Environmental controller for a sealed structure

• US 5,082,173 A
• Filed: 02/21/1990
• Issued: 01/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mcmaster University
• Original Assignee: Mcmaster University
• Inventors: Mesher, Darel E., Poehlman, William F. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/482,574
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 165/16, 165/21, 236/49.3, 236/94, 236/11, 236/44 A X
• US Class Current: 236/11
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/80 for controlling the temperature of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 12/006 using an air-to-air heat exchanger F24F12/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/22 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/56 Heat recovery units

Abstract

A dynamic environmental control system for managing the environment in a super insulated tightly sealed home which has a heat recovery ventilator connected to a forced air heating system for ventilation. The system controls indoor temperature, humidity and fresh air levels as well as temperature gradients using a heat recovery ventilator, heater and an air ventilation fan. The system can initiate operation of the heat recovery ventilator to exchange moist and polluted inside air for drier fresher outside air to control both inside moisture and air pollutant levels. Air exchanges can be initiated by an internal system timer, manually by building occupants or by the system in response to humidity levels inside the home. The system will determine the moisture contents of inside and outside air and will only attempt to exchange air to lower inside humidity levels when the outside air contains less moisture than the inside air. The system can operate to minimize window glass condensation caused by excess inside humidity or to minimize humidity levels. A seven day, four temperature setback thermostat is incorporated in the system to control operation of the heater. There is also a temperature gradient monitor which will operate the air ventilation fan without the heater to redistribute air inside the home and minimize temperature gradients.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling the temperature and humidity in a tightly sealed building during the heating season, the apparatus comprising:

a duct system providing passage for air to and from various locations in the building;

an air circulation fan operable to move air through the duct system to provide air to said locations and to draw air from said locations;

an air heater device in the duct system operable to elevate the temperature of air moved through the duct system by the fan;

an internal temperature sensor located to sense the temperature of internal air at one of said locations;

an internal humidity sensor located to sense the relative humidity present at one of the locations;

an external temperature sensor located outside the building to sense the external air temperature;

an external humidity sensor located outside the building to sense the external humidity;

a heat recovery ventilator coupled to the duct system and operable to exchange internal air for external air, the external air being fed by the ventilator to the duct system;

an air pre-heater coupled to the ventilator and operable to heat air passing from the ventilator to the duct system;

a control system comprising a device block, circuitry block and a sensor block;

the device block being coupled to the air heater, the air circulation fan, the heat recovery ventilator, and the air pre-heater;

the circuitry block including a central processing unit operable to provide control signals to the device block to operate the devices coupled to the device block; and

an analog to digital conversion device coupling the central processing unit to the temperature and humidity sensors;

the circuitry block including data means cooperating with the processor for comparing data from e sensors with stored data to continuously compare the relative humidity inside the building with an acceptable relative humidity related to the outside temperature to determine the likelihood of condensation on the windows in the building, and for monitoring the outside relative humidity and inside temperature to provide signals to the device block to operate the devices as needed to heat internal air to maintain a predetermined temperature and to circulate the air in the building, and to operate the ventilator and preheater to expel air carrying an unacceptable moisture content and inspire outside air having a more acceptable moisture content to thereby maintain the moisture content inside the building at said acceptable relative humidity.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the data means calculates the moisture content of both inside and outside air according to the formula:

##EQU2## where RH is relative humidity, rw is the mass mixing ratio at constant temperature and pressure, VF is the water vapour pressure at saturation, rw is the mass of vapour per mass of dry air, and T is the temperature in degrees Centigrade, and in which the circuitry block will initiate an air exchange to lower the inside humidity level only if a comparison of the mix ratios indicates that the outside air contains less moisture than the inside air.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the control system further includes switch means which allows occupants to manually initiate a timed exchange of inside air for outside air, irrespective of inside and outside moisture levels, to rid the building of anticipated very high moisture or pollutant levels.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the control system further includes a timer operable to initiate air exchanges, irrespective of inside and outside moisture levels, to provide a minimum fresh air flow through the building.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the acceptable relative humidity is determined by calculating inside window temperature using the window glaze rating and inside and outside temperature measurements, calculating the inside dewpoint using inside relative humidity and temperature measurements, and maintaining the inside dewpoint several degrees below the inside temperature, by initiating air exchanges as necessary to control inside relative humidity levels.