ENCLOSURE COOLING USING EARLY COMPRESSOR TURN-OFF WITH EXTENDED FAN OPERATION

• US 20150292765A1
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Yoky, Stefanski, Mark D., Sloo, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,534,805 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• 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 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2500/19 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/01 Timing
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0251 with on-off operation
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/112 of evaporator fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/23 Time delays
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for controlling fan-only cooling. A first phase of a first cooling cycle may be initiated in an enclosure using an air conditioning system having a compressor and a fan that passes air over an evaporator coil. The first phase may include activation of the compressor and activation of the fan. A relative humidity may be measured within the enclosure during the first phase of the first cooling cycle. Subsequent to the first phase and in response to the relative humidity being determined to be below a threshold relative humidity, a second phase of the first cooling cycle may be initiated during which the fan is activated but the compressor is not activated.

Claims

1. A thermostat, comprising:

an electronic display;

control circuitry electrically connected with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;

one or more temperature sensors; and

a processing system comprising one or more processors, the processing system being in communication with the electronic display, the control circuitry, and the one or more temperature sensors, the processing system being configured to;

initiate a first phase of a first cooling cycle in the enclosure using an air conditioning system having a compressor and a fan that passes air over an evaporator coil, wherein the first phase comprises activation of the compressor and activation of the fan;

measure a relative humidity within the enclosure during the first phase of the first cooling cycle; and

subsequent to the first phase and in response to the relative humidity being determined to be below a threshold relative humidity, initiate a second phase of the first cooling cycle wherein the fan is activated and the compressor is not activated.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive, from the one or more temperature sensors, measurements of one or more environmental conditions during the second phase of the first cooling cycle; and

alter a duration of a second phase of a second cooling cycle based at least in part on the measurements of the environmental condition during the first cooling cycle.

3. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein the environmental condition is a temperature drop.

4. The thermostat of claim 3, wherein the processing system is configured such that the duration of the second phase of the subsequent cooling cycle depends on an expected temperature drop that is based at least in part on the temperature drop during the second phase of the first cooling cycle.

5. The thermostat of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the thermostat, that a fan control wire is connected with the thermostat.

6. The thermostat of claim 5, wherein the processing system being configured to initiate the second phase of the first cooling cycle is further based on the processing system receiving an indication of the fan control wire being connected with the control circuitry of the thermostat.

7. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the threshold relative humidity is between 45 and 60 percent relative humidity.

8. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause, during the second phase of the first cooling cycle, the electronic display to present an indication that the second phase is active.

9. A method for controlling cooling of an enclosure comprising:

initiating, by a thermostat, a first phase of a first cooling cycle in the enclosure using an air conditioning system having a compressor and a fan, wherein the first phase comprises activation of the compressor and activation of the fan;

measuring, by the thermostat, a relative humidity within the enclosure during the first phase of the first cooling cycle;

determining, by the thermostat, the relative humidity is below a threshold relative humidity; and

subsequent to the first phase and in response to the relative humidity being determined to be below the threshold relative humidity, initiating, by the thermostat, a second phase of the first cooling cycle wherein the fan is activated and the compressor is not activated.

10. The method for controlling cooling of the enclosure of claim 9, further comprising:

measuring, by the thermostat, an environmental condition during the second phase of the first cooling cycle; and

altering a duration of a second phase of a second cooling cycle based at least in part on the measurement of the environmental condition during the first cooling cycle.

11. The method for controlling cooling of the enclosure of claim 10, wherein the environmental condition is temperature.

12. The method for controlling cooling of the enclosure of claim 11, wherein the temperature is a measured temperature drop.

13. The method for controlling cooling of the enclosure of claim 12, wherein the duration of the second phase of the subsequent cooling cycle depends on an expected temperature drop that is based at least in part on the measured temperature drop during the second phase of the first cooling cycle.

14. The method for controlling cooling of the enclosure of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting, by the thermostat, that a fan control wire is connected with the thermostat.

15. The method for controlling cooling of the enclosure of claim 14, wherein initiating, by the thermostat, the second phase of the first cooling cycle is further based on detecting the fan control wire being connected with the thermostat.

16. The method for controlling cooling of the enclosure of claim 9, wherein the threshold relative humidity is between 45 and 60 percent relative humidity.

17. The method for controlling cooling of the enclosure of claim 9, further comprising:

presenting, via a display of the thermostat, an indication that the second phase is active during the second phase of the first cooling cycle.

18. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for a thermostat comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

initiate a first phase of a first cooling cycle in the enclosure using an air conditioning system having a compressor and a fan that passes air over an evaporator coil, wherein the first phase comprises activation of the compressor and activation of the fan;

measure a relative humidity within the enclosure during the first phase of the first cooling cycle; and

subsequent to the first phase and in response to the relative humidity being determined to be below a threshold relative humidity, initiate a second phase of the first cooling cycle wherein the fan is activated and the compressor is not activated

19. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for the thermostat of claim 18, wherein the processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

receive, from the one or more temperature sensors, measurements of one or more environmental conditions during the second phase of the first cooling cycle; and

alter a duration of a second phase of a subsequent cooling cycle based at least in part on the measurements of the environmental condition during the first cooling cycle.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for the thermostat of claim 18, wherein the processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to initiate the second phase of the first cooling cycle is further based on processor-readable instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to determine a fan control wire is connected with control circuitry of the thermostat.