Sensor system for measuring and monitoring indoor air quality

• US 20040158359A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AWI Licensing Company
• Original Assignee: Armstrong World Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Frecska, Sandor A., Bischel, Wesley T.K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,941,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An apparatus for accurately sensing room conditions and positioned in the air stream to the return air plenum. The apparatus is a combination of a temperature and volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor. The sensor module is built into a ceiling grid system with the body of the sensor module extending into the return air plenum. The ceiling grid has a slot fabricated into its face which allows the air stream from the room to flow by the sensors on its way to the plenum. This enables both the temperature and the composition of the air to be monitored at the optimal location. A portable pollution sensor device that measures and monitors leading indicators of indoor air quality and the extent of pollution is used in conjunction with the ceiling grid mounted sensor modules. The portable device documents and benchmarks air quality both in buildings under construction and in existing buildings. The portable device is network-enabled so as to simultaneously transmit the data to various control devices. In addition to its use to monitor areas not otherwise covered by the ceiling grid mounted sensors, the hand-held sensor can be used during building construction to determine the best locations in the ceiling grid system for mounting of the fixed pollution sensors.

Claims

1. A ceiling grid mounted sensor module for monitoring indoor air quality, comprising:

a housing mounted to a web of the ceiling grid;

a plurality of sensors inserted within the housing with each sensor monitoring a specific characteristic of an air sample received through a corresponding inlet port; and

a microprocessor for evaluating a plurality of signals received from the sensors and representing an air sample, and sending an output signal to a building energy management system for controlling a temperature and a mix of indoor air with fresh outdoor air.

2. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a temperature sensor and a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor.

3. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor determines a temperature and a composition of the air sample.

4. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 2 further comprising a signal conditioner for amplifying an analog output signal from both the temperature sensor and the VOC sensor.

5. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 4 further comprising an analog to digital converter to convert the conditioned analog output signals to digital signals.

6. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 5 further wherein the microprocessor receives and processes the digital signals from the analog to digital converter.

7. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 6 wherein the microprocessor manages communications with the plurality of sensors, determines sample intervals, stores a plurality of sample values and transmits the output signal to the building energy management system.

8. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 1 wherein the building energy management system is a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

9. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 1 wherein the building energy management system is a variable air volume (VAV) system.

10. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 7 wherein the output signal from the microprocessor is conditioned by an output signal conditioner.

11. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 1 wherein the housing of the sensor module extends into a return air plenum.

12. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 1 wherein the output signal from the microprocessor is transmitted to the building energy management system by a wireless connection.

13. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 1 wherein the output signal from the microprocessor is transmitted to the building energy management system by a wired connection.

14. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 1 wherein the ceiling grid has a plurality of slots that are fabricated into a lower surface of the ceiling grid to enable an air stream from an enclosed space to flow by the sensors as the air stream enters a plenum above the ceiling grid.

15. The ceiling grid mounted sensor module of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a front cover and a rear cover each including a plurality of slots to enable the air sample to exit from the housing.

16. A portable sensor device for monitoring indoor air quality, comprising:

a housing for enclosing a plurality of sensors with each sensor monitoring a specific characteristic of an air sample received through an air inlet port; and

a microprocessor for evaluating a plurality of air samples and sending an output signal to a building energy management system for controlling a temperature and a mix of indoor air with fresh outdoor air.

17. The portable sensor device of claim 16 wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a temperature sensor and a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor.

18. The portable sensor device of claim 16 wherein the microprocessor determines a temperature and a composition of the air sample.

19. The portable sensor device of claim 17 further comprising a signal conditioner for amplifying an analog output signal from both the temperature sensor and the VOC sensor.

20. The portable sensor device of claim 19 further comprising an analog to digital converter to convert the conditioned analog output signals to digital signals.

21. The portable sensor device of claim 20 wherein the microprocessor receives and processes the digital signals from the analog to digital converter.

22. The portable sensor device of claim 21 wherein the microprocessor manages communications with the plurality of sensors, stores a plurality of sample values and transmits an output signal to the building energy management system.

23. The portable sensor device of claim 16 wherein the building energy management system is a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

24. The portable sensor device of claim 16 wherein the building energy management system is a variable air volume (VAV) system.

25. The portable sensor device of claim 16 wherein the output signal is transmitted to the building energy management system by a wireless connection.

26. The portable sensor device of claim 25 wherein the output signal is transmitted by a radio frequency (RF) module.

27. The portable sensor device of claim 25 wherein the output signal is transmitted by an infrared module.

28. The portable sensor device of claim 16 wherein the output signal is transmitted to the building energy management system by a wired connection.

29. The portable sensor device of claim 28 wherein the output signal is transmitted to a local area network via a serial data port.

30. The portable sensor device of claim 28 wherein the output signal is transmitted to a computer via a serial data port.

31. The portable sensor device of claim 16 further comprising a plurality of slots in the housing to enable the air sample to exit from the housing.

32. The portable sensor device of claim 16 further comprising a memory module for storing a plurality of sensor data for subsequent downloading to a computer device or network.

33. The portable sensor device of claim 16 further comprising a light emitting diode to provide a visual indication of indoor air quality in response to an air quality status signal from the microprocessor following evaluation of the air samples.

34. The portable sensor device of claim 33 wherein the light emitting diode is a three-state diode, with each state corresponding to a specific status of indoor air quality.

35. A sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality, comprising:

a housing for enclosing a plurality of sensors of different types, with each sensor monitoring a specific characteristic of an air sample received through an air inlet port; and

a microprocessor for evaluating a plurality of air samples and sending an output signal representative of air quality to a building energy management system for controlling a temperature and a mix of indoor air with fresh outdoor air.

36. The sensor system of claim 35 further comprising a plurality of modules mounted at various locations on a ceiling grid structure that supports a plurality of ceiling panels.

37. The sensor system of claim 35 wherein the plurality of sensors are enclosed in a portable device.

38. The sensor system of claim 35 wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a temperature sensor and a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor.

39. The sensor system of claim 35 wherein the microprocessor evaluates a temperature and a composition of the air sample.

40. The sensor system of claim 38 further comprising a signal conditioner for amplifying an analog signal received from both the temperature sensor and the VOC sensor.

41. The sensor system of claim 40 further comprising an analog to digital converter to convert the conditioned analog signals to digital signals.

42. The sensor system of claim 41 wherein the microprocessor receives and processes the digital signals from the analog to digital converter.

43. The sensor system of claim 42 wherein the microprocessor manages communications with the plurality of sensors, stores a plurality of sample values and transmits an output signal to the building energy management system.

44. The sensor system of claim 35 further comprising a light emitting diode to provide a visual indication of indoor air quality in response to an air quality status signal from the microprocessor.

45. A sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality in a building, comprising:

a plurality of sensor modules distributed at predetermined locations above a plurality of enclosed spaces, wherein each sensor module is mounted to a web of a ceiling grid to monitor and measure a characteristic of an air flow to a plenum above an associated enclosed space; and

at least one portable device for sampling and evaluating a plurality of air samples in an unmonitored enclosed space, and sending a signal to a building energy management system to control the temperature and mix of the air in the unmonitored enclosed space.

46. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 45 wherein each sensor module comprises:

a plurality of sensors with each sensor monitoring a specific characteristic of an air sample received through a corresponding inlet port; and

a microprocessor for evaluating a plurality of air samples and sending an output signal to the building energy management system for controlling a temperature and a mix of indoor air with fresh outdoor air.

47. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 46 wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a temperature sensor and a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor.

48. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 46 wherein the microprocessor determines a temperature and a composition of the air sample.

49. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 47 further comprising a signal conditioner for amplifying an analog signal from both the temperature sensor and the VOC sensor.

50. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 46 wherein the microprocessor manages communications with the plurality of sensors, determines sample intervals, stores a plurality of sample values and transmits an output signal to the building energy management system.

51. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 45 wherein the building energy management system is a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

52. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 45 wherein the building energy management system is a variable air volume (VAV) system.

53. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 45 wherein each sensor module mounted to the web of the ceiling grid extends into the plenum.

54. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 45 wherein the ceiling grid has a plurality of slots that are fabricated into a lower surface to enable an air stream from the plurality of enclosed spaces to flow by the sensor modules as the air stream enters the plenum above the ceiling grid.

55. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 45 wherein each sensor module further comprises a plurality of slots in both a front housing cover and a rear housing cover to enable the air sample to exit from the sensor module.

56. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 45 wherein the portable sensor device comprises a plurality of sensors with each sensor monitoring a specific characteristic of an air sample received through an air inlet port;

and a microprocessor for evaluating a plurality of air samples and transmitting an output signal to the building energy management system.

57. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 56 wherein the plurality of sensors in the portable sensor device comprise a temperature sensor and a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor.

58. The sensor system for monitoring indoor air quality of claim 56 wherein the microprocessor in the portable sensor device determines a temperature and composition of the air sample.

59. A method for providing demand-controlled ventilation in a building, comprising the steps of:

determining a plurality of locations in a ceiling grid structure for mounting a plurality of multi-sensor modules;

fabricating a slot in a lower surface of the ceiling grid structure at each determined location;

mounting each multi-sensor module to a web of the ceiling grid structure at each determined location, each multi-sensor module being positioned directly above a fabricated slot;

sampling an air flow from an enclosed space below each multi-sensor module and passing through each fabricated slot; and

evaluating the air flow sampled by each multi-sensor module to determine its characteristics; and

transmitting from each multi-sensor module an output signal representative of the determined characteristics to a building energy management system to control the temperature and mix of air in each enclosed space.

60. The method for providing demand-controlled ventilation of claim 59 wherein each sensor in the multi-sensor module monitors a different characteristic of the air flow sampled.

61. The method for providing demand-controlled ventilation of claim 59 wherein the multi-sensor module includes a temperature sensor and a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor.

62. The method for providing demand-controlled ventilation of claim 59 further comprising the step of determining a temperature and composition of the air flow sampled by each multi-sensor module.

63. The method for providing demand-controlled ventilation of claim 61 further comprising the step of amplifying an analog signal output from both the temperature sensor and the VOC sensor.

64. The method for providing demand-controlled ventilation of claim 59 further comprising the steps of determining a sampling interval and storing a plurality of air flow samples by each multi-sensor module.