FAN CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20100114379A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Original Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Inventors: Sato, Toshiaki, Doumae, Hiroshi, Kagimura, Sumio
• Granted Patent: US 8,348,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/004 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/38 Fan details of outdoor units, e.g. bell-mouth shaped inlets or fan mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/68 Arrangement of multiple separate outdoor units
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A fan control system includes first and second adjacent fans, first and second motors configured to rotate the first and second fans, and a control unit configured to control rotational speeds of the first and second motors in order to control rotational speeds of the first and second fans. The first and second motors are energized such that the rotational speeds of the first and second fans reach target rotational speeds prior to increasing the rotational speeds of the first and second fans to required rotational speeds. The target rotational speeds are lower than the required rotational speeds. The first and second motors are energized such that the rotational speeds of the first and second fans reach the required rotational speeds after the rotational speeds of the first and second fans reach the target rotational speeds.

Claims

1. A fan control system, comprising:

a first fan;

a second fan, which is adjacent to the first fan;

a first motor configured to rotate, which rotates the first fan;

a second motor configured to rotate, which rotates the second fan; and

a control unit configured to control rotational speeds of the first and second motors in order to control rotational speeds of the first and second fans, the control unit being further configured

to energize the first and second motors such that the rotational speeds of the first and second fans reach target rotational speeds prior to increasing the rotational speeds of the first and second fans to required rotational speeds, the target rotational speeds of the first and second fans being lower than those of the required rotational speeds of the first and second fans, and

to energize the first and second motors such that the rotational speeds of the first and second fans reach the required rotational speeds after the rotational speeds of the first and second fans reach the target rotational speeds.

2. A fan control system according to claim 1, wherein

the required rotational speeds of the first and second fans are different values.

3. A fan control system according to claim 1, wherein

the target rotational speeds of the first and second fans are different values.

4. A fan control system according claim 1, wherein

the target rotational speeds of the first and second fans have a plurality of steps.

5. A fan control system according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, the rotational speed of the first fan when the second fan starts to rotate in reverse owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting rotational speed;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting rotational speed and to energize the first motor such that the target rotational speed of the first motor is lower than the limiting rotational speed.

6. A fan control system according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, the rotational speed of the first fan when the second fan no longer accelerates owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting rotational speed;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting rotational speed and to energize energizes the first motor such that the target rotational speed of the first motor is lower than the limiting rotational speed.

7. A fan control system according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is accelerated, an amount of the acceleration of the first fan when the second fan starts to rotate in reverse owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting acceleration;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting acceleration and, when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, to energize the first motor such that acceleration of the first motor is lower than of the limiting acceleration.

8. A fan control system according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is accelerated, an amount of the acceleration of the first fan when the second fan no longer accelerates owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting acceleration;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting acceleration and, when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, to energize the first motor such that the value of the acceleration of the first motor is lower than the limiting acceleration.

9. A fan control system according to claim 1, wherein

inverters control the rotational speeds of the first and second motors.

10. A fan control system according to claim 2, wherein the target rotational speeds of the first and second fans are different values.

11. A fan control system according to claim 10, wherein the target rotational speeds of the first and second fans have a plurality of steps.

12. A fan control system according to claim 3, wherein the target rotational speeds of the first and second fans have a plurality of steps.

13. A fan control system according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, the rotational speed of the first fan when the second fan starts to rotate in reverse owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting rotational speed;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting rotational speed and to energize the first motor such that the target rotational speed of the first motor is lower than the limiting rotational speed.

14. A fan control system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, the rotational speed of the first fan when the second fan no longer accelerates owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting rotational speed;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting rotational speed and to energize the first motor such that the target rotational speed of the first motor is lower than the limiting rotational speed.

15. A fan control system according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is accelerated, an amount of acceleration of the first fan when the second fan starts to rotate in reverse owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting acceleration;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting acceleration and, when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, to energize the first motor such that acceleration of the first motor is lower than the limiting acceleration.

16. A fan control system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is accelerated, an amount of acceleration of the first fan when the second fan no longer accelerates owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting acceleration;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting acceleration and, when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, to energize the first motor such that the acceleration of the first motor is lower than the limiting acceleration.

17. A fan control system according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, the rotational speed of the first fan when the second fan starts to rotate in reverse owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting rotational speed;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting rotational speed and to energize the first motor such that the target rotational speed of the first motor is lower than the limiting rotational speed.

18. A fan control system according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, the rotational speed of the first fan when the second fan no longer accelerates owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting rotational speed;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting rotational speed and to energize the first motor such that the target rotational speed of the first motor is lower than the limiting rotational speed.

19. A fan control system according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is accelerated, an amount of acceleration of the first fan when the second fan starts to rotate in reverse owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting acceleration;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting acceleration and, when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, to energize the first motor such that acceleration of the first motor is lower than the limiting acceleration.

20. A fan control system according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit is further configured such that when the rotational speed of the first fan is accelerated, an amount of acceleration of the first fan when the second fan no longer accelerates owing to dynamic pressure on a suction side of the first fan is set as a limiting acceleration;

and

the control unit is further configured to prestore the limiting acceleration and, when the rotational speed of the first fan is increased, to energize the first motor such that the acceleration of the first motor is lower than the limiting acceleration.