Defrost bypass dehumidifier
View Patent ↗A defrost bypass dehumidifier includes an air flow path with first, second and third segments in series from upstream to downstream and passing ambient air respectively to an evaporator coil then to a condenser coil and then discharging same. The air flow path has a bypass segment passing ambient air to the evaporator coil in parallel with the noted first air flow path segment.
1. A dehumidifier comprising:
a cabinet;
a compressor in the cabinet for delivering hot compressed refrigerant;
a condenser coil in the cabinet and receiving refrigerant from the compressor and condensing same;
an expansion device in the cabinet and receiving refrigerant from the condenser coil and expanding same;
an evaporator coil in the cabinet and receiving refrigerant from the expansion device and evaporating same, and delivering the refrigerant to the compressor;
the refrigerant being circulated from the compressor to the condenser coil to the expansion device to the evaporator coil and back to the compressor in a refrigeration cycle;
the cabinet having an airflow path therethrough comprising:
a first segment passing ambient air through a heat exchanger to the evaporator coil,
a second segment passing air from the evaporator coil to the condenser coil,
a third segment discharging air from the condenser coil,
a fourth segment passing ambient air to the evaporator coil; and
a first bypass door selectively positionable to variably control airflow along the fourth segment.
2. The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth segment of airflow passes ambient air to the evaporator coil in parallel with the first segment of airflow path and bypasses the heat exchanger.
3. The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , further comprising an actuator structured to move the first bypass door between an open position to allow the airflow along the fourth segment and a closed position to block the air flow along the fourth segment.
4. The dehumidifier according to claim 3 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively actuate the actuator and thereby selectively move the first bypass door between the open and closed positions.
5. The dehumidifier according to claim 4 , further comprising a sensor configured to sense an operational parameter of the dehumidifier and to communicate the parameter to the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to actuate the actuator based upon the sensed parameter.
6. The dehumidifier according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to actuate the actuator when the sensed parameter is outside of a predetermined range.
7. The dehumidifier according to claim 6 , wherein the controller comprises a memory stored with the predetermined range and an operating platform that is configured to compare the sensed parameter to the predetermined range and to then actuate the actuator when the parameter is outside of the predetermined range.
8. The dehumidifier according to claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to identify an optimal first bypass door position based upon the comparison and then actuate the actuator to move the first bypass door to the optimal first bypass door position.
9. The dehumidifier according to claim 8 , wherein the sensed parameter comprises the temperature of ambient air.
10. The dehumidifier according to claim 8 , wherein the sensed parameter comprises the humidity of the ambient air.
11. The dehumidifier according to claim 8 , wherein the sensed parameter comprises refrigerant temperature.
12. The dehumidifier according to claim 8 , wherein the sensed parameter comprises temperature of air that has passed through the evaporator coil.
13. The dehumidifier according to claim 12 , wherein the predetermined range has a threshold of 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
14. The dehumidifier according to claim 1 , wherein said airflow path has a fifth segment passing ambient air to said condenser coil, and comprising a second bypass door selectively positionable to variably control airflow along the fifth segment.
15. The dehumidifier according to claim 14 , wherein the fifth segment of the airflow path is in parallel with the second segment of the airflow path.
16. In a dehumidifier comprising a cabinet; a compressor in the cabinet for delivering hot compressed refrigerant; a condenser coil in the cabinet and receiving refrigerant from the compressor and condensing same; an expansion device in the cabinet and receiving refrigerant from the condenser coil and expanding same; an evaporator coil in the cabinet and receiving refrigerant from the expansion device and evaporating same, and delivering the refrigerant to the compressor, the refrigerant being circulated from the compressor to the condenser coil to the expansion device to the evaporator coil and back to the compressor in a refrigeration cycle; the cabinet having an airflow path therethrough comprising a first segment passing ambient air through a heat exchanger to the evaporator coil, a second segment passing air from the evaporator coil to the condenser coil, a third segment discharging air from the condenser coil, a fourth segment passing ambient air to the evaporator coil; a method comprising the step of:
selectively blocking and allowing airflow along the fourth segment to optimize operation of the dehumidifier.
17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of sensing a parameter and selectively blocking and allowing the airflow along the fourth segment based upon the sensed parameter.
18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising the step of operating a bypass door to selectively block and allow the airflow along the fourth segment.
19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising the step of operating a controller to actuate the bypass door.
20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising the step of operating the controller to compare the sensed parameter to a predetermined range and then operating the bypass door to block the airflow along the fourth segment if the parameter is outside of the predetermined range.
21. A dehumidification system comprising:
a dehumidifier comprising
a cabinet;
a compressor in the cabinet for delivering hot compressed refrigerant;
a condenser coil in the cabinet and receiving refrigerant from the compressor and condensing same;
an expansion device in the cabinet and receiving refrigerant from the condenser coil and expanding same;
an evaporator coil in the cabinet and receiving refrigerant from the expansion device and evaporating same, and delivering the refrigerant to the compressor;
the refrigerant being circulated from the compressor to the condenser coil to the expansion device to the evaporator coil and back to the compressor in a refrigeration cycle;
the cabinet having an airflow path therethrough comprising:
a first segment passing ambient air through a heat exchanger to the evaporator coil,
a second segment passing air from the evaporator coil to the condenser coil,
a third segment discharging air from the condenser coil,
a fourth segment passing ambient air to the evaporator coil; and
a bypass door selectively positionable to block airflow along the fourth segment and alternately to allow airflow along the fourth segment;
an actuator; and
a controller configured to selectively actuate the actuator and thereby selectively move the bypass door between the open and closed positions.
22. The system according to claim 21 , further comprising a sensor configured to sense a parameter and to communicate the parameter to the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to actuate the actuator based upon the sensed parameter.
23. The system according to claim 22 , wherein the controller is configured to actuate the actuator when the sensed parameter is in a predetermined range.
24. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the parameter is a characteristic of ambient air.
25. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the parameter is a characteristic of air that has passed through the evaporator coil.
26. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the parameter is an operational characteristic of the dehumidifier.