Systems and methods for monitoring an air treatment assembly of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101665-A1
Application number	US-201414510305-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 9, 2014
Priority date	Oct 9, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system may include an air treatment assembly configured to deliver treated air to an enclosed space within a vehicle, at least one upstream sensor upstream from the air treatment assembly, and at least one downstream sensor downstream from the air treatment assembly. The upstream sensor(s) and the downstream sensor(s) are configured to detect at least one attribute of air, such as air pressure. An air treatment monitoring system is in communication with the sensors. The air treatment monitoring system receives one or more sensor signals from the sensors, and calculates an attribute differential (such as a pressure differential) based on the one or more signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
at least one air treatment assembly configured to deliver treated air to an enclosed space within a vehicle; at least one upstream sensor upstream from the at least one air treatment assembly; at least one downstream sensor downstream from the at least one air treatment assembly, wherein the at least one upstream sensor and the at least one downstream sensor are configured to detect at least one attribute of air; and an air treatment monitoring system in communication with the at least one upstream sensor and the at least one downstream sensor, wherein the air treatment monitoring system is configured to receive one or more sensor signals from the at least one upstream sensor and the at least one downstream sensor, and wherein the air treatment monitoring system is configured to calculate an attribute differential based on the one or more sensor signals.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the air treatment monitoring system is configured to calculate a compensated pressure differential based on the attribute differential and one or more parameters related to the vehicle.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the air treatment monitoring system is configured to determine an operative state of the at least one air treatment assembly by referencing a failure threshold in relation to the attribute differential.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the air treatment monitoring system is configured to predict a time of failure of the at least one air treatment assembly based on historical data of the at least one air treatment assembly.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute of air is air pressure, wherein the at least one downstream sensor comprises at least one downstream air pressure sensor, and wherein the at least one upstream sensor comprises at least one upstream air pressure sensor.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one air treatment assembly comprises a heat exchanger.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the air treatment monitoring system comprises:
a pressure differential calculation unit that is configured to calculate a pressure differential between the one or more sensor signals received from the at least one upstream sensor and the at least one downstream sensor; a parameter compensation factor determination unit that is configured to determine one or more parameter compensation factors related to the vehicle; and a compensated pressure calculation unit that is configured to calculate a compensated pressure differential based on the pressure differential and the one or more compensation factors.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more parameter compensation factors relate to one or more of altitude, speed, ambient temperature, fan state, fan door position, and position of the vehicle.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the air treatment monitoring system further comprises a diagnostic unit that is configured to compare the compensated pressure differential with a failure threshold to determine an operative state of the air treatment assembly.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the air treatment monitoring system further comprises a prediction unit that is configured to predict a failure date of the air treatment assembly by detecting a trend in stored compensated pressure differentials over time.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the air treatment monitoring system is within the vehicle.

12 . A method of monitoring an air treatment assembly within a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving one or more air pressure signals detected by air pressure sensors that are positioned upstream and downstream from an air treatment assembly within a duct of the vehicle; and calculating a pressure differential based on the one or more air pressure signals.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising calculating a compensated pressure differential based on the pressure differential and one or more parameters related to the vehicle.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more parameters include one or more of altitude, speed, ambient temperature, fan state, fan door position, and position of the vehicle.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining an operative state of the at least one air treatment assembly by referencing a failure threshold in relation to the pressure differential.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising predicting a time of failure of the at least one air treatment assembly based on historical data of the at least one air treatment assembly.

17 . An air treatment monitoring system configured to monitor an operative state of an air treatment assembly within a vehicle, the air monitoring system comprising:
a pressure differential calculation unit that is configured to calculate a pressure differential between a first sensor signal received from a first sensor that is upstream in relation to the air treatment assembly and a second sensor signal received from a second sensor that is downstream in relation to the air treatment assembly; a parameter compensation factor determination unit that is configured to determine one or more parameter compensation factors related to the vehicle; and a compensated pressure calculation unit that is configured to calculate a compensated pressure differential based on the pressure differential and the one or more compensation factors.

18 . The air treatment monitoring system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more parameter compensation factors relate to one or more of altitude, speed, ambient temperature, fan state, fan door position, and position of the vehicle.

19 . The air treatment monitoring system of claim 17 , further comprising a diagnostic unit that is configured to compare the compensated pressure differential with a failure threshold to determine an operative state of the air treatment assembly.

20 . The air treatment monitoring system of claim 17 , further comprising a prediction unit that is configured to predict a failure date of the air treatment assembly by detecting a trend in stored compensated pressure differentials over time.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Followell David Allan
• Nicks Eric Lee
• Cortez Javier

Classifications

• B64D13/06 Primary

  the air being conditioned (pressurising B64D13/02) · CPC title

• B01D46/0086

  Filter condition indicators · CPC title

• B01D46/446

  by pressure measuring · CPC title

• B60H1/00585 Primary

  Means for monitoring, testing or servicing the air-conditioning · CPC title