US 9,328,936 B2Granted

Methods and systems for managing air quality and energy use in air-conditioning systems

AssigneeEnverid Systems, Inc.

InventorsUdi Meirav, Israel Biran, Asael Meruham

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Abstract

Methods and systems for a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for an enclosed environment may be configured to at least one of heat and cool air and include an air circulation system configured to circulate air at least within the enclosed environment. The air within the enclosed environment may comprise at least the indoor air. The system may further include an outdoor air inlet for introducing at least a portion of outdoor air into the enclosed environment, where the outdoor air comprises air from outside the enclosed environment. The system may further include a scrubbing system having an adsorbent material to reduce presence of at least one gas contaminant in the indoor air. A controller system may be included for controlling the operation of at least one of the circulation system and the scrubbing system.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A method of operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for an enclosed environment, the HVAC system configured to at least one of heat and cool air and comprising:

an air circulation system configured to circulate air at least within the enclosed environment, the air within the enclosed environment comprising indoor air;
an outdoor air inlet for introducing at least a portion of outdoor air into the enclosed environment, the outdoor air being from outside the enclosed environment;
a scrubbing system including an adsorbent material to reduce presence of at least one gas contaminant in the indoor air;
and
a controller system for controlling at least the operation of the outdoor air inlet and the scrubbing system, the controller system configured to include:
a scrubbing bypass mode wherein either circulated air bypasses the scrubbing system or the scrubbing system is turned off or both, the scrubbing bypass mode configured to be activated when a level of at least one gas contaminant of air exiting the scrubbing system exceeds a level of at least one gas contaminant of air entering the scrubbing system;
and
one or more of at least the following operative modes:
a scrubbing mode to scrub the at least one gas contaminant from the indoor air;
a scrubber regeneration mode to regenerate the adsorbent material;
an economizer mode comprising introducing at least a portion of outdoor air into the enclosed environment via the outdoor inlet;
a standby mode, wherein neither indoor air nor outdoor air is circulated;
the method comprising:
determination of at least one of the following parameters:
an occupancy level of the enclosed environment;
a level of the at least one contaminant in the indoor air;
a level of the at least one contaminant in the adsorbent material;
a level of the at least one contaminant in air exiting the adsorbent material;
at least one of an indoor air temperature and an indoor air humidity level;
at least one of an outdoor air temperature and an outdoor air humidity level;
and
at least one of a time and a date the HVAC system is operating;
and
controlling activation of the air circulation system and the scrubbing system according to the operative modes based upon the at least one parameter.

21 more elements

A system for operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for an enclosed environment, the HVAC system configured to at least one of heat and cool air, the system comprising:

an air circulation system configured to circulate air at least within the enclosed environment, the air within the enclosed environment comprising indoor air;
an outdoor air inlet for introducing at least a portion of outdoor air into the enclosed environment, the outdoor air being from outside the enclosed environment;
a scrubbing system including an adsorbent material to reduce presence of at least one gas contaminant in the indoor air;
and
a controller system for controlling at least the operation of the outdoor air inlet and the scrubbing system, the controller system configured to include:
a scrubbing bypass mode wherein either circulated air bypasses the scrubbing system or the scrubbing system is turned off or both, the scrubbing bypass mode configured to be activated when a level of at least one gas contaminant of air exiting the scrubbing system exceeds a level of at least one gas contaminant of air entering the scrubbing system;
and
one or more of at least the following operative modes:
a scrubbing mode to scrub the at least one gas contaminant from the indoor air;
a scrubber regeneration mode to regenerate the adsorbent material;
an economizer mode comprising introducing at least a portion of outdoor air into the enclosed environment via the outdoor inlet;
and
a standby mode, wherein neither indoor air nor outdoor air is circulated;
and
one or more of at least one sensor and at least one input for receiving information for determining at least one of the following parameters:
an occupancy level of the enclosed environment;
a level of the at least one contaminant in the indoor air;
a level of the at least one contaminant in the adsorbent material;
a level of the at least one contaminant in air exiting the adsorbent material;
at least one of an indoor air temperature and an indoor air humidity level;
at least one of an outdoor air temperature and an outdoor air humidity level;
and
at least one of a time and a date the HVAC system is operating;
and
wherein the controller system controls activation of the air circulation system and the scrubbing system according the operative modes based upon the at least one parameter determined by the one or more of at least one sensor and at least one input.

22 more elements

A digital controller system for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for an enclosed environment, the HVAC system configured to at least one of heating and cooling of air, the HVAC system comprising:

an air circulation system configured to circulate air at least within the enclosed environment, the air within the enclosed environment comprising indoor air;
and
a scrubbing system including an adsorbent material to reduce presence of at least one gas contaminant in the indoor air;
the digital controller system being configured to include:
a scrubbing bypass mode wherein either circulated air bypasses the scrubbing system or the scrubbing system is turned off or both, the scrubbing bypass mode configured to be activated when a level of at least one gas contaminant of air exiting the scrubbing system exceeds a level of at least one gas contaminant of air entering the scrubbing system;
and
one or more of at least the following operative modes:
a scrubbing mode to scrub the at least one gas contaminant from the indoor air;
a scrubber regeneration mode to regenerate the adsorbent material;
an economizer mode comprising introducing at least a portion of outdoor air into the enclosed environment, the outdoor air being from outside the enclosed environment;
and
a standby mode, wherein neither indoor air nor outdoor air is circulated.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/738,737Filed 10 Jan 2013 · us provisional application
Priority: 10 Jan 2012
Published: US 2013/0178987 A111 Jul 2013
Granted: 3 May 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification31 codes

F24F 7/003
Ventilation: in combination with air cleaning
F24F 8/10
Treatment, e.g. purification, of air supplied to human living or working spaces otherwise than by heating, cooling, humidifying or drying: by…
F24F 11/0001
Control or safety arrangements: for ventilation
F24F 11/30
Control or safety arrangements: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring