Air conditioning system

• US 4,795,088 A
• Filed: 06/11/1987
• Issued: 01/03/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Toyohiro, Otsuka, Nobuo, Thompson, Peter, Stratton, Larry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US07/060,496
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 236/49, 236/46 R, 236/1 B, 236/91 R, 236/91 C, 236/91 D, 236/91 F, 236/91 E, 236/91 G, 236/DIG. 9, 165/22, 165/29, 62/298, 62/77
• US Class Current: 236/49.3
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature

Abstract

A duct type air conditioning system with a variable capacity blower in which the maximum blower capacity is established at initialization of the system at the optimum blower capacity. The optimum capacity is established by varying the capacity of the blower and measuring the air flow volume and air flow noise. The optimum capacity is inputed into the control system through a central thermostat which has a liquid crystal display associated therewith. The system installer interfaces with the control system by a dialog which occurs through the liquid crystal display. The optimum capacity of the blower is stored in a memory device, and the control system variably controls the capacity of the blower so as not to exceed the optimum capacity.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system comprising:

a warm or cool air generating heat source unit, a capacity variable blower connected to the heat source unit, ducts in fluid communication with the blower to distribute warm or cool air, means for measuring air flow volume outputted by the air, generating heat source unit, means for measuring air flow noise of the air as it exits the ducts, a central thermostat having a plurality of operator controlled operational switches, and a control system which is operatively connected to the heat source unit, blower and central thermostat, the control system comprising;

a blower capacity setting means having an alpha-numeric display which, at initialization of the system, establishes an optimum capacity value by the operator actively interacting with the system by a question and answer dialog in native language format and entering signals through the operational switches on the central thermostat corresponding to a desired input to vary the capacity of the blower, the operator measuring the air flow volume and air flow noise until the optimum capacity value is reached and inputting said optimum capacity value through the operational switches on the thermostat;

a capacity memory means for storing the optimum capacity value which has been input by the capacity setting means as maximum value; and

a capacity control means which variably controls the operating capacity of the fan so as not to exceed the optimum value saved by the capacity memory means.

2. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the capacity setting means further comprises a liquid crystal display which displays characters on the thermostat.

3. The air conditioning system of claim 2 wherein the liquid crystal display and operational buttons can also be used to input and output data necessary for the initialization of the control system and operation control.

4. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the capacity memory means comprises an electrically erasable programmable read only memory semiconductor device that retains its memory even in the event of a power failure.

6. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the blower capacity value which is inputted by the capacity setting means will be the maximum value for the system based upon the maximum permissible amount of air flow and noise.

7. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the capacity control means will maintain a constant air pressure in the ducts by controlling the blower capacity.

8. The air conditioning system described in claim 1 wherein the capacity control means will vary the operating capacity value of the fan up to the value which has been saved in the capacity memory means as the maximum value depending upon whether the system is in a cooling, heating or air circulation mode.

9. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the capacity control means will vary the operating capacity value of the fan responsive to the temperature over a predetermined time interval which will be detected by the thermostat with the value which has been saved in the capacity memory means as the maximum value.

10. The air conditioning system of claim 6 wherein the capacity control means will vary the operating capacity value of the fan responsive to the temperature over a predetermined time interval which will be detected by the thermostat with the value which has been saved in the capacity memory means as the maximum value.

11. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the warm air generating heat source unit comprises at least two available heat source units, one being a gas heat source unit and the other being an electric heat source unit, with information relating to operational costs of gas and electricity being entered into the control system during initialization.

12. The air conditioning system of claim 11 wherein the control system will automatically select the most economical heat source unit for operation depending upon ambient air temperature and the information relating to operational costs entered into the system.

5. The air conditioning system of claim wherein the capacity control means comprises an inverter.

13. An air conditioning system comprising:

a warm or cool air generating heat source unit, a capacity variable blower connected to the heat source unit, ducts in fluid communication with the blower to distribute warm or cool air, dampers which are installed in the ducts for adjusting the air flow, a pressure sensor for detecting air flow pressure in the ducts, means for measuring air flow volume outputted by the air generating heat source unit, means for measuring air flow noise of the air as it exists the ducts, a central thermostat having a plurality of operator controllble operational switches, and a control system which is operatively connected to the heat source unit, fan, dampers, pressure sensor and thermostat, the control system comprising;

a blower capacity setting means having an alpha-numeric display which, at initialization of the system, establishes an optimum capacity value by the operator actively interacting with the system by a question and answer dialog in native language format and entering signals through the operational switches on the central thermostat corresponding to a desired input to vary the capacity of the blower and the air pressure in the duct, the pressure sensor measuring the air pressure, and the operator measuring the air flow volume and air flow noise, until the optimum capacity value is reached, and inputting said optimum capacity value through the operational switches on the thermostat;

a capacity memory means for storing the optimum capacity value which has been input by the capacity setting means as a maximum value; and

a capacity control means which variably controls the capacity of the fan so that the air pressure in the duct will not exceed the set value which has been saved in the capacity memory means.

14. The air conditioning system of claim 13 wherein the pressure sensor generates an output signal corresponding to the sensed air pressure, the output signal being saved in the capacity memory means.

15. The air conditioning system of claim 14 wherein the output signal corresponding to the maximum air pressure in the duct which is saved in the capacity memory means will be the maximum value for the system determined by the air flow volume and air flow noise.

16. The air conditioning system of claim 14 wherein the capacity control means will maintain the operating pressure in the duct at a constant level by comparing the sensed pressure to the value which has been saved in the capacity memory means and controlling the blower in response thereto.

17. The air conditioning system of claim 13 wherein the capacity control means will vary the air pressure in the duct depending upon whether a cooling, heating or air circulation mode is selected, with the optimum capacity value which has been saved in the capacity memory means as the maximum value.

18. The air conditioning system of claim 13 wherein the capacity control means will vary the air pressure in the duct responsive to the temperature over a predetermined time interval which will be detected by the thermostat with the value which has been saved in the capacity memory means as the maximum value.

19. The air conditioning system of claim 13 wherein the warm air generating heat source unit comprises at least two available heat source units, one being a gas heat source unit and the other being an electric heat source unit, with information relating to operational costs of gas and electricity being entered into the control system during initialization.

20. The air conditioning system of claim 19 wherein the control system will automatically select the most economical heat source unit for operation depending upon ambient air temperature and the information relating to operational costs entered into the system.

21. An air conditioning system comprising:

a warm or cool air generating unit, a capacity variable blower in fluid communication with the heat source unit, an air duct in fluid communication with the blower to distribute warm or cool air, means for measuring air flow volume outputted by the air generating heat source unit, means for measuring air flow noise of the air as it exits the ducts, a central thermostat having a plurality of operator controllable operational switches, and a control system which is operatively connected to the heat source unit, blower and central thermostat, the control system comprising;

a blower capacity setting means having an alpha-numeric display in conjunction with the operational switches for setting the optimum capacity of the blower at initialization of the system by the operator actively interacting with the system by a question and answer dialog in native language format and entering signals through the operational switches on the central thermostat corresponding to a desired input to vary the capacity of the blower, the operator measuring the air flow volume and air flow noise until the optimum capacity is reached;

temporary memory storage means in the central thermostat for storing data representative of the optimum capacity;

non-volatile memory means for storing the data representative of the optimum capacity;

means for transferring the data from the temporary memory storage means to the non-volatile memory means; and

a capacity control means for variably controlling the operating capacity of the blower based upon the data representative of the optimum capacity that has been stored in the non-volatile memory means such that the maximum speed and capacity of the blower cannot exceed the optimum capacity set at initialization of the system.

22. The air conditioning system of claim 21 wherein the capacity setting means further comprises a liquid crystal display which displays characters on the thermostat.

23. The air conditioning system of claim 22 wherein the liquid crystal display and operational buttons can also be used to input and output data necessary for the initialization of the control system and operation control.

24. The air conditioning system of claim 21 wherein the warm air generating heat source unit comprises at least two available heat source units, one being a gas heat source unit and the other being an electric heat source unit, with information relating to operational costs of gas and electricity being entered into the control system during initialization.

25. The air conditioning system of claim 24 wherein the control system will automatically select the most economical heat source unit for operation depending upon ambient air temperature and the information relating to operational costs entered into the system.

26. The air conditioning system of claim 21 wherein the non-volatile memory means comprises an electrically erasable programmable read only memory semiconductor device that retains its memory even in the event of a power failure.

27. The air conditioning system of claim 21 wherein the blower capacity value which is inputted by the capacity setting means will be the maximum value for the system based upon the maximum permissible amount of air flow and noise.

28. The air conditioning system of claim 21 wherein the capacity control means will maintain a constant air pressure in the ducts by controlling the blower capacity.

29. The air conditioning system described in claim 21 wherein the capacity control means will vary the operating capacity value of the fan up to the value which has been saved in the capacity memory means as the maximum depending upon whether the system is in a cooling, heating or air circulation mode.

30. The air conditioning system of claim 21 wherein the capacity control means will vary the operating capacity value of the fan responsive to the temperature over a predetermined time interval which will be detected by the thermostat with the value which has been saved in the capacity memory means as the maximum value.

31. The air conditioning system of claim 21 wherein the data stored in the temporary memory storage means is converted to digital signals and serially transmitted to the non-volatile memory means.

32. The air conditioning system of claim 31 wherein the non-volatile memory is remotely located with respect to the central thermostat.

33. The air conditioning system of claim 22 wherein the dialog questions request information relating to the heat sources, number of zones to be air conditioned and energy charges.