ENERGY HARVESTING DAMPER CONTROL AND METHOD OF OPERATION

• US 20160258639A1
• Filed: 03/06/2015
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Air Distribution Technologies IP, LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Ruskin Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Wiley, Josiah, Koop, Edward Neal
• Granted Patent: US 9,680,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/40 Damper positions, e.g. open or closed
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0021 using phase change material [PCM] for storage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/001 Energy harvesting or scavenging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A system for controlling a damper, comprising an energy harvesting device is disclosed. A voltage conditioning and storage unit coupled to the energy harvesting device, the voltage conditioning and storage unit configured to apply overvoltage and undervoltage protection to a storage capacitor. A controller coupled to the voltage conditioning and storage unit, the voltage conditioning and storage unit configured to apply overvoltage protection to the controller.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a damper, comprising:

an energy harvesting device;

a voltage conditioning and storage unit coupled to the energy harvesting device, the voltage conditioning and storage unit configured to apply overvoltage and undervoltage protection to a storage capacitor; and

a controller coupled to the voltage conditioning and storage unit, the voltage conditioning and storage unit configured to apply overvoltage protection to the controller.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a motor control coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the motor control to fully open a damper if an amount of energy remaining on the storage capacitor reaches a predetermined amount.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to execute one or more commands received from the transceiver.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the voltage conditioning and storage unit comprises a controller overvoltage protection unit coupled to the energy harvesting device and configured to protect the controller from overvoltages generated by the energy harvesting device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the voltage conditioning and storage unit comprises a long term storage capacitor and a short term storage capacitor.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the voltage conditioning and storage unit comprises a capacitor overvoltage protection unit coupled to the long term storage capacitor and the short term storage capacitor and configured to protect the long term storage capacitor and the short term storage capacitor from overvoltages generated by the energy harvesting device and undervoltages generated by a motor.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the motor control further comprises a motor current threshold detector configured to compare a motor current to a reference value and to generate a motor current threshold signal.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the motor control further comprises a motor position sensor configured to measure sensor position data from a sensor disposed on a motor shaft.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller further comprises a wake, measure and transceive unit configured to wake the controller from an inactive state, to measure one or more sensors, to transmit the measured sensor data and to receive control data in response to the transmitted measured sensor data.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller further comprises a default open control configured to measure a remaining amount of energy in an energy storage device and to cause a motor to fully open a damper if the remaining amount of energy is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller further comprises a start-up calibration unit configured to perform a start-up calibration sequence to determine a fully open and fully closed position of a damper.

12. A method for controlling a damper, comprising:

generating energy using an energy harvesting device;

applying overvoltage and undervoltage protection to a storage capacitor;

storing the generated energy in the storage capacitor; and

applying overvoltage protection to a controller; and

controlling an operation of a damper position motor with the controller.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising actuating a motor control to fully open a damper if an amount of energy remaining on the storage capacitor reaches a predetermined amount.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising executing one or more commands received from a transceiver with a controller after waking the controller from a power saving state.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising comparing a motor current to a reference value and to generate a motor current threshold signal.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising measuring sensor position data from a sensor disposed on a motor shaft.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

waking a controller from an inactive state;

measuring one or more sensors using the controller;

transmitting the measured sensor data from the controller using a transceiver; and

receiving control data at the controller in response to the transmitted measured sensor data.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

measuring a remaining amount of energy in an energy storage device; and

causing a motor to fully open a damper if the remaining amount of energy is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising performing a start-up calibration sequence to determine a fully open and fully closed position of a damper.

20. In a system having an energy harvesting device, a voltage conditioning and storage unit coupled to the energy harvesting device, the voltage conditioning and storage unit configured to apply overvoltage and undervoltage protection to a storage capacitor, a controller coupled to the voltage conditioning and storage unit, the voltage conditioning and storage unit configured to apply overvoltage protection to the controller, a motor control coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the motor control to fully open a damper if an amount of energy remaining on the storage capacitor reaches a predetermined amount, a transceiver coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to execute one or more commands received from the transceiver, wherein the voltage conditioning and storage unit comprises a controller overvoltage protection unit coupled to the energy harvesting device and configured to protect the controller from overvoltages generated by the energy harvesting device, wherein the voltage conditioning and storage unit comprises a long term storage capacitor and a short term storage capacitor, wherein the voltage conditioning and storage unit comprises a capacitor overvoltage protection unit coupled to the long term storage capacitor and the short term storage capacitor and configured to protect the long term storage capacitor and the short term storage capacitor from overvoltages generated by the energy harvesting device and undervoltages generated by a motor, wherein the motor control further comprises a motor current threshold detector configured to compare a motor current to a reference value and to generate a motor current threshold signal, wherein the motor control further comprises a motor position sensor configured to measure sensor position data from a sensor disposed on a motor shaft, wherein the controller further comprises a wake, measure and transceive unit configured to wake the controller from an inactive state, to measure one or more sensors, to transmit the measured sensor data and to receive control data in response to the transmitted measured sensor data, wherein the controller further comprises a default open control configured to measure a remaining amount of energy in an energy storage device and to cause a motor to fully open a damper if the remaining amount of energy is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and wherein the controller further comprises a start-up calibration unit configured to perform a start-up calibration sequence to determine a fully open and fully closed position of a damper, a method comprising:

generating energy using an energy harvesting device;

applying overvoltage and undervoltage protection to a storage capacitor;

storing the generated energy in the storage capacitor; and

applying overvoltage protection to a controller;

controlling an operation of a damper position motor with the controller;

actuating a motor control to fully open a damper if an amount of energy remaining on the storage capacitor reaches a predetermined amount;

executing one or more commands received from a transceiver with a controller after waking the controller from a power saving state;

comparing a motor current to a reference value and to generate a motor current threshold signal;

measuring sensor position data from a sensor disposed on a motor shaft;

waking a controller from an inactive state;

measuring one or more sensors using the controller;

transmitting the measured sensor data from the controller using a transceiver;

receiving control data at the controller in response to the transmitted measured sensor data;

measuring a remaining amount of energy in an energy storage device;

causing a motor to fully open a damper if the remaining amount of energy is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and

performing a start-up calibration sequence to determine a fully open and fully closed position of a damper.