Variable-air-volume diffuser, actuator assembly and method

A control assembly for control of the operation of an actuator for a movable damper assembly in a variable-air-volume diffuser comprising:

• at least one of a room air temperature sensor and a supply air discharge flow rate sensor;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to receive input signals from each of the sensors, said control circuit being formed for coupling to said actuator and responsive to the receipt of said input signals from the sensors to control movement of said actuator to thereby position said the damper assembly so as to control the volume of supply air discharged from said diffuser;
• and
• said control circuit further being responsive to input signals from the sensors to drive said room air temperature toward a target temperature by repetitively sensing a parameter with a sensor, waiting to sense a stable condition of said parameter, when said stable condition is sensed, adjusting the position of the damper assembly in a manner tending driving room air temperature toward the target temperature, and maintaining said damper in the adjusted position until a stable condition is again sensed by a sensor before again adjusting the position of said damper assembly.

A variable-air-volume diffuser assembly comprising:

• a diffuser housing formed for coupling to a supply air duct and having a discharge opening and a movable damper positioned for modulation of the volume of supply air discharged from said discharge opening;
• an actuator assembly mounted to said housing and having a movable element positioned to effect displacement of said damper;
• a control assembly coupled to said housing and connected to control operation of said actuator assembly;
• at least one sensor assembly connected to said control assembly and formed to sense room air temperature in a room receiving supply air discharged from said diffuser assembly;
• and
• said control assembly including an electrical adaptive control circuit configured to provide a control function for operation of said actuator assembly and movement of said damper in response to sensor input signals whereby the volume of supply air discharged from the diffuser assembly can be adaptively varied when room air temperature varies from a desired response.

A variable-air-volume diffuser comprising:

• a variable-air-volume diffuser having an actuator formed to vary the volume of supply air discharged from said diffuser;
• an adaptive control assembly coupled to control operation of said actuator and including at least one sensor formed to sense a parameter affected by operation of said diffuser, said adaptive control assembly including one of:
• an expert system circuit;
• a neural network circuit;
• a fuzzy system circuit;
• a planning system circuit;
• a genetic algorithm circuit;
• and
• said adaptive control circuit periodically polling said sensor and modifying operation of said diffuser based upon the periodically sensed parameter in the event that said sensed parameter varies from a desired response to the discharge of supply air from the diffuser.

A method of controlling the operation of a variable-air-volume diffuser comprising the steps of:

• controlling the movement of a movable flow-modulating damper in said diffuser using a movable actuator assembly;
• controlling the movement of said actuator assembly by an adaptive control assembly coupled to said actuator assembly;
• periodically sensing a parameter of a space into which said diffuser is discharging supply air with a sensor coupled to said adaptive control assembly;
• and
• modifying operation of said actuator assembly with said adaptive control assembly in response to periodic sensing of said parameter and one of inductive and deductive adaptations of the control function of said adaptive control assembly when said parameter responds in a manner different from an optimal response.

A variable-air-volume diffuser assembly comprising:

• a diffuser housing formed for coupling to a supply air duct and having a discharge opening and a movable damper positioned for modulation of the volume of supply air discharged from said discharge opening;
• an actuator assembly mounted to said housing and having a movable member positioned to effect displacement of said damper;
• an electrical control assembly mounted to said housing and connected to control operation of said actuator assembly;
• and
• at least one sensor electrically connected to said control assembly and formed to sense diffuser discharge flow rate;
• said electrical control assembly including an electrical control circuit configured to control the discharge of supply air at a flow rate which is substantially independent of changes in the pressure of the supply air supplied to said diffuser.

A variable-air volume system comprising:

• an air diffuser assembly formed for mounting to a supply air duct and including a movable damper, an air temperature sensor, and a control assembly coupled to receive signals from said air temperature sensor and responsive to said signals to cause said damper to vary the volume of supply air passing beyond said damper as a function of sensed temperature;
• an air velocity pressure sensing assembly operatively coupled to said control assembly and formed to sense supply air pressure in said supply air duct and to communicate sensed supply air static pressure to said control assembly;
• and
• said control assembly further being responsive to sensed air pressure to vary the volume of supply air passing beyond said damper so as to cause said volume to be substantially unaffected by changes in supply air pressure.

A room air temperature correction assembly for an air diffuser comprising:

• a supply air temperature sensor formed for mounting in a location for sensing the temperature of supply air passing through said diffuser;
• a room air temperature sensor formed for mounting in a location for sensing the temperature of room air proximate said diffuser;
• and
• a correction assembly coupled to said room air temperature sensor and said supply air temperature sensor and responsive thereto to produce an output correcting the sensed room air temperature by an amount based upon the influence of supply air temperature on the sensed room air temperature.