Energy exchange method and apparatus

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIGS.
1 and 2 of the drawing the stream to be heated of two streams of compressed fluid, preferably air, enters energy exchange unit 10 tangentially to its inner surface via conduit 16.
The stream to be cooled enters inner, smaller tube 14 via conduit 18 at its closed end 23 tangentially and is guided spirally thereby.
The stream to be heated takes a spiral path 28 guided by wall 12 of unit 10 as shown by arrows indicating the direction of flow from end 22 to end 20, where it leaves unit 10 at opening 24 warmer than upon entry after countercurrent contact with the inner stream which is cooled therby.
The inner stream leaves unit 10 after being guided in an inner spiral path 30 to and through nozzle 26 by entry to unit 10 from the open end of inner tube 14, from which point countercurrent direct contact with the outer stream is maintained.
In FIG.
3 during the winter season air from outside a building enters compressor 42 via line 32 and is then introduced tangentially to heat exchange unit 10 via line 38 so as to begin a spiral pattern while at the same time air from inside the building enters compressor 40 via line 50 and is admitted tangentially to inner tube 22 at an opposite end of heat exchange unit 10 where it travels spirally in the opposite direction to that of the air from the outside in heat exchange relationship therewith.
The air from outside which has been heated in heat exchange unit 10 by air from the inside is passed via lines 66, 74 and 78 through registers 80, 82, 84, 86, 88 and 90 into rooms of the building.
Inside air cooled in energy exchange unit 10 is exhausted out nozzle 26 via lines 70, 72, 60 and 58 to the outside "w" indicates valves open during the winter heating cycle for the foregoing cycle to occur while "s" indicates valves closed during this cycle.
In the summer, with valves "s" open and valves "w" closed, outside air enters compressor 42 via line 32 before being conducted via lines 34, 56 to enter the inner tube 14 tangentially while at the same time inside air, after entering compressor 40 via line 50, enters energy exchange unit 10 via lines 52, 54 tangentially at the end at which nozzle 26 is positioned and at the end opposite that at which the outside air enters