On-line energy consumption optimization adaptive to environmental condition

• US 9,010,133 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Ashrafzadeh, Farhad, Gomes, Alberto Regio, Kulkarni, Tushar, Litch, Andrew D., Richmond, Peter J., Buendia-Garcia, Ali R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US13/527,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20130340450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 621/15, 621/27, 621/90, 622/11, 622/12, 622/23, 622/30, 624/41
• US Class Current: 62/127
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0253 with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/111 of condenser fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/112 of evaporator fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/23 Time delays
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/02 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/15 Power, e.g. by voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/02 for compression type machines, plants or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/022 Compressor control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/027 Condenser control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/00 Means for sensing or measuring; Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/14 Sensors measuring the temperature outside the refrigerator or freezer
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

An appliance includes an appliance housing, an interface adapted to receive power information, a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions, a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance, and an intelligent control. The intelligent control is disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.

Claims

1. An appliance for use in an environment comprising:

an appliance housing;

an interface adapted to receive power information;

a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions;

a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance;

an intelligent control disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.

2. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the interface is adapted to receive the power information from a smart grid.

3. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the appliance further comprises an onboard power meter and the interface is adapted to receive the power information from the onboard power meter.

4. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the intelligent control is further adapted to calculate or estimate environmental conditions based on data from the plurality of sensors.

5. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the appliance includes a fan and the control values include a fan time delay.

6. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the appliance includes a compressor disposed within the appliance housing, the plurality of controls include a compressor speed control and the control values include a compressor speed.

7. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the appliance includes a fan disposed within the appliance housing, the plurality of controls include a fan control, and the control values include a fan time delay.

8. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors include a temperature sensor for sensing ambient temperature.

9. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors include a humidity sensor for sensing humidity.

10. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors include a water hardness sensor.

11. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors include a pH sensor.

12. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the appliance is a refrigerator and wherein the appliance housing is a refrigerator cabinet.

13. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the power information comprises power quality.

14. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the power information comprises load information.

15. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the power information comprises energy consumption information.

16. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a power meter operatively connected to the intelligent control.

17. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the intelligent control computes the control values based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or the combination thereof.

18. A refrigerator for use in an environment comprising:

a refrigerator cabinet;

a compressor disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;

an interface adapted to receive power information;

a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions;

a plurality of controls for controlling the refrigerator;

an intelligent control disposed within the refrigerator cabinet and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the refrigerator.

19. The refrigerator of claim 18 wherein the interface is adapted to receive the power information from a smart grid.

20. The refrigerator of claim 18 further comprising a fan and the control values include a fan time delay.

21. The refrigerator of claim 18 wherein the plurality of controls include a compressor speed control and the control values include a compressor speed.

22. The refrigerator of claim 18 wherein the refrigerator includes a fan disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, the plurality of controls include a fan control, and the control values include a fan time delay.

23. The refrigerator of claim 18 wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one of a temperature sensor for sensing ambient temperature, a humidity sensor for sensing humidity, a water hardness sensor for sensing water hardness, or a pH sensor for sensing pH.

24. The refrigerator of claim 18 wherein the power information comprises at least one of power quality, load information, or energy consumption information.

25. The refrigerator of claim 18 wherein the intelligent control computes the control values based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or the combination thereof.

26. The refrigerator of claim 18 further comprising a power meter operatively connected to the intelligent control.

27. A method for controlling an appliance within an environment, the method comprising:

providing the appliance, the appliance comprising (a) an appliance housing, (b) an interface adapted to receive power information, (c) a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions, (d) a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance, and (e) an intelligent control disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors; and

dynamically selecting control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.