Movable heat exchanger

Abstract

A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a heat exchanger configured to translate between a first position within an air flow path of the HVAC system and a second position external to the air flow path of the HVAC system.

1 . A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 a heat exchanger configured to translate between a first position within an air flow path of the HVAC system and a second position external to the air flow path of the HVAC system.   
     
     
         2 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to translate via springs. 
     
     
         3 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to translate via a pulley system. 
     
     
         4 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to translate via an actuator, a position control synchronous motor, a direct current motor, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to translate via a mechanical linkage system. 
     
     
         6 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , comprising a protection system configured to enclose the heat exchanger when the heat exchanger is in the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The HVAC system of  claim 6 , wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within a housing, and the protection system comprises a bellows coupled to the housing on an external surface of the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The HVAC system of  claim 6 , wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within a housing, and the protection system comprises a panel coupled to the housing on an external surface of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The HVAC system of  claim 6 , wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within a housing, and the protection system comprises a telescoping assembly coupled to the housing, wherein the telescoping assembly is configured to extend from the housing when the heat exchanger is in the second position. 
     
     
         10 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , comprising a blower, wherein the blower is configured to operate at a lower power when the heat exchanger is in the second position. 
     
     
         11 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , comprising a burner disposed within a housing of the HVAC system, wherein the burner is disposed within a first volume of the housing, the heat exchanger is disposed within a second volume of the housing, and the first and second volumes are separated by a partition. 
     
     
         12 . The HVAC system of  claim 11 , wherein the burner and the heat exchanger are fluidly coupled through the partition when the heat exchanger is in the first position. 
     
     
         13 . The HVAC system of  claim 12 , wherein the heat exchanger and the burner are decoupled from one another when the heat exchanger is in the second position. 
     
     
         14 . The HVAC system of  claim 13 , comprising a plate coupled to the heat exchanger, wherein the plate is configured to translate to a blocking position between the first volume and the second volume adjacent to the burner when the heat exchanger is translated to the second position. 
     
     
         15 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , comprising a rooftop unit comprising the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 operating the HVAC system in a first mode with a heat exchanger disposed within an air flow path; and   operating the HVAC system in a second mode with the heat exchanger positioned external to the air flow path.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first mode is a heating mode and the second mode is a cooling mode. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising operating a blower at a first speed when the heat exchanger is within the air flow path and operating the blower at a second speed when the heat exchanger is external to the air flow path, wherein the second speed is less than the first speed. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchanger is linearly translated from within the air flow path in the first mode to external to the air flow path in the second mode. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchanger is attached to a burner in the first mode and decoupled from the burner in the second mode. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising translating the heat exchanger from within the air flow path to external to the air flow path, and translating a plate from a first position to a second position, wherein the plate is adjacent to the burner in the second position. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising positioning the heat exchanger within a protection system configured to shroud the heat exchanger in the second mode. 
     
     
         23 . A packaged heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, comprising:
 a heat source disposed within a first volume of a housing of the packaged HVAC unit; and   a heat exchanger disposed within a second volume of the housing of the packaged HVAC unit, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to establish a heat exchange relationship with an air flow within the housing in a heating mode of the packaged HVAC unit, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to translate from within the second volume to a position external to the second volume in a cooling mode of the packaged HVAC unit.   
     
     
         24 . The packaged HVAC unit of  claim 23 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to couple to the heat source in the heating mode. 
     
     
         25 . The packaged HVAC unit of  claim 24 , wherein the heat exchanger and the heat source are coupled to one another through a partition dividing the first volume and the second volume in the heating mode. 
     
     
         26 . The packaged HVAC unit of  claim 25 , comprising a plate configured to translate along the partition to a position adjacent to the heat source in the cooling mode. 
     
     
         27 . The packaged HVAC unit of  claim 23 , comprising a protection system coupled to the housing, wherein the protection system is configured to shroud the heat exchanger in the cooling mode. 
     
     
         28 . The packaged HVAC unit of  claim 27 , wherein the protection system comprises a telescopic assembly, a plurality of panels, or a bellows. 
     
     
         29 . The packaged HVAC unit of  claim 23 , comprising a blower disposed within the housing, wherein the blower is configured to operate at a first speed in the heating mode and a second speed in the cooling mode, wherein the first speed is greater than the second speed. 
     
     
         30 . The packaged HVAC unit of  claim 29 , wherein the blower comprises a variable speed drive fan motor configured to rotate a fan at the first speed in the heating mode and the second speed in the cooling mode.