ERV global pressure demand control ventilation mode

• US 9,175,872 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: McKie, Justin, Perez, Eric, Schneider, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): COTOV, JONATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US13/267,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 454/229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/00 Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some deformation connecting metal parts or objects by metal-working procedures B21J, B23K; Tools or devices therefor so far as not provided for in other classes hand tools in general B25
• 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 12/001 with heat-exchange between supplied and exhausted air
• 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 2203/10 Rotary wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/56 Heat recovery units
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An energy recovery ventilator includes first and second blowers, a pressure transducer and a controller. The first blower is configured to direct a first air stream into a first zone of an enclosure. A second blower configured to direct a second air stream into a second zone of the enclosure. A pressure transducer is configured to determine internal air pressure within the enclosure. A controller is configured to control the first blower and/or the second blower in response to the internal air pressure.

Claims

1. An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) coupled to an economizer, comprising:

an ERV housing including a divider and an enthalpy wheel that divides said ERV housing into multiple zones;

a first blower located within said ERV housing to force a first air stream through said enthalpy wheel and into of one of said multiple zones and out of said ERV housing;

a second blower located within said ERV housing to force a second air stream into another of said multiple zones of said ERV housing and through said enthalpy wheel and out of said ERV housing;

a pressure transducer located within said ERV housing and configured to determine an internal air pressure within said ERV housing; and

a controller coupled to said pressure transducer to receive an electrical signal therefrom and configured to control said first blower and/or said second blower in response to said internal air pressure to maintain about a same level of pressure within said ERV housing as an air pressure outside said ERV housing, thereby allowing the ERV to operate cooperatively with the economizer while remaining electrically autonomous.

2. The energy recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1, wherein said controller controls said first blower and/or said second blower to maintain a pressure differential of about zero between said internal air pressure and atmospheric air pressure.

3. The as recited in claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to increase a speed of said first blower and/or said second blower when said internal air pressure is less than an air pressure outside said enclosure.

4. The as recited in claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to decrease a speed of said first blower and/or said second blower when said internal air pressure is greater than an atmospheric air pressure.

5. The energy recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1, wherein said is ERV housing is coupled to a roof top unit (RTU) housing to provide said first airstream to an intake of said RTU housing.

6. The energy recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1, wherein said pressure transducer is configured to determine an air pressure within a second zone of said multiple zones.

7. The energy recovery ventilator as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second blowers are configured in a pull-pull configuration, such that they direct air flow through said ERV housing in opposite directions.

8. A method of manufacturing an HVAC energy recovery ventilator for coupling to an economizer, comprising:

fabricating an ERV housing including a divider and an enthalpy wheel that divides said ERV housing into multiple zones;

locating a first blower in said ERV housing to force a first airstream through said enthalpy wheel and into one of said multiple zone and out from said ERV housing;

locating a second blower in said ERV housing to force a second airstream into said ERV housing through said enthalpy wheel and into another of said multiple zones and out of said ERV housing;

locating a pressure transducer in said ERV housing and configuring said pressure transducer to determine an internal air pressure within said ERV housing; and

coupling a controller to said pressure transducer to receive an electrical signal therefrom, said controller being configured to control one or both of said first and second blowers in response to said internal air pressure to maintain about a same level of pressure within said ERV housing as an air pressure outside said ERV housing, thereby allowing the ERV to operate cooperatively with the economizer while remaining electrically autonomous.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising configuring said controller to control one or both of said first and second blowers to maintain a pressure differential of about zero between said internal air pressure and atmospheric air pressure.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said controller is configured to increase a speed of said first blower when said internal air pressure is less than an external air pressure.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said controller is configured to decrease a speed of said first blower when said internal air pressure is greater than an atmospheric air pressure.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said controller is configured to adjust a decrease a speed of said first blower when said internal air pressure is greater than an external air pressure.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said pressure is determined in a zone of said enclosure located between a supply air outlet and said enthalpy wheel.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising configuring said first and second blowers in a pull-pull configuration, such that they direct air flow through said ERV housing in opposite directions.

15. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising configuring the energy recovery ventilator to provide an input air stream to a rooftop HVAC unit.