An air treatment system with water production function

Abstract

The present invention discloses an air treatment system with a water production function, which relates to the field of air treatment. The air treatment system with a water production function includes a fresh air unit, which is used for indoor and outdoor air exchange and includes a heat exchanger; a mechanical refrigeration unit, which is used to adjust the temperature of indoor and outdoor air and includes an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger; and a water circulation unit, which is used to collect water generated by the fresh air unit and the mechanical refrigeration unit. Part of the collected water is used to supply the outside, and the other part is used to cool or humidify the air about to enter the room. The air treatment system of the present invention has the functions of recovering secondary air waste heat, controlling the temperature and humidity of primary fresh air, improving indoor air quality, and using air to produce water. While meeting the special needs of indoor work, production, and life, it effectively reduces energy consumption, improves indoor air quality, and improves water resource utilization.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of air treatment, in particular to an air treatment system with a water production function. Background Art

[0002] Evaporative cooling, as an efficient natural cooling technology, is of great significance to the country's realization of the "dual carbon" goals. At present, evaporative cooling coupled with mechanical refrigeration air treatment equipment mainly serves the data center field. Generally, evaporative cooling, mechanical refrigeration or a combination of different cooling modes are used to treat local fresh air. Other equipment directly treats the circulating air inside the building, so that the air supply state meets the requirements of creating an indoor environment.

[0003] This type of air handling equipment has two major drawbacks. First, it's not well-suited for industrial or residential applications requiring fresh air and temperature and humidity control, such as paint production lines and semiconductor manufacturing plants. Second, while evaporative cooling offers significant advantages in my country's arid western regions, water scarcity limits its widespread adoption. Effectively addressing these shortcomings and improving overall system efficiency presents a pressing technical challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems in the prior art, the present invention is proposed.

[0005] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is how to improve the indirect evaporative cooling efficiency and waste heat recovery rate while increasing the efficient recycling and utilization of condensed water.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: an air treatment system with a water production function, comprising a fresh air unit for exchanging indoor and outdoor air, comprising a heat exchanger; the heat exchanger comprising a return air heat exchange pipe and a fresh air heat exchange pipe, one end of the return air heat exchange pipe being connected to the return air duct and the other end being connected to the exhaust duct; one end of the fresh air heat exchange pipe being connected to the fresh air duct and the other end being connected to the supply air duct;

[0007] A mechanical refrigeration unit for regulating the temperature of indoor and outdoor air, comprising an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger; the mechanical refrigeration unit further comprising a compressor, a four-way valve, and a throttle valve, wherein three ports of the four-way valve are respectively connected to the compressor, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger, and the throttle valve is disposed on a pipeline between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger;

[0008] a water circulation unit for collecting water generated by the fresh air unit and the mechanical refrigeration unit, wherein a portion of the collected water is used to supply the outside, and the other portion is used to cool or humidify the air about to enter the room; the water circulation unit includes a spray head and a humidifier, the spray head is used to cool the heat exchange fins of the heat exchanger, and the humidifier is used to humidify the air about to enter the room; the water circulation unit also includes a first funnel for collecting condensed water from the indoor heat exchanger, a second funnel for collecting excess water from the humidifier, a third funnel and a fourth funnel for collecting condensed water from the heat exchanger, and a fifth funnel for collecting water in the air about to be discharged outdoors;

[0009] The condensed water of the indoor heat exchanger and the condensed water of the heat exchanger form a water circuit with the spray head and the humidifier;

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the air treatment system with water production function of the present invention, the water generated by the fresh air unit and the mechanical refrigeration unit is collected in a water collection tank, part of the water in the water collection tank is filtered and used to supply water to the outside, and the other part is filtered and enters the sprinkler head and the humidifier;

[0011] The fresh air unit further includes filter modules respectively arranged inside the return air duct, the exhaust air duct, the fresh air duct and the supply air duct;

[0012] The filtration module includes shutters installed at the air inlets of the return air duct and the fresh air duct and the air outlets of the exhaust duct and the supply air duct, a coarse-effect filter installed inside the fresh air duct, a disinfection and sterilization device installed inside the supply air duct, and a medium-efficiency filter;

[0013] There are two water tanks, namely the first water tank and the second water tank, which are connected by a water pump; the water in the first water tank passes through the water purifier and the water pump and is diverted at the first three-way valve, and the other two ports of the first three-way valve are respectively connected to the sprinkler head and the humidifier; part of the water in the second water tank is used to replenish the first water tank, and the other part of the water can be supplied to the outside.

[0014] As a preferred solution of the air treatment system with water production function described in the present invention, the fresh air unit further includes an air supply fan arranged inside the air supply duct and an exhaust fan arranged inside the exhaust duct.

[0015] As a preferred solution of the air treatment system with water production function described in the present invention, a water retaining plate is further provided at the end of the exhaust pipe, and the water retaining plate is used to block water in the air that is about to enter the exhaust pipe.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the air treatment system of the present invention has the functions of recovering waste heat from secondary air, controlling the temperature and humidity of primary fresh air, improving indoor air quality, and utilizing air to produce water. While meeting the special needs of indoor work, production, and life, it effectively reduces energy consumption, improves indoor air quality, and increases water resource utilization. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an air treatment system with water production function.

[0019] Figure 2 The diagram shows the operation of an air handling system with water production function in indirect evaporative cooling mode.

[0020] Figure 3 The figure is a schematic diagram of the operation of an air handling system with water production function in cooling mode.

[0021] Figure 4 The diagram below shows the operation of an air handling system with water production function in heating mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art may make similar generalizations without violating the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0024] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in various places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it individually or selectively refer to an embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments.

[0025] Example 1

[0026] Reference Figures 1 to 4, which is the first embodiment of the present invention, provides an air treatment system with a water production function, which includes a fresh air unit 100, a mechanical refrigeration unit 200 and a water circulation unit 300.

[0027] Specifically, refer to Figure 1 The fresh air unit 100 includes a heat exchanger 101, which is composed of a return air heat exchange pipe 101a and a fresh air heat exchange pipe 101b. The return air heat exchange pipe 101a and the fresh air heat exchange pipe 101b are not connected and are arranged perpendicular to each other.

[0028] One end of the return air heat exchange pipe 101a is connected to the return air duct 102, and the other end is connected to the exhaust duct 103. Indoor air, also known as secondary air, enters from the return air duct 102, passes through the return air heat exchange pipe 101a, and is discharged from the exhaust duct 103.

[0029] On the other hand, one end of the fresh air heat exchange pipe 101b is connected to the fresh air pipe 104, and the other end is connected to the air supply pipe 105. Outdoor air, that is, primary air, enters from the fresh air pipe 104, passes through the fresh air heat exchange pipe 101b, and is discharged from the air supply pipe 105 into the room.

[0030] Preferably, an exhaust fan 108 is installed inside the exhaust pipe 103, and a supply fan 107 is installed inside the supply pipe 105, both of which are used to enhance air flow.

[0031] Furthermore, a filter module 106 is installed inside the return air duct 102 , the exhaust air duct 103 , the fresh air duct 104 and the supply air duct 105 .

[0032] Specifically, shutters 106a are installed at the air inlets of the return air duct 102 and the fresh air duct 104, and at the air outlets of the exhaust duct 103 and the supply air duct 105, respectively, to block large particles from entering and prevent interference with the normal operation of the system.

[0033] In addition, a coarse-effect filter 106b is installed inside the fresh air duct 104 for simple treatment of the fresh air, and a disinfection and sterilization device 106c and a medium-effect filter 106d are installed inside the air supply duct 105 for treating the air to meet the indoor fresh air standard.

[0034] The mechanical refrigeration unit 200 includes an outdoor heat exchanger 201 and an indoor heat exchanger 202 . The outdoor heat exchanger 201 is installed on the air inlet side of the exhaust fan 108 , and the indoor heat exchanger 202 is installed on the air inlet side of the supply fan 107 .

[0035] In addition, three ports of four-way valve 204 are connected to compressor 203, outdoor heat exchanger 201, and indoor heat exchanger 202, respectively. Throttle valve 205 is installed in the pipeline between outdoor heat exchanger 201 and indoor heat exchanger 202. In other words, the refrigerant flows in a loop formed by compressor 203, outdoor heat exchanger 201, throttle valve 205, and indoor heat exchanger 202.

[0036] It is worth noting that in summer, the outdoor heat exchanger 201 acts as a condenser and the indoor heat exchanger 202 acts as an evaporator; in winter, the outdoor heat exchanger 201 acts as an evaporator and the indoor heat exchanger 202 acts as a condenser.

[0037] The water circulation unit 300 includes a spray head 301, a humidifier 302 and a water tank 308. In this embodiment, there are two water tanks 308, namely a first water tank 308a and a second water tank 308b, which are connected by a water pump 311. The water in the first water tank 308a passes through the water purifier 310 and the water pump 311 and is diverted at the first three-way valve 312. The other two ports of the first three-way valve 312 are respectively connected to the spray head 301 and the humidifier 302. There are multiple spray heads 301, which are installed on the spray head bracket 313. When the spray head 301 sprays water, it can cool the heat exchange plate of the heat exchanger 101. The humidifier 302 is installed on the air inlet side of the indoor heat exchanger 202 and can humidify the air about to enter the room.

[0038] Part of the water in the second water tank 308b replenishes the first water tank 308a, while the remaining water can be supplied externally. Specifically, in this embodiment, the water in the second water tank 308b passes through a shutoff valve 314 and a pre-filter 315 before being diverted at a second three-way valve 316. Part of the water enters the building's water supply network, while the remaining water passes through a water purifier 310 and can be used as drinking water. A drain valve 317 is installed at the bottom of each water tank 308 to drain any unneeded water.

[0039] It should be noted that the building water supply network is also directly connected to the first water tank 308a through a pipeline, and when the water level in the first water tank 308a is insufficient, it can be replenished through the building water supply network.

[0040] In addition, a first funnel 303 is installed at the bottom of the indoor heat exchanger 202 to collect condensed water from the indoor heat exchanger 202. A second funnel 304 is installed at the bottom of the humidifier 302 to collect excess water sprayed from the humidifier 302. A third funnel 305 and a fourth funnel 306 are installed at the bottom of the heat exchanger 101. The third funnel 305 collects condensed water from the return air heat exchange pipe 101a. The fourth funnel 306 collects condensed water from the fresh air heat exchange pipe 101b.

[0041] A water retaining plate 309 is installed at the air inlet of the exhaust pipe 103 to block water droplets in the exhaust air and prevent water from accumulating in the exhaust pipe 103 and affecting the normal operation of the system. A fifth funnel 307 is also installed at the bottom of the water retaining plate 309 to collect the blocked water droplets.

[0042] The water collected by the first funnel 303 flows into the second water tank 308b, and the water collected by the second funnel 304, the third funnel 305, the fourth funnel 306 and the fifth funnel 307 flows into the first water tank 308a, forming a cycle.

[0043] In summary, when the system is running, it has three working modes: indirect evaporative cooling mode, cooling mode and heating mode.

[0044] (1) Indirect evaporative cooling mode.

[0045] This mode is primarily designed for transitional seasons. During these periods, when the indoor cooling load is low, the system's mechanical cooling unit 200 is turned off, while the remaining units are turned on. After indirect evaporative cooling, the primary air is directly delivered indoors.

[0046] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 During transitional seasons, excess indoor cooling air passes through the louvers 106a and enters the return air duct 102, ultimately entering the return air heat exchange pipe 101a within the heat exchanger 101. As it passes through the return air heat exchange pipe 101a, it removes some of the heat from the heat exchanger 101 through convection. Simultaneously, the water sprayed by the sprinkler head 301 undergoes convection heat exchange with the air, and as the water evaporates, it further removes heat from the heat exchange fins within the heat exchanger 101, causing the temperature of the heat exchanger 101 to continuously decrease.

[0047] After partially recovering the cooling energy, the air temperature is still lower than the average outdoor temperature. The remaining cooling energy is further recovered and reused in the outdoor heat exchanger 201. The air is then blown out of the exhaust pipe 103 by the exhaust fan 108. When the wind speed of the exhaust fan 108 reaches a certain value, the indoor air will carry some liquid droplets into the exhaust pipe 103. To prevent the accumulated water from interfering with the exhaust fan 108, a water retaining plate 309 is provided to block the water droplets. Excess water droplets gather in the fifth funnel 307.

[0048] During the continuous replenishment of outdoor fresh air, the shutters 106a at the entrance of the fresh air duct 104 can block large particles to prevent interference with the normal operation of the device. The coarse filter 106b performs simple processing on the fresh air. The fresh air with a certain amount of heat enters the fresh air heat exchange pipe 101b in the heat exchanger 101 and performs convection heat exchange with the heat exchanger 101 with a lower temperature. In the process of temperature reduction, a small amount of water vapor condenses into small water droplets on the wall of the fresh air heat exchange pipe 101b. After a certain amount of water droplets gather, they flow downward along the fresh air heat exchange pipe 101b to the fourth funnel 306.

[0049] Then, the blower 107 inside the air supply pipe 105 blows fresh air through the indoor heat exchanger 202, and the temperature of the fresh air is further reduced. A large amount of condensed water flows into the first funnel 303. Under the power of the blower 107, the low-temperature fresh air passes through the medium-efficiency filter 106d and the disinfection and sterilization device 106c to meet the indoor fresh air standard. Finally, it is blown into the room through the air supply pipe 105 to adjust the room temperature. The special structure inside the heat exchanger 101 ensures that the fresh air and the return air have no direct contact, thereby ensuring the cleanliness of the indoor air.

[0050] (2) Refrigeration mode.

[0051] This mode is primarily designed for summer conditions. During this time, the indoor cooling load is high, and all system devices are powered on. Primary air is first cooled by indirect evaporation, then dehumidified and cooled by the evaporator in the mechanical refrigeration unit 200 before being delivered indoors.

[0052] Specifically, refer to Figure 3 In summer, the outdoor heat exchanger 201 acts as a condenser and the indoor heat exchanger 202 acts as an evaporator. The compressor 203 compresses the gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, and then sends it to the outdoor heat exchanger 201 to dissipate heat and become a normal-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. Then it goes to the throttle valve 205 and enters the indoor heat exchanger 202.

[0053] After the refrigerant passes through throttle valve 205 and reaches indoor heat exchanger 202, the volume suddenly increases and the pressure decreases. The liquid refrigerant vaporizes, becoming a low-temperature gaseous refrigerant, which absorbs a large amount of heat. The low-temperature gaseous refrigerant then flows back through the pipes to compressor 203. Mechanical refrigeration unit 200 utilizes the heat from the outdoor air to heat indoor heat exchanger 202 (evaporator), recovering excess cooling energy from the indoor air to cool outdoor heat exchanger 201 (condenser), maximizing heat recovery.

[0054] The water collected by the third funnel 305 , the fourth funnel 306 and the fifth funnel 307 is collected into the first water tank 308 a through the water delivery pipe, and then is processed by the water purifier 310 and delivered to the sprinkler head 301 by the water pump 311 .

[0055] The first funnel 303 collects a large amount of condensed water into the second water tank 308b, part of which is used to replenish the first water tank 308a, and the other part is regulated by the second three-way valve 316 after being processed by the pre-filter 315. One branch pipe is processed by the water purifier 310 to supply direct drinking water to users, and the other branch pipe is connected to the building water supply network.

[0056] (3) Heating mode.

[0057] This mode is primarily designed for winter conditions. During this time, when the indoor heat load is high, the mechanical refrigeration unit 200 switches to a heat pump cycle via the four-way valve 204, turning on the humidifier 302. The air then passes through the heat exchanger 101 to recover excess heat, is then sprayed and humidified by the humidifier 302, and is then heated to the air supply state by the mechanical refrigeration condenser.

[0058] Specifically, refer to Figure 4 In winter, the system switches to another working mode. The indoor air with residual heat enters the return air heat exchange pipe 101a and transfers the heat to the heat exchanger 101. The sprinkler head 301 on the upper right stops working. The fresh air with a lower outdoor temperature obtains heat when passing through the fresh air heat exchange pipe 101b. The air temperature rises and the relative humidity decreases. The humidifier 302 humidifies the air to meet the air quality requirements of indoor people, and then it is sent to the indoor heat exchanger 202 by the blower 107 to heat it up.

[0059] Four-way valve 204 switches the refrigerant flow direction, with outdoor heat exchanger 201 acting as the evaporator and indoor heat exchanger 202 acting as the condenser. Compressor 203 pressurizes the refrigerant gas, turning it into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. It then enters indoor heat exchanger 202, where it condenses, releasing heat and becoming a liquid. This heats the outdoor fresh air, thereby raising the indoor temperature.

[0060] After the liquid refrigerant is decompressed by the throttle valve 205, it enters the outdoor heat exchanger 201 to evaporate and absorb heat, turning into gas while absorbing the waste heat of the indoor air. The refrigerant that has become gas enters the compressor 203 again to start the next cycle.

[0061] The second funnel 304 collects excess water from the humidifier 302 and collects it in the first water tank 308a. The water is then fed into the building water supply network through a shutoff valve 314 and then fed into the first water tank 308a for replenishment. The first water tank 308a then flows through a water purifier 310, a water pump 311, and a first three-way valve 312 to the humidifier 302.

[0062] The bottom of the first water tank 308a and the bottom of the second water tank 308b are both connected to drain valves 317 to connect the unnecessary water in the two water tanks to the drainage network.

[0063] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention may be modified or replaced by equivalents without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, which should all be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air treatment system with water production function, characterized in that: include, A fresh air unit (100) is used for indoor and outdoor air exchange, and comprises a heat exchanger (101), wherein the heat exchanger (101) comprises a return air heat exchange pipe (101a) and a fresh air heat exchange pipe (101b), wherein one end of the return air heat exchange pipe (101a) is connected to the return air pipe (102), and the other end is connected to the exhaust pipe (103); one end of the fresh air heat exchange pipe (101b) is connected to the fresh air pipe (104), and the other end is connected to the supply air pipe (105); A mechanical refrigeration unit (200) is used to adjust the temperature of indoor and outdoor air, comprising an outdoor heat exchanger (201) and an indoor heat exchanger (202); the mechanical refrigeration unit (200) further comprises a compressor (203), a four-way valve (204), and a throttle valve (205); three ports of the four-way valve (204) are respectively connected to the compressor (203), the outdoor heat exchanger (201), and the indoor heat exchanger (202); the throttle valve (205) is arranged on a pipeline between the outdoor heat exchanger (201) and the indoor heat exchanger (202); A water circulation unit (300) is used to collect water generated by the fresh air unit (100) and the mechanical refrigeration unit (200), with a portion of the collected water being used for external supply and the other portion being used for cooling or humidifying the air about to enter the room; the water circulation unit (300) comprises a spray head (301) and a humidifier (302), the spray head (301) being used to cool the heat exchange fins of the heat exchanger (101), and the humidifier (302) being used to humidify the air about to enter the room; the water circulation unit (300) further comprises a first funnel (303) for collecting condensed water from the indoor heat exchanger (202), a second funnel (304) for collecting excess water from the humidifier (302), a third funnel (305) and a fourth funnel (306) for collecting condensed water from the heat exchanger (101), and a fifth funnel (307) for collecting water in the air about to be discharged outdoors; The condensed water of the indoor heat exchanger (202) and the condensed water of the heat exchanger (101) form a water circuit with the spray head (301) and the humidifier (302); The water generated by the fresh air unit (100) and the mechanical refrigeration unit (200) is collected in a water collecting tank (308); part of the water in the water collecting tank (308) is filtered and used to supply water to the outside, and the other part is filtered and enters the sprinkler head (301) and the humidifier (302); The fresh air unit (100) further comprises a filter module (106) respectively arranged inside the return air duct (102), the exhaust air duct (103), the fresh air duct (104) and the supply air duct (105), wherein the filter module (106) comprises a shutter (106a) installed at the air inlet of the return air duct (102) and the fresh air duct (104) and the air outlet of the exhaust air duct (103) and the supply air duct (105), a coarse-effect filter (106b) installed inside the fresh air duct (104), a disinfection and sterilization device (106c) and a medium-effect filter (106d) installed inside the supply air duct (105); The water tanks (308) are provided with two, namely a first water tank (308a) and a second water tank (308b), which are connected by a water pump (311); the water in the first water tank (308a) passes through the water purifier (310) and the water pump (311) and is then diverted at the first three-way valve (312); the other two ports of the first three-way valve (312) are respectively connected to the sprinkler head (301) and the humidifier (302); part of the water in the second water tank (308b) is used to replenish the first water tank (308a), and the other part of the water is used to supply water to the outside.

2. The air treatment system with water production function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fresh air unit (100) further includes an air supply fan (107) disposed inside the air supply pipe (105) and an exhaust fan (108) disposed inside the exhaust pipe (103).

3. The air treatment system with water production function according to claim 2, characterized in that: A water retaining plate (309) is also provided at the end of the exhaust pipe (103), and the water retaining plate (309) is used to block water in the air that is about to enter the exhaust pipe (103).

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