Rooftop unit

Abstract

A rooftop air conditioning unit, including an air conditioner to produce conditioned air for a conditioned space within a building, the air conditioner having an evaporator, a compressor operably disposed downstream from the evaporator and a condenser operably interposed between the compressor and the evaporator, the rooftop air conditioning unit including a housing, disposed on a roof of the building to house the evaporator, the compressor and the condenser, the housing being formed to define a pathway from an inlet that is fed by exterior and/or interior air to an outlet leading to the conditioned space and a heat reclaim module disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the air conditioner to be receptive of heat produced in the air conditioner for heat exchange operations.

1 . A rooftop air conditioning unit, including an air conditioner to produce conditioned air for a conditioned space within a building, the air conditioner having an evaporator, a compressor operably disposed downstream from the evaporator and a condenser operably interposed between the compressor and the evaporator, the rooftop air conditioning unit comprising:
 a housing, disposed on a roof of the building to house the evaporator, the compressor and the condenser, the housing being formed to define a pathway from an inlet that is fed by exterior and/or interior air to an outlet leading to the conditioned space; and   a heat reclaim module disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the air conditioner to be receptive of heat produced in the air conditioner for heat exchange operations.   
     
     
         2 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat reclaim module comprises a refrigerant to water heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant to water heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to a fluid supply circuit in thermal communication with a heat load of the building. 
     
     
         4 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 3 , wherein water and/or glycol is contained within the fluid supply circuit. 
     
     
         5 . A rooftop air conditioning unit, comprising:
 a housing, disposed on a roof of a building, defining a pathway from an inlet that is fed by exterior and/or interior air to an outlet leading to a conditioned space within the building;   an air conditioner to produce conditioned air to be supplied to the conditioned space, the air conditioner being disposed within the housing and including an evaporator, a compressor operably disposed downstream from the evaporator and a condenser operably interposed between the compressor and the evaporator; and   a heat reclaim module disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the air conditioner to be receptive of heat produced in the air conditioner for heat exchange operations.   
     
     
         6 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the heat reclaim module comprises a refrigerant to water heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 6 , wherein the refrigerant to water heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to a fluid supply circuit in thermal communication with a heat load of the building. 
     
     
         8 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 7 , wherein water and/or glycol is contained within the fluid supply circuit. 
     
     
         9 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 6 , wherein the air conditioner comprises:
 first piping by which the compressor and the condenser are fluidly coupled; and   a first valve operably disposed along the first piping to modulate an amount of fluid permitted to be transported from the compressor to the condenser.   
     
     
         10 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 9 , wherein the heat reclaim module comprises:
 second piping coupled to the first piping upstream from the first valve by which the first piping and the refrigerant to water heat exchanger are fluidly coupled; and   a second valve operably disposed along the second piping to modulate an amount of fluid permitted to be transported from the first piping to the refrigerant to water heat exchanger.   
     
     
         11 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the first and second valves are operated independently. 
     
     
         12 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the first and second valves are operated in concert. 
     
     
         13 . A rooftop air conditioning unit, comprising:
 a housing, disposed on a roof of a building, defining a pathway from an inlet that is fed by exterior and/or interior air to an outlet leading to a conditioned space within the building;   an air conditioner to produce conditioned air to be supplied to the conditioned space, the air conditioner being disposed within the housing and including an evaporator, a compressor operably disposed downstream from the evaporator and a condenser operably interposed between the compressor and the evaporator; and   a heat reclaim module disposed within the housing and operably coupled to the air conditioner to be receptive of heated fluid produced in the compressor for heat exchange operations.   
     
     
         14 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the heat reclaim module comprises a refrigerant to water heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 14 , wherein the refrigerant to water heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to a fluid supply circuit in thermal communication with a heat load of the building. 
     
     
         16 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 15 , wherein water and/or glycol is contained within the fluid supply circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 14 , wherein the air conditioner comprises:
 first piping by which the compressor and the condenser are fluidly coupled; and   a first valve operably disposed along the first piping to modulate an amount of heated fluid permitted to be transported from the compressor to the condenser.   
     
     
         18 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 17 , wherein the heat reclaim module comprises:
 second piping coupled to the first piping upstream from the first valve by which the first piping and the refrigerant to water heat exchanger are fluidly coupled; and   a second valve operably disposed along the second piping to modulate an amount of heated fluid permitted to be transported from the first piping to the refrigerant to water heat exchanger.   
     
     
         19 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 18 , wherein the first and second valves are operated independently. 
     
     
         20 . The rooftop air conditioning unit according to  claim 18 , wherein the first and second valves are operated in concert.