VAPOR MITIGATION SYSTEM, VAPOR MITIGATION CONTROLLER AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING VAPORS

• US 20120328378A1
• Filed: 06/21/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vapor Dynamics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Vapor Dynamics, LLC
• Inventors: Salcone, Michael D., Hatton, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,939,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 406/12
• 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 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2007/001 with exhausting air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2007/004 Natural ventilation using convection
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/66 Volatile organic compounds [VOC]
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/68 Radon
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/003 in combination with air cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/06 with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 454/909 Radon prevention

Abstract

A vapor mitigation system includes at least one vacuum pipe constructed and arranged to collect vapors beneath the floor of a building and to vent the vapors and a blower coupled to the at least one vacuum pipe. The blower is constructed and arranged to create a vacuum under the floor of the building. The vapor mitigation system further includes a controller configured to dynamically control a level of power supplied to the blower. The controller adjusts the level of power supplied to the blower in response to one or more environmental measurements.

Claims

1. A vapor mitigation system, comprising:

at least one vacuum pipe constructed and arranged to collect vapors beneath a floor of a building and to vent the vapors;

a blower coupled to the at least one vacuum pipe, the blower constructed and arranged to create a vacuum under the floor of the building; and

a controller configured to dynamically control a level of power supplied to the blower, wherein the controller adjusts the level of power supplied to the blower in response to one or more environmental measurements.

2. The vapor mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more environmental measurements are selected from the group consisting of:

ambient temperature, building interior temperature, building exterior temperature, building sub-slab or floor temperature, building interior air pressure, building exterior air pressure, barometric pressure, a level of vacuum created under the floor of the building, contaminant detection and blower mass air flow.

3. The vapor mitigation system of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum sensor, wherein the vacuum sensor is constructed and arranged to determine a level of vacuum created under the floor of the building.

4. The vapor mitigation system of claim 3, wherein the controller adjusts the level of power supplied to the blower in response to the level of vacuum.

5. The vapor mitigation system of claim 4, wherein the controller increases the level of power supplied to the blower when the level of vacuum is less than a predetermined level.

6. The vapor mitigation system of claim 4, wherein the controller decreases the level of power supplied to the blower when the level of vacuum is greater than a predetermined level.

7. The vapor mitigation system of claims 5 and 6, wherein the predetermined level corresponds to regulatory discharge standards for residential structures or commercial buildings.

8. The vapor mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts the level of power supplied to the blower so that the vacuum created under the floor of the building remains substantially constant.

9. The vapor mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the level of power supplied to the blower so that the vacuum created under the floor of the building is maintained at a predetermined level.

10. The vapor mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust one or more parameters of an HVAC system.

11. The vapor mitigation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

HVAC supply air pressure, ratio of building return air to fresh air input.

12. The vapor mitigation system of claim 1 further comprising a monitoring system, wherein the monitoring system is configured to transmit a status of the vapor mitigation system to one or more host machines via the Internet.

13. The vapor mitigation system of claim 12, wherein the monitoring system is configured to receive system configuration parameters from a host machine via the Internet.

14. The vapor mitigation system of claim 1 further comprising:

a fresh air intake pipe constructed and arranged to allow dilution air to flow into an area beneath the floor of the building,

wherein the controller is configured to increase a level of power supplied to the blower in response to an increase in contaminant concentration beneath the floor of the building.

15. The vapor mitigation system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a volume of dilution air drawn into the area beneath the floor of the building.

16. A method of mitigating vapors, comprising:

generating an air flow within a passage so as to create a vacuum beneath a floor of a building;

venting the air flow to an exterior of the building; and

dynamically adjusting a level of the air flow in response to one or more environmental measurements.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more environmental measurements are selected from the group consisting of:

ambient temperature, building interior temperature, building exterior temperature, building sub-slab or floor temperature, building interior air pressure, building exterior air pressure, a level of vacuum created under the floor of the building, contaminant detection and blower mass air flow.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the level of air flow is dynamically adjusted so that the vacuum created beneath the floor of the building remains substantially constant.