Process for improving an existing and previously operated air conditioning system

Abstract

In a system for cleaning, and for maintaining a desired temperature in, the air within the interior of a building, an activated carbon filter is disposed in a filter housing forming part of a conduit connected from a supply duct to a return duct. Air flows through the activated carbon filter as a result of the difference between the pressures of the air in the respective ducts, and substantially the entire quantity of air within the building is passed through the carbon filter in a short time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for improving an existing and previously operated air conditioning system of a habitable building, said system having been previously operated and comprising a heat exchanger, a supply duct leading from the heat exchanger to an interior space within said habitable building, a return duct leading from said interior space to said heat exchanger, and a blower arranged to cause air to circulate through said supply duct, said interior space, said return duct and said heat exchanger, the process comprising the steps of:
 forming a first opening in said supply duct;   forming a second opening in said return duct;   forming a flow path between said first and second openings, said flow path including a filter unit through which air can flow from said first opening in said supply duct to said second opening in said return duct as a result of a pressure difference across said filter unit resulting from the operation of said blower; and   arranging an activated carbon filter in said filter unit so that substantially all of the air passing through said flow path from said first to said second opening passes though said activated carbon filter;   whereby, at all times when said blower is operating to cause air to circulate through said supply duct, said interior space, said return duct and said heat exchanger, a portion of the air delivered by said blower pass through said activated carbon filter.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , in which said activated carbon filter is removable from said filter unit for replacement. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , in which said flow path comprises a first conduit part connecting said first opening to said filter unit and a second conduit part connecting said filter unit to said second opening, said activated carbon filter has an air flow cross-sectional area, larger than the air flow cross-sectional areas of either of said first and second conduit parts, and said filter-containing unit has a central filter-containing part, a first tapered transition on one side of said central filter-containing part for connection to said first conduit part and a second tapered transition on an opposite side of said filter-containing part for connection to said second conduit part. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 3 , in which said activated carbon filter is removable from said central filter-containing part for replacement. 
     
     
         5 . A process for improving the operation of an existing and previously operated air conditioning system of a habitable building, said system having been previously operated and comprising a heat exchanger, a supply duct leading from the heat exchanger to an interior space within said habitable building, a return duct leading from said interior space to said heat exchanger, and a blower arranged to cause air to circulate through said supply duct, said interior space, said return duct and said heat exchanger, the process comprising the steps of:
 forming a first opening in said supply duct;   forming a second opening in said return duct;   forming a flow path between said first and second openings, said flow path including a filter unit through which air can flow from said first opening in said supply duct to said second opening in said return duct as a result of a pressure difference across said filter unit resulting from the operation of said blower;   arranging an activated carbon filter in said filter unit so that substantially all of the air passing through said flow path from said first to said second opening passes though said activated carbon filter;   by operating said blower, causing air to circulate through said supply duct, said interior space, said return duct and said heat exchanger; and   at all times while said blower is operating to cause air to circulate through said supply duct, said interior space, said return duct and said heat exchanger, causing a portion of the air delivered by said blower pass through said activated carbon filter.   
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 5 , in which said activated carbon filter is removable from said filter unit for replacement. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 5 , in which said flow path comprises a first conduit part connecting said first opening to said filter unit and a second conduit part connecting said filter unit to said second opening, said activated carbon filter has an air flow cross-sectional area, larger than the air flow cross-sectional areas of either of said first and second conduit parts, and said filter-containing unit has a central filter-containing part, a first tapered transition on one side of said central filter-containing part for connection to said first conduit part and a second tapered transition on an opposite side of said filter-containing part for connection to said second conduit part. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7 , in which said activated carbon filter is removable from said central filter-containing part for replacement.