SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HEAT PUMP ORIENTED ZONE CONTROL

• US 20100314458A1
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Barton, Ken, Molica, Bill, Ramunni, Joseph, Votaw, Mark, Laughlin, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 8,621,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/1B
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1039 the system uses a heat pump
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/11 Geothermal energy
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/001 in which the air treatment in the central station takes place by means of a heat-pump or by means of a reversible cycle reversible cycle for humidifying and drying air F24F3/147
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/40 Geothermal heat-pumps

Abstract

A system and method to control environmental parameters of pre-defined zones within an environment using an electronic controller. An electronic controller monitors a loop temperature of a loop field of a geo-thermal heat pump as detected by a temperature sensor connected to the loop field. The electronic controller selects a staging combination of the geo-thermal heat pump and an auxiliary HVAC equipment based on at least the loop temperature. The electronic controller activates the selected staging combination, to modify at least a portion of the environmental parameters, using non-proprietary activating signals provided by the electronic controller.

Claims

1. A method to control environmental parameters of pre-defined zones within a first environment using an electronic controller, said method comprising:

said electronic controller monitoring a loop temperature of a loop field of a geo-thermal heat pump detected by a temperature sensor operatively connected to said loop field;

said electronic controller selecting a staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and an auxiliary HVAC equipment based on at least said loop temperature; and

said electronic controller activating said selected staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment, to modify at least a portion of said environmental parameters, using non-proprietary activating signals provided by said electronic controller.

2. The method of claim 1, where each of said pre-defined zones has an associated duct work capacity, and where said electronic controller stores a weighting value for each of said pre-defined zones representative of said associated duct work capacity of each of said pre-defined zones, said method further comprising:

said electronic controller detecting any zone service calls from sensor devices associated with each of said pre-defined zones;

said electronic controller transforming said detected zone service calls and said weighting value of each of said pre-defined zones associated with said detected zone service calls into a cumulative zone weighting value representative of a cumulative duct work capacity of said pre-defined zones associated with said detected zone service calls;

said electronic controller selecting an air handler stage from at least two air handler stages of an air handler in response to at least said cumulative zone weighting value; and

said electronic controller activating said selected air handler stage.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising said electronic controller activating at least one duct work air damper device of said pre-defined zones associated with said detected zone service calls.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary HVAC equipment includes one of a gas furnace, a propane heater, an oil furnace, a resistive heating strip, an air conditioning unit, a humidifier, and a de-humidifier.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising said electronic controller selecting said staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on a change (Δ

T) in a leaving air temperature (LAT) of an air handler.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising said electronic controller selecting said staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on an outside air temperature (OAT) of a second environment which is external to said first environment.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising said electronic controller selecting said staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on said cumulative zone weighting value.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising said electronic controller selecting said staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on a time-out signal derived from a clock of said electronic controller.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said environmental parameters include at least one of temperature, humidity, and air flow.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein said sensor devices associated with each of said pre-defined zones includes at least one of a thermostat, a humidistat, and a de-humidistat.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein said zone service calls include any of a heating call, a cooling call, a humidification call, a de-humidification call, and a fan-only call.

12. A forced air system to control environmental parameters of pre-defined zones within a first environment, said system comprising:

an air handler providing at least two air handler stages;

a geo-thermal heat pump having a loop field and being operatively connected to said air handler;

an auxiliary HVAC equipment being operatively connected to said air handler; and

an electronic controller being operationally connected to said air handler, said geo-thermal heat pump, and said auxiliary HVAC equipment, wherein said electronic controller is configured for;

(1) monitoring a loop temperature of said loop field of said geo-thermal heat pump detected by a temperature sensor operatively connected to said loop field;

(2) selecting a staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based on at least said loop temperature; and

(3) activating said selected staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment, to modify at least a portion of said environmental parameters, using non-proprietary activating signals provided by said electronic controller.

13. The system of claim 12, where each of said pre-defined zones has an associated duct work capacity, and where a weighting value is assigned for each of said pre-defined zones representative of said associated duct work capacity of each of said pre-defined zones, and wherein said electronic controller is further configured for:

(4) detecting any zone service calls from sensor devices associated with each of said pre-defined zones;

(5) transforming said detected zone service calls and said weighting value of each of said pre-defined zones associated with said detected zone service calls into a cumulative zone weighting value representative of a cumulative duct work capacity of said pre-defined zones associated with said detected zone service calls;

(6) selecting an air handler stage from said at least two air handler stages in response to at least said cumulative zone weighting value; and

(7) activating said selected air handler stage.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one duct work air damper device associated with each of said pre-defined zones, wherein said electronic controller is further configured for activating said at least one duct work air damper device of said pre-defined zones associated with said detected zone service calls.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said auxiliary HVAC equipment includes one of a gas furnace, a propane heater, an oil furnace, a resistive heating strip, an air conditioning unit, a humidifier, and a de-humidifier.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein said electronic controller is further configured for selecting said staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on a change (Δ

T) in a leaving air temperature (LAT) of said air handler.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein said electronic controller is further configured for selecting said staging combination of said a geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on an outside air temperature (OAT) of a second environment which is external to said first environment.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said electronic controller is further configured for selecting said staging combination of said a geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on said cumulative zone weighting value.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein said electronic controller is further configured for selecting said staging combination of said a geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on a time-out signal derived from a clock of said electronic controller.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein said environmental parameters include at least one of temperature, humidity, and air flow.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein said sensor devices associated with each of said pre-defined zones includes at least one of a thermostat, a humidistat, and a de-humidistat.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein said zone service calls include any of a heating call, a cooling call, a humidification call, a de-humidification call, and a fan-only call.

23. An electronic controller for use in a forced air system to control environmental parameters of pre-defined zones within a first environment, said electronic controller comprising:

a programmable microprocessor;

sensor inputs; and

at least one programmable dry contact relay providing interaction with HVAC systems, wherein said electronic controller is configured for;

(1) monitoring a loop temperature of a loop field of a geo-thermal heat pump detected by a temperature sensor operatively connected to said loop field;

(2) selecting a staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and an auxiliary HVAC equipment based on at least said loop temperature; and

(3) activating said selected staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment, to modify at least a portion of said environmental parameters, using non-proprietary activating signals provided by said electronic controller.

24. The electronic controller of claim 23, where each of said pre-defined zones has an associated duct work capacity, and where a weighting value is assigned and stored on said electronic controller for each of the pre-defined zones representative of said associated duct work capacity of each of said pre-defined zones, and wherein said electronic controller is further configured for:

(4) detecting any zone service calls from sensor devices associated with each of said pre-defined zones;

(5) transforming said detected zone service calls and said weighting value of each of said pre-defined zones associated with said detected zone service calls into a cumulative zone weighting value representative of a cumulative duct work capacity of said pre-defined zones associated with said detected zone service calls;

(6) selecting an air handler stage from at least two air handler stages of an air handler in response to at least said cumulative zone weighting value; and

(7) activating said selected air handler stage.

25. The electronic controller of claim 24 wherein said electronic controller is further configured for activating at least one duct work air damper device of said pre-defined zones associated with said detected zone service calls.

26. The electronic controller of claim 23 further comprising a real-time clock providing for the logging of data and time duration monitoring;

27. The electronic controller of claim 23 further comprising at least one programmable dry contact relay providing interaction with a non-HVAC system.

28. The electronic controller of claim 23 further comprising a USB port interface providing flash drive reading/writing capability.

29. The electronic controller of claim 23 wherein said auxiliary HVAC equipment includes one of a gas furnace, a propane heater, an oil furnace, a resistive heating strip, an air conditioning unit, a humidifier, and a de-humidifier.

30. The electronic controller of claim 23 wherein said electronic controller is further configured for selecting said staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on a change (Δ

T) in a leaving air temperature (LAT) of an air handler.

31. The electronic controller of claim 23 wherein said electronic controller is further configured for selecting said staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on an outside air temperature (OAT) of a second environment which is external to said first environment.

32. The electronic controller of claim 24 wherein said electronic controller is further configured for selecting said staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on said cumulative zone weighting value.

33. The electronic controller of claim 23 wherein said electronic controller is further configured for selecting said staging combination of said geo-thermal heat pump and said auxiliary HVAC equipment based further on a time-out signal derived from a clock of said electronic controller.

34. The electronic controller of claim 23 wherein said environmental parameters include at least one of temperature, humidity, and air flow.

35. The electronic controller of claim 24 wherein said sensor devices associated with each of said pre-defined zones includes at least one of a thermostat, a humidistat, and a de-humidistat.

36. The electronic controller of claim 24 wherein said zone service calls include any of a heating call, a cooling call, a humidification call, a de-humidification call, and a fan-only call.