EP0710804A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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System for providing integrated zone indoor air quality control
Assignee: Carrier Corp
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Filing: 1995-10-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-10-03
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing air quality control for an indoor area divided into a plurality of zones, controls air quality both centrally and at each of the zones, and includes a central controller (101), a central damper (103), a supply air stream duct (105), a return air duct (107), a plurality of zone controllers (111, 113, 115), a plurality of zone dampers (121, 123, 125), a plurality of air quality sensors (131, 133, 135) (e.g. CO₂, volatile organic compounds, humidity, etc...) and a plurality of temperature sensors (141, 143, 145). An output value of an air quality sensor (131-135) from one of the zones, is compared with a zone maximum threshold value and a zone minimum threshold value. The damper (123-125) of the corresponding zone is modulated to vary the supply air flow into the zone. These steps are repeated for each zone. A predetermined function (e.g. average, maximum, minimum, etc...) of the output values from all of the zones is compared with a central maximum threshold value and a central minimum threshold value, and the central damper is modulated to vary the flow of outside air into the supply air stream based on this comparison.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter Edward Bujak, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:04
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F11/00; F24F11/30; F24F11/50; F24F11/54; F24F11/70; F24F11/72; F24F11/74; F24F2110/00; F24F2110/10; F24F2110/20; F24F2110/50; F24F2110/65; F24F2110/70; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B30/00; Y02B30/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
A system for providing air quality control for an indoor area divided into a plurality of zones, whereby air quality is controlled both centrally and at each of the zones, including: a central controller for providing air quality control of a supply air stream which flows to the zones; a central damper modulated by the central controller for regulating a mixture of outside air and return air into the supply air stream; a supply air stream duct for providing a plurality of interconnected supply channels through which the supply air flows to the zones; a return air duct for providing a plurality of interconnected return channels through which the return air from each zone recirculates; a plurality of zone controllers each in communication with said central controller for providing air quality control for the plurality of zones; a plurality of zone dampers each appended to one of said supply channels and each modulated by the associated zone controller for individually regulating the flow of supply air into each zone; a plurality of air quality sensors, one located in each zone and each continuously monitored by the associated zone controller, for providing an air quality output value for each zone; and a plurality of temperature sensors, one located in each zone and each continuously monitored by the associated zone controller, for providing a zone temperature for each zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of Claim 1, further comprising: a central humidifier controlled by the central controller for regulating a humidity of the supply air stream; and a central dehumidifier controlled by the central controller for regulating the humidity of the supply air stream.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
239 words
A method for providing air quality control for an indoor area divided into a plurality of zones, whereby air quality is controlled both centrally and at each of the zones, including the steps of: reading an output value of an air quality sensor from one of the zones; comparing the output value with a zone maximum threshold value and a zone minimum threshold value; modulating one of the plurality of zone dampers for increasing a supply air flow into the one zone when the output value is greater than the zone maximum threshold value; modulating one of the plurality of zone dampers for decreasing the supply air flow into the one zone when the output value is less than the zone minimum threshold value; repeating said steps of reading the output value, comparing the output value, and modulating the zone damper for each of the zones; determining a predetermined function of the output values from all of the zones; comparing the function of the output values with a central maximum threshold value and a central minimum threshold value; modulating a central damper for increasing an outside air flow into the supply air stream when the function of the output values is greater than the central maximum threshold value; and modulating the central damper for decreasing the outside air flow into the supply air stream when the function of the output values is less than the central minimum threshold value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
90 words
The method of Claim 3, wherein said step of modulating one of the zone dampers is performed for decreasing the supply air flow into the one zone when a zone temperature is below a zone minimum temperature threshold value; and said step of modulating the central damper is performed for increasing the flow of outside air into the supply air stream when the zone temperature is below the zone minimum temperature threshold value and the output value of the air quality sensor is greater than the zone maximum threshold value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method of Claim 3 or 4, wherein said step of modulating one of the zone dampers is performed for increasing the supply air flow into the one zone when the zone temperature is above a zone maximum temperature threshold value; and said step of modulating the central damper is performed for decreasing the flow of outside air into the supply air stream when the zone temperature is above the zone maximum temperature threshold value and the output value of the air quality sensor is less than the zone minimum threshold value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of Claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the air quality sensor is a CO₂ sensor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of Claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the air quality sensor is a volatile organic compound sensor.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
231 words
A method for providing humidity control for an indoor area divided into a plurality of zones, whereby humidity is controlled both centrally and at each of the zones, including the steps: reading an output value of a humidity sensor from one of the zones; comparing the output value with a zone minimum threshold value and a zone maximum threshold value; modulating one of a plurality of zone dampers for increasing a supply air flow into the one zone when the output value is greater than the zone maximum threshold value; modulating one of the plurality of zone dampers for decreasing the supply air flow into the one zone when the output value is less than the zone minimum threshold value; repeating said steps of reading the output value, comparing the output value, and modulating the zone damper for each of the zones; determining a predetermined function of the output values from all of the zones; comparing the function of the output values with a central minimum threshold value and a central maximum threshold value; regulating a central humidifier for increasing the humidity of the supply air stream when the function of the output values is less than the central minimum threshold value; and regulating a central dehumidifier for decreasing the humidity of the supply air stream when the function of the output values is greater than the central maximum threshold value.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of any of Claims 3 to 8, wherein the function of the output values is a minimum of the output values.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of any of Claims 3 to 8, wherein the function of the output values is a maximum of the output values.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of any of Claims 3 to 8, wherein the function of the output values is an average of the output values.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of controlling the air conditioning of an indoor area divided into a plurality of zones, wherein: in each zone, the zone's air conditioning is individually controlled by controlling the amount of conditioned air entering the zone in accordance with the output of a sensor which detects the zone's air quality; and wherein the method is characterised by the steps of: determining a function of the outputs of the sensors of all of the zones; and adjusting centrally the quality of the air supplied to the zones in accordance with said function.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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