A system and method to control environmental parameters of predefined zones within a structure. An embodiment of the system uses damper assemblies that are entirely wireless as a result of energy capturing devices which convert air flow within the HVAC system ductwork into electrical current and a wireless control module that remove the need for hard-wiring for power or control. Still further, an embodiment of the system uses wireless components to monitor the environmental parameters of a structure's zones, process and communicate necessary zone adjustments, and actuate system components.

A ventilator includes a heat exchanger including a plurality of layered partition members, and a housing that has a first end wall part covering one end side of the heat exchanger along a layering direction and a second end wall part covering the other end side of the heat exchanger, and partitions a periphery of the heat exchanger into an exhaust air flow inlet space, an exhaust air flow outlet space, a supply air flow inlet space, and a supply air flow outlet space. An exhaust air flow passes through the exhaust air flow outlet space during heat exchange ventilation, and passes through the supply air flow inlet space during normal ventilation. A supply air flow passes through the supply air flow inlet space during heat exchange ventilation, and passes through the exhaust air flow outlet space during normal ventilation.

A compact heat recovery unit which includes separate and distinct thermal cores housed in their own channels. Each thermal core and its respective channel is moved at intervals. When a thermal core and its channel is inserted into a high temperature fluid flow, the thermal core absorbs the heat. When this heated thermal core and its channel is then later inserted into a low temperature fluid flow, the low temperature fluid is preheated by the heated thermal core. This operation is repeated with at least two independent thermal cores and their respective channels to maintain substantially continual pre-heating of received low temperature fluid. Similarly, the compact heat recovery unit can be used in a cooling application where pre-cooling of received higher temperature fluid is executed.

A compact heat recovery unit which includes separate and distinct thermal cores housed in their own channels. Each thermal core and its respective channel is moved at intervals. When a thermal core and its channel is inserted into a high temperature fluid flow, the thermal core absorbs the heat. When this heated thermal core and its channel is then later inserted into a low temperature fluid flow, the low temperature fluid is preheated by the heated thermal core. This operation is repeated with at least two independent thermal cores and their respective channels to maintain substantially continual pre-heating of received low temperature fluid. Similarly, the compact heat recovery unit can be used in a cooling application where pre-cooling of received higher temperature fluid is executed.

A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) unit may include a supply fan section having a supply fan disposed therein to force a supply air flow through a discharge plenum of the HVAC unit. The HVAC unit may also include an economizer positioned adjacent the supply fan section to receive an outdoor air flow and direct the outdoor air flow into the supply fan section.

An evaporative cooling system includes an evaporative cooler liquid-to-air membrane energy exchanger (LAMEE), a first liquid-to-air heat exchanger (LAHE), and a cooling fluid circuit. The evaporative cooler LAMEE is disposed within a scavenger air plenum that is configured to channel a scavenger air stream. The first LAHE is disposed within a process air plenum that is configured to channel a process air stream. The cooling fluid circuit is configured to circulate an evaporative cooling fluid between the evaporative cooler LAMEE and the first LAHE. The evaporative cooler LAMEE is configured to utilize the scavenger air stream to evaporatively cool the cooling fluid. The first LAHE is configured to receive the cooling fluid from the evaporative cooler LAMEE and to allow the cooling fluid to absorb heat from the process air stream to cool the process air stream.

An air conditioning unit includes a passage having a heat exchanger; a blower for blowing air through the passage; a blower motor driving the blower in response to a drive signal; an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), the blower drawing outside air from the ERV; and a controller for adjusting the drive signal in a ventilation mode to reduce power used by the blower motor.

A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between first and second duct portions of a ventilation system includes first and second heat pipe portions in the first and second duct portions, respectively. Each heat pipe portion can be a heat pipe subassembly including one or more vertical heat pipes fluidly coupled to top and bottom headers, which are respectively connected to the top and bottom headers of the other subassembly to form a refrigerant loop. One or more flow restrictors can block air flow through a respective section of the first or second duct portion. The blocked section can be operatively aligned with a segment of the respective heat pipe portion along which there is a low probability of refrigerant phase change. Each flow restrictor can be an adjustable damper. The damper(s) can be selectively opened and closed as the ventilation system switches between heating and cooling modes.

A system and method to control environmental parameters of predefined zones within a structure. An embodiment of the system uses damper assemblies that are entirely wireless as a result of energy capturing devices which convert air flow within the HVAC system ductwork into electrical current and a wireless control module that remove the need for hard-wiring for power or control. Still further, an embodiment of the system uses wireless components to monitor the environmental parameters of a structure's zones, process and communicate necessary zone adjustments, and actuate system components.

A system and method to control environmental parameters of predefined zones within a structure. An embodiment of the system uses damper assemblies that are entirely wireless as a result of energy capturing devices which convert air flow within the HVAC system ductwork into electrical current and a wireless control module that remove the need for hard-wiring for power or control. Still further, an embodiment of the system uses wireless components to monitor the environmental parameters of a structure's zones, process and communicate necessary zone adjustments, and actuate system components.