Temperature Control System

• US 20150021005A1
• Filed: 07/22/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Land, Joseph George III
• Granted Patent: US 10,330,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/214
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1084 for air heating systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/042 Temperature sensors
• 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 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/044 Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/14 by humidification; by dehumidification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control

Abstract

An HVAC system controller has at least one processor configured to monitor at least one of a first humidity and a first temperature of a first air volume sensed by a first sensor and at least one of a second humidity and a second temperature of a second air volume sensed by a second sensor, configured to calculate an environmental metric, and configured to determine whether mixing the first air volume with the second air volume can cause the environmental metric to conform to a first threshold requirement.

Claims

1. A system controller, comprising:

at least one processor configured to monitor (1) at least one of a first humidity and a first temperature of a first air volume sensed by a first sensor and (2) at least one of a second humidity and a second temperature of a second air volume sensed by a second sensor, configured to calculate an environmental metric, and configured to determine whether mixing the first air volume with the second air volume can cause the environmental metric to conform to a first threshold requirement.

2. The system controller of claim 1, wherein the environmental metric comprises at least one of (1) an average of the first temperature and the second temperature, (2) an average of the first humidity and the second humidity, and (3) a calculated enthalpy.

3. The system controller of claim 1, wherein a first weighting factor is associated with the first sensor and wherein a second weighting factor is associated with the second sensor.

4. The system controller of claim 1, wherein the first threshold requirement is associated with the first sensor and wherein a second threshold requirement is associated with the second sensor.

5. The system controller of claim 1, wherein a first weighting factor is associated with the first sensor, wherein a second weighting factor is associated with the second sensor, wherein the first threshold requirement is associated with the first sensor, and wherein a second threshold requirement is associated with the second sensor.

6. The system controller of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether at least one of (1) the average of the first humidity and the second humidity, (2) the average of the first temperature and the second temperature, and (3) the calculated enthalpy conform to the first threshold requirement during a first time period, and wherein the processor is configured to determine whether at least one of (1) the average of the first humidity and the second humidity, (2) the average of the first temperature and the second temperature, and (3) the calculated enthalpy conform to a second threshold requirement during a second time period.

7. The system controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to (1) associate a first weighting factor with the first sensor and a second weighting factor with the second sensor during a first time period and (2) associate a first alternate weighting factor with the first sensor and a second alternate weighting factor with the second sensor during a second time period.

8. An HVAC system, comprising:

a system controller;

a first sensor configured to sense at least one of a first humidity of a first air volume and a first temperature of the first air volume; and

a second sensor configured to sense at least one of a second humidity of a second air volume and a second temperature of the second air volume;

wherein the system controller is configured to monitor at least one of a first humidity and a first temperature of a first air volume sensed by the first sensor and at least one of a second humidity and a second temperature of a second air volume sensed by the second sensor, calculate an environmental metric, and determine whether mixing the first air volume and the second air volume can cause the environmental metric to conform to a first threshold requirement.

9. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein the environmental metric comprises at least one of (1) an average of the first temperature and the second temperature, (2) an average of the first humidity and the second humidity, and (3) a calculated enthalpy.

10. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein a first weighting factor is associated with the first sensor, and wherein a second weighting factor is associated with the second sensor.

11. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein the first threshold requirement is associated with the first sensor, and wherein a second threshold requirement is associated with the second sensor.

12. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein a first weighting factor is associated with the first sensor, wherein a second weighting factor is associated with the second sensor, wherein the first threshold requirement is associated with the first sensor, and wherein a second threshold requirement is associated with the second sensor.

13. The HVAC system of claim 9, wherein the system controller is configured to determine whether at least one of (1) the average of the first humidity and the second humidity, (2) the average of the first temperature and the second temperature, and (3) the calculated enthalpy conform to the first threshold value during a first time period, and wherein the processor is configured to determine whether at least one of (1) the average of the first humidity and the second humidity, (2) the average of the first temperature and the second temperature, and (3) the calculated enthalpy conform to a second threshold value during a second time period.

14. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to (1) associate a first weighting factor with the first sensor and a second weighting factor with the second sensor during a first time period and (2) associate a first alternate weighting factor with the first sensor and a second alternate weighting factor with the second sensor during a second time period.

15. The HVAC system of claim 8, wherein the first threshold requirement may be entered into the system controller through at least one of the system controller, the first sensor, and the second sensor.

16. The HVAC system of claim 12, further comprising a first damper and a second damper, wherein the first damper is associated with the first air volume, wherein the second damper is associated with the second air volume, and wherein the system controller is configured to selectively operate the first damper and the second damper.

17. A method of operating an HVAC system, comprising:

monitoring at least one of a first humidity of a first air volume sensed by a first sensor and a first temperature of the first air volume sensed by the first sensor and at least one of a second humidity of a second air volume sensed by a second sensor and a second temperature of the second air volume sensed by the second sensor;

calculating an environmental metric using at least one of the first humidity and the first temperature and at least one of the second humidity and the second temperature; and

determining whether mixing the first air volume and the second air volume can cause the environmental metric to conform to a first threshold requirement.

18. The method of operating an HVAC system of claim 17, wherein the environmental metric comprises at least one of (1) an average of the first temperature and the second temperature, (2) an average of the first humidity and the second humidity, and (3) a calculated enthalpy.

19. The method of operating an HVAC system of claim 17, wherein a first weighting factor is associated with the first sensor, and wherein a second weighting factor is associated with the second sensor.

20. The method of operating an HVAC system of claim 17, further comprising:

operating a fan to mix the first air volume and the second air volume to cause the environmental metric to conform to the first threshold requirement.

21. A system controller, comprising:

at least one processor configured to monitor (1) at least one of a first humidity and a first temperature of a first air volume sensed by a first sensor and (2) at least one of a second humidity and a second temperature of a second air volume sensed by a second sensor, and configured to operate a fan in a FAN ONLY mode for a selectable time period when at least one of (1) a first humidity, (2) a first temperature, (3) a second humidity, and (4) a second temperature exceed a threshold requirement.

22. The system controller of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to (1) terminate operation of the fan when at least one of (1) a first humidity, (2) a first temperature, (3) a second humidity, and (4) a second temperature conform to the threshold requirement, and (2) initiate at least one of a selectable (1) cooling mode and (2) heating mode when operating the fan in a FAN ONLY mode does not cause at least one of (1) a first humidity, (2) a first temperature, (3) a second humidity, and (4) a second temperature to conform to the threshold requirement after the selectable time period.