Patent Application
20120028560
The invention relates generally to the air quality of an enclosed space and, more particularly, to a system for introducing fresh air into an enclosed space, particularly a building or home.
Over the past forty years, the construction industry in the United States focused its efforts on improving occupant comfort in a finished building. A key way to increase occupant comfort involved the introduction of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (hereinafter “HVAC”) equipment on a large scale. This equipment allowed occupants to control the interior environment of the building so that the occupant could keep the interior building temperature in a range the occupant considered comfortable.
Unfortunately, this HVAC equipment increased energy consumption, which in turn increased the cost to own and operate the building. As a result, the construction industry and the HVAC industry began to research the causes behind the large energy consumption of HVAC equipment. The industries discovered that construction standards at the time allowed for air outside the building to seep into the building and conditioned air inside the building to seep out of the building. This seepage, or air exchange, necessitated that the HVAC equipment operate more frequently to keep the interior building temperature in the desired range. Increased operation meant increased energy consumption and increased costs to the building owner/occupant. To combat this, the construction industry has developed methods and practices during the last forty years to decrease the amount of air exchange, in effect the construction industry has developed methods to better seal buildings and decrease the amount of outside air seeping into the interior space.
A second cause for increased energy consumption related to the HVAC equipment itself. When first introduced, HVAC equipment drew air exclusively from the area outside of the building. The HVAC equipment would then cool or heat the air prior to exhausting the treated air into the interior building environment. The HVAC industry discovered that if the HVAC equipment instead drew air from the interior space, it required less energy to heat or cool the air to the desired temperature, thus reducing costs to building owner/occupant. Presently, HVAC equipment draws air almost exclusively from the interior building space, virtually eliminating the amount of non-recycled air introduced into the building's interior.
During the time period that buildings became better sealed and HVAC equipment more efficient, the United States has seen a significant increase in the incidence of obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's, asthma, and birth defects, such as autism, as well as lower energy levels among the populace. This can be traced at least in part to exposure to decreased oxygen levels. In a sealed environment, occupants within the space are breathing air that has already been processed through the occupant's body. Thus, with each breath, the occupant in a sealed environment is reducing the amount of available oxygen. A reduction in available oxygen can lead to a decrease in body functions, causing the body to burn fewer calories and store more fat. Similarly, the reduction in the amount of available oxygen is known to exacerbate the symptoms of those suffering from mental illness and increase the instances of asthma. In addition, a reduction in available oxygen can cause mutations in a child's in utero development leading to conditions like autism.
Therefore, it would be desirable for a system to increase the amount of available oxygen in a building environment, thus helping to reduce obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's, asthma and the risk of potential birth defects, alleviate the symptoms of mental illness, and increase energy levels of occupants of buildings, without reducing the efficiency of an HVAC system.
The present invention, accordingly, provides a Fresh Air Recovery System comprising an intake opening in a first wall defining a portion of an enclosed space allowing air on an exterior side of the first wall to pass through the first wall into the enclosed space; and an exhaust opening in a second wall defining a portion of the enclosed space allowing air on an interior side of the second wall to pass through the second wall into an ambient environment.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning basic building construction and materials and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.
Referring to
In accordance with principles of the present invention, the building 100 preferably includes a first opening 301 and a second opening 302 strategically positioned to facilitate maximum air flow through the entire space 200. By way of example, and as exemplified in
In a preferred embodiment, an electronic controller 300 is coupled to the vent 311 via electrical wires 304 and to the exhaust fan 312 via electrical wires 304 for controlling operation of each. The controller 300 is preferably configured for manual operation and/or automated operation utilizing a timer (preferably integrated into the controller), an oxygen sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, humidity sensor, and/or an air pressure sensor. The oxygen sensor, carbon dioxide sensor, humidity sensor, and/or air pressure sensor are preferably positioned both the interior and exterior of the building 100, preferably proximate to the vent 311 and/or wherever people generally reside or sleep, and are coupled to the controller 300 via wires 308. The sensors positioned on the interior of the building 100 are designated collectively by the reference numeral 320, and the sensors positioned on the exterior of the building 100 are designated collectively by the reference numeral 322. While it is preferred that both interior and exterior sensors be used, the system is operable with only interior sensors, or even no sensors, and as discussed below, is operable manually.
In a first preferred embodiment, the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 are manually controlled via the controller 300, necessitating that the operation of each device occur at the initiation of manual action. In a second preferred embodiment, the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 are electronically controlled by the timer coupled to the controller 300 that initiates the operation of the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 at timed intervals throughout a 24-hour period.
In a third preferred embodiment, the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 are electronically controlled by the oxygen sensors 320 and 322 coupled to the controller 300 that initiates operation, to the degree necessary, of the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 when the interior oxygen sensor 320 reads less than a preset level of oxygen within the volume of space where the oxygen sensor 320 is placed, and the exterior oxygen sensor 322, if there is one, reads a higher level of oxygen.
In a fourth preferred embodiment, the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 are electronically controlled by the carbon dioxide sensors 320 and 322 coupled to the controller 300 that initiates operation, to the degree necessary, of the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 when the interior carbon dioxide sensor 320 reads more than a preset level of carbon dioxide within the volume of space where the carbon dioxide sensor is placed, and the exterior carbon dioxide sensor 322, if there is one, reads a lower level of carbon dioxide.
In a fifth preferred embodiment, the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 are electronically controlled by the humidity sensors 320 and 322 coupled to the controller 300 that initiates operation, to the degree necessary, of the exhaust fan 312 and of the vent 311 when the interior humidity sensors sensor 320 reads more than a preset level of humidity within the volume of space where the carbon dioxide sensor is placed, and the exterior humidity sensor 322, if there is one, reads a lower level of humidity.
In a sixth preferred embodiment, the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 are electronically controlled by the air pressure sensors 320 and 322 coupled to the controller 300 that initiates opening to the degree necessary of the vent 311 (1) to decrease air pressure when the interior air pressure is high and exterior air pressure is low, or (2) to increase air pressure if interior air pressure is low and exterior air pressure is high. Alternatively, if both interior and exterior air pressure are high, then the exhaust fan 312 may be activated to pass air from the interior to the exterior. If both interior and exterior air pressure are low, then the exhaust fan 312 may be activated in reverse to pass air from the exterior to the interior. The air pressure sensors 320 and 322 may be used in conjunction with other methods described herein to, for example, close a vent 311 before or after powering off a fan 312 as needed to maintain air pressure. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the means for controlling the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 may alternatively use any of the above means in combination with one another such that the overall system operates as described below.
When operation is desired, e.g., a manual determination to operate the fresh air recovery system 10 is reached, a preset oxygen level is reached, a preset carbon dioxide level is reached, a preset time occurs, and/or a preset air pressure is reached, as discussed above, the vent 311 is activated so that outside air (i.e., air outside the building 100) may freely flow into the enclosed space 200. In addition, the exhaust fan 312 is operated, preferably synchronously with the vent 311, to draw air within the enclosed space 200 into the area exterior to the building 100. Alternatively, operation of the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 may reverse the air flow, drawing outside air into the enclosed space 200 through the exhaust fan 312 and exhausting air through the vent 311. Operation of the exhaust fan 312 and the vent 311 continues until the air within the enclosed space 200 is sufficiently exchanged with air outside the enclosed space 200, e.g., a manual determination is made to cease operation, a preset oxygen level is reached, a preset carbon dioxide level is reached, and/or a preset time occurs. If the building 100 is equipped with HVAC, then the HVAC is preferably powered off while the vent 311 and fan 312 are operating.
In further alternative embodiments, additional walls may exist within the enclosed space 200 defined by the outer boundaries of the building 100. In these instances, additional openings may be placed within the interior walls to allow for free passage of air throughout the enclosed space 200. A person of ordinary skill in the art will also understand that the first wall opening 301 and the second wall opening 302 may include filters and other media to inhibit the movement of undesired objects and allergens from passing into the enclosed space 200. In addition, other embodiments may include multiple exhaust fans 312 and/or multiple vents 311 as needed to efficiently exchange air within the enclosed space for air outside the enclosed space. Still further, the fresh air recovery system of the present invention may be integrated into an otherwise conventional system that has ventilation already installed within the building 100. Still further, the one or multiple exhaust fans 312 and one or multiple vents 311 may be electronically coupled via the wires 304 and 306, or other means, such as a wireless connection, low voltage connection, or the like, so that, should other controls fail, operation of the one or multiple exhaust fans 312 is always synchronized with operation of the one or multiple exhaust fans 312, so that relatively constant air pressure within the space 200 is maintained, the air pressure preferably being sensed by an air pressure sensor coupled with the controller 300.
It may be appreciated that by implementing the present invention, many advantages over the conventional art is obtained. For example, the amount of available oxygen in a building environment is increased, thus helping to reduce obesity, diabetes, asthma, the risk of potential birth defects, and Alzheimer's, increase occupant energy levels, and alleviate the symptoms of mental illness. Moving a relatively large quantity of air through a building relatively quickly over a short period of time is much more efficient than having air slowly leaking in continuously through, e.g., cracks in window seals.
Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/368,866, filed Jul. 29, 2010, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61368866 | Jul 2010 | US |
