Testing systems and methods for performing HVAC zone airflow adjustments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10691423-B2
Application number	US-201815958970-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2018
Priority date	Apr 4, 2018
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system may include a HVAC unit that may control air flow, a first control system that may directly control operation of equipment in the HVAC unit, and a second control system communicatively coupled to the first control system. The second control system may be located in a different zone of a building as compared to the first control system, such that the second control system may receive a request to adjust the air flow output by the HVAC unit and send a command to the first control system based on the request. The command may cause the first control system to adjust the operation of the equipment in the HVAC unit to cause the air flow output by the HVAC unit to be adjusted according to the request.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:
a HVAC unit configured to control air flow to be supplied to a plurality of zones of a building;
a first control system configured to directly control operation of equipment in the HVAC unit;
a second control system communicatively coupled to the first control system, wherein the second control system is located in a different zone of the plurality of zones as compared to the first control system, wherein the second control system is configured to:
receive a request to adjust the air flow output by the HVAC unit; and
send a command to the first control system based on the request, wherein the command is configured to cause the first control system to adjust the operation of the equipment in the HVAC unit to cause the air flow output by the HVAC unit to be adjusted according to the request.

2. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the second control system is configured to:
identify one or more zones of the plurality of zones that are fluidly coupled to a respective zone of the building associated with the second control system; and
generate a visualization comprising the one or more zones for display via an electronic display of the second control system.

3. The HVAC system of claim 2 , wherein the second control system is configured to identify the one or more zones of the plurality of zones based on data comprising a design of ductwork for the HVAC system.

4. The HVAC system of claim 2 , wherein the visualization comprises one or more combinations of the one or more zones of the plurality of zones and the respective zone.

5. The HVAC system of claim 4 , wherein the second control system is configured to:
receive a selection of the one or more combinations; and
send a second command to the first control system to cause the HVAC unit to adjust one or more positions of one or more dampers based on the selection.

6. The HVAC system of claim 5 , wherein the second control system is configured to:
receive a second request to adjust the air flow output by the HVAC unit after the one or more positions of the one or more dampers are adjusted; and
store data comprising the second request and the one or more positions in a storage component.

7. The HVAC system of claim 5 , wherein the second control system is configured to:
determine whether a respective air flow of the respective zone is below a threshold based on sensor data acquired from a sensor disposed in the respective zone;
send a second request to adjust the air flow output by the HVAC unit to the first control system in response to the respective air flow being below the threshold; and
store data comprising the second request, the sensor data, and the one or more positions in a storage component.

8. The HVAC system of claim 7 , wherein the first control system is communicatively coupled the second control system via a wireless network.

9. The HVAC system of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the equipment comprises one or more positions of one or more dampers, a speed of a fan, or both.

10. A method for controlling operation of equipment of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
receiving, via at least one processor, a request to adjust an air flow provided to a first zone in a building from the HVAC system;
determining, via the at least one processor, one or more zones of the building fluidly coupled to the first zone via ductwork, wherein one or more dampers are implemented in the ductwork;
generating, via the least one processor, a visualization indicative of one or more combinations of the first zone and the one or more zones;
receiving, via the least one processor, a selection of the one or more combinations of the first zone and the one or more zones;
sending, via the least one processor, a command to an HVAC control system to adjust position of the one or more dampers based on the selection;
receiving, via the least one processor, an air flow input associated with the first zone;
sending, via the least one processor, the air flow input to the HVAC control system to enable the HVAC control system to adjust an air flow output by the HVAC system based on the air flow input; and
storing, via the least one processor, data comprising the air flow input and the selection of the one or more combinations of the first zone and the one or more zones in a storage component.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
receiving, via the least one processor, a second selection of the one or more combinations of the first zone and the one or more zones; and
sending, via the least one processor, a second command to the HVAC control system to adjust the position of the one or more dampers based on the second selection;
receiving, via the least one processor, a second air flow input associated with the first zone;
sending, via the least one processor, the second air flow input to the HVAC control system to enable the HVAC control system to adjust the air flow output by the HVAC system based on the second air flow input; and
storing, via the least one processor, additional data comprising the second air flow input and the second selection of the one or more combinations of the first zone and the one or more zones in the storage component.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the HVAC control system is located in a different zone as compared to the first zone.

13. The method of claim 10 , comprising instruct, via the least one processor, an electronic display to display the visualization.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the selection is received via the electronic display, and wherein the air flow input is received via the electronic display.

15. The method of claim 10 , comprising sending, via the least one processor, the command directly to the HVAC system to adjust the position of the one or more dampers based on the selection.

16. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium that stores instructions executable by one or more processors of a zone control system in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that, when executed by the one or more processor, cause the one or more processors to:
receive a request to adjust an air flow output by an HVAC unit of the HVAC system, wherein the HVAC unit is fluidly coupled and configured to supply air to a plurality of zones in a building via ductwork and one or more dampers are implemented in the ductwork; and
send a command to the HVAC unit, a control device communicatively coupled to the HVAC unit, or to an HVAC control system directly communicatively coupled to the HVAC unit based on the request to adjust the air flow output by the HVAC unit, wherein the command is configured to cause the air flow output by the HVAC unit to be adjusted according to the request, wherein the air flow output is associated with a speed of a fan in the HVAC unit and the zone control system is located in a different zone of the plurality of zones as compared to the HVAC control system.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive the request via an electronic display that displays a visualization indicative of a current air flow setting of the HVAC unit.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
identify a subset of zones from the plurality of zones in the building that is each flui

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Gillette Theresa N
• Mccune Tyler P
• Burns Jonathan A
• Atchison Shaun B
• Hern Shawn A
• Rigg Brian D
• Uerkvitz John W

Classifications

• F24F11/52 Primary

  Indication arrangements, e.g. displays · CPC title

• F24F2110/20

  Humidity · CPC title

• F24F2110/10

  Temperature · CPC title

• F24F13/1426

  characterised by actuating means · CPC title

• F24F2140/40

  Damper positions, e.g. open or closed · CPC title