Pressure controller for a mechanical draft system

• US 7,275,533 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enervex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Exhausto, Inc.
• Inventors: Hagensen, Steen, Beisheim, Michael, Soeholm, Soeren
• Primary Examiner(s): Price; Carl D.
• Application Number:
  US10/712,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20040185770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 126/85.B, 126/307.R, 126/312, 126110 R- 99 D, 454/238, 454/239, 415/111, 415/175, 416/174
• US Class Current: 126/299.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/06 for determining flow
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2231/28 preventing flash-back or blow-back
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2233/04 with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2233/08 with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/04 in stacks
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/06 at the air intake
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 3/002 using electronic means F23N3/02 - F23N3/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/18 using detectors sensitive to rate of flow of air or fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/203 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/242 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/14 built up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2011/0002 for admittance of outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/40 Pressure, e.g. wind pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/10 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Systems and method for controlling the flow of air through a mechanical draft system are disclosed herein. A pressure controller for controlling air pressure comprises an appliance controller configured to control the operation of a plurality of appliances, an intake fan controller configured to control the speed of an intake fan, and an exhaust fan controller configured to control the speed of an exhaust fan. The pressure controller also includes a processor configured to receive a differential pressure signal and to control the operation of the appliances, the speed of the intake fan, and the speed of the exhaust fan in response to the differential pressure signal.

Claims

1. A pressure controller for controlling the flow of air through a mechanical draft system, the pressure controller comprising:

an appliance controller configured to control the operation of a plurality of appliances;

an intake fan controller configured to control the speed of an intake fan;

an exhaust fan controller configured to control the speed of an exhaust fan; and

a processor configured to receive a differential pressure signal and to control the operation of the plurality of appliances, the speed of the intake fan, and the speed of the exhaust fan in response to the differential pressure signal;

wherein the processor is further operative to control at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan in a bearing cycle mode in which, responsive to the processor determining that at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan has been inactive for a threshold time duration, the fan that has been inactive is activated such that internal components of that fan are lubricated.

2. The pressure controller of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one input device configured to receive inputs for establishing operation parameters of the mechanical draft system; and

at least one display device configured to display operation conditions of the mechanical draft system.

3. The pressure controller of claim 1, wherein the appliance controller controls up to six appliances.

4. The pressure controller of claim 3, further comprising a relay board, wherein the appliance controller and relay board control up to ten appliances.

5. The pressure controller of claim 3, further comprising an external communication link for connection with one or more relay boxes, wherein the appliance controller and relay boxes control more than ten appliances.

6. The pressure controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of appliances comprises boilers, furnaces, water heaters, or laundry dryers.

7. The pressure controller of claim 1, further comprising an RS-232 port for connecting the processor to an external processor.

8. The pressure controller of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises an input for receiving the differential pressure signal from a differential transducer and wherein the differential pressure signal is the difference in pressure between the atmosphere and a mechanical room in which the plurality of appliances are located.