Distributed Water-Storage HVAC for Space-Saving Air Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional centralized air conditioning systems in large buildings are costly and space-intensive, with high energy consumption due to the need for large machinery rooms and vertical ducts that pose fire safety risks, and require significant energy for heating and cooling.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a heating-cooling unit connected to an air handling system with a primary water storage device and heat pumps, controlled by a controller to maintain water temperature within a predetermined range, allowing for efficient heat transfer and distribution throughout the building, reducing the need for external energy sources and minimizing system requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional centralized air conditioning systems are used, then cooling capacity is provided, but space is occupied by machinery rooms and vertical ducts
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized air conditioning system is segmented into distributed heating-cooling units (chilled beams and fan coil units) installed at individual floors or zones. This eliminates the need for large vertical ducts connecting centralized equipment to each floor, as each zone has its own cooling apparatus connected via smaller horizontal water piping to the central water storage devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The air handling functions traditionally performed in centralized machinery rooms are extracted and distributed to individual heating-cooling units at each floor. The central machinery room is reduced to housing only water storage devices and heat pumps, eliminating the need for large vertical ductwork and extensive air handling equipment in centralized locations.
2Temperature
If centralized air handling units with vertical ducts are used, then air conditioning is provided, but fire safety risks increase due to vertical duct propagation
Solution Approach 1:
The air handling functions are extracted from centralized locations and distributed to individual heating-cooling units at each floor. This eliminates continuous vertical ductwork that could serve as fire propagation pathways, as air is conditioned locally at each zone rather than being distributed through vertical conduits from a centralized source.
Solution Approach 2:
Water serves as an intermediary medium for heat transfer instead of using vertical air ducts. The system uses water piping to transport thermal energy between central water storage devices and distributed heating-cooling units, replacing the fire-risk-prone vertical air duct infrastructure with safer water-based heat transfer pathways.
3Temperature
If heating and cooling coils are dedicated to chilled beam HVAC system, then heating and cooling capacity is provided, but system cost and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating and cooling systems are merged into a single integrated water-based thermal energy system. Water storage devices serve both heating and cooling functions by storing thermal energy that can be transferred via heat pumps to heating-cooling units as needed, eliminating the need for separate dedicated heating coils and cooling coils in each chilled beam unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses waste heat and cold from building processes to pre-condition the water in storage devices. Heat pumps then transfer this pre-conditioned thermal energy to heating-cooling units, reducing the energy consumption of the HVAC system by utilizing self-generated thermal energy rather than requiring all heating and cooling capacity from external energy sources.
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 solution reduces installation and operating costs, minimizes space requirements, and enhances energy efficiency by allowing for flexible zoning and reduced reliance on external energy sources, thereby lowering HVAC costs and improving fire safety by eliminating the need for vertical ducting and central machinery rooms.
Implementation Method 1
The heat pump is connected to the primary water storage device and the chilled beam and/or fan coil unit. The controller is adapted to selectively drive the heat pump to transfer heat between the primary water storage device and the chilled beam and/or fan coil unit.
Implementation Method 2
The heating-cooling unit, which includes at least one chilled beam and/or fan coil unit, is operable to transfer heat into or out of air passing within the air handling system of the building.
Implementation Method 3
The primary water storage device is operable to store a volume of water within a predetermined temperature range. The primary water storage device is in communication with the hot water source and the cold water source.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for conditioning air is provided. A building has a hot water source and a cold water source. The system includes at least one heating-cooling unit, a primary water storage device, at least one heat pump, and a controller. The heating-cooling unit transfers heat into or out of air passing within an air handling system of the building. The primary water storage device stores a volume of water within a predetermined temperature range. The primary water storage device is in communication with the hot water source and the cold water source. The heat pump is connected to the primary water storage device and a chilled beam. The controller selectively drives the heat pump to transfer heat between the primary water storage device and the chilled beam. The controller selectively controls the system to transfer heat into or out of the primary water storage device.