Air conditioning apparatus for a room with integrated fan coil unit, dehumidifier and BI-polar ionizer

Abstract

An apparatus for dehumidifying, cooling and heating, and ionizing air in a room has a chassis with a return-air inlet at one end and a supply-air outlet at a downstream opposing end; a dehumidifier having a dehumidifier coil mounted within the chassis proximate the return-air inlet; a cooling / heating coil assembly mounted downstream of the dehumidifier and in proximity to the dehumidifier coil; and an electric fan mounted within the chassis downstream of the cooling / heating coil assembly. The fan is arranged to selectively draw air from the room, through the return-air inlet, over the dehumidifier coil and the cooling / heating coil assembly, and out the supply-air outlet; and a bi-polar ionizer mounted within the chassis and downstream of the fan. The electric fan circulates the air about the bi-polar ionizer to ionize the air drawn from the room and remove contaminants prior to being discharged into the room through the supply-air outlet.

Description

[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028]AIR CONDITIONING APARATUS FOR A ROOM WITH INTEGRATED FAN COIL UNIT, DEHUMIDIFIER AND BI-POLAR IONIZERCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONSThis application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 708,506, filed October 17, 2024, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to unitary air conditioning / quality treatment systems, and more specifically to a novel apparatus that integrates, in a single chassis / housing for a room such as a hotel / motel room, a dehumidification system into a fan coil unit along with a bi-polar ionization system.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In spaces that are served by unitary air conditioning / quality treatment systems, such as hotel rooms, a fan coil unit (FCU) is typically installed to provide air conditioning, i.e., cooling and / or heating of blown air through an air supply register. A block diagram of a well- known type of ceiling-mounted FCU is illustratively depicted in FIG. 1. In a two-pipe system, the FCU includes a single tubular coil with a fluid supply pipe 19s and a fluid return pipe 19r at opposing ends of the single coil, and that can provide cooling only, heating only, or cooling or heating depending upon the season / climate and temperature of the cooling fluid flowing through the coil. In a four-pipe system, the FCU includes two separate coils for cooling and heating, each coil having a fluid supply pipe and a fluid return pipe for conveying a cooling or a heating fluid therethrough. One or more flow valves (not shown) are typically provided (e.g., on the supply pipe) in a well-known manner to control the flow of the fluid through the coil assemblies.

[0003] Referring to FIG. 1, a side elevation view of a ceiling-mounted FCU 10 in a two-pipe system is illustratively shown. The FCU 10 is generally formed as a conduit by a tubular-shaped chassis 11 which includes a return air inlet 4412 provided at a first end and a supply air outlet 13 provided at an opposing distal end of the chassis 11, both of which are typically covered with a14917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028] protective grill or register 14, 15 to direct air flow into and out of the FCU 10. A filter 16 is provided proximate the inlet 12 to help prohibit entry of undesirable dust and contaminants to minimize unwanted deposits on the coils and decrease periodic maintenance requirements on the cooling / heating coil 17. An electric fan 18 is positioned between the return air inlet 12 and the supply air outlet 13.

[0004] Applying power to the fan motor of fan 18 causes the fan blades of fan 18 to rotate in a direction which draws filtered air from a room 19 which is being conditioned (i.e., heated / cooled) into the chassis 11 and pass over the cooling / heating coil 17, which is filled with a coolant when the air from room 19 is being cooled. The air flow through the FCU 10 is illustratively shown by the arrows in FIG. 1. The coil 17 is connected to a condensing unit (not shown) which is usually located remotely outside of the building. The fan 18 further forces the chilled air to be recirculated back into the room 19 through the air outlet register via the supply ductwork 20 which is formed by panel s / ductwork of the FCU chassis 11.

[0005] Condensation that accumulates on the coil(s) of the cooling / heating coil assembly 17 is captured by a collection / drainage system, e.g., a drip pan (or tray) 21 positioned beneath the cooling / heating coil 17. The drip pan 21 can include a port or opening 22 formed in its bottom to accommodate channeling of the water drippings / accumulation out of the FCU 10 and to a waste drain, for example, via a drip tube connected to the drip pan port.

[0006] The chassis 11 includes a frame formed from stud / strut channels and / or angle brackets from which the cooling / heating coil 17, the electric fan 18, and other components are fastened and secured. Flat panels or covers are positioned and fastened over the frame and internal components to form a ductwork conduit which enables air from the room 19 to be drawn through the return air inlet 12, to flow over the cooling / heating coils 17 and subsequently to be discharged back into the room 19 by the supply air outlet 13 with no or minimal leakage between the panels. Although a horizontal ceiling-mount FCU is illustratively shown and described with respect to FIG. 1, an upright (i.e., vertically orientated) FCU will include the same components and manner of operation as described above.

[0007] Often, it is difficult to maintain relative humidity (RH) levels in the 30% to 60% range with 50% being the most desirable level, in terms of comfort and indoor environmental quality. RH levels that exceed 60% are typically prone to microbial growth, bacteria, and molds. This can be the case with these unitary systems, as they typically use a chilled water, two- or24917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028] four-pipe system to deliver cooling to the room. The FCU will cool very effectively but may cool down the room rapidly and run for a short duration. The short duration does not allow for effective dehumidification, i.e., the removal of moisture from the air in the room.

[0008] This has been a common problem, especially in areas of higher outdoor temperature and relative humidity. Also, the susceptible rooms may be prone to other air quality issues such as higher levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which make the air stale and odorous. The occupant’s tendency is to lower the temperature setting on the thermostat to provide better comfort, but this action will not significantly dehumidify the room, as the FCU system will not run once the lower thermostat temperature setting is reached.

[0009] In a four-pipe system, which provides separate coils for cooling and heating, it is possible to run the cooling coil and the heating coil at the same time (i.e., to cool the air and then to re-heat it) in an attempt to maintain the desired relative humidity. However, hotels do not adopt this approach because (1) running the cooling and heating coil simultaneously requires too much energy (and thus is costly) and (2) the useful life of the heating coils is reduced and they will need to be replaced. Nevertheless, the lack of RH control is a significant issue, but heretofore has not been satisfactorily provided in FCUs.

[0010] High RH levels will provide the necessary moisture to feed any mold spores present in the room, which can then lead to detrimental mold growth in the room. Mold can grow in as little as twenty -four hours and a non-evasive mold remediation procedure in a hotel room can be costly (e.g., typically range from $6,000 to $9,000), depending on the location and severity of the mold. In cases where drywall, carpet, and / or HVAC remediation is also required, the remediation costs will be significantly higher. As well, the proprietor or lessee of the hotel / motel, an AIRBNB™ rental property, and the like can suffer further loss of revenues due to the downtime when the room cannot be occupied or rented.

[0011] Clean Air Group Inc. (dba, Atmos Air Solutions, hereinafter “AtmosAir”) has patented bi-polar ion (BPI) air purification technology systems which have been used for over 20 years to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) by means of saturating the supply air with bi-polar ions. U.S. patent numbers 8,747,754; 8,922,971; 9,114,356; 9,597,424; and 11,859,842 to Abate — the contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties — disclose various embodiments of BPI systems from which bi-polar ions interact with airborne contaminants to cause particles to agglomerate and fall out of the air. As well, VOCs are broken34917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028] down to immeasurable amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapor such that microbes, e.g., molds, fungi, bacteria, and viruses are inactivated by disruption to their lipid layer so that the microbes cannot reproduce and spread. These effects have been proven in both lab and in situ studies.

[0012] However, molds can grow in locations that ionized air can’t easily reach, for example, under carpets and behind walls or wall coverings. Humidity control is critical to preventing moist air from feeding any spores that are present. Also, bi-polar ions will react with humidity and neutralize, so air with lower RH will allow for more ions to be conserved (i.e., fewer ions are neutralized by humidity) and thus for better IAQ improvement from the BPI system.

[0013] It has therefore been desirable to have both an FCU and a separate ionization system in the room. However, this has often posed problems of reducing the guest-usable space in the room, the coordination of the respective benefits of the multiple systems, and the attendant costs of installation and of providing power, and the desirability of using a single air flow stream for both the FCU and the more efficient use of the ionization benefits.

[0014] Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved fan coil unit which provides an integrated humidity control capability that results in more bi-polar ions being conserved and thus better IAQ improvement from the BPI system.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] As shown in the drawings and discussed herein, the Applicant’s novel apparatus integrates, in a single chassis / housing for a room such as a hotel / motel room, a dehumidification system into a fan coil unit along with a bi-polar ionization system to form an FCU / Dehumidifier / BPI System (hereinafter “FCU-DHI” System).

[0016] In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for dehumidifying, cooling and heating, and ionizing air in a room comprises a chassis forming a conduit and having a return air inlet formed at one end and a supply air outlet at a downstream opposing end of the chassis; a dehumidifier having a dehumidifier coil mounted within the chassis proximate the return air inlet; a cooling / heating coil assembly mounted within the chassis downstream of the dehumidifier and in proximity to the dehumidifier coil; an electric fan mounted within the chassis downstream of the cooling / heating coil assembly, the electric fan arranged to selectively draw air from the room, through the return air inlet, over the dehumidifier44917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028] coil and cooling / heating coil assembly, and out the supply air outlet; and a bi-polar ionizer mounted within the chassis and downstream of the electric fan, wherein the electric fan circulates the air about the bi-polar ionizer to ionize the air drawn from the room and remove contaminants prior to being discharged into the room through the supply air outlet.

[0017] In embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a single drip pan mounted in the chassis and arranged for collecting and draining condensation from the dehumidifier coil and the cooling / heating coil assembly.

[0018] In embodiments, the chassis is arranged horizontally and is configured for installation in a ceiling of the room.

[0019] In embodiments, the chassis is arranged vertically and is configured for installation on a floor of the room.

[0020] In embodiments, the cooling / heating coil assembly includes a two-pipe cooling / heating coil arrangement.

[0021] In embodiments, the cooling / heating coil assembly includes a four-pipe cooling / heating coil arrangement.

[0022] In embodiments, an air filter is arranged between the dehumidifier and the return air inlet.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] FIG. l is a side elevation view of a well-known type of ceiling-mounted fan coil unit (FCU).

[0025] FIG. 2 is a top, front, right-side perspective view of an apparatus that integrates, in a single chassis / housing for a room such as a hotel / motel room, a dehumidification system into a fan coil unit (FCU) along with a bi-polar ionization system to form an FCU / Dehumidifier / BPI System (“FCU-DHI” System) in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a transparent, top, front, right-side perspective view of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 which shows the direction of airflow therethrough.54917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028]

[0027] FIG. 4A is a front elevation view of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 which shows the dehumidification system located within the single chassis.

[0028] FIG. 4B is a front, left-side perspective view of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 which shows the dehumidification system and a cooling / heating coil assembly of the fan coil unit located within the single chassis.

[0029] FIG. 4C is a top, front, right-side perspective view of the dehumidification system, a cooling / heating coil assembly of the fan coil unit, and a drip pan located within the single chassis of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2.

[0030] FIG. 4D is a front, right-side sectional view of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 which shows the dehumidification system, the cooling / heating coil assembly of the fan coil unit, and the drip pan located within the single chassis.

[0031] FIG. 4E is a front elevation view of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 which shows a dehumidification system that was used during dehumidification testing located within the single chassis.

[0032] FIG. 5A is a summary of the results of dehumidification testing of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 with the dehumidification system integrated into a first model of a fan coil unit.

[0033] FIG. 5B is a summary of the results of dehumidification testing of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 with the dehumidification system integrated into a second model of a fan coil unit.

[0034] FIG. 5C is a summary of the results of airflow testing of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 in a first test-space room.

[0035] FIG. 5D is a summary of the results of airflow testing of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 in a second test-space room.

[0036] FIG. 6Ais a screenshot view of relative humidity (RH) levels in a first test-space room without the operation of a dehumidifier.

[0037] FIG. 6B is a screenshot view of relative humidity (RH) levels in a second test-space room which included the integrated FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 with its dehumidifier system operating continuously.

[0038] FIG. 6C is a black-and-white line drawing of the screenshot depicted in FIG. 6A.

[0039] FIG. 6D is a black-and-white line drawing of the screenshot depicted in FIG. 6B.64917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028]

[0040] FIG. 7 is a summary of the results of dehumidification testing of the FCU-DHI System of FIG. 2 in test-space rooms.

[0041] To facilitate understanding of the invention, identical reference numerals have been used, when appropriate, to designate the same or similar elements that are common to the figures. Further, unless stated otherwise, the drawings are not drawn to scale, but are shown for illustrative purposes only.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4A-4E, an upright or vertically orientated FCU-DHI unit (or system) 100 is illustratively shown. The FCU-DHI system components are mounted and supported in a chassis 140 and are described along a flow path of air that is to be treated / conditioned from the return air inlet 110 and downstream to the supply air outlet 120 of the FCU-DHI unit 100, as shown in FIG. 3. In particular, the chassis 140 includes a plurality of stud / strut channels and exterior panels arranged to form a tubular conduit with the return air inlet 110 at one end and the supply air outlet 120 at the opposing end of the chassis 140. The panels form sidewalls which are arranged and mounted to the stud / strut channels by fasteners in a well- known manner. One or more gaskets and / or seals can be provided between the panels and / or strut channels to prevent / minimize air leakage through the sidewalls. Thus, with the exceptions of the return air inlet 110 and supply air outlet 120, the FCU-DHI unit 100 is a closed airflow system.

[0043] Referring to FIGS. 2-3, a dehumidifier unit 130, which includes a compressor 132 and cooling coils 134, is positioned towards the lower end of the vertically orientated chassis / ductwork 140 in proximity of the return air inlet 110. The dehumidifier cooling coils 134 are arranged in a manner to maximize airflow over the dehumidifier cooling coils 134.

[0044] The FCU 150 is positioned in the chassis 140 downstream of the dehumidifier 130 and preferably in close proximity over or adjacent to the dehumidifier 130 in a manner such that the cooling / heating coils 154 of the FCU 150 are in proximity to or adjacent to the coils 134 of the dehumidifier 130. Referring FIGS. 4C and 4D, the cooling / heating coil assembly 154 is illustratively shown as a two-pipe system including a single tubular coil with a fluid supply pipe 155s and a fluid return pipe 155r for conveying a cooling fluid or a heating fluid (e.g., chilled or heated water). A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the present invention is also applicable to a four-pipe system having a two separate coils with a second fluid supply pipe74917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028]159s and a second fluid return pipe 159r, as illustratively shown in phantom, and in which the first coil conveys the cooling fluid (e.g., chilled water), while the second coil conveys the heating fluid (e.g., heated water). Thus, the four-pipe cooling / heating coil assembly provides a user with an option to selectively cool or heat a room / space at any time, since both a cooled fluid and a heated fluid are available for providing heat exchange via the respective pair of coils of the four- pipe cooling / heating coil assembly. By contrast, the two-pipe cooling / heating coil assembly is limited to either cooling or heating the room / space, depending on whether a chilled or heated fluid is being supplied, i.e., flowing through the single coil at a particular time.

[0045] A drip pan / tray 156 (or other drainage device) is arranged beneath the dehumidifier and FCU coils 134, 154 to capture and drain any excess condensate forming on either or both of the coils 134, 154. The drip pan 156 can include a port / drip tube (not shown) in the same or a similar manner described with respect to FIG. 1 to permit / direct the flow of the excess condensation to a drain that is external to the FCU-DHI 150 in a well-known manner.

[0046] A single electric fan 152 (blower) is positioned further downstream along the airflow path (above the dehumidifier 130 and FCU 150, as shown in the drawings) to draw unconditioned or treated air from the room and into the return air inlet 110 of the FCU-DHI unit 100, and subsequently to force the conditioned (i.e., dehumidified / cooled) air out of the air outlet 120 and back into the room from which the air originated. Further downstream of the FCU 150, but before the air supply outlet 120, is positioned a bi-polar ionization device 160 to treat the dehumidified / temperature-adjusted air so as to remove undesirable contaminates before being returned back into the room via the supply air outlet 120. The upright embodiment of the FCU- DHI unit 100 shown in FIGS. 2-4D is not considered limiting, as the order of the components within- the chassis 140 along the airflow path are the same with respect to a horizontally- oriented, ceiling-mounted FCU-DHI system.OPERATION

[0047] The dehumidifier 130 of the FCU-DHI system 100 uses an independent, refrigerantbased coil system 134 which is positioned upstream of the FCU conditioning coils 154 to initially dehumidify the incoming return air prior to undergoing any temperature adjustments by the FCU 150. The dehumidifier 130 of the FCU-DHI system 100 is controlled electronically by a humidistat (not shown) which can be set to a desired RH level. The dehumidifier 130 integrates with the existing FCU blower 152 to supply airflow. Also integrated with the blower 152 is a84917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028] bipolar ionizer 160 (e.g., an AtmosAir FC 400 BPT system) to saturate the dehumidified and selectively temperature-adjusted supply air with bi-polar ions. The dehumidifier 130, FCU 150, and BPI components 160 are installed in the chassis / housing 140 of the FCU 150 in a room in which temperature, humidity, and air quality are controlled. The FCU-DHI system 100 advantageously drains any condensate water from the dehumidifier coils 134 into the same drain 156 as the FCU 150. A replaceable or washable filter 170 is positioned proximate the return air inlet 110, i.e., upstream of the dehumidifier 130, fan 152, coils 134, 154, and ionizer components 160 to help minimize dust and other air-borne contaminants from depositing on the dehumidifier and the cooling coils 134, 154, which can diminish dehumidifying and temperature efficiency.ADVANTAGES

[0048] The FCU-DHI system 100 advantageously integrates the room conditioning system (fan coil unit (FCU) 150) to enhance humidity control and removal and to purify the supplied air. The integrated approach is advantageous as it can use the FCU blower 152 to provide the airflow needed for dehumidification and ionization without the need for each of these components 130, 160 to have their own independent electric fan. Further, advantages of the integrated FCU-DHI system 100 over the use of separate devices include:

[0049] It is more energy efficient. - The integrated unit 100 uses less power to drive a single electric fan, as compared to providing power to individual dehumidifier, FCU, and BPI devices, which all consume energy to drive their respective fans separately.

[0050] It requires fewer power connections. - Separate devices would also need to have separate power connections, which would involve additional costs to provide required receptacles / wiring / circuit breakers.

[0051] It requires fewer moisture drains.- A separate dehumidifier would require its own water condensate collection tank and / or drain / tubing to collect condensate water that is pulled from the air onto the dehumidifier coils.

[0052] It is quieter. - Separate dehumidifier and BPI devices would produce more overall noise and at various locations in the room, which is not desirable in a hotel room or in any other room where people congregate / sleep.

[0053] It provides improved performance over separate dehumidifier, FCU, and BPI units. The FCU blower 152 was designed to be able to saturate the room with conditioned air. The inventive, integrated FCU-DHI unit 100 uses the existing blower 152 of the FCU and improves94917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028] the performance of all three components (i.e., dehumidifier, FCU, and BPT units) in a room with more precise and conditioned airflow so that the room will dry faster, i.e., realize reduced humidity quicker, change temperature, and saturate the room with ions so as to improve the quality of air quicker and more efficiently.

[0054] Advantageously, BPI 160 can ionize the air flowing through the integrated FCU-DHI unit 100 much faster and more efficiently, since the air has significantly reduced moisture within the FCU-DHI unit, as opposed to ionizing the air if the BPI 160 is remote from the dehumidifier 130 and FCU 150. Bi-polar ions neutralize when reacting with humidity. If a dehumidification system is provided separately from the BPI system, the BPI system loses ionization power and becomes less efficient. Ionizing the air that is flowing through the integrated FCU-DHI unit 100 optimizes the ionization functionality because this air has a lower RH and thus will result in fewer ions being neutralized by humidity (i.e., more bipolar ions can be conserved).

[0055] It is not seen nor does it impinge on the guest-usable space and is invisible to the guest. All three components 130, 150, 160 are integrated together in a single chassis 140, and are completely concealed within the room FCU 150, and there is no other space in the room that is taken up or additional user interaction that is needed.

[0056] Keeping room RH levels stable will also enable energy savings over time, reducing the need to use the chilled water system and associated energy used.

[0057] The FCU-DHI system 100, with its integrated arrangement, keeps RH levels consistent, and the BPI air purification component 160 provides comfort and improved IAQ, while preventing issues like mold from creating major remedial problems.

[0058] Initial airflow tests reveal that combining the DHI with the FCU resulted in a nominal reduction of airflow through the unit as measured in cubic feet of air per minute. In particular, the airflow through the FCU-DHI unit 100 was reduced by 11% or less, as compared to a FCU without the DHI components. This reduction was due to placement of the dehumidifier coils 134 directly before the chilled water coil (not shown) of the FCU 150 and then blanking / blocking off remaining area to ensure that the air was treated or dried before entering primary cooling / heating coil assembly 152 of the FCU 150.

[0059] In-room testing has shown that the integrated FCU-DHI system 100 can deliver the desired RH control and BPI performance. The integrated FCU-DHI system 100 also operates quietly so as not to disturb a sleeping guest / occupant.104917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028]

[0060] Further test results of the FCU-DHI system 100 are set forth in FIGS. 5A-5D, in which dehumidifying tests were performed with and without running the FCU to cool the temperature in the test space. Significant drops in humidity were observed.

[0061] In another test, testing was performed in two test-space rooms and operated continuously for a predetermined time. Data loggers were used to capture continuous data. FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate screenshot views of RH levels in the two rooms in order to demonstrate one test-space room without the operation of the dehumidifier versus the second test-space room which had the integrated FCU-DHI unit 100 with its dehumidifier 130 operating continuously. (FIGS. 6C and 6D are black-and-white line drawings of the screenshots depicted in FIGS. 6A and 6B, respectively.) The results without the dehumidifier 130 display much higher levels of moisture than the room with the installed dehumidifier unit 130 in the FCU 150.

[0062] In still further testing, the integrated FCU-DHI unit 100 performed flawlessly by dehumidifying the interior environment of subject test rooms (test space) from 80% to 50% RH with two atomizing humidifiers delivering 4,000 mL / hour of moisture. The results show significant RH pull-down capability by recording, on average, 0.30% RH reduction per minute.

[0063] In addition, with humidifiers running continuously for 24 hours, room RH levels were reduced from over 80% to 50% RH in under 5 hours, as illustrated in the graph shown in FIG. 7.ENERGY SAVINGS

[0064] To address high humidity levels, occupants / hotel guests often turn down room temperature setpoint to achieve coincident dehumidification while simultaneously lowering dry bulb temperature. The FCU-DHI sensible heat ratio is approximately 60%, resulting in dry bulb temperature declining 1.5 times compared to humidity ratio. This leads to a noticeable temperature drop while the dehumidification process is underway.

[0065] The dehumidifier unit 130 normally operates with little to no temperature rise across both the dehumidifier cooling coil(s) 134 and the FCU coil(s) 154, in comparison to controlling room humidity using chilled water reset strategies, which often drives dry bulb temperatures in the space / room being conditioned to levels requiring reheat to maintain guest comfort levels. This property has electric resistance heating coils, as found in many FCU units where space cooling is dominant.

[0066] Although an exemplary description of the invention has been set forth above to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, that description should not114917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028] be construed to limit the invention, and various modifications and variations may be made to the description without departing from the scope of the invention, as will be understood by those with ordinary skill in the art, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.124917-0269-9122v.l

Claims

[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028]What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for dehumidifying, cooling and heating, and ionizing air in a room, the apparatus comprising: a chassis forming a conduit and having a return air inlet formed at one end and a supply air outlet at a downstream opposing end of the chassis; a dehumidifier having a dehumidifier coil mounted within the chassis proximate the return air inlet; a cooling / heating coil assembly mounted within the chassis downstream of the dehumidifier and in proximity to the dehumidifier coil; an electric fan mounted within the chassis downstream of the cooling / heating coil assembly, the electric fan arranged to selectively draw air from the room, through the return air inlet, over the dehumidifier coil and the cooling / heating coil assembly, and out the supply air outlet; and a bi-polar ionizer mounted within the chassis and downstream of the electric fan, wherein the electric fan circulates the air about the bi-polar ionizer to ionize the air drawn from the room and remove contaminants prior to being discharged into the room through the supply air outlet.

2. The apparatus for dehumidifying, cooling and heating, and ionizing air in a room according to claim 1, further comprising a single drip pan mounted in the chassis and arranged for collecting and draining condensation from the dehumidifier coil and the cooling / heating coil assembly.

3. The apparatus for dehumidifying, cooling and heating, and ionizing air in a room according to claim 1, wherein the chassis is arranged horizontally and is configured for installation in a ceiling of the room.

4. The apparatus for dehumidifying, cooling and heating, and ionizing air in a room according to claim 1, wherein the chassis is arranged vertically and is configured for installation on a floor of the room.134917-0269-9122v.l[Atty. Docket No. 00395-0028]5. The apparatus for dehumidifying, cooling and heating, and ionizing air in a room according to claim 1, wherein the cooling / heating coil assembly includes a two-pipe cooling / heating coil arrangement.

6. The apparatus for dehumidifying, cooling and heating, and ionizing air in a room according to claim 1, wherein the cooling / heating coil assembly includes a four-pipe cooling / heating coil arrangement.

7. The apparatus for dehumidifying, cooling and heating, and ionizing air in a room according to claim 1, wherein an air filter is arranged between the dehumidifier and the return air inlet.144917-0269-9122v.l

Images