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Variable speed motor control method and apparatus

  • US 9,310,089 B2
  • Filed: 01/27/2010
  • Issued: 04/12/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An HVAC system, comprising:

  • an HVAC motor;

    a motor controller coupled to the HVAC motor and configured to;

    receive a first command signal of the HVAC motor and a second command signal of the HVAC motor;

    decode a first operating level of the HVAC motor from the received first command signal of the HVAC motor; and

    decode a second operating level of the HVAC motor from the received second command signal of the HVAC motor;

    a system controller coupled to the motor controller and configured to;

    receive a first energy unit cost at a first time;

    determine a digitally encoded operating level of the HVAC motor based at least upon the first energy unit cost;

    modulate the first command signal with the digitally encoded operating level of the HVAC motor in response to a service demand;

    transmit the modulated first command signal to the motor controller;

    receive a second energy unit cost at a second time;

    update the digitally encoded operating level of the HVAC motor based at least upon the second energy unit cost;

    modulate the second command signal with the updated digitally encoded operating level; and

    transmit the modulated second command signal to the motor controller;

    a feedback loop coupled to the system controller and the motor controller, the feedback loop including a summing node that is configured to receive the first command signal from the system controller, the second command signal from the system controller, and a feedback signal representative of an actual level of operation of the HVAC motor; and

    the system controller is further configured to;

    receive the feedback signal from the summing node;

    determine a total energy consumption of the HVAC system based on the feedback signal;

    based on the determined total energy consumption of the HVAC system, determine a new digitally encoded operating level of the HVAC motor to reduce an energy consumption of the HVAC system; and

    modulate a third command signal with the new digitally encoded operating level.

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