METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR CONTROLLING AIR TO A BUILDING

Abstract

HVAC systems, including various HVAC system components, and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed for controlling airflow into a building. Embodiments of the HVAC systems include apparatuses for controlling the volumetric airflow moving through at least one HVAC system component using a measurement device, for example an airflow detector, a regulator, for example a damper or blower, and a controller, where the controller receives input from the measurement device, manipulates the input with a control algorithm, and sends output commands to the regulator. Further embodiments include apparatuses and methods for development of the control algorithm by testing a similar HVAC system component, measuring the actual volumetric airflow through the HVAC system component, and comparing the actual volumetric airflow with the airflow measured by the measurement device. Still further embodiment include forming a plurality of similar HVAC components that each control airflow without requiring further testing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic representation of a building with an HVAC system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of an HVAC system and economizer generally represented by the schematic of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an HVAC system blower component according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the HVAC component of FIG. 2 attached to a flow measurement calibration system.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a flow measurement calibration system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an HVAC rooftop unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top, schematic representation of the rooftop HVAC unit and economizer of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an HVAC rooftop unit depicting airflows into and out of the components according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a top, schematic representation of an energy recovery ventilator according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side, schematic representation of the energy recovery ventilator of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of an energy recovery ventilator according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an economizer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an economizer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a filter element according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a powered exhaust according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a curb according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart for calculating actual airflow according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a graphical depiction of test data and an associated curve fit for an economizer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a graphical depiction of test data and an associated curve fit for a powered exhaust according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart for adjusting airflow according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart for operating an economizer and powered exhaust according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing at least one HVAC component for connection to a building's HVAC system with HVAC ducting, wherein the HVAC component receives input from a user input and controls the airflow entering the building's HVAC system, the method comprising the acts of: 1) providing a first HVAC component, said HVAC component including: a) a first housing with a first airflow passage configured and adapted to connect to the HVAC ducting installed in a building with the first airflow passage in fluid communication with the HVAC ducting,b) a first airflow detector for measuring the volume of air passing through the first airflow passage,c) a first airflow regulator for regulating the airflow through the first airflow passage, andd) a first controller with a memory, the first controller configured and adapted to command the airflow regulator to change the amount of air moving through the first airflow passage;2) attaching the first airflow detector to the first housing at a first location, wherein said attaching places the first airflow detector in the first airflow passage;3) moving air through the first airflow passage;4) obtaining a measured airflow by measuring the airflow through the first airflow passage with the first airflow detector;5) obtaining an actual volumetric airflow by determining the airflow through the first airflow passage with a calibrated test system;6) determining a correction to convert the measured airflow to the actual airflow; and7) applying the correction to the first controller and, while the first controller is in communication with the first airflow regulator and the first airflow regulator is attached to the first housing, causing the controller to: a) command an increase in the first airflow regulator output when the actual airflow is below a desired airflow,b) command a decrease in the first airflow regulator output when the actual airflow is above a desired airflow, andc) maintain a constant first airflow regulator output when the actual airflow equals a desired airflow.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: 1) forming: a) a second housing substantially similar to the first housing,b) a second airflow detector substantially similar to the first airflow detector,c) a second airflow regulator substantially similar to the first airflow regulator, andd) a second controller substantially similar to the first controller with the correction applied;2) attaching: a) the second airflow detector to the second housing at a second location, wherein the second location is substantially similar to the first location, andb) the second airflow regulator to the second housing;3) connecting: a) the second airflow detector and the second controller, andb) the second controller and the second airflow regulator; and4) wherein the second controller: a) commands an increase in the second airflow regulator output when the actual airflow is below a desired airflow,b) commands a decrease in the second airflow regulator output when the actual airflow is above a desired airflow, andc) maintains a constant second airflow regulator output when the actual airflow equals a desired airflow.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining an actual volumetric airflow includes a test airflow detector for measuring actual airflow through the first airflow passage, and wherein said determining the actual volumetric airflow through the first airflow passage includes measuring the airflow through the first airflow passage with the test airflow detector.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first airflow regulator includes a first damper.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first airflow regulator includes a first blower.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said moving air through the first airflow passage is by the first blower.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying the first controller includes using a polynomial equation to apply the correction to a measured airflow value and obtain an actual airflow value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the polynomial equation is at least a 2nd order polynomial.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing the building's HVAC system, wherein the building's HVAC system includes at least two (2) tons of cooling capacity and at most twenty-five (25) tons of cooling capacity

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the airflow is turbulent at the first location during said obtaining a measured airflow.

11. A plurality of HVAC systems, each system with at least one HVAC component for controlling the volumetric airflow through the HVAC system, each of the plurality of HVAC system components being substantially similar to one another, at least one of the HVAC system components comprising: a first HVAC component, including: a first housing with a first airflow passage configured and adapted to connect to one of the HVAC system's ducting with said first airflow passage in fluid communication with the HVAC system's ducting,a first airflow regulator for changing the airflow through said airflow passage,a first airflow detector for measuring the airflow passing through said first airflow passage, anda first controller with a memory, said first controller connected to said first airflow regulator and said first airflow detector, wherein said first controller commands said first airflow regulator to change the airflow rate through said first airflow passage to achieve a desired actual airflow rate using a control algorithm;means for deriving said control algorithm including means for measuring the actual airflow through said first HVAC system component, wherein the control algorithm converts input from the first airflow detector to an actual airflow rate through said first HVAC system component, and wherein the control algorithm compares the actual airflow rate to a desired airflow rate.

12. The plurality of HVAC systems of claim 11, further comprising a first HVAC system connected to said first HVAC component, wherein said first HVAC system includes at least two (2) tons of cooling capacity and at most twenty-five (25) tons of cooling capacity.

13. The plurality of HVAC systems of claim 11, further comprising: means for forming at least a second HVAC component substantially similar to said first HVAC component, wherein said second HVAC component includes: a second housing with a second airflow passage substantially similar to said first housing and said first airflow passage;a second airflow regulator for changing the airflow through said second airflow passage and substantially similar to said first airflow regulator;a first airflow detector for measuring the airflow passing through said first airflow passage, anda second controller with a memory, said second controller connected to said second airflow regulator and said second airflow detector, wherein said second controller is substantially similar to said first controller, and wherein said second controller commands said second airflow regulator to change the airflow rate through said second airflow passage to achieve a desired actual airflow rate using said control algorithm;

14. An HVAC system component for attachment to a building's HVAC system and for controlling the airflow through the HVAC system component, the component comprising: a housing defining an airflow passage;an airflow detector for detecting the airflow through said airflow passage, said airflow detector attached to said housing and located at a first position in said airflow passage;an airflow regulator attached to said housing and configured to regulate the airflow through said airflow passage;a controller in communication with said airflow detector and said airflow regulator, wherein said controller receives input from said airflow detector and calculates a command using a control algorithm, wherein said controller commands said airflow regulator to: increase airflow through said airflow passage when the actual airflow through said airflow passage is less than a desired airflow,decrease airflow through said airflow passage when the actual airflow through said airflow passage is greater than a desired airflow, andmaintain the airflow rate through said airflow passage when the actual airflow through said airflow passage equals a desired airflow;wherein said airflow regulator receives the controller command and correspondingly changes the airflow through said airflow passage;wherein said control algorithm is derived by testing a test-component, said test-component including: a test-housing similar to said housing and defining a test-airflow-passage similar to said airflow passage,a test-detector similar to said airflow detector for detecting the airflow through said test-airflow-passage, said test-detector attached to said test-housing at a position in said test-airflow-passage similar to said first position, anda test-regulator similar to said airflow regulator and attached to said test-housing, said test-regulator configured to regulate the airflow through said test-airflow passage; andwherein said control algorithm is further derived by comparing the actual volumetric airflow through said test-airflow-passage to the airflow measured by said test-detector.

15. The HVAC system component of claim 14, wherein the actual airflow through said airflow passage does not differ more than ten percent (10%) from a desired airflow during operation.

16. The HVAC system component of claim 15, wherein the actual airflow through said airflow passage does not differ more than five percent (5%) from a desired airflow during operation.

17. The HVAC system component of claim 16, wherein the actual airflow through said airflow passage does not differ more than three percent (3%) from a desired airflow during operation.

18. The HVAC system component of claim 14, wherein said airflow detector is a pressure sensor.

19. The HVAC system component of claim 14, wherein the airflow at said first position is turbulent.

20. The HVAC system component of claim 14, wherein the airflow through said first airflow passage transitions between laminar and turbulent flow at said first position as the output of said airflow regulator changes between two substantially nonzero airflow rates.