System and method to avoid mixed air condensation
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorBryan Isaac D'Souza
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air conditioning unit configured to introduce outdoor makeup air to a conditioned space includes sensors to determine the characteristics of the indoor air and the outdoor makeup air. Input from the sensors is used to determine characteristics of a mixed flow of indoor air and outdoor makeup air prior to discharge of the mixed flow to the conditioned space. The air conditioning unit modifies one or more of the indoor fan speed, outdoor fan speed, compressor speed, and electronically controlled expansion device to adjust the characteristics of the mixed flow to avoid condensation.
Claims20
An air conditioner unit comprising:
- a refrigeration loop comprising an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger;
- a compressor operably coupled to the refrigeration loop and being configured to urge refrigerant through the refrigeration loop;
- an expansion device fluidly coupled to the refrigeration loop;
- an indoor fan operable to urge an indoor air flow through the indoor heat exchanger;
- an auxiliary fan operable to urge an outdoor make-up air flow to combine with the indoor air flow to produce a mixed air flow;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the compressor, the expansion device, the indoor fan, the auxiliary fan, the controller being configured to:
- operate the refrigeration loop at default parameters;
- operate the indoor fan at a first indoor fan speed;
- determine characteristics of the indoor air flow;
- operate the auxiliary fan at a first auxiliary fan speed;
- determine characteristics of an outdoor make-up air flow;
- predict characteristics of the mixed air flow from the determined characteristics of the indoor air flow and the determined characteristics of the outdoor make-up air flow;
- determine that the predicted characteristics of the mixed air flow are greater than a predetermined limit;
- and
- implement a responsive action in response to determining that the predicted characteristics of the mixed air flow exceed the predetermined limit.
A method of operating an air conditioner unit comprising a refrigeration loop comprising an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, a compressor configured to urge refrigerant through the refrigeration loop, an expansion device, an indoor fan operable to urge an indoor air flow over the indoor heat exchanger, and an auxiliary fan operable to urge a flow of outdoor air to combine with the flow of indoor air to produce a mixed air flow, the method comprising:
- operating the refrigeration loop at default parameters;
- operating the indoor fan at a first indoor fan speed;
- determining characteristics of the indoor air flow;
- operating the auxiliary fan at a first auxiliary fan speed;
- determining characteristics of an outdoor make-up air flow;
- predicting characteristics of the mixed air flow from the determined characteristics of the indoor air flow and the determined characteristics of the outdoor make-up air flow;
- determining that the predicted characteristics of the mixed air flow are greater than a predetermined limit;
- and
- implementing a responsive action in response to determining that the predicted characteristics of the mixed air flow exceed the predetermined limit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.