US 11,635,222 B2Granted

Damper fault detection

AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.

InventorsLubos Sikora, Adrienne Thomle, Cory Grabinger, Miroslav Mikulica, Jan Prostejovsky

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A damper controller may be configured to send damper control commands to open and close an outdoor air damper to provide free cooling as necessary to satisfy a temperature setpoint inside the building. In some cases, the damper controller may initiate a damper fault test to determine if a damper fault is present. The damper fault test may be based, at least in part, on an outdoor air temperature input, a discharge air temperature input, a commanded damper position, and a damper fault temperature threshold. If a damper fault is determined, the damper controller may send an alert indicative of a detected damper fault. In some cases, the damper fault test results may be weighted to reduce the false positives alerts.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for controlling a Demand Control Ventilation and/or Economizer system having a return air inlet, an outdoor air inlet and a discharge air outlet, the method comprising:

opening and closing an outdoor air damper of the Demand Control Ventilation and/or Economizer system to provide free cooling as necessary to a building;
when the outdoor air damper is to be opened to provide free cooling, performing a damper open fault test that comprises:
before opening the outdoor air damper, saving a discharge air temperature of the discharge air passing through the discharge air outlet;
opening the outdoor air damper;
after opening the outdoor air damper, sensing the discharge air temperature and determining if the sensed discharge air temperature has fallen relative to the stored discharge air temperature by at least a predetermined amount, and if not, indicating a damper open fault;
when the outdoor air damper is to be closed after providing free cooling, performing a damper close fault test that comprises:
before closing the outdoor air damper to a closed position, saving the discharge air temperature of the discharge air passing through the discharge air outlet;
closing the outdoor air damper;
and
after closing the outdoor air damper, sensing the discharge air temperature, and determining if the sensed discharge air temperature has risen relative to the stored discharge air temperature by at least a predetermined amount, and if not, indicating a damper close fault.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/343,678Filed 9 Jun 2021 · continuation
Priority: 22 Oct 2014
Published: US 2021/0302038 A130 Sep 2021
Granted: 25 Apr 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

F24F 11/49
For purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring: ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or…
F24F 11/30
Control or safety arrangements: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
F24F 11/38
Responding to malfunctions or emergencies: failure diagnosis
F24F 11/52
Characterised by user interfaces or communication: indication arrangements, e.g. displays

Family

Application14/521,096Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Oct 2014
Application16/055,002Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Aug 2018
US 10,060,642 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Aug 2018
US 2021/0302038 A1Pre-grant publication · published 30 Sep 2021
US 11,054,161 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2016/0116177 A1Published application
US 2018/0340703 A1Published application
US 11,635,222 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.