Ventilation apparatus and ventilation system including the same

Abstract

A ventilation apparatus including a housing having an inlet flow path to discharge outdoor air, to an indoor space through a first outlet, and an outlet flow path to discharge indoor air, to an outdoor space through a second outlet, a total enthalpy heat exchanger in which air flowing along the inlet flow path and air flowing along the outlet flow path exchange heat, and a heat exchanger to remove moisture in the air flowing along the inlet flow path. The housing including a connection flow path connecting the inlet flow path to the outlet flow path, and a connection path opening and closing unit configured to selectively open and close the connection flow path. The connection flow path to allow indoor air, to pass through the heat exchanger and flow to the first outlet while preventing the indoor air from flowing to the total enthalpy heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ventilation apparatus comprising:
 a housing including:
 an inlet flow path along which a flow of outdoor air, introduced through a first inlet, is flowable to an indoor space through a first outlet, 
 an outlet flow path along which a flow of indoor air, introduced through a second inlet, is flowable to an outdoor space through a second outlet, 
 a connection flow path configured to connect the inlet flow path and the outlet flow path, and 
 a connection path valve configured to selectively open and close to respectively open and close the connection flow path; 
   a total enthalpy heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the outdoor air flowing along the inlet flow path and the indoor air flowing along the outlet flow path; and   a plurality of heat exchangers configured to remove moisture from air flowing toward the first outlet,   wherein the ventilation apparatus is selectively operable in one of:
 an outdoor dehumidification mode in which the outdoor air is introduced through the first inlet into the housing and flows to the indoor space through the total enthalpy heat exchanger, the plurality of heat exchangers, and the first outlet, and 
 an indoor dehumidification mode in which the indoor air is introduced through the second inlet into the housing flows to the indoor space through the connection flow path, the plurality of heat exchangers and the first outlet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ventilation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of heat exchangers are operable such that all heat exchangers of the plurality of heat exchangers operate as evaporators, or   at least one heat exchanger of the plurality of heat exchangers operates as a condenser and the remaining heat exchangers of the plurality of heat exchangers operate as evaporators.   
     
     
         3 . The ventilation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the outdoor dehumidification mode includes a cooling dehumidification mode in which an amount of refrigerant supplied to the plurality of heat exchangers is controlled or all heat exchangers of the plurality of heat exchangers operate as evaporators, such that moisture in the outdoor air introduced into the housing is removed and heat is absorbed, thereby cooling the outdoor air to be supplied to the indoor space.   
     
     
         4 . The ventilation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the outdoor dehumidification mode includes a reheat dehumidification mode in which one heat exchanger of the plurality of heat exchangers operates as a condenser and the remaining heat exchangers of the plurality of heat exchangers operate as evaporators, such that the temperature of the outdoor air introduced into the housing is maintained while moisture is removed and the outdoor air flows to the indoor space.   
     
     
         5 . The ventilation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the housing includes:
 a first inlet chamber between the first inlet and the total enthalpy heat exchanger and forming a portion of the inlet flow path, 
 a second inlet chamber between the first outlet and the total enthalpy heat exchanger and forming another portion of the inlet flow path, 
 a first outlet chamber between the second inlet and the total enthalpy heat exchanger and forming a portion of the outlet flow path, and 
 a second outlet chamber between the second outlet and the total enthalpy heat exchanger and forming another portion of the outlet flow path. 
   
     
     
         6 . The ventilation apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein
 in the indoor dehumidification mode, the indoor air introduced into the housing through the second inlet flows to the second inlet chamber through the first outlet chamber and the connection flow path without flowing to the second outlet through the total enthalpy heat exchanger.   
     
     
         7 . The ventilation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the connection path valve is closed in the outdoor dehumidification mode, and   the connection path valve is opened in the indoor dehumidification mode.   
     
     
         8 . The ventilation apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first inlet valve disposed on the first inlet and configured to selectively open and close the first inlet,   wherein in the outdoor dehumidification mode, the first inlet valve is open such that outdoor air flows into the housing through the first inlet, and   in the indoor dehumidification mode, the first inlet valve is closed.   
     
     
         9 . The ventilation apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a first blower in the second inlet chamber and configured to flow air along the inlet flow path; and   a second blower in the second outlet chamber and configured to flow air along the outlet flow path,   wherein the first blower and the second blower are both driven in the outdoor dehumidification mode, and   the first blower is driven and the second blower is not driven in the indoor dehumidification mode.