Air distribution fan and outside air damper recycling control

• US 6,431,268 B1
• Filed: 03/15/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABT Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: University of Central Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Rudd, Armin
• Primary Examiner(s): WAYNER, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US09/268,234
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 622/31, 621/766, 236/49.3, 236/44.C, 165/223, 165/244, 165/270, 454/233, 454/256
• US Class Current: 165/223
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2011/0002 for admittance of outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/14 by humidification; by dehumidification

Abstract

A system for controlling the operation of an air distribution fan and the operation of a motorized outside air damper of an air conditioning system, having heating and/or cooling and/or humidifying and/or dehumidifying operating modes. The system includes a fan recycling control for periodically energizing and de-energizing an air distribution fan in an air conditioning system in order to operate the air distribution fan for a first selectable time period after a second selectable time period from the end of the last operation of the air distribution fan. The last operation of the air distribution fan could have been due to the heating or cooling or humidifying or dehumidifying or constant fan modes of the air conditioning system, or due to fan operation initiated by the fan recycling control. The system includes an outside air damper recycling control that can open a motorized outside air damper, for the purpose of drawing in ventilation air, each time the air distribution fan operates, and for as long as the air distribution fan continued to operate, can cycle, periodically close then open, the outside air damper based on selectable time periods since it was last opened or closed, respectively. The outside air damper recycling control can de-energize the motorized outside air damper at the end of each operation of the air distribution fan.

Claims

1. A fan recycling control for an air conditioning apparatus including at least one of:

a heating apparatus, a cooling apparatus, a humidifying apparatus, a dehumidifying apparatus, and an air cleaning apparatus for providing conditioned air;

a fan to distribute conditioned air to an interior space;

at least one of;

a thermostat and humidstat, each of the at least one of the thermostat and the humidstat for activating and deactivating the air conditioning apparatus and the fan, and further having a selectable constant fan mode, said activating causing a continuous fan operation, said deactivating causing no fan operation;

a fan recycling control means for periodically activating and deactivating only the fan of said air conditioning system in order to operate the fan for a first time period after a second time period dependent from the end of a last operation of the fan, wherein the last operation of the fan includes at least one of;

a last operation of said air conditioning system, and a last fan operation initiated by the fan recycling control.

2. The recycling control of claim 1, wherein the air conditioning system includes:

a central air conditioning system.

3. The recycling control of claim 1, wherein the air conditioning system includes at least one of:

a window unit and a wall unit.

4. A fan recycling control, comprising:

means for providing conditioned air, the air conditioner means being selected from at least one of;

an air heater, an air cooler, an air humidifier, an air dehumidifier, and an air cleaner;

a fan for distributing the conditioned air;

control means for activating and deactivating the air conditioner means, and for providing a selectable constant fan mode, said activating causing a continuous fan mode, said deactivating causing no fan operation; and

a recycle control for periodically activating and deactivating only the fan after a preselected time period, since the air conditioner means has been deactivated, or the fan has been deactivated from the selectable constant fan mode.

5. A fan recycling control system, comprising:

means for providing conditioned air to an air space;

means for distributing the conditioned air in the air space;

control means for activating and deactivating the air conditioner means, and for providing a selectable constant air distribution mode, said activating causing a continuous air distribution mode, said deactivating causing no air distribution operation; and

a recycle control for periodically activating and deactivating only the air distribution means after a preselected time period, since the air conditioner means has been deactivated, or the air distribution means has been deactivated from the selectable constant air distribution mode.

6. The fan recycling control system of claim 5, wherein the providing means includes:

air conditioner.

7. The fan recycling control system of claim 5, wherein the providing means includes:

air conditioning system.

8. The fan recycling control system of claim 5, wherein the providing means includes at least one of:

a window unit and a wall unit.

9. The fan recycling control system of claim 5, wherein the providing means includes at an air heater, an air cooler, an air humidifier, an air dehumidifier, and an air cleaner.