HVAC DESIGN AND SELECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140121842A1
• Filed: 10/29/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mestek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mestek Incorporated
• Inventors: NODSON, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US14/065,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20140121842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/58 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode

Abstract

An HVAC design and selection system includes a control unit, a database in communication with the control unit and configured to store specifications and performance characteristics for a plurality of air terminal devices available for selection, and a user input terminal in communication with the control unit for allowing a user to enter at least one user input. The control unit is configured to select one or more air terminal devices in dependence upon the at least one user input.

Claims

1. An HVAC design and selection system, comprising:

a control unit;

a database in communication with said control unit and configured to store specifications and performance characteristics for a plurality of air terminal devices available for selection; and

a user input terminal in communication with said control unit for allowing a user to enter at least one user input;

wherein said control unit is configured to select one or more air terminal devices in dependence upon said at least one user input.

2. The HVAC design and selection system of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one user input includes at least one target performance parameter.

3. The HVAC design and selection system of claim 2, wherein:

said at least one target performance parameter is a target heating/cooling capacity.

4. The HVAC design and selection system of claim 3, wherein:

said at least one target performance parameter is a target noise threshold.

5. The HVAC design and selection system of claim 3, wherein:

said at least one user input includes a building parameter including dimensions of a space to be conditioned.

6. The HVAC design and selection system of claim 5, wherein:

said at least one user input includes a global parameter value.

7. The HVAC design and selection system of claim 6, wherein:

said global parameter value is a temperature of supply water for use by at least one of said air terminal devices.

8. The HVAC design and selection system of claim 1, wherein:

said control unit is configured to select said one or more air terminal devices in order to maximize economic efficiency.

9. The HVAC design and selection system of claim 3, wherein:

said control unit is configured to select said one or more air terminal devices, including a type of air terminal device and specifications of said air terminal device, and operating conditions including one or more of primary air flow rate, primary water flow rate, and target air side pressure drop or nozzle configuration in dependence upon said at least one user input.

11. An HVAC air terminal device selection method, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting at least one parameter into an auto-selection system;

communicating said at least one parameter to a selection optimization processor; and

selecting at least one air terminal device in dependence upon said at least one parameter.

12. The HVAC air terminal device selection method according to claim 11, wherein:

said at least one parameter includes at least one of a target heating/cooling capacity and a noise threshold value.

13. The HVAC air terminal device selection method according to claim 12, wherein:

said at least one parameter includes the dimensions of a space to be conditioned.

14. The HVAC air terminal device selection method according to claim 11, wherein:

said step of selecting at least one air terminal device includes selecting a type of air terminal device and specifications of said air terminal device.

15. The HVAC air terminal device selection method according to claim 14, wherein:

said step of selecting at least one air terminal device includes selecting operating conditions including one or more of primary air flow rate, primary water flow rate, target air side pressure drop and nozzle configuration.

16. The HVAC air terminal device selection method according to claim 14, wherein:

said air terminal device is a chilled beam; and

selecting said specifications of said chilled beam include selecting a length of said chilled beam.

17. The HVAC air terminal device selection method according to claim 13, wherein:

said at least one parameter includes a global parameter including a temperature of supply water for use by said at least one air terminal device.

18. The HVAC air terminal device selection method according to claim 13, wherein:

said step of inputting at least one parameter includes scanning or uploading architectural drawings of said space to be conditioned.

19. A system for automatically selecting a plurality of air terminal devices for use in an HVAC system, said system comprising:

an input terminal; and

an auto-selection unit in communication with said input terminal, said auto-selection unit being configured to automatically select said plurality air terminal devices in dependence upon at least one parameter value received from said input terminal.

10. The HVAC design and selection system of claim 19, wherein:

said air terminal device is a chilled beam; and

said specifications of said air terminal device include a length of said chilled beam.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

said at least one parameter value includes at least one of a target heating/cooling capacity and a noise threshold value.