Techniques for geothermal temperature and humidity control

Abstract

Techniques are described for independent control of temperature and humidity in a single device. In particular, two thermal control systems can be arranged within the device (e.g., within a shared housing) that can each be independently operated to heat or cool the ambient air. The mode of operation of each thermal control system may be selected based on a humidity measurement of the ambient air, so that the thermal control systems are effectively controlled based on dew point rather than temperature.

Description

Att. Dkt. No. 234429-700020TECHNIQUES FOR GEOTHERMAL TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CONTROLBACKGROUND

[0001] Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and dehumidifier systems are commonly used to regulate the interior environment of a home or other building. For instance, to maintain comfortable temperatures furnaces, boilers and heat pumps are typically used to generate heat, whereas air conditioning units are typically used to cool. In addition, humidifiers and dehumidifiers are typically used to add or remove moisture from the air, respectively.

[0002] Geothermal heating and cooling systems take advantage of the constant temperature of the ground to efficiently exchange heat and thereby provide heating or cooling. For example, to provide cooling, a closed-loop geothermal heat pump warms a liquid using the ambient environment in a building and directs the heated liquid underground where it deposits some of this heat into the cooler ground. Conversely, to provide heating, a closed-loop geothermal heat pump directs liquid from underground into a building where it is warmer than the ambient environment, and transfer heat from the liquid into the ambient environment. Open-loop geothermal heat pumps works similarly but draw groundwater from underground and circulate the water through the system to provide heating or cooling.SUMMARY

[0003] According to some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system including: athermal mass; a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a first liquid and air; a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first liquid and a second liquid; one or more first ducts coupled to the first heat exchanger and to the second heat exchanger that provide a first fluid circulation loop for the first liquid through the first heat exchanger and through the second heat exchanger; one or more second ducts coupled to the thermal mass and to the second heat exchanger that provide a second fluid circulation loop for the second liquid through theAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020second heat exchanger and through the thermal mass; and at least one fan configured to cause air to move over the first heat exchanger.

[0004] According to some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method including: by a controller: pumping a first liquid in a first circulation loop through a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, thereby exchanging heat between the first liquid and ambient air within a housing through the first heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger being arranged inside the housing; pumping a second liquid in a second circulation loop through the second heat exchanger and a thermal mass, thereby exchanging heat between the first liquid and the second liquid through the second heat exchanger; and operating at least one fan inside the housing to blow air past the first heat exchanger through an output of the housing.

[0005] According to some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system including: a first thermal control system; a second thermal control system; one or more fans arranged above the first thermal control system and the second thermal control system; a humidity sensor; and a controller configured to operate the first thermal control system and the second thermal control system to each independently heat or cool ambient air based on at least one signal generated by the humidity sensor.

[0006] According to some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method including: performing, by a controller of a system including a first thermal control system and a second thermal control system arranged within a housing, a cooling and dehumidifying operation including: operating the first thermal control system to cool ambient air within the housing while operating the second thermal control system to cool the ambient air within the housing; and operating one or more fans to direct the ambient air within the housing into an outlet channel; and performing, by the controller, a cooling operation including: operating the first thermal control system to cool the ambient air within the housing while operating the second thermal control system to heat the ambient air within the housing; and operating the one or more fans to blend ambient air within the housing and direct blended ambient air into the outlet channel.

[0007] According to some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method including: performing, by a system including a first thermal control system and aAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020second thermal control system each arranged within a housing and each connected to a water tank, a cooling operation including: operating the first thermal control system to cool ambient air within the housing while operating the second thermal control system to cool the ambient air within the housing; directing, from a first heat exchanger of the first thermal control system, water from the first thermal control system into the water tank; and directing, from a second heat exchanger of the second thermal control system, water from the second thermal control system into the water tank; and performing a heating operation including operating the first thermal control system to heat ambient air within the housing at least in part by transferring heat from water in the water tank into the ambient air within the housing.

[0008] The foregoing apparatus and method embodiments may be implemented with any suitable combination of aspects, features, and acts described above or in further detail below. These and other aspects, embodiments, and features of the present teachings can be more fully understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] Various aspects and embodiments will be described with reference to the following figures. It should be appreciated that the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing.

[0010] FIG. 1A depicts a schematic of a system for independent control of temperature and humidity, according to some embodiments;

[0011] FIG. IB depicts a schematic of a system for independent control of temperature and humidity that includes a housing, according to some embodiments;

[0012] FIGs. 2A-2D depict several illustrative modes of operating the system of FIG. 1A, according to some embodiments;

[0013] FIGs. 3 A and 3B depict an illustrative implementation of a thermal control system, according to some embodiments;Att. Dkt. No. 234429-700020

[0014] FIG. 3C depicts an example of the system of FIGs. 3A-3B in which the thermal mass is a volume of water, according to some embodiments;

[0015] FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative implementation of a system for independent control of temperature and humidity, according to some embodiments;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a schematic of a building comprising a plurality of systems each configured for independent control of temperature and humidity, according to some embodiments;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of operating a system configured for independent control of temperature and humidity, according to some embodiments; and

[0018] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a computing system environment on which aspects of the disclosure may be implemented.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Conventional heating and cooling systems are controlled to heat or cool to a set point temperature, and then to stop heating or cooling. For example, when cooling a building to 72°F on a hot day, a cooling system typically cools the air until the air temperature inside the building is 72°F, and then stops cooling (which typically results in a period of short cycling). While different heating and cooling systems may alter the moisture content of the air during heating or cooling, this is incidental to heating or cooling and is not controlled by the heating or cooling system. For example, steam heat can often increase the humidity of the ambient air while heating it, but this is a facet of the heating technology and the amount of humidity that is added is not controlled independently of temperature. Similarly, an air conditioning unit generally dries the air when cooling because moisture in the air hits the cold coils in the unit causing it to condense. Conventionally, humidifier or dehumidifier systems are employed separately from heating and cooling systems if additional control of the humidity is desired. These additional systems increase complexity and add cost to the system.

[0020] As described above, geothermal heating and cooling systems can represent particularly efficient heating and cooling systems by utilizing the constant temperature underground. These systems require a large underground space and consequently also require a large upfront construction effort with associated cost. For instance, closed-loopAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020geothermal systems typically bury hundreds of feet of tubing, either a few feet underground in a long horizontal path, or hundreds of feet down vertically. Similarly, open-loop geothermal systems require a long vertical connector to a source of underground water. In each case, a great deal of excavating and installation is required such that typical geothermal systems take 5-10 years to break even on cost, despite the efficiency benefits during operation. In addition, as with HVAC systems, geothermal heating and cooling systems are not able to control the humidity of the ambient environment independently of heating or cooling.

[0021] The inventors have recognized and appreciated techniques that allow for independent control of temperature and humidity in a single device. In particular, at least two thermal control systems can be arranged within the device (e.g., within a shared housing) that can each be independently operated to heat or cool the ambient air. The mode of operation of each thermal control system may be selected based on a humidity measurement of the ambient air, so that the thermal control systems are effectively controlled based on dew point rather than temperature.

[0022] Moreover, the device may be connected to a thermal mass, such as a water tank, which may be stored partially underground (e.g., in a basement) and which can provide an amount of geothermal heating or cooling without the significant installation needs of a typical geothermal system. Such a thermal mass may also allow the system to store energy for later use, such as by transferring heat from one or both thermal control systems when they are operating in a cooling mode into water in the tank, and transferring heat from the water in the tank into the thermal control systems for use during a later heating phase. Water may also be collected in the tank as a result of cooling operations by the thermal control systems that cause condensation to be produced during dehumidification.

[0023] These techniques can provide a number of advantages. For instance, by storing heat in the thermal mass, and by capturing heat from the ground by the thermal mass, the power needs of the system may be reduced by using this heat for later heating operations (e.g., at night). In addition, the use of a water tank as a thermal mass rather than hundreds of feet of tubing or an underground well allows the system to be much more portable and easily installed, as well as allowing potable water to be collected.Att. Dkt. No. 234429-700020Moreover, by allowing control of humidity even once a desired temperature has been reached, consistent conditions can be produced in a building thereby mitigating generation of mold than can be produced when local areas reach the dew point. Further advantages may also be realized, some of which are described below.

[0024] According to some embodiments, a geothermal control system may comprise a liquid-air heat exchanger and a liquid-liquid heat exchanger that are both coupled to a thermal mass. A circulation loop for a first liquid (e.g., a refrigerant) passes through both heat exchangers, and a circulation loop for a second liquid (e.g., water) passes through the liquid-liquid heat exchanger and the thermal mass. Consequently, heat may be transferred from the thermal mass to / from the liquid-liquid heat exchanger, which may in turn transfer heat to / from the air via the liquid-air heat exchanger. The liquid-air heat exchanger may be operated in either a heating or a cooling mode, allowing the thermal mass to effectively add heat to, or remove heat from, the ambient air.

[0025] In some embodiments, the system may comprise a second instance of each of the two heat exchangers, which are both coupled to the same thermal mass. For example, both of the liquid-liquid heat exchangers may deposit water into the same tank, and also both draw water from the tank, thereby allowing the temperature of the water around each circulation loop to mix in the tank.

[0026] In some embodiments, the system may comprise one or more fans that direct air from the two liquid-air heat exchangers into a common duct, thereby mixing the effects produced on the temperature and humidity of the air from each of the two heat exchangers. In some cases, the system may comprise two fans, with one fan arranged over each of the liquid-air heat exchangers, thereby allowing the system to adjust the extent to which each of the two liquid-air heat exchangers independently heat or cool the ambient air. For example, one portion of the system may be heating while another portion is cooling, and increasing or decreasing the fan speed in each portion may control the net effect to the temperature and / or humidity of the air.

[0027] In some embodiments, the system comprises two thermal control systems that are each controlled independently to heat or cool ambient air based on one or more measurements from a humidity sensor and / or one or more measurements from a temperature sensor. The thermal control systems may be arranged within a singleAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020housing and output air from the housing at a single output, which receives air mixed from the air around the two thermal control systems. Alternatively, the thermal control systems may be arranged within a single housing and output air from the housing at two outputs, which subsequently combine to mix air from the air around the two thermal control systems. In either case, the result is to mix air from the two thermal control systems. The system may be operable in different modes, with the system operating in a given mode in response to the temperature and humidity sensor readings. In some embodiments, this system may be operable in at least four modes referred to herein as “high cool,” “low cool,” “high heat” and “low heat” modes, examples of which are described below.

[0028] According to some embodiments, the high cool mode may be performed when the temperature is above a target temperature and the humidity is above a target humidity, and comprises operating both thermal control systems in a cooling mode; the low cool mode may be performed when the humidity has reached the target humidity, but the temperature is above the target temperature, and comprises operating one thermal control system in a cooling mode and the other thermal control system in a heating mode; the high heat mode may be performed when the temperature is below the target temperature and the humidity is above the target humidity, and comprises operating both thermal control systems in a heating mode; and the low heat mode may be performed when the temperature has reached the target temperature and the humidity is above the target humidity, and comprises operating one thermal control system in a cooling mode and the other thermal control system in a heating mode.

[0029] In some embodiments, the system may comprise one or more solar panels configured to generate DC power that is utilized by at least a portion of the system (e.g., to perform heating or cooling). In some embodiments, portions of the system that receive power generated by the solar panels may receive and utilize DC power directly, without a conversion to AC that would introduce power loss. Any excess power generated by the solar panels and not needed by the system may be directed to a battery, which the system can later draw from when needed.

[0030] Following below are more detailed descriptions of various concepts related to, and embodiments of, techniques that allow for independent control of temperatureAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020and humidity in a single device. It should be appreciated that various aspects described herein may be implemented in any of numerous ways. Examples of specific implementations are provided herein for illustrative purposes only. In addition, the various aspects described in the embodiments below may be used alone or in any combination, and are not limited to the combinations explicitly described herein.

[0031] FIG. 1A depicts a schematic of a system for independent control of temperature and humidity, according to some embodiments. System 100 comprises thermal control system 111 and thermal control system 112, each of which are configured to independently perform heating or cooling of ambient air. Both of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 are coupled to a thermal mass 150 via ducts 118 and 119, through which heat may be transferred from the thermal mass to one or both of the thermal control systems, and through which heat may be transferred from one or both of the thermal control systems to the thermal mass. Ducts 118 may, for instance, represent a path for a gas or liquid to flow from the thermal control systems 111 and 112 to the thermal mass 150, and ducts 119 may represent a path for a gas or liquid to flow from the thermal mass 150 to the thermal control systems 111 and 112.

[0032] In the example of FIG. 1A, system 100 also comprises fans 116 and 117 which are arranged so that ambient air heated or cooled by each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may be pushed in a desired direction (e.g., into an HVAC duct). Each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 and the fans 116 and 117 are controlled by a controller 120, which also receives sensor data (e.g., as signal) from a humidity sensor 130 and a temperature sensor 140.

[0033] As described above, a system - such as system 100 shown in FIG. 1A - that comprises two independently controllable thermal control systems may be controlled to heat or cool ambient air based on sensor data generated by a humidity sensor and / or sensor data generated by a temperature sensor. In the example of FIG. 1 A, the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may each be operated by the controller 120 to independently perform heating or cooling based on sensor data generated by either or both of the humidity sensor 130 and temperature sensor 140 and provided to the controller 120. In addition, in some embodiments the controller 120 may control theAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020speed of each of the fans 116 and 117 independently based on sensor data provided by either or both of the humidity sensor 130 and temperature sensor 140.

[0034] In some embodiments, the system 100 may be configured to operate in a number of different modes, with the system operating in a given mode based on data received by the controller 120 that represents one or more indications of the humidity of the ambient air in the system and / or one or more indications of the temperature of the ambient air in the system. In each mode, a heating or cooling mode may be selected for each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112, and in some cases a fan speed may be selected for each of the fans 116 and 117. A mode may be selected, for instance, by comparing an indication of the humidity to a target humidity measurement.Additionally, or alternatively, a mode may be selected by comparing an indication of the temperature to a target temperature measurement.

[0035] In some embodiments, while the system 100 is operating in a given mode, various aspects of operation of the system may also be adjusted by the controller 120 based on data received by the controller 120 that represents one or more indications of the humidity of the ambient air in the system and / or one or more indications of the temperature of the ambient air in the system. For instance, in cases where one of the thermal control systems is heating and the other thermal control system is cooling, the relative fan speeds of the fans 116 and 117 may be adjusted by the controller in response to the controller receiving the data that represents the one or more indications of the humidity of the ambient air in the system and / or one or more indications of the temperature of the ambient air in the system.

[0036] According to some embodiments, each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may comprise a plurality of heat exchangers that together are configured to transfer heat from the thermal mass to the ambient air, or from the ambient air to the thermal mass. Since, as noted above, each thermal control system may independently be operated in a heating or cooling mode, the heat exchangers in each thermal control system may not be transferring heat in the same direction at the same time. For example, in some cases the thermal control system 111 may be operated to transfer heat from the thermal mass 150 to the ambient air while the thermal control system 112 is being operated to transfer heat from the ambient air to the thermal mass. Since the extent toAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020which the affect of heating or cooling on the ambient air may be adjusted by selecting a relative speed of each of the fans 116 and 117, such an operational configuration may result in net heating or cooling, as well as net humidification or dehumidification.

[0037] According to some embodiments, each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may comprise a liquid-air heat exchanger. A conventional air conditioner comprises a liquid-air heat exchanger (the evaporator coil) that transfers heat from one environment (e.g., a room) into a liquid refrigerant using evaporator coils, and another liquid-air heat exchanger (the condenser coil) that transfers heat from the heated liquid refrigerant to another environment (e.g., outside). In some embodiments, each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may comprise a liquid-air heat exchanger configured to either transfer heat from the ambient air to a liquid, or to transfer heat from the liquid to the ambient air. For instance, each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may comprise a heat exchanger that can be operated in two modes where each mode affects heat transfer in a different direction (air to liquid, or liquid to air). In some embodiments, such a heat exchanger may be implemented as a coil (e.g., similar a conventional evaporator or condenser coil) through which a refrigerant may be flowed in either a cooling or a heating cycle. A liquid-air heat exchanger within each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may for example be operated with a halocarbon refrigerant, such as one or more chlorofluorocarbons and / or hydrofluorocarbons, such as chlorodifluoromethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, a halogenated olefin, and / or any type of Freon®.

[0038] In some embodiments, each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may comprise a pair of coils, a compressor and an expansion valve, as with a conventional air conditioner, in addition to a fluid control valve that can be controlled to circulate a refrigerant through the coils in either direction, depending on whether the thermal control system is being operated in a heating or cooling mode. For instance, a compressor may be coupled to a fluid control valve, which is coupled to a circulation loop that includes a first coil and a second coil and an expansion valve between the coils. In a heating mode, the compressor may direct hot liquid refrigerant into the first coil acting as a condenser coil (which may for instance be the liquid-air heat exchanger described above). On its return path to the compressor, the refrigerant passes through theAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020evaporator coil and the second coil, and back to the compressor. Conversely, when in a cooling mode, the fluid control valve coupled to the compressor may be operated to instead direct hot liquid refrigerant into the second coil, which acts as the condenser coil. On its return path in the cooling mode, the refrigerant passes through the evaporator coil and the first coil, and back to the compressor. As such, the controller 120 may operate a thermal control system 111 or 112 between heating and cooling modes, at least in part, by adjusting the flow of the refrigerant through the fluid control valve, which may for instance be a four-way valve.

[0039] According to some embodiments, each of the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may comprise a liquid-liquid heat exchanger, such as a shell and tube heat exchanger, a spiral heat exchanger, or a double tube heat exchanger. Such a liquid-liquid heat exchanger may be part of two different liquid circulation loops in a thermal control system. In some embodiments, a liquid-liquid heat exchanger in one of the thermal control systems 111 or 112 may be part of a circulation loop with a liquid-air heat exchanger, described above. For instance, in the example described in the previous paragraph, the second coil may be part of a liquid-liquid heat exchanger, allowing heat in the second coil to be transferred to another system (e.g., a different circulation loop).

[0040] In some embodiments, at least part of a liquid-liquid heat exchanger may be included within a liquid circulation loop that passes through the thermal mass 150. For instance, the liquid may flow through a liquid-liquid heat exchanger (e.g., through one of the spiral flow channels of a spiral heat exchanger), into the thermal mass through ducts 118, and back to the liquid-liquid heat exchanger through ducts 119.

[0041] According to some embodiments, thermal mass 150 may include any suitable mass capable of absorbing and storing heat. In some cases, the thermal mass 150 comprises, or consists of, a volume of water (e.g., held in a tank). Using a volume of water as the thermal mass 150 may have the advantage of allowing heat to be stored for later use by the thermal control systems 111 and 112. For instance, during cooling operations performed by the thermal control systems 111 and 112, the water may be heated as heat is transferred from the air to the water (cooling operations may also simultaneously act as dehumidifying operations as a result of water condensing on portions of the thermal control system used for cooling). Subsequently, heat in the waterAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020may be transferred into the air during a heating operation. In addition, by positioning the water at least partially below ground, the water may be geothermally heated, providing a source of renewable energy that increases the efficiency of system 100. Nonetheless, while there may be advantages to using a volume of water held in a tank or other container as the thermal mass 150, the techniques described herein are not necessarily limited to this approach. For example, the thermal mass could comprise a solid material with a high capacity to store heat and the ducts 118 and 119 may be directly connected to one another within this solid material, thereby allowing heat from the material to be transferred to / from a liquid in the ducts.

[0042] In embodiments in which the thermal mass comprises a volume of water, it may be appreciated that there are important distinctions between this approach and conventional geothermal systems that transfer heat to or from the ground using hundreds of feet of buried tubing. For instance, in the approach of system 100, water of different temperatures can be mixed together in a tank before water is supplied back into one of the thermal control systems 111 or 112. For example, when thermal control system 111 operates in a cooling mode, the thermal control system 111 may draw water from the tank, heat it, and deposit heated water back in the tank, resulting in a net gain of heat to the water in the tank that can be immediately used by the thermal control system 112 when operating in a cooling mode. Operating the system 100 in this manner may be highly energy efficient yet may result in a net change in the humidity and / or temperature of the ambient air. A conventional geothermal system, in contrast, flows water underground and thereby transfers any heat that was extracted from an environment into the ground (e.g., during cooling), while pumping up water at underground temperatures. Thus, there is an advantage in athermal mass that receives a liquid from multiple thermal control systems and allows the liquid from each thermal control system to mix together before drawing the mixed water back into one of the thermal control systems.

[0043] According to some embodiments, the entirety of the thermal mass may have a total footprint of less than 100 square feet, or less than 75 square feet, or less than 50 square feet, or less than 30 square feet. For example, a 1000 gallon tank may occupy around 30 to 50 square feet. According to some embodiments, the entirety of the thermal mass may have a total vertical height of less than 8 feet, or less than 6 feet, or less than 5Att. Dkt. No. 234429-700020feet, or less than 4 feet, or less than 3 feet. For example, a 1000 gallon tank may have a height of around 3 to 5 feet. In some embodiments, the above measurements may be combined in any suitable combination (e.g., the thermal mass 150 comprises water held in a 1000 gallon tank with a total vertical height of less than 5 feet and a total footprint of less than 50 square feet). In contrast, while there are other differences between conventional geothermal water vessels and a thermal mass described herein, the long tubes in a conventional geothermal system run for hundreds of feet either horizontally (and thereby typically have a total footprint over 1000 square feet) or vertically (and thereby typically have a total vertical height of 100 feet or more).

[0044] According to some embodiments, controller 120 may comprise any electronic device that can be programmed to execute instructions suitable for performing the methods described herein. For example, controller 120 may be, or may comprise, one or more general purpose processors (CPUs), microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. A suitable example of a controller 120 is described below in relation to FIG. 7. According to some embodiments, controller 120 may be configured to perform various operations in system 100 including but not limited to: operating one or more pumps, operating one or more compressors, operating one or more fans (including adjusting their rotational speed as described herein), open or closing one or more valves, and / or switching one or more valves between different open positions (e.g., adjusting the state of a three-way or fourway valve).

[0045] According to some embodiments, fans 116 and 117 may be arranged to direct air through and away from at least part of the thermal control systems 111 or 112. In some embodiments, fan 116 may be primarily or exclusively arranged to direct air over thermal control system 111, and fan 117 may be primarily or exclusively arranged to direct air over thermal control system 112. For instance, the thermal control systems may be arranged in separate chamber or otherwise physically divided from one another so that the ambient air around each thermal control system is separated until moved away from the thermal control systems by the fans. The fans may be arranged to mix ambient air from around the thermal control systems at the fans and / or to direct the ambient air from around each thermal control system upwards so that it is mixed above the fans.Att. Dkt. No. 234429-700020The fans 116 and 117 may be positioned adjacent to, or otherwise proximate to, the thermal control systems 111 and 112, respectively, so that they allow the thermal control systems to effectively transfer heat, or to cool, the ambient air. For instance, each fan may be arranged less than 12", less than 10", less than 8", less than 6", or less than 4" away from its respective thermal control system (e.g., fan 116 may be arranged less than 8" above the thermal control system 111). According to some embodiments, the fans 116 and 117 may each comprise a guard mounted axial fan (basket fan), a case mounted axial fan, a plate mounted axial fan, a backward curved fan, and / or an in-line duct fan.

[0046] According to some embodiments, the humidity sensor 130 may comprise one or more of: a capacitive humidity sensor, a resistive humidity sensor, athermal conductivity humidity sensor, or combinations thereof, and may be configured to measure the relative humidity, the absolute humidity, or the dew point of the ambient air. According to some embodiments, the temperature sensor 140 may comprise one or more of: a thermistor, a thermocouple, a thermometer, a temperature probe, an infrared sensor, or combinations thereof.

[0047] According to some embodiments, system 100 may comprise one or more humidifiers. In at least some cases, the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may not be configured to increase the humidity of the ambient air (though may be configured to decrease it). In cases where the humidity is below a target humidity, one or more humidifiers in system 100 may be operated by the controller 120 in response to receiving data from indicating one or more measurements of the humidity (e.g., generated by humidity sensor 130) and determining that the measured humidity is below the target humidity.

[0048] According to some embodiments, the humidity sensor 130 and the temperature sensor 140 may each be arranged above the thermal control systems 111 and 112 and the fans 116 and 117 so that the sensors measure the humidity or temperature of air produced by mixing the ambient air from both thermal control systems. For example, the thermal control systems 111 and 112 may produce different environments immediately within their vicinity with the goal being to ultimately mix the air from each thermal control system together and produce air that meets temperature and humidity targets. As such, it is advantageous to arrange the humidity sensor 130 and theAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020temperature sensor 140 in a location such that each sensor will measure the mixed air. Any number of such sensors may be employed in system 100, and may for example by placed on an upper portion of a housing of system 100, or within a duct or other outlet from system 100 into which the fans 116 and 117 blow air.

[0049] According to some embodiments, at least part of the system 100 may be arranged within a housing. FIG. IB depicts a schematic of a system for independent control of temperature and humidity that includes a housing, according to some embodiments. System 101 includes the components of system 100, in addition to a housing 105 with an outlet 106 arranged at the top, and a partition 114 that separates the ambient air around each of thermal control systems 111 and 112. The partition 114 may allow the heated or cooled air produced by the thermal control systems 111 and 112 to mix above the fans 116 and 117 (e.g., in or around the outlet 106), rather than around the thermal control systems 111 and 112 themselves. In the example of FIG. IB, the controller 120 is shown as being outside of the housing 105 although in other embodiments the controller could instead be located inside the housing.

[0050] As described above, system 100 may be operated in a number of modes, depending on how the humidity and temperature of the air as measured by the humidity sensor 130 and temperature sensor 140, respectively, compare with a target humidity and target temperature. FIGs. 2A-2D depict several illustrative modes of operating system 100 or 101 based on such comparisons, according to some embodiments.

[0051] In the example of FIGs. 2A-2D, four different operational modes of system 100 or system 101 are depicted. In each example, only the thermal control systems 111 and 112, and the fans 116 and 117, are shown for clarity. In the example of FIG. 2A, the system is operating in a ‘high cool’ mode, which aims to reduce the ambient air temperature (and which will also likely reduce the humidity), and may be triggered when the ambient air temperature (e.g., as measured by temperature sensor 140) is above a target temperature. In the high cool mode, both the thermal control system 111 and the thermal control system 112 are operating in a cooling mode, which also dehumidifies the ambient air (e.g., as a result of water condensing on portions of the thermal control system used for cooling).Att. Dkt. No. 234429-700020

[0052] In some cases, the ambient air temperature (e.g., as measured by temperature sensor 140) may be equal to a target temperature while the system is operating in the high cool mode (e.g., the ambient air temperature was cooled while operating in high cool mode sufficiently to reduce the ambient temperature to the target temperature). In such cases, the system may transition to a low cool mode as depicted in FIG. 2B, which aims to maintain the ambient temperature while reducing the humidity to a target humidity, or may transition to a low heat mode as depicted in FIG. 2D, which aims to maintain the ambient temperature while increasing the humidity to a target humidity. One of these modes of operation may be selected based on a measurement of ambient humidity (e.g., as measured by humidity sensor 130). Both of these modes are described further below.

[0053] The terms “ambient temperature” or “ambient air temperature” herein refer to the temperature of the air in a target region of interest, where the temperature is controlled through operation of system 100 or 101. For example, the ambient temperature may refer to the temperature of air within a building, or a portion thereof, which is monitored by system 100 (e.g., using temperature sensors within the building and / or by directing air in the building into part of system 100 or 101 for measurement). Similarly, the terms “ambient humidity” or “ambient air humidity” herein refer to the humidity of the air in the target region of interest, where the humidity is controlled through operation of system 100 or 101.

[0054] In the example of FIG. 2B, the system is operating in a Tow cool’ mode, which aims to reduce the ambient humidity while maintaining the ambient temperature at or below a target temperature. The low cool mode may be triggered when the ambient temperature (e.g., as measured by temperature sensor 140) has reached a target temperature, and the ambient humidity (e.g., as measured by humidity sensor 130) is above a target humidity. In the low cool mode, the thermal control system 111 is operating in a cooling mode, which also dehumidifies the ambient air (e.g., as a result of water condensing on portions of the thermal control system used for cooling), whereas the thermal control system 112 is operating in a heating mode. In some embodiments, speeds of the fans 116 and 117 may be adjusted dynamically in the low cool mode based on the measured temperature (e.g., as measured by temperature sensor 140) to maintainAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020the ambient temperature at the target temperature. For example, if the measured temperature raises slightly above the target temperature, the speed of fan 116 may be increased and / or the speed of fan 117 may be decreased. Similarly, if the measured temperature falls slightly below the target temperature, the speed of fan 116 may be decreased and / or the speed of fan 117 may be increased.

[0055] In some embodiments, system 100 or system 101 may be configured to operate in one or more stages between the high cool mode shown in FIG. 2A and the low cool mode shown in FIG. 2B. Based on measurements of the ambient temperature (e.g., as measured by temperature sensor 140), the controller 120 may determine (e.g., through extrapolation) a time at which the ambient temperature is expected to reach a target temperature. The controller 120 may then, during a time window prior to the determined time, begin to operate the thermal control system 112 in a heating mode that produces less heat than the thermal control system 112 would otherwise produce in the low cool mode. That is, there may be a benefit in operating the thermal control system 112 to switch from a cooling mode to a heating mode before the target temperature is reached, otherwise the system may cool the ambient air below the target temperature before the thermal control system 112 can heat up sufficiently to maintain the temperature.

[0056] In some embodiments, when the system 100 or system 101 switches to the low cool mode shown in FIG. 2B (e.g., from the high cool mode shown in FIG. 2A), the thermal control system 111 operates in an increased cooling mode to cause moisture to be removed from the air. For example, if the thermal control system 111 comprises a compressor, it may be operated below a dewpoint temperature of the ambient air. In addition, the thermal control system 112 may be operated to increase the temperature of the ambient air, and the fans 116 and 117 operated to blend together the warm air produced by thermal control system 112 with the cool air produced by the thermal control system 111.

[0057] According to some embodiments, when the system 100 or 101 is operating in either the high cool mode shown in FIG. 2A or the low cool mode shown in FIG. 2B, the system may adjust the extent to which the thermal control system 111 and thermal control system 112 heat or cool to maximize the ‘delta T’, being the difference between the ambient air temperature and the temperature of the air produced by blending, usingAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020fans 116 and 117, the cooled air produced from thermal control system 111 and the heated or cooled air produced from thermal control system 112. This mode of operation may minimize the extent to which condensate forms on coils within either of the thermal control systems.

[0058] In the example of FIG. 2C, the system is operating in a ‘high heat’ mode, which aims to increase the ambient temperature, and may be triggered when the ambient temperature (e.g., as measured by temperature sensor 140) is below a target temperature. In the high heat mode, both the thermal control system 111 and the thermal control system 112 are operating in a heating mode.

[0059] In some cases, the ambient temperature (e.g., as measured by temperature sensor 140) may be equal to a target temperature while the system is operating in the high heat mode (e.g., the ambient air temperature was heated while operating in high heat mode sufficiently to increase the ambient temperature to the target temperature). In such cases, the system may transition to a low heat mode as depicted in FIG. 2D, which aims to maintain the ambient temperature while increasing the humidity to a target humidity, or may transition to the low cool mode as depicted in FIG. 2B, which aims to maintain the ambient temperature while decreasing the humidity to a target humidity. One of these modes of operation may be selected based on a measurement of ambient humidity (e.g., as measured by humidity sensor 130).

[0060] In the example of FIG. 2D, the system is operating in a ‘low heat’ mode, which aims to increase the ambient humidity while maintaining the ambient temperature at or above a target temperature. The low heat mode may be triggered when the ambient temperature (e.g., as measured by temperature sensor 140) has reached the target temperature, and the ambient humidity (e.g., as measured by humidity sensor 130) is below a target humidity. In the low heat mode, the thermal control system 111 is operating in a heating mode and the thermal control system 112 is operating in a cooling mode. In addition, the system may operate a humidifier device (e.g., a piezoelectric humidifier) to add moisture to the air while operating the thermal control systems 111 and 112 to maintain the ambient air temperature at the target temperature.

[0061] In some embodiments, speeds of the fans 116 and 117 may be adjusted in the low heat mode dynamically based on the measured temperature (e.g., as measured byAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020temperature sensor 140) to maintain the ambient temperature at the target temperature. For example, if the measured temperature raises slightly above the target temperature, the speed of fan 116 may be increased and / or the speed of fan 117 may be decreased. Similarly, if the measured temperature falls slightly below the target temperature, the speed of fan 116 may be decreased and / or the speed of fan 117 may be increased.

[0062] In some embodiments, system 100 or system 101 may be configured to operate in one or more stages between the high heat mode shown in FIG. 2C and the low heat mode shown in FIG. 2D. Based on measurements of the ambient temperature (e.g., as measured by temperature sensor 140), the controller 120 may determine (e.g., through extrapolation) a time at which the ambient temperature is expected to reach a target temperature. The controller 120 may then, during a time window prior to the determined time, begin to operate the thermal control system 112 in a cooling mode that cools less than the thermal control system 112 would otherwise produce in the low heat mode. That is, there may be a benefit in operating the thermal control system 112 to switch from a heating mode to a cooling mode before the target temperature is reached, otherwise the system may heat the ambient air above the target temperature before the thermal control system 112 can cool down sufficiently to maintain the temperature.

[0063] In some embodiments, when the system 100 or system 101 switches to the low heat mode shown in FIG. 2D from the high heat mode shown in FIG. 2C, the system 100 or 101 may be operated to monitor the ambient air temperature and the temperature of the air produced by blending the heated air and cooled air using fans 116 and 117, and to adjust operation of each thermal control system based on the difference between these two temperatures with respect to a setpoint temperature. For instance, when the ambient air temperature (e.g., as returned to system 100 or 101 from air circulating without a building) deviates from a temperature setpoint, the system may be operated to correct this deviation. In some embodiments, the ‘delta T’, being the difference between the ambient air temperature and the temperature of the air produced by blending the heated air and cooled air using fans 116 and 117, is compared with a setpoint temperature. Triggers to adjust operation to correct a deviation may include the system determining that the delta T has fallen below some threshold relative to the measured delta T when a setpoint temperature was previously reached by the ambient air (e.g., half of that value).Att. Dkt. No. 234429-700020In each of the above cases, correction by the system may comprise switching thermal control system 112 into a heating mode and gradually ramping up the heating amount until the trigger condition (e.g., ambient air temperature deviates from setpoint, the delta T falls below half the delta T when at setpoint, etc.) is no longer met. Once the setpoint has been reached again, the thermal control system 112 may switch back into a cooling mode as shown in FIG. 2D.

[0064] In some embodiments, if the ambient temperature and ambient humidity each reach respective targets, the system 100 or 101 may be operated to maintain both the ambient temperature and ambient humidity, which may comprise shutting down the thermal control systems 111 and 112 and fans 116 and 117, or may comprise shutting down the thermal control systems 111 and 112 while continuing to operate fans 116 and 117.

[0065] FIGs. 3 A and 3B depict an illustrative implementation of a thermal control system, according to some embodiments. In the example of FIGs. 3A and 3B, the same system 300 is shown, with the system being operated in a cooling mode in FIG. 3A and in a heating mode in FIG. 3B. System 300 includes thermal control system 111 and fan 116 from system 100 of FIG. 1A, coupled to thermal mass 150 via the ducts 118 and 119. In some embodiments, thermal control system 112 may be implemented in the same way as shown in FIG. 3A.

[0066] In the example of FIGs. 3A-3B, the thermal control system 111 comprises a liquid-air heat exchanger 310 and a liquid-liquid heat exchanger 320. As shown, system 300 comprises two circulation loops, 341 and 342. Circulation loop 342 passes through (or at least contacts) the thermal mass 150 and heat exchanger 320 and is configured to exchange heat with the circulation loop 341 (through the heat exchanger 320) and with the thermal mass. Pump 323 may be operated by system 300 to pump a liquid in the circulation loop 342 (e.g., water) around the loop, which would flow as shown by the arrows along the circulation loop 342 in FIGs. 3A-3B.

[0067] According to some embodiments, heat exchanger 310 comprises a plurality of fins (e.g., thin metal slats). A portion of the circulation loop 341 may pass through these fins, or at least be thermally coupled to the fins, to enhance heat exchange between the circulation loop 341 and the air within the heat exchanger 310. This portion of theAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020circulation loop is shown by the serpentine pattern 317 of the circulation loop within the heat exchanger 310 in FIGs. 3 A and 3B.

[0068] According to some embodiments, heat exchanger 320 may be configured as a shell and tube heat exchanger, a spiral heat exchanger, or a double tube heat exchanger. For instance, heat exchanger 320 may be a spiral heat exchanger with portions 321 and 322 of the circulation loops 341 and 342, respectively, being arranged as concentric flow channels around a common center.

[0069] In the example of FIGs. 3A-3B, the circulation loop 341 passes through the heat exchanger 320, the expansion valve 311, the heat exchanger 310, the multi-way valve 316 and the compressor 315. The compressor 315 may be operated to increase the temperature of a refrigerant in the circulation loop 341 and to direct the refrigerant around the circulation loop 341. The direction of flow of the refrigerant is determined in operation by a state of the multi-way valve 316, which causes the compressor to either drive refrigerant clockwise (when thermal control system 111 is operating in a cooling mode, shown in FIG. 3A) or counter-clockwise (when thermal control system 111 is operating in a heating mode, shown in FIG. 3B) around the circulation loop 341 as depicted.

[0070] In further detail, when thermal control system 111 is to be operated in a cooling mode as shown in FIG. 3 A, the controller 120 (not shown in FIG. 3 A) operates the multi-way valve 316 so that refrigerant in the circulation loop 341 is driven toward the heat exchanger 320. In particular, the refrigerant is driven by the compressor 315 through the portion 318 of the circulation loop 341 and through the multi-way valve 316 into the heat exchanger 320. In this operational mode, the portion of circulation loop 341 within heat exchanger 320 acts like the condenser in a conventional air conditioner unit, except in system 300 the heat from the refrigerant is transferred to the liquid in circulation loop 342 via heat exchanger 320, rather than into the air. The warm refrigerant passes into the expansion valve 311, which adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant, and thereby its temperature, prior to the refrigerant moving into the heat exchanger 310. In the heat exchanger 310, the refrigerant removes heat from the air around the heat exchanger 310, assisted by the motion of the air by the fan 116 in operation. In this operational mode, the portion of circulation loop 341 within heatAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020exchanger 310 acts like the evaporator in a conventional air conditioner unit. The refrigerant then passes back into the multi-way valve 316 and through the portion 319 of the circulation loop 341 back into the compressor, which increases the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant and begins another cycle around the circulation loop 341.

[0071] When thermal control system 111 is to be operated in a heating mode as shown in FIG. 3B, the controller 120 (not shown in FIG. 3B) operates the multi-way valve 316 so that refrigerant in the circulation loop 341 is driven toward the heat exchanger 310. In particular, the refrigerant is driven by the compressor 315 through the portion 318 of the circulation loop 341 and through the multi-way valve 316 into the heat exchanger 310. In this operational mode, the portion of circulation loop 341 within heat exchanger 310 acts like the condenser in a conventional air conditioner unit, transferring heat to the air, assisted by the motion of the air by the fan 116 in operation. The expansion valve 311 in this operational mode controls the head pressure of the refrigerant. The cooled refrigerant is directed into the portion of circulation loop 341 within heat exchanger 320. In this operational mode, the portion of circulation loop 341 within heat exchanger 320 acts like the evaporator in a conventional air conditioner unit, except in system 300 heat is transferred from the liquid in circulation loop 342 into the refrigerant via the heat exchanger 320, rather than heat being transferred from the air. The refrigerant then passes back into the multi-way valve 316 and through the portion 319 of the circulation loop 341 back into the compressor, which increases the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant and begins another cycle around the circulation loop 341.

[0072] In the example of FIGs. 3A-3B, the controller 120 may be coupled to each of the fan 116, the compressor 315, the multi-way valve 316 and the pump 323 and configured to operate each of these components. The manner in which these components are operated by the controller may be selected and performed based on one or more humidity and / or temperature measurements, examples of which are described above.

[0073] FIG. 3C depicts an example of the system of FIGs. 3A-3B in which the thermal mass is a volume of water, according to some embodiments. In system 301 shown in FIG. 3C, the thermal mass 150 is implemented as a volume of water 360 within a tank 361. In operation, water may be pumped from the tank by the pump 323 aroundAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020the circulation loop 342, which in this example includes the body of water within the tank. In some embodiments, thermal control system 112 may be implemented in the same manner as shown for thermal control system 111 in FIG. 3C and coupled to the same tank 361. As such, in this approach water from the heat exchanger 320 in each of the two thermal control systems 111 and 112 will be pumped into the same volume of water 360 where both sources of water will mix. A detailed example of this approach is now described in relation to FIG. 4.

[0074] FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative implementation of a system for independent control of temperature and humidity, according to some embodiments. System 400 is, for example, an illustrative implementation of system 100 or system 101 shown in FIGs.1A and IB, respectively, and may also be an illustrative implementation of system 100 or system 101 in which the thermal control systems 111 and 112 are each implemented as in system 300 and / or system 301. In the example of FIG. 4, two thermal control systems are included within a housing 401. A first thermal control system comprises liquid-air heat exchanger 411, compressor 415, liquid-liquid heat exchanger 421, valves 441 and 443, and multi-way valve 445; and a second thermal control system comprises liquid-air heat exchanger 412, compressor 416, liquid-liquid heat exchanger 422, valves 442 and 444, and multi-way valve 446. Fans 116 and 117 are positioned above the liquid-air heat exchangers 411 and 412, respectively, and draw air from either side of the partition 114 into ducts 471 and 472, respectively, which join into a single duct and thereby mix the air to produce output air that passes through outlet 473.

[0075] In the example of FIG. 4, the liquid-air heat exchanger 411, compressor 415, liquid-liquid heat exchanger 421 and multi-way valve 445 may be configured and operated in any of the ways described above in relation to heat exchanger 310, compressor 315, heat exchanger 320 and multi-way valve 316, respectively, depicted in FIGs. 3A-3C. Similarly, the liquid-air heat exchanger 412, compressor 416, liquidliquid heat exchanger 422 and multi-way valve 446 may be configured and operated in any of the ways described above in relation to heat exchanger 310, compressor 315, heat exchanger 320 and multi-way valve 316, respectively, depicted in FIGs. 3A-3C.

[0076] In the example of FIG. 4, the liquid-air heat exchangers 411 and 412 are oriented at an angle 447 to the vertical direction. The inventors have recognized that theAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020cooling efficiency of conventional coils can be reduced when water condenses on the coil. For instance, a coating of water on the fins of a conventional evaporator can reduce the effectiveness of heat transfer from the air to the evaporator. Accordingly, in the example of FIG. 4 the liquid-air heat exchangers 411 and 412 are arranged at a sloped angle that allows water to more easily run off the coils and / or fins of the heat exchanger, thereby mitigating any loss in cooling efficiency caused by water on the surface of the coils and / or fins. In addition, this configuration allows for at least some of the water that condenses onto the coils and / or fins of the liquid-air heat exchangers 411 and / or 412 to be collected and directed into the water tank 459 holding water 460. An additional benefit of this configuration of the liquid-air heat exchangers 411 and 412 may therefore be the collection of potable water during dehumidification, which can further be used in the lower circulation loop for heating or cooling and / or for storing heat for later use. Collection of condensed water may be performed by the water collection system 426, which may be a structure within the housing 401 that collects water falling from the liquid-air heat exchangers 411 and 412 and is coupled to the tank 459. In some embodiments, the water collection system 426 may be part of, or may be coupled to, a condensate water riser or other existing structure for collecting water in a structure.

[0077] In some embodiments, an angle 447 between the liquid-air heat exchangers 411 and 412, and the vertical direction is greater than or equal to 25°, 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°, 55°, 60°, 65°, or 70°. In some embodiments, the angle 447 is less than or equal to 75°, 70°, 65°, 60°, 55°, 50°, 45°, 40°, 35°, or 30°. Any suitable combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., the angle 447 is greater or equal to 30° and less than or equal to 65°, etc.). This angle may be measured between, for instance, the direction in which fins in the heat exchanger are stacked, and the vertical direction. When the fins are stacked vertically, angle 447 is zero and water can sit on top of each of the fins. Conversely, when the fins are stacked horizontally, angle 447 is 90° and water can sit on the upper fins. A non-perpendicular angle between the fin stacking direction and the vertical direction may allow for increased water runoff from the fins, as described above.

[0078] In the example of FIG. 4, system 400 comprises one or more power sources 431, which may comprise power drawn from a remote power source (e.g., from the gridAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020432) and / or a local power source such as one or more solar panels. In the case where the power source(s) 431 includes a source of solar power or other power generated locally, any excess power generated by this source of power may be optionally directed to the grid 432 or into a battery 433 for later use by system 400.

[0079] In the example of FIG. 4, system 400 comprises humidity sensors 461, 462, 463 and 464, each of which may be configured to generate data that represents one or more indications of the humidity of the ambient air proximate to the respective sensor. As described in relation to FIG. 1A, such data may be provided to controller 120 which may operate various components of system 400 in response to the data (e.g., changing operational modes). In some embodiments, humidity sensors 461 and 462 may be configured to measure the absolute or relative humidity of the air. Additionally, or alternatively, humidity sensors 463 and 464, which are arranged within, in contact with, or proximate to, the liquid-air heat exchangers 411 and 412, respectively, may be configured to measure the dew point of the air within the heat exchanger or proximate to the heat exchanger. Also in the example of FIG. 4, a combined temperature and humidity sensor 465 is arranged in the upper housing to measure the temperature and humidity of the air leaving through the outlet 473, which has been blended from the two thermal control systems in system 400. In addition, system 400 comprises a humidifier 468 which may be operated according to one or more temperature and / or humidity measurement as described above.

[0080] FIG. 5 is a schematic of a building comprising a plurality of systems each configured for independent control of temperature and humidity, according to some embodiments. In the example of FIG. 5, building 500 comprises a plurality of instances of system 100 (of which systems 101 and 400 are examples) that are each coupled to a shared thermal mass 150. In particular, the pump 505 (which may represent multiple pumps) is operated to direct water from the thermal mass 150 (which as described above may in some cases be a volume of water held in a tank), and through valves 511 into each of the instances of system 100. Water exiting each instance of system 100 (e.g., that has flowed through the thermal control system(s) in each instance) flows through valves 512 and back down into the thermal mass 150. In some embodiments, the return path of the water from the valves 512 to the thermal mass 150 may be through, at least inAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020part, one or more condensate water risers of the building 500. In the example of FIG. 5, the thermal mass 150 and the pump 505 are arranged within the basement 501 of the building 500. As described above, arranging the thermal mass within the basement or other below ground area of a building may provide geothermal heating or cooling to the thermal mass.

[0081] The collection of instances of system 100, in addition to the other elements of building 500 described herein, may be operated by one or more controllers (e.g., housed within the building). For example, one or more controllers (not shown in FIG. 5) may be coupled to the pump 505, the fan intake 563 and fan exhaust 564 of the external tower 510, each of the valves 511, 512 and 513, and each instance of system 100. In some embodiments, the one or more controller may include controller 120 (e.g., within an instance of system 100) and / or other controller(s) within the building 500. In some embodiments, building 500 comprises one or more controllers coupled to the pump 505 and the valves 511, 512 and 513, in addition to the instances of system 100, and is configured to orchestrate temperature and humidity changes throughout the building as desired by operating each instance of system 100 accordingly (e.g., cooling warmer upper floors while heating cooler lower floors, etc.). In the example of FIG. 5, the valves 511 and 512 may be operated by the one or more controllers to allow water to flow through each of the instances of system 100. In some cases, it may be desirable to turn off one of more of the instances of system 100, and opening and closing these valves may allow each instance to be powered down or otherwise deactivated.

[0082] In the example of FIG. 5, excess heat within the water flowing around the building as shown may be exhausted from the building 500 through external tower 510, which may be bypassed by opening valve 513. In some embodiments, the external tower 510 comprises one or more liquid-air heat exchangers (e.g., configured as any of heat exchangers 310, 411, or 412 described above, or otherwise) and one or more fans 563 and 564 that direct air over one or more of the liquid-air heat exchangers to transfer heat from the water in building 500 to the outside air.

[0083] In some embodiments, the one or more controllers operating the various components shown in FIG. 5 are configured to adjust the speed of fan(s) 563 and / or fan(s) 564 to control the temperature of the thermal mass 150. The extent to which heatAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020is dissipated by the external tower 510 into the environment may be dictated, at least in part, by the extent to which a heat exchanger in the tower loses heat from the water circulating in system loop to the air. The fans 563 and 564 may be configured to adjust how much heat is lost in this process (e.g., by adjusting the air speed that moves over the portion of the fluid loop that passes through the external tower 510. By operating both the intake fan(s) 563 and / or the exhaust fan(s) 564, the one or more controllers may add heat to the water (e.g., if the exterior air temperature is higher than the temperature of the water) by operating the intake fan(s) at a higher rate than the exhaust fan(s); or may remove heat from the water (e.g., if the exterior air temperature is lower than the temperature of the water) by operating the exhaust fan(s) at a higher rate than the intake fan(s).

[0084] In some embodiments, the one or more controllers operating the various components shown in FIG. 5 are configured to control the valve 513 and the fans 563 and 564 based on a temperature measurement of the thermal mass 150. The temperature measurement may be generated by temperature sensor 562, which measures the temperature of the water entering the thermal mass (e.g., using a sensor arranged within a water pipe). Building 500 may be operated to maintain a high temperature as measured by the temperature sensor 562 to maximize the thermal capture capacity of the system and thereby increase efficiency.

[0085] In the example of FIG. 5, each of the instances of system 100 may each comprise separate and distinct circulation loops that each comprise a refrigerant for heating or cooling, and which passes through a liquid-air heat exchanger and a liquidliquid heat exchanger, as described above.

[0086] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of operating a system configured for independent control of temperature and humidity, according to some embodiments. Method 600 may be performed by any suitable controller such as controller 120 shown in FIG. 1A.

[0087] In act 602, the controller performing method 600 operates a pump or other suitable device to drive a first liquid around a first circulation loop that passes through a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger. For example, act 602 may comprised operating compressor 315 to drive a refrigerant around circulation loop 341, as shown inAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020FIGs. 3A-3C. In this example, the first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger are heat exchanger 310 and heat exchanger 320, respectively. As described above, the first liquid may comprise a halocarbon refrigerant, such as one or more chlorofluorocarbons and / or hydrofluorocarbons, such as chlorodifluoromethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, a halogenated olefin, and / or any type of Freon®.

[0088] In act 604, the controller performing method 600 operates a pump or other suitable device to drive a second liquid around a second circulation loop that passes through the second heat exchanger and a thermal mass. For example, the pump operated in act 604 may be the pump 323 and the second circulation loop may be circulation loop 342, as shown in FIGs. 3A-3C. In act 606, the controller performing method 600 operates a fan with a housing that contains the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. For example, act 606 may comprise operating fan 116 shown in FIGs. 3A-3C or fan 116 shown in FIG. 4.

[0089] An illustrative implementation of a computer system 700 that may be used to control one or more compressors, heat exchangers, fans, pumps, valves, etc. to perform any of the techniques described above is shown in FIG. 7. The computer system 700 may include one or more processors 710 and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory 720 and one or more non-volatile storage media 730). The one or more processors 710 may control writing data to and reading data from the memory 720 and the one or more non-volatile storage media 730 in any suitable manner, as the aspects of the disclosure described herein are not limited in this respect. To perform functionality and / or techniques described herein, the one or more processors 710 may execute one or more instructions stored in one or more computer-readable storage media (e.g., the memory 720, storage media, etc.), which may serve as non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors 710.

[0090] In connection with techniques described herein, code used to, for example, control one or more compressors, fans, in response to data indicating one or more measurements of temperature and / or humidity, etc. may be stored on one or more computer-readable storage media of computer system 700. The one or more processors 710 may execute any such code to perform any of the above-described techniques asAft. Dkt. No. 234429-700020described herein. Any other software, programs or instructions described herein may also be stored and executed by computer system 700. It will be appreciated that computer code may be applied to any aspects of methods and techniques described herein. For example, computer code may be applied to control a system to perform method 600, etc.

[0091] The various methods or processes outlined herein may be coded as software that is executable on one or more processors that employ any one of a variety of operating systems or platforms. Additionally, such software may be written using any of numerous suitable programming languages and / or programming or scripting tools, and also may be compiled as executable machine language code or intermediate code that is executed on a virtual machine or a suitable framework.

[0092] In this respect, various inventive concepts may be embodied as at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium (e.g., a computer memory, one or more floppy discs, compact discs, optical discs, magnetic tapes, flash memories, circuit configurations in Field Programmable Gate Arrays or other semiconductor devices, etc.) encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, implement the various embodiments of the present disclosure. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media may be transportable, such that the program or programs stored thereon may be loaded onto any computer resource to implement various aspects of the present disclosure as described above.

[0093] The terms “program,” “software,” and / or “application” are used herein in a generic sense to refer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executable instructions that can be employed to program a computer or other processor to implement various aspects of embodiments as described above. Additionally, it should be appreciated that according to one aspect, one or more computer programs that when executed perform methods of the present disclosure need not reside on a single computer or processor, but may be distributed in a modular fashion among different computers or processors to implement various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0094] Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, theAft. Dkt. No. 234429-700020functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

[0095] Also, data structures may be stored in non-transitory computer-readable storage media in any suitable form. Data structures may have fields that are related through location in the data structure. Such relationships may likewise be achieved by assigning storage for the fields with locations in a non-transitory computer-readable medium that convey relationship between the fields. However, any suitable mechanism may be used to establish relationships among information in fields of a data structure, including through the use of pointers, tags or other mechanisms that establish relationships among data elements.

[0096] Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this disclosure, it is to be appreciated that various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. For instance, aspects of the techniques described herein may be combined in any of the following ways:

[0097] Aspect 1. A system comprising: a thermal mass; a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a first liquid and air; a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first liquid and a second liquid; one or more first ducts coupled to the first heat exchanger and to the second heat exchanger that provide a first fluid circulation loop for the first liquid through the first heat exchanger and through the second heat exchanger; one or more second ducts coupled to the thermal mass and to the second heat exchanger that provide a second fluid circulation loop for the second liquid through the second heat exchanger and through the thermal mass; and at least one fan configured to cause air to move over the first heat exchanger.

[0098] Aspect 2. The system of aspect 1, further comprising a compressor configured to drive the first liquid around the first fluid circulation loop in a first direction to operate the first heat exchanger in a cooling mode and to drive the first liquid around the first fluid circulation loop in a second direction to operate the first heat exchanger in a heating mode.

[0099] Aspect 3. The system of any one of aspects 1-2, further comprising: a humidity sensor; and a controller configured to operate the compressor to drive the firstAft. Dkt. No. 234429-700020liquid around the first fluid circulation loop in the first direction or in the second direction based on sensor data generated by the humidity sensor.

[0100] Aspect 4. The system of any one of aspects 1-3, wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a coil oriented at an angle of between 30° and 50° from vertical.

[0101] Aspect 5. The system of any one of aspects 1-4, further comprising a pump coupled to the one or more second ducts and configured to pump the second liquid through the second heat exchanger and through the thermal mass.

[0102] Aspect 6. The system of any one of aspects 1-5, wherein the first liquid comprises a halocarbon refrigerant and wherein the second liquid comprises water.

[0103] Aspect 7. The system of any one of aspects 1-6, wherein the thermal mass is a tank.

[0104] Aspect 8. The system of any one of aspects 1-7, further comprising one or more third ducts arranged below the first heat exchanger, coupled to the thermal mass, and arranged to direct condensate falling from the first heat exchanger into the tank.

[0105] Aspect 9. A method comprising: by a controller: pumping a first liquid in a first circulation loop through a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, thereby exchanging heat between the first liquid and ambient air within a housing through the first heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger being arranged inside the housing; pumping a second liquid in a second circulation loop through the second heat exchanger and a thermal mass, thereby exchanging heat between the first liquid and the second liquid through the second heat exchanger; and operating at least one fan inside the housing to blow air past the first heat exchanger through an output of the housing.

[0106] Aspect 10. The method of aspect 9, comprising, by the controller, cooling the ambient air within the housing by pumping the first liquid through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger through the first circulation loop in a first circulation direction.

[0107] Aspect 11. The method of any one of aspects 9-10, comprising, by the controller, heating the ambient air within the housing by pumping the first liquid throughAft. Dkt. No. 234429-700020the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger through the first circulation loop in a second circulation direction, opposite to the first circulation direction.

[0108] Aspect 12. The method of any one of aspects 9-11, further comprising, by the controller, heating the ambient air within the housing in response to receiving an indication of ambient humidity inside the housing.

[0109] Aspect 13. The method of any one of aspects 9-12, wherein the first liquid comprises a halocarbon refrigerant and wherein the second liquid comprises water.

[0110] Aspect 14. The method of any one of aspects 9-13, wherein the thermal mass is a tank.

[0111] Aspect 15. The method of any one of aspects 9-14, further comprising collecting water falling from the first heat exchanger and directing the collected water into the tank.

[0112] Aspect 16. A system comprising: a first thermal control system; a second thermal control system; one or more fans arranged above the first thermal control system and the second thermal control system; a humidity sensor; and a controller configured to operate the first thermal control system and the second thermal control system to each independently heat or cool ambient air based on at least one signal generated by the humidity sensor.

[0113] Aspect 17. The system of aspect 16, wherein the controller is further configured to: in a first mode, operate the first thermal control system to cool air within the first thermal control system and to operate the second thermal control system to cool air within the second thermal control system; and in a second mode, operate the first thermal control system to cool the air within the first thermal control system and to operate the second thermal control system to heat the air within the second thermal control system.

[0114] Aspect 18. The system of any one of aspects 16-17, wherein the one or more fans are arranged to blend together the air within the first thermal control system and the air within the second thermal control system.Aft. Dkt. No. 234429-700020

[0115] Aspect 19. The system of any one of aspects 16-18, wherein the controller is further configured to begin operating in the second mode in response to the at least one signal generated by the humidity sensor indicating that a target humidity has been reached.

[0116] Aspect 20. The system of any one of aspects 16-19, wherein: the first thermal control system comprises: a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a first liquid and air; and a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first liquid and a second liquid; and the second thermal control system comprises: a third heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a third liquid and air; and a fourth heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the third liquid and a fourth liquid.

[0117] Aspect 21. The system of any one of aspects 16-20, wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger each comprises a coil oriented at an angle of between 30° and 50° from vertical.

[0118] Aspect 22. The system of any one of aspects 16-21, wherein the first liquid and the third liquid each comprises a halocarbon refrigerant, and wherein the second liquid and the fourth liquid each comprises water.

[0119] Aspect 23. A method comprising: performing, by a controller of a system comprising a first thermal control system and a second thermal control system arranged within a housing, a cooling and dehumidifying operation comprising: operating the first thermal control system to cool ambient air within the housing while operating the second thermal control system to cool the ambient air within the housing; and operating one or more fans to direct the ambient air within the housing into an outlet channel; and performing, by the controller, a cooling operation comprising: operating the first thermal control system to cool the ambient air within the housing while operating the second thermal control system to heat the ambient air within the housing; and operating the one or more fans to blend ambient air within the housing and direct blended ambient air into the outlet channel.

[0120] Aspect 24. The method of aspect 23, comprising: while performing the cooling and dehumidifying operation, receiving an indication that ambient humidityAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020inside the housing has reached a target humidity; and in response to receiving the indication, performing the cooling operation.

[0121] Aspect 25. A method comprising: performing, by a system comprising a first thermal control system and a second thermal control system each arranged within a housing and each connected to a water tank, a cooling operation comprising: operating the first thermal control system to cool ambient air within the housing while operating the second thermal control system to cool the ambient air within the housing; directing, from a first heat exchanger of the first thermal control system, water from the first thermal control system into the water tank; and directing, from a second heat exchanger of the second thermal control system, water from the second thermal control system into the water tank; and performing a heating operation comprising operating the first thermal control system to heat ambient air within the housing at least in part by transferring heat from water in the water tank into the ambient air within the housing.

[0122] Aspect 26. The method of aspect 25, wherein: the first thermal control system comprises: a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a first liquid and air; and a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first liquid and water from the water tank; and the second thermal control system comprises: a third heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a third liquid and air; and a fourth heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the third liquid and the water from the water tank.

[0123] Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Further, though advantages of the present disclosure are indicated, it should be appreciated that not every embodiment of the technology described herein will include every described advantage. Some embodiments may not implement any features described as advantageous herein and in some instances one or more of the described features may be implemented to achieve further embodiments. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.

[0124] Aspects of the above-described embodiments of the technology described herein can be implemented in any of numerous ways. For example, aspects of the embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof.Aft. Dkt. No. 234429-700020When implemented in software, the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided in a single computer or distributed among multiple computers. Such processors may be implemented as integrated circuits, with one or more processors in an integrated circuit component, including commercially available integrated circuit components known in the art by names such as CPU chips, GPU chips, microprocessor, microcontroller, or co-processor. Alternatively, a processor may be implemented in custom circuitry, such as an ASIC, or semi-custom circuitry resulting from configuring a programmable logic device. As yet a further alternative, a processor may be a portion of a larger circuit or semiconductor device, whether commercially available, semi-custom or custom. As a specific example, some commercially available microprocessors have multiple cores such that one or a subset of those cores may constitute a processor. Though, a processor may be implemented using circuitry in any suitable format.

[0125] Various aspects of the present disclosure may be used alone, in combination, or in a variety of arrangements not specifically described in the embodiments described in the foregoing and is therefore not limited in its application to the details and arrangement of components set forth in the foregoing description or illustrated in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described in other embodiments.

[0126] Also, aspects of the disclosure may be embodied as a method, of which examples have been provided. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative embodiments.

[0127] Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.Att. Dkt. No. 234429-700020

[0128] Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.

[0129] What is claimed is:

Claims

Aft. Dkt. No. 234429-700020CLAIMS1. A system comprising:a thermal mass;a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a first liquid and air; a second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first liquid and a second liquid;one or more first ducts coupled to the first heat exchanger and to the second heat exchanger that provide a first fluid circulation loop for the first liquid through the first heat exchanger and through the second heat exchanger;one or more second ducts coupled to the thermal mass and to the second heat exchanger that provide a second fluid circulation loop for the second liquid through the second heat exchanger and through the thermal mass; andat least one fan configured to cause air to move over the first heat exchanger.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a compressor configured to drive the first liquid around the first fluid circulation loop in a first direction to operate the first heat exchanger in a cooling mode and to drive the first liquid around the first fluid circulation loop in a second direction to operate the first heat exchanger in a heating mode.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:a humidity sensor; anda controller configured to operate the compressor to drive the first liquid around the first fluid circulation loop in the first direction or in the second direction based on sensor data generated by the humidity sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a coil oriented at an angle of between 30° and 50° from vertical.Att. Dkt. No. 234429-7000205. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pump coupled to the one or more second ducts and configured to pump the second liquid through the second heat exchanger and through the thermal mass.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first liquid comprises a halocarbon refrigerant and wherein the second liquid comprises water.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal mass is a tank.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising one or more third ducts arranged below the first heat exchanger, coupled to the thermal mass, and arranged to direct condensate falling from the first heat exchanger into the tank.

9. A method comprising :by a controller:pumping a first liquid in a first circulation loop through a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, thereby exchanging heat between the first liquid and ambient air within a housing through the first heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger being arranged inside the housing;pumping a second liquid in a second circulation loop through the second heat exchanger and a thermal mass, thereby exchanging heat between the first liquid and the second liquid through the second heat exchanger; and operating at least one fan inside the housing to blow air past the first heat exchanger through an output of the housing.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising, by the controller, cooling the ambient air within the housing by pumping the first liquid through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger through the first circulation loop in a first circulation direction.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising, by the controller, heating the ambient air within the housing by pumping the first liquid through the first heat exchanger and theAtt. Dkt. No. 234429-700020second heat exchanger through the first circulation loop in a second circulation direction, opposite to the first circulation direction.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, by the controller, heating the ambient air within the housing in response to receiving an indication of ambient humidity inside the housing.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first liquid comprises a halocarbon refrigerant and wherein the second liquid comprises water.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the thermal mass is a tank.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising collecting water falling from the first heat exchanger and directing collected water into the tank.

16. A system comprising :a first thermal control system;a second thermal control system;one or more fans arranged above the first thermal control system and the second thermal control system;a humidity sensor; anda controller configured to operate the first thermal control system and the second thermal control system to each independently heat or cool ambient air based on at least one signal generated by the humidity sensor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to:in a first mode, operate the first thermal control system to cool air within the first thermal control system and to operate the second thermal control system to cool air within the second thermal control system; andin a second mode, operate the first thermal control system to cool the air within the first thermal control system and to operate the second thermal control system to heat the air within the second thermal control system.Att. Dkt. No. 234429-70002018. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more fans are arranged to blend together the air within the first thermal control system and the air within the second thermal control system.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to begin operating in the second mode in response to the at least one signal generated by the humidity sensor indicating that a target humidity has been reached.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein:the first thermal control system comprises:a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a first liquid and air; anda second heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the first liquid and a second liquid; andthe second thermal control system comprises:a third heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between a third liquid and air; anda fourth heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the third liquid and a fourth liquid.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger each comprises a coil oriented at an angle of between 30° and 50° from vertical.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the first liquid and the third liquid each comprises a halocarbon refrigerant, and wherein the second liquid and the fourth liquid each comprises water.

23. A method comprising:Aft. Dkt. No. 234429-700020performing, by a controller of a system comprising a first thermal control system and a second thermal control system arranged within a housing, a cooling and dehumidifying operation comprising:operating the first thermal control system to cool ambient air within the housing while operating the second thermal control system to cool the ambient air within the housing; andoperating one or more fans to direct the ambient air within the housing into an outlet channel; andperforming, by the controller, a cooling operation comprising:operating the first thermal control system to cool the ambient air within the housing while operating the second thermal control system to heat the ambient air within the housing; andoperating the one or more fans to blend ambient air within the housing and direct blended ambient air into the outlet channel.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising:while performing the cooling and dehumidifying operation, receiving an indication that ambient humidity inside the housing has reached a target humidity; and in response to receiving the indication, performing the cooling operation.

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