| abstract |
Air conditioning apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises compression refrigeration apparatus, a cogenerator operable to provide electricity and heat, an air handler, a plurality of mixing boxes operable to receive conditioned air, to cause a flow of recirculated air from a space to be conditioned, and to deliver to the space a mixture of conditioned air and recirculated air, a circulating system for circulating air to be conditioned through the air handle and then to the mixing boxes, a coil for heat transfer with air in the mixing boxes, and a sprinkler system through at least a part of which a heat transfer fluid is circulated to the coils. Preferred apparatus includes, in addition, at least one of absorption refrigeration apparatus and a dehumidifier which employs a desiccant, and means for using heat from the cogenerator as an energy source for the absorption refrigeration apparatus, for regeneration of the dehumidifier, or both. Also disclosed is operation of the apparatus to produce air that has been dehumidified to a low moisture content, and controlling moisture content in the space by varying the rate at which that air is delivered, while controlling the temperature of the space by varying the rate at which heat is transferred from air circulated through the mixing box coils. |