Patent ID: 6328095
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: F24F

Abstract:
A system contained within a single appliance for ventilating a conditioned space and maintaining the air pressure within the conditioned space in equilibrium with the air pressure outside the conditioned space comprising:a unit housing having both a front and back panel wherein the back panel defines an outdoor exhaust aperture and an outdoor intake aperture, the front panel defines an indoor exhaust aperture and an indoor intake aperture;a divider wall disposed within the unit housing and acting with the unit housing to define an outflow chamber and an inflow chamber, wherein the outflow chamber is in communication with the indoor intake aperture and the outdoor outlet aperture, and wherein the inflow chamber is in communication with the outdoor intake aperture and the indoor outlet aperture; the divider wall further defining a heat transfer wheel aperture;a makeup air duct in communication with the outdoor intake aperture and the indoor outlet aperture, the air duct including a damper having a closed position and at least one open position;an exhaust blower disposed within the outflow chamber in order to propel an outflow current of air from the indoor intake aperture through the outflow chamber and through the outdoor outlet aperture;an intake blower disposed within the unit housing in order to propel an inflow current of air from the outdoor intake aperture through the inflow chamber and out the indoor outlet aperture, and, when the damper of the makeup air duct is in an open position, a makeup current of air from the outdoor intake aperture through the makeup air duct and out the indoor outlet aperture; wherein the intake blower is a variable speed blower and can be operated independently from and at higher speeds than the exhaust blower;a heat transfer wheel rotatably coupled to a heat wheel motor assembly, wherein the heat transfer wheel is disposed in the wheel aperture of the divider wall and is also disposed within both the inflow chamber and the outflow chamber with its axis of rotation substantially parallel to the movement of both the inflow and outflow currents of air;wherein the heat transfer wheel intersects both the inflow current of air and the outflow current of air to exchange heat between the inflow and outflow air currents, and wherein the intake blower can operate at a higher speed than the exhaust blower when the makeup air duct damper is in an open position to provide more air to the conditioned space than is exhausted by the exhaust blower,whereby the system works as a single appliance to ventilate the conditioned space with heat recovery and to provide makeup air to the conditioned space in order to equalize the air pressure in the conditioned space with the air pressure outside the conditioned space.