Air conditioning apparatus

An air conditioning apparatus intended to serve several rooms and having for this purpose a number of individual air conditioning modules. Each air conditioning module (5) serves a single room and has an ice storage reservoir (69) and refrigeration means (53) for making ice, as well as heat transfer means (36, 49 and 71 to 78) to effect heat exchange between the air and the ice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to air conditioning apparatus intended to 
ventilate and air condition several rooms. The apparatus has, for this 
purpose, a number of air conditioning modules housed inside a mechanical 
room, with each module having: 
a connector to join the module with an air exhaust duct connected to a 
room; 
a connector to join the module with an air supply duct connected to the 
room; 
an internal air flow path between the air exhaust and air supply 
connectors; 
means for ventilating and air conditioning the air that passes through the 
internal air flow path including means for exchanging heat between the air 
and a cooling medium; 
means for connecting the apparatus to a source of power; and 
means for controlling the operation of the apparatus. 
Such an installation is described in European Patent No. EP-B 302,768 (the 
'768 patent), which also describes air conditioning modules that are 
particularly well adapted to construction of an installation including 
such modules in that they are respectively defined on the exterior by two 
plane lateral sides that are parallel to each other, by means of which the 
modules can be positioned next to each other, and by peripheral sides that 
connect the lateral sides to each other and group together air supply and 
exhaust connections, connections to a power supply, possibly the 
controller means and means to gain access to the air conditioning and, 
optionally, to the controller means or more generally to all of components 
that may have to be worked upon during normal maintenance. The 
installation can also require minimum space because of the positioning of 
the modules next to each other, without causing any impediment to normal 
maintenance. The peripheral sides of the modules also preferably comprise 
support means that allow the removal or replacement of one module within a 
row of modules without having to move the other modules of the row, 
permitting easy and rapid replacement of a malfunctioning module without 
dismantling the other modules or interrupting their operation. 
To cool the air from a room, possibly with some outdoor air introduced, 
before returning it to the room, there are means, included in each module, 
through which the air flow path passes internal to the module, for 
effecting a transfer of heat between the air and a cooling medium, such 
means being a heat exchanger for heat transfer between the air and cold 
water supplied by a common source to the different modules. In practice, 
this cooling heat exchanger in each module is connected, through partially 
flexible pipes and electrically operated valves controlled by respective 
controllers, to a cold water inlet header and a cold water outlet header, 
both shared by the different modules and leading to a common installation 
for the production of cold water. 
The presence of these tubes, electrically operated valves and cold water 
inlet and return headers complicates installation and constitutes a source 
of malfunction that, when they affect the cold water source or the cold 
water inlet and return headers, for example, in the form of leaks, 
adversely affect the operation of the entire group of modules. In 
addition, the distance traveled by this cold water between the cold water 
source and the cooling heat exchanger of each module can be relatively 
large giving rise to the loss of cooling capacity even when the cold water 
inlet and return headers, as well as the pipes that connect them to the 
cooling heat exchanger, are properly insulated. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the present invention is to correct these drawbacks. For this 
purpose, the present invention proposes an apparatus of the type indicated 
above, characterized in that the cooling medium is freezable water and in 
that each module has means for storing freezable water and means for 
freezing the water, controlled by a regulating controller. 
Thus, it becomes possible to eliminate the cold water inlet and return 
headers along with the connecting pipes between the cooling heat exchanger 
and the former as well as the common cold water source, that is, it is 
possible to simplify an air conditioning apparatus, considered in its 
totality, to reduce the risk of leaks and to limit the consequences of a 
possible leak to the single module concerned and that module may be shut 
down for repair or replacement. In addition, it is possible to reduce 
considerably the length of the flow path of the refrigerated medium with 
which the air exchanges heat inside each module, to isolate this flow path 
as much as possible and to contain as much as possible of it in the 
respective module, permitting a considerable improvement in the energy 
efficiency of the apparatus. 
In addition, even if it is true that each module has a larger volume than a 
module such as is described in the '768 patent, an apparatus in accordance 
with the present invention can require, because of the elimination of the 
cold water source equipment shared by the different modules, less floor 
space than that of an apparatus made in accordance with the teachings of 
the '768 patent. 
Indeed, it is possible to achieve, for each module, a floor space 
requirement that is essentially equivalent to, with only its vertical 
space requirement being increased, and corresponding approximately to that 
of the combination of an air conditioning module of the type described in 
the '768 patent and the associated means for storing freezable water as 
well as the means for freezing it. 
Advantageously, one also maintains the ability to position next to each 
other the modules serving several rooms in a mechanical room, by 
manufacturing each module to have: 
an air exhaust connector; 
an air supply connector; 
an internal air flow path between and connecting the air exhaust and air 
supply connectors; 
ventilation devices and air conditioning means through which the internal 
air flow path passes notably including means for exchanging heat between 
the air and a cooling medium; 
means for connecting the apparatus to a source of power; and 
means for controlling the operation of the apparatus. 
Each module should be defined on its exterior by two plane, parallel 
lateral sides and by peripheral sides that connect the lateral sides to 
each other and group together the air supply and exhaust connectors, the 
means for connecting to a power source, possibly the controller means, the 
means for gaining access to the apparatus and, possibly, to the controller 
means, as described in the '768 patent. The apparatus is, in addition, 
characterized in that the cooling medium is water and in that the module 
comprises, between its lateral sides or coplanar geometrical extensions of 
them, means for storing freezable water and means for freezing the water, 
regulated by the controller means. 
Thus, the floor space requirement of an installation manufactured in 
accordance with the present invention can be in all regards comparable to 
that of the air conditioning modules in an apparatus manufactured in 
accordance with the teachings of the '768 patent, corresponding to, in 
terms of space requirements, a space savings equal to the space 
requirement for the cold water source apparatus necessary for the 
operation of the air conditioning apparatus described in the '768 patent. 
Note that, like the air conditioning modules described in the '768 patent, 
the modules of the present invention can not only be arrayed next to each 
other in any number, while retaining the capability to gain access to all 
of the components that must be accessible for normal maintenance but also 
they can be positioned, especially in a single installation, next to a 
partition or a wall, for example, inside a closet or any recess to ensure 
the in situ ventilation and air conditioning of a single room, while 
maintaining access capability even when the closet or recess that holds 
them is small. 
Another advantage of the air conditioning apparatus and the module of the 
present invention resides in the ability to restrict the requirement for 
energy to electrical energy only, considerably simplifying connection to 
power or energy sources, which then are only electric, thus giving great 
flexibility to install several modules in a mechanical room or a single 
module in a closet or any recess. Indeed, the freezing means can 
advantageously be electric and the connection to the power source can 
consequently be an electrical connection. The same holds when each module 
also has heating means included in its internal flow path and controlled 
by its controller. The heating means can be electrical, in which case it 
is connected to an electrical power supply by an electrical connection, or 
may be a water-to-air heating heat exchanger included in its internal flow 
path and controlled by its controller and connected to a source of hot 
water that is specific to the module under consideration, although 
possibly located external to it in which case the module has means for 
connecting the heating heat exchanger to the external source of hot water 
located between its front sides or the coplanar geometrical extensions of 
them. 
The freezing means specific to each module advantageously includes a 
refrigeration apparatus, itself including a refrigerant evaporator and 
means for transferring heat between a cooling medium, such as freezable 
water according to the present invention, and the refrigerant in the 
evaporator, as well as a refrigerant condenser and means for circulating a 
cooling fluid in direct heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant in 
the condenser. 
These circulating means can be advantageously shared by several modules, 
with each then comprising means for connecting the condenser to an 
external cooling fluid circulating means, between the lateral sides or the 
coplanar geometrical extensions of them, to remove, by means of the same 
circulating cooling fluid the heat produced by the various condensers. 
The circulating means can include means for transferring this energy from 
the cooling fluid to the outside atmosphere in which case it can include, 
for example, a flow path for exhausting stale air that opens into the 
atmosphere as is generally provided in air conditioned buildings. 
However, one can also provide the circulating means with means for 
recovering energy from the cooling fluid for use for heating. 
Thus, the circulating means can include a flow path for conditioned air, in 
which case each module is also provided with means for directly 
transferring heat with this conditioned air included in the internal air 
flow path of the conditioned air and controlled by the respective 
controller. The conditioned air, raised in temperature as a result of 
direct heat exchange with the refrigerant in the condenser, is used to 
heat the air passing through the internal air flow path of the module. 
The circulating means can also include a hot water flow path for service 
hot water or heating purposes or include means for directly exchanging 
heat between the cooling fluid and the water of such a flow path for 
service hot water or heating purposes. In the two cases, the hot water 
flow path is advantageously shared by several modules, that is, by all the 
modules located in the same mechanical room. It can include means for 
supplemental heating. 
Such production of hot water by recovering energy in the condensers of the 
refrigeration apparatus of the different modules results in the need for 
an exclusively electrical energy supply for each module even when each 
module includes a heat exchanger for direct heat transfer between the air 
and the hot water interposed in the respective internal air flow path, 
since this heat exchanger can be connected to the above described hot 
water system and can be regulated by the respective controller, with the 
hot water being produced in this manner being used as a heating fluid for 
air passing through the internal flow path of the module. Naturally, to 
the extent that the need for cooling the air and for heating air are not 
simultaneous, the hot water system advantageously comprises a tank for 
storing hot water, which is also preferably the case regardless of whether 
the hot water produced by the recovery of heat from the condensers is used 
for service or heating purposes. 
Naturally, when the hot water flow loop is external to the modules and, in 
particular, when it is shared, each module preferably includes between its 
lateral sides or coplanar geometrical extensions of them, means for 
connecting the air-to-hot water heat exchanger to this external hot water 
loop. 
Whether the energy released in the condensers of the refrigeration 
apparatus corresponding to the different modules is released into the 
atmosphere or recovered to heat air or water, the method of freezing the 
freezable water used as a cooling medium can be selected from a broad 
range of possibilities by one skilled in the art. 
Thus, the means for exchanging heat between the cooling medium (freezable 
water) and the refrigerant in each module can be the means for directly 
exchanging heat with the evaporator of the respective refrigeration 
apparatus placed in direct heat exchange relationship with the 
refrigerated medium (freezable water) in the storage reservoir. 
However, the means can also be indirect and can comprise a flow loop of 
heat transfer fluid including means for first directly transferring heat 
between the heat transfer fluid and the refrigerant in the evaporator and 
then between the heat transfer fluid and the refrigerated medium 
(freezable water) in the storage reservoir. 
Regardless of the means thus selected to freeze the freezable water used as 
the refrigerated medium in each module, the heat exchange means between 
the air and the refrigerated medium, that is, the freezable water, at each 
module can also be selected from a broad range of options and, notably, 
can include either indirect or direct heat transfer means. 
Indirect means for heat transfer between the air and the refrigerated 
medium (freezable water) can include, at each module, a heat transfer 
fluid flow loop including means for direct heat transfer between the heat 
transfer fluid and the refrigerated medium (freezable water) in the 
storage reservoir, on the one hand, and between the heat transfer fluid 
and the air in the internal flow path, on the other hand. 
Such a selection of heat exchange means between the air and the 
refrigerated medium (freezable water) can be combined with that of the 
means for exchanging heat, also indirect, between the refrigerated medium 
(freezable water) and the refrigerant, in which case each module can 
include, in a very simple manner, a single flow loop of heat transfer 
fluid including the means for directly exchanging heat between the single 
heat transfer fluid and: 
the refrigerant in the evaporator; 
the refrigerated medium (freezable water) in the storage reservoir; and 
the air flowing through the internal flow path. 
However, one can also ensure, when deciding to equip each module with means 
for indirectly exchanging heat between the refrigerated medium (freezable 
water) and the refrigerant, as well as between the air and the 
refrigerated medium (freezable water), that each module has two distinct 
heat transfer fluid flow paths, one path including means for directly 
exchanging heat between the heat transfer fluid and the refrigerant in the 
evaporator, with the other flow path including means for directly 
exchanging heat between the heat transfer fluid and the air in the 
internal air flow path and both flow paths forming in common means for 
directly exchanging heat between the heat transfer fluid and the 
refrigerated medium (freezable water) in the storage reservoir. 
Selection of the latter configuration allows the dissociation of the 
circulation of heat transfer fluid so that both a transfer of cooling 
capacity from the refrigerating fluid to the refrigerated medium 
(freezable water) is ensured and also so that such a transfer of heat from 
the refrigerated medium to the air is ensured in the internal air flow 
path, under the urging of mechanical means that is appropriate to the 
nature of the heat transfer fluid, such as a pump when the fluid is liquid 
or a fan when it is a gas. 
Indeed, one can use different fluids as heat transfer media and, notably, 
the heat transfer fluid can be a liquid or air. 
When the means for exchanging heat between the air and the refrigerated 
medium (freezable water) are no longer indirect means, but direct heat 
exchange means, air in the internal flow path is placed in direct heat 
exchange relationship with the refrigerated medium (freezable water) in 
the storage reservoir, which can give rise to particularly simple 
embodiments of each module. 
In particular, one can provide means for heat exchange between the 
refrigerated medium (freezable water) and the refrigerant, means that are 
indirect and include a flow loop of heat transfer fluid that is a portion 
of the internal air flow path and including means for direct heat exchange 
between the heat transfer fluid, being air, and the refrigerant in the 
evaporator, on the one hand, and between the air used as a heat transfer 
fluid and the refrigerated medium (freezable water) in the storage 
reservoir, on the other hand, by also providing means for temporarily 
closing the part of the internal air flow path on itself by isolating the 
air suction and air exhaust connectors in a manner controlled by the 
controller in order to alternate periods of freezing the freezable water 
used as the refrigerated medium with periods of heat exchange between the 
refrigerated medium thus formed and the air drawn from a room and to be 
returned to the room. 
Preferably, as is known in itself and regardless of the manner in which the 
exchange of heat exchange is effected between the air drawn from the room 
to be then returned and the refrigerated medium of freezable water, the 
air, before this exchange of heat, has fresh air added. For example, in 
accordance with the teachings of the '768 patent, the apparatus for this 
purpose includes means for supplying fresh air to the internal air flow 
path of the air conditioning modules, with each module having means for 
connecting its internal air flow path to the fresh air supply means 
located between its lateral sides or coplanar extensions of them. 
The air conditioning apparatus and module according to the present 
invention can also present all the dispositions described in the '768 
patent. In particular, the air conditioning modules in a given 
installation are advantageously identical and positioned next to each 
other with their lateral sides in a position in which the latter are 
vertical, and supported by means that are preferably located at the level 
of their peripheral sides, allowing their removal from the row of modules 
or their insertion in such a row exclusively by movements parallel to 
their lateral sides. Such an arrangement is also advantageous when a 
module is used individually, as in a closet or any recess, to the extent 
that any installation or removal operations are facilitated as a result, 
allowing the installation of a module in a small space. 
Other characteristics and advantages will become apparent following the 
below description of several nonlimiting embodiments, as well as the 
attached drawings, that are an integral part of this disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring first to FIG. 1, that drawing is a schematic representation of 
three rooms 1, 2 and 3 to be ventilated and air conditioned and mechanical 
room 4 containing air conditioning modules 5, 6 and 7, preferably all 
identical and each respectively associated with one of the three rooms 1, 
2, and 3 and positioned next to each other in a row. Naturally, this 
example is not limiting for the number of rooms that can be air 
conditioned from the same mechanical room, that is, the number of air 
conditioning modules located in this mechanical room will, in general, be 
more than three, with a single mechanical room being, for example, 
provided to contain the air conditioning modules corresponding to all the 
rooms on the same floor of a building. However, the below description of 
the air conditioning modules according to the invention will show that 
these modules can also be used singly or in pairs, housed in a recess such 
as a closet, directly adjacent one or possibly two rooms to be air 
conditioned, with an air conditioning module according to the invention 
not requiring any energy input beside electrical power, a source easily 
provided to any place. 
Each of rooms 1, 2 and 3 has, advantageously integrated with a false 
ceiling, at least one air exhaust terminal 8, 9 and 10 and at least one 
air supply terminal 11, 12 and 13, whose selection and optimum relative 
arrangement are within the normal abilities of one skilled in the art. 
Preferably, when a room such as one or more of rooms 1, 2, or 3 has a 
window 4, 15 or 16, its air supply terminal 1, 12 or 13 is located between 
its air exhaust terminal 8, 9 or 10 and its window 14, 15 or 16, and the 
supply terminal is of a type that has thermostatically controlled means 
for directing the flow of the supply air and which means is controlled by 
the temperature of the supply air, for example, of the type manufactured 
and marketed in France under the trade name "Optimix" by the company 
Carrier S.A., an affiliated company of Carrier Corporation, in Paris. Of 
course, other types of air supply terminals, using other means for 
distributing the supply air as a function of air temperature to each room 
could be selected without leaving the scope of the present invention. 
For each of air supply terminals 11, 12 and 13, there is a corresponding 
air supply duct 21, 22 and 23 and, similarly, for each of air exhaust 
terminals 8, 9 and 10 there is a corresponding air exhaust duct 24, 25 and 
26. These different ducts are preferably housed in a shoe between the 
false ceiling and the ceiling slab, in a manner not shown but known to one 
skilled in the art. 
Advantageously, all the different supply and exhaust ducts 21, 22, 23, 24, 
25 and 26 have uniform cross sections and are, among themselves, 
identical. The ducts can be flexible and each of them can thus extend 
continuously, without intermediate joints, from the room where the 
respectively associated air supply or exhaust terminal is located to 
mechanical room 4. 
Inside mechanical room 4, each air supply duct 21, 23 and 24 is joined to 
an air supply connection 27, 28 and 29 of the respectively associated air 
conditioning module 5, 6 and 7 and each air exhaust duct 24, 25 and 26 is 
joined to an air exhaust connection 30, 31 and 32 of the respectively 
associated module 5, 6 and 7. There is no intercommunication or mixing of 
air between the different air supply ducts nor between the different air 
exhaust ducts in this preferred embodiment of a system according to the 
invention. This conforms to the '768 patent, but one would not depart from 
the scope of the present invention if one were to provide an air exhaust 
or air supply that is shared by several rooms. 
Similarly, in this preferred embodiment and in accordance with the 
teachings of the '768 patent, the air to be conditioned passes, inside 
each of modules 5, 6 and 7, between the respective air exhaust connection 
30, 31 and 32 and the respective air supply connection 27, 28 and 29, 
through an internal flow path that is independent from one module to the 
other, that is, there is no mixing between the air streams that pass 
through the respective internal flow paths of the different modules 5, 6 
and 7. 
As shown schematically in FIG. 2, with respect to air conditioning module 
5, the internal flow path through which the air to be conditioned thus 
flows, from exhaust connection 30 to air supply connection 27, generally 
has a U shape, as represented by line 17, inside subassembly 18 of air 
conditioning module 5. 
Subassembly 18 presents numerous analogies with the air conditioning module 
described with reference to FIG. 9 of the '768 patent, as a variant 
embodiment of the air conditioning module described with reference to 
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 of that same document, to which reference will be made in 
this regard. 
Recall that subassembly thus constitutes the assembly, integrally connected 
but detachable, of case 18 and air conditioning enclosure 20. Case 18 is 
linked and suspended, for example, by means of a horizontal rail, not 
shown, from a part of the ceiling of mechanical room 4 and comprises air 
exhaust and supply connections 30 and 27. Air conditioning enclosure 20 
constitutes, in the case of the '768 patent, the air conditioning module 
proper and within which there is an internal flow path for air, 
schematically represented by line 17, from air exhaust connection 30 and 
passing successively through: 
filter 33; 
cooling heat exchanger 34, where air flowing through internal flow path 17 
exchanges heat with an antifreeze liquid, such as glycolated water, which 
liquid is lowered to a temperature less than ambient, in the manner of the 
present invention, by subassembly 35 of module 5, which subassembly 35 
advantageously rests on the floor immediately under subassembly 18; 
heating heat exchanger 36 where the air passing through internal flow path 
17 exchanges heat with a supply of hot water, according to a preferred 
embodiment of the present invention, through subassembly 37, which itself 
is partially unique to module 5 and partially shared with the group of 
modules 5, 6 and 7 located together in the same mechanical room 4, heat 
exchange of course occurring alternately in cooling heat exchanger 34 and 
in heating heat exchanger 36, as a function of air conditioning demand, in 
a manner determined and controlled by variable controller 38, which 
controls air temperature only preferably, the air output of module 5, and 
independent of corresponding controllers 39 and 40, respectively, of 
modules 6 and 7 and preferably supported integrally by one subassembly, 
notably subassembly 35 of module 5; and 
fan 41, driven by an electric motor, preferably of the variable speed type, 
supplied with electrical power by electrical supply line 256 in a manner 
controlled by controller 38, and returning towards air supply connection 
27. 
Case 19 also has fresh air inlet connection 242 joined to fresh air supply 
duct 43, which it shares with modules 6 and 7, each of those modules 
having similar connections 243 and 244 to allow the mixing of a 
predetermined but adjustable proportion of fresh air with the air 
returning from room 3 before conditioning the air in internal flow path 17 
and returning it to the room. 
Like the air conditioning modules described with reference to FIGS. 6 
through 9 of the '768 patent, subassembly 18 has two plane, parallel and 
vertical lateral sides 44 by which subassemblies, such as subassembly 18 
and corresponding subassemblies in other modules, the modules are 
positioned next to each other. Similarly, subassembly 35 has two plane, 
parallel and vertical lateral sides 45. Lateral sides 45 are separated 
from each other by distance D, which distance is equal to the distance 
that separates lateral sides 44 of subassembly 18 so each of lateral sides 
45 can be positioned in coplanar geometric extension 63 of the 
corresponding lateral side 44 of subassembly 28 of the same module 5, so 
that subassembly 35 of module 5 and the corresponding subassemblies of 
modules 6 and 7 can be positioned next to each other by their lateral 
sides 45. 
Between respective lateral sides 44 and 45, subassemblies 18 and 35 have 
respective peripheral sides 46 and 47 that, as taught by the '768 patent, 
connect corresponding sides 44 and 45 to each other and also group 
together: 
with respect to subassembly 18, connections 27, 30 and 242, connections 48 
for joining antifreeze liquid circulating pipes 49 to cooling heat 
exchanger 34, connections 50 for joining hot water circulating pipes 51 to 
heating heat exchanger 36 and suspension means; and 
with respect to subassembly 35, connections 52 for joining pipes 49, 
controller 38, means for attaching the assembly to the floor, 
refrigeration apparatus 53 and means 54 and 55, respectively, for 
connecting controller 38, power supply line 256, which is shared within 
the group of modules 5, 6 and 7 located in mechanical room 4, and for 
linking with remote control means 56 located in room 3, it being 
understood that similar means of connection and remote control are also 
provided for modules 6 and 7, those means being denoted, respectively, by 
reference numbers 57, 58, 59, 69, 61 and 62. 
Similarly, between respective coplanar geometrical extensions 63 of lateral 
sides 44 of subassembly 18 of module 5, subassembly 37 has connections 64 
for joining hot water pipes 51 and connections 65 and 66 for joining 
refrigerant pipes 67 and 68, themselves being connected to refrigeration 
apparatus 53, as will be described below. 
Thus, the capability described in the '768 patent to accomplish routine 
maintenance operations not only on module 5 but also on the preferably 
identical modules 6 and 7 without having to separate these modules is 
achieved, along with the capability to remove one module or one specific 
subassembly such as subassembly 18 or 35 from a module by movements that 
are parallel to lateral sides 44 and 45 and without having to move the 
other modules. 
One may refer to the '768 patent for details of the construction of 
subassembly 18, which can differ from the air conditioning module 
described with reference to FIG. 9 only in that here there are no 
electrically operated valves at the connection of pipes 49 and 51 to, 
respectively to cooling heat exchanger 34 and heating heat exchanger 36. 
However, details of the construction of subassembly 35 of the embodiment of 
the invention illustrated in FIG. 2 will follow below. 
In this embodiment, subassembly 35 has, externally, the form of a 
parallelpiped shaped reservoir bounded by flat walls defining lateral 
sides 45 and peripheral side 47. Reservoir 69 is watertight, with the 
exception of vents at the top, not shown, and can contain still, freezable 
water up to level 70, which level is as high as possible. 
Inside reservoir 69, watertight tube array 71, in the form of a coil is 
immersed in the water so as to be distributed as widely as possible within 
the reservoir. The array is connected at one end to common inlet header 72 
and on the other to common outlet header 73. Headers 72 and 73 are located 
next to each other inside reservoir 69 in an upper zone of the reservoir, 
for example, essentially at level 70. 
Outlet header 73 has connections 52, described above, for joining with two 
pipes 49, one of which is equipped with constant speed electric secondary 
pump 74, supplied with electric power by line 256 and capable of taking a 
suction of antifreeze liquid, as determined by controller 38, from outlet 
header 73 and to discharge the fluid through one branch of pipe 49 into 
cooling heat exchanger 34 from which the antifreeze liquid then returns to 
outlet header 73 through the other branch of pipe 49. 
In addition, both inlet header 72 and outlet header 73 have connections 75, 
respectively for pipe 76. The section of pipe 76 that connects to outlet 
header 73 contains variable speed primary electric pump 77 supplied with 
electric power by line 256 as determined by controller 38, for taking a 
suction of antifreeze liquid from outlet header 73. Pipe 76 is a component 
of an antifreeze liquid flow loop that also includes evaporator 78 of 
refrigeration apparatus 53. 
In evaporator 78, which is advantageously housed in the same thermally 
insulated enclosure as reservoir 69, the antifreeze liquid pumped from 
outlet header 73 by primary pump 77, before returning to inlet header 72, 
is placed in direct heat exchange relation with a refrigerant that 
circulates in a flow loop. That flow loop comprises pipe 79 connecting the 
evaporator with suction inlet 80 of compressor 81 of refrigeration 
apparatus 53, which is supplied with electric power from line 256 as 
determined by controller 38, pipe 82 connecting discharge outlet 83 of 
compressor 81 and condenser 84 that, while being part of refrigeration 
apparatus 53, can be carried either by subassembly 35 or by subassembly 
37, with which it works in cooperation, as described below, and pipe 85 
that serves to relieve pressure and ensures a connection between condenser 
84 and evaporator 78. 
In condenser 84, the refrigerant is placed in direct heat exchange 
relationship with a fluid, in practice the fluid being water supplied to 
the heating heat exchanger as hot water in the preferred and illustrated 
embodiment, which arrangement allows for the use, for supplying heated 
water either to supply heating heat exchanger 36 or to a service hot water 
system, or both, the heat energy produced in condenser 84 when 
refrigeration apparatus 53 is operating, that is, when it causes, through 
the action of evaporator 78 and while primary pump 77 is operating, the 
circulation of cooled antifreeze fluid in tube arrays 71 located within 
reservoir 69, to freeze the water contained in the reservoir. 
Because the demand for hot water in heating heat exchanger 36 and the 
demand for service hot water are not necessarily equal to the demand for 
cold fluid to freeze water in reservoir 69, that is, because the demands 
for hot water do not necessarily occur when refrigeration apparatus 53 is 
operating, subassembly 37 notably includes hot water tank 86, which is 
thermally insulated and preferably shared by the group of modules 5, 6 and 
7 located in the same mechanical room 4, although one could also provide 
individual hot water tanks, each respectively associated with a different 
module. 
As is also shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, hot water tank 86, in this case shared 
by modules 5, 6 and 7, is defined by wall 87 that has a cylindrical shape 
revolved around horizontal axis 88, which axis is parallel to the row 
formed by modules 5, 6 and 7, as positioned next to each other, and by two 
ends 89 that are perpendicular to axis 88. Inside tank 86, baffle 90, a 
flat watertight wall passing through axis 88 and watertightly joined to 
one end 94 and, on both sides of axis 88, to wall 87 so as to restrict the 
possibility of water crossing baffle 90, inside hot water tank 86, in the 
immediate proximity of the other end 89. 
Preferably, as shown more particularly in FIG. 5, baffle 90 is slanted, 
inside hot water tank 86, so as to descend from its area closest to 
subassembly 18, to which subassembly 37 is positioned above subassembly 
35. 
Above and below the highest position of baffle 90 with respect to each 
module and, for example, for module 5, wall 87 of hot water tank 86 has, 
between respective coplanar geometrical extensions 63 of lateral sides 44 
and 45 of the module, connection 91 for one of two pipes 51, which pipe 51 
is equipped with electric pump 92, supplied with electrical power by line 
256 as determined by controller 38, so as to draw hot water into tank 87 
from heating heat exchanger 36 and connection 93 for the other pipe 51, 
which returns hot water to heating heat exchanger 36 from hot water tank 
87. 
The water in hot water tank 87 can thus ensure a supply of hot water to 
each heating heat exchanger 36. 
In addition, in the end 89 of hot water tank 86 to which baffle 90 is 
adjacent and above baffle 90, pipe 95 opens into hot water tank 86 and 
carries water to heat exchanger 96, where there can be a transfer of heat 
between the water conveyed from hot water tank 87 by pipe 95 and a heat 
transfer fluid to remove the heat contained in the water. This heat 
transfer fluid can be notably air removed from rooms 1, 2 and 3 for 
conditioning and replaced in the rooms by fresh air supplied to the 
various subassemblies 18. This air is then exhausted to the outdoors by a 
forced air ventilator, not shown, that circulates air in a duct inside 
which heat exchanger 96 is located. At the outlet of heat exchanger 96, 
the hot water, with a part of its heat energy removed, is led towards 
rectilinear header 97, that lies parallel to axis 88 and along hot water 
tank 87 from one to the other of ends 89 of the tank, between the tank and 
a subassembly, such as subassembly 18, of each of modules 5, 6 and 7. In 
parallel with heat exchanger 96, bypass line 98 is provided in pipe 95, 
through which bypass flow is controlled by electrically operated valve 99. 
When a flow of hot water from hot water tank 87 to header 97 through pipe 
95 is desired but the cooling effect on the hot water by its passage 
through heat exchanger 96 is not desired, the water can be made to flow 
directly to header 97 through the bypass. 
For each module and notably at module 5, between coplanar geometric 
extensions 63 of lateral sides 44 and 45, header 97 has joint 66 for 
connecting to pipe 68, which pipe leads to condenser 84 and is fitted with 
electric pump 100, which pump is supplied with electric power by line 256 
as determined by controller 38, to take a suction on the hot water in 
header 97 and cause it to flow into condenser 84, where the water is 
placed in direct heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant that 
passes through condenser 84 between discharge outlet 83 of compressor 81 
and evaporator 78. Pipe 67, ensuring the continued flow of the water after 
it passes through condenser 84, opens through joint 65 into wall 87 of hot 
water tank 86, below baffle 90 and between coplanar geometrical extensions 
63 of lateral sides 44 and 45 of each module. 
Advantageously, one can provide coil 101, which coil is a part of a service 
water supply and which passes through the interior of hot water tank 86 
above baffle 90, in such a manner that this service water is heated by the 
water in hot water tank 86. 
Under these conditions, the operation of module 5 is as follows, with it 
being understood that modules 6 and 7 operate identically and preferably 
independently. 
When the weather is hot, requiring cooling of the air entering module 5 
through connector 30 from room 3 as well as cooling the fresh air entering 
module 5 through connector 242 and supplying the cooled air through 
connector 27 to the room, heating heat exchanger 36 is not operated and 
cooling heat exchanger 34 must be able to cool the air that passes through 
internal flow path 17 of subassembly 18 of module 5. It is assumed that 
room 3 is not occupied except during the day, that is, there is a need to 
cool the air in the room only during the day. 
At night, compressor 81 operates and primary pump 77 functions at its 
maximum speed, so as to cause a circulation of refrigerant in sealed tube 
arrays 71, which freezes the water inside reservoir 69. Secondary pump 74, 
in contrast, is stopped. During operation in this mode, condenser pump 100 
is operating so that water from tank 86 circulates through pipe 95, header 
97, pipe 68, condenser 84 and pipe 67. The water is reheated during its 
passage through condenser 84. If the temperature of tank 86 increases 
because of the lack of demand for service hot water and/or hot water for 
heating, electrically operated valve 99 causes this water, circulating 
from hot water tank 86 towards header 97, to flow into heat exchanger 96 
where this water loses a part of its heat energy. If the opposite 
situation exists, electrically operated valve 99 causes the water to flow 
through bypass 98 so that it reaches header 97 at a temperature that is 
approximately the same as that in hot water tank 86. 
During the day, when cooling heat exchanger 34 is operated by controller 
38, compressor 81 is stopped and the cooling capacity of cooling heat 
exchanger 34 is achieved, to the greatest extent possible, by the cooling 
effect of the ice in reservoir 69. For this purpose, secondary pump 74 
operates, generally at a constant speed, to cause the antifreeze liquid to 
circulate between cooling heat exchanger 34 and header 73. Primary pump 77 
operates at a variable rate, regulated by controller 38, so as to cause 
the antifreeze liquid to circulate inside tube array 71 and to supply, in 
this manner, header 73 with cooling capacity obtained from the ice stored 
in reservoir 69. If the temperature that one desires to attain in room 3 
by cooling, compared to the ambient temperature, is such that the cooling 
capacity stored in reservoir 69 is not sufficient, controller 38 will 
sense this condition because it will determine that it is necessary to 
operate primary pump 77 at its maximum speed, or because the temperature 
sensors send an appropriate signal. In this case, compressor 81 is 
automatically started again to supply cooling capacity both to cooling 
heat exchanger 34, and, to the extent possible, to again store cooling 
capacity, in the form of ice, in reservoir 69. 
When the weather is hot, the energy recovered by the water from tank 86 as 
it passes through a condenser such as condenser 84 can be sufficient to 
meet the demand for service hot water and for water in heating heat 
exchangers 36 of the various modules. 
To ensure the production of sufficient hot water even in the winter, that 
is, when heating heat exchangers 36 must be operated during the day, it is 
advantageous to operate the refrigeration apparatus and supply heat to the 
condensers and consequently to assure a reserve and/or to provide, inside 
hot water tank 86, auxiliary heating means that, advantageously, can be 
electric heating coil 102 placed inside hot water tank 86 above baffle 90 
and supplied with electrical power by line 256 in a controlled manner. 
One can easily understand that the operation of electrical heating coil 
102, like that of electrically operated valve 99, is controlled not 
individually by controllers 38, 39 and 40 of the various modules 5, 6 and 
7 but by central controller 103, that is of the type that can easily be 
provided for the purpose by one skilled in the art, and which also provide 
to controllers 38, 39 and 40, corresponding to the respective modules, 
certain operating parameters, individually appropriate for the various 
modules 5, 6 and 7 as a function of the time of day, the priority of one 
room over another, etc. 
The recovery of energy from the different condensers 84, just described, to 
produce hot water uses a heat exchange liquid, specifically, the water 
itself, placed in direct heat exchange relationship, in each condenser 84, 
with the refrigerant flowing between compressor 81 and evaporator 78. 
One would not leave the scope of the present invention if one were to 
substitute the heat exchange between a liquid and the refrigerant by a 
heat exchange between a gas, notably air, and the refrigerant. In FIGS. 7 
and 8, a system is shown where, instead of condensing the refrigerant at 
different condensers 84 by circulating a liquid, specifically water, the 
condensation is accomplished by circulating a gas, specifically air, that 
then reheats the service hot water to supply the heating heat exchangers 
36 of the various modules. These heating heat exchangers 36 were described 
with reference to FIG. 2 as air-to-water heat exchangers but can, as here, 
be advantageously replaced by air-to-air heat exchangers. 
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate such a mode of recovery of energy by heat exchange 
between the air and the refrigerant in condensers such as condenser 104 
replacing, at each of modules 5, 6 and 7, the respective condenser such as 
condenser 84 and with heat exchange between the same air and the air 
circulating in internal flow path 17 of subassemblies, such as subassembly 
18, of the different modules 5, 6 and 7 in air-to-air heat exchangers such 
as heat exchanger 105 replacing, in each module, the corresponding heating 
heat exchanger such as heat exchanger 36. 
Condensers such as condenser 104 are then arranged in a subassembly such as 
subassembly 35 of the various modules 5, 6 and 7 in a manner to permit 
positioning lateral sides 45 of the subassemblies next to each other. 
Air-to-air heat exchangers, such as exchanger 105, taking the place of a 
heating heat exchanger are then placed, in subassemblies such as 
subassembly 18, so that lateral sides 44 are next to each other and so as 
to form suite 106 of condensers such as condenser 104 and suite 107 of 
air-to-air heat exchangers such as heat exchanger 105, which are 
respectively aligned parallel to the positions of modules 5, 6 and 7. 
Housing 108, shared by modules 5, 6 and 7, encloses suites 106 and 107 and 
defines an air flow path that, from inlet duct 109 of housing 108 towards 
outlet duct 110 of the housing, successively passes through suite 106 of 
condensers such as condenser 104 and suite 107 of air-to-air heat 
exchangers such as heat exchanger 105, in direction 111. 
Immediately downstream from each condenser such as condenser 104 and 
immediately upstream from each air-to-air heat exchanger such as heat 
exchanger 105, with reference to direction 111 and inside housing 108 is 
located an electrically driven fan, such as fan 112 or fan 113, supplied 
with electric power by line 236 and controlled by a controller such as 
controller 38 of a module such as module 5. 
In addition, service hot water tank 115 is located in space 114 of housing 
108 between suites 106 and 108. Tank 115 is cylindrical, has axis 116 that 
is parallel to the alignment of modules 5, 6 and 7 and has small external 
fins 117 for exchange of heat with air moving in direction 111 from suite 
106 to suite 107. Tank 115 is fitted with service cold water inlet 118 at 
one end and with service hot water outlet 119 at its other end. 
Moreover, exhaust duct 120 opens into space 114 between tank 115 and fans 
such as fan 113 of air-to-air heat exchangers such as heat exchanger 105. 
Duct 120 is for hot air and has fan 121, controlled by central controller 
122. Controller 122 supplants controller 103 in all of its functions, 
notably in its function of avoiding overheating in tank 115. Preferably, 
fan 121 is of the variable speed type. 
External to space 114, the air that passes through the space essentially 
flows through a closed flow path, with outlet duct 110 being joined to 
inlet duct 109. However, means 123, shown schematically, permits the 
introduction of fresh air into this closed flow path, which fresh air is 
conveyed by duct 43, with reference to FIG. 1, or by air drawn from the 
rooms to be air conditioned to be exhausted to the outside, passing 
through a duct similar to the one in which heat exchanger 96 is located, 
with reference to FIG. 6. 
The operation of the energy recovery device illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is 
easily understood. When compressors such as compressor 81 are operating, 
particularly to accumulate cooling capacity in corresponding reservoir 69, 
the air that passes through condensers such as condenser 104, by 
condensing the refrigerant of the different compressors such as compressor 
81, becomes heated, a part of which heat it loses by contact with small 
fins 117 of hot water tank 195, reheating the water in this tank. 
Depending on whether there is a simultaneous need for heating the air from 
one of rooms 1, 2 or 3, the hot air can still pass through the 
corresponding air-to-air heat exchanger such as heat exchanger 195, driven 
by a corresponding fan such as fan 113, to reheat the air circulating in 
the internal flow path, such as is designated by 17 of corresponding 
module 5, 6 or 7 before reaching outlet duct 110 where it returns to inlet 
duct 109, or before it is exhausted through exhaust duct 120 by fan 12. 
When compressors such as compressor 81 are not operating and, possibly, a 
need for heat arises at one or the other of air-to-air heat exchangers 
such as heat exchanger 105, the temperature can be regulated by a 
corresponding fan such as fan 113, as determined by corresponding 
controllers 38, 39 or 40, to cause a flow of air in direction 111 inside 
space 114 and to recover, by means of this air, heat from the hot water in 
tank 115 and to transfer this heat, in the corresponding air-to-air heat 
exchanger such as heat exchanger 105, to the air circulating in the 
internal flow path such as designated by line 17 of corresponding module 
5, 6 or 7. 
Preferably, like hot water tank 86, hot water tank 115 is fitted with 
auxiliary heating means, such as an electric heater, that makes up, as 
required, for insufficient heat contribution from the air passing through 
space 114. 
Naturally, instead of recovering the heat that can be present in condensers 
such as condenser 84 or condenser 104 during the operation of compressors 
such as compressor 81, one can also transfer the heat into the atmosphere 
by direct heat exchange, at each condenser such as condenser 84 or 
condenser 104, with a fluid that can be discharged directly into the 
atmosphere, in which case one, of course, would use as this fluid the air 
drawn from the different rooms 1, 2 or 3 and discharged to the outside in 
compensation for the fresh air introduced at each module, with the 
different condensers in that case being in the form of heat exchangers 
such as condenser 104, placed in the duct that conveys this air or a fluid 
that is then subjected to heat exchange with the ambient air and, for 
example, a cooling water that is then conducted to water-to-ambient air 
heat exchangers. In that case, heating the service hot water and heating 
the air passing through the internal circuit such as designated by line 17 
of each module must be accomplished by different means. In particular, 
heating heat exchangers such as heat exchangers 36 and 105 of the 
different modules 5, 6 and 7 described above could be advantageously 
replaced by electrical resistance heating devices as proposed in the '768 
patent. Such electrical resistance heating devices can be advantageously 
placed at the inlet such as inlet 124 of the various fans such as fan 41. 
Naturally, the process of accumulating and storing cooling capacity just 
described, like the process of delivering that cooling capacity to cooling 
heat exchanger 36 of a module such as module 5, are only nonlimiting 
examples. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an embodiment of a different module 5 
compared to the one illustrated in FIG. 2. 
However, FIG. 3 and 4 show identical subassemblies 18 and 37 of the module 
of which only subassembly 35 and the connections between the latter, on 
the one hand, and the two other subassemblies 18 and 37, on the other 
hand, are modified in comparison to the description made with reference to 
FIG. 2. 
Similarly, refrigeration apparatus 53 and its connections with subassembly 
37, on the one hand, and the connections between subassemblies 37 and 18, 
on the other hand, are preserved identically, it being understood that 
subassembly 37 could be replaced by the device illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 
8 and by means for direct or indirect exhaust into the atmosphere of the 
heat transferred in condensers such as condenser 84 of the different 
refrigeration apparatus such as apparatus 53 as described above. 
In this embodiment, reservoir 69 does not directly contain water to be 
frozen as is the case in the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 
2, but an antifreeze liquid such as glycolated water intended to supply 
cooling heat exchanger 36 of subassembly 18. Inside reservoir 69, this 
antifreeze liquid bathes ice storage flasks 125, arranged so as to form 
baffles for the antifreeze fluid and extending from the top to the bottom 
of reservoir 69. The configuration of such ice storage flasks is known and 
requires no further description. 
The antifreeze liquid in this case is drawn from a lower section of 
reservoir 69 through a portion of pipe 49 leading to cooling heat 
exchanger 36 by pump 74, while another portion of pipe 49 is connected 
directly to evaporator 78 in which the antifreeze liquid from cooling heat 
exchanger 36 is placed in heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant 
in refrigeration apparatus 53 before being returned to an upper section of 
reservoir 69 through outlet pipe 126 of evaporator 78. 
In such a case, evaporator 78 could be placed inside reservoir 69 and 
immersed in the antifreeze liquid, in which case pipe 126 would be 
unnecessary. 
Naturally, the module shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 preferably preserves the flat 
lateral sides of the different subassemblies and the absence, on those 
lateral sides, of components to which access must be provided to 
accomplish maintenance, as shown in FIG. 4, as well as to maintain the 
ability to remove at least subassemblies 18 and 35 from a row of such 
subassemblies positioned next to each other by moving those components 
only in directions parallel to the lateral sides. 
The operation of module 5 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 is as follows. 
When room 3 does not require air conditioning, with fan stopped, as, for 
example, at night, the simultaneous operation of compressor 81 and pump 
74, under the control of controller 38, causes a circulation of the 
antifreeze liquid through reservoir 69, cooling heat exchanger 36 and 
evaporator 78, cooling the water in ice storage flasks 125 as it flows. 
When the module must be operated to cool room 3, fan 71 is started, 
compressor 81 is stopped and pump 74, controlled by controller 38, causes 
a circulation of antifreeze liquid between reservoir 69 and cooling heat 
exchanger 36, with gradual removal from the reservoir of the cooling 
capacity stored in the ice in flasks 125. If the depletion of cooling 
capacity becomes excessive, which is observed by the temperature sensors, 
compressor 81 can be started to supply the necessary cooling capacity in 
cooling heat exchanger 36. 
The operation of the module to heat room 3 can be identical to that of the 
module described with reference to FIG. 2. 
Referring now to FIG. 9, module 5 is identical to those described with 
reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 and is capable of the same variant 
embodiments, particularly with respect to the manner in which the heat 
present in condenser 84 of refrigeration apparatus 53, is taken up for 
recovery or exhaust but differs from those in the manner in which the 
cooling capacity in reservoir 69 is stored and removed. 
As in the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, this 
reservoir 69 directly contains a liquid, such as water, for freezing. As 
needed, pump 74, causes a flow of the liquid through one section of pipe 
49 to cooling heat exchanger 34 and another section of pipe 49 returns the 
liquid to reservoir 69. However, refrigeration apparatus 53 contains 
immersed tubular evaporator 26 and the liquid from cooling heat exchanger 
34 is returned directly into reservoir 69 through pipe 49 without passing 
through an evaporator as described with respect to the other embodiments 
and without exchanging heat with the refrigerant in such an evaporator. 
More precisely, condenser 84 is connected by pipe 85, that has an expansion 
device, to immersed tubular evaporator 127. Evaporator 127 extends over 
the height of reservoir 69 and is connected in parallel between pipe 85 
and pipe 79 for return to the suction inlet, not shown, of compressor 81. 
In this case, ice forms directly around the coils of evaporator 127, whose 
contents are still in the liquid phase, by localized freezing of the 
liquid. The ice thus formed is immersed in the fluid and reservoir 69 does 
not contain ice storage flasks such as the flasks 125 described with 
reference to FIG. 3. 
One skilled in the art can easily deduce the mode of operation of the 
module illustrated in FIG. 9 from the mode of operation of the module 
illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
The three embodiments of a module according to the invention that have just 
been described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, use a 
liquid to transfer heat between the ice stored inside a reservoir such as 
reservoir 69 and air flowing along a path as designated by line 17 through 
a subassembly such as subassembly 18 of a module such as module 5. 
FIGS. 10 through 14 show several modules in which no antifreeze or 
freezable liquid is provided. FIGS. 10 and 11 through 13 are embodiments 
where air flowing through a closed loop is used as an intermediate heat 
transfer fluid for heat exchange between freezable water or ice stored in 
the reservoir and the air to be supplied to a room as well as to make ice 
in the reservoir. FIG. 14 show an embodiment where the air to be supplied 
to a room is placed in direct heat exchange relationship with freezable 
water or ice in the reservoir and the air is alternately used to make ice 
or to extract from the ice cooling capacity to be supplied to the room. 
FIG. 10 shows module 5 that comprises two subassemblies 18 and 35, 
respectively suspended from a ceiling and supported on a floor and 
possibly comprising a subassembly similar to subassembly 37, shared by the 
different modules grouped in the same mechanical room, in a manner not 
shown, but easily deduced by one skilled in the art from the description 
of FIGS. 1 through 9. 
Subassembly 18 in this case is casing 19, having connectors 27, 30 and 242, 
described above, respectively for returning air to room 3, the suction of 
air from that room, and the introduction of fresh air. However, in 
contrast to casing 19 described with reference to FIG. 2 and the similar 
casings described in the '768 patent, this casing 19 has, in the FIG. 10 
embodiment, filter 128 in the flow path followed by the air drawn from the 
room located between connector 30 and connector 129. Duct 130 joins 
connector 129 with the origin of the flow path, designated by line 17 in 
FIG. 2, in air conditioning enclosure 20. Connector 129 is an airtight 
connection for duct 130 in the module illustrated in FIG. 10. Duct 132, 
for return air flow to room 3, joins connector 131 with the end of the 
internal flow path designated by line 17 in FIG. 2. Connector 131 is an 
airtight connection for duct 130 in the module shown in FIG. 10. In 
addition, located in casing 19, in the case of FIG. 10, is heating heat 
exchanger 133 that preferably is an electric resistance heater, supplied 
with electrical power from line 256 and controlled by controller 38. Heat 
exchanger 133 could also heat the air by direct heat exchange with hot 
water possibly supplied by subassembly 37. Ducts 130 and 132, like 
connectors 129 and 131 located between the coplanar geometrical extensions 
of lateral sides 44 of casing 19 and lateral sides 45 of subassembly 35 to 
preserve the ability of positioning several modules next to each other 
without impeding access to components that may require maintenance and to 
permit the removal of a module by movements that are exclusively parallel 
to lateral sides 44 and 45 and to the coplanar geometrical extensions of 
those sides. 
In an upper zone of subassembly 35, duct 130, which conveys air exhausted 
from room 3, is connected to inlet 134 of the secondary circuit, not 
shown, of air-to-air heat exchanger 135 while duct 132, which returns air 
to room 3, is connected to outlet 137 of the secondary circuit of heat 
exchanger 135. Electric fan 136, supplied with electrical power from line 
256 as controlled by controller 38 draws air from duct 130, through heat 
exchanger 135 and discharges the air into duct 132. 
The secondary circuit of air-to-air heat exchanger 135 is horizontal in the 
example shown while the primary circuit is vertical. 
Given this orientation, the primary circuit of heat exchanger 135 has, at 
its top, inlet 138 and, at its bottom, outlet 139. It is positioned 
immediately above evaporator 78 of refrigeration apparatus 53 that is also 
located in the upper part of subassembly 35. The heat present in condenser 
84 can be possibly recovered in subassembly 37, not shown, or discharged 
into the atmosphere. 
The air passing through the primary circuit of heat exchanger 135 from 
inlet 138 to outlet 139, that is, from top to bottom, under the urging of 
means that will be described below, also passes through direct expansion 
evaporator 78 from the top to the bottom to reach the interior of 
reservoir 69, whose exterior configuration is the same, but whose interior 
design differs from the reservoirs 69 described above. 
As is the case in reservoir 69 described with reference to FIG. 3, 
freezable water or, depending on the temperature, ice, is maintained 
inside sealed flasks 125 distributed in the interior of reservoir 69, but 
this time in a vertical position so as to define, between themselves and 
the walls of reservoir 69, vertical passages 140 for air, with those 
passages being in communication with each other in a lower section of 
reservoir 69. 
Both flasks 125 and passages 140, have a general perpendicular orientation 
with respect to lateral sides 45 of reservoir 69. The interior of 
reservoir 69 is watertightly subdivided by baffle 141, which is also 
vertical and perpendicular to lateral sides 45, into two halves 142 and 
143 that are not in communication with each other except through passage 
144 located in a lower section of the reservoir to ensure that in this 
zone there is communication between air passages 140 respectively located 
in one of halves 142 and 143. 
Only half 142 communicates with outlet 139 of the primary circuit of heat 
exchanger 135 with an intermediate passage through direct expansion 
evaporator 78 so that the air, having passed through the evaporator, flows 
through passages 140 of half 142 of reservoir 69 from top to bottom, then 
through passage 144 into passages 140 located in half 143 of reservoir 69. 
Electric fan 145, supplied with electric power by line 265 as directed by 
controller 38, takes a suction from the top of half 143 of reservoir 69 
through suction inlet 144 and discharges through header 146 into inlet 138 
of the primary air flow path through air-to-air heat exchanger 135. 
One skilled in the art will readily understand that, in a manner determined 
by controller 38: 
one can run fan 145 at the same time as compressor 81 in order make ice 
inside flasks 125 of reservoir 69 while fan 136 is stopped, or, on the 
contrary, while fan 136 is operating to cool air drawn from room 3, with 
the addition of fresh air, and then return the conditioned air to room 3; 
while compressor 81 and fan 145 are not running, one can cause, by means of 
fan 136, a suction from and a return of air to room 3 with heating of this 
air, if needed, and with the addition of fresh air, as the air passes 
through heating heat exchanger 133; and 
by running fans 136 and 145 without energizing heating heat exchanger 133, 
one can exhaust air from room 3, then return it after having added fresh 
cooled air by using the cooling capacity of the ice stored in flasks 125, 
while compressor 81 is not running, it being understood that compressor 81 
can be started if the temperature sensors sense that the cooling capacity 
of flasks 125 is insufficient to meet demand, as a function of the desired 
temperature in room 3. 
In a variant embodiment of the interior of reservoir 69, air passageways 
140 and ice storage flasks 125 could be replaced by heat exchanger tube 
banks, used for the circulation of air moved by fan 145, and by sealed 
spaces, defined by these tube banks, that contain freezable water or the 
ice, as is described with reference to FIG. 7 of French Patent Application 
No. 92 03831 (the '381 application) filed on the same date as the 
application for the present invention in the name of the company Carrier 
S.A. The teachings of that application, in this respect, must be 
considered to be incorporated in this description. 
Reference is now made to FIG. 11, that shows a module 5 that differs from 
the module 5 described above notably in the fact that it does not have the 
same separation of subassemblies 18 and 35. 
Subassembly 35 can in this case be associated or not with subassembly 37 
for hot water production, depending on whether one wishes to recover, to 
heat service hot water, the heat released in condenser 84 of refrigeration 
apparatus 53, which is also used in this embodiment. 
In addition, subassembly 35 can be associated with subassembly 18, limited 
to casing 19 described with reference to FIG. 2, that is, with no heating 
heat exchanger in contrast to the description made with reference to FIG. 
10, with filter 128, however, preferably being retained. 
However, subassembly 35 is connected to casing 19, as described with 
reference to FIG. 10, by ducts 130 and 132 that carry air coming from room 
3 to be conditioned, fresh air added and returned to room 3 after it has 
been heated by module 5 to the desired temperature. 
In this embodiment, reservoir 69 is again used, but it contains means for 
defining not only spaces for ice and water storage, but also flow paths 
for primary air, used to make ice in the circumstances described with 
reference to FIG. 10, and for secondary air, in practice the air drawn 
from room 3, possibly with the addition of fresh air, which is then 
returned to room 3. 
For this purpose, it is also advantageous to provide, inside reservoir 69, 
any one of the devices for transferring heat between the water or ice, the 
air intended to freeze the water and the air intended to use the cooling 
capacity that has been stored in the form of ice as described with 
reference to FIGS. 3 and 8 of the '831 application, with the addition of 
appropriate collecting means whose design is within the normal abilities 
of one skilled in the art. 
As a nonlimiting example, FIG. 11 illustrates the use of, inside reservoir 
69, the means described with reference to FIG. 3 of the '831 patent 
application, ensuring a counterflow for the primary air and the secondary 
air in tube banks vertical 194 and horizontal 195, respectively, combined 
in flat groups that delimit between them spaces 196 for ice storage and in 
which horizontal tubes 195 are generally held in a sandwich pattern 
between vertical tubes 194. These tube banks or groups of banks are 
oriented parallel to lateral sides 45 of reservoir 69. Half are 
distributed, like spaces 196, respectively on each side of watertight 
baffle 197 oriented parallel to lateral sides 45, watertightly joined to 
the wall of reservoir 69 in a part of this wall in which peripheral side 
47 is vertical and directed like connections 27 and 30 of casing 19, while 
baffle 197 presents on the opposite side, and toward the bottom, vertical 
borehole 198 and horizontal borehole 199 separated from the wall of 
reservoir 69 so as to free passage 200 for communication between 
horizontal tubes 195 placed respectively on both sides of baffle 197 and 
intended for the passage of the secondary air, as well as passage 201 for 
communication between vertical tubes 194 and baffle 197, and intended for 
the passage of the primary air. Watertight horizontal wall 202, 
watertightly joined to borehole 199 of baffle 197 as well as, at all 
sites, to the walls of reservoir 69 both watertightly separates passages 
200 and 201 and also separates passage 201 and two air risers 203 and 204. 
These risers are themselves separated from each other by baffle 197 and 
placed on both sides of baffle 197 between the walls of reservoir 69 and 
separate tube banks 194 and 195 from ice storage spaces 196 opposite 
borehole 198 of baffle 197. Horizontal tube bank 195 opens into one of 
risers 203 or 294 located on same side as baffle 197 where they define, 
within reservoir 69, together with risers 203 and 204 a secondary air flow 
path. Vertical tube banks 194, located respectively on each side of baffle 
197 themselves define, inside reservoir 69, together with passage 201, a 
primary air flow path that does not communicate with the secondary air 
flow path. 
The primary air flow path is completed, immediately above the reservoir, in 
the manner described with reference to FIG. 10, by evaporator 78 of 
refrigeration apparatus 53 on one side of baffle 197 and, on its other 
side, by suction header 144 of primary fan 145, whose return header 146 in 
contrast opens directly into evaporator 78. 
Riser 203 supplies, into horizontal tube banks 195, both air drawn from 
room 3, which is served by module 5, and fresh air. For this purpose, it 
extends vertically above reservoir 69 to connector 105 for joining to duct 
130. 
Riser 204 also extends vertically above reservoir 69 and more precisely to 
a level that is slightly higher than that of fan 145, at which level it is 
airtightly closed by horizontal wall 206. But it has, between wall 206 and 
the level of fan 145, passage 207 connecting with suction header 208 of 
fan 136. The discharge of fan 136 has the form of connector 209 for 
joining to duct 132, which is positioned next to connector 205. Fan 136 
and suction header 208 are located directly above fan 145. 
Passage 210 also opens into header 208 immediately above passage 207 and 
contains heating heat exchanger 193, which is advantageously electric 
although a water-to-air heat exchanger can also be provided. Passage 210 
is separated from riser 204 and passage 207 by wall 206 and is in 
permanent communication with riser 203 through extension 211 of riser 204 
at its top, with extension 211 being in the form of an airtight box closed 
with the exception of passage 210 and passage 212, that communicates with 
riser 203 immediately below connector 205. 
There are means for opening passage 210 and closing passage 207 when the 
air supplied to room 3 must be heated. This heating is accomplished by 
passing this air through heat exchanger 193, supplied with heat as 
controlled by controller 38, and for closing passage 210 and opening 
passage 207 when this air must be cooled. The cooling is accomplished by 
circulating the air through reservoir 69, in heat exchange relationship 
with the primary air in tube banks 194, which in turn is in heat exchange 
relationship with ice located in space 196 and, possibly, if the cooling 
capacity of the stored ice is not sufficient to meet demand, by running 
the compressor. 
An example of a device that allows the opening of one of passages 207 and 
210 and closing the other alternately according to the needs in room 3 
served by module 5 is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 where one can see that 
passages 207 and 210 are provided, in flat, vertical wall 213 of riser 204 
and its extension with a number of identical horizontal slits distributed 
both below wall 206 and above it. Flat, vertical register 214 is located 
against vertical wall 216 and mounted in a vertical sliding installation 
that straddles wall 206 and has below it slits 215 that are identical to 
the slits defining passage 207 and placed with respect to each other in a 
manner identical to the above so that, by appropriate sliding of register 
214 against wall 213, one can bring slits 215 into register with the slits 
defining passage 207. Similarly, above wall 206, register 214 has slits 
216 that are identical to the slits defining passage 210 and are arranged 
identical to the latter so that, by sliding register 214 along wall 213, 
one can bring slits 216 into register with the slits forming passage 210. 
However, the group formed by slits 216 has, compared to the group formed 
by slits 215, a different positioning, in the vertical direction, from the 
group defined by the slits of passage 210 with respect to the slits 
defining passage 207 on wall 213 so that, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, an 
overlapping positioning of slits 215 with the slits defining passage 207 
is accompanied by a vertical shift of slits 216 with respect to the slits 
defining passage 210, with the latter being closed by register 214, and 
conversely, as shown in FIG. 13. 
Means 217 moves register 214 between the position where slits 215 are in 
register with the slits defining passage 207 and the position where slits 
216 are in register with the slits defining passage 210. 
Means 217 can be controlled by controller 38 depending on whether room 3 is 
being heated or cooled. Means 217 can be in the form of an electromagnetic 
[solenoid]. Means 217 can also be in the form of means for maintaining 
register 214 in a position so as to open passage 207 as long as heating 
heat exchanger 193 is not energized and, upon detection of the actuation 
of exchanger 193, as signaled by controller 38, that is, when the 
resulting heat is detected, causing the movement of register 214, during 
periods of heating, to a position so as to open passage 210. Such means 
are illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 in the form of actuator 218, containing 
a highly thermoexpansive substance that causes the movement of vertical 
pushrod 219. Pushrod 219 acts on register 214, sliding it upward and 
closing passage 207 and opening passage 210, through the action of spring 
means 220. Means 217 also has spring means 230 for the return of register 
214 downwards, that is, to a position so that passage 210 is closed and 
passage 207 is open and which corresponds to the retraction of pushrod 219 
into actuator 218 when the heating heat exchanger is not operating. Such 
an apparatus is known to one skilled in the art and does not require 
further description. 
Although the use of the tube bank of the type described with reference to 
FIG. 3 of the '831 application was described, with reference to FIG. 11, 
as a means for heat exchange between the primary air, freezable water or 
ice and the secondary air, one skilled in the art could easily, without 
leaving the scope of the invention, adopt for this purpose the means for 
thermal exchange described with reference to FIG. 8 of the '831 
application, or some other means for thermal exchange. 
The air conditioning modules, which have just been described with reference 
to FIGS. 10 and 11 through 13, require the installation, both above the 
reservoir 69 and inside it, of a primary air flow path and a secondary air 
flow path that are not in communication with each other. 
The air conditioning module 5 illustrated in FIG. 14 allows one to avoid 
the resulting complications. 
This module 5 also presents great similarities with the one described with 
reference to FIG. 10, in the sense that it comprises subassembly 18 in the 
form described with reference to the figure, that is, comprising filter 
128 and heating heat exchanger 193, at the level of passage 129 for 
connecting with duct 130 and at passage 131 for connection with conduit 
132. It can also comprise subassembly 37 or not comprise such a 
subassembly, depending on whether one wishes to recover the heat released 
in condenser 84 of refrigeration apparatus 53, which is also used in this 
embodiment. 
Reservoir 69 that is a part of the composition of subassembly 35 has the 
same configuration that was described with reference to FIG. 10. One can 
find in it, in particular, baffle 141, that clears passage 144, ice 
storage flasks 125 and air passages 140, distributed in both halves 142 
and 143 defined by baffle 141 inside reservoir 69. As described with 
reference to FIG. 10, the positioning of passages 140 and of ice storage 
flasks 125 could be replaced, respectively on both sides of baffle 141, by 
devices of the type illustrated in FIG. 7 of the '831 application, filed 
on the same date as the present application in the name of Carrier S.A. 
Towards the top of reservoir 69, half 142 is connected to header 231 for 
the admission of air into which opens duct 232 connected to duct 130 by 
distribution device 233, controlled by controller 38, which will be 
described below. 
Distributor 233 connects duct 132 to duct 234 that itself is connected to 
suction 235 of electric fan 236, supplied with power from line 256 as 
controlled by controller 38, and that also has suction header 237 opening 
at the top of half 143 of reservoir 69 through evaporator 78 of 
refrigeration apparatus 53. 
Distributor 233 presents the general form of a housing into which duct 232 
opens facing duct 130, along predetermined alignment 238 and in which duct 
234 opens opposite duct 132, along alignment 239, which is parallel to 
alignment 238. Damper 240, mounted so that it can rotate inside 
distributor 233 about axis 241, is located between the two alignments 238 
and 239 and can be positioned, as controlled by controller 38, either in 
the orientation illustrated by full lines in FIG. 14, in which it allows 
air flow communication between ducts 130 and 232 and flow communication 
between ducts 132 and 234 by separating the two ducts 130 and 232 from the 
two ducts 132 and 234, or in the orientation illustrated by dotted lines 
in FIG. 14, in which it allows air flow communication between ducts 130 
and 132 that is separate from the flow in ducts 232 and 234, which ducts, 
in contrast, it places in communication. The first of these orientations 
corresponds to a period when the air supplied to room 3 is cooled, with 
the air removed from the room, with fresh air added, flows through a path 
that, from connector 30 to connector 27, causes the air to pass through in 
succession filter 128, duct 130, duct 232, and half 142 plus half 143 of 
reservoir 69 where there is direct exchange of heat with the ice stored in 
flasks 125. In this mode, fan 236, duct 234, duct 132 and heating heat 
exchanger 193 are not in use. Compressor 81 is then stopped but it can be 
started, as directed controller 38, so as to cool the air as the air 
passes through evaporator 78 if the cooling capacity of the ice in flasks 
125 is insufficient to meet demand. 
The second damper position closes off a part of the air flow path described 
above and traps a certain quantity of the air. The trapped air moves in a 
closed flow loop, urged by fan 236, as controlled by controller 38, 
through distributor 233, duct 232 and halves 142 and 143, reservoir 69, 
evaporator 78, fan 236 and duct 234. The trapped air freezes the water 
inside flasks 125 to reconstitute the stored cooling capacity. For this 
purpose, compressor 81 is operated so that, at evaporator 78, heat is 
transferred between the refrigerant of refrigeration apparatus 53 and the 
trapped air. This damper position is also used when heating room 3 with 
module 5 because it separates the closed flow path formed in this manner 
from another flow path that, from connector 30 to connector 27, causes air 
removed from room 3, with fresh air added, to flow in a path successively 
passing through filter 128, duct 130, duct 132 and heating heat exchanger 
193, which is then in operation. This flow path can be accomplished by the 
fact that air is continuously removed from room 3, in compensation for the 
introduction of fresh air, by means not shown (notably comprising an 
exhaust duct in which heat exchanger 96 illustrated in FIG. 6 is located 
and in which air exhaust occurs through duct 123 in the case of the 
apparatus shown in FIG. 8). A fan can of course be located in duct 132 to 
cause a greater flow of air from connection 30 to connector 27. 
One skilled in the art will easily understand that the embodiments of the 
invention that have been described constitute only nonlimiting examples 
and that in particular, it is possible to create other combinations 
between the means that have been described as means to make ice from water 
and the means described for the removal from the reserve of stored cooling 
capacity to cool air supplied to a room.