Climate-Control System With Sensible and Latent Cooling

Abstract

A climate-control system may include a vapor-compression circuit and an air handler assembly. The vapor-compression circuit may include a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an indoor heat exchanger. The indoor heat exchanger includes a conduit that is in fluid communication with the expansion device. The air handler assembly forces air across the conduit of the indoor heat exchanger. The air handler assembly may include an airflow device having a valve and an air-to-air heat exchanger. The air-to-air heat exchanger may include a first heat-exchanger duct and a second heat-exchanger duct. Air flowing through the first heat-exchanger duct may be in a heat-transfer relationship with air flowing through the second heat-exchanger duct. The airflow device may define a first airflow path and a second airflow path. The first airflow path may include the first heat-exchanger duct. The second airflow path may bypass the first heat-exchanger duct.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A climate-control system comprising:
 a vapor-compression circuit including:
 a compressor configured to circulate a working fluid through the vapor-compression circuit; 
 an outdoor heat exchanger in fluid communication with the compressor; 
 an expansion device in fluid communication with the outdoor heat exchanger, and 
 an indoor heat exchanger including a conduit that is in fluid communication with the expansion device; and 
   an air handler assembly configured to force air across the conduit of the indoor heat exchanger, the air handler assembly including:
 an airflow device including a valve and an air-to-air heat exchanger, wherein the air-to-air heat exchanger includes a first heat-exchanger duct and a second heat-exchanger duct, wherein air flowing through the first heat-exchanger duct is in a heat-transfer relationship with air flowing through the second heat-exchanger duct, wherein the airflow device defines a first airflow path and a second airflow path, wherein the first airflow path includes the first heat-exchanger duct, wherein the second airflow path bypasses the first heat-exchanger duct. 
   
     
     
         2 . The climate-control system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the valve is movable between a first position and a second position,   in the first position, the valve allows air to flow through the first airflow path and prevents air from flowing through the second airflow path, and   in the second position, the valve allows air to flow through the second airflow path and prevents air from flowing through the first airflow path.   
     
     
         3 . The climate-control system of  claim 2 , wherein the valve is movable to a third position in which the valve allows a first portion of air entering the airflow device to flow through the first airflow path and allows a second portion of air entering the airflow device to flow through the second airflow path. 
     
     
         4 . The climate-control system of  claim 3 , wherein a control module controls movement of the valve based on humidity data received from a humidistat. 
     
     
         5 . The climate-control system of  claim 4 , wherein the humidistat measures humidity of the air upstream of the airflow device. 
     
     
         6 . The climate-control system of  claim 5 , wherein the control module compares a measured humidity value from the humidistat to a predetermined limit, wherein the control module compares a measured humidity value from the humidistat to a humidity setpoint, and wherein the predetermined limit is higher than the humidity setpoint. 
     
     
         7 . The climate-control system of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second airflow paths are fluidly connected to an evaporator duct that provides air from the airflow device to the indoor heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The climate-control system of  claim 7 , wherein the evaporator duct provides air to the second heat-exchanger duct downstream of the indoor heat exchanger. 
     
     
         9 . The climate-control system of  claim 8 , wherein the airflow device includes a housing in which the valve is disposed, and wherein the first and second airflow paths diverge from each other downstream of a first air inlet of the housing and converge with each other downstream of the first heat-exchanger duct and upstream of a first air outlet of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The climate-control system of  claim 9 , wherein the air-to-air heat exchanger is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The climate-control system of  claim 9 , wherein the first air inlet of the housing is coupled with a return-air duct and receives air from the return-air duct. 
     
     
         12 . The climate-control system of  claim 11 , wherein the second heat-exchanger duct defines a second air inlet of the airflow device and a second air outlet of the airflow device. 
     
     
         13 . The climate-control system of  claim 12 , wherein the second air outlet is coupled with a supply-air duct and provides air to the supply-air duct. 
     
     
         14 . The climate-control system of  claim 13 , wherein the second heat-exchanger duct defines a third airflow path through the airflow device. 
     
     
         15 . An air handler assembly for a climate-control system, the air handler assembly comprising:
 a return-air duct;   a housing including a first air inlet, a first air outlet, a first airflow path, and a second airflow path, wherein the first air inlet is coupled with the return-air duct and receives air from the return-air duct;   a valve disposed within the housing and movable between a first position allowing airflow through the first airflow path and preventing airflow through the second airflow path and a second position allowing airflow through the second airflow path and preventing airflow through the first airflow path;   an air-to-air heat exchanger disposed within the housing and including a first heat-exchanger duct and a second heat-exchanger duct, wherein air flowing through the first heat-exchanger duct is in a heat-transfer relationship with air flowing through the second heat-exchanger duct, wherein air flows through the first heat-exchanger duct when the valve is not in the second position, and wherein air flows through the second heat-exchanger duct when the valve is in the first position and when the valve is in the second position;   an evaporator duct coupled with the first air outlet and the second heat-exchanger duct, wherein the evaporator duct receives air from the first air outlet and provides air to the second heat-exchanger duct;   an evaporator disposed within the evaporator duct and including a conduit that is configured to receive working fluid from a vapor-compression system; and   a supply-air duct coupled with the second heat-exchanger duct and receiving air from the second heat-exchanger duct.   
     
     
         16 . The air handler assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the valve is movable to a third position in which the valve allows a first portion of air entering the housing to flow through the first airflow path and allows a second portion of air entering the housing to flow through the second airflow path. 
     
     
         17 . The air handler assembly of  claim 16 , wherein a control module controls movement of the valve based on humidity data received from a humidistat. 
     
     
         18 . The air handler assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the humidistat measures humidity of the air upstream of the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The air handler assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the control module compares a measured humidity value from the humidistat to a predetermined limit, wherein the control module compares a measured humidity value from the humidistat to a humidity setpoint, and wherein the predetermined limit is higher than the humidity setpoint. 
     
     
         20 . The air handler assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the second heat-exchanger duct defines a third airflow path through the housing.