DETECTING BLOCKAGE OF AIR CONDITIONER UNIT BASED ON FAN SPEED

• US 20200132334A1
• Filed: 10/24/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Timothy Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,830,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/0093 with additional radiant heat-discharging elements, e.g. electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/027 mounted in wall openings, e.g. in windows
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/87 by controlling absorption or discharge of heat in outdoor units
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/30 Velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/34 Heater, e.g. gas burner, electric air heater
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/54 Heating and cooling, simultaneously or alternatively
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 4/06 Air heaters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Air conditioner units and methods for operating air conditioner units are provided. A method includes determining a steady state speed of a blower fan of the air conditioner unit. The method further includes receiving a call for heating and activating the blower fan in response to the call for heating. The method further includes measuring a speed of the blower fan after activating the blower fan and comparing the measured speed of the blower fan to the steady state speed of the blower fan. When the measured speed of the blower fan is greater than the steady state speed of the blower fan, the method includes disabling one of a plurality of heater banks of a heating unit of the air conditioner unit.

Claims

1. A method for operating an air conditioner unit, the method comprising:

determining a steady state speed of a blower fan of the air conditioner unit;

receiving a call for heating;

activating the blower fan in response to the call for heating;

measuring a speed of the blower fan after activating the blower fan in response to the call for heating;

comparing the measured speed of the blower fan to the steady state speed of the blower fan; and

disabling one of a plurality of heater banks of a heating unit of the air conditioner unit when the measured speed of the blower fan is greater than the steady state speed of the blower fan.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the steady state speed of the blower fan comprises:

measuring a steady state speed of the blower fan;

estimating a voltage supplied to the blower fan based on the measured steady state speed of the blower fan;

storing the estimated voltage in a memory of the air conditioner unit; and

determining the steady state speed of the blower fan based on the stored estimated voltage.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising supplying a control signal to the blower fan prior to measuring the steady state speed of the blower fan, wherein the step of activating the blower fan in response to the call for heating comprises supplying the control signal to the blower fan.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulation signal.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein measuring the steady state speed of the blower fan comprises determining an average speed of the blower fan over time and wherein measuring the speed of the blower fan after activating the blower fan in response to the call for heating comprises determining an average speed of the blower fan over time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of measuring the speed of the blower fan after activating the blower fan in response to the call for heating comprises measuring the speed of the blower fan following a delay after activating the blower fan.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of disabling one of the plurality of heater banks comprises disabling one of the plurality of heater banks when the measured speed of the blower fan is greater than the steady state speed of the blower fan by at least twenty-five rotations per minute.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising decreasing the speed of the blower fan when the measured speed of the blower fan is greater than the steady state speed of the blower fan.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of heater banks comprises a low power heater bank, a medium power heater bank, and a high power heater bank.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of disabling one of the plurality of heater banks comprises disabling the high power heater bank and the medium power heater bank when the measured speed of the blower fan is greater than the steady state speed of the blower fan.

11. An air conditioner unit comprising:

a blower fan, the blower fan comprising a blade assembly and a motor connected to the blade assembly;

a heating unit, the heating unit comprising a plurality of heater banks;

a power source in electrical communication with the blower fan motor and the plurality of heater banks; and

a controller in operable communication with the motor and the plurality of heater banks, the controller operable for;

determining a steady state speed of the blower fan;

receiving a call for heating;

activating the blower fan after receiving the call for heating;

measuring a speed of the blower fan after activating the blower fan;

comparing the measured speed of the blower fan to the steady state speed of the blower fan; and

disabling one of the plurality of heater banks when the measured speed of the blower fan is greater than the steady state speed of the blower fan.

12. The air conditioner unit of claim 11, wherein the step of determining the steady state speed of the blower fan comprises:

measuring a steady state speed of the blower fan;

estimating a voltage supplied to the blower fan from the power source based on the measured steady state speed of the blower fan;

storing the estimated voltage in a memory of the air conditioner unit; and

determining the steady state speed of the blower fan based on the stored estimated voltage when the call for heating is received.

13. The air conditioner unit of claim 12, wherein the controller is further operable for supplying a control signal to the blower fan prior to measuring the steady state speed of the blower fan, and wherein activating the blower fan comprises supplying the control signal to the blower fan.

14. The air conditioner unit of claim 13, wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulation signal.

15. The air conditioner unit of claim 13, wherein measuring the steady state speed of the blower fan comprises determining an average speed of the blower fan over time and wherein measuring the speed of the blower fan after activating the blower fan comprises determining an average speed of the blower fan over time.

16. The air conditioner unit of claim 11, wherein the step of measuring the speed of the blower fan after activating the blower fan comprises measuring the speed of the blower fan following a delay after activating the blower fan.

17. The air conditioner unit of claim 11, wherein the step of disabling one of the plurality of heater banks comprises disabling one of the plurality of heater banks when the measured speed of the blower fan is greater than the steady state speed of the blower fan by at least twenty-five rotations per minute.

18. The air conditioner unit of claim 11, wherein the controller is further operable for decreasing the speed of the blower fan when the measured speed of the blower fan is greater than the steady state speed of the blower fan.

19. The air conditioner unit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of heater banks comprises a low power heater bank, a medium power heater bank, and a high power heater bank.

20. The air conditioner unit of claim 19, wherein the step of disabling one of the plurality of heater banks comprises disabling the high power heater bank and the medium power heater bank when the measured speed of the blower fan is greater than the steady state speed of the blower fan.