Portable dehumidifier control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10788230-B2
Application number	US-201816027638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2018
Priority date	Jul 5, 2018
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

A dehumidifier includes an evaporator, a condenser, a fan, and a processor. In response to determining that a measured relative humidity is greater than or equal to a relative humidity set point, the processor sets the dehumidifier to a first operating mode, wherein a compressor is enabled and the fan is set to a first fan speed while in the first operating mode. The processor further determines whether the dehumidifier has been operating in the first operating mode for a predetermined amount of time, and in response, sets the dehumidifier to a second operating mode if the measured relative humidity is still greater than the relative humidity set point, wherein the compressor is enabled and the fan is set to a second fan speed while in the second operating mode. The second fan speed is greater than the first fan speed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable dehumidifier, comprising:
a cabinet comprising:
an airflow inlet located on a front side of the cabinet;
an airflow outlet located on a side of the cabinet; and
at least two wheels coupled to a bottom side of the cabinet;

an evaporator located adjacent to the airflow inlet;
a condenser located adjacent to the evaporator and on a side of the evaporator opposite the airflow inlet;
a drain pan located at least partially below the evaporator and the condenser, the drain pain configured to support weight of the evaporator and the condenser;
a plurality of support legs extending from a bottom side of the drain pan towards the bottom side of the cabinet;
a compressor located below the drain pan;
a fan located adjacent to the condenser and on a side of the condenser opposite the evaporator, the fan configured to generate an airflow that flows into the cabinet through the airflow inlet and out of the cabinet through the airflow outlet, the airflow flowing through the evaporator and the condenser in order to provide dehumidification to the airflow; and
a processor configured to:
determine a relative humidity set point;
in response to determining that a measured relative humidity is greater than or equal to the relative humidity set point, set the portable dehumidifier to a first operating mode, wherein the compressor is enabled and the fan is set to a first fan speed while in the first operating mode;
determine whether the portable dehumidifier has been operating in the first operating mode for a predetermined amount of time, and in response, set the portable dehumidifier to a second operating mode if the measured relative humidity is still greater than the relative humidity set point in order to reduce the measured relative humidity, wherein the compressor is enabled and the fan is set to a second fan speed while in the second operating mode, the second fan speed being greater than the first fan speed; and
in response to determining that the measured relative humidity is less than the relative humidity set point, set the portable dehumidifier to a third operating mode, wherein the compressor is disabled and the fan is disabled while in the third operating mode.

2. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , wherein the fan is a variable-speed direct current (DC) impeller.

3. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , wherein the measured relative humidity is obtained from a sensor that is mounted within the portable dehumidifier.

4. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , wherein the measured relative humidity is obtained from a sensor remote from the portable dehumidifier.

5. The portable dehumidifier of claim 1 , wherein the relative humidity set point is a user-controllable setting.

6. A dehumidifier, comprising:
an evaporator;
a condenser;
a fan configured to generate an airflow that flows through the evaporator and the condenser in order to provide dehumidification to the airflow; and
a processor configured to:
determine a relative humidity set point;
in response to determining that a measured relative humidity is greater than or equal to the relative humidity set point, set the dehumidifier to a first operating mode, wherein a compressor of the dehumidifier is enabled and the fan is set to a first fan speed while in the first operating mode;
determine whether the dehumidifier has been operating in the first operating mode for a predetermined amount of time, and in response, set the dehumidifier to a second operating mode if the measured relative humidity is still greater than the relative humidity set point, in order to reduce the measured relative humidity the compressor is enabled, wherein the compressor is enabled and the fan is set to a second fan speed while in the second operating mode, the second fan speed being greater than the first fan speed; and
in response to determining that the measured relative humidity is less than the relative humidity set point, set the dehumidifier to a third operating mode, wherein the compressor is disabled and the fan is disabled while in the third operating mode.

7. The dehumidifier of claim 6 , wherein the fan is a variable-speed direct current (DC) impeller.

8. The dehumidifier of claim 6 , wherein the measured relative humidity is obtained from a sensor that is mounted within the dehumidifier.

9. The dehumidifier of claim 6 , wherein the measured relative humidity is obtained from a sensor remote from the dehumidifier.

10. The dehumidifier of claim 6 , wherein the relative humidity set point is a user-controllable setting.

11. A method, comprising:
determining, by a dehumidifier, a relative humidity set point;
in response to determining that a measured relative humidity is greater than or equal to the relative humidity set point, setting the dehumidifier to a first operating mode, wherein a compressor of the dehumidifier is enabled and a fan of the dehumidifier is set to a first fan speed while in the first operating mode;
determining, by the dehumidifier, whether the dehumidifier has been operating in the first operating mode for a predetermined amount of time, and in response, setting the dehumidifier to a second operating mode if the measured relative humidity is still greater than the relative humidity set point, in order to reduce the measured relative humidity the compressor is enabled, wherein the compressor is enabled and the fan is set to a second fan speed while in the second operating mode, the second fan speed being greater than the first fan speed; and
in response to determining that the measured relative humidity is less than the relative humidity set point, setting the dehumidifier to a third operating mode, wherein the compressor is disabled and the fan is disabled while in the third operating mode.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fan is a variable-speed direct current (DC) impeller.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the measured relative humidity is obtained from a sensor that is mounted within the dehumidifier.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the measured relative humidity is obtained from a sensor remote from the dehumidifier.

Assignees

• Therma Stor Llc

Inventors

• Williams Kyle R
• Dingle Steven S
• Moore Dominic M
• Scharping James A
• Verhoeven Jerome
• Bustamante Diane K
• Dubois Conor

Classifications

• F24F3/14 Primary

  by humidification; by dehumidification · CPC title

• F24F11/52

  Indication arrangements, e.g. displays · CPC title

• F24F11/30 Primary

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title

• F24F2221/125

  mounted on wheels · CPC title

• F24F11/56

  Remote control · CPC title