Method of monitoring an air flow in a zone of an HVAC system

A control system for monitoring an air flow in a zone of an HVAC system, the zone comprising a supply port and a return port, a first flow sensor configured to measure a supply flow through the supply port and a second flow sensor configured to measure a return flow through the return port, the control system comprising at least one processor configured to at least:

• record the supply flow measured by the first flow sensor and the return flow measured by the second flow sensor;
• determine an infiltration and exfiltration component, using the supply flow and the return flow recorded by the processor;
• determine an operational sensor state of at least one of the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor, using the supply flow, the return flow, and the infiltration and exfiltration component by detecting a deviation of a temporal course of the supply flow, recorded by the processor, and a temporal course of the return flow, having removed the infiltration and exfiltration component by the processor, the deviation being indicative of a malfunctioning of at least one of the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor;
• and
• generate one or more alarms indicating the malfunctioning of the at least one of the first or second flow sensors based on the determined operational sensor state.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program code configured to control a processor of a control system for monitoring an air flow in a zone of an HVAC system, the zone comprising a supply port and a return port, a first flow sensor configured to measure a supply flow through the supply port, and a second flow sensor configured to measure a return flow through the return port, the computer program code, when accessed and executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of at least:

• recording the supply flow measured by the first flow sensor and the return flow measured by the second flow sensor;
• determining an infiltration and exfiltration component, using the supply flow and the return flow recorded by the processor;
• determining an operational sensor state of at least one of the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor, using the supply flow, the return flow, and the infiltration and exfiltration component by detecting a deviation of a temporal course of the supply flow, recorded by the processor, and a temporal course of the return flow, having removed the infiltration and exfiltration component by the processor, the deviation being indicative of a malfunctioning of at least one of the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor;
• and
• generate one or more alarms indicating the malfunctioning of the at least one of the first or second flow sensors based on the determined operational sensor state.