Gas flow measurement system and method of operation

• US 9,568,349 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Air Distribution Technologies IP, LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Ruskin Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Vogel, Timothy A., Wiley, Josiah
• Primary Examiner(s): CAPUTO, LISA M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunlap, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US13/857,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20140260597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/539.1, 340/10.31, 340/10.32, 340/632, 340/870.03, 700/276, 700/277, 702/45, 731/98, 738/612.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/68 by using thermal effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/684 Structural arrangements; Mounting of elements, e.g. in relation to fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/69 of resistive type
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/698 Feedback or rebalancing circuits, e.g. self heated constant temperature flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/061 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters

Abstract

A gas flow monitoring system is disclosed that includes a plurality of first gas flow sensors. A primary probe transmitter is connected to the plurality of first gas flow sensors is configured to process data received from the plurality of first gas flow sensors to generate first gas flow data. A plurality of second gas flow sensors are connected to an ancillary probe transmitter and to the primary probe transmitter, where the ancillary probe transmitter are configured to process data received from the plurality of second gas flow sensors to generate second gas flow data. The primary probe transmitter further comprises a building automation system interface, and is configured to receive the second gas flow data from the ancillary probe transmitter and to transmit the first gas flow data and the second gas flow data to a building automation system.

Claims

1. A gas flow monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of first gas flow sensors;

a primary probe transmitter coupled to the plurality of first gas flow sensors and configured to process data received from the plurality of first gas flow sensors to generate first gas flow data at a first location within a duct;

a plurality of second gas flow sensors;

an ancillary probe transmitter coupled to the plurality of second gas flow sensors and to the primary probe transmitter, the ancillary probe transmitter configured to process data received from the plurality of second gas flow sensors to generate second gas flow data at a second location within the duct; and

the primary probe transmitter further comprising a building automation system interface and configured to receive the second gas flow data from the ancillary probe transmitter, to process the first gas flow data and the second gas flow data to generate first processed data, and to transmit the first gas flow data, the second gas flow data and the first processed data to a building automation system.

2. The gas flow monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the primary probe transmitter is coupled to the ancillary probe transmitter over a wireless network and the primary probe transmitter is coupled to the building automation system over a wire line network, and further comprising a device reset system configured to generate a user interface identifying a plurality of devices associated with the primary probe transmitter and the ancillary probe transmitter and to receive a user-entered command to reset one of the plurality of devices.

3. The gas flow monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of first gas flow sensors comprise a first plurality of thermistors for self-heating and a first plurality of thermistors for ambient temperature measurement that are disposed at spaced locations along a single probe that is configured for insertion into a duct, and further comprising a field balance system configured to generate a user interface identifying a plurality of sensors associated with the primary probe transmitter and the ancillary probe transmitter and to receive locally-measured, user-entered data to balance a reading associated with one of the plurality of sensors.

4. The gas flow monitoring system of claim 3 wherein the primary probe transmitter further comprises an error indication system configured to receive an error signal from each of the plurality of thermistors for self-heating, the primary probe transmitter and the ancillary probe transmitter and to and to generate a user-readable indication as a function of each of the error signals.

5. The gas flow monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the first gas flow data comprises gas flow data for each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors disposed at spaced positions along a single support that has been installed within a duct, and further comprising a test system configured to generate a user interface identifying each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors, the primary probe transmitter and the ancillary probe transmitter, to generate a sequence of data signals and to determine whether response signals generated by the each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors, the primary probe transmitter and the ancillary probe transmitter indicate that each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors, the primary probe transmitter and the ancillary probe transmitter are functioning properly.

6. The gas flow monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the first gas flow data comprises one or more of velocity data and volume data measured at a plurality of sensors disposed at separate locations within a duct, and further comprising a velocity and temperature display system configured to generate a user interface identifying each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors, and to generate velocity and temperature data for individual sensors or sets of sensors of each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors.

7. The gas flow monitoring system of claim 1 further comprising a touch screen controller coupled to the primary probe transmitter and configured to generate one or more user prompts and to receive user-entered selections of probe locations within ductwork in response to the user prompts, and further comprising an airflow velocity adjustment system configured to generate a user interface with gain and offset controls for each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors and to receive locally-measured adjustments to the gain and offet measurements for each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors.

8. The gas flow monitoring system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first housing containing the primary probe transmitter, the first housing configured to be attached to at a first location;

a first sensor support coupled to the first housing and the air flow component at the first location, wherein the plurality of first gas flow sensors are disposed on the first sensor support; and

a zero cutoff adjust system configured to generate a user interface with zero cutoff controls for each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors and to receive locally-measured adjustments to a zero cutoff setting for each of the first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors.

9. The gas flow monitoring system of claim 8 further comprising:

a second housing containing the ancillary probe transmitter, the second housing configured to be attached to the air flow component at a second location;

a second sensor support coupled to the second housing and the air flow component at the second location, wherein the plurality of second gas flow sensors are disposed on the second sensor support, and

a gust filtering system coupled to the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors and configured to perform gust filtering as a function of data received from the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors.

10. A method for monitoring gas flow comprising:

receiving a data signal from each of a plurality of first gas flow sensors at a primary probe transmitter;

processing the plurality of first gas flow sensor data signals to generate first gas flow data;

receiving a data signal from each of a plurality of second gas flow sensors at an ancillary probe transmitter;

processing the plurality of second gas flow sensors data signals to generate second gas flow data;

transmitting the second gas flow data to the primary probe transmitter over a first communications media;

processing the first gas flow data and the second gas flow data to generate first processed data as a function of the first gas flow data and the second gas flow data;

assembling the first gas flow data, the second gas flow data and the first processed data into a data packet for transmission over a network at the primary probe transmitter; and

transmitting the first gas flow data, the second gas flow data and the first processed data from the primary probe transmitter to a building automation system.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving the data signal from each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors at the primary probe transmitter comprises receiving a data signal from one or more thermistors for self-heating and a data signal from one or more thermistors for ambient temperature measurement.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein processing the plurality of first gas flow sensor data signals to generate the first gas flow data comprises generating first gas flow data for each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein processing the plurality of first gas flow sensor data signals to generate the first gas flow data comprises generating one or more of velocity data and volume data.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein processing the plurality of first gas flow sensor data signals to generate the first gas flow data comprises generating one or more of velocity data and volume data for each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining whether one or more of the plurality of first gas flow sensor data signals should be omitted from the first gas flow data at the primary probe transmitter.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating a user interface identifying a plurality of devices associated with the primary probe transmitter and the ancillary probe transmitter;

receiving a user-entered command to reset one of the plurality of devices;

generating a user interface identifying a plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors associated with the primary probe transmitter and the ancillary probe transmitter;

receiving locally-measured, user-entered data;

balancing a reading associated with one of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors;

generating a user interface identifying each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors, the primary probe transmitter and the ancillary probe transmitter;

generating a sequence of data signals;

testing each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors for operability with the primary probe transmitter;

determining whether response signals generated by the first gas flow sensors indicate that the devices are functioning properly;

generating a user interface identifying each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors;

generating velocity and temperature data for individual sensors or sets of sensors;

generating a user interface with gain and offset controls for each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors;

receiving locally-measured adjustments to the gain and offet measurements;

generating a user interface with zero cutoff controls for each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors;

receiving locally-measured adjustments to a zero cutoff setting for each of the first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors; and

performing gust filtering as a function of data received from the plurality of first gas flow sensors and second gas flow sensors.

17. A method for monitoring gas flow comprising:

receiving a data signal from each of a plurality of first gas flow sensors at a primary probe transmitter;

processing the plurality of first gas flow sensor data signals at the primary probe tansmitter to generate first gas flow data and first processed data;

receiving a data signal from each of a plurality of second gas flow sensors at a first ancillary probe transmitter;

processing the plurality of second gas flow sensors data signals at the primary probe transmitter to generate second gas flow data and second processed data;

receiving a data signal from each of a plurality of third gas flow sensors at a second ancillary probe transmitter;

processing the plurality of third gas flow sensors data signals at the primary probe transmitter to generate third gas flow data and third processed data; and

transmitting the first gas flow data, the second gas flow data, the third gas flow data, the first processed data, the second processed data and the third processed data from the primary probe transmitter to a building automation system, wherein the first processed data, the second processed data and the third processed data are different types of data.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving the data signal from each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors at the primary probe transmitter comprises receiving a data signal from one or more thermistors for self-heating and a data signal from one or more thermistors for ambient temperature measurement.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein processing the plurality of first gas flow sensor data signals to generate the first gas flow data comprises generating first gas flow data for each of the plurality of first gas flow sensors.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein processing the plurality of first gas flow sensor data signals to generate the first gas flow data comprises generating one or more of velocity data and volume data.