WO2007117247A1

WO2007117247A1 - Control of refrigerant systems based on ambient air information from a remote source

Info

Publication number: WO2007117247A1
Application number: PCT/US2006/013733
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alexander Lifson; Michael F. Taras
Original assignee: Carrier Corporation
Priority date: 2006-04-12
Filing date: 2006-04-12
Publication date: 2007-10-18

Abstract

The present invention provides ambient air information to a controller for an HVAC & R system from a remote location, as for example, over the Internet. This eliminates ambient temperature, humidity and/or barometric pressure sensors that were part of the HVAC & R systems in the past. In addition, the ambient air information obtained over the Internet is often more reliable as sensors may have become inaccurate or fail over time.

Description

CONTROL OF REFRIGERANT SYSTEMS BASED ON AMBIENT AIR INFORMATION FROM A REMOTE SOURCE

BACKGROUND QF THE INVENTION This application relates to a control for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HV AC&R) system, wherein ambient temperature, humidity and/or barometric pressure information may be provided to a control for the HV AC&R system over an information carrying media such as the Internet.

HV AC&R systems are utilized to provide control over temperature and humidity in conditioned spaces. Generally, a controller allows an input of desired environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity and fresh air circulation rate, and the control then operates the HV AC&R system to provide and maintain those desired conditions.

The sophistication of HV AC&R system controls has improved dramatically. As the control becomes more complex, and better able to closely match the desired conditions, the knowledge of ambient conditions outside the conditioned space become more important. Thus, sophisticated HV AC&R system controls particularly require information with regard to temperature, humidity, and even barometric pressure outside the conditioned space. Thus, sensors (e.g. temperature sensors, humidity sensors, enthalpy sensors, etc.) monitoring ambient air conditions are often provided for more sophisticated refrigerant system controls. Sensors can often fail and are expensive.

On the other hand, temperature, humidity and even barometric pressure information are easily available for any locality over the Internet. This information has never been utilized by HV AC&R system controls. While a sensor monitoring the ambient conditions will sense the local conditions in the vicinity of the conditioned space, the information available over the Internet will generally be more suitable for a locality, county, region, or other geographic area. Even so, the variations across that area are likely to be inconsequentially small, such that the Internet-based information provides adequate accuracy. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, the control for an HVAC&R system is provided with a connection to an information carrying media such as Internet. The information provided to the control from the Internet will include ambient temperature, humidity and/or barometric pressure information provided in real time. The present invention has a control that utilizes this information as known to control the operation of an HVAC&R system. The HVAC&R system, for example, can be part of a building, a house, and a supermarket cooling or heating system. Also, the system can be a part of refrigeration container or truck-trailer unit. The present invention thus allows the elimination of the several sensors that have been used in the prior art as part of the HVAC&R equipment for the system operation, control, diagnostics and prognostics.

These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a prior art schematic HVAC&R system Figure 2 is a schematic of the inventive system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A conditioned space 20 is illustrated in Figure 1. The conditioned space 20, for example, can be an industrial building, a house, and a supermarket where cooling or heating is needed. The conditioned space 20 can also be a refrigeration container or truck-trailer system or the like.

A control 22 controls the operation of a HVAC&R system 24 such as for providing conditioned air to occupants of the building 20. A user may input desired temperature, humidity and fresh air circulation rate information through inputs of a control interface 23. As is known, input keys are provided on a thermostat, humidistat or other control device, and allow a user to tailor the conditions within the building to the desired conditions. The control 22 utilizes information from a temperature sensor 26, humidity sensor 28 and/or barometric pressure sensor 30. This information is used according to known algorithms to control the operation of the HVAC&R system 24 to achieve the conditions entered through the interface 23 as well as provide diagnostics and prognostics feedback.

The present invention is illustrated in the example of Figure 2. In the control 32, a connection via the Internet 36 is provided to a source of ambient air or weather information 37. Thus, ambient temperature, humidity and barometric pressure can be provided from the information source 37 over the Internet 36 to the controller 32. As one example, the connection could be a wireless connection between a home computer, router or hub 34 and the controller 32. However, a worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that there are many different ways to provide the ambient air or weather information to the controller 32. The controller 32 can display ambient temperature, humidity and barometric pressure on the display screen as shown. Moreover, the controller 32 can utilize the information provided over the Internet to control operation of the HVAC&R system 24 as well as provide diagnostics and prognostics feedback.

The present invention thus utilizes readily available information to allow the elimination of complex sensors that in the past needed to be a part of the refrigerant system, such as temperature, humidity and enthalpy sensors, which must be communicated from outside of the conditioned space to the internal controller. Instead, for example, an Internet connection is used to transmit ambient temperature, humidity and barometric pressure information. Notably, what is typically available over the Internet is weather information for a given locality, county, region or other geographic area, rather than information for a specific building. Even so, in a vast majority of the cases the accuracy of this information is sufficient enough for system operation and control. Additionally, as the sensors in the prior art fail, improperly installed or get damaged, it is likely that the information obtained over the Internet might become even more accurate than the specific sensor information. As mentioned above, the specific way the controller utilizes this ambient air or weather information is known in the art. What is inventive here is the provision of the information to the controller allowing the elimination of the sensors.

The present invention provides the ability to eliminate the prior art sensors. Moreover, the present invention will often provide more accurate control, as the sensors 26, 28 and 30 may have failed, or become less accurate over time.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWe claim:

1. A HVAC&R system comprising:

HVAC&R equipment to control at least one of temperature, humidity and fresh air circulation rate for an environment to be conditioned, said environment being installed in a location having an ambient surrounding environment; and a control for controlling said HVAC&R equipment, said control being provided with a connection to obtain ambient air information for the surrounding environment from a remote location.

2. The HVAC&R system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said connection is provided over the Internet.

3. The HVAC&R system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said environment to be conditioned is one of a building, a house, a supermarket, an automobile, a container refrigeration unit, and a truck-trailer unit.

4. The HVAC&R system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ambient air information includes at least temperature and relative humidity information.

5. The HVAC&R system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said ambient air information also includes barometric pressure.

6. The HVAC&R system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said weather information is provided over a wireless connection to said controller.

7. The HVAC&R system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controller includes a display for displaying said weather information.

8. The HVAC&R system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ambient air information for the surrounding environment is information relating to the general locality of the location.

9. The HVAC&R system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ambient air information is utilized for said HVAC&R system operation and control.

10. The HVAC&R system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said ambient air information is utilized for said HVAC&R system diagnostics and prognostics.

11. A method of controlling an HVAC&R system including the steps of:

(1) providing HVAC&R equipment to control at least one of temperature, humidity and fresh air circulation rate for an environment to be conditioned, said environment being installed in a location having an ambient surrounding environment; and

(2) providing a control for controlling said HVAC&R equipment, said control being provided with a connection to obtain ambient air information for the surrounding environment from a remote location and said control utilizing said ambient air information to control said HVAC&R equipment.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said connection is provided over the Internet.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said ambient air information includes at least temperature and relative humidity information.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said ambient air information also includes barometric pressure.

15. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said ambient air information is provided over a wireless connection to said controller.

16. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said controller includes a display for displaying said ambient air information.

17. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said ambient air information for the surrounding environment is information relating to the general locality of the location.

18. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said ambient air information is utilized for said HVAC&R system operation and control.

19. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said ambient air information is utilized for said HVAC&R system diagnostics and prognostics.