Self powered and balancing air damper

Claim 1

An automatic, self-balancing air damper assembly adapted for use with a building ventilation system, the ventilation system having a supply air source, a duct system connected to the supply air source at a first end and terminating in a plurality of terminals in the various spaces of the building and a fan for moving a volume of supply air from the air source through the duct system and out the terminals to the various spaces of the building, the air damper assembly comprising: a supporting duct section adapted for air flow communication with said duct system; damper means adjustable between an open position and closed position operably supported in the duct section for regulation of the volume of supply air flowing through the duct section; sensor means operably coupled to the duct section for sensing actual air flow through the duct section, said sensor means including generator means responsive to the air flow through said duct section for generating an electrical signal; control means operably coupled to the sensor means for comparing the actual air flow through the duct section to a predetermined design air flow and generating an error signal representative of the difference between the actual air flow and design air flow, said control means including actual air flow indicator means responsive to said electrical signal for providing an actual air flow signal and means for providing a design air flow signal representative of said design air flow, said error signal generation means comparing said actual error signal to said design air flow signal to provide said error signal, said control means including electrical energy storage means for accumulating and storing the energy of the electrical signal generated by said generator means, said actuation means including motor means selectively coupleable to said storage means for adjustable positioning of said damper; and actuation means operably coupled to the control means and to the damper means for adjustably positioning said damper between said open and closed positions responsive to said error signal whereby said actual air flow is brought into registration with said design air flow.

Claim 6

A system for balancing an air distribution system comprising: an air distribution system including; a source of conditioned air; a plurality of air terminal devices; a plurality of branch ducts, each branch duct terminating in one of the air terminal devices; and a main duct interconnecting the source and the plurality of branch ducts; a plurality of air balancing assemblies each individually associated with a particular branch ducts, each air balancing assembly including; an airflow control device in the particular branch duct; means for determining the airflow setpoint for the particular branch duct associated with the air balancing assembly; means for generating power from airflow through the particular branch duct; means, associated with the generating means, for storing the generated power; means, associated with the storage means, for monitoring the amount of stored power; means, associated with the monitoring means, for initiating operation of the air balancing assembly when the amount of stored power is sufficient for operation; means for measuring airflow in the particular branch duct; means, associated with the measuring means and the airflow setpoint determining means, for comparing the measured airflow to the airflow setpoint and determining an error signal; and means, associated with the comparing and determining means, for modulating an airflow control device in the particular branch duct to reduce the error signal.

Claim 7

A system for balancing an air distribution system comprising: an air distribution system including; a source of conditioned air; a plurality of air terminal devices; a plurality of branch ducts, each branch duct terminating in one of the air terminal devices; and a main duct interconnecting the source and the plurality of branch ducts; a plurality of air balancing assemblies each individually associated with a particular branch ducts, each air balancing assembly including; an airflow control device in the particular branch duct; means for determining the airflow setpoint for the particular branch duct associated with the air balancing assembly; means for generating power from airflow through the particular branch duct; means, associated with the generating means, for storing the generated power; means, associated with the storage means, for monitoring the amount of stored power; means, associated with the monitoring means, for initiating operation of the air balancing assembly when the amount of stored power is sufficient for operation; means for measuring airflow in the particular branch duct; means, associated with the measuring means and the airflow setpoint determining means, for comparing the measured airflow to the airflow setpoint and determining an error signal; and means, associated with the comparing and determining means, for modulating an airflow control device in the particular branch duct to reduce the error signal.

Claim 12

A method of balancing an air distribution system, the air distribution system including a source of conditioned air, a plurality of branch ducts each terminating in an air terminal device, an air balancing assembly in at least some of the plurality of branch ducts, and a main duct interconnecting the source and the plurality of branch ducts, the method comprising the steps of: determining an airflow setpoint for an individual branch duct; generating power from airflow through the individual branch ducts; storing the generated power; monitoring the amount of stored power; initiating balancing when the stored power is sufficient for operation of the air balancing assemblies; measuring airflow in the branch duct; comparing the measured airflow to the airflow setpoint; determining an error signal responsive to the comparing step; modulating a damper in the particular branch duct to reduce the error signal.

Claim 13

A method of balancing an air distribution system, the air distribution system including a source of conditioned air, a plurality of branch ducts each terminating in an air terminal device, an air balancing assembly in at least some of the plurality of branch ducts, and a main duct interconnecting the source and the plurality of branch ducts, the method comprising the steps of: determining an airflow setpoint for an individual branch duct; generating power from airflow through the individual branch ducts; storing the generated power; monitoring the amount of stored power; initiating balancing when the stored power is sufficient for operation of the air balancing assemblies; measuring airflow in the branch duct; comparing the measured airflow to the airflow setpoint; determining an error signal responsive to the comparing step; modulating a damper in the particular branch duct to reduce the error signal.