Airflow volume control system
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsDavid Allen Moore, Abdlmonem H. Beitelmal, Cullen E. Bash
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system for controlling airflow through a vent. The system includes a vent assembly having a frame. The frame includes an opening to allow air to flow through the frame. The vent assembly also includes a movable damper for variably restricting the fluid flow through the opening in the vent assembly, a motor for controlling movement of the damper, and a sensor for determining the position of the damper. In addition, a controller is provided to control the motor to vary the position of the damper to thereby vary the airflow through the opening in the vent assembly.
Claims54
A control system for controlling airflow through a vent to cool heat generating components in a room comprising at least one of a raised floor and a lowered ceiling, the system comprising:
- a vent assembly positioned in fluid communication with a plenum, said plenum being formed in a space created by the at least one of the raised floor and the lowered ceiling, said plenum comprising cooling airflow supplied from an air conditioning unit, said vent assembly comprising:
- a frame having an opening to allow the cooling airflow to flow through the frame;
- a movable damper for variably restricting the cooling airflow through the opening in the vent assembly;
- a motor for controlling movement of the damper;
- a sensor for determining to position of the damper;
- and
- a controller for controlling the motor to vary the position of the damper to thereby vary the cooling airflow through the opening in the vent assembly.
A method for controlling airflow through a vent assembly positioned in fluid communication with a plenum formed in a space created by at least one of a raised floor and a lowered ceiling of a room, said plenum receiving cooling airflow from an air conditioning unit, said vent assembly having a movable damper configured to vary the size of an opening in the vent assembly and a motor to move the damper, the method comprising:
- determining a target position for the damper based upon a desired volume flow rate of airflow supplied through the vent assembly from the plenum;
- determining a current position of the damper;
- determining whether the current position of the damper substantially equals the target position for the damper;
- supplying power to the motor to move the damper in response to the current position not substantially equaling the target position;
- and
- stopping the motor when the current position of the damper is substantially equal to the target position to thereby vary the size of the opening to a desired level and thereby vary a volume flow rate of cooling airflow supplied from the plenum.
A system for controlling airflow through a vent assembly positioned in fluid communication with a plenum formed in a space created by at least one of a raised floor and a lowered ceiling of a room, said plenum receiving cooling airflow from an air condition unit, said vent assembly having a movable damper configured to vary the size of an opening in the vent assembly and a motor to move the damper, the system comprising:
- means for determining a target position for the damper based upon a desired volume flow rate of airflow supplied through the vent assembly from the plenum,
- means for detecting a current position of the damper;
- means for determining whether the current position of the damper substantially equals the target position for the damper;
- means for supplying power to the motor to move the damper in response to the current position not substantially equaling the target position and
- means for stopping the motor when the current position of the damper is substantially equal to the target position to thereby vary the size of the opening to a desired level and thereby vary a volume flow rate of cooling airflow supplied from the plenum.
A computer readable medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method for controlling airflow through a vent assembly positioned in fluid communication with a plenum formed in a space created by at least one of a raised floor and a lowered ceiling of a room, said plenum receiving cooling airflow from an air conditioning unit, said vent assembly having a movable damper configured to vary the size of an opening in the vent assembly and a motor to move the damper, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:
- determining a target position for the damper based upon a desired volume flow rate of airflow supplied through the vent assembly from the plenum;
- detecting a current position of the damper;
- determining whether the current position of the damper substantially equals the target position for the damper;
- supplying power to the motor to move the damper in response to the current position not substantially equaling the target position and
- stopping the motor when the current position of the damper is substantially equal to the target position to thereby vary the size of the opening to a desired level and thereby vary a volume flow rate of cooling airflow supplied from the plenum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.