METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HEALTHY HOME ZONING CONTROL CONFIGURED FOR EFFICIENT ENERGY USE AND CONSERVATION OF ENERGY RESOURCES

• US 20110238223A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FTC Solar, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pvt Solar Inc.
• Inventors: NARAYANAMURTHY, Ramachandran, Plaisted, Joshua R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/277
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2005/0064 using solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0046 using natural energy, e.g. solar energy, energy from the ground
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 10/00 Solar heat collectors using working fluids
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1924 using thermal energy, the availability of which is aleatory
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/272 Solar heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/44 Heat exchange systems

Abstract

A system provides space conditioning zone control in a building for efficient energy use and conservation of energy resources. The system includes an energy transfer module coupled to a solar thermal system to receive a first airflow and an auxiliary thermal module coupled to the energy transfer module for processing a return airflow to provide a conditioned airflow for one or more spatial zones. The system further includes a zone controller coupled directly to the auxiliary thermal module and a thermostat in each spatial zone for operating the auxiliary thermal module. Furthermore, the system includes a master control module wirelessly communicated with each thermostat and configured to operate the energy transfer module. The master control module initiates a transfer of the first airflow based upon a first setpoint before the zone controller initiates a generation and transfer of the conditioned airflow based upon a second setpoint.

Claims

1. A system for providing space conditioning zone control in a building for efficient energy use and conservation of energy resources, the system comprising multiple air flow devices including at least an HVAC system and a thermal solar air flow system, the system comprising:

an energy transfer module coupled to a solar thermal system configured on a building structure, the building structure having one or more spatial zones, the energy transfer module being configured to receive a first air flow provided from the solar thermal system;

an auxiliary thermal module coupled to the energy transfer module for processing a return airflow from the one or more spatial zones to provide a conditioned airflow, the one or more spatial zones comprising at least a first spatial zone and a second spatial zone, the conditioned airflow being at least processed with humidity, temperature, or filters;

a first thermostat device configured to the first spatial zone, the first thermostat device comprising a first wireless communication device;

a second thermostat device configured to the second spatial zone, the second thermostat device comprising a second wireless communication device;

a zone controller coupled to the auxiliary thermal module, the zone controller being coupled to the first thermostat device and the second thermostat device, the zone controller having a first set of set points provided respectively by the first thermostat device and the second thermostat device for operating the auxiliary thermal module; and

a master control module coupled to the energy transfer module and the first thermostat device via the first wireless communication device and the second thermostat device via the second wireless communication device, the master control module being decoupled and free from direct communication with the zone controller and configured to indirectly communicate to the zone controller via either the first thermostat device or the second thermostat device, the master control module having a second set of setpoints for operating the energy transfer module for transferring either the first airflow or both the first airflow and the conditioned airflow to the one or more spatial zones.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the solar thermal system comprises a combination of one or more solar thermal modules and one or more photovoltaic modules for generating thermal energy from solar energy source, and further comprises an air plenum structure for collecting the first airflow from ambient regions for carrying the thermal energy to the energy transfer module;

wherein the master controller is configured with a program module to maintain operation of the HVAC system and the thermal solar air flow system free from conflict.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary thermal module includes an air handler unit coupled with an air conditioning module and a furnace module for processing the return airflow and generating the conditioned airflow;

wherein the master controller is configured with a program module to maintain operation of the HVAC system and the thermal solar air flow system free from operating any zone in a different conditioning mode, the condition mode being a cooling mode, a heating mode, or a humidity mode.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the zone controller is configured to directly receive information associated with space conditions in the one or more spatial zones and modes of operation from the thermostat devices respectively disposed therein, and to apply the information for operating either the air conditioning module in a cooling mode or the furnace module in a heating mode to determine a temperature range of the conditioned airflow based on the first set of setpoints and operating the air handler unit to deliver the conditioned airflow.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy transfer module comprises an ETM controller, a first inlet for receiving the first airflow, a blower, one or more first outlets for the distribution of the first airflow, and a first damper disposed in each of the one or more first outlets.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the master control module couples to the ETM controller for driving the blower to adjust a flow rate of the first airflow and operating the first damper to adjust a flux of the first airflow partially through each of the one or more first outlets.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the master control module is configured to wirelessly receive information associated with a mode of operation of each thermostat device and an indoor temperature in each of the one or more spatial zones from the wireless communication device in each thermostat device disposed therein, and to communicate the information to the ETM controller for operating the blower and the first damper to deliver the first airflow based upon the second set of setpoints to the one or more spatial zones.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein each thermostat device comprises a touch-screen display for local control setting in an automatic mode configured to execute pre-programmed operation commands and a manual mode configured to allow a user to update or override the pre-programmed operation commands.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication device provided in each thermostat device comprises a wireless radio port configured for a Zigbee U-snap module for communicating with a Zigbee USB stick in the master control module.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the master control module further comprises a virtual thermostat interface linked to a data server via Internet, the virtual thermostat interface allowing users to remotely input mode settings for each thermostat device, wherein the mode settings are transferred by the master control module via a wireless transmission to each thermostat device for updating the first set of setpoints in the zone controller.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the first set of setpoints comprises at least a first cooling setpoint and a first heating setpoint per spatial zone, the second set of setpoints comprises a second cooling setpoint and a second heating setpoint per spatial zone, the second cooling setpoint being set higher than the first cooling setpoint to define a first comfort band for cooling season and the second heating setpoint being lower than the first heating setpoint to define a second comfort band for heating season, wherein an operation of the auxiliary thermal module is not initiated within the first comfort band during the cooling season and within the second comfort band during the heating season.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein master control module is configured to operate the energy transfer module in coordination with the operation of the auxiliary thermal module to provide the first airflow mixed with the conditioned airflow into the one or more spatial zones when indoor temperature in a spatial zone is higher than the second cooling setpoint above the first comfort band in the cooling season or lower than the second heating setpoint in the heating season below the second comfort band.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the first comfort band and the second comfort band are varied depending on a daily period program, a weekly schedule program, and an occupancy program of each of the one or more spatial zones.

14. A method for providing space conditioning zone control to multiple spatial zones in a home energy system for efficient energy use and conservation of energy resources, the method comprising:

providing a home energy system including an energy transfer module, a solar thermal module, and an auxiliary thermal module associated with a building having one or more spatial zones, the one or more spatial zones including at least a first spatial zone and a second spatial zone;

initiating an operation of the energy transfer module by a system controller for delivering a first airflow collected by the solar thermal module;

transferring first information using a first wireless communication device from a first thermostat device to the system controller, the first thermostat device being configured with the first spatial zone and coupled to a zone controller configured with the auxiliary thermal module;

transferring second information using a second wireless communication device from a second thermostat device to the system controller, the second thermostat device being configured with the second spatial zone and coupled to the zone controller;

operating the system controller based upon a first set of setpoints in association with the first information and the second information for controlling at least a distribution of the first airflow to the one or more spatial zones, the system controller being decoupled and substantially free from direct communication with the zone controller; and

initiating an operation of the auxiliary thermal module by the zone controller based upon a second set of setpoints for receiving a return airflow from the one or more spatial zones, processing the return airflow, and providing a conditioned airflow;

providing the conditioned airflow to merge with the first airflow into the one or more spatial zones.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first set of setpoints comprises at least a first cooling setpoint and a first heating setpoint per spatial zone, the second set of setpoints comprises a second cooling setpoint and a second heating setpoint per spatial zone, the second cooling setpoint being set higher than the first cooling setpoint to define a first comfort band for cooling season and the second heating setpoint being lower than the first heating setpoint to define a second comfort band for heating season, wherein an operation of the auxiliary thermal module is not initiated within the first comfort band during the cooling season and within the second comfort band during the heating season to be in conflict with operation of the solar thermal module.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first comfort band and the second comfort band are programmable depending on a daily period program, a weekly schedule program, and an occupancy program of each of the one or more spatial zones.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the initiating an operation of the energy transfer module comprises using the system controller to control a blower to set a flow rate for the first airflow and operate one or more air dampers to modulate the first airflow being respectively distributed to one or more first outlets.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the initiating an operation of the auxiliary thermal module comprises using the zone controller to control an air conditioning module to provide cooled airflow in cooling season and control a furnace to provide heated airflow in heating season and control an air handler unit to distribute the conditioned airflow comprising the cooled or heated airflow towards one or more second outlets respectively through air dampers, the one or more second outlets being partially coupled with each of the one or more first outlets and respectively coupled to the one or more spatial zones.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the system controller comprises a Zigbee USB stick, each of the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device comprises a Zigbee U-Snap module configured to mate with the Zigbee USB stick within a communication mode of operation set for the first thermostat device and the second thermostat device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the communication mode is set by commissioning each thermostat device with the system controller, the commissioning comprises:

powering down both the system controller and the thermostat device;

inserting the Zigbee U-snap module to the thermostat device;

inserting a battery to the thermostat device;

inserting the Zigbee USB stick to the system controller;

powering up the system controller;

forming a Zigbee network between the system controller and the thermostat device;

validating the Zigbee network;

closing the Zigbee network; and

enabling the thermostat device by using the Zigbee network from a user interface associated with the system controller;

wherein the system controller comprises a virtual thermostat interface for remotely setting temperature setpoints and modes of operation for each thermostat device based on one or more operation programs selected from a daily period program, a weekly schedule program, and/or an occupancy program of each of the one or more spatial zones, the modes of operation including heating mode, cooling mode, off mode, fan-auto mode, or fan-on mode for automatic operation or a manual mode for user override setting, the temperature setpoints and the modes of operation being transferred and updated between the system controller and each thermostat within a predetermined time period.