Alternative feedback usage for HVAC system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11221155-B2
Application number	US-201916684266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2019
Priority date	Jul 15, 2019
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

A control system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a controller. The controller is configured to control the HVAC system to condition an air flow based on first feedback from a first sensor of the HVAC system, receive second feedback from a second sensor of the HVAC system, and control the HVAC system to condition the air flow based on the second feedback instead of the first feedback when the first feedback from the first sensor being no longer available. The first feedback is indicative of a first operating parameter of the HVAC system, and the second feedback is indicative of a second operating parameter of a refrigerant flowing through the HVAC system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
an outdoor ambient sensor;
an outdoor coil sensor; and
a controller configured to:
control the HVAC system to condition an air flow based on first feedback from the outdoor ambient sensor of the HVAC system, wherein the first feedback is a temperature of an ambient environment of the HVAC system;
receive second feedback from the outdoor coil sensor, wherein the second feedback comprises a temperature of an outdoor coil configured to flow a refrigerant therethrough; and
control the HVAC system to condition the air flow based on the second feedback instead of the first feedback when the first feedback from the outdoor ambient sensor is not available.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the HVAC system to condition the air flow based on the second feedback by adjusting a value of the temperature of the outdoor coil to a calibrated value and controlling the HVAC system based on the calibrated value.

3. The control system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the value of the temperature of the outdoor coil to the calibrated value by an adjustment amount, and the adjustment amount is defined within the controller.

4. A controller for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, the controller comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to cause the processor to:
operate the HVAC system to condition an air flow utilizing feedback from a sensor of the HVAC system, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a temperature associated with the HVAC system, the sensor includes a plurality of resistors, and each resistor of the plurality of resistors is configured to output a resistance value;
determine a total resistance value of the sensor based on a respective resistance value of each resistor of the plurality of resistors;
reference data correlating the total resistance value with a temperature value;
determine the temperature associated with the HVAC system based on the data;
determine, when a particular resistance value associated with one of the resistors of the plurality of resistors is unavailable, a new total resistance value of the sensor based on respective, available resistance values of remaining resistors of the plurality of resistors;
reference alternative data correlating the new total resistance value with a new temperature value; and
determine the temperature associated with the HVAC system based on the alternative data.

5. The controller of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to select an operation of a compressor of the HVAC system based on a type of the compressor.

6. The controller of claim 5 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to operate the compressor at de-rated nominal capacity values or to operate the compressor in a first stage and not a second stage.

7. The controller of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are configured to cause the processor to set a sensor fault based on the feedback being unavailable.

8. A control system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a plurality of sensors comprising an indoor evaporation temperature sensor and an outdoor suction temperature sensor; and
a controller configured to:
receive first feedback from the indoor evaporation temperature sensor, wherein the first feedback corresponds to a first value of a temperature of an indoor coil of the HVAC system;
receive second feedback from the outdoor suction temperature sensor, wherein the second feedback includes a second value of a temperature of a refrigerant on a suction side of a compressor of the HVAC system; and
switch from operating the HVAC system to condition an air flow based on the first value to operating the HVAC system to condition the air flow based on the second value when the first feedback is unavailable.

9. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a third value of the temperature of the refrigerant on the suction side of the compressor based on the second value and based on a calibration adjustment of the second value determined during development of the HVAC system; and
operate the HVAC system to condition the air flow by substituting the first value with the third value when the first feedback is unavailable.

10. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to set a sensor fault in response to when the first feedback from the indoor evaporation temperature sensor is unavailable.

11. A control system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
an outdoor liquid sensor;
an outdoor coil sensor; and
a controller configured to:
control the HVAC system to condition an air flow based on first feedback from the outdoor liquid sensor of the HVAC system, wherein the first feedback is a temperature of a refrigerant exiting an outdoor coil of the HVAC system;
receive second feedback from the outdoor coil sensor of the HVAC system, wherein the second feedback is a temperature of the outdoor coil;
receive third feedback from an outdoor ambient sensor of the HVAC system; and
control the HVAC system to condition the air flow based on the third feedback instead of the first feedback and the second feedback when the first feedback and the second feedback are not available.

12. A control system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a controller configured to:
receive first feedback from a first sensor of a plurality of sensors, wherein the first feedback corresponds to a first value of a first operating parameter associated with a refrigerant flowing through the HVAC system;
receive second feedback from a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, wherein the second feedback comprises a second value of a second operating parameter indicative of a temperature of the refrigerant or a pressure of the refrigerant;
receive third feedback from a third sensor of the plurality of sensors, wherein the third feedback is associated with a temperature of an ambient environment of the HVAC system;
receive fourth feedback from a fourth sensor of the plurality of sensors, wherein the fourth feedback is indicative of a temperature of an outdoor coil of the HVAC system, a geographical ambient temperature, a surrounding temperature, or any combination thereof;
switch from operating the HVAC system to condition an air flow based on the first value to operating the HVAC system to condition the air flow based on the second value of the second operating parameter when the first feedback is unavailable; and
switch from operating the HVAC system to condition the air flow based on the third feedback to operating the HVAC system to condition the air flow based on the fourth feedback when the third feedback is unavailable.

13. A control system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
a controller configured to:
control the HVAC system to condition an air flow based on first feedback from a first sensor of the HVAC system, wherein the first feedback is indicative of a first operating parameter of the HVAC system;
receive second feedback from a second sensor of the HVAC system, wherein the second feedback comprises a second operating parameter of a refrigerant f

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Atchison Shaun B
• Tice Steven A
• Grajeda-Trevizo Noel A
• Boyd Andrew M

Classifications

• F24F11/88

  Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits · CPC title

• F24F11/86

  by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits · CPC title

• F24F11/42 Primary

  of outdoor units · CPC title

• F24F2110/12

  of the outside air · CPC title

• F24F11/76

  by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs · CPC title