Method and apparatus for controlling humidity with a heater unit and a cooler unit
First Claim
1. A method of controlling an HVAC system having a heating unit and a cooling unit, the heating unit and the cooling unit configured to selectively operate in a relatively constant “
- on”
state or an “
off”
state;
the method comprising;
determining whether the humidity in an inside space is above a predetermined humidity threshold, and if so, operating both the heating unit and the cooling unit in their relatively constant “
on”
states.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for controlling an HVAC system to more readily meet both the sensible (i.e. temperature) and latent (i.e. moisture removal) cooling loads of an inside space. Briefly, and in one illustrative embodiment, a cooling unit is activated to satisfy the sensible cooling demands of the inside space, and if after the sensible cooling demands have been satisfied, and it is determined that the latent cooling demands have not yet been met, both a cooling unit and a heating unit are activated to help provide additional latent cooling to the inside space. Both the cooling unit and the heating unit may be activated to help minimize the sensible cooling provided to the inside space during the drying cycle.
58 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of controlling an HVAC system having a heating unit and a cooling unit, the heating unit and the cooling unit configured to selectively operate in a relatively constant “
- on”
state or an “
off”
state;
the method comprising;
determining whether the humidity in an inside space is above a predetermined humidity threshold, and if so, operating both the heating unit and the cooling unit in their relatively constant “
on”
states. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
- on”
-
5. A method of controlling an HVAC system having a heating unit and a cooling unit, the heating unit and the cooling unit configured to selectively operate in a relatively constant “
- on”
state or an “
off”
state, the method comprising;
operating the cooling unit to satisfy a call for cooling for the inside space; and
after the call for cooling has been satisfied, determining if the latent cooling demands have been met, and if not, operating both the heating unit and the cooling unit in their relatively constant “
on”
states. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
- on”
-
9. A method of controlling an HVAC system having a heating unit and a cooling unit, wherein the heating unit and the cooling unit are configured to selectively operate in a relatively constant “
- on”
state or an “
off”
state, the HVAC system configured to have a cooling set point temperature, the method comprising;
determining a temperature at a location within an inside space;
determining a humidity at a location within the inside space;
selecting a mode in which to operate the HVAC system from among the following operating modes depending on the determined temperature and/or humidity;
selecting an “
off”
mode if the humidity is below a predetermined humidity threshold and the temperature is below a temperature that is related to the cooling set point temperature, the “
off”
mode having the heating unit and the cooling unit both in their “
off”
states;
selecting a “
cooling”
mode if the temperature is above a temperature that is related to the cooling set point temperature, the “
cooling”
mode having the heating unit in its “
off”
state and the cooling unit in its relatively constant “
on”
state; and
selecting a “
drying”
mode if the humidity is above the predetermined humidity threshold and the temperature is below a temperature that is related to the cooling set point temperature, the “
drying”
mode having the heating unit and the cooling unit both in their relatively constant “
on”
states. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
- on”
-
12. In an HVAC system having a heating unit sized to heat an inside space under an expected heating load and a cooling unit sized to cool the inside space under an expected cooling load, the improvement comprising:
a controller adapted to determine whether the space is above a predetermined humidity threshold; and
if so, operating both the heating unit and the cooling unit.- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
-
16. A method of updating an HVAC system having a heating unit sized to heat an inside space under an expected heating load, a cooling unit sized to cool the inside space under an expected cooling load, and a controller, the method comprising:
updating the controller to determining whether the humidity in the inside space is above a predetermined humidity level; and
if so, operating both the heating unit and the cooling unit.- View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
19. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for controlling an HVAC system that services an inside space which, when executed by a controller, is capable of performing the following steps:
determining whether the humidity in the space is above a predetermined humidity level, and if so, activating both a heating unit and a cooling unit of the HVAC system. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method of controlling an HVAC system having a heating unit sized to heat an inside space under an expected heating load and a cooling unit sized to cool the inside space under an expected cooling load, the heating unit and cooling unit configured to selectively operate in a relatively constant “
- on”
state or an “
off”
state, the method comprising;
determining whether the humidity in an inside space is above a predetermined humidity threshold, and if so, operating both the heating unit and the cooling unit in their relatively constant “
on”
states.
- on”
-
22. A method of controlling an HVAC system having a heating unit sized to heat an inside space under an expected heating load and a cooling unit sized to cool the inside space under an expected cooling load, the method comprising:
determining whether the humidity in an inside space is above a predetermined humidity threshold, and if so, operating both the heating unit of the HVAC system and the cooling unit of the HVAC system.
-
23. A method of controlling an HVAC system having a heating unit and a cooling unit, the method comprising:
-
operating the cooling unit to satisfy a call for cooling for the inside space; and
after the call for cooling has been satisfied, determining if the latent cooling demands have been met, and if not, operating both the heating unit and the cooling unit.
-
Specification