Controller employing feedback data for a multi-strike method of operating an HVAC system and monitoring components thereof and an HVAC system employing the controller

• US 9,671,122 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: McKie, Justin, Perez, Eric, Thomas, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US13/326,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,001 Days
• Field of Search: 700 26, 700 50
• 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 11/39 Monitoring filter performance
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states

Abstract

A controller for an HVAC system, a compute-usable medium and an ERV are disclosed. In one embodiment, the controller includes: (1) an input terminal configured to receive feedback data from a first operating unit of the HVAC system, (2) an operation monitor configured to determine if the feedback data corresponds to a predetermined condition for the first operating unit and (3) a system director configured to operate a second operating unit of the HVAC system at a predetermined operating value corresponding to the predetermined condition and a number of occurrences of predetermined conditions associated with the first operating unit.

Claims

1. A controller for a heating, ventilating and cooling (HVAC) system, comprising:

an input terminal configured to receive feedback data from a pressure sensor associated with a first operating unit of said HVAC system;

an operation monitor configured to determine if said feedback data corresponds to a predetermined condition for said first operating unit, said predetermined condition being one of a group consisting of;

a dirty enthalpy wheel and a dirty filter; and

a processor comprising a system director, in response to the determination that said feedback data corresponds to said predetermined condition, configured to;

determine a number of occurrences of predetermined conditions associated with said first operating unit;

determine whether the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions is greater than a first threshold;

in response to determining that the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions is not greater than the first threshold, operate a fan blower of said HVAC system at a predetermined operating value, said predetermined operating value corresponding to the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions associated with said first operating unit; and

in response to determining that the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions is greater than the first threshold, turn off the fan blower.

2. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to a pre-set operating value for said first operating unit.

3. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined operating value reduces an operating capacity of said fan blower.

4. The controller as recited in claim 3 wherein said operating capacity is reduced to a first limited operating value when said number of occurrences is equal to one and reduced to a second limited operating value when said number of occurrences is equal to two.

5. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined operating value prevents operation of said fan blower.

6. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said HVAC system is an energy recovery ventilator and said feedback data is a designated input selected from the list consisting of:

a dirty enthalpy wheel input, and

a dirty filter switch input.

7. The controller as recited in claim 6 wherein said operation monitor is further configured to employ said feedback data to determine a filter life value for a filter of said energy recovery ventilator corresponding to a dirty filter switch input.

8. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein said system director is further configured to generate an alarm based on said predetermined condition.

9. A non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method for operating a heating, ventilating and cooling (HVAC) system, comprising:

receiving feedback data from a pressure sensor associated with a first operating unit of said HVAC system;

determining if said feedback data corresponds to a predetermined condition for said first operating unit, said predetermined condition being one of a group consisting of;

a dirty enthalpy wheel and a dirty filter; and

in response to the determination that said feedback data corresponds to said predetermined condition;

determining a number of occurrences of predetermined conditions associated with said first operating unit;

determining whether the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions is greater than a first threshold;

in response to determining that the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions is not greater than the first threshold, operating a fan blower of said HVAC system at a predetermined operating value, the predetermined operating value corresponding to the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions associated with said first operating unit; and

in response to determining that the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions is greater than the first threshold, turn off the fan blower.

10. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 9 wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to a pre-set operating value for said first operating unit.

11. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 9 wherein said predetermined operating value reduces an operating capacity of said fan blower.

12. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 11 wherein said operating capacity is reduced to a first limited operating value when said number of occurrences is equal to one and reduced to a second limited operating value when said number of occurrences is equal to two.

13. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 9 wherein said predetermined operating value prevents operation of said fan blower.

14. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 9 wherein said HVAC system is an energy recovery ventilator and said feedback data is a designated input selected from the list consisting of:

a dirty enthalpy wheel input, and

a dirty filter switch input.

15. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 14 wherein said operation monitor is further configured to employ said feedback data to determine a filter life value for a filter of said energy recovery ventilator corresponding to a dirty filter switch input.

16. The computer-usable medium as recited in claim 9 wherein said system director is further configured to generate an alarm based on said predetermined condition.

17. An energy recovery ventilator, comprising:

a filter;

an enthalpy wheel;

a fan that moves air through said filter and said enthalpy wheel; and

a controller including;

a first input terminal configured to receive feedback data from a pressure sensor associated with said air moving through said filter;

an operation monitor configured to determine if said feedback data corresponds to a dirty filter predetermined condition for said filter; and

a system director in response to the determination that said feedback data corresponds to said predetermined condition, configured to;

determine a number of occurrences of predetermined conditions associated with said first operating unit;

determine whether the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions is greater than a first threshold;

in response to determining that the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions is not greater than the first threshold, operate said fan at a filter predetermined operating value, said filter predetermined operating value corresponding to a number of occurrences of dirty filter predetermined conditions associated with said filter; and

in response to determining that the number of occurrences of predetermined conditions is greater than the first threshold, turn off the fan.

18. The energy recovery ventilator as recited in claim 17 further comprising a second input terminal configured to receive additional feedback data corresponding to said air moving through said enthalpy wheel, wherein said operation monitor is further configured to determine if said additional feedback data corresponds to a dirty wheel predetermined condition for said enthalpy wheel and said system director is further configured to operate said fan at a wheel predetermined operating value in response to the determination that the feedback data corresponds to said dirty wheel predetermined condition, said wheel predetermined operating value corresponding to a number of occurrences of wheel predetermined conditions associated with said enthalpy wheel.