Residential integrated ventilation energy controller

Abstract

A residential controller is described which is used to manage the mechanical ventilation systems of a home, installed to meet whole-house ventilation requirements, at the same time reducing energy costs. This is achieved in part by shifting the ventilation load of the whole-house system to off peak hours and by taking into account exogenous mechanical ventilation induced by other systems. The controller is linked by wire or wirelessly to other house ventilation systems using any one of a number of communication protocols, sensing the on-off status of such exogenous systems. An operational algorithm preloaded and/or modified at the point of use is used to control the on-off status or fan speed of a whole-house ventilation fan which forms a part of the home ventilation system, the operating status of the whole-house fan in part responsive to the status of other home ventilation systems, and in part based on time of day.

1 . A system for controlling the ventilation of a house, said system including:
 a) a whole-house fan   b) one or more other home supply or exhaust fans   c) a controller for regulating the on-off time of the whole-house fan, said controller including a central processing unit, a bios, a clock, and memory, said memory including programmable software for both calculating the relative exposure and relative dose within the building, and instructions based on the calculated relative exposure and relative dose to either turn the whole-house fan on or off; and,   d) communication links with the one or more other home exhaust or supply fans, such that a signal is sent from each of the one or more other home exhaust or supply fans to the controller, indicating the operating status of the fan, such as whether or not it is on or off, or operating an some intermediate speed, and a set of instructions within the controller which either turns the whole-house fan on or off, or set it to some intermediate speed, in response to the signals from the other home exhaust or supply fans.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , in which the set of instructions within the controller which either turn the whole-house fan on or off, or sets it to some intermediate speed, in response to the signals from the other home exhaust or supply fans is programmed to turn the whole-house fan off, or set it to some intermediate speed, when any one of the other home exhaust or supply fans is operating. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further including an economizer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  further including a heat recovery ventilation system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further including a control algorithm implemented in software residing within the controller, which algorithm includes a programmed schedule during at least one segment of which, the whole-house fan is in an “always off” condition. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said algorithm is programmed such that the “always off” condition occurs during the peak energy demand period is summer months for cooling, or in winter months for heating. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5  further including means for programming the controller algorithm from a separate electronic device, which device can be accessed by a user to set programmable variables, including when the whole-house fan will be in the “always off” condition. 
     
     
         8 . A system for controlling ventilation within a structure including:
 a) a main whole-house ventilation control fan, including an on-off switch or variable fan speed controller, said fan located within said structure;   b) one or more supply or exhaust fans located within said structure, each of said fans having an on-off switch, or variable fan speed controller;   c) a central controller in communication with the said switches or speed controller of said main whole-house ventilation fan and said one or more supply or exhaust fans; and,   d) a software program associated with said central controller, which software program includes a set of electronic instructions which provides among other things for the monitoring of the status of the one or more supply or exhaust fan switches or speed controllers, such that if said one or more of said supply or exhaust fans are operating, an electronic instruction is sent to the on-off switch or variable fan speed controller of the main whole-house ventilation control fan to turn it off or to some reduced speed.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the main ventilation control fan, one or more exhaust or supply fans, and the central controller are in wired communication with each other. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  wherein said wired communication is achieved employing an X10 protocol, or equivalent. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the main ventilation control fan, one or more exhaust or supply fans and the central controller are in wireless communication with each other. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8  wherein additional instructions control the operating status of the main whole-house ventilation fan based on the time of day. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8  wherein instructions contained within the said software program are used to calculate a relative dose and a relative exposure function at set intervals during the day, the calculated relative dose and relative exposure for that time of day then compared with a preset value for these same variables at that same time of day, whereby based on said comparison an instruction is issued to the on-off switch or variable fan speed controller of the main whole-house ventilation fan to be on, off or set to an intermediate speed.