Closed loop, modular and self-cleaning hvac system

Abstract

A heat transfer cube includes a housing at least partially bounding a compartment, the housing having a first end with a first opening formed thereat that communicates with the compartment and an opposing second end with a second opening formed thereat that communicates with the compartment. A coil unit is disposed within the compartment between the first opening and the opposing second opening. The coil unit includes a first plate, a last plate, and a plurality of tubes each having a first end connected to the first plate and an opposing second end connected to the second plate. The housing further includes an inlet communicating with the first end of each of the plurality of tubes and an outlet communicating with the second end of each of the plurality of tubes.

1 . A heat transfer cube comprising:
 a housing at least partially bounding a compartment, the housing having a first end with a first opening formed thereat that communicates with the compartment and an opposing second end with a second opening formed thereat that communicates with the compartment;   a coil unit disposed within the compartment between the first opening and the opposing second opening, the coil unit comprising:
 a first plate having a plurality of perforations extending therethrough; 
 a last plate having a plurality of perforations extending therethrough, the last plate being spaced apart from the first plate; and 
 a plurality of tubes each having a first end and an opposing second end with a fluid path extending therebetween, each of the plurality of tubes extending from a select one of the plurality of perforations of the first plate to a select one of the plurality of perforations of the second plate; 
   wherein the housing further comprises an inlet communicating with the first end of each of the plurality of tubes and an outlet communicating with the second end of each of the plurality of tubes.   
     
     
         2 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a front panel at least partially disposed over the first plate so that a first gap space is formed between the front panel and the first end of each of the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         3 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tubes is comprised of a non-metal. 
     
     
         4 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tubes comprises at least 40 separate tubes. 
     
     
         5 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a spacing between each adjacent pair of the plurality of tubes is in a range between 0.5 cm and 1.5 cm. 
     
     
         6 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a liquid tight seal is formed between the first plate and the first end of each of the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         7 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an injection port disposed between the housing and the coil unit. 
     
     
         8 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the injection port is fluid coupled with a reservoir of a cleaning solution. 
     
     
         9 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the compartment of the housing comprising a recess disposed between the first opening and the coil unit; and   a tubular transfer line coupled with the housing and communicating with recess.   
     
     
         10 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of further plates disposed between the first plate and the last plate so that the plurality of tubes each pass through the plurality of further plates, the plurality of further plates comprising at least 10 further plates that are each spaced apart. 
     
     
         11 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an air mover disposed within the compartment of the housing in alignment with the coil unit. 
     
     
         12 . The heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer cube has a height, a width, and a length each in a range between 10 cm and 60 cm. 
     
     
         13 . A heat transfer cube system comprising:
 a first heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 ; and   a second heat transfer cube comprising:
 a housing at least partially bounding a compartment, the housing having a first end with a first opening formed thereat that communicates with the compartment and an opposing second end with a second opening formed thereat that communicates with the compartment; 
 a coil unit disposed within the compartment between the first opening and the opposing second opening, the coil unit comprising:
 a first plate having a plurality of perforations extending therethrough; 
 a last plate having a plurality of perforations extending therethrough, the last plate being spaced apart from the first plate; and 
 a plurality of tubes each having a first end and an opposing second end with a fluid path extending therebetween, each of the plurality of tubes extending from a select one of the plurality of perforations of the first plate to a select one of the plurality of perforations of the second plate; 
 
   wherein the housing of the second heat transfer cube further comprises an inlet communicating with first end of each of the plurality of tubes and an outlet communicating with second end of each of the plurality of tubes;   wherein the outlet of the first heat transfer cube is fluid coupled to the inlet of the second heat transfer cube.   
     
     
         14 . A power cube system comprising:
 the heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 ; and   a power cube comprising:
 a thermal loop comprising a compressor, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor, and an expansion valve in fluid communication with the first and second heat exchangers; 
 a first circulation loop comprising a pump, a fluid line extending from the pump to the first heat exchanger, a fluid line extending from the first heat exchanger to the inlet of the heat transfer cube, and a fluid line extending from the outlet of the heat transfer cube back to the pump. 
   
     
     
         15 . The power cube system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the power cube further comprises a reservoir of cleaning solution and a transfer line extending from the reservoir to the heat transfer cube. 
     
     
         16 . A method for operating the heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 passing a heat transfer liquid through each of the plurality of tubes; and   concurrently with passing the heat transfer liquid through each of the plurality of tubes, passing an air stream through the compartment of the housing so that the air stream passes over each of the plurality of tubes.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , the method further comprising injecting a cleaning solution into the air stream so that the air stream carries the cleaning solution over at least a portion of the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         18 . A method for heating or cooling an area using the heat transfer cube as recited in  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 circulating a refrigerant through a thermal loop, the thermal loop comprising a compressor, an expansion valve, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger;   circulating a heat transfer fluid through the first heat exchanger of the thermal loop and through the plurality of tubes of the heat transfer cube; and   passing an air stream through the compartment of the housing of the heat transfer cube so that the air stream passes over each of the plurality of tubes; and   directing the air stream into the area for heating or cooling the area.   
     
     
         19 . A power cube system comprising:
 a thermal loop comprising a compressor, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor, and an expansion valve in fluid communication with the first and second heat exchangers, the thermal loop housing a refrigerant;   a first circulation loop comprising a first pump in fluid communication with a first heat transfer cube, the first circulation loop housing a first heat transfer fluid and communicating with the first heat exchanger of the thermal loop so as to enable a thermal energy transfer between the refrigerant and the first heat transfer fluid;   a reservoir housing a cleaning solution, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the first heat transfer cube.   
     
     
         20 . The power cube system as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising a control circuit, the control circuit being programed to periodically deliver the cleaning solution within the reservoir to the first heat transfer cube.