Method of dehumidifying an indoor space using outdoor air

Abstract

A method for dehumidifying air in an indoor space using outside air is comprised of the steps of: sensing whether there is a demand for dehumidification in the space; in response to a demand for dehumidification, determining whether outdoor air is suitable for dehumidification of the space; if the outdoor air is determined to be suitable, admitting outdoor air into the air supplied to the space; and selectively temperature conditioning the supply air in accordance with a predetermined temperature condition therefor. The method is disabled in response to a demand for heating or sensible cooling in the space. Further, the ratio of outdoor air to return air in the supply air is kept relatively constant, irrespective of whether the predetermined temperature condition is satisfied.

1 . A method of dehumidifying air in an indoor space, comprising the steps of: 
 sensing whether there is a demand for dehumidification in the space;    in response to said demand for dehumidification, determining whether outdoor air is suitable for dehumidification of the space;    if the outdoor air is determined to be suitable, admitting outdoor air into the space; and    selectively temperature conditioning the outdoor air prior to admitting it into the space in accordance with a predetermined temperature condition for air supplied to the space.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said determining includes determining whether the temperature of the outdoor air satisfies a predetermined outdoor air temperature condition.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said determining includes determining whether the humidity of the outdoor air satisfies a predetermined outdoor air humidity condition.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said admitting includes controlling the amount of outside air admitted into the space.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said selectively temperature conditioning includes sensing the temperature of the air supplied to the space and heating the air supplied to the space as needed to maintain said predetermined temperature condition, even in the absence of a demand for heating in the space.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said admitting includes introducing a predetermined amount of outdoor air into the air supplied to the space.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said introducing includes maintaining a relatively fixed proportion of outdoor air in the air supplied to the space.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  further including sensing whether there is a demand for temperature conditioning of the air in the space and in response to said demand for temperature conditioning, disabling said method.  
   
   
       9 . In a system for conditioning air in an indoor space, a method of dehumidifying the air in response to a demand for dehumidification in the space, comprising the steps of: 
 sensing whether there is a demand for heating or cooling in the space;    in the absence of a demand for heating or cooling in the space, determining whether outdoor air is suitable for dehumidification of the space;    if the outdoor air is determined to be suitable, admitting outdoor air into the system; and    selectively temperature conditioning the outdoor air prior to admitting it into the space in accordance with a predetermined temperature condition for air supplied to the space.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said determining includes determining whether the temperature of the outdoor air satisfies a predetermined outdoor air temperature condition.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said determining includes determining whether the humidity of the outdoor air satisfies a predetermined outdoor air humidity condition.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said admitting includes controlling the amount of outdoor air admitted into the space.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said selectively termperature conditioning includes sensing the temperature of the air supplied to the space and heating the air supplied to the space as needed to maintain said predetermined temperature condition, even in the absence of a demand for heating in the space.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said admitting includes introducing a predetermined amount of outdoor air into the air supplied to the space.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said introducing includes maintaining a relatively fixed proportion of outdoor in the air supplied to the space.  
   
   
       16 . In an air conditioning system for supplying conditioned air to an indoor space, a method of dehumidifying supply air to the space, comprising the steps of: 
 sensing whether there is a demand for dehumidification in the space;    in response to said demand for dehumidification, determining whether outdoor air is suitable for dehumidification of the space;    if the outdoor air is determined to be suitable, introducing a predetermined amount of outdoor air into the supply air; and    selectively temperature conditioning the supply air in accordance with a predetermined temperature condition.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said determining includes determining whether the temperature of the outdoor air satisfies a predetermined outdoor air temperature condition.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said determining includes determining whether the humidity of the outdoor air satisfies a predetermined outdoor air humidity condition.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said selectively temperature conditioning includes sensing the temperature of the supply air and heating the supply air as needed to maintain said predetermined temperature condition, even in the absence of a demand for heating in the space.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said introducing includes maintaining a relatively constant proportion of outdoor air in the supply air, irrespective of whether said predetermined temperature condition is satisfied.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16  further including sensing whether there is a demand for temperature conditioning of the air in the space and in response to said demand for temperature conditioning, disabling said method.