Optimum environmental control system for a building

Claim 2

Apparatus for maintaining a controlled temperature in a building having first and second zones while utilizing a minimum amount of external energy for heat input to said zones, said first zone being located in the interior of the building and requiring a net removal of heat therefrom for the maintenance of said controlled temperature during the colder weather, said second zone being located within the building but more exterior than said first zone, said second zone requiring a net addition of heat thereto for the maintenance of said controlled temperature, said apparatus comprising: a. air-handling means; b. refrigeration means; c. said air-handling means being adapted to transfer heat from said first zone to said refrigeration means; d. said refrigeration means being adapted to transfer heat from said air-handling means to said second zone; e. first control means for controlling the temperature in said first zone, said first control means including first means for controlling the mixing of air from outside the building with air from said first zone within the building; f. second control means for controlling the temperature in said second zone by controlling said refrigeration means and said air-handling means, thereby to regulate the amount of heat transferred between said first and second zones, said second control means including means for controlling said refrigeration means; g. said refrigeration means including a first fluid-loop heat-transfer means having therein a first fluid means as a heat transfer medium and a second fluid-loop heat-transfer means having therein a second fluid means as a heat transfer medium; h. said refrigeration means further including: h-1. first heat-exchange means for removing heat from said first fluid means in said first fluid-loop heat-transfer means; h-2. second heat-exchange means for adding heat to said second fluid means in said second fluid-loop heat-transfer means. h-3. thermal connection means for optionally, selectably, thermally connecting said first heat-exchange means thereby optionally, selectably, facilitating the transfer of heat between said first fluid-loop heat-transfer means and said second fluip-loop heat-transfer means; h-4. first controller means for controlling said thermal connection means, thereby optionally selectably, permitting thermal connection of said first heat-exchange means and said second heat-exchange means in response to a sensed lower temperature of said second fluid-means heat-transfer medium below a first chosen temperature; and h-5. second controller means for controlling said thermal connection means, thereby permitting thermal connection of said first heat-exchange means and said second heat-exchange means, in response to an increase in the temperature of said first fluid means, which is utilized as a heat transfer medium, above a second chosen temperature.

Claim 3

The apparatus for maintaining a controlled temperature in two zones of a building during the winter season, utilizing a minimum amount of external energy for heat to be input to said zones, of claim 1, wherein said first means for controlling the mixing of air further comprises: a. first air transport means for transporting air from said first zone of a building to a mixing means; b. second air transport means for transporting air from the exterior of said building to a mixing means; c. mixing means for mixing said transported outside air and said air transported from said first zone of said building; and wherein said air-handling means for transferring heat from said first zone of said building to said refrigeration means further comprises: d. cooling means for optionally, selectably cooling air mixed in said mixing means, in response to an optionally, selectably controllable valve means; and e. optionally selectably controllable valve means for introducing said first fluid means which is utilized as a heat transfer medium, into said cooling means.

Claim 4

The apparatus for maintaining a controlled temperature in two zones of a building during the winter season, utilizing a minimum amount of external energy for heat to be input to said zones, of claim 2, wherein said first air transport means for transporting air from said first zone of said building to a mixing means further comprises: a. return air duct means; b. means for optionally selectably exhausting said return air in said return air duct to the exterior of said building; c. return air damper means for optionally selectably permitting return air in said return air duct means to pass into a mixing duct means; wherein said second air transport means for transporting air from the exterior of said building to a mixing means, further comprises: d. outside air damper means for optionally selectably controlling the flow of outside air into a mixing duct means; wherein said mixing means for mixing transported outside air from said outside air damper with said air transported from said first zone of said building further comprises: e. mixing duct means; f. fan means for exhausting mixed air from said mixing duct means to an air transport duct means; g. air transport duct means for transporting said mixed air from said mixing duct means to said first zone of said building; wherein said cooling means for optionally selectably cooling said mixed air is located within said air transport duct means.

Claim 5

The apparatus for maintaining a controlled temperature in two zones of a building during the winter season, utilizing a minimum amount of external energy for heat to be input to said zones, of claim 3, wherein said first means for controlling the mixing of air from outside the building with air from said first zone within the building further comprises: a. third controller means for actuating said valve means and for controlling the mixing of said air from said first zone of said building and said air from the exterior of said building, said third controller means controlling the mixing of air by optionally, partially or completely opening or partially or completely closing said relief damper means, said return air damper means and said outside damper means, said third controller means acting in response to a sensed temperature of said mixed air in said air transport duct means after said mixed air has passed over said cooling coil.

Claim 6

The apparatus for maintaining a controlled temperature in two zones of a building during the winter season, utilizing a minimum amount of external energy for heat to be input to said zones, of claim 4, further comprising: a. first relay means for controlling the operation of said relief damper, said return air damper and said outside air damper in response to an output signal produced by said third controller means; b. first temperature sensor means for sensing the temperature of said mixed air after said mixed air has passed over said cooling coil, said first temperature sensor means being located in said air transport duct means downstream from said cooling coil; wherein said valve means is a first three-way valve means, wherein said third controller acts in response to said temperature sensed by said first temperature sensor and wherein said output signal of said third controller means is delivered both to said relay means and to said first three-way valve means, wherein said first three-way valve means is interconnected with said first fluid loop heat transfer means in such a way that upon response of said valve means to said third controller output signal, at least a portion of said first heat transfer fluid medium contained in said first fluid heat transfer means is diverted to pass through said cooling coil means.

Claim 7

The apparatus for maintaining a controlled temperature in two zones of a building during the winter season, utilizing a minimum amount of external energy for heat to be input to said two zones, of claim 6, wherein said first fluid loop heat transfer means further comprises: a. means for forcing said first fluid means through said first fluid loop heat transfer means; wherein said thermal connection means further comprises: b. compressor means for moving refrigerant initially over said first heat exchange means, elevating temperature of refrigerant by vapor compression, and then moving refrigerant with elevated temperature over said second heat exchange means thereby transferring heat from said first heat transfer means to said second heat transfer means and thus resulting in the transfer of heat from said first fluid means to said second fluid means; and c. optionally selectably controllable vane means for optionally selectably preventing or allowing refrigerant moved by said compressor means to pass over said second heat transfer means thereby optionally, selectably preventing or allowing the transfer of heat from said first fluid means to said second fluid means; and wherein said second fluid loops heat transfer means further comprises: d. means for forcing said second fluid means through said second fluid loop heat transfer means; e. second three-way valve means; f. cooling tower means; g. means for transferring heat from said second fluid means to said second zone within the building; wherein said second three-way valve means is connected to said second fluid transport means in such a way that said valve, when disposed in one position, will permit at least a portion of said second fluid means in said second fluid transport means to pass through said cooling tower means, and, when said valve is in a second position, will cause said second fluid means in said second fluid transport means to bypass said cooling tower means.

Claim 8

The apparatus for maintaining a controlled temperature in two zones of a building during the winter season, utilizing a minimum amount of external energy for heat to be input to said two zones, of claim 6, wherein said second means for controlling said refrigeration means further comprises: a. a second temperature sensor means for sensing the temperature of said first fluid means for transferring heat as said first fluid means for transferring heat exits from said first heat transfer means through said first fluid transport means; b. third temperature sensor means for sensing the temperature of said second fluid transport means for transferring heat as said second fluid means for transferring heat exits from said second heat transfer means through said second fluid transport means; c. fourth means for sensing temperature, said fourth means for sensing temperature being means for producing an output signal, the same as would be produced by a temperature sensor which sensed pre-selected simulated outdoor air temperature; d. second relay means for controlling said optionally selectably controllable vane means in response to signals output by said first controller means and by said second controller means; e. third relay means suitably disposed for controlling said optionally selectably controllable vane means in response to signals output by said first controller means and by said second controller means; wherein said first controller means is operatively connected to said third means for sensing temperature, to said means for producing a simulated temperature sensor output signal and to said second relay means, said first controller means being suitably disposed for comparing an output signal from said third temperature sensor means and an output signal from said means for producing a simulated temperature sensor output signal so as to determine when a temperature sensed by said third temperature sensor means is below a first pre-selected temperature to which said means for producing a simulated temperature sensor output has been set; wherein said first controller means, upon determining that said temperature sensed by said third temperature sensor means is below said first pre-selected temperature to which said means for producing a simulated temperature sensor output signal has been set, is suitably disposed to actuate said second three-way valve means so as to cause said second fluid heat transfer means in said means for transporting said second fluid means to bypass said cooling tower; wherein said first controller additionally is suitably disposed to determine, after said second three-way valve means has been actuated, thereby causing said second fluid heat transfer means to bypass said cooling tower, that said temperature sensed by said third temperature sensor means has remained below said first pre-selected temperature to which said means for producing a simulated temperature sensor output has been set, after said three-way valve means has been actuated, and, upon such determination, to actuate said second relay means and said third relay means and thereby open said optionally selectably controllable vane means for optionally selectably preventing and allowing refrigerant moved by a compressor means to be passed through a first heat exchange means for removing heat from said first fluid heat transfer means and then to be passed through a second heat exchange means for adding heat to a second fluid heat transfer means, thereby allowing refrigerant moved by a compressor means first to be passed over a first heat exchange means for removing heat from a first fluid heat transfer means and then to be passed over a second heat exchange means for adding heat to a second fluid heat transfer means to said second fluid heat transfer means;

Claim 9

Wherein said second controller means is operatively connected to said second temperature sensor means and to said third relay means, said second controller means being suitably disposed for comparing an output signal from said second temperature sensor means to pre-selected temperature so as to determine when a temperature sensed by said second temperature sensor means is above a second pre-selected temperature; wherein said second controller means is suitably disposed to override said first controller means and to actuate said third relay means, thereby actuating said second relay means and thereby closing said vane means for optionally selectably preventing and allowing refrigerant moved by a compressor means first to be passed over a first heat exchange means for removing heat from a first fluid heat transfer means and then to be passed over a second heat exchange means for adding heat to a second fluid heat transfer means, thereby preventing the transfer of heat from said first fluid heat transfer means to said second fluid heat transfer means.

Claim 10

Wherein said second controller means is operatively connected to said second temperature sensor means and to said third relay means, said second controller means being suitably disposed for comparing an output signal from said second temperature sensor means to pre-selected temperature so as to determine when a temperature sensed by said second temperature sensor means is above a second pre-selected temperature; wherein said second controller means is suitably disposed to override said first controller means and to actuate said third relay means, thereby actuating said second relay means and thereby closing said vane means for optionally selectably preventing and allowing refrigerant moved by a compressor means first to be passed over a first heat exchange means for removing heat from a first fluid heat transfer means and then to be passed over a second heat exchange means for adding heat to a second fluid heat transfer means, thereby preventing the transfer of heat from said first fluid heat transfer means to said second fluid heat transfer means.