Auto-balancing damper control

Abstract

A control system for a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system is provided. The control system regulates a temperature of a multi-zone building using only a single thermostat or set point, and a temperature element in each of the zones. The control system receives inputs from the temperature elements and uses the inputs and a control algorithm to control temperature according to the set point and to minimize the differences between the temperature elements in the different zones. In a two-zone building, a single damper is used. In a building with a larger number of zones, the number of dampers required is the same as the number of zones, less one damper.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention generally relates to control systems for heating and air conditioning, and for methods of operating heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems for multi-zone control.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems provide comfort and convenience for persons using modern residential, commercial and industrial buildings. This comfort and convenience comes with a cost, of course, for installing and operating the fans, furnaces, and air conditioners that make possible such comfort and convenience. There is a great variety of controls for operating these systems, but there may be room for improvement in any of them.[0003]A common occurrence in many multiple floor dwellings is that comfort is sacrificed for cost in providing for HVAC comfort control and efficiency. This sacrifice in efficiency usually equates to less than desirable performance for the temperatures of the upper and lower floors. T...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]Through the various embodiments of the present invention, value of improved energy conservation is realized. That is, by improving airflow and waste from over heating or cooling other zones, an energy value can be realized. Embodiments of the system of the present invention also brings value by operating independently as an improved air circulatory system. Further, embodiments of the present invention provides value of when used to balance or offset natural convection airflow currents.

Problems solved by technology

This sacrifice in efficiency usually equates to less than desirable performance for the temperatures of the upper and lower floors.

While effective, this is a complicated and expensive system to install.

However, there may be high temperature differentials between the floors.

In this disclosure, however, if one zone is being heated, the other zones are not allowed to call for cooling; or if one zone is being cooled, the other zones are not allowed to call for heating.

This system provides good control for each zone, but has a very high cost of equipment and installation.

The control system, which does not allow simultaneous heating and cooling, requires a separate damper for each zone.

This will also be an expensive system to operate.

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