Method and apparatus for maintaining an air-supported structure
AssigneeAutomated Air Structures, Inc.
InventorsSteven W. Brisbane, Harold B. King, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The static pressure within an air-supported structure is monitored and controlled in accordance with monitored environmental conditions. The static pressure is kept at the minimum value required to maintain the structure's integrity, thereby using a minimum amount of energy. As outside wind velocity incrementally increases, the static pressure is increased incrementally. Under certain weather conditions such as high winds and frozen precipitation, the static pressure is increased to a maximum limit. As a safety feature, a secondary inflation device is activated to assist a primary inflation device to quickly increase pressure in the structure in response to a sudden loss in pressure.
Claims20
A method of maintaining an air-supported structure comprising:
- establishing in a controller an initial static pressure set point at which the static pressure in said air-supported structure is maintained for safe and economic operation;
- monitoring the static pressure within said structure and forming an output signal representative of the static pressure;
- monitoring the following environmental conditions surrounding said structure:
- 1) wind velocity, 2) precipitation and forming respective individual output signals representative of said monitored environmental conditions;
- inputting said respective individual output signals to said controller;
- generating control signals in said controller from said individual output signals;
- adjusting said initial static pressure set point by a value reflecting a change in said monitored environmental conditions to form an adjusted static pressure set point;
- and
- responsive to said monitored static pressure and said respective individual output signals input to said controller, increasing air flow ingress using control signals generated using said controller to raise the static pressure within said structure at said adjusted static pressure set point.
A method of maintaining an air-supported structure comprising:
- establishing in a controller an initial static pressure set point at which the static pressure in said air-supported structure is maintained for safe and economic operation;
- monitoring the static pressure within said structure and forming an output signal representative of the static pressure;
- monitoring at least one environmental condition surrounding said structure, said at least one environmental condition including wind velocity and forming at least one output signal representative of said at least one environmental condition;
- inputting said at least one output signal to said controller;
- generating at least one control signal in said controller from said at least one output signal;
- adjusting said initial static pressure set point incrementally to form an adjusted static pressure set point reflecting an incremental change in said monitored wind velocity;
- and
- responsive to said monitored static pressure and said output signal input to said controller, increasing air flow ingress using control signals generated using said controller to maintain the static pressure within said structure at said adjusted static pressure set point.
A method of maintaining an air-supported structure comprising:
- monitoring the static pressure within said structure and forming an output signal representative of the static pressure;
- monitoring the following environmental conditions surrounding said structure:
- 1) wind velocity, 2) outside temperature, and 3) precipitation and forming respective individual output signals representative of said monitored environmental conditions;
- inputting said respective individual output signals to a controller;
- generating control signals in said controller from said individual output signals;
- responsive to said monitored static pressure and said respective individual output signals input to said controller, increasing air flow ingress using control signals generated using said controller to raise the static pressure within said structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.