US2082441A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

June 1, 1937. L. w. cHlLb 2,082,441

AIR counmoman Filed June 8, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 (Ittorneg June 1, 1937; L, w, CHILD 2,082,441

AIR CONDITIONER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1934 1 v I Zmventor g; ZZ/ZM WQQ/ I %2Gttomeg AIR CONDITIONER Filed June 8, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 45 Zsnnentor W l?) W s I attorney June 1, 1937. L. w. CHILD 2,082,441

AIR CONDITIONER I Filed June 8, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Bnventor attorney Patented June I, 1937 PATENT I OFFICE AIR CONDITIONER Lachlan W. Child, .Toledo, Ohio,

assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Air Devices Corporation, Chicago,1ll., a corporation Application June 8, 1934, Serial No. 729,544

26 Claims.

This invention relates to air cooling and dehumidifying, and has as its object to improve upon the type of air conditioner in which the conditioning mechanism is located in the room to be conditioned, utilizing a refrigerating liquid which is piped from a remotely located refrigerator.

A primary object is' to achieve maximum efllciency in the distribution of cooled air into-a room. To this end, the invention contemplates the radial distribution of cooled air from a conditioner suspended in the upper region and centrally of the space to be conditioned, in all directions in a horizontal plane. The greater heavils ness of the cooled air as compared to the warmer unconditioned air, will aid it in moving downwardly near the side walls of the enclosure, and the direction of flow will thence be toward the center in the lower region of the room, and thence so upwardly to the. conditioner. As a result, the air in the lower region of the room, which contacts .the occupants thereof, will have been tempered by mixing of the cooled air issuing from the conditioner with warmer air, so that the occupants I 35 are subjected only to the equalized or average air in the room, and are not exposed to any draft of cold air.

In line with this aim, it is my object to provide a conditioning unit of what may properly be 3 called the "suspended type, adapted-to best 'produce the circulation of air in the manner stated above. i i

Another object is to provide sucha conditioning unit, arranged to avoid the short circuiting of air currents from discharge mouth to inlet mouth.

A conditioner thus called a suspended" of the invention is to provide in a unit of this type means for completely and" automatically dis- 40 posing of water of condensation and insuring against the drippin g of any moisture from the unit.

Thain vention further contemplates the provision of an air cooling unit having maximum cooling capacity in proportion to its bulk.

In this connection, the invention contemplates securing maximum efliciency from a ring shaped or doughnut heat transfer unit, It is found that a type of fan which is admirably suited to the hereinbefore mentionedradial distribution of the cooled air, lends itself perfectly to the successful utilization of the "doughnut" element.

Another object of the invention is to provide 55 a conditioning unit which lends itself readily to positioned may be properly type unit. A further object of Delaware artistic and ornamental execution in the lines of its visible exterior.

A'further object is to provide a conditioning unit which is practically silent in operation. With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the combination and construction and arrangement of the various parts thereof, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as more fully set forth in the accompanying specifications, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section, of a conditioning unit embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the same. Fig. 3 isa view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of unit embodyingthe invention.

, Fig. 4 is an inverted plan'view of the conditioning unit of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical central sectional view of the same.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the, condensate ejector mechanism. I

Fig. 7 is a plan of another modification.

A complete system embodying the invention will include a refrigerating unit A (Fig. 6) a conditioning unit B, and a fluid line 0-0 connecting the two units. A detachable casing D forms the visible part of or cover for the conditioning unit, B.

The present invention embodies what is commonly called a "closed system, the cooling of the air being accomplished by a fluid circulating'element l0, forming a closed circuit with the fluid Iine -C and refrigerator A. The fluid preferably is water, cooled in the refrigerator A.

The element I0 is in the shape of a ring or annulus. It is preferably constructed of a number of nested spiral pancake coils of what is known commercially as "flntubing".

The air distribution means comprises a centrifugal fan II the central region I2 01 which is "dead, 1. e., does not handle air, and the inlet l3 of which is annular, encompassing said dead" .central region. The central region l2 accom- 4 modates' the motor I which drives the fan, whereby the fan may be positioned quite close to the ceiling l5 from which the unit is suspended. 4

The fan H is entirely unshrouded, the space around the discharge mouth l6 being entirely open. In the form shown in Fig. 1, the heat transfer element I0 is positioned just below the annular inlet mouth l3, registering therewith so that air entering the conditioner must pass 50 stantially the full through the element in its passage tothe mouth l3.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the cooling element I is arranged closely encompassing the 5 discharge mouth l6 and registering therewith so that all air leaving the fan will pass through the element in a radial direction. In each case the air enters the conditioning unit in a-generally upward axial direction andleave's it in a horizontal plane, spreading out radially in all directions. As a result, the air movement in a room equipped with the conditioner will be generally upward at the center of the room to the condltioner, the cold conditioned air being discharged horizontally, thence moving-downwardly adjacent the vertical walls of the room and absorbing, during such movement, the currents of heated air which may seep into the room from the outside, thence converging horizontally inwardly 20 in the lower region of the room, sweeping away the foul and heated air in the vicinity of the occupants, and thence moving upwardly in the center of the room. Downward movement I3 is assisted by the heaviness of the cooler air, and 25 upward movement is assisted by the buoyancy of the air currents after absorbing heat, and the suction induced by the inspiration into the inlet mouth of the conditioner.

In order to prevent any moisture condensed on 30 the element ID from dripping into the room, I provide a drip pan 2|, suspended below the cooling element Hi. In the form shown in Fig. 3, the pan is attached to and forms a part oi the conditioner operating mechanism B, and in the 3 form shown in Fig. 1, the pan forms the bottom of the outer casing.

The drip pan is preferably annular; so that at least part of the air entering the conditioner will enter vertically at the center of the bottom, thus 40 minimizing the charged cold air ditioner.

A deflector collar 22 deflects the discharge upwardly so as to counteract what. would otherwise 45 be a downward inclination of the discharged air.

Such downward inclination has been noted where This further directly back into the conthe deflector collar is absent. avoids short circuiting.

The Ian M is, in the form shown in Fig. 1, subdiameter of the conditioning unit. It revolves at the relatively slow speed of about two hundred fifty revolutions per minute.

The motor i4 is a slow speed motor. The fan secures volume through its large size. It is virtu- 5 ally noiseless in operation for two reasons: first,

because of its slow rate of revolution; second, because it is not shrouded, but delivers its air stream directly into the surrounding atmosphere.

In order to confine the air passing through the heat transfer element so as to force it all to contact the element, I provide, in the forms shown in Fig. l, casing 23 and an outer casing 24 between them forming an annular cooling space 25 communicating with the mouth l3.

Air reaches the annular cooling space 25 by passing through the center and arou id. the outside.of the drip pan 2| into the space 26 between the top of the pan 2| and the bottom of the element III, as indicated by the arrows, whence it passes upwardly into the space 25.

The outer casing D is provided with inlet grilles 21 and 28. In the form shown in Fig. 1, the grille 28 connects the pan 2| to the hood 23 of the casing, and the grille 21 is mounted in the 75 central opening of the pan 2|.

possible short circuiting of dis- In the form shown in Fig. 3, there is only the one inlet grille 21, which is made larger to handle the full volume of air passing. through the conditioner.

It will be noted that the conditioner is roughly in the shape of a bell, with inlet openings in the small end below, and with the discharge opening between the large end of the bell and the ceiling, whereby the rising column of air is drawn upwardly and thence guided into a horizontally spreading blanket, the conditioner and ceiling forming, as it were, a plurality of elbow connections to guide the incoming air currents around the right angled bends in the air current paths.

The conditioner embodies a frame structure including a spider 30 the arms of which are provided at their ends with flanges 3| to which are bolted the upper ends of depending posts 32. At least two of the posts 32 are hollow, and connected to the element l0 and inlet and exhaust connections respectively. Preferably the connection to the element I0 is through manifolds 33 each having an elbow 34 which is detachably secured by bolts 35 to the lower end-of its corresponding post 32. (Figs. 1 and 5) In such case,

the element casing 24 is carried by the elbows 34,

and by removing the bolts 35, the entire element Hi and its confining casings 23 and 24, as well as the pan 2| and deflecting collar 22, may be dropped.

The motor I4 is secured to the central region of the spider 30, and the Ian M is carried by the motor. Thus the fan and motor may remain suspended while the element i0 is removed for inspection or repair. The central drum 33 of the .fan is secured at 31 to the rotor 38 of the motor.

The spider is suspended from the ceiling I! on resilientsuspensions 33. The posts 32 are connected to the fluid line Cby flexible connecting tubes 43. This prevents transmission of vibration to the ceiling, thus insuring silent operation.

The water collected in the pan 2| is drawn of! by a Venturi ejector pump 4|, which is connected in the cold water to draw the condensate into the cold water line at the conditioner, completely obviating the use 0! any auxiliary pipe from the pan 4|, back to the region of disposal into a sewer or drain. This is very important for the reason that in many buildings, the drain pipes are so located that the addition of a drain pipe from each conditioning unit to the sewer system of the building, would involve much added expense, difllculty, and complication.

The pump 4| is preferably located in a tube 42 connecting one of the elbows 34 to its manifold 33. This tube also serves to arrange the second manifold 33 in the near vicinity of the first manifold 33, while the elbows 34 are positioned 180 apart. The close positioning of the manifolds, as shown in Fig. 4, gives a somewhat greater conipactness of the element.

A tube 43 connects the pump 4| to the pan 2|. The end of the tube which extends into the pan is provided with a float valve 44. when the level of the condensate is low, the valve closes to preline at the conditioner, so as- Cir center through which air drip pan forming the The excess water which is added to the system by the drawing off of the condensate is ejected at the refrigerator A, which comprises a tank-46, a pump 41 to pump the return water from the conditioner into the tank 46 under pressure, the refrigerant compressor 48 which compresses the refrigerant into the condenser coil 49 where it is cooled by the circulation of Water in the cooling coil 50, the discharge side of which empties to the sewer. The excess water builds up the pressure in the tank 46, and a relief valve 5l allows the excess to escape through the elimination tube 52 into the cooling coil 50 or into any drain tube leading to the sewer.

Thus the excess water is eliminated at the refrigerator, which must be connected to the sewer anyway, and which is usually located in the basement, and two pipes are needed to connect the refrigerator to the conditioning unit.

The conditioning unit will operate efliciently whether hung directly adjacent the ceiling, or, in a high room, at a distance below the ceiling. In all cases, it will be suspended above the space to be conditioned, i. e., the lower region of the room, to the height of a normal person.

The conditioner may embody air filtering means. 'Inisuch case, the filter 60 is mounted just above" the intake grille, occupying substantially the full horizontal area of the casing. It is of larger area than the grille, the resistance per square inch of the latter .being much less than that of the filter.

The cooling coil in that form of the conditioner which incorporates a filter, is arranged surrounding the mouth of the fan, so as to provide room for the filter without increasing the depth of the unit.

The cooling element need not necessarily be circular. It may embody a polygonal cooling coil 6! as shown in Fig. 7, a cross section of which will be substantially the same as Fig. 3. The drip pan 62 is also polygonal as may also be the casing 63. The of straight sections joined at their ends by the Posts 32 which in t s case may serve as headers.

The word annular as used in the claims is intended to include not only the circular shape, but the polygonal shape as well.

I claim as my invention: I 1

1. In an air conditioner, a centrifugal fan having an annular inlet and a dead center, an annular heat transfer element registering with said inlet, and inner and outer annular casings embracing said element between them and forming an annular passage communicating with said inlet.

2. In an air cooler a centrifugal fan mounted on a vertical axis above the .space to be conditioneckan annular cooling coil through which the air handled by said fan passes, and an annular drip pan below said coil, s'aid pan having an open center through which air may enter said fan.

3. In an air cooler a centrifugal fan, mounted on a vertical axis above the space to be conditioned, an, annular cooling'coil through which the air handled by said fan drip pan below said coil,

passes, and an annular said pan having an open may enter said fan, said bottom of an open top, generally bowl shaped casing surrounding said fan and cooling coil and concealing them from below. p

4. An air conditioning unit of the ceiling suspended type including a heat transfer element and a fan positioned coaxially on a vertical axis coil BI is preferably built up above the space to be conditioned, and an annular, generally bowl shaped open top casing surrounding said fan and element, said casing having an inlet opening near its bottom and affording outlet for discharged air above its rim, and said fan arranged to moyef air upwardly through said casing and to discharge it horizontally radially in all directions, therim region of said casing comprising a trunco-conical flaring annular deflector for preventing said discharge from assuming a downward angle'upon leaving the conditioner and a drip pan below said heat transfer element, for collecting condensate therefrom.

5. An air conditioning unit of the ceiling suspended type including a heat transfer element and a fan positioned coaxially on a vertical axis above the spaceto be conditioned, and an annular, generally bowl shaped open top casing surrounding said fan and element, having an inlet opening near its bottom andaffording outlet for discharged air above its rim,

vand said fan arranged to move air upwardly 'zontally radially in through said casing and to discharge it horiall directions, the rim region of said casing'comprising a trunco-conical flaring annular deflector for preventing from assuming a downward angle upon leaving the conditioner and a drip pan below said cooling element, for collecting condensate therefrom, said drip pan having an open center through which air may pass to said cooling element.

6. In an. air cooler a centrifugal fan, mounted on a vertical axis above the space to be conditioned, an annular cooling coil through which the 1 said frame on 'a vertical air handled by said fan passes, and an annular drip pan below said coil, said pan having an said casing.

said discharge open center through which air may enter said fan, said drip pan forming the bottom of an open top, generally bowl shapedcasing surrounding said fan and cooling coil and concealing them from below, and an annular trunco-conical defiector surrounding the discharge mouth of said fan and opening upwardly to deflect the disc arged air into a horizontal plane.

7. An air conditioning unit of the ceiling suspended type comprising a frame adapted to be suspended from the ceiling, a fan mounted in said frame on a vertical axis, a heat transfer element carried by said frame, and an open top generally bowl shaped casing detachably hung from said frame and concealing the fan, said element,'and the framefrom below, said casing having an inlet opening near its bottom and providing an outlet for discharged air above its rim.

8.'An air conditioning unit of the ceiling suspended type comprising a frame adapted to be a suspended fromthe ceiling, a fan mounted in axis, a heat transfer element carried by said frame, said frame including fluid transmission ducts connected to said heat below, said casing affording outlet for discharged 7 air above its rim, and said fan arranged to move I air in said casing through said heat transfer element and to discharge it horizontally radially in all directions above said rim of the casing, the means forcirculating air thereover, and suprim region or the casing comprising atruncoports for suspending said cooler from above and conical flaring annular deflector for preventing which are formed and connected to supply coolsaid discharge from assuming a downward angle ing fluid to said cooling means and to receive the 5 upon leaving the conditioner, and a drip pan bedischarge therefrom after use, said cooling 5 low said heat transfer unit, for collecting con-- means and air-circulating means being removdensate therefrom. able from below as a unit from said supports.

10. An air conditioning unit of the ceiling sus- 18. An air cooler suspended above a space to pended type including a heat transfer unit; a fan be cooled and comprising cooling means and i0 and a generally open top bowl shaped "casing means for circulating air thereover, and supin surrounding said fan and concealing the same ports for suspending said cooler from above and from below, together coaxially positioned on a which are formed and connected to supply coolvertical axis above the space to be conditioned, ing fluid to said cooling means and to receive said casing affording outlet for discharged air vthe discharge therefrom after use, and means above its rim, and said fan arranged to-move air for removing through one of said supports water 15 in casing through said heat transfer element and condensed from the air being cooled ,by. the

to discharge it horizontally in all directions above cooling means- 7 said rim, the rim region of the casing comprising 19. An air cooling unit comprising an annular a trunco-conical flaring annular deflector for precooling coil, means for forcing air thereover, an venting said discharge from assuming adownward annular trough below said coil, and a pump 20 deflection upon leaving the conditioner. within said unit for discharging the condensate 11. An air conditioning unit of the ceiling suscollected in said troug pended type including a heat transfer element 20. An air cooling unit comprising an annular and a fan positioned coaxlally on a vertical axis cooling coil, means for forcing air thereover, an above the space to be conditioned, and a generally annular trough below said coil, ,a pump within 25 bowl shaped open top casing surrounding said said unit for discharging the condensate colfan and element and concealing the same from lected in said trough, and an automatic valve below, said casing affording outlet for discharged for shutting off the intake of said pump when air above its rim, and said fanarranged to move the condensate in said trough is d to a P eair in said casing through said heat transfer determined level.

element and to discharge it horizontally radially 21. An -air cooling unit comprising a cooling in all directions above said rim of the casing. device, means for circulating air thereover, con- 12. An air conditioning unit of the ceili g susnections for circulating fluid to and from said pended type including a heat transfer element device, means for collecting water condensed and a fan positioned coaxially on a vertical axi from the air cooled by said device, and means for 35 above the space to be conditioned, a generally bowl forcing the condensed water into the connection shaped open top casing surroundingsaid fan and ir ul ting the fluid from said device. element and concealing the same from below, said An a o n unit mpr sin a l n casingaifording outlet for discharged air above its device. means f r r ul ting air ther ver, rim, and said fan arranged to move air in said means for suspending t t from t il 40 casing through said heat transfer element and Of a m, connections extending throu id to discharge it horizontally radially in 311 i ceiling for circulating fluid to and from said dereetiens above said rim of th easing, and a vice, means for collecting water condensed from drip pan below said heat transfer unit, for 001- the eeeled by said device, and me ns within l n condensate therefrom, said unit for forcing the condensed water into 46 13. In an air cooler, a fan having an annular connection circulating the fluid p d air handling region, a cooling coil registering with ugh the ceiling from said device. said annular air handling region, and a genn air cooling t comprising a oolin erally bowl shaped easing, detachably hung device, -means for circulating air thereover, 50 low said coil, concealing the same from below, means for suspending the unit om e ceil ng 50 and providing an annular discharge outlet above of a mom, connections extending t r u h said t periphery ceiling for circulating fluid to and from said 14. In an air cooler, a fan, mounted on a, v device, means for collecting water condensed tical axis above the space to be conditioned, said from the air led by said device, and means fan having an annular 1 -m region, an within said unit for forcing the condensed water 65 annular cooling 11. through which t ninto the connection circulating the fluid updled ,by said fan passes, and an annular drip wardly through the ceiling from said device, said pan below Said e011, said pen having an open cooling device and said air-circulating means center through which 1 hendled by said g and said water-collecting means and said forcing may pass; means being removable as a sub-unit from said 60 15. In an air conditioner, a-centrifugal fan suspending meanshaving an annular inlet and a dead center, and .1 An air cooling unit comprising a cooling an annular heat transfer element registering with devlce means circulating h reover, said inlet, said fan drawing air through said elemeans for n sthe nit from the ceiling ment and discharging it radially in a plurality nne0ti0ns n in through said 65 of directions, ceiling for irculating fluid t0 and from said de-. An air cooler suspended above a space to vice, means for collecting water condensed from be cooled and comprising cooling means and the by said device; d means within; means for circulating air thereover, and supports unit fOTcing the e sed water into ,for suspending said cooler from above and which. the connectlon circulating the fluid ly 70 are formed and connected to upply cooling through the ceiling from Said device, portions Of to said cooling means and to receive t said fluid-circulating connections being formed charge therefrom after use. as passages in said suspending means, and said 1'7. An air cooler suspended above a space to cooling device and said air-circulating meansand 15 be cooled and comprising cooling means and said water-collecting means and said forcing for suspending it from the ceiling and compris ing an annular cooling element having an annular condensate collecting trough suspended below it, said trough having an open center through which air may pass, a fan mounted on a vertical axis and having an annular air handling region for circulating room air over.said element through the open space at the center of said element and trough, and means for forcibly elevating the condensate in said trough through the ceiling and discharging it outside the room. 10

LAC W. CHILD.

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