AUTOMATED SWEAT PREVENTION FOR CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEMS

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for determining potential condensate formation on an exterior surface of a climate control system and operating the climate control system according to adjusted settings to prevent the formation of condensate.

BACKGROUND

Various climate control systems exist, and several of these systems are able to provide both heating and cooling. These systems use refrigerant circuits to transport thermal energy between components of the system. Each of these designs offer various advantages, and typically provide for conditioning over a given temperature range. A common form of these systems, often referred to as a heat pump, uses a reversible refrigerant circuit that moves thermal energy between two or more heat exchangers to provide heating and/or cooling as desired.

Each of these systems involve multiple different components, many of which work together in an interconnected fashion. Each of these systems is exposed to different environmental conditions that effect performance and the remaining useful life of components. Systems working in humid environments can generate and buildup condensate on the outside of such systems. This type of sweating can lead to deterioration of equipment or damage to surrounding structures. The prevention of such sweating, however, can be challenging.

Some systems seek to passively prevent sweating by adding substantial insulation. Other systems merely attempt to passively manage the moisture after it has condensed. As a result, there exists an opportunity for an active approach to mitigating condensate formation on the exterior surfaces of climate control system components.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for the active prevention of condensate formation, e.g., sweating, for a climate control system and/or components associated with the system, such as evaporator coils, air handlers, or ductwork in unconditioned environments. In general, this disclosure focuses on utilizing environmental and climate control system information to assess a likelihood that condensate will form on components of the system. This assessment of condensate formation may cause the system to operate according to a sweat prevention mode. The sweat prevention mode may cause the components of the system to operate at increased minimum capacity levels.

In some examples, the systems and methods monitor multiple different conditions associated with the climate control system that may contribute to condensate formation. These conditions may be directly monitored by the system using multiple different sensor devices communicably connected to the system. These conditions may be selected, in part, to provide a more complete indication of the operation of system components and surrounding environments. For example, temperature and/or humidity conditions may be monitored for components located in unconditioned environments, such as, crawlspaces, attics, or garages.

Further, the system and method may track temperatures and other contributing factors for sweating related to the unconditioned space around the components. These conditions may be compared to each other, threshold values, and/or stored system information to determine the likelihood that components may begin sweating. Using this information, the system and method may determine operational responses for the climate control system, which may minimize or prevent the possibility of undesired condensate formation.

In some examples, conditions are determined for various different system components and unconditioned spaces. These conditions may be measured, estimated, and/or compared in relation to a threshold value indicative of a particular likelihood that component sweating will occur. In some examples, the threshold temperature may be indicative of a particular likelihood that condensate will be unable to form. In some examples, the threshold value may include a range between two values, one value associated with a likelihood that sweating will occur and another value associated with a likelihood that sweating will not occur.

In some examples, the system and methods may adjust the operation of various different components of the climate control system to change a surface temperature and prevent component sweating. For example, a minimum setting for a component of the climate control system may be adjusted. This may include increasing the minimum capacity setting, etc. These changes may result in increased cycling of the system, which may potentially decrease the formation of condensate on a given exterior surface.

The present disclosure thus includes, without limitation, the following examples.

Some example implementations include a climate control system with improved sweat prevention, the climate control system comprising: an outdoor unit including a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger; an air handler unit including an interior fan and an interior heat exchanger; and a controller configured to: determine two or more conditions within an unconditioned space, each of the conditions being different; compare the plurality of conditions; determine if condensate will likely form on an exterior surface of the climate control system based on the comparison, the exterior surface being directly exposed to the unconditioned space; cause the climate control system to enter a sweat prevention mode in response to a determination condensate will likely form, the sweat prevention mode including adjusting a minimum setting for the climate control system to an adjusted minimum setting; and operate the climate control system according to the sweat prevention mode.

Further example implementations may include a controller for a climate control system, the controller comprising: a memory configured to store computer executable components; a processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer executable components to cause the processor to at least: determine two or more conditions within an unconditioned space, each of the conditions being different, and the unconditioned space including an air handler unit of the climate control system; compare the plurality of conditions; determine if condensate will likely form on an exterior surface of the climate control system based on the comparison, the exterior surface being directly exposed to the unconditioned space; cause the climate control system to enter a sweat prevention mode in response to a determination condensate will likely form, the sweat prevention mode including adjusting a minimum setting for the climate control system to an adjusted minimum setting; and operate the climate control system according to the sweat prevention mode.

Further example implementations may include a method of operating a climate control system, the method comprising: determining two or more conditions within an unconditioned space, each of the conditions being different, and the unconditioned space including an air handler unit of the climate control system; comparing the plurality of conditions; determining if condensate will likely form on an exterior surface of the climate control system based on the comparison, the exterior surface being directly exposed to the unconditioned space; causing the climate control system to enter a sweat prevention mode in response to a determination condensate will likely form, the sweat prevention mode including adjusting a minimum setting for the climate control system to an adjusted minimum setting; and operating the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four, or more of the above-noted embodiments, examples, or implementations as well as combinations of any two, three, four, or more features or elements set forth in this disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are expressly combined in a specific example description herein. This disclosure is intended to be read holistically such that any separable features or elements of the disclosed disclosure, in any of its various aspects, embodiments, examples, or implementations, should be viewed as intended to be combinable unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE(S)

In order to assist the understanding of aspects of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the appended drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale. The drawings are provided by way of example to assist in the understanding of aspects of the disclosure, and should not be construed as limiting the disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates a climate control system with improved sweat prevention features, according to some example implementations of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, and 2G provide example flow charts for operating climate control systems with improved sweat prevention, according to some example implementations of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a climate control system, according to some example implementations of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 illustrates control circuitry, according to some example implementations of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some implementations of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which some, but not all implementations of the disclosure are shown. Indeed, various implementations of the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments, examples, or implementations set forth herein; rather, these example embodiments, examples, or implementations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

For example, unless specified otherwise or clear from context, references to first, second or the like should not be construed to imply a particular order. A feature described as being above another feature (unless specified otherwise or clear from context) may instead be below, and vice versa; and similarly, features described as being to the left of another feature may instead be to the right, and vice versa. Also, while reference may be made herein to quantitative measures, values, geometric relationships or the like, unless otherwise stated, any one or more if not all of these may be absolute or approximate to account for acceptable variations that may occur, such as those due to engineering tolerances or the like.

As used herein, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, the “or” of a set of operands is the “inclusive or” and thereby true if and only if one or more of the operands is true, as opposed to the “exclusive or” which is false when all of the operands are true. Thus, for example, “[A] or [B]” is true if [A] is true, or if [B] is true, or if both [A] and [B] are true. Further, the articles “a” and “an” mean “one or more,” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

As used herein, the terms “bottom,” “top,” “upper,” “lower,” “upward,” “downward,” “rightward,” “leftward,” “interior,” “exterior,” and/or similar terms are used for ease of explanation and refer generally to the position of certain components or portions of the components of embodiments, examples, or implementations of the described disclosure in the installed configuration (e.g., in an operational configuration). It is understood that such terms are not used in any absolute sense.

Example implementations of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for the estimation and prevention of undesired, external condensate formation for a climate control system and/or condensate formation on exterior surfaces associated with the system, such as the exterior surface of air handlers, or ductwork in unconditioned environments. As relatively warm humid air in unconditioned spaces encounters these relatively cooler exterior surfaces a phenomenon commonly referred to as sweating may occur.

For context, the present disclosure is primarily directed toward limiting or preventing undesired condensate that may form on an exterior surface of a climate control system due to a relatively cold portion of the exterior surface contacting the relatively humid ambient air within an unconditioned space, such as an attic. By contrast, desired condensation resulting from the removal of moisture (e.g., providing humidity control) during the conditioning of air by intentionally forming condensate on the surface of an indoor heat exchanger coil is a different phenomenon and not the focus of the examples herein.

In general, this disclosure focuses on utilizing environmental and climate control system information to assess a likelihood that undesired condensate will form on the system. The likelihood condensate will form depends primarily on at least the ambient conditions (e.g., temperature, relative humidity, dew point, etc.) of the unconditioned space adjacent to the climate control system, and/or the surface temperature of the components of the climate control system. The present disclosure generally presents systems and methods for controlling the climate control system in a manner that impacts the exterior surface temperature of the climate control system to reduce the risk of sweating while maintaining the requested conditioning for the conditioned space.

For example, so-called variable speed climate control systems are designed to consistently meet a cooling demand by running at a low capacity, increasing runtime, and decreasing how often the system cycles on and off. As a result of the extended runtimes of variable speed systems, their cooling components have an extended opportunity to reach relatively cold exterior surface temperatures. Therefore, in some examples, when the climate control system determines that the conditions for sweating are present or nearly present, the control may cause the system to operate according to a sweat prevention mode for a period of time (e.g., 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, etc.) or until the likelihood of sweating is reduced. The sweat prevention mode may cause the components of the system to operate at increased minimum capacity levels, or according to other adjusted settings, essentially forcing the system to cycle off, and providing an opportunity for the exterior surfaces to be warmed by the ambient conditions, therefore reducing the likelihood that sweat will form. However, the system will typically only cycle off after it has determined that demand, for cooling in this case, has been met, thereby allowing the system to still maintain the user's comfort.

An advantage to duty cycling the compressor at a higher capacity for less time during sweat prevention mode is that this operation makes sweating conditions less likely to occur. For example, instead of running continuously at a lower capacity, cycling the system at a higher capacity allows the exterior surface temperature of the air handler unit and/or ducts to increase and thus reduces the tendency for sweat to form on an exterior surface. Another advantage, for example, to duty cycling the compressor during sweat prevention mode at a higher capacity for less time is that the comfort setting of the users/occupants of the conditioned space can be maintained. Thus, operation of the climate control system during sweat prevention mode does not compromise comfort of the users/occupants of the conditioned space. In some examples, the same or similar advantages as set forth above may be achieved by adjusting capacity or one or more other minimum settings for the compressor or one or more other components of the climate control system.

As previously described, condensate formation or surface sweating for a climate control system may be problematic for a number of reasons. While this problem can affect a variety of different units, it should be appreciated that cabinet sweating may be a particular problem for sheet metal air handler units. The problem of sweating may be worsened when such a sheet metal air handler unit is coupled with a variable speed outdoor unit. The reason being that such combined systems may utilize long continuous on-cycles that keep the air handler cold for long periods. Thus, cooling the exterior surface of the air handler unit below the dewpoint temperature of the unconditioned environment and producing sweat on the sheet metal housing. It should be appreciated that such high dewpoint conditions with mild temperatures may be prevalent in various locations, e.g., the mornings nearer the coast.

Before discussing the details of the sweat prevention process, an overview of an example embodiment of a climate control system, and components thereof, is discussed with reference to FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows an example climate control system 100 configured with improved sweat prevention features. The climate control system 100 generally includes an indoor air handler unit 102 and outdoor unit 104. Further, as shown in the depicted example, the indoor air handler unit 102 is located within an unconditioned space 146 and provides conditioned air to at least conditioned space 148. In the illustrated example, the unconditioned space 146 is an attic. However, in some examples, the unconditioned space 146 may include one or more of an attic, garage, crawlspace, or any other unconditioned space. These unconditioned spaces may be located adjacent to conditioned space 148. The unconditioned space 146 may be at least partially exposed to an outdoor environment such as via openings in a crawl space wall or attic roof. A user 154 of the climate control system may be located within the conditioned space 148.

The indoor air handler unit 102 may be fluidly coupled to the outdoor unit 104 via a refrigerant fluid circuit 134. As shown in the depicted example, the indoor unit may include an indoor heat exchanger 108, an indoor fan 110, and a metering device 112. The indoor air handler unit 102 as shown may include a housing 103 exposed to the ambient environment of the unconditioned space 146. The outdoor unit 104 may include an outdoor heat exchanger 114, a compressor 116, an outdoor fan 118, a meter device 120, and a switch over valve 122.

In some examples, the housing 103 of the indoor air handler unit 102 may be comprised of one or more of a sheet metal cabinet and/or fiberglass insulation. In some examples, the housing may include various openings such as conditioned air inlet 103a and conditioned air outlet 103b. Further, the housing 103 may include various different types of insulation, and/or pieces of similar insulation, coupled to the housing 103 or another feature or component of the climate control system 100. In some examples, the indoor unit (e.g., the indoor air handler unit 102 or the like) may comprise only the indoor heat exchanger 108 that may be fluidly coupled with the outdoor heat exchanger 114. Such a configuration may be referred to as a cased coil. A furnace unit (not shown) may pair with the cased coil, and may include combustion heating functionality and the indoor fan 110. However, in each of these examples, the indoor air handler unit includes an exterior surface exposed 103c to the unconditioned space. The exterior surface 103c may be the outer surface of housing 103, surfaces associated with the conditioned air inlet 103a or conditioned air outlet 103b, or potentially other surfaces.

Still with reference to FIG. 1, climate control system 100 may include ductwork fluidly coupled to the indoor air handler unit 102. The ductwork generally comprising return duct 130, supply duct 136, and one or more vents 138. The ductwork being generally configured to convey conditioned air to the conditioned space 148 from the indoor air handler unit 102. The supply duct 136 as shown may define an exterior surface 136a exposed to the ambient environment of the unconditioned space 146. In some examples, any exterior surface of the climate control system 100 exposed to the ambient environment of the unconditioned space 146 may be monitored for sweating.

The example depicted in FIG. 1 also shows various controllers and sensors that may be utilized with the climate control system 100 as part of the sweat prevention process discussed herein. These controllers and sensors generally include a system controller 106, a user interface controller 107, an indoor controller 124, an outdoor controller 126, and a space sensor 152. Each of the controllers and sensors generally being communicably coupled with a communication bus 128. The space sensor 152 as shown may be configured within the system controller 106. These controllers are discussed in more detail below in connection with FIG. 3

The climate control system 100, in some examples may further include one or more space sensors 152. As shown in FIG. 1, these sensors 152 may be incorporated as part of the system controller 106 or may be potentially located elsewhere. The climate control system 100 may further include one or more surface sensors 150 that may be coupled to the exterior surface 103c of the indoor air handler unit 102 and/or the like (e.g., the exterior surface 136a) for measuring the temperature of said surface. In some examples, the climate control system 100 may further include a sensor module (not shown) configured to perform one or more processes attributed to a controller and/or standalone sensor. In general, the sensor module may comprise a housing, control circuitry, and sensor(s). In some examples, the sensor module may monitor ducts between walls, under floors, in ceilings, or in other spaces similar to an unconditioned space 146.

In order to reduce the influence of ambient conditions of the unconditioned space 146 on surface sensor 150 and provide a more accurate measurement of the surface temperature of indoor air handler unit 102, surface sensor 150 may be attached to a housing or cabinet of indoor air handler unit 102 using tape or other forms of adhesive (e.g., epoxy, etc.) in combination with insulation (e.g., fiberglass, spray foam, etc.). In some examples, the adhesive and insulation may be combined, such as in the form of heat insulation tape, e.g., polyester film tape or the like. In some examples, surface sensor 150 may monitor conditions of indoor air handler unit 102, or the like, without being attached directly to the housing 103 or cabinet, for example surface sensor 150 may be an IR temperature sensor that utilizes infrared signatures of the exterior surface of indoor air handler unit 102 exposed to the unconditioned space 146 to determine a temperature.

Example space sensors 152 and surface sensors 150 may include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or a pressure sensor that may be configured for measuring temperatures, humidity, pressures, or other conditions. Example temperature sensors may include a thermistor, thermocouple, resistive temperature detector (RTD), infrared (IR) temperature sensor, semiconductor temperature sensor, and/or the like. Example humidity sensors may include a capacitive humidity sensor, resistive humidity sensor, and/or the like. In some examples, the sensors may include a combination sensor for monitoring two or more conditions, e.g., a relative humidity and temperature (RHT) sensor. In some examples, moisture or condensate formation on surfaces, e.g., sweating along exterior surfaces of the climate control system, may be measured directly with a capacitive type moisture sensor.

As discussed above, the systems and methods discussed herein may utilize a process to reduce and/or prevent sweating on an exterior surface of the climate control system. Again, this process is primarily directed to sweat formation on an exterior surface of the climate control system that may be exposed to the ambient environment of an unconditioned space. For example, the exterior surface 103c of a housing 103 for the indoor air handler unit 102 located in an attic, the exterior surface 136a of the associated ductwork, or the like.

FIGS. 2A-2G show an example process 200 that may be utilized to monitor a likelihood of sweating on an exterior surface of the climate control system 100 in an unconditioned space 146. The process 200 may be further utilized to operate the climate control system 100 to reduce or prevent sweating. The process 200 may be carried out, at least partially, by one or more apparatuses, components, circuits, and/or the like according to some examples of the present disclosure. For example, process 200 may be performed by at least the system controller 106, a sensor module, and/or other control circuitry to cause operation of the climate control system.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the process may include various process steps. This may include determining various conditions of an unconditioned space. The process may include determining two or more conditions within an unconditioned space, as shown in step 202. In some examples, each of the conditions may be different. In these examples, an air handler unit of the climate control system may be located in the unconditioned space. Further, the condensate may be formed, or likely to form, as a result of the operation of this air handler and the conditions of the unconditioned space. Further, as discussed in more detail below, each condition may be indicative of an environmental characteristic of the unconditioned space or a physical characteristic of the climate control system or a component thereof, such as the air handler unit. For example, each of the plurality of conditions may be at least an ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space, a dewpoint of the unconditioned space, a humidity level of the unconditioned space, a barometric pressure of the unconditioned space, or a surface temperature of the exterior surface.

The process may further include comparing the plurality of conditions, as shown in step 204. This comparison may come in various forms such as direct comparisons, mathematical equations, statistical modeling, and/or the like, and the disclosure herein provides various further illustrative examples. The process may further include determining if condensate will likely form on an exterior surface of the air handler unit or of a duct network of the climate control system based on the comparison, as shown in step 206. In these examples, the exterior surface may be directly exposed to the unconditioned space. Again, the process is primarily concerned with monitoring and reducing/preventing sweat along exterior surfaces, e.g., a cool sheet metal surface directly exposed to a warm and relatively humid unconditioned space.

In some examples, the determination at step 206 may include the comparison of additional conditions, threshold values, historical climate control system information, or further analysis of the comparison of conditions from step 204. For example, the determination at step 206 may be made based on a binary indication (e.g., sweating is likely or not likely) from the comparison of conditions from step 204. The process may further include instructing a component of the climate control system to enter a sweat prevention mode in response to a determination condensate will likely form, as shown in step 208. This sweat prevention mode may include adjusting a minimum setting for the climate control system to an adjusted minimum setting. Examples of the minimum setting may be a capacity setting, duty cycle, runtime, on-and-off cycle, or speed associated with a component of the climate control system.

Still referring to FIG. 2A, the process may also include operating the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode, as shown in step 210. For example, the system controller may cause the various different climate control system components to maintain their adjusted minimum settings for a period of time. Each component may operate for the same or different periods of time with their respective adjusted minimum setting. Each component may operate with the same or multiple different adjusted minimum settings during the sweat prevention mode. For example, the outdoor unit may change minimum settings multiple times and the indoor fan may maintain a more constant adjusted minimum setting while the climate control system operates in the sweat prevention mode. In some examples, some or all of the components of the climate control system may maintain the same or similar adjusted minimum settings, for example, 100% or maximum potential. Each of the process steps identified above will now be discussed in more detail below.

Turning back to step 202, various different conditions may be used as part of this process 200. Example conditions relating to an unconditioned space may include: ambient air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, elevation, location, time, season, or the like as described by the present disclosure. Example conditions relating to a component of the climate control system may include: exterior surface temperature, internal temperature, insulation rating, current conditioning capacity, nominal conditioning capacity, refrigerant charge, refrigerant type, speed, runtime, user inputs, heat exchanger temperatures, pressures, airflow, or the like as described by the present disclosure.

These conditions may be determined or received in various ways. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the climate control system 100 may be coupled to various sensors (e.g., sensors 150, 152, etc.). As discussed above, these sensors may include sensors for the unconditioned space monitoring temperature, humidity, or potentially other conditions.

For further context and example, the exterior surface of the climate control system most likely to sweat may be part of the indoor air handler unit, a cased coil, a damper, or a duct. In some examples, each of these surfaces may be monitored using at least a sensor coupled thereto. For example, sensors may be coupled to the housing of the indoor air handler unit, the conditioned air inlet or the conditioned air outlet of the indoor air handler unit, on the ductwork and/or other locations. Further, various other sensors may monitor the exterior surface remotely, such as by using IR sensors directed to exterior surfaces likely to sweat.

In other examples, the surface temperature of an exterior surface may be estimated, calculated, or derived through other methods. For example, the surface temperature of an exterior surface may be estimated based on at least the ambient air temperature around the exterior surface, a capacity of the climate control system, or any other classification of the climate control system. Examples of classifications may include or be indicative of one or more of an alpha-numeric indicator, an equipment signature, a model number, insulation value/rating, capacity (e.g., nominal capacity, tonnage, etc.), unit type (e.g., heating, cooling, split, hybrid, air conditioner, furnace, etc.) or performance levels at minimum settings. The classifications may be stored in the climate control system (e.g., memory circuitry), it may be provided by a user at the time of installation (e.g., dealer or technician), or it may be provided remotely through a network (e.g., downloadable updates).

It should be appreciated that both the internal temperature of a component and the ambient air surrounding that component's exterior surface will affect the temperature and the rate of heat transfer at the exterior surface. Thus, information about the climate control system, e.g., insulation value of a component, may provide for a better estimation of other conditions that contribute to sweating such as the exterior surface temperature. For example, a saturation temperature of the indoor heat exchanger along with airflow produced by the indoor blower may be used to estimate the supply air temperature. Further, using the supply air temperature information along with the ambient temperature of the unconditioned space, convective and conductive heat transfer equations may be utilized to estimate the exterior surface temperature of the air handler cabinet, cased coil, and/or ducts. Additionally, the estimated exterior surface temperature may be utilized to determine a likelihood of sweating as described by process 200.

Again, these conditions may be determined or received through any method. As discussed above, the sensor may communicate this information to one or more controllers associated with the climate control system through communication bus 128, or any communication process.

Referring still to FIG. 2A, the process 200 may also compare the plurality of conditions at step 204. As discussed, this comparison may be performed in various ways and generally relates to assessing two parameters relative to each other. Further, in some examples, the process 200 may only utilize a single parameter and map that parameter to potential sweat formation. In addition, the process may make a determination at step 206 based on this comparison. Again, this determination may be made in various ways, and in some examples, these process steps are interrelated. For example, the processes of step 204 may determine if condensate is likely to form, and as a result this comparison may provide at least a positive (sweat is likely) or negative (sweat is not likely) indication. The process step 206 may further adjust/refine the positive or negative indication provided from step 204 using additional information, e.g., a user indication to cease conditioning or the like. However, in some examples, the process step 204 may include some or all of process step 206 such that process step 204 may proceed directly to process step 208.

To walk through illustrative examples of the process determining whether sweat is likely to form references is made to FIGS. 2B and 2C. Each provide different illustrative examples of determining conditions, e.g., step 202, comparing these conditions, e.g., step 204, and making a determination based on this comparison, e.g., step 206.

Referring first to the example provided in FIG. 2B, the process 200 may perform a comparison between an ambient air dewpoint, or similar value, and the surface temperature of one or more exterior surfaces of the climate control system. In this example, if the ambient air dewpoint is at or close to a given surface temperature then sweat may be likely to form at that location.

In this example, the process steps 212, 214, and 216 are generally related to determining the ambient air dewpoint of an unconditioned space. Process step 218 is directed to comparing this ambient air dewpoint to the temperature of the exterior surface. And process step 220 is directed to the various determinations that may be made based on this comparison and is associated with process step 206.

To walk through the determination of the ambient air dewpoint, the process may determine an ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space, as shown in step 212. The process step 204 may further include determining a humidity level of the unconditioned space, as shown in step 214. Using this information, the process step 216 determines the ambient air dewpoint of the unconditioned space. This determination may be made by any method. For example, the ambient air dewpoint of the unconditioned space may be determined by applying various different equations with the determined ambient air temperature and the humidity level. Each equation may be associated with a different mathematical resolution and may be selected based on desired accuracy. Equations may be further selected to account for other conditions, such as specific equations related to location, time, season, or the like. Moreover, the ambient air dewpoint may be determined by comparing the determined ambient air temperature and the humidity level to a predefined chart or table associated with the climate control system. In some examples, the determination of the ambient air dewpoint of the unconditioned space may further require a determination of a barometric pressure of the unconditioned space. Again, other methods may be used.

The process 200 may further include comparing the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining a difference between the first condition and a second condition of the plurality of conditions, the second condition being a surface temperature of the exterior surface of the climate control system, as shown at step 218. Once the ambient air dewpoint of the unconditioned space is determined, the ambient air dewpoint may then be further compared to the surface temperature of the exterior surface of the climate control system. It will be appreciated that the surface temperature of the exterior surface of the climate control system may be provided at step 202 as described above. This includes monitoring the surface temperature via a sensor, estimating the surface temperature, or any other method. In some examples, the comparison of the surface temperature and the dewpoint may include a single comparison to determine a direct difference between the temperatures. However, the comparison may be an iterative comparison to further determine a rate of change and a direction of change between the temperatures.

Turning to step 220, the process 200 may further include determining if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes comparing the determined difference to a threshold value. For example, the temperature difference between the surface temperature and the dewpoint may be compared with a threshold value indicative of a high likelihood that the exterior surface will start sweating. If the difference is above/below the threshold value this may indicate that sweating is likely to occur. However, if the difference is below/above the threshold value this may be indicative that sweating will likely not occur. For example, sweat may form if the surface temperature is equal to or less than the dew point value. As a result, the threshold value may be set at temperature different for when the surface temperature approaches the dewpoint value such that the sweat prevention mode is entered into before the surface temperature reaches the dewpoint value. For example, the threshold value may be 3° F. If the surface temperature is greater than the dewpoint value by 3° F., or more, then the process may determine that sweat is not likely to form. If the surface temperature drops such that it is within 3° F. of the dewpoint then the process may determine that sweat is likely to form.

Other values and methods may be used. In some examples, a rate of change may be further applied to determine the likelihood of sweating along the exterior surface. For example, the difference may be above the threshold, however the difference may be decreasing at a substantially constant rate. Such conditions may be indicative that sweating is likely to occur within a period of time (e.g., 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, etc.) based on the rate of change. In some examples, another threshold value indicative of a rate may be utilized for comparison with the rate of change and/or the direction of change. The direction of change may be indicative of an increasing or decreasing rate.

The example provided in FIG. 2C provides another process for comparing conditions, and making a determination based on this comparison. In the example depicted in FIG. 2C, the comparison may be an indirect comparison. For example, the process may use conditions only associated with the ambient environment to determine whether sweat may form on the exterior surface, e.g., the conditions of the relevant exterior surface may not be included as part of the comparison. As shown in FIG. 2C this comparison may include comparing the dry bulb temperature of the unconditioned space with the wet bulb temperature of the unconditioned space. If these values converge then that may indicate sweat may form on an exterior surface of the climate control system. Other similar values and comparisons may be used. For example, the ambient air temperature may be used instead of the dry bulb temperature and the dewpoint may be used instead of the wet bulb temperature. Still other conditions and indicators may be used, and the below walks through the example shown in the process flow shown in FIG. 2C.

The process 200 may include determining an ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space, as shown in step 212, and determining a humidity level of the unconditioned space, as shown in step 214. The process 200 may further include determining a first condition of the plurality of conditions using the ambient air temperature, the first conditioning being a dry bulb temperature for the unconditioned space at step 226. The dry bulb temperature for the unconditioned space may be determined by applying various different equations with the determined ambient air temperature, the humidity level, and/or other conditions such as barometric pressure. The dry bulb temperature, in some examples, may be estimated directly from the ambient air temperature. Moreover, the process 200 may include determining a second condition of the plurality of conditions using both the ambient air temperature and the humidity level, the second condition being a wet bulb temperature for the unconditioned space, as shown at step 228. The wet bulb temperature for the unconditioned space may be determined by applying various different equations with the determined ambient air temperature, the humidity level, and/or other conditions such as barometric pressure. In some examples, specialized sensors, such as a dry bulb or wet bulb sensor, may be utilized for directly monitoring the dry bulb temperature and/or the wet bulb temperature of the unconditioned space.

The process 200 may further compare the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining a difference between the first condition and the second condition, as shown at step 230. Once the dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures of the unconditioned space are determined these temperatures may be compared. In some examples, these values are directly compared. In other examples more complex methods may be used, e.g., a comparison via a psychrometric chart along with one or more other conditions to determine a likelihood of sweating along an exterior surface of the climate control system.

In some examples, the comparison shown in FIG. 2C may also use other methods to confirm or verify sweating may occur. In some examples, the surface temperature of the exterior surface of the climate control system may be utilized with the psychrometric chart comparison.

Turning to step 232 of FIG. 2C, the process 200 may include determining if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes comparing the determined difference to a threshold value. This determination based on a threshold value may be the same or similar to the determination process discussed above. In some examples, the threshold value may include a curve along the psychrometric chart containing an intersection point, or state point, indicative of one or more conditions of the ambient air of the unconditioned space. In some examples, the threshold value may be the state point determined for the ambient air of the unconditioned space and the state point may be compared to the exterior surface temperature of the climate control system. Such comparisons may be made relative to other features of the psychrometric chart, e.g., above or below a saturation temperature or the like.

Returning to FIG. 2A, the process 200 may further include instructing the climate control system, or component(s) thereof, to enter a sweat prevention mode, as shown at step 208. This instruction may be based on the determination that condensate will likely form, e.g., a positive determination made at step 206 or the like. As discussed above, the sweat prevention mode may include adjusting a minimum setting of the climate control system to an adjusted minimum setting. The sweat prevention mode may cause the climate control system to cycle more frequently which reduces the likelihood of condensate formation by allowing the exterior surface temperature of the climate control system to warm.

The sweat prevention mode may result in warmer exterior surface temperatures of the climate control system, to prevent sweating, through various different adjusted minimum settings. As a general example, the compressor may be operated with an increased minimum capacity setting such that the system meets demand by delivering higher cooling capacity for less time, thus giving the exterior surface of the air handler unit around the indoor heat exchanger coil less time to cool during on cycles (or more time to warm during off cycles).

In some examples, the process step 208 may comprise a plurality of various additional steps for selecting and adjusting minimum settings of the climate control system components, as shown in the illustrative example FIG. 2D. In these examples, the process step 208 may further include selecting one of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings based on the indication of the likelihood condensate will form, as shown at step 236. It should be understood that the indication that the likelihood that sweating will occur as described above may be a positive or negative indication (e.g., a binary indication), or it may be generally a scaled likelihood such as a probability.

In an example of a scaled likelihood of sweating, the selected adjusted minimum setting may correlate to the severity of the likelihood of sweating. For example, if there is a medium likelihood of sweating than the minimum setting may be adjusted to a lesser degree. On the other hand, if there is a high likelihood of sweating than a larger adjustment may be made. Using the compressor example described above, the capacity adjustment for a medium likelihood of sweating may be a 50% adjusted minimum capacity setting, while for a high likelihood of sweating a 75% adjusted minimum capacity setting may be implemented. In such an example, the baseline minimum setting for the compressor may be a 30% minimum capacity setting. In an instance of a binary likelihood of sweating, the climate control system may select a standard set of predefined adjusted minimum settings, which may be any setting or combination of settings, including those described by the present disclosure.

Turning to step 238, the process step 208 may further include selecting different ones of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings based on different indications of the likelihood condensate will form. Continuing with the above example, the process may select the 50% adjusted minimum setting based on a medium likelihood of sweating and 75% adjusted minimum setting based on the high likelihood of sweating. In these examples, the likelihood sweating may form may be defined with reference to a threshold value as discussed above or through other methods. It is understood that other values and more complex selection processes may be utilized with the disclosed examples herein.

In some examples, in addition to a minimum capacity setting a minimum runtime setting may also be applied to the compressor of the climate control system. Using the compressor example described above, the capacity adjustment may be a 50% minimum capacity setting that is carried out for a minimum runtime before cycling off the climate control system to give the exterior surface time to warm. As the minimum capacity setting increases the minimum runtime setting may decrease (or, said another way, the minimum off-time may increase), e.g., the compressor may run at higher capacity for less time. In some examples, the baseline 30% minimum capacity setting may be associated with a constant runtime (e.g., 100% on-time).

The process step 208 may further include selecting adjusted minimum settings with higher values as the indication of the likelihood condensate will form increases, as shown at step 240. For example, if the likelihood of sweating increases from medium to high the adjusted minimum settings may also increase. As described above the adjusted minimum capacity setting may increase from 50% capacity to 75% capacity. Additionally, the climate control system off-time may similarly increase (or, said another way, the runtime may decrease). In some examples, the increase of settings may be proportional to the increase of the likelihood of sweating up to 100% relative to a minimum setting, e.g., a maximum upper limit for a component setting. An example of a maximum upper limit for a component setting may be 100% of the compressor's nominal capacity. In some examples, the sweat prevention mode may immediately cycle off, shutdown, or cease operation of the climate control system or one or more components thereof.

As described above the process step 208 of FIG. 2A may comprise a plurality of various additional steps for selecting and adjusting minimum settings of the climate control system components. Various additional steps will now be described with reference to FIG. 2E below.

Referring to FIG. 2E, the process step 208 may include selecting an initial adjusted minimum setting in response to an initial instruction to enter the sweat prevention mode, the initial adjusted minimum setting being a highest adjusted minimum setting of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings, as shown at step 244. Again, using the compressor example described above, the compressor may be determined to be at one or more minimum baseline settings, e.g., 30% capacity and 0% off-time, and the adjusted minimum settings may correspond to a maximum possible value for each respective setting. For example, the adjusted minimum capacity setting may move to the highest adjustable value such as 100% of nominal capacity for the compressor.

Still referring to FIG. 2E, the process step 208 may further include selecting adjusted minimum settings with progressively lower values as the climate control system continues to operate in the sweat prevention mode, as shown at step 246. As described above, in response to a likelihood of sweating the climate control system may respond by adjusting minimum settings that maximize sweat prevention for the climate control system. In an instance that the likelihood of sweating is determined to decrease, the climate control system may reduce the adjusted minimum settings to lower adjusted minimum settings without returning to the original baseline settings in order to maintain some sweat prevention capability.

In some examples, the progressively lower values may reach a lower operational limit at which time the system may exit sweat prevention mode and may further return to a normal mode of operation. For example, in an instance an adjusted minimum setting reaches 50% of operational capacity, then at that point the climate control system may exit the sweat prevention mode and may further return to normal allowing for fully variable capacity in response to the thermal load of the conditioned space.

It should be understood that an advantage to such further adjustments, as carried out at step 246, may be to increase delivered conditioning efficiency while still limiting sweating within the unconditioned space. In some examples, the process step 244 and/or step 246 may be carried out prior to entering a sweat prevention mode as described above with respect to process step 208. However, in some examples, the process step 244 and/or step 246 may be carried out after entering a sweat prevention mode and therefore may also be performed as part of step 210 as described below.

Returning to FIG. 2A, the process 200 may cause the climate control system to operate according to the adjusted minimum settings described above. Thus, the process 200 may further include operating the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode, as shown at 210. The process step 210 may include a plurality of various additional steps for operating the climate control system after entering the sweat prevention mode. In some examples, the sweat prevention mode may provide one or more adjusted minimum settings as described above with respect to step 208.

Turning to FIG. 2F, the process step 210 may further include causing the climate control system to terminate the sweat prevention mode and return to a normal operational mode in response to the determination condensation is not likely to form, as shown in step 248. After entering a sweat prevention mode, the climate control system may continue to monitor the conditions that contribute to sweating along an exterior surface. The conditions and the likelihood of sweating may be reassessed continuously in real-time or periodically, such as after a predetermined period of time, e.g., 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, or the like, as described in further detail below with reference to FIG. 2G. In an instance sweating is no longer likely to occur the climate control system may terminate the sweat prevention mode and return to operating according to one or more baseline minimum settings. Termination of the sweat prevention mode may be caused in response to various different determinations (e.g., likelihood of sweating, time periods, user request, etc.) as described for process 200.

Referring still to FIG. 2F, the process step 210 may further include comparing the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining the difference between a first condition and a second condition, as shown in step 250. In some examples, the process step 250 may include one or more process steps described above for process step 202 and 204. For example, process step 250 may also include make a determination that condensate will likely form based on a comparison of the determined difference to a first threshold value. For example, sweating will likely occur when the exterior surface temperature is equal to or proximate the ambient dewpoint temperature of the unconditioned space. In such an example, a threshold value for dewpoint temperature compared to the surface temperature may be set at a difference of 3° F. (e.g., absolute value of difference) to allow for measurement and/or estimation errors. Further, the sweat prevention mode may be initiated in an instance where this difference is greater than or equal to 3° F. In some examples, threshold values may be determined based on experimentation to refine such threshold values for a climate control system.

Moreover, process step 250 may include determining condensate will likely not form based on a comparison of the determined difference to a second threshold value, the second threshold value being different than the first threshold value. Additionally, step 250 may cause the sweat prevention mode to cease based on the determination that condensate will likely not form. For example, as conditions change (e.g., surface temperature increases, dewpoint drops, etc.) the difference between an exterior surface temperature of the climate control system and the dewpoint of the unconditioned space may increase. Once a second threshold is reached for that difference (e.g., a difference of 5° F.), the climate control system may exit the sweat prevention mode. Other examples of the present disclosure may utilize a single threshold value for entering and exiting the sweat prevention mode. After exiting the sweat prevention mode, the climate control system may resume normal operation allowing for fully variable capacity in response to the thermal load of the conditioned space.

To walk through an example, the climate control system may monitor the difference between the ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space and the dewpoint temperature of the unconditioned space. In these examples, the first threshold value may be a difference of 5° F., and that value may be used to determine whether sweat prevention mode should be entered into. In some examples, a difference of 15° F. may be used as the second threshold value, e.g., the value to determine when the sweat prevention mode should be terminated. In this example, the second value is more conservative, meaning that once the sweat prevention mode has been initiated then the conditions within the conditions space will need to diverge to a greater degree for the sweat prevention mode to be terminated. In some examples, the same values are used. And in other examples, the threshold values may be dynamically adjusted by the climate control system. For example, the climate control system may enter sweat prevention mode at a threshold value of a difference of 5° F. and while operating in sweat prevention mode the threshold value may be dynamically adjusted to 15° F. based on environmental conditions or other factors. Thus, similar to the above example, the sweat prevention mode would cease when the difference between the exterior surface temperature and the dewpoint is greater than or equal to 15° F. The threshold value may be adjusted a plurality of times over a period of time. In some examples, the sweat prevention mode may gradually run in less aggressive sweat prevention modes as the difference between temperatures slowly increases. It is understood that the climate control system may operate using any temperature scale, e.g., Fahrenheit, Celsius, Kelvin, Rankine, etc.

Turning to FIG. 2G, the process step 210 may further include operating the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode for a predetermined amount of time before instructing the climate control system to terminate the sweat prevention mode, as shown in step 252. Additionally, the sweat prevention mode may provide the predetermined amount of time and the predetermined amount of time may be associated with the one or more adjusted minimum settings. For example, as described above with reference to step 246, the initial instruction to utilize the highest adjusted minimum setting may further instruct the use of the progressively lower adjusted minimum settings after one or more time periods have elapsed. These one or more time periods may be determined as part of step 246 or another step based on various different conditions described above. In some examples, the one or more time periods may be predefined with the sweat prevention mode during installation and/or based on a classification of the climate control system.

The one or more time periods may then be associated with the sweat prevention mode as the predetermined amount(s) of time. In some examples, the predetermined amount of time may be dynamically adjusted during operation of the climate control system. Examples of the time period provided may be measured relative to an elapsed time, a number of iterations of one or more processes described by the present disclosure, or a number of on-and-off cycles. The time period may, in some examples, be cut short in response to a request for additional conditioning capacity, e.g., from a user indication via a thermostat.

Referring still to FIG. 2G, the process step 210 may further include operating the climate control system for a predetermined amount of time before allowing an instruction to be sent to reenter a second sweat prevention mode, as shown in step 254. In some examples, the second sweat prevention mode may be different from the first or initially entered sweat prevention mode. For example, the second sweat prevention mode may utilize lower or higher adjusted minimum settings as described above. It should be understood that utilizing a predetermined amount of time before allowing additional instructions to be sent, in some examples, may be to prevent damage to the climate control system in relation to rapidly switching between settings which may cause strain to various different components.

In some examples, the second sweat prevention mode may be substantially similar to, or the same, as the initially entered sweat prevention mode, e.g., when the climate control system must exit the first sweat prevention mode in response to a user's demand request. In such examples, the climate control system may enter a first sweat prevention mode and exit the sweat prevention mode for a period of time (e.g., 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, etc.) to meet conditioning demand. Further, after the requested demand is met the climate control system may then enter, or re-enter, a second sweat prevention mode similar to the first sweat prevention mode. After exiting each sweat prevention mode, in some examples, one or more processes of process 200 may be performed before reentering the second sweat prevention mode. In some examples, the climate control system may indicate operation in a sweat prevention mode to a user via a user interface.

In some examples, the adjusted minimum settings of the sweat prevention mode may be configured by a user including one or more of a homeowner, occupant, service technician, installer, dealer, or manufacturer. In some examples, while in, or operating according to, the sweat prevention mode at least one component of the climate control system, e.g., a compressor, may operate according to a plurality of adjusted minimum settings. For example, the compressor may be configured by an installer of the climate control system to operate according to one or more adjusted minimum settings during sweat prevention mode operations.

Example predefined sweat prevention modes may include a most aggressive mode (e.g., 100% speed, capacity, or the like), aggressive mode (e.g., 75%), moderate mode (e.g., 50%), or any other level of speed, runtime, capacity, or similar adjusted minimum settings to reduce or prevent sweating along an exterior surface of the climate control system. It should be understood that, in some examples, predefined sweat prevention modes may cause the system to duty cycle at a higher capacity instead of running continuously at a lower capacity. In some examples, at least one component, e.g., a variable speed drive, compressor, fan, or the like, of the climate control system may operate in accordance with a sweat prevention mode.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram for at least an example climate control system 300, which may be the same or similar to climate control system 100 discussed above. In some examples, the climate control system 300 comprises a heat pump system that may be selectively operated to implement one or more substantially closed thermodynamic refrigerant cycles to provide a cooling functionality (hereinafter a “cooling mode”) and/or a heating functionality (hereinafter a “heating mode”). The examples depicted in FIG. 3 are configured in a cooling mode. The climate control system 300, in some examples is configured as a split system heat pump system, and generally comprises an indoor unit 302, an outdoor unit 304, and a system controller 306 that may generally control operation of the indoor unit 302 and/or the outdoor unit 304. The indoor unit 302 and the outdoor unit 304 may be fluidly coupled via the refrigerant fluid circuit 334.

Indoor air handler unit 302 generally comprises an indoor air handling unit comprising an indoor heat exchanger 308, an indoor fan 310, an indoor metering device 312, and an indoor controller 324. The indoor heat exchanger 308 may generally be configured to promote heat exchange between a refrigerant fluid carried within internal tubing of the indoor heat exchanger 308 and an airflow that may contact the indoor heat exchanger 308 but that is segregated from the refrigerant fluid. Indoor unit 302 may at least partially include, or be coupled to, a duct system 332 including one or more of an air return duct, a supply duct, a register, a vent, a damper, an air filter, or the like for providing airflow.

The indoor metering device 312 may generally comprise an electronically-controlled motor-driven electronic expansion valve (EEV). In some examples, however, the indoor metering device 312 may comprise a thermostatic expansion valve, a capillary tube assembly, and/or any other suitable metering device.

Outdoor unit 304 generally comprises an outdoor heat exchanger 314, a compressor 316, an outdoor fan 318, an outdoor metering device 320, a switch over valve 322, and an outdoor controller 326. The outdoor heat exchanger 314 may generally be configured to promote heat transfer between a refrigerant fluid carried within internal passages of the outdoor heat exchanger 314 and an airflow that contacts the outdoor heat exchanger 314 but is segregated from the refrigerant fluid.

The outdoor metering device 320 may generally comprise a thermostatic expansion valve. In some examples, however, the outdoor metering device 320 may comprise an electronically-controlled motor driven EEV similar to indoor metering device 312, a capillary tube assembly, and/or any other suitable metering device.

In some examples, the switch over valve 322 may generally comprise a four-way reversing valve. The switch over valve 322 may also comprise an electrical solenoid, relay, and/or other device configured to selectively move a component of the switch over valve 322 between operational positions to alter the flow path of refrigerant fluid through the switch over valve 322 and consequently the climate control system 300. Additionally, the switch over valve 322 may also be selectively controlled by the system controller 306, an outdoor controller 326, and/or the indoor controller 324.

The system controller 306 may generally be configured to selectively communicate with the indoor controller 324 of the indoor air handler unit 302, the outdoor controller 326 of the outdoor unit 304, and/or other components of the climate control system 300. In some examples, the system controller 306 may be configured to control operation of the indoor air handler unit 302, and/or the outdoor unit 304. In some examples, the system controller 306 may be configured to monitor and/or communicate with a plurality of temperature and pressure sensors associated with components of the indoor air handler unit 302, the outdoor unit 304, and/or the outdoor ambient environment.

Additionally, in some examples, the system controller 306 may comprise a temperature sensor and/or may further be configured to control heating and/or cooling of conditioned spaces or zones associated with the climate control system 300. In some examples, the system controller 306 may be configured as a thermostat for controlling the supply of conditioned air to zones associated with the climate control system 300, and in some examples, the thermostat includes a temperature sensor.

The system controller 306 may also generally comprise an input/output (I/O) unit (e.g., a graphical user interface, a touchscreen interface, or the like) for displaying information and for receiving user inputs. The system controller 306 may display information related to the operation of the climate control system 300 and may receive user inputs related to operation of the climate control system 300. However, the system controller 306 may further be operable to display information and receive user inputs tangentially related and/or unrelated to operation of the climate control system 300. In some examples, the system controller 306 may not comprise a display and may derive all information from inputs that come from remote sensors and remote configuration tools.

In some examples, the system controller 306 may be configured for selective bidirectional communication over a communication bus 328, which may utilize any type of communication network. For example, the communication may be via wired or wireless data links directly or across one or more networks, such as a control network. Examples of suitable communication protocols for the control network include CAN, TCP/IP, BACnet, LonTalk, Modbus, ZigBee, Zwave, Wi-Fi, SIMPLE, Bluetooth, and the like.

The indoor controller 324 may be carried by the indoor air handler unit 302 and may generally be configured to receive information inputs, transmit information outputs, and/or otherwise communicate with the system controller 306, the outdoor controller 326, and/or any other device 330 via the communication bus 328 and/or any other suitable medium of communication. In some examples, the device 330 may include some or all of the systems described by the present disclosure. For example, the device 330 may be a sensor module, or the like, as described by the present disclosure. In some examples, the device 330 may be housed within at least a unit (e.g., 302, 304, etc.) of the climate control system 300 and/or coupled thereto. In some examples, the device 330 may be a plurality of devices, each device 330 being associated with one or more units of the climate control system 300.

An indoor electronic expansion valve (EEV) controller 338 may be configured to receive information regarding temperatures and/or pressures of the refrigerant in the indoor air handler unit 302. More specifically, the indoor EEV controller 338 may be configured to receive information regarding temperatures and pressures of refrigerant entering, exiting, and/or within the indoor heat exchanger 308.

The outdoor controller 326 may be carried by the outdoor unit 304 and may be configured to receive information inputs from the system controller 306, which may be a thermostat. In some examples, the outdoor controller 326 may be configured to receive information related to an ambient temperature associated with the outdoor unit 304, information related to a temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger 314, and/or information related to refrigerant temperatures and/or pressures of refrigerant entering, exiting, and/or within the outdoor heat exchanger 314 and/or the compressor 316.

FIG. 4 illustrates the control circuitry 400, which may be an apparatus, according to some examples of the present disclosure. In some examples the control circuit includes some or all of the system controller 106, the sensor module, the indoor controller 124, the outdoor controller 126, or any other similar apparatus as described by the present disclosure. In some examples, the control circuitry may include one or more of each of a number of components such as, for example, a processor 402 connected to a memory 404. The processor is generally any piece of computer hardware capable of processing information such as, for example, data, computer programs and/or other suitable electronic information. The processor includes one or more electronic circuits some of which may be packaged as an integrated circuit or multiple interconnected integrated circuits (an integrated circuit at times more commonly referred to as a “chip”). The processor 402 may be a number of processors, a multi-core processor or some other type of processor, depending on the particular example.

The processor 402 may be configured to execute computer programs such as computer-readable program code 406, which may be stored onboard the processor or otherwise stored in the memory 404. In some examples, the processor may be embodied as, or otherwise include, one or more ASICs, FPGAs or the like. Thus, although the processor may be capable of executing a computer program to perform one or more functions, the processor of various examples may be capable of performing one or more functions without the aid of a computer program.

The memory 404 is generally any piece of computer hardware capable of storing information such as, for example, data, computer-readable program code 406 or other computer programs, and/or other suitable information either on a temporary basis and/or a permanent basis. The memory may include volatile memory such as random access memory (RAM), and/or non-volatile memory such as a hard drive, flash memory or the like. In various instances, the memory may be referred to as a computer-readable storage medium, which is a non-transitory device capable of storing information. In some examples, then, the computer-readable storage medium is non-transitory and has computer-readable program code stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor 402, causes the control circuitry 400 to perform various operations as described herein, some of which may in turn cause the climate control system to perform various operations.

In addition to the memory 404, the processor 402 may also be connected to one or more peripherals such as a network adapter 408, one or more input/output (I/O) devices (e.g., input device(s) 410, output device(s) 412) or the like. The network adapter is a hardware component configured to connect the control circuitry 400 to a computer network to enable the control circuitry to transmit and/or receive information via the computer network. The I/O devices may include one or more input devices capable of receiving data or instructions for the control circuitry, and/or one or more output devices capable of providing an output from the control circuitry. Examples of suitable input devices include a keyboard, keypad or the like, and examples of suitable output devices include a display device such as a one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), a LED display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), or the like.

Example implementations of a climate control system with improved sweat prevention will now be described in further detail with reference to a system controller, sensor module, or other control circuitry.

In some examples, the sensor module may be configured as an additional device to retrofit existing climate control systems with the improved sweat prevention systems and methods described by the present disclosure. The sensor module may provide at least some functions attributed to the system controller by the present disclosure with respect to at least the discussion of FIG. 1 above.

In some examples, a preexisting climate control system may be retrofitted with one or more components, pieces of hardware, software, or any other various aspects, embodiments, examples, or implementations as described by the present disclosure. For example, one or more variable speed systems (e.g., compressor 116, etc.), the sensor modules, and/or compatible controllers may be added to a preexisting climate control system. In some examples, preexisting circuitry may be updated (e.g., new software, firmware, etc.) or added to (e.g., adding plug and play modules or circuits, etc.).

For example, a sensor module may be installed in an unconditioned space and a preexisting controller of the climate control system may be updated to communicate with the sensor module. In some examples, retrofitting the preexisting climate control system may occur after installation at the end user's location (e.g., residence, etc.) or at the place of manufacture or storage. In some examples, information for a classification for a climate control system may be provided upon installation of at least one or more of a sensor module or a controller added to a preexisting climate control system to facilitate improved sweat prevention processes with the preexisting climate control system.

As explained above and reiterated below, the present disclosure includes, without limitation, the following example implementations.

Clause 1. A climate control system with improved sweat prevention, the climate control system comprising: an outdoor unit including a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger; an air handler unit including an interior fan and an interior heat exchanger; and a controller configured to: determine two or more conditions within an unconditioned space, each of the conditions being different; compare the plurality of conditions; determine if condensate will likely form on an exterior surface of the climate control system based on the comparison, the exterior surface being directly exposed to the unconditioned space; cause the climate control system to enter a sweat prevention mode in response to a determination condensate will likely form, the sweat prevention mode including adjusting a minimum setting for the climate control system to an adjusted minimum setting; and operate the climate control system according to the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 2. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein each of the plurality of conditions is one of the following: a temperature, a dewpoint, a humidity level, and a surface temperature of the exterior surface, and wherein at least one of the plurality of conditions is a measure of ambient air within the unconditioned space.

Clause 3. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the controller is coupled to a temperature sensor configured to detect an ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space, and a humidity sensor configured to detect a humidity level of the unconditioned space, and wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a first condition of the plurality of conditions using both the ambient air temperature and the humidity level, the first condition being an ambient air dewpoint of the unconditioned space; compare the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining a difference between the first condition and a second condition of the plurality of conditions, the second condition being a surface temperature of the exterior surface; and determine if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes comparing the determined difference to a threshold value.

Clause 4. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the surface temperature of the exterior surface is estimated based on at least the ambient air temperature around the exterior surface, a capacity of the climate control system, or a classification of the climate control system.

Clause 5. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the controller is coupled to a temperature sensor configured to detect an ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space, and a humidity sensor configured to detect a humidity level of the unconditioned space, and wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a first condition of the plurality of conditions using the ambient air temperature, the first conditioning being a dry bulb temperature for the unconditioned space; determine a second condition of the plurality of conditions using both the ambient air temperature and the humidity level, the second condition being a wet bulb temperature for the unconditioned space; compare the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining a difference between the first condition and the second condition; and determine if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes comparing the determined difference to a threshold value.

Clause 6. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the minimum setting is a minimum capacity setting for the climate control system.

Clause 7. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the minimum setting correlates with either a minimum speed setting or a minimum duty cycle setting of the compressor.

Clause 8. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the adjusted minimum setting includes a plurality of adjusted minimum settings for the climate control system, each of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings relating to the same setting of the climate control system and each being a different value for that setting, and the controller is further configured to: determine if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes determining an indication of the likelihood condensate will form on the exterior surface; and operate the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode in a manner that further causes the controller to: select one of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings based on the indication of the likelihood condensate will form; select different ones of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings based on different indications of the likelihood condensate will form; and select adjusted minimum settings with higher values as the indication of the likelihood condensate will form increases.

Clause 9. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the plurality of adjusted minimum settings includes a 50% minimum setting, a 75% minimum setting, and a 100% minimum setting for the operation of a component of the climate control system.

Clause 10. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode in a manner that further causes the controller to: select an initial adjusted minimum setting in response to an initial instruction to enter the sweat prevention mode, the initial adjusted minimum setting being a highest adjusted minimum setting of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings; and select adjusted minimum settings with progressively lower values as the climate control system continues to operate in the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 11. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes making a determination condensate will likely not form; cause the climate control system to terminate the sweat prevention mode and return to a normal operational mode in response to the determination condensation is not likely to form; and compare the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining the difference between a first condition and a second condition, wherein the determination condensate will likely form includes a comparison of the determined difference to a first threshold value, and wherein the determination condensate will likely not form includes a comparison of the determined difference to a second threshold value, the second threshold value being different than the first threshold value.

Clause 12. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode in a manner that further causes the controller to: operate the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode for a predetermined amount of time before instructing the climate control system to terminate the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 13. The climate control system in any of the clauses, wherein the controller is further configured to: operate the climate control system for a predetermined amount of time before allowing an instruction to be sent to reenter the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 14. A controller for a climate control system, the controller comprising: a memory configured to store computer executable components; a processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer executable components to cause the processor to at least: determine two or more conditions within an unconditioned space, each of the conditions being different, and the unconditioned space including an air handler unit of the climate control system; compare the plurality of conditions; determine if condensate will likely form on an exterior surface of the climate control system based on the comparison, the exterior surface being directly exposed to the unconditioned space; cause the climate control system to enter a sweat prevention mode in response to a determination condensate will likely form, the sweat prevention mode including adjusting a minimum setting for the climate control system to an adjusted minimum setting; and operate the climate control system according to the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 15. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein each of the plurality of conditions is one of the following: a temperature, a dewpoint, a humidity level, and a surface temperature of the exterior surface, and wherein at least one of the plurality of conditions is a measure of ambient air within the unconditioned space.

Clause 16. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer executable components further causes the processor to: receive a first indication of an ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space; receive a second indication of a humidity level of the unconditioned space; determine a first condition of the plurality of conditions using both the ambient air temperature and the humidity level, the first condition being an ambient air dewpoint of the unconditioned space; compare the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining a difference between the first condition and a second condition of the plurality of conditions, the second condition being a surface temperature of the exterior surface of the climate control system; and determine if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes comparing the determined difference to a threshold value.

Clause 17. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the surface temperature of the exterior surface is estimated based on at least the ambient air temperature around the exterior surface, a capacity of the climate control system, or a classification of the climate control system.

Clause 18. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer executable components further causes the processor to: receive a first indication of an ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space; receive a second indication of a humidity level of the unconditioned space; determine a first condition of the plurality of conditions using the ambient air temperature, the first conditioning being a dry bulb temperature for the unconditioned space; determine a second condition of the plurality of conditions using both the ambient air temperature and the humidity level, the second condition being a wet bulb temperature for the unconditioned space; compare the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining a difference between the first condition and the second condition; and determine if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes comparing the determined difference to a threshold value.

Clause 19. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the minimum setting is a minimum capacity setting for the climate control system.

Clause 20. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the minimum setting correlates with either a minimum speed setting or a minimum duty cycle setting of the compressor.

Clause 21. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the adjusted minimum setting includes a plurality of adjusted minimum settings for the climate control system, each of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings relating to the same setting of the climate control system and each being a different value for that setting, and the processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer executable components further causes the processor to: determine if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes determining an indication of the likelihood condensate will form on the exterior surface; and cause the climate control system to operate in the sweat prevention mode in a manner that further causes the controller to: select one of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings based on the indication of the likelihood condensate will form; select different ones of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings based on different indication of the likelihood condensate will form; and select adjusted minimum settings with higher values as the indication of the likelihood condensate will form increases.

Clause 22. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the plurality of adjusted minimum settings includes a 50% minimum setting, a 75% minimum setting, and a 100% minimum setting for the operation of a component of the climate control system.

Clause 23. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer executable components further causes the processor to cause an indication to operate the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode in a manner that causes the processor to: select an initial adjusted minimum setting in response to an initial instruction to enter the sweat prevention mode, the initial adjusted minimum setting being a highest adjusted minimum setting of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings; and select adjusted minimum settings with progressively lower values as the climate control system continues to operate in the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 24. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer executable components further causes the processor to: determine if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes making a determination condensate will likely not form; cause the climate control system to terminate the sweat prevention mode and return to a normal operational mode in response to the determination condensation is not likely to form; and compare the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining the difference between a first condition and a second condition, wherein the determination condensate will likely form includes a comparison of the determined difference to a first threshold value, and wherein the determination condensate will likely not form includes a comparison of the determined difference to a second threshold value, the second threshold value being different than the first threshold value.

Clause 25. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer executable components further causes the processor to cause an indication to operate the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode in a manner that causes the processor to: cause an indication to operate the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode for a predetermined amount of time before instructing the climate control system to terminate the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 26. The controller in any of the clauses, wherein the processor configured to access the memory, and execute the computer executable components further causes the processor to: cause an indication to operate the climate control system for a predetermined amount of time before allowing an instruction to be sent to reenter the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 27. A method of operating a climate control system, the method comprising: determining two or more conditions within an unconditioned space, each of the conditions being different, and the unconditioned space including an air handler unit of the climate control system; comparing the plurality of conditions; determining if condensate will likely form on an exterior surface of the climate control system based on the comparison, the exterior surface being directly exposed to the unconditioned space; causing the climate control system to enter a sweat prevention mode in response to a determination condensate will likely form, the sweat prevention mode including adjusting a minimum setting for the climate control system to an adjusted minimum setting; and operating the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 28. The method in any of the clauses, wherein each of the plurality of conditions is one of the following: a temperature, a dewpoint, a humidity level, and a surface temperature of the exterior surface, and wherein at least one of the plurality of conditions is a measure of ambient air within the unconditioned space.

Clause 29. The method in any of the clauses, further comprising: determining an ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space; determining a humidity level of the unconditioned space; determining a first condition of the plurality of conditions using at least the ambient air temperature and the humidity level of the unconditioned space, the first condition being an ambient air dewpoint of the unconditioned space; comparing the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining a difference between the first condition and a second condition of the plurality of conditions, the second condition being a surface temperature of the exterior surface of the climate control system; and determining if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes comparing the determined difference to a threshold value.

Clause 30. The method in any of the clauses, wherein the surface temperature of the exterior surface is estimated based on at least the ambient air temperature around the exterior surface, a capacity of the climate control system, or a classification of the climate control system.

Clause 31. The method in any of the clauses, further comprising: determining an ambient air temperature of the unconditioned space; determining a humidity level of the unconditioned space; determining a first condition of the plurality of conditions using the ambient air temperature, the first conditioning being a dry bulb temperature for the unconditioned space; determining a second condition of the plurality of conditions using both the ambient air temperature and the humidity level, the second condition being a wet bulb temperature for the unconditioned space; comparing the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining a difference between the first condition and the second condition; and determining if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes comparing the determined difference to a threshold value.

Clause 32. The method in any of the clauses, wherein the minimum setting is a minimum capacity setting for the climate control system.

Clause 33. The method in any of the clauses, wherein the minimum setting correlates with either a minimum speed setting or a minimum duty cycle setting of the compressor.

Clause 34. The method in any of the clauses, wherein the adjusted minimum setting includes a plurality of adjusted minimum settings for the climate control system, each of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings relating to the same setting of the climate control system and each being a different value for that setting, and the method further comprises: determining if condensate will likely form in a manner that includes determining an indication of the likelihood condensate will form on the exterior surface; and operating the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode in a manner that further includes: selecting one of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings based on the indication of the likelihood condensate will form; selecting different ones of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings based on different indications of the likelihood condensate will form; and selecting adjusted minimum settings with higher values as the indication of the likelihood condensate will form increases.

Clause 35. The method in any of the clauses, wherein the plurality of adjusted minimum settings includes a 50% minimum setting, a 75% minimum setting, and a 100% minimum setting for the operation of a component of the climate control system.

Clause 36. The method in any of the clauses, further comprising: selecting an initial adjusted minimum setting in response to an initial instruction to enter the sweat prevention mode, the initial adjusted minimum setting being a highest adjusted minimum setting of the plurality of adjusted minimum settings; and selecting adjusted minimum settings with progressively lower values as the climate control system continues to operate in the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 37. The method in any of the clauses, wherein determining if condensate will likely form includes making a determination condensate will likely not form, and the method further includes: causing the climate control system to terminate the sweat prevention mode and return to a normal operational mode in response to the determination condensation is not likely to form; and comparing the plurality of conditions in a manner that includes determining the difference between a first condition and a second condition, wherein the determination condensate will likely form includes a comparison of the determined difference to a first threshold value, and wherein the determination condensate will likely not form includes a comparison of the determined difference to a second threshold value, the second threshold value being different than the first threshold value.

Clause 38. The method in any of the clauses, wherein operating the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode includes operating the climate control system in the sweat prevention mode for a predetermined amount of time before instructing the climate control system to terminate the sweat prevention mode.

Clause 39. The method in any of the clauses, further comprising operating the climate control system for a predetermined amount of time before allowing an instruction to be sent to reenter the sweat prevention mode.

Many modifications, other embodiments, examples, or implementations of the disclosure set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated figures. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments, examples, or implementations disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments, examples, or implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing description and the associated figures describe embodiments, examples, or implementations in the context of certain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments, examples, or implementations without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

AUTOMATED SWEAT PREVENTION FOR CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEMS

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