Method and apparatus for controlling fans in heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a variable-speed fan of an environmental maintenance module that controls temperatures of a plurality of zones of a building, the method comprising:
- (a) for each zone;
receiving a zone temperature corresponding to that zone; and
computing a first zone temperature error by calculating a difference between that zone temperature and a first setpoint of that zone;
(b) identifying a first critical zone by analyzing the first zone temperature errors;
(c) using the first zone temperature error of the critical zone to determine a final speed setting, wherein using the zone temperature error of the critical zone to determine a speed setting of the variable-speed fan includes;
inputting the first zone temperature error of the first critical zone to a first proportional-integral-derivative (PID) calculator; and
calculating a first estimated speed setting of the variable-speed fan based on the first zone temperature error and at least one of a previous estimated speed setting and/or a previous first zone temperature error of the variable-speed fan; and
(d) controlling, with a controller, the variable-speed fan based on the final speed setting.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, apparatus, and methods of controlling a variable-speed fan of an environmental maintenance module that controls temperatures of a plurality of zones of a building are provided. A first critical zone of the building is identified by analyzing the first zone temperature errors, which are used to determine a final speed setting of the variable-speed fan. Systems, apparatus, and methods of calibrating an environmental maintenance module that controls a temperature of a zone of a building are also provided. A location parameter is calculated for a plurality of zone temperatures, and a scale parameter is computed that quantifies a variation of the zone temperatures relative to a location parameter. A first temperature setpoint for the zone is determined and used in controlling the temperature of the zone.
71 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a variable-speed fan of an environmental maintenance module that controls temperatures of a plurality of zones of a building, the method comprising:
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(a) for each zone; receiving a zone temperature corresponding to that zone; and computing a first zone temperature error by calculating a difference between that zone temperature and a first setpoint of that zone; (b) identifying a first critical zone by analyzing the first zone temperature errors; (c) using the first zone temperature error of the critical zone to determine a final speed setting, wherein using the zone temperature error of the critical zone to determine a speed setting of the variable-speed fan includes; inputting the first zone temperature error of the first critical zone to a first proportional-integral-derivative (PID) calculator; and calculating a first estimated speed setting of the variable-speed fan based on the first zone temperature error and at least one of a previous estimated speed setting and/or a previous first zone temperature error of the variable-speed fan; and (d) controlling, with a controller, the variable-speed fan based on the final speed setting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of calibrating an environmental maintenance module that controls a temperature of a zone of a building, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving, over a time period, a plurality of temperatures of the zone, each zone temperature being at a different time within the time period; (b) calculating a location parameter for the zone temperatures; (c) computing a scale parameter that quantifies a variation of the zone temperatures relative to the location parameter; (d) determining a first temperature setpoint for the zone, wherein the environmental maintenance module uses the first temperature setpoint in controlling the temperature of the zone, wherein determining a first temperature setpoint for the zone includes; calculating a minimum value between an upper limit and a function of the scale function; calculating a maximum value between the minimum value and a lower limit; and adding the maximum value to the location. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An HVAC system, comprising:
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an environmental maintenance module including at least one variable-speed fan operatively coupled to a plurality of zones of a building; a controller operatively coupled to the environmental maintenance module for controlling the variable-speed fan, the controller including at least one processor configured to; for each zone; receive a zone temperature corresponding to that zone; and compute a first zone temperature error by calculating a difference between that zone temperature and a first setpoint of that zone and computing a second zone temperature error by calculating a difference between that zone temperature and a second setpoint of that zone; identify a first critical zone by analyzing the first zone temperature errors; and
identifying a second critical zone by analyzing the second zone temperature errors; andusing the second zone temperature error of the second critical zone to determine a second speed setting of the variable-speed fan; use the first zone temperature error of the critical zone to determine a final speed setting of the variable-speed fan. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. An HVAC system, comprising:
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an environmental maintenance module configured to control a temperature of a zone of a building; a controller operatively coupled to the environmental maintenance module for calibrating the environmental maintenance module, the controller including at least one processor configured to; (a) receive, over a time period, a plurality of temperatures of the zone, each zone temperature being at a different time within the time period; (b) calculate a location parameter for the zone temperatures; (c) compute a scale parameter that quantifies a variation of the zone temperatures relative to the location parameter; (d) determine a first temperature setpoint for the zone, wherein the environmental maintenance module uses the first temperature setpoint in controlling the temperature of the zone, wherein determining a first temperature setpoint for the zone includes; calculating a minimum value between an upper limit and a function of the scale function; calculating a maximum value between the minimum value and a lower limit; and adding the maximum value to the location parameter.
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28. A method of calibrating an environmental maintenance module that controls a temperature of a zone of a building, the method comprising:
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(a) periodically accessing a database which includes prior fan speed and zone temperature information over a plurality of time intervals a period of time; (b) determining whether the fan speed was at or above a predetermined level over one of the time intervals; (c) setting current low and high temperature setpoints according to the determination whether the fan speed was at or above a predetermined level over one of the time intervals, wherein the environmental maintenance module uses the low and high temperature setpoints in controlling the temperature of the zone, wherein the fan speed is determined to be at or above the predetermined level over the interval of time, and further comprising determining a first and second temperature for the zone when the fan speed was at or above the predetermined level, and wherein the current low and high temperature setpoints are set according to the first and second temperatures, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. An HVAC system, comprising:
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an environmental maintenance module configured to control a temperature of a zone of a building; a controller operatively coupled to the environmental maintenance module for calibrating the environmental maintenance module, the controller including at least one processor configured to; (a) periodically access a database which includes prior values for a fan speed and zone temperature information over a plurality of time intervals in period of time; (b) determine whether the fan speed was at or above a predetermined level over any time interval in the period; (c) set current low and high temperature setpoints according to the determination whether the fan speed was at or above a predetermined level over an interval of time, wherein the environmental maintenance module uses the low and high temperature setpoints in controlling the temperature of the zone, wherein the fan speed is determined to be below the predetermined level over the interval of time, and further comprising determining a percentage difference between previous low and high temperature setpoints over the period of time, and wherein the current low and high temperature setpoints are set according to applying the percentage difference to the previous low and high temperature setpoints. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification