Outdoor fan and indoor blower controller for heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and method of operation thereof

• US 8,948,918 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chamorro, Carlos O., Hundt, Roger C., Stachler, John P., Walter, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman, Sean
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARLAND, STEVEN R
• Application Number:
  US12/694,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20100298982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/277, 625/07, 625/10, 622/283, 621/75
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 11/50 characterised by user interfaces or communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/127 by using pulse modulation G01R21/133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/1335 Tariff switching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/00 Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion G05B19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/00 Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures printed connections to, or between, printed circuits H05K1/11
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6456 comprising keying elements at different positions along the periphery of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 : The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 : The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/04 : Single phase motors, e.g. capacitor motors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 : the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 : General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 : Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/244 : the home appliances being or involving heating ventilating and air conditioning [HVAC] units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 : Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49147 : Assembling terminal to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 : Heat exchanger or boiler making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49359 : Cooling apparatus making, e.g., air conditioner, refrigerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

An HVAC controller, a method of operating an HVAC controller and an HVAC system employing the controller or the method. In one embodiment, the HVAC controller includes: (1) a processor couplable to at least two refrigerant pressure sensors via separate data paths to receive input signals therefrom and further couplable to a compressor stage and a condenser fan to provide output signals thereto and (2) memory coupled to the processor and configured to store a software program capable of causing the processor to command the compressor stage and the condenser fan to turn on irrespective of a state of an input signal generated by either of the at least two refrigerant pressure sensors and generate alternative error messages at least partially depending upon whether or not a high pressure shutdown occurs after the processor commands the compressor stage and the fan to turn on.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller, comprising:

a processor couplable to at least two refrigerant pressure sensors via separate data paths to receive input signals therefrom and further couplable to a compressor stage and a condenser fan to provide output signals thereto; and

memory coupled to said processor and storing a software program having program instructions capable of causing said processor to command said compressor stage and said condenser fan to turn on irrespective of a state of an input signal generated by either of said at least two refrigerant pressure sensors and generate alternative error messages at least partially depending upon whether or not a high pressure shutdown occurs after said processor commands said compressor stage and said fan to turn on.

2. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least two refrigerant pressure sensors comprise at least two low ambient pressure switches.

3. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said data paths are separate wireline buses.

4. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said software program is further capable of causing said processor to command said high pressure shutdown and causing said processor to command said compressor stage and said fan to turn on after an initial high pressure shutdown occurs.

5. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is further couplable to an outside air temperature sensor via a separate data path to receive an input signal therefrom and said software program is further capable of causing said processor to generate said output signals at least partially based on said input signal from said outside air temperature sensor.

6. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said software program is further capable of causing said processor to command said compressor stage to turn on and said condenser fan to run at a low-low speed based on a refrigerant pressure.

7. The HVAC controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is further couplable to an indoor blower to provide an output signal thereto and said software program is further capable of causing said processor to command said compressor stage to turn off, said condenser fan to run and said indoor blower to run at a low-low speed.

8. A method of operating an HVAC system, comprising:

commanding a compressor stage and an associated condenser fan to turn on irrespective of a state of an input signal generated by at least two refrigerant pressure sensors associated with said condenser fan; and

generating alternative error messages at least partially depending upon whether or not a high pressure shutdown occurs after said commanding.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said at least two refrigerant pressure sensors comprises at least two low ambient pressure switches.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said input signal is transmitted along a separate wireline bus for said at least two refrigerant pressure sensors.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

commanding said high pressure shutdown; and

commanding said compressor stage and said fan to turn on after an initial high pressure shutdown occurs.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

receiving an input signal from an outside air temperature sensor; and

generating output signals at least partially based on said input signal from said outside air temperature sensor.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising commanding said compressor stage to turn on and said condenser fan to run at a low-low speed based on a refrigerant pressure.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising commanding said compressor stage to turn off, said condenser fan to run and an indoor blower to run at a low-low speed.

15. An HVAC system, comprising:

an outdoor unit, including;

at least two compressor stages,

at least two corresponding condenser fans,

at least two corresponding refrigerant pressure sensors,

at least one condenser coil, and

an outside air temperature sensor;

an indoor unit, including;

at least one evaporator coil,

at least one indoor blower, and

at least one expansion valve; and

an HVAC controller, including;

a processor couplable to said at least two refrigerant pressure sensors via separate data paths to receive input signals therefrom and further couplable to said at least two compressor stages and said at least two condenser fans to provide output signals thereto, and

memory coupled to said processor and storing a software program having instructions capable of causing said processor to command one of said at least two compressor stages and a corresponding one of said at least two condenser fans to turn on irrespective of a state of an input signal generated by either of said at least two refrigerant pressure sensors and generating alternative error messages at least partially depending upon whether or not a high pressure shutdown occurs after said processor commands said one of said at least two compressor stages and said corresponding one of said at least two condenser fans to turn on.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said at least two refrigerant pressure sensors comprise at least two low ambient pressure switches.

17. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said data paths are separate wireline buses.

18. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said software program is further capable of causing said processor to command said high pressure shutdown and causing said processor to command said one of said at least two compressor stages and said corresponding one of said at least two fans to turn on after an initial high pressure shutdown occurs.

19. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein software program is further capable of causing said processor to generate said output signals at least partially based on said input signal from said outside air temperature sensor.

20. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said software program is further capable of causing said processor to command said one of said at least two compressor stages to turn on and said corresponding one of said at least two condenser fans to run at a low-low speed based on a refrigerant pressure.

21. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said software program is further capable of causing said processor to command said one of said at least two compressor stages to turn off, said one of said at least two condenser fans to run and one of said at least two indoor blowers to run at a low-low speed.