Hybrid air handler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydronic air handling systems face limitations in providing efficient heating and cooling while minimizing energy consumption and fossil fuel use, particularly during shoulder seasons and in areas requiring individual zone control, due to their centralized design and reliance on costly four-pipe systems.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a hydronic air handler with direct expansion technology and a water-source heat pump, allowing for flexible operation and reduced hydronic supply load, enabling efficient heating, cooling, and dehumidification without fossil fuels or electric resistance heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized hydronic system is used, then heating and cooling can be provided to the entire building, but energy efficiency deteriorates during shoulder seasons and in individual zones
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the building into multiple thermal zones, each equipped with its own air handler unit that can operate independently. This segmentation allows each zone to be heated or cooled according to its specific needs rather than forcing the entire building to follow a centralized schedule, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different operational modes (heating, cooling, or idle) for each zone based on real-time temperature sensors and occupancy detection. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to respond to changing conditions in each zone, improving energy efficiency during shoulder seasons when temperature requirements vary by location.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a four-pipe system is installed to provide individual zone control, then adaptability improves, but device complexity and infrastructure footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the heating and cooling functions into a single air handler unit by integrating both a heating coil and a cooling coil within the same device. This allows the unit to switch between heating and cooling modes using a two-pipe configuration rather than requiring separate four-pipe systems, thereby reducing infrastructure complexity while maintaining individual zone control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each air handler unit is designed as a universal device capable of performing multiple functions: heating, cooling, and idle modes. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated heating and cooling systems for each zone, reducing overall system complexity and infrastructure footprint while preserving adaptability.
3Productivity
If conventional hydronic systems operate during shoulder seasons, then heating or cooling can be provided, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to inability to provide both functions simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the building into independent thermal zones that can operate in different modes simultaneously. One zone can be heated while another is cooled, allowing the system to meet diverse thermal demands across the building during shoulder seasons without wasting energy on unnecessary heating or cooling in areas that don't require it.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters for each zone based on local conditions, allowing simultaneous heating in some zones and cooling in others. This parameter differentiation enables the system to maintain high productivity by responding to varying thermal demands while optimizing energy consumption by avoiding uniform operation across all zones.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This hybrid system achieves maximum energy savings, increased occupant comfort, and reduced carbon footprint by optimizing building heating and cooling efficiency while minimizing infrastructure footprint, making it suitable for both new and existing building systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger, an expansion valve and a second heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger is disposed downstream of the compressor, the expansion valve is dispose downstream of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger is disposed downstream of the expansion valve
Implementation Method 2
a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion valve and a second heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger is disposed downstream of the compressor
Implementation Method 3
An hydronic coil is disposed between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, wherein the hydronic coil is fluidly coupled to the conditioned water source to circulate one of the supply of chilled water and the supply of heated water through the hydronic coil in a water closed loop
Implementation Method 4
a fan disposed between the inlet end and outlet end to generate and define an airflow from the inlet end to the outlet end
Data Source
AI summary
An improved system, apparatus, method for air ventilation having a hybrid air handler system comprising (1) a hydronic air handler fluidly coupled to and functionally integrated with a direct expansion of a heat pump; (2) a pre-water coil refrigerant to air heat exchanger and a post water coil refrigerant to air heat exchanger fluidly coupled to and functionally integrated with the hydronic air handler; and (3) a reversable or straight cool/heat and direct-expansion water-source heat pump fluidly coupled from load loop side water of the hydronic air handler and functionally integrated with the hydronic air handler. The hybrid air handler system disclosed herein is configured to provide enhanced system efficiency and reliability by simultaneously increasing its cooling capacity and lowering the dew point for dehumidification while eliminating the carbon footprint or the need for electric-resistant heat for any reheating of a building heating and cooling system.