Velocity controlled forced air temperature control system

A temperature control system for regulating air flow of heated or cooled air into temperature control zones within a building, wherein each zone has associated therewith an air flow duct and a damper within the air flow duct to regulate the amount of air flow into the zone, said system comprising for each zone:

• temperature selecting means for selecting a set temperature within the zone;
• temperature sensing means for sensing actual temperature within the zone;
• control signal generating means for generating a control signal in response to the difference between the set temperature and the sensed temperature, such control signal representing a selected velocity of air flow through the duct into the zone;
• velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity through the duct controlled by the damper;
• comparator means for comparing the sensed velocity to the selected velocity and generating a damper control signal,
• damper positioning means for positioning the damper in response to the damper control signal;
• and said system further comprising
• an air supply system for supplying temperature controlled air into all of said zones, said air supply system having a plurality of temperature controlling units, means responsive to the velocity sensing means of all of said zones for generating a demand air signal indicative of the total quantity of air flowing into all of said zones, and means responsive to said demand air signal for selectively operating a number of said temperature controlling units based upon said total quantity of air flowing into all of said zones.

A temperature control system for regulating air flow of heated or cooled air into temperature control zones within a building, wherein each zone has associated therewith an air flow duct and a damper within the air flow duct to regulate the amount of air flow into the zone, said system comprising for each zone:

• temperature selecting means for selecting a set temperature within the zone;
• temperature sensing means for sensing actual temperature within the zone;
• control signal generating means for generating a control signal in response to the difference between the set temperature and the sensed temperature, such control signal representing a selected velocity of air flow through the duct into the zone;
• velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity through the duct controlled by the damper;
• comparator means for comparing the sensed velocity to the selected velocity and generating a damper control signal,
• damper positioning means for positioning the damper in response to the damper control signal;
• said velocity sensing means comprising first temperature measuring means for generating a measured output signal indicative of temperature, an air velocity sensor thermally coupled to the temperature measuring means for changing the measured output signal of the temperature measuring means in response to changes in velocity of air flow through the duct, said air velocity sensor including a thermally conductive element thermally coupled with said temperature measuring means and exposed to air flow in the duct.

A temperature control system for regulating temperature in each of a plurality of temperature zones comprising

• a plurality of zone ducts for individually supplying air to respective ones of said zones,
• flow control means for regulating air flow through each of said ducts individually,
• means for measuring air flow through said zone ducts,
• an air supply system for supplying temperature controlled air to said zone ducts, and
• means responsive to said means for measuring for varying the amount of temperature controlled air supplied from said air supply system to all of said zone ducts collectively in accordance with the total amount of air flow through all of said zone ducts,
• said flow control means comprising, for each zone duct, a damper, a temperature sensor in the zone supplied by the zone duct, means responsive to the temperature sensor and the means for measuring air flow for operating the damper to control temperature within the zone,
• said air supply system including a bypass duct, and said means for varying including means for controlling air flow through said bypass duct,
• said means for controlling air flow through said bypass duct comprising a damper valve in said bypass duct and a feedback loop responsive to said means for measuring air flow through said zone ducts for positioning said damper valve, said feedback loop including velocity sensor means for measuring velocity of air flow through the bypass duct to provide a feedback signal representative of damper valve position.

A temperature control system for regulating temperature in each of a plurality of temperature zones comprising:

• a plurality of zone ducts for supplying air to respective ones of said zones,
• a main duct connected to supply air to all of said zone ducts,
• flow control means for regulating air flow through each of said ducts individually,
• an air supply system for supplying temperature controlled air to said main duct,
• a bypass duct connected to said air supply system for diverting from said main duct air supplied by said air supply system,
• means for generating a control signal indicative of the total amount of air flowing through said main duct to said zone ducts, and
• means responsive to said control signal for diverting to said bypass duct from said main duct a quantity of air based upon the difference between the air flow capacity of said supply system and the amount of air flowing through said main duct,
• said means for diverting comprising a damper valve in said bypass duct and a feedback loop responsive to said control signal for positioning the damper valve, said feedback loop including means for sensing velocity of air flow through the bypass duct to provide a feedback signal indicative of position of said damper valve.

A temperature control system for regulating flow of heated or cooled air into temperature control zones within a building, wherein each zone has associated therewith an air flow duct and a damper within the air flow duct to regulate the amount of air flow into the zone, said system comprising for each zone:

• temperature selecting means for selecting a set temperature within the zone;
• temperature sensing means for sensing actual temperature within the zone;
• control signal generating means for generating a control signal in response to the difference between the set temperature and the sensed temperature, such control signal representing a selected velocity of air flow through the duct into the zone;
• velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity through the duct controlled by the damper;
• comparator means for comparing the sensed velocity to the selected velocity and generating a damper control signal;
• damper positioning means for positioning the damper in response to the damper control signal,
• an air supply system for supplying flow of heated or cooled air into all of said zones, said air supply system having an output capacity, means responsive to the velocity sensing means of all of said zones for generating a demand air signal indicative of the total quantity of air flowing into all of said zones, and means responsive to said demand air signal for diverting from said zones a quantity of air from said air supply system based upon the difference between said output capacity and said total quantity.

A temperature control system for regulating flow of heated or cooled air into temperature control zones within a building, wherein each zone has associated therewith an air flow duct and a damper within the air flow duct to regulate the amount of air flow into the zone, said system comprising for each zone:

• temperature selecting means for selecting a set temperature within the zone;
• temperature sensing means for sensing actual temperature within the zone;
• control signal generating means for generating a control signal in response to the difference between the set temperature and the sensed temperature, such control signal representing a selected velocity of air flow through the duct into the zone;
• velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity through the duct controlled by the damper;
• comparator means for comparing the sensed velocity to the selected velocity and generating a damper control signal;
• damper positioning means for positioning the damper in response to the damper control signal,
• an air supply system for supplying heated or cooled air into all of said zones, said air supply system having a plurality of temperature controlling units, means responsive to the velocity sensing means of all of said zones for generating a demand air signal indicative of the total quantity of air flowing into all of said zones, and means responsive to said demand air signal for selectively operating a number of said temperature controlling units based upon said total quantity of air flowing into all of said zones.

A temperature control system for regulating flow of heated or cooled air into temperature control zones within a building, wherein each zone has associated therewith an air flow duct and a damper within the air flow duct to regulate the amount of air flow into the zone, said system comprising for each zone:

• temperature selecting means for selecting a set temperature within the zone;
• temperature sensing means for sensing actual temperature within the zone;
• control signal generating means for generating a control signal in response to the difference between the set temperature and the sensed temperature, such control signal representing a selected velocity of air flow through the duct into the zone;
• velocity sensing means for sensing the air flow velocity through the duct controlled by the damper;
• comparator means for comparing the sensed velocity to the selected velocity and generating a damper control signal;
• damper positioning means for positioning the damper in response to the damper control signal,
• said velocity sensing means comprising first temperature measuring means for generating a measured output signal indicative of temperature, an air velocity sensor thermally coupled to the temperature measuring means for changing the measured output signal of the temperature measuring means in response to changes in velocity of air flow through the duct, said air velocity sensor including a thermally conductive element thermally coupled with said temperature measuring means and exposed to air flow in the duct.

A temperature control system for regulating temperature in each of a plurality of temperature zones comprising:

• a plurality of zone ducts for individually supplying air to respective ones of said zones,
• flow control means for regulating air flow through each of said ducts individually,
• means for measuring air flow through said zone ducts,
• an supply system for supplying temperature controlled air to said zone ducts, and
• means responsive to said mean for measuring for varying the amount of temperature controlled air supplied from said air supply system to all of said zone ducts collectively in accordance with the total amount of air flow through all of said zone ducts,
• said means for measuring air flow comprising means for measuring air flow through each of said ducts individually, said air supply system having a predetermined air flow capacity, and said mean for varying the amount of temperature controlled air comprising means for diverting from said zone ducts an amount of air from said air supply system according to the difference between said air flow capacity and the total measured air flow through all of said zone ducts collectively.