Modular HVAC-SHW system and a method of integrating thereof
A modular HVAC-SHW/DHW system that provides comfort conditioning, sanitary hot water, and ventilation in the buildings is disclosed. The system includes HVAC units, SHW/DHW units, and one or more air-to-water heat pump (AWHP) units fluidically connected to the HVAC units and the SHW/DHW units through at least one water-to-water heat pump (WWHPs). The AWHP units are configured to enable the exchange of heat between the environment and the WWHPs, and the WWHP is configured to enable the exchange of rejected heat between any of the AWHP units, the HVAC units, and the SHW/DHW units. The system is designed in a packaged form factor or modular design, where the components/units of the system are configured within a housing that is easily installable at the desired locations in the building.
1 . A modular HVAC-SHW system comprising:
an indoor heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit configured in an area of interest (AOI);
a sanitary or domestic hot water (SHW/DHW) unit configured in the AOI; and
an outdoor air-to-water heat pump (AWHP) unit fluidically connected to the HVAC unit and the SHW/DHW unit through a water-to-water heat pump (WWHP),
wherein the AWHP unit is configured to enable the exchange of heat between environment and the WWHP, and
the WWHP is configured to enable the exchange of heat between any of the AWHP unit, the HVAC unit, and the SHW/DHW unit.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a heat storage unit configured between the WWHP and the SHW unit,
wherein the heat storage unit comprises one or more of a phase-changing material, and a water tank that is adapted to store heat provided by the WWHP and transfer the stored heat to the SHW/DHW unit.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the system comprises:
a set of conduits connected between the AWHP unit and the WWHP, the WWHP and the HVAC unit, the WWHP and the SHW/DHW unit, and an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) or a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) and the HVAC unit, to fluidically and thermally connect the AWHP unit with the WWHP, the WWHP with the HVAC unit, the WWHP with the SHW/DHW unit, and the ERV with the HVAC unit; and
a set of valves configured in the set of conduits to control the flow rate and direction of fluid between the AWHP unit and the WWHP, the WWHP and the HVAC unit, the WWHP and the SHW/DHW unit, and the ERV or HRV and the HVAC unit.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the system comprises:
a set of temperature sensors configured with the AWHP unit, the WWHP, the HVAC unit, the SHW/DHW unit, and the thermal storage unit, to monitor the temperature of the fluid across the system and monitor the temperature of the AOI; and
a set of flow meters to monitor the flow rate and the direction of the fluid through the set of conduits.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the system comprises a controller in communication with the set of temperature sensors and a set of relative humidity sensors, wherein the controller is configured to actuate at least one of the valves to enable the exchange of heat between one or more of the environments, the HVAC unit, and the SHW/DHW unit, to facilitate maintaining predefined temperatures in the room, and of the water supplied by the SHW/DHW unit.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the system comprises an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) or a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) configured with the HVAC unit, the ERV or the HRV is operable to provide pre-conditioned ventilated air to the HVAC unit to keep the AOI pressurized at a predefined pressure.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the system comprises an occupancy sensor positioned in the AOI and configured to detect the presence of occupants in the AOI,
wherein the ERV or HRV is operatively coupled to the occupancy sensor and the controller, wherein upon detection of the presence of occupants in the AOI, the controller operates the ERV or HRV to supply pre-conditioned ventilated air to the HVAC unit.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat rejected by the HVAC unit into the WWHP unit is supplied to the SHW/DHW unit or is supplied to the HVAC unit to provide reheat for the HVAC unit.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a heat storage unit adapted to store heat or cold water provided by the WWHP unit and transfer the stored heat or cold water back to the HVAC unit based on cooling and heating requirement of the HVAC unit.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a three-way control valve configured between the WWHP unit, an ambient loop (AL) return line, and AL supply line, wherein the AL supply line and the AL return line are fluidically connected between the AWHP unit and an ambient water flow of the AOI,
wherein, the three-way control valve is actuated to select source water from the AL supply line or the AL return line based on temperatures to produce optimum operational efficiency.
11 . A modular HVAC-SHW/DHW system comprising:
one or more heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units configured in one or more areas of interest (AOI);
a first set of water-to-water heat pumps (WWHP) fluidically connected to each of the HVAC units, such that there being at least one of the first WWHP fluidically connected to one of the HVAC units;
one or more sanitary or domestic hot water (SHW/DHW) units configured in the one or more AOI;
a second set of WWHPs fluidically connected to each of the SHW/DHW units, such that there being at least one of the second WWHP fluidically connected to one of the SHW/DHW units.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the system comprises an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) or a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) configured with each of the HVAC units, the ERV or the HRV is operable to provide pre-conditioned ventilated air to each of the HVAC units to keep the one or more AOI pressurized at a predefined pressure.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the heat rejected by the HVAC units into the corresponding first WWHP units is supplied to the one or more SHW/DHW units or to the one or more HVAC units to provide reheat for the corresponding HVAC units.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein each of the second WWHPs is further fluidically connected to each of the first WWHPs, which allows the exchange of heat between the first set of WWHPs and the second set of WWHPs.
15 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising one or more air-to-water heat (AWHP) units, each fluidically connected to the first set of WWHPs and the second set of WWHPs.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the AWHP units are configured to enable the exchange of heat between environment and one or more of the first set of WWHPs and the second set of WWHPs, which correspondingly enables the exchange of heat between one or more of the environments, the one or more HVAC units, and the one or more SHW/DHW units.
17 . A method for efficient heat exchange between an indoor HVAC unit and SHW/DHW unit associated with one or more AOI of a building and an outdoor environment, the method comprising the steps of:
fluidically connecting one or more indoor HVAC units and one or more SHW units or one or more DHW units associated with one or more AOI in a building with each other, and with one or more AWHP units via at least one WWHP unit, wherein the AWHP units are configured to thermally connect the at least one WWHP to the outdoor environment; and
enabling controlled flow of fluid between the AWHP units, the at least one WWHP, the one or more indoor HVAC units, and the SHW/DHW units, which allows the exchange of heat between the outdoor environments, the AWHP units, the WWHP, the one or more indoor HVAC units, and the SHW/DHW units, thereby facilitating in maintaining predefined temperatures in the one or more AOI, and of the water supplied by the SHW/DHW units in the one or more AOI.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:
storing the heat provided by the at least one WWHP in a heat storage unit comprising a phase-changing material; and
transferring the stored heat to the SHW/DHW units and/or to the one or more indoor HVAC units for reheating the one or more indoor HVAC units.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:
storing cold water or heat generated by the WWHP units in a buffer tank; and
transferring the stored cool water or stored heat to the one or more indoor HVAC units based on the cooling and heating requirement of the one or more indoor HVAC units.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the method comprises the steps of supplying pre-conditioned ventilated air, by an ERV or HRV, to the one or more AOI when at least one occupant is present in the corresponding AOI.