SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING A SMART VALVE TO CONTROL CONDITIONED AIR

• US 20150168000A1
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optimum Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Optimum Energy LLC
• Inventors: Dempster, Ian Robert, Erpelding, Benjamin Paul, Hartman, Thomas Bennett, MacNeill, Chelsey Ann
• Granted Patent: US 10,119,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/56 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/20 Heat-exchange fluid temperature
• 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 3/08 with separate supply and return lines for hot and cold heat-exchange fluids i.e. so-called "4-conduit" system
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/176 Improving or maintaining comfort of users
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/208 Temperature of the air after heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/281 Input from user
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/31 of valves having only one inlet port and one outlet port, e.g. flow rate regulating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/45 remotely accessible
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/08 by tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2064 for air heaters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An air handler unit (AHU) in communication with a building automation system (BAS) or through direct programming of one or more smart valves within the AHU operates to meter an amount of water that flows through a coil in the AHU. In one embodiment, the BAS transmits a temperature setpoint signal to the smart valve and allows the smart valve to control its valve position without additional input from the BAS. In another embodiment, the AHU includes a master smart valve and a second valve. The BAS provides the temperature setpoint signal to the master smart valve, which in turn provides another temperature setpoint signal to the second valve. The second valve may take the form of a slave smart valve or a slave non-smart valve.

Claims

1. An air unit comprising:

a coil located in an air stream of the air unit, the air stream having an air flow direction;

an air temperature sensor located in the air stream of the air unit and further located downstream, relative to the air flow direction, of the coil; and

a smart valve in fluid communication with the coil and in electronic communication with the air temperature sensor, the smart valve operable to control an amount of water flow through the coil;

wherein the smart valve receives a temperature setpoint signal, and

wherein the smart valve is programmed to modulate a valve position of a smart valve actuator based on the temperature setpoint signal and based on a signal from the air temperature sensor.

2. The air unit of claim 1, wherein the smart valve is further programmed to modulate the valve position of the smart valve actuator by maintaining a minimum temperature difference between a supply flow and a return flow of the water flow through the coil.

3. The air unit of claim 1, wherein the smart valve receives the temperature setpoint from an automation system.

4. The air unit of claim 1, wherein the smart valve receives the temperature setpoint from a building automation system.

5. The air unit of claim 1, wherein the smart valve receives the temperature setpoint from a remote location.

6. The air unit of claim 1, wherein the smart valve modulates the valve position of the smart valve actuator based on the temperature setpoint signal, the signal from the air temperature sensor, and a water temperature sensor in fluid communication with a water flow associated with the coil.

7. The air unit of claim 1, wherein the smart valve receives temperature values from a water supply line and a water return line of the coil.

8. The air unit of claim 1, wherein the coil is a heating coil, a cooling coil, or both a heating and a cooling coil.

9. An air handler unit in communication with an automation system, the air handler unit comprising:

a coil located in an air stream of the air handler unit, the air stream having an air flow direction;

an air temperature sensor located in the air stream of the air handler unit and further located downstream, relative to the air flow direction, of the coil; and

a smart valve in signal communication with the building automation system, the smart valve in fluid communication with the coil and in electronic communication with the air temperature sensor, the smart valve operable to control an amount of water flow through the coil;

wherein the smart valve receives a temperature setpoint signal, and

wherein the smart valve is programmed to modulate a valve position of a smart valve actuator based on the temperature setpoint signal and based on a signal from the air temperature sensor.

10. The air handler unit of claim 9, wherein the smart valve is further programmed to modulate the valve position of the smart valve actuator by maintaining a minimum temperature difference between a supply flow and a return flow of the water flow through the coil.

11. The air handler unit of claim 9, wherein the smart valve receives the temperature setpoint from the automation system.

12. The air handler unit of claim 10, wherein the automation system is a building the automation system.

13. The air handler unit of claim 9, wherein the smart valve receives the temperature setpoint from a remote location.

14. The air handler unit of claim 9, wherein the smart valve modulates the valve position of the smart valve actuator based on the temperature setpoint signal, the signal from the air temperature sensor, and a water temperature sensor in fluid communication with a water flow associated with the coil.

15. The air handler unit of claim 9, wherein the smart valve receives temperature values from a water supply line and a water return line of the coil.

16. The air handler unit of claim 9, wherein the coil is a heating coil, a cooling coil, or both a heating and a cooling coil.

17. A method for controlling an air handler unit, the method comprising:

providing a temperature setpoint to a smart valve based on a desired temperature for a space served by the air handler unit, the smart valve in fluid communication with at least one coil located within the air handler unit;

providing a water temperature to the smart valve for water flowing into or out of the coil;

providing an air temperature to the smart valve, the air temperature corresponding to an air temperature of an air flow conditioned by the air handler unit; and

modulating a valve position of the smart valve based on the temperature setpoint, the water temperature, and the air temperature.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising modulating the valve position of the smart valve by maintaining a minimum temperature difference between a supply flow and a return flow of the water flowing into or out of the coil.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the temperature setpoint to a smart valve includes electronically transmitting the temperature setpoint from an automation system to the smart valve.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the temperature setpoint to the smart valve includes providing the temperature setpoint to the smart valve from a remote location.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining a measured temperature differential between a water supply line and a water return line of the coil.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing an air temperature to the smart valve includes providing the air temperature from the air flow located within the air handler unit, and wherein the air temperature sensor is located in the air flow downstream of the coil relative to an air flow direction of the air flow.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining a temperature differential of the water temperature flowing into or out of the coil.