TEMPERATURE MODULATING APPARATUS

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a temperature modulating apparatus and more particularly to temperature modulating apparatus for modulating temperature in a building. It will be convenient to describe the invention with particular reference to application primarily for cooling a building, although the invention may have wider application.

Background

Temperature modulation in a building can be achieved in a number of ways. One way of modulating the temperature in a building is via the use of a heating or cooling unit which is connected to a number of ducts that distribute heated or cooled air to rooms throughout the building. The ducts may be concealed in the roof space or sub-floor space and allow heated or cooled air produced by the heating or cooling unit to flow through the ducts and into individual rooms. Generally, a fan is included in the heating or cooling unit to draw the heated or cooled air produced and to distribute it along the ducts and into the rooms of the building.

The heating or cooling unit, in particular evaporative cooling units, are typically located on the roof of the building, although some units may be located in the roof space, or outside the building at ground level. Many outside units may create significant noise due to the fan included in the heating or cooling unit which may impact on neighbourhood amenity. Strict environmental protection laws may proscribe that units which operate above a certain noise level must not be operated during particular hours of the day (or night). Furthermore, the evaporative air conditioning may not operate at their maximum possible efficiency in such a location, which is exposed to high temperatures from solar radiation.

A further difficulty with having the heating or cooling unit in the roof space or on the roof is that it is more difficult to install. Installation of heavy equipment on roofs can be particularly hazardous. Occupational health and safety regulations in certain regions

have become significantly more stringent in relation to work practices on the roofs of buildings, and the safety precautions required to minimize the risk of injury may add significantly to the cost of construction. Installation of large units in the roofspace may not be possible except at limited times during construction, as the dimensions of a large unit are likely to exceed the available space between ceiling joists and/or rafters.

Summary of the Invention

It would be desirable to provide a temperature modulating apparatus that alleviates or at least ameliorates at least some of the above disadvantages.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a temperature modulating apparatus for a building including: a temperature modulating unit having an inlet; one or more outlets; a duct in communication between the temperature modulating unit and the one or more outlets; a fan associated with said duct to cause movement of air from the temperature modulating unit to said one or more outlets; wherein the fan is located distal from the temperature modulating unit.

Preferably, the fan is located in the duct at a location distal from the temperature modulating unit. In one embodiment there is provided more than one fan between the temperature modulating unit and the one or more outlets. In a preferred embodiment there is provided a primary duct between the temperature modulating unit and a primary fan. The primary fan may include one or more sets of fan blades, each set spaced from each other axially along the primary duct. In addition, there may be provided means to increase the efficiency of air flow, eg by reducing or eliminating helical flow of air, such as vanes either before, after and/or intermediate each fan or fans, or counter rotating fans.

Preferably, one or more secondary ducts are connected to the primary duct downstream from the primary fan at a proximal end of the secondary duct and terminate with an outlet at a distal end of the secondary duct. One or more junctions may be

present to distribute airflow from the primary duct into a plurality of secondary ducts. The outlet or outlets associated with the secondary ducts will generally each correspond to an outlet register which provides temperature modulated air to a room within the building.

In one embodiment there are provided one or more secondary fans which may be included in the one or more secondary ducts at locations either proximate to the outlet(s) or proximate to the primary duct.

Preferably, the one or more secondary fans are adjustable between an operable state and an inoperable state, wherein, in the operable state each secondary fan is adapted to draw air through its associated secondary duct, and in the inoperable state the secondary fan does not draw air through the secondary duct.

Preferably, the duct or ducts are located in a roof space of the building and the temperature modulating unit is located distal to the roof space. In this embodiment it is preferred that the fan or fans are located also in the roof space of the building. The dimensions of the fan, and/or ducting in which the fan is located will generally be of a size that it will fit into the roof space through a manhole opening in the ceiling of the building.

Preferably, the temperature modulating unit is located on a wall of the building. The temperature modulating unit may be located and fixed to the wall of the building beneath the eaves of the building, or within a garage. In either location, the unit will generally not be subject to direct solar radiation, at least for a proportion of the day, so the unit may be able to operate at lower temperatures, compared to a unit which is located on a roof. When located on a wall of a single storey dwelling, there is little danger posed to the persons installing the unit, as they may not need to climb more than a few metres off the ground for the installation. In addition, the weight of the temperature modulating unit without an integral fan will be considerably less than conventional units, which is likely to further aid installation. Locating the temperature modulating unit on the wall of a building may make it easier for connection of supply, eg electrical power, water, gas, or drainage. Also, regular servicing or maintenance of the unit is likely to be easier because of easier access.

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In one embodiment, the temperature modulating apparatus further includes a transition duct between the temperature modulating unit and the primary duct to provide unrestricted airflow to the primary fan in the primary duct. Preferably the transition duct is fabricated to have a connection at one end which is of a corresponding shape to an outlet of the temperature modulating unit, in particular a rectangular shape, and at the other end it has a circular shape in transverse section, i.e. the same cross-sectional shape as a conventional duct. Preferably the transition duct smoothly transfers airflow from a vertical direction through about 90° to a horizontal direction, without causing unwarranted resistance. Providing a transition duct may only be necessary when the temperature modulating unit is located under the eaves of the building and where a 90° bend if needed for the ducting to fit beneath the roofline of the building, although it may be required in other arrangements also.

In yet another embodiment, the ducts may be located in the sub-floor space beneath the building. Outlets may be located in the floor of the building, rather than in the ceilings.

Preferably, the temperature modulating unit is an evaporative air conditioning unit. Alternatively, the temperature modulating unit is a heating unit.

In a further embodiment, the temperature modulating apparatus further includes a second temperature modulating unit connected to the primary duct, wherein the primary fan draws air from the second temperature modulating unit and is arranged in the primary duct and located distal to the second temperature modulating unit. Preferably, the temperature modulating apparatus further includes a selector valve in the primary duct to switch between the temperature modulating unit and the second temperature modulating unit. In this embodiment, the temperature modulating apparatus is preferably an evaporative air conditioning unit, and the secondary temperature modulating unit is a heating unit. Thus, one set of ducts carries either heated or cooled air, depending upon which modulating unit is operating.

In one embodiment, outlets, which may be located in various rooms throughout the building, may each include a damper to vary the aperture of the outlet so that the

flow of air from the outlet can be regulated. This may be advantageous where the airflow characteristics of heating operations may differ from cooling operations.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the particularity of the drawings and embodiments does not supersede the generality of the preceding description of the invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals identify the same or like components.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a temperature modulating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention installed in a home.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a temperature modulating apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention installed in a home.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

The following description describes the temperature modulating apparatus in the context of an installation in a home. It should be appreciated that the temperature modulating apparatus could be installed in any type of building.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is generally shown a perspective drawing of home 10 with its roof removed. The home 10 has a temperature modulating apparatus 12 installed. The temperature modulating apparatus 12 includes a temperature modulating unit 14, a transition duct 16, a primary fan 18 located in a primary duct 19, and secondary ducts 22 and 24. The temperature modulating unit 14 is mounted on a wall 26 of the house 10 and positioned underneath the eaves [not shown] of the house 10. The temperature modulating apparatus 14 may alternatively be at ground level if required. In a further alternative, the temperature modulating unit 14 may be mounted on an internal wall in the home 10. The primary fan 18, primary duct 19 and secondary ducts 22 and 24 are located in the roof space [not shown] of the house 10, while the transition duct 16 extends between the temperature modulating unit 14 on the wall 26 and the roof space.

The temperature modulating unit 14 may act to reduce or increase the temperature in the home 10. For example, the temperature modulating unit 14 may be an evaporative air conditioner to cool the house 10, or may be a gas heater to heat the house 10. Importantly, the temperature modulating unit 14 does not include a fan as part of its assembly to draw the air produced by the temperature modulating unit 14. The fan associated with the temperature modulating unit 14 is the primary fan 18 which is located distal to the temperature modulating unit 14 but still acts to draw the modulated air. In Figure 1 , the primary fan 18 is located distal to the temperature modulating unit 14 by way of a transition duct 16. Typically, fans associated with heating and cooling units are relatively noisy. An advantage of the present invention is that the primary fan 18 is located distal to the temperature modulating unit 14 and can therefore be placed in a suitable position such as a roof space where the noise from the primary fan 18 is muffled by the enclosed roof space and thermal and acoustic insulation therein. Further, having the primary fan 18 distal from the temperature modulating unit 14 means that the motor and electrical systems of the primary fan 18 are also distal to the temperature modulation unit 14 such that, the primary fan 18 is not directly exposed to the humid or hot environment of the temperature modulating unit 14 as it would be if the primary fan 18 were located in situ. Further still, having the primary fan 18 distal to the temperature modulating unit 14 means that the temperature modulating unit 14 can be located at a more suitable location such as on a wall 26 of the house 10 or at ground level and not necessarily in the roof space or on top of the roof itself, unlike conventional evaporative air conditioners. Thus, this provides for an easier installation of the temperature modulating apparatus 12 as a whole.

In the present embodiment, a transition duct 16 is connected to the temperature modulating unit 14 such that the modulated air produced by the temperature modulating unit 14 is directed into the transition duct 16. The transition duct 16 extends from the temperature modulating unit 14 up and beneath the eaves [not shown] and into the roof space [not shown] of the house 10. The transition duct 16 may be shaped to focus the air dispensed by the temperature modulating unit 14. Preferably the transition duct is shaped to fit between structural members such as ceiling joists and rafters, but is of a significant cross-sectional area so as not to pose a significant resistance to airflow.

The transition duct 16 is also connected to the primary duct 19. Primary duct 19 is connected to secondary ducts 22 and 24 via a typical junction 20. The primary duct 19 further includes a primary fan 18 as described above, which draws the modulated air from the temperature modulating unit 14, into the transition duct and through the primary duct 19 so that it distributes the modulated air throughout the house 10 via the junction 20 and other junctions to secondary ducts 22 and 24.

The secondary ducts 22 and 24 which stem from the primary duct 19 at junction 20, extend to the various rooms throughout the home 10. The secondary ducts 22 and 24 are also located in the roof space and further include ceiling registers 26 which extend from the roof space and through the ceiling [not shown] and into the individual rooms throughout the house 10. The ceiling registers 26 are apertures which allow the modulated air to flow into the individual rooms in the house 10. Ceiling registers 26 may include an air diffuser, may include a non-return shut-off damper, and in one embodiment, may include a register fan and motor assembly. In an embodiment not shown, instead of having a sole primary fan 18, fans in each ceiling register 26 includes its own fan, so that airflow into individual rooms can be controlled upon demand by turning on or off each of the separate fans.

In operation, the temperature modulating unit 14 produces a modulated air flow which is drawn through the transition duct 16 by the primary fan 18 and through the primary duct 19 and, in turn, the secondary ducts 22 and 24 before the modulated air flows into the various rooms throughout the house 10 via the ceiling registers 26. Although not shown, the temperature modulating apparatus 12 may further include one or more secondary fans which are located in the secondary ducts 22 and 24 to assist drawing the modulated air into the secondary ducts and ceiling registers 26.

The ceiling registers 26 may act as an air diffuser, an air shut off damper and optionally include a register fan to provide control over the temperature in each room. Each register fan may be powered by a low power electric motor which provides the required modulated air flow into the room to maintain the room at a desired temperature. The low power motor of each register fan is preferably about 40 watts.

In a further alternative, one or more secondary fans may be placed in the secondary ducts 22 and/or 24, in order to increase the effect of drawing modulated air, in particular when long runs of ducts are required such as in a large building.

Figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention in which a further temperature modulating unit 30 is provided. There is generally shown a perspective drawing of home 102 with its roof removed. The home 102 has a temperature modulating apparatus 122 installed. The temperature modulating apparatus 122 includes a primary fan 182, a temperature modulating unit 142 in the form of an evaporative cooler, a second temperature modulating unit 30 in the form of a gas heater, a primary ducts 192 and secondary ducts 222 and 242. Both the temperature modulating unit 142 and the second temperature modulating unit 30 use the primary duct 192 and the secondary ducts 222 and 242 to distribute modulated air throughout the house 102. A selector valve 32 is also included to allow the modulated air from either the temperature modulating unit 142 or the further temperature modulating unit 30 to flow in the primary and secondary ducts 192, 222, 242.

The temperature modulating unit 142 is mounted on a wall 262 of the house 102 and positioned underneath the ceiling of a room in the house 102. The temperature modulating apparatus 142 may alternatively be at ground level if required. Alternatively, the temperature modulating apparatus 14 may be installed on an outside wall of the house 102 as described with reference to Figure 1. The temperature modulating unit 142 also includes a transition duct 162 that extends between the temperature modulating unit 142 and the roof space. The end of the transition duct 162 that is in the roof space is connected to a first intermediate portion 34 of the primary duct 192, the first intermediate portion 34 in turn is connected to the selector valve 32.

The second temperature modulating unit 30 is mounted in the roof space of the house 102. Alternatively, the second temperature modulating unit 30 may be at ground level if convenient. Alternatively, the second temperature modulating unit 30 may be installed on an outside wall of the house 102 as described with reference to Figure 1. The second temperature modulating unit 30 is connected to a distal end 42 of primary duct 192 which is also located in the roof space. The distal end 42 of primary duct 192 is connected to the selector valve 32 and forms a junction with the first intermediate

portion 34. The selector valve 32 controls the modulated air flow from either of the temperature modulating unit 142 or the second temperature modulating unit 30. The selector valve 32 is movable between an on state and an off state such that modulated air can flow through either the temperature modulating unit 142 or the second temperature modulating unit 30, but not both. Advantageously, this allows the primary duct 192 and secondary ducts 222 and 242 to be used for both heating and cooling.

The primary fan 182 is located adjacent the selector valve 32 and is distal to the temperature modulating unit 142 by way of the selector valve 32, the first intermediate portion 34 and the transition duct 162. The primary fan 182 is also distal to the second temperature modulating unit 30 by way of the selector valve 32.

The secondary ducts 222 and 242 are connected to the primary duct 192 and are located in the roof space of the house 102. The secondary ducts 222 and 242 also further include ceiling registers 262 which extend from the roof space and through the ceiling [not shown] and into the individual rooms throughout the house 102. The ceiling registers 262 are apertures which allow the modulated air to flow into the individual rooms in the house 102.

The second temperature modulating unit 30 further includes a return duct 38 located in the roof space. The return duct 38 includes a return register 40 which extends from the roof space and through the ceiling to draw air from the rooms in the house 102 to re-circulate.

In operation, the selector valve 32 is in the on state such that modulated air is able to flow either from the temperature modulating unit 14 or the second temperature modulating unit 30.

When the selector valve 32 is switched such that it allows the temperature modulating unit 142 to operate, modulated air flow is drawn through the transition duct

162 and the first intermediate portion 34 of the primary duct 192 by the primary fan 182 and, in turn, the secondary ducts 222 and 242 before the modulated air flows into the various rooms throughout the house via the ceiling registers 262.

Alternatively, when the selector valve 32 is switched such that it allows the second temperature modulating unit 30 to operate, modulated air flow is drawn through the second intermediate duct 36 by the primary fan 182 into the secondary ducts 222 and 242 before the modulated air flows into the various rooms throughout the house via the ceiling registers 262. The second temperature modulating unit 30 then draws air via the return register 40 and return duct 38 to re-circulate.

Although not shown, the temperature modulating apparatus may further include one or more secondary fans as described with reference to Figure 1 which are located in the secondary ducts 222 and/or 242 to assist drawing the modulated air into the secondary ducts and ceiling registers 262. In a further alternative, one or more additional primary fans such as the primary fan 182 may be placed in the primary duct 192, in particular when long runs of ducts are required, such as in a large building.