CA2567863C - Programmable controller for condition air curtains - Google Patents

Programmable controller for condition air curtains Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2567863C
CA2567863C CA2567863A CA2567863A CA2567863C CA 2567863 C CA2567863 C CA 2567863C CA 2567863 A CA2567863 A CA 2567863A CA 2567863 A CA2567863 A CA 2567863A CA 2567863 C CA2567863 C CA 2567863C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
control
air curtain
electronic controller
air
sensor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
CA2567863A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2567863A1 (en
Inventor
David A. Johnson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Berner International Corp
Original Assignee
Berner International Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Berner International Corp filed Critical Berner International Corp
Priority to CA2567863A priority Critical patent/CA2567863C/en
Publication of CA2567863A1 publication Critical patent/CA2567863A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2567863C publication Critical patent/CA2567863C/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F9/00Use of air currents for screening, e.g. air curtains
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/62Control or safety arrangements characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
    • F24F11/63Electronic processing
    • F24F11/65Electronic processing for selecting an operating mode
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/30Control or safety arrangements for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/50Control or safety arrangements characterised by user interfaces or communication
    • F24F11/61Control or safety arrangements characterised by user interfaces or communication using timers
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/70Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
    • F24F11/72Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure
    • F24F11/74Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
    • F24F11/77Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof for controlling the supply of treated air, e.g. its pressure for controlling air flow rate or air velocity by controlling the speed of ventilators
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24FAIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2110/00Control inputs relating to air properties
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02BCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B30/00Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
    • Y02B30/70Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fuzzy Systems (AREA)
  • Mathematical Physics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Air Conditioning Control Device (AREA)

Abstract

A programmable electronic controller that provides multiple command and control instruction for an air curtain being integrated therewith. The controller includes operational controls for fan speed, time adjustment duration including time delay, start time, stop time with internal selectable timer clock provisions. The temperature imputable parameters for on demand heat and a variety of remote sensing and actuation output and input provisions.

Description

PROGRAMMABLE CONTROLLER FOR CONDITION AIR CURTAINS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field This device relates to air supply and conditioning devices specifically air curtains that generate a controlled stream of air to separate two distinct environments in a variety of operational venues.
2. Description of Prior Art Prior art devices of this type have been developed to provide air barriers between contrasting temperature conditions such as between conditioned air space and unconditioned air space.

Typically, air curtains are used as an effective fluid barrier which will not restrict object transfer while maintaining the desired environmental conditions within the access space. Such prior art air curtains are positioned either above or on the side of a threshold to be controlled utilizing multiple fans and directional airflow nozzles, see for example U.S. Patent 3,797,373 as representative of same.

Current air curtain design and controls allow for selective heating or cooling of the barrier air stream utilizing a collection of independent control parameters such as air speed, cooling or heating activation and selective on/off controls. Such independent control activation configurations can be seen generally, for example, in U.S. Patents 6,595,429 and 6,619,052.

Other electronic control devices for heating and air conditioning controllers are well established within the art such as temperature controls; see for example electronically controlled programmable thermostats; U.S. Patent 4,298,949 and 4,606,401.

U.S. Patent 3,797,373 is directed to a basic air curtain device.
Patent 6,619,052 claims a variable air curtain velocity control for supermarket refrigeration product display cases b controlling fans to alternate the airflow rate.

Patent 6,595,429 if directed towards an operation and method for providing real time condition air curtain utilizing electronic control heating and fan using air characteristic inputs from temperature pressure and flow rate sensors within the control system.

Finally, U.S. Patents 4,298,946 and 4,606,401 utilize electronic programmable thermostats with means for selective ambient temperature compared with a pre-programmed set point and activation appropriate heating and/or air cooling equipment controlled by the thermostat. Such thermostats are well known and understood within the art.

No known prior art provides for integral digital programmable controller for an air curtain which combines a wide range of control functions in an integrated application to configure air curtain performance to the individual use variant requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A programmable air curtain controller that provides a variety of interdependent demand and control functions using multiple internal and remote sensors in communication with a microprocessor configured to meet specific air curtain control elements. Predetermined and preset operational parameters specify to the operational environment and venues are stored within the controller allowing a single integrated intelligent switch controller to regulate all aspects of air curtain performance by remote control input.
3 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a block flow functional diagram outlining the overall control inputs and activation control elements; and Figure 2 is a block flow diagram illustrating specific operational control function elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to figure 1 of the drawings, an electronic controller 10 of the invention is illustrated in a graphic block flow configuration inclusive of an air curtain 11 indicated by broken lines responsive to control element groupings and 13 as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.

A programmable microprocessor 14 of the controller 10 of the invention and proprietary electronic circuits (not shown) which provide for an integrated communication network 15 illustrated by communication lines to control the operation of the air curtain control element groupings 12 and 13. Such control elements included in this example are multiple fan motor assemblies 16 with adjustable velocities with associated air conditioning elements 17 for heating and cooling of the air curtain 11 air source. The fan motor assembly 16 supply an air
4 velocity disturbance outflow from the air curtain creating an effective "barrier" or air curtain at a threshold between two divergent environmental areas.
Information data input element groupings 18 indicated by inclusive broken lines interlinked via the communication network 15 as hereinbefore described to the microprocessor 14 and air curtain control group 13. Such multiple information data source inputs are defined by a remote thermostat 19, internal control thermostat 20, motor fan speed maintaining sensors 21 along with threshold proximity motion sensors 22 and threshoid contact sensors 23 such may be required in certain use venue conditions for access threshold indication.

An infrared sensor 24 is provided with the data source inputs which will receive coded input data signals from an infrared remote transmitter 25. The combination of data input element group 18 of the control group 13 and control element group12 provide the necessary functions for the process controller of the air curtain 11 to assure proper and effective operation in application and installation settings as follows.

Application influence would include effective mounting height and size of the air curtain for the air stream required. Additional criteria such as air curtain mounting location and environmental factors including determination of prevailing
5 winds, geographic location of installation site as well as existing conditions, such as structure pressurization, or negative pressure and threshold obstructions will all be determining factors in control requirements, their performance of the air curtain and the requirements of the electronic controller 10 of the invention.

Installation settings are defined within the art such as air curtain 11 air speed setting to match application thresholds, automatic operation by interfacing with threshold access elements utilizing motion sensors 22 and threshold access contact sensors 23 as well as the supplemental heating and cooling with -operation application optimization enclosure of high speed fan and motor assemblies 16 including start, delay and off cycling therefore the air curtain 11 all of which, as noted, are well known and understood by those skilled in the art and do not require further additional detailed explanation or supplemental illustration within the specification.

A visual display unit 14A is provided for the electronic controller 10 of the invention and is in communication with the microprocessor 14 to provide visual indication of input and preset performance parameters.
6 The air curtain controller 10 of the invention has serial input and output connections at 26A and 26B which provide for serial connection to additional controllers (not shown) if needed in multiple unit applications.

Referring now to figure 2 of the drawings, the electronic air curtain controller 10 of the invention manages the proper and effective air curtain 11 operation illustrated by the controllers 10 operational feature function as follows.
A speed control function 27 controlling fan motor assembly's 16 speed directly via auxiliary controls (not shown) if required. A feedback circuit 28 function is provided that monitors and adjusts to maintain a given set point for the fan motor assemblies 16. Optionally, such control parameters can also be utilized to manage the fan motor assemblies 16 such as pressure differentials between control spaces as indicated in broken lines graphically at 29.

An air curtain full speed start function 30 is used to initiate maximum fan motor assembly 16 speed to establish the initial air barrier rapidly in structures where the threshold is opened and protection must be rapidly established. The full speed start 30 function then employs a reduction of fan motor assembly's speed once the air barrier is established to maintain an operational velocity.
7 The time delay function 31 determines how long the air curtain 11 runs after a threshold closure with control mode settings 32 comprising an on setting 33, auto setting 34 and off setting 35 which in this example is set to auto setting 34. Given the operational parameters, the on setting 33 manually enables the controller and correspondingly the off setting 35 disables the electronic controller 10. The auto setting 34 provides for enabilization by external control data input from the information data input element group 18 as hereinbefore described.

'f"he functionality management by the internal thermostat 20 as hereinbefore described provides for home base control activation of supplemental heating unit 36 and cooling unit 37 of the air conditioning element 17.

Referring now to a clock function indicator at 38 which provides for an event base control wherein the control mode settings 32 are maintained based on the clock and input setting 38A via the communication network 15.

A programming lock mode function 39 will prevent non-authorized access to the operator settings imparting a control security oversight of the electronic controller 10.
8 In applications where multiple electronic controllers are used, the allowance for unlimited master slave inner control between the multiple connected controllers a so-called "daisy chain" functionality 40 is provided wherein a setting on one of the interconnected controllers 10 in such configurations will change the corresponding sefting on all of the interconnected controllers 10 of the system via the serial input and output ports 26A and 26B
as hereinbefore described.

As noted, the electronic controller 10 enabled with a remote control function 41 by the hereinbefore described infrared receiver 24 and command and control infrared transmitter 25.

It will thus be seen that a new and novel factory installed digital programmable controller 10 for environmental air curtain 11 applications has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.
9

Claims (7)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. An integrated programmable electronic controller for air handling equipment comprises in combination, an air curtain apparatus to establish an airflow stream as an environmental barrier between temperature divergent environments, and multiple sensor interfaced with air curtain command and control, said controller having an integrated central microprocessor, a control data input group and a control element group;
a communication network interconnecting said air curtain and respective control data input and control element groups with said central microprocessor, said control data input group comprising, a first temperature sensor for obtaining an internal temperature value, a second temperature sensor for obtaining a remote temperature value of said temperature divergent environments, a fan motor speed sensor for adjusting air velocity of said air curtain, a threshold motion sensor, contact threshold sensor and a remote control sensor, said control element group comprising an air curtain fan motor assembly and air conditioning units, input data control values as functional control messages including a full speed start for said fan motor assemblies and operational time delay for said air curtain controller, means for communication with additional controllers, threshold control mode settings of said control data input group comprising an off setting, an on setting and an auto setting and a clock control for an event based control of said threshold control mode settings, network for transmitting data from said data input group and intercommunication transmission with said control element group and display means.
2. The integrated programmable electronic controller set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for communicating with additional electronic controllers comprise, serial inputs and output links.
3. The integrated programmable electronic controller set forth in claim 1 wherein said predefined set of function control messages include fan motor assembly, speed control, a data feedback circuit to maintain preset fan motor speed values.
4. The integrated programmable electronic controller set forth in claim 1 wherein said remote control sensor comprises, an infrared receiver and a remote located infrared control data transmitter.
5. The integrated programmable electronic controller set forth in claim 4 wherein said remote located infrared control data transmitter has preprogrammed control messages and imputable control messages for said control element group.
6. The integrated programmable electronic controller set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second temperature sensor values define control data input activation of said air conditioning elements to heat, cool airflow stream and fan motor speed assemblies dependent on preprogrammable set values.
7. The integrated programmable electronic controller set forth in claim 1 wherein said threshold control mode settings further include, a programmable lock mode and multiple electronic control interface therewith.
CA2567863A 2006-11-14 2006-11-14 Programmable controller for condition air curtains Active CA2567863C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA2567863A CA2567863C (en) 2006-11-14 2006-11-14 Programmable controller for condition air curtains

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA2567863A CA2567863C (en) 2006-11-14 2006-11-14 Programmable controller for condition air curtains

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2567863A1 CA2567863A1 (en) 2008-05-14
CA2567863C true CA2567863C (en) 2014-04-22

Family

ID=39400503

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2567863A Active CA2567863C (en) 2006-11-14 2006-11-14 Programmable controller for condition air curtains

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2567863C (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP5859960B2 (en) 2009-07-17 2016-02-16 テクニカル ユニバーシティ オブ デンマークTechnical University Of Denmark Devices and methods for reducing the spread of microorganisms and health hazards in the air and / or for protecting against microorganisms and health hazards in the air
NL2010998C2 (en) * 2013-06-18 2014-12-22 Biddle B V Air curtain device measuring a temperature profile and method there for.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2567863A1 (en) 2008-05-14

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7158863B1 (en) Programmable controller for condition air curtains
US10452084B2 (en) Operation of building control via remote device
US10948931B2 (en) HVAC schedule with designated off periods
US10422543B2 (en) Remote control of an HVAC system that uses a common temperature setpoint for both heat and cool modes
US9804611B2 (en) HVAC controller with ventilation boost control
US10620645B2 (en) Microzone HVAC system with precision air device
US5810245A (en) Method and apparatus for controlling air flow in a structure
KR100980290B1 (en) A air-conditioner using power-linecommunication
PL358842A1 (en) A ventilating device and a building comprising such a ventilating device
JPH07145987A (en) Temperature control system with central control unit for thermostat
US11609017B2 (en) HVAC controller with a zone commissioning mode
CA2567863C (en) Programmable controller for condition air curtains
US10302322B2 (en) Triage of initial schedule setup for an HVAC controller
US20050082053A1 (en) System for controlling a ventilation system
WO2001067007A1 (en) Make up air equipment control
EP1610069B1 (en) Air conditioning system and method for controlling the same
KR200342139Y1 (en) A heating system using an wireless thermostatic
US5123592A (en) Pressure independent control for air distribution system
CN104024966B (en) Optimization is controlled via the valve flow of the customization of intelligent actuators
CN206861814U (en) A kind of HVAC control system based on Internet of Things
EP1758008A2 (en) Electronic device to control a conditioning apparatus of a fluid
KR20160015020A (en) Apparatus of fan coil
JP2010002062A (en) Fan filter unit control system
KR101594122B1 (en) Remote control system for indoor climate control
KR100564931B1 (en) Integrated air conditioning system and method for operating room with bidirectional communication

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request