Heating and cooling energy saving device

• US 20030010489A1
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anthony B. Eoga
• Original Assignee: Anthony B. Eoga
• Inventors: Eoga, Anthony B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,688,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/212
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller

Abstract

An energy savings device (ESD) for regulating the temperature of individual rooms or areas within a facility having a central heating and cooling plant. The device includes a fan and thermostats to control the temperature in each room. A first thermostat is located within the energy savings device to activate a fan only when a baseboard-heating element, cooling element or conduit provides a pre-selected sufficient temperature level range to activate a fan. Another thermostat is located remotely in each room and communicates to each ESD to deactivate the fan when the temperature in any room exceeds or is less than the desired temperature level. The desired temperature level may be higher or lower than a main thermostat setting that controls the central heating and cooling plant, in accordance with a heating or cooling mode, respectively.

Claims

1. An energy savings device for use within a facility heating and cooling plant having conduits the circulate fluid that transfers or removes heat from areas within the facility, said energy savings device comprising:

a housing adapted to be secured to the conduits;

a first thermostat for sensing a first temperature of the fluid within the conduits;

a second thermostat for sensing a second temperature within an area under control by said energy savings device; and

a fan in electrical communication with said first thermostat and said second thermostat and operational to transfer heat to, or remove heat from, the area under control to substantially maintain the area near said second temperature.

2. The energy savings device as recited in claim 1, wherein the facility heating and cooling plant is set to a third temperature setting that is different than said second temperature of the area under control.

3. The energy savings device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first temperature is higher than said second temperature, and said fan is energized when said first temperature is attained.

4. The energy savings device as recited in claim 3, wherein said fan is de-energized when said second temperature is attained.

5. The energy savings device as recited in claim 3, wherein the area under control is maintained at a higher temperature than a third temperature setting of said heating and cooling plant.

6. The energy savings device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first temperature is lower than said second temperature, and said fan is energized when said first temperature is attained.

7. The energy savings device as recited in claim 6, wherein said fan is de-energized when said second temperature is attained.

8. The energy savings device as recited in claim 6, wherein the area under control is maintained at a lower temperature than a third temperature setting of said heating and cooling plant.

9. A thermal energy transfer device for use within a facility heating and cooling plant having conduits to circulate fluid that transfers or removes heat from areas within the facility, said thermal energy transfer device comprising:

a housing adapted to fastened to the conduits;

a first thermostat operative to energize said thermal energy transfer device when the fluid attains a first temperature; and

a second thermostat operative to de-energize said thermal energy transfer device when an area under thermal control attains a second temperature as measured by said second thermostat,

wherein during periods when said thermal energy transfer device is energized, said thermal energy transfer device operates to regulate the temperature of the area under thermal control substantially near said second temperature.

10. The thermal energy transfer device as recited in claim 9, wherein the facility heating and cooling plant is set to a third temperature setting that is different than said second temperature of the area under control.

11. The thermal energy transfer device as recited in claim 10, wherein said first temperature is higher than said second temperature, and wherein said second temperature is higher than said third temperature setting of said heating and cooling plant.

12. The thermal energy transfer device as recited in claim 10, wherein said first temperature is lower than said second temperature, and said second temperature is lower than said third temperature setting of said heating and cooling plant.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said heating and cooling plant is set to a heating mode and a third temperature lower than said second temperature.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said first temperature is higher than said second temperature and said third temperature.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said transferring thermal energy is performed by a fan that accelerates the transfer from the conduit to area under thermal control beyond the nominal transfer rate of the heating and cooling plant to heat the area under control.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said heating and cooling plant is set to a cooling mode and a third temperature higher than said second temperature.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said first temperature is lower than said second temperature and said third temperature.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said transferring thermal energy is performed by a fan that accelerates the transfer from the conduit to area under thermal control beyond the nominal transfer rate of the heating and cooling plant to cool the area under control.

20. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein multiple energy savings devices are placed within the facility heating and cooling plant to regulate multiple areas, said method further comprising independently controlling each of the multiple energy savings devices such that each area under control is regulated to an independent temperature of other areas.

13. A method of operating an energy savings device to regulate a temperature of an area under thermal control, the energy savings device being located within a facility heating and cooling plant that has conduits that circulate fluid that transfers or removes heat from areas within the facility, said method comprising:

energizing said energy savings device when a temperature of the fluid crosses a threshold first temperature in a first direction;

transferring thermal energy from the fluid into the area under thermal control;

regulating a temperature of the area under control to a second temperature; and

thereafter, cycling the energy savings device to substantially maintain said second temperature until said temperature of the fluid crosses said threshold first temperature in a second direction opposite said first direction.