasing the latent capacity of the main cooling coil. In the efficiency and capacity boosting mode, the secondary cooling coil is activated by introducing a portion of the cooling fluid from the air-conditioning system. This results in a neutralization of the effect of the heat pipes as well as an increase in effective heat-exchange area between the cooling fluid and the air, therefore produces an increase in the capacity of the system. In the case of a direct expansion system, the evaporation temperature and pressure of the air-conditioning system are increased by the augmentation of the heat-exchange capacity of the evaporators, resulting in improved thermodynamic efficiencies as well as cooling output capacity. This ability to control the air…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.