EFFICIENCY OPTIMIZED AIR FLOW APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20110200453A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Blower Pac, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Blower Pac, Inc.
• Inventors: Frey, Andrew Carl, Placek, Andrew Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,348,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/44.2
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/22 O2
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/38 Gas flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/006 Regulation methods for biological treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/20 using diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/10 Biological treatment of water, waste water, or sewage

Abstract

A method for controlling the motor of an air handling system to provide a desired output of flowing air therefrom while minimizing the power used by the motor, including operationally connecting a switched reluctance electric motor to a blower, operationally connecting an electronic controller to the switched reluctance electric motor, operationally connected at least one sensor to the electronic controller, measuring at least one environmental parameter with the at least one sensor, inputting the desired air flow into the electronic controller, calculating the minimum motor speed necessary to provide the desired air flow, and sending a control signal from the electronic controller to the motor to control the motor to the minimum motor speed necessary to provide the desired air flow.

Claims

1. An efficiency-optimized air handling system, comprising:

a blower;

a switched reluctance electric motor operationally connected to the blower;

an electronic controller operationally connected to the switched reluctance electric motor; and

a sensor array operationally connected to the electronic controller;

wherein the sensor array includes sensors for measuring one or more parameters from the set including air flow, dissolved oxygen, blower discharge pressure, blower discharge temperature, blower inlet pressure, ambient air relative humidity, ambient air temperature, barometric pressure, blower speed, motor voltage, and motor amperage;

wherein the electronic controller uses data from the sensor array to calculate the optimal motor speed for providing a desired air flow with minimized power consumption.

2. The system of claim 1 and wherein the sensor array includes a dissolved oxygen probe;

wherein the dissolved oxygen probe is positioned in a water treatment basin;

and wherein the blower is operationally connected to the water treatment basin for providing an air flow thereinto.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the motor is configured to provide a constant air flow.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the motor is configured to provide a variable air flow.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor calculates air flow according to the equation

6. The system of claim 5 wherein P₁ and T₁ are measured by the sensor array.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the microprocessor calculates ω

_std according to the equation

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor calculates air flow according to the equation

9. The system of claim 8 wherein P_atm and T₁ are measured by the sensor array.

10. A system for controlling the motor of an air handling system, comprising:

a switched reluctance electric motor;

a blower operationally connected to the switched reluctance electric motor;

a microprocessor operationally connected to the switched reluctance electric motor; and

a plurality of sensors connected in electric communication with the microprocessor;

wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more from the set including air flow sensors, dissolved oxygen sensors, blower discharge pressure sensors, blower discharge temperature sensors, blower inlet pressure sensors, ambient air relative humidity sensors, ambient air temperature sensors, barometric pressure sensors, blower speed sensors, motor voltage sensors, and motor amperage sensors;

wherein the microprocessor uses information from the plurality of sensors to control the motor speed to providing a desired air flow and to minimize the power drawn by the motor.

11. The system of claim 10 and wherein the plurality of sensors includes a dissolved oxygen sensor;

wherein the dissolved oxygen sensor is positioned in a water treatment basin; and

wherein the blower is operationally connected to the water treatment basin for providing an air flow thereinto.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the microprocessor calculates air flow according to the equation

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the microprocessor calculates ω

_std according to the equation

14. A method for controlling the motor of an air handling system to provide a desired output of flowing air therefrom while minimizing the power used by the motor, comprising:

a) operationally connecting a switched reluctance electric motor to a blower;

b) operationally connecting an electronic controller to the switched reluctance electric motor;

c) operationally connected at least one sensor to the electronic controller;

d) measuring at least one environmental parameter with the at least one sensor;

e) inputting the desired air flow into the electronic controller;

f) calculating the minimum motor speed necessary to provide the desired air flow; and

g) sending a control signal from the electronic controller to the motor to control the motor to the minimum motor speed necessary to provide the desired air flow.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one sensor includes a blower inlet temperature sensor and an atmospheric pressure sensor.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one sensor includes a blower outlet air flow sensor and further comprising h) adjusting the motor speed in response to the blower outlet air flow.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the blower outlet air flow is measured by an air flow sensor.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the microprocessor calculates air flow according to the equation

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the microprocessor calculates ω

_std according to the equation

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one sensor includes a dissolved oxygen sensor positioned in a waste water treatment basin, and wherein the blower is operationally connected to provide air flow into the waste water treatment basin.