Auto-balancing damper control

Abstract

A control system for a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system is provided. The control system regulates a temperature of a multi-zone building using only a single thermostat or set point, and a temperature element in each of the zones. The control system receives inputs from the temperature elements and uses the inputs and a control algorithm to control temperature according to the set point and to minimize the differences between the temperature elements in the different zones. In a two-zone building, a single damper is used. In a building with a larger number of zones, the number of dampers required is the same as the number of zones, less one damper.

1 . A automatic balancing damper control system, comprising:
 a single set point environmental controller;   at least two temperature elements, each temperature element located in a separate zone and in communication with the environmental controller; and   a control output for a motorized damper, the damper responsive to the controller and configured to control a flow of air to the separate zones, wherein the controller is configured to accept temperature inputs from the at least two temperature elements and to send the control output for adjusting a position of the damper in accordance with the single set point and inputs from the at least two temperature elements.   
   
   
       2 . The damper control system of  claim 1 , wherein the environmental controller comprises a thermostat. 
   
   
       3 . The damper control system of  claim 2 , wherein one of the at least two temperature elements is integral to the thermostat. 
   
   
       4 . The damper control system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature elements are selected from the group consisting of thermocouples and thermistors. 
   
   
       5 . The damper control system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the at least two temperature elements are in wireless communication with the environmental controller. 
   
   
       6 . The damper control system of  claim 1 , further comprising the motorized damper. 
   
   
       7 . The damper control system of  claim 6 , wherein an outlet of the damper is split into at least two portions corresponding to the at least two zones. 
   
   
       8 . The damper control system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a plurality of temperature elements at least equal to a number of the zones, at least one temperature element in each zone, and further comprises a number of dampers equal to the number of zones less one damper. 
   
   
       9 . An automatic balancing damper control system for regulating temperature in at least two different zones, comprising:
 a thermostat positioned in one of the two zones;   a temperature sensor positioned in a different zone from the thermostat and in communication with the thermostat; and   a motorized damper operatively connected to the thermostat, the damper positioned in fluid communication with temperature regulating appliance at an inlet and with each of the at least two different zones at outlets thereof;   wherein the thermostat is configured to adjust a position of the damper in accordance with a single set point and temperature inputs from the at least two zones.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the thermostat comprises an integral temperature sensor for sensing ambient temperature. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the thermostat is configured to bias the damper to supply more fluid flow to one of the at least two zones when an operating mode calls for heating. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the thermostat is configured to bias the damper to supply more fluid flow to another of the at least two zones when an operating mode calls for cooling. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the temperature elements is in wireless communication with the controller. 
   
   
       14 . A method for automatically controlling a temperature in a building, the method comprising the steps of:
 setting a single set point for an environmental control system;   measuring a temperature of each of two zones controlled by the environmental control system;   adjustably controlling a flow of air between the two zones by adjusting a position of a damper.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the environmental control system is a heating and air conditioning system. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of setting the single set point comprises setting the single set point with a thermostat. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of adjustably controlling a flow of air between the two zones by adjusting the position of the damper comprises the step of adjusted the flow of air to minimize a difference between temperatures detected in the two zones and the set point. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the two zones comprise a plurality of zones, the flow of air comprises a same number of flows of air as the plurality of zones, and a number of dampers comprises the same number of dampers as the plurality of zones, less one. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of adjustably controlling a flow of air between the two zones by adjusting the position of the damper comprises the step of biasing the damper to supply more fluid flow to one of the at least two zones when an operating mode calls for heating. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the step of adjustably controlling a flow of air between the two zones by adjusting the position of the damper further comprises the step of biasing the damper to supply more fluid flow to another of the at least two zones when an operating mode calls for cooling.