Displacement ventilation systems having integrated heat exchangers with heat conductive air filtration substrates

Abstract

A displacement ventilation system for a room includes a first duct located inside the room and extending between a floor and a ceiling of the room, an air inlet coupled with the first duct for drawing air into the system, and an elongated diffuser extending adjacent the floor for diffusing at least some of the outside air over the floor of the enclosed spaced. The system includes a return air duct extending adjacent the ceiling and being coupled with the first duct for removing return air from the room and advancing the return air toward the first duct, and a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy between the return air and the outside air. The heat exchanger has one or more heat conductive air filtration substrates integrated therein for conducting heat. A heat pump changes a temperature level of the outside air or the return air passing through the heat pump.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A displacement ventilation system for a room comprising:
 a first duct located inside said room and being positioned against a wall of said room;   an air inlet coupled with said first duct for drawing fresh, outside air into said displacement ventilation system;   an elongated diffuser extending adjacent a floor of said room and being coupled with said first duct for diffusing at least some of the fresh, outside air over the floor of said room;   a return air duct extending adjacent a ceiling of said room and being coupled with said first duct for removing return air located near the ceiling from said room and advancing the return air toward said first duct;   a heat exchanger located between said air inlet and said return air duct for transferring thermal energy between the return air and the fresh, outside air;   said heat exchanger comprising one or more heat conductive air filtration substrates integrated therein for conducting heat;   a heat pump located between said air inlet and said elongated diffuser for changing a temperature level of the fresh, outside air or the return air passing through said heat pump.   
     
     
         2 . The displacement ventilation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger comprises:
 a plurality of outside air cells extending through said heat exchanger for directing the fresh, outside air from a first end to a second end of said heat exchanger, wherein each of said outside air cells has an inlet adjacent said first end of said heat exchanger and an outlet adjacent said second end of said heat exchanger;   one of said heat conductive air filtration substrates disposed within each of said outside air cells;   a plurality of return air cells extending through said heat exchanger for directing the return air from said second end to said first end of said heat exchanger, wherein each of said return air cells has an inlet adjacent said second end of said heat exchanger and an outlet adjacent said first end of said heat exchanger;
 one of said heat conductive air filtration substrates disposed within each of said return air cells; 
   wherein at least some of said outside air cells extending through said heat exchanger are in thermal communication with at least some of said return air cells extending through said heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy between the fresh, outside air and the return air.   
     
     
         3 . The displacement ventilation system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said outside air cells is sandwiched between at least two of said return air cells, and wherein at least one of said return air cells is sandwiched between at least two of said outside air cells.