Twinning of air conditioning units

• US 20090044552A1
• Filed: 08/15/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: American Standard Companies Incorporated (Ideal Standard International Topco SCA)
• Inventors: Hugghins, Gordon Jeffrey, Boydstun, Roger L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,091,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/175
• 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 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators

Abstract

Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment units are provided with controllers which may be interconnected to a third or common controller, such as a communicating thermostat, and provide information in a process to determine if two or more of such air conditioning units may be operated as twinned units. Information is transmitted over a data bus between the controllers for the respective air conditioning units and the common controller to determine if the air conditioning units are the same type, of a same family and of essentially the same capacity before permitting twinned operation. If one of the air conditioning units is not twinnable, an alarm signal is generated to prevent operation of the air conditioning units in a multiple-unit configuration.

Claims

1. In an air conditioning system including a first air conditioning unit and a second air conditioning unit which have been interconnected as twinned units, each of said air conditioning units including a controller including a processor connected to a further controller including a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in an enclosed space to be serviced by said air conditioning units, said further controller receiving signals from respective ones of said controllers of said air conditioning units, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving signals by said further controller from said controllers of said air conditioning units identifying if either of said air conditioning units may be twinned with another air conditioning unit;

generating an alarm signal if either one of said air conditioning units is not twinnable; and

comparing selected parameters of said air conditioning units if said air conditioning units are twinnable to determine if said air conditioning units may be operated as twinned units.

2. The method set forth in claim 1, including the step of:

determining if said air conditioning units are of the same type.

3. The method set forth in claim 2, including the step of:

determining if said air conditioning units have a common identifier indicating if said air conditioning units are of the same or a similar model family.

4. The method set forth in claim 3, including the step of:

determining if said air conditioning units are of a similar heat exchange capacity.

5. The method set forth in claim 1, including the step of:

providing information regarding specifications of said air conditioning units to said controllers of said air conditioning units by information modules connected to said controllers of said air conditioning units, respectively.

6. The method set forth in claim 1, including the step of:

transmitting a stop operation alarm signal to at least one of said controllers if said air conditioning units cannot be twinned.

7. The method set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said stop operation signal is transmitted to a user interface operably associated with at least one of said controllers of said air conditioning units for display of a signal indicating that twinning is not possible.

8. The method set forth in claim 1, including the step of:

providing information between said controllers for said air conditioning units and said further controller over a data bus.

9. The method set forth in claim 8, including the step of:

providing a further interface operably connected to said data bus.

10. In an air conditioning system including a first air conditioning unit and a second air conditioning unit which have been interconnected as twinned units, each of said air conditioning units including a controller including a processor connected to a further controller including a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in an enclosed space to be serviced by said air conditioning units, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting said controllers to a common data bus;

determining if either of said air conditioning units may be twinned with another air conditioning unit; and

comparing selected parameters of said air conditioning units if said air conditioning units are twinnable to determine if said air conditioning units may be operated as twinned units.

11. The method set forth in claim 10, including the step of:

determining if said air conditioning units are of the same type.

12. The method set forth in claim 11, including the step of:

determining if said air conditioning units have a common identifier indicating if said air conditioning units are of the same or a similar model family.

13. The method set forth in claim 12, including the step of:

determining if said air conditioning units are of a similar heat exchange capacity.

14. The method set forth in claim 10, including the step of:

providing information regarding said parameters of said air conditioning units to said controllers of said air conditioning units by information modules connected to said controllers of said air conditioning units, respectively.

15. The method set forth in claim 10, including the step of:

generating a stop operation alarm signal if any one of said air conditioning units cannot be twinned.

16. The method set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said stop operation signal is transmitted to a user interface operably associated with said controllers for each of said air conditioning units for display of a signal indicating that twinning is not possible.

17. The method set forth in claim 10, including the step of:

generating an alarm signal if any one of said air conditioning units is not twinnable.

18. In an air conditioning system including a first air conditioning unit and a second air conditioning unit which have been interconnected as twinned units, each of said air conditioning units including a controller, including a processor connected by a common data bus to a further controller including a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in an enclosed space to be serviced by said air conditioning units, each of said controllers of said air conditioning units being connected to an information module transmitting certain parameter information to said controllers of said air conditioning units, respectively, the method comprising the steps of:

determining if said air conditioning units may be twinned with another air conditioning unit;

determining if said air conditioning units are of the same type;

determining if said air conditioning units have a common identifier indicating if said air conditioning units are of the same or a similar model family;

determining if said air conditioning units are of a similar heat exchange capacity; and

causing said air conditioning units to operate as twinned units in response to a signal from said further controller.

19. The method set forth in claim 18, including the step of:

generating an alarm signal if either one of said air conditioning units is not twinnable.