Air heater systems and control methods

Abstract

A method for controlling an air heating system is disclosed with an air chamber, an inlet, an outlet, wherein the outlet may be positioned closer to the floor of the room than the inlet, a fan for motivating air to pass from the room to the air chamber and back into the room, an inlet temperature sensor, an outlet temperature sensor, a room temperature sensor, and a controller, the controller to control fan speed based on the temperatures sensed.

1 . A method for controlling an air heating system, the air heating system for heating air in a room, the air heating system comprising an air chamber, an inlet coupling the room to the air chamber to allow the passage of air from the room into the air chamber, an outlet coupling the air chamber to the room to allow the passage of air from the air chamber to the room, a fan for motivating air to pass from the room to the air chamber and back into the room, an inlet temperature sensor which yields an inlet temperature value, an outlet temperature sensor which yields an outlet temperature value, a room temperature sensor which yields a room temperature value, and a controller, the controller having data storage for storage of a minimum fan speed value, a fan start threshold value, a fan timer value, a full fan speed value, and a maximum fan speed value, wherein the controller is adapted to control speed of the fan, the method comprising: determining if the inlet temperature value is greater than the fan start threshold value, and if so setting the fan to run for the duration of the fan timer value at at least the minimum fan speed. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the controller data storage further comprises a temperature gradient value, and wherein the method further comprises determining if the outlet temperature value is greater than the room temperature and if so, further determining if the outlet temperature value is greater than the inlet temperature value by the temperature gradient value, and if so, setting the fan to run at a speed dependent on the outlet temperature value, greater than or equal to the minimum fan speed value and less than the maximum fan speed value. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the controller data storage further comprises a fan acceleration value and wherein the method further comprises determining if the actual fan speed is less than the desired fan speed and if not, then setting the actual fan speed to the desired fan speed and reducing the fan acceleration value, and if the actual fan speed is less than the desired fan speed, increasing the actual fan speed by the fan acceleration value and if the actual fan speed then is equal to the desired fan speed, then increasing the fan acceleration value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining if the outlet temperature value is greater than or equal to the full fan speed value and if so, setting the fan to run at the maximum fan speed value. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein if the fan timer value is exceeded, and if the outlet temperature value is not greater than the inlet temperature value by the temperature gradient value, then shutting down the fan. 
     
     
         6 . An air heating system for heating air in a room, the air heating system comprising an air chamber, an inlet coupling the room to the air chamber to allow the passage of air from the room into the air chamber, an outlet coupling the air chamber to the room to allow the passage of air from the air chamber to the room, a variable speed fan for motivating air to pass from the room to the air chamber and back into the room, an inlet temperature sensor which yields an inlet temperature value, an outlet temperature sensor which yields an outlet temperature value, a room temperature sensor which yields a room temperature value, and a controller for controlling the speed of the fan wherein the controller is adapted to control the speed of the fan based on at least one of the inlet temperature value, the outlet temperature value, and the room temperature value. 
     
     
         7 . The air heating system of  claim 6  wherein room further comprises a floor and a ceiling and wherein the outlet is positioned closer to the floor than the inlet. 
     
     
         8 . An air heating system for heating air in a room, the air heating system comprising a first air chamber, a first inlet coupling the room to the first air chamber to allow the passage of air from the room into the first air chamber, a first outlet coupling the first air chamber to the room to allow the passage of air from the first air chamber to the room, a first variable speed fan for motivating air to pass from the room to the first air chamber and back into the room, a first inlet temperature sensor which yields a first inlet temperature value, a first outlet temperature sensor which yields a first outlet temperature value, a room temperature sensor which yields a room temperature value, a second air chamber, a second inlet coupling the room to the second air chamber to allow the passage of air from the room into the second air chamber, a second outlet coupling the second air chamber to the room to allow the passage of air from the second air chamber to the room, a second variable speed fan for motivating air to pass from the room to the second air chamber and back into the room, a second inlet temperature sensor which yields a second inlet temperature value, a second outlet temperature sensor which yields a second outlet temperature value, and a controller informationally coupled to each of the first inlet temperature sensor, to pass the first inlet temperature value from the first inlet temperature sensor to the controller, the first outlet temperature sensor, to pass the first outlet temperature value from the first outlet temperature sensor to the controller, the second inlet temperature sensor, to pass the second inlet temperature value from the second inlet temperature sensor to the controller, the second outlet temperature sensor, to pass the second outlet temperature value from the second outlet temperature sensor to the controller, the room temperature sensor to pass the room temperature value from the room temperature sensor to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted to control the speed of the first fan based on at least one of the first inlet temperature value, the first outlet temperature value, and the room temperature value, and to control the speed of the second fan based on at least one of the second inlet temperature value, the second outlet temperature value, and the room temperature value. 
     
     
         9 . The air heating system of  claim 8  wherein room further comprises a floor and a ceiling and wherein at least one of the first outlet and second outlet is positioned closer to the floor than at least one of the first inlet and second inlet. 
     
     
         10 . The air heating system of  claim 8  wherein the controller is further adapted to control the speed of the first fan based on at least one of the second inlet temperature value, and the second outlet temperature value, and to control the speed of the second fan based on at least one of the first inlet temperature value, and the first outlet temperature value. 
     
     
         11 . An air heating system for heating air in a room, the air heating system comprising a first air chamber, a first inlet coupling the room to the first air chamber to allow the passage of air from the room into the first air chamber, a first outlet coupling the first air chamber to the room to allow the passage of air from the first air chamber to the room, a first variable speed fan for motivating air to pass from the room to the first air chamber and back into the room, a first inlet temperature sensor which yields a first inlet temperature value, a first outlet temperature sensor which yields a first outlet temperature value, a first room temperature sensor which yields a first room temperature value at a first room location, a second air chamber, a second inlet coupling the room to the second air chamber to allow the passage of air from the room into the second air chamber, a second outlet coupling the second air chamber to the room to allow the passage of air from the second air chamber to the room, a second variable speed fan for motivating air to pass from the room to the second air chamber and back into the room, a second inlet temperature sensor which yields a second inlet temperature value, a second outlet temperature sensor which yields a second outlet temperature value, and a second room temperature sensor which yields a second room temperature value at a second room location, and a controller informationally coupled to each of the first inlet temperature sensor, to pass the first inlet temperature value from the first inlet temperature sensor to the controller, the first outlet temperature sensor, to pass the first outlet temperature value from the first outlet temperature sensor to the controller, the second inlet temperature sensor, to pass the second inlet temperature value from the second inlet temperature sensor to the controller, the second outlet temperature sensor, to pass the second outlet temperature value from the second outlet temperature sensor to the controller, the first room temperature sensor to pass the first room temperature value from the first room temperature sensor to the controller, the second room temperature sensor to pass the second room temperature value from the second room temperature sensor to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted to control the speed of the first fan based on at least one of the first inlet temperature value, the first outlet temperature value, and the first room temperature value, and to control the speed of the second fan based on at least one of the second inlet temperature value, the second outlet temperature value, and the second room temperature value. 
     
     
         12 . An air heating system for heating air in a room, the air heating system comprising a first air chamber, a first inlet coupling the room to the first air chamber to allow the passage of air from the room into the first air chamber, a first outlet coupling the first air chamber to the room to allow the passage of air from the first air chamber to the room, a first variable speed fan for motivating air to pass from the room to the first air chamber and back into the room, a first inlet temperature sensor which yields a first inlet temperature value, a first outlet temperature sensor which yields a first outlet temperature value, a room temperature sensor which yields a room temperature value, a second air chamber, a second inlet coupling the room to the second air chamber to allow the passage of air from the room into the second air chamber, a second outlet coupling the second air chamber to the room to allow the passage of air from the second air chamber to the room, a second variable speed fan for motivating air to pass from the room to the second air chamber and back into the room, a second inlet temperature sensor which yields a second inlet temperature value, a second outlet temperature sensor which yields a second outlet temperature value, and a controller informationally coupled to each of the first inlet temperature sensor, to pass the first inlet temperature value from the first inlet temperature sensor to the controller, the first outlet temperature sensor, to pass the first outlet temperature value from the first outlet temperature sensor to the controller, the second inlet temperature sensor, to pass the second inlet temperature value from the second inlet temperature sensor to the controller, the second outlet temperature sensor, to pass the second outlet temperature value from the second outlet temperature sensor to the controller, the room temperature sensor to pass the room temperature value from the room temperature sensor to the controller, wherein the controller is adapted to control the speed of the first fan based on at least one of the first inlet temperature value, the first outlet temperature value, and the room temperature value, and to control the speed of the second fan based on at least one of the second inlet temperature value, the second outlet temperature value, and the room temperature value.