Method and apparatus for control of cooling system air quality and energy consumption
First Claim
1. A retrofit control system for controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system operable in heating, ventilation, deadband, and part load cooling modes to control supply air speed during operation of said air conditioning system to reduce energy consumption, and provide humidity and CO2 air quality control, said control system comprising:
- (a) a suction pressure/temperature sensor located on a suction refrigerant line exiting a direct expansion cooling coil;
(b) a control mode input relay digital input circuit;
(c) a power output circuit for controlling the speed of said fan motor in accordance with a control mode input signal;
(d) a CO2 analog sensor in either the conditioned space or in the return air stream;
(e) a heating operation and cooling operation selection circuit operably connected to said power output circuit and input relay circuit and suction pressure/temperature sensor for varying the air flow in each of the cooling, heating, ventilation and deadband modes, controlling refrigerant suction pressure, and modulating the ventilation rate as required to maintain a maximum of 1000 ppm of CO2. and a preset coil discharge air dewpoint temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy saving air quality control system modulates supply fan speed by use of controlled, variable-frequency drive controls for automatic dampers or suction pressure to maintain adequate air flow across the evaporator coil at partial cooling loads. Indexing the fan speed to maintain the suction pressure of the energized coil controls the maximum relative humidity of the conditioned space. Demand ventilation in the system balances air quality and energy consumption by controlling the outdoor air damper in response to indoor CO2 and humidity levels. The control system variously either (1) produces a variable 0-10 VDC output signal to modulate the outside ventilation air damper as required to keep the CO2 and humidity concentration below a set point; (2) produces a 0 or 24 VAC signal to either open or close a two-position outside air damper for as long a time period as is required in order to keep the CO2 concentration and humidity below a set point; or (3) allows manually setting the outside air damper to provide proper ventilation air at maximum occupancy and maximum air flow and modulates the supply fan speed as required to keep the CO2 concentration and humidity level as measured by a CO2 monitor and leaving air dewpoint temperature below set point.
110 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A retrofit control system for controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system operable in heating, ventilation, deadband, and part load cooling modes to control supply air speed during operation of said air conditioning system to reduce energy consumption, and provide humidity and CO2 air quality control, said control system comprising:
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(a) a suction pressure/temperature sensor located on a suction refrigerant line exiting a direct expansion cooling coil; (b) a control mode input relay digital input circuit; (c) a power output circuit for controlling the speed of said fan motor in accordance with a control mode input signal; (d) a CO2 analog sensor in either the conditioned space or in the return air stream; (e) a heating operation and cooling operation selection circuit operably connected to said power output circuit and input relay circuit and suction pressure/temperature sensor for varying the air flow in each of the cooling, heating, ventilation and deadband modes, controlling refrigerant suction pressure, and modulating the ventilation rate as required to maintain a maximum of 1000 ppm of CO2. and a preset coil discharge air dewpoint temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system operable in heating, ventilation, deadband, and part load cooling modes, respectively, to control supply air fan speed during operation of said air conditioning system to reduce energy consumption, and provide humidity and CO2 air quality control, said method comprising:
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(a) employing a suction pressure/temperature sensor analog input circuit located on a suction refrigerant line exiting a direct expansion cooling coil; (b) employing a control mode input relay digital input circuit; (c) employing a power output circuit for controlling the speed of said motor as a function of said output signal to vary the speed of said motor in accordance with a control mode input signal; (d) employing a CO2 analog sensor in either the conditioned space or in the return air stream; and (e) employing a heating operation and cooling operation selection circuit operably connected to said power output circuit and said input relay circuit and suction pressure/temperature sensor for varying the air flow in each of the cooling, heating, ventilation and deadband modes, controlling refrigerant suction pressure, and modulating the ventilation rate as required to maintain a maximum of 1000 ppm of CO2 and a set coil discharge air dewpoint temperature. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A process of controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system for a space wherein fan speed is indexed to maintain a preset maximum relative humidity level in the space.
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13. A process of controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system for space wherein fan speed is controlled to vary air flow in heating, ventilation, deadband, and part load cooling modes such that energy consumption is reduced.
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14. A process of controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system for a space wherein fan speed is indexed to maintain a preset maximum CO2 level in the space such that CO2 air quality is maintained at a preset maximum value of CO2 concentration.
- 15. A process of controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system for space wherein fan speed is indexed to maintain a preset maximum relative humidity level in the space such that energy consumption is reduced and maximum CO2 levels and relative humidity are maintained.
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22. A method of controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system operable in ventilation, deadband, and part load cooling modes, respectively, to control supply air fan speed during operation of said air conditioning system, said method comprising:
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(a) sensing suction pressure or temperature on a suction refrigerant line exiting a direct expansion cooling coil; (b) inputting said pressure or temperature data into a control mode input relay digital input circuit; (c) controlling the speed of said motor through a power output circuit to vary the speed of said motor in accordance with a control mode input signal; (d) employing a CO2 analog sensor in either the conditioned space or in the return air stream; and (e) employing a cooling operation selection circuit operably connected to said power output circuit, said input relay circuit, and said suction pressure/temperature sensor for varying the air flow in each of the cooling, ventilation, and deadband modes, controlling refrigerant suction pressure, and modulating the ventilation rate, as required to maintain a maximum set concentration of CO2 and a set coil discharge air dewpoint temperature. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A process of controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system for a space wherein fan speed is indexed to maintain a preset maximum relative humidity level in the space.
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28. A process of controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system for space wherein fan speed is controlled to vary air flow in heating, ventilation, deadband, and part load cooling modes such that energy consumption is reduced.
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29. A process of controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system for space wherein fan speed is indexed to maintain a preset maximum relative CO2 level in the space such that CO2 air quality is maintained at a maximum CO2 concentration.
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30. A retrofit control system for controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system operable in heating, ventilation, deadband, and part load cooling modes to control supply air speed during operation of said air conditioning system to reduce energy consumption, and provide humidity and CO2 air quality control, said control system comprising:
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(a) a suction pressure/temperature sensor located on a suction refrigerant line exiting a direct expansion cooling coil; (b) a control mode input relay digital input circuit; (c) a power output circuit for controlling the speed of said fan motor in accordance with a control mode input signal; (d) a CO2 analog sensor in either the conditioned space or in the return air stream; (e) a heating operation and cooling operation selection circuit operably connected to said power output circuit and input relay circuit and suction pressure/temperature sensor for varying the air flow in each of the cooling, heating, ventilation and deadband modes, controlling refrigerant suction pressure, and modulating the ventilation rate as required to maintain a maximum of 1000 ppm of CO2 and a preset coil discharge air dewpoint temperature; and (f) preprogramming to match the retrofit control system with a specific brand and model of air conditioning system based on the cooling and heating capability of said system; wherein said heating operation and cooling operation selection circuit produces a variable 0-10 VDC output signal to modulate the ventilation air damper as required to keep the CO2 concentration as measured by a CO2 monitor below set point, and the speed of the supply fan is slowly accelerated.
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31. A retrofit control system for controlling the speed of a fan motor for a forced air flow air conditioning system operable in heating, ventilation, deadband, and part load cooling modes to control supply air speed during operation of said air conditioning system to reduce energy consumption, and provide humidity and CO2 air quality control, said control system comprising:
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(a) a suction pressure/temperature sensor located on a suction refrigerant line exiting a direct expansion cooling coil; (b) a control mode input relay digital input circuit; (c) a power output circuit for controlling the speed of said fan motor in accordance with a control mode input signal; (d) a CO2 analog sensor in either the conditioned space or in the return air stream; (e) a heating operation and cooling operation selection circuit operably connected to said power output circuit and input relay circuit and suction pressure/temperature sensor for varying the air flow in each of the cooling, heating, ventilation and deadband modes, controlling refrigerant suction pressure, and modulating the ventilation rate as required to maintain a maximum of 1000 ppm of CO2 and a preset coil discharge air dewpoint temperature; and (f) preprogramming to match the retrofit control system with a specific brand and model of air conditioning system based on the cooling and heating capacity of said system; wherein the outside air damper is manually set to provide proper ventilation air at maximum occupancy and maximum air flow and modulates the supply fan speed as required to keep the CO2 concentration, as measured by a CO2 monitor, below set point, and the speed of the supply fan is slowly accelerated.
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Specification