Integrated temperature and humidity controller with priority for humidity temperature control

• US 6,557,771 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Shah, Dipak J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US09/745,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 621/761, 621/763, 621/766, 236/44.R, 236/44.A, 236/44.C, 236/78.D, 165/222, 165/223, 165/224, 165/225
• US Class Current: 236/44.00C
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0008 for air-humidification F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 22/02 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 27/02 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

A controller for a climate control system has a humidity temperature sensor as well as a dry-bulb temperature sensor. A humidity temperature value is used in connection with a dry-bulb temperature value to generate an error signal that is a function of either the dry-bulb or the humidity temperature values. This permits control of both enclosure temperature and enclosure humidity without abnormal cycling of the climate control system. The humidity temperature can synthesized from the relative humidity and dry-bulb temperature within the enclosure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cooperating with a controller for a climate control system, said controller activating the climate control system responsive to a composite error value encoded in a composite error signal falling within a preselected range of error values, said apparatus comprising:

a humidity sensor providing a humidity temperature signal encoding at least one of the wet-bulb temperature and the dew point temperature;

a temperature sensor providing an air temperature signal encoding the dry-bulb temperature value;

a memory recording a dry-bulb temperature set point value and a humidity temperature set point value, and providing a set point signal encoding the dry-bulb and humidity temperatures set point values;

a calculator receiving the humidity and air temperature signals and the set point signals, the calculator then computing the composite error value as a function of the values encoded in the humidity and air temperature signals and the set point signals, and for encoding the composite error value in the composite error signal; and

wherein the composite error value is determined by;

i) when the humidity temperature is less than zero, the composite error equals the dry-bulb temperature error, and

ii) when the humidity temperature error is greater than zero the composite error equals the humidity temperature error.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an error processor for receiving the composite error signal and for providing a demand signal during intervals determined as a function of the composite error value.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the memory further comprises a storage for storing a limit dry-bulb temperature value and for providing a signal encoding the limit dry-bulb temperature value in a limit temperature signal, and wherein the error processor further comprises an evaluator for receiving the limit temperature signal and the sensed air dry-bulb temperature signal, for comparing the limit dry-bulb temperature with the value encoded in the sensed air dry-bulb temperature signal, and for suppressing the demand signal responsive to a predetermined relationship between the limit dry-bulb temperature value and the dry-bulb temperature value.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the humidity sensor comprises

a) a relative humidity sensor providing a relative humidity signal encoding the value of the ambient relative humidity; and

b) a calculator for receiving the air dry-bulb temperature signal and the relative humidity signal, for computing a humidity temperature approximation value, and for encoding the humidity temperature approximation value in the humidity temperature signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the memory further comprises a recorder to maintain a relative humidity set point value and the dry-bulb temperature set point value for computing the humidity temperature set point value as a function of the relative humidity set point value and the dry-bulb temperature set point value, and for providing a signal encoding the computed humidity temperature set point value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises:

i) a relative humidity set point value recorder;

ii) a computed set point recorder for recording a computed humidity temperature set point value encoded in a computed humidity temperature set point value signal, and

iii) an encoder for encoding the computed humidity temperature set point value as the humidity temperature set point value in the set point signal; and

wherein the controller further comprises a unit for receiving the relative humidity set point value and the dry-bulb temperature set point value for computing the humidity temperature set point value as a function of the relative humidity set point value and the dry-bulb temperature set point value, and for providing the signal encoding the computed humidity temperature set point value to the computed set point recorder.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the calculator further comprises

i) a unit for providing an initial error signal encoding the humidity temperature error and the dry-bulb temperature error;

and

ii) an evaluator for sensing the composite error and for encoding in the composite error signal.

8. A method of controlling the operation of a climate control system comprising:

sensing the humidity temperature to provide a humidity temperature signal encoding at least one of the wet-bulb temperature and the dew point temperature;

sensing the air temperature to provide an air temperature signal encoding a dry-bulb temperature value;

recording a dry-bulb temperature set point value and a humidity temperature set point value;

providing a set point signal encoding the dry-bulb and humidity temperatures set point values;

receiving the humidity and air temperature signals and the set point signals, for computing a composite error value as a function of the values encoded in the humidity and air temperature signals and the set point signals, and for encoding the composite error value in the composite error signal;

determining the composite error value by;

i) when the humidity temperature is less than zero, the composite error equals the dry-bulb temperature error, and

ii) when the humidity temperature error is greater than zero the composite error equals the humidity temperature error; and

activating the climate control system responsive to the composite error value encoded in a composite error signal falling within a preselected range of error values to adjust the operation of the climate control system.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing a relative humidity signal encoding the value of the ambient relative humidity; and

computing a humidity temperature approximation value.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

computing the humidity temperature set point value as a function of the relative humidity set point value and the dry-bulb temperature set point value.

11. A method of controlling the operation of a climate control system comprising:

sensing the humidity temperature to provide a humidity temperature signal;

sensing the air temperature to provide an air dry-bulb temperature signal;

recording a dry-bulb temperature set point value and a humidity temperature set point value;

providing a set point signal encoding the dry-bulb and humidity temperature set point values;

determining a composite error value wherein;

i) when the humidity temperature is less than zero, the composite error equals the dry-bulb temperature error, and

ii) when the humidity temperature error is greater than zero the composite error equals the humidity temperature error; and

modifying the operation of climate control system responsive to the composite error value.

12. A comfort controller for controlling the temperature and humidity within an enclosure, comprising:

a humidity sensor;

a temperature sensor; and

a processor, wherein the processor determines a composite error value by;

i) if the humidity temperature is less than zero, the composite error equals the dry-bulb temperature error, and

ii) if the humidity temperature error is greater than zero the composite error equals the humidity temperature error; and

wherein the controller adjusts a heating and air conditioning system responsive to the composite error value.

13. The comfort controller of claim 12 including a memory having:

a relative humidity set point value recorder;

a computed set point recorder for recording a computed humidity temperature set point value encoded in a computed humidity temperature set point value signal; and

an encoder for encoding the computed humidity temperature set point value as the humidity temperature set point value in the set point signal; and

wherein the controller further comprises a unit for receiving the relative humidity set point value and the dry-bulb temperature set point value for computing the humidity temperature set point value as a function of the relative humidity set point value and the dry-bulb temperature set point value, and for providing the signal encoding the computed humidity temperature set point value to the computed set point recorder.

14. An apparatus for cooperating with a controller for a climate control system, said controller activating the climate control system responsive to a composite error value encoded in a composite error signal falling within a preselected range of error values, said apparatus comprising:

a humidity sensor providing a humidity temperature signal encoding at least one of the wet-bulb temperature and the dew point temperature;

a temperature sensor providing an air temperature signal encoding the dry-bulb temperature value;

a memory recording a dry-bulb temperature set point value and a humidity temperature set point value, and providing a set point signal encoding the dry-bulb and humidity temperatures set point values;

a calculator receiving the humidity and air temperature signals and the set point signals, the calculator then computing the composite error value as a function of the values encoded in the humidity and air temperature signals and the set point signals, and for encoding the composite error value in the composite error signal; and

wherein the composite error value is determined by;

i) when the humidity temperature is less than zero, the composite error equals the dry-bulb temperature error,

ii) when the humidity temperature error is greater than zero the composite error equals the humidity temperature error, and

iii) when both the humidity temperature error and the dry-bulb temperature error are less than zero, the composite error equals the numerically larger of the humidity temperature error and the dry-bulb temperature error.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising an error processor for receiving the composite error signal and for providing a demand signal during intervals determined as a function of the composite error value.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the memory further comprises a storage for storing a limit dry-bulb temperature value and for providing a signal encoding the limit dry-bulb temperature value in a limit temperature signal, and wherein the error processor further comprises an evaluator for receiving the limit temperature signal and the air temperature signal, for comparing the limit dry-bulb temperature with the value encoded in the air temperature signal, and for suppressing the demand signal responsive to a predetermined relationship between the limit dry-bulb temperature value and the dry-bulb temperature value.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the humidity sensor comprises

a) a relative humidity sensor providing a relative humidity signal encoding the value of the ambient relative humidity; and

b) a calculator for receiving the air temperature signal and the relative humidity signal, the calculator then computing a humidity temperature approximation value, and for encoding the humidity temperature approximation value in the humidity temperature signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the memory further comprises a recorder to maintain a relative humidity set point value and the dry-bulb temperature set point value for computing the humidity temperature set point value as a function of the relative humidity set point value and the dry-bulb temperature set point value, and for providing a signal encoding the computed humidity temperature set point value.

19. A thermostat comprising:

a humidity sensor providing a humidity temperature signal encoding at least one of the wet-bulb temperature and the dew point temperature;

a temperature sensor providing an air temperature signal encoding the dry-bulb temperature value;

a memory recording a dry-bulb temperature set point value and a humidity temperature set point value, and providing a set point signal encoding the dry-bulb and humidity temperatures set point values;

a calculator receiving the humidity and air temperature signals and the set point signal, the calculator then computing a composite error value as a function of the values encoded in the humidity and air temperature signals and the set point signal, and for encoding the composite error value in a composite error signal; and

wherein the composite error value is determined by;

i) when the humidity temperature is less than zero, the composite error equals the dry-bulb temperature error,

ii) when the humidity temperature error is greater than zero the composite error equals the humidity temperature error, and

iii) when both the humidity temperature error and the dry-bulb temperature error are less than zero, the composite error equals the numerically larger of the humidity temperature error and the dry-bulb temperature error.