Systems and methods for operating and monitoring dehumidifiers
AssigneeDri-Eaz Products, Inc.
InventorsRobert Pendergrass, Matthew Miller, Tom Schnelle, Larry White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods of automatically operating dehumidifiers in response to dehumidifier operating conditions are disclosed herein. A method of operating a dehumidifier configured in accordance with one embodiment includes directing air flow through the dehumidifier at a first volumetric flow rate while the dehumidifier is operating at a first operating condition. The method further includes changing the first volumetric flow rate to a second volumetric flow rate when the first operating condition of the dehumidifier changes to a predetermined second operating condition.
Claims24
A method of controlling air flow through a dehumidifier having an air mover and a moisture removal device, the method comprising:
- operating the air mover at a first speed to direct air flow into thermal contact with the moisture removal device while ambient air surrounding the dehumidifier is at a first ambient condition that includes a first humidity, wherein air flow through the dehumidifier has a first dwell time at the moisture removal device with the air mover operating at the first speed;
- sensing a change from the first ambient condition to a second ambient condition that includes a second humidity less than the first humidity and below a threshold humidity value;
- and
- in response to the change, automatically operating the air mover at a second non-zero speed that is slower than the first speed to increase the first dwell time of air flow at the moisture removal device to a second dwell time.
A method of operating a dehumidifier, the method comprising:
- moving air flow through the dehumidifier at a first volumetric flow rate while an operating condition of the dehumidifier includes a first humidity value;
- and
- automatically decreasing from the first volumetric flow rate to a second non-zero volumetric flow rate in response to the operating condition of the dehumidifier decreasing beyond a threshold humidity value from the first humidity value to a second humidity value less than the first humidity value.
A method of controlling air flow through a dehumidifier, the method comprising:
- moving air flow through the dehumidifier at a first volumetric flow rate while a humidity of ambient air surrounding the dehumidifier has a first humidity value;
- determining a change in the humidity from the first humidity value to a second humidity value that is less than the first humidity value and below a threshold humidity value;
- and
- in response to the change in humidity, automatically moving air flow through the dehumidifier at a second non-zero volumetric flow rate that is less than the first volumetric flow rate.
A method of increasing performance of a dehumidifier, the method comprising:
- rotating an air mover in the dehumidifier at a first speed to move air flow through the dehumidifier at a first volumetric flow rate;
- monitoring a humidity of ambient air surrounding the dehumidifier;
- and
- in response to a decrease of the humidity of the ambient air below a predetermined humidity level, automatically rotating the air mover at a second speed that is slower than the first speed to move air flow through the dehumidifier at a second volumetric flow rate that is less than the first volumetric flow rate.
A dehumidifier comprising:
- a moisture removal device positioned along an air flow path to remove moisture from air flow through the dehumidifier;
- an air mover positioned to direct air flow through the dehumidifier along the air flow path and into thermal communication with the moisture removal device;
- and
- a controller coupled to the air mover, wherein the controller is configured to automatically operate the air mover to direct air flow at a first volumetric flow rate while the dehumidifier is at a first operating condition that corresponds to a first humidity and a reduced second volumetric air flow rate in response to a change from the first operating condition to a second operating condition corresponding to a second humidity below a threshold humidity value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.