Multi-duct air conditioning system

Abstract

A multi-duct air conditioning system for air conditioning a number of rooms and/or room zones includes: at least one air inlet device to each room to be air conditioned or to each room zone; at least two supply air fans; a control unit for controlling the supply air fans; and at least two supply air ducts. At least one supply air fan is situated in each of the supply air ducts.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A multi-duct air conditioning system for air conditioning multiple room zones, comprising:
 at least one air inlet device to each room zone to be air conditioned;   at least two supply air fans;   a control unit; and   at least two supply air ducts, wherein at least one supply air fan is situated in each of the at least two supply air ducts.   
     
     
         17 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein at least one of (i) a recirculating air duct for supplying recirculating air to the supply air fans, and (ii) a fresh air duct for supplying fresh air to the supply air fans is provided. 
     
     
         18 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the control unit controls the rotational speeds of all supply air fans, and thereby controls the air volume to be transported in each supply air duct. 
     
     
         19 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein at least one flap is assigned to each supply air duct, and wherein each flap is set by the control unit to establish the proportionate supply air from each supply air duct to the respective room zone to be air conditioned. 
     
     
         20 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein each supply air fan is connected to an intake duct, and wherein the intake duct is connected to at least one of the recirculating air duct and the fresh air duct. 
     
     
         21 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein at least one of:
 a) at least one fresh air flap is introduced into the fresh air duct, and the control unit regulates the fresh air flap;   b) a recirculating air flap is introduced into the recirculating air duct, and the control unit regulates the recirculating air flap to establish the recirculating air portion of the supply air; and   c) an outgoing air duct is provided, and an outgoing air flap is introduced into the outgoing air duct, and the control unit regulates the outgoing air flap to establish the outgoing air portion of the exhaust air.   
     
     
         22 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the control unit cooperates with climate sensors located in at least one of the room zones, the supply air ducts, and exhaust air ducts. 
     
     
         23 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the portion of at least one of the recirculating air and fresh air in the supply air to the supply air fan of the respective supply air duct is controlled by the control unit as a function of at least one of temperature, moisture, air quality, density, and pressure. 
     
     
         24 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the control unit regulates the rotational speeds of the supply air fans as a function of the requirements of supply air to the respective room zones in accordance with the supply air portions which are based on parameters of the climate sensors. 
     
     
         25 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the supply air ducts are connectable to each other via a bypass duct having a bypass flap. 
     
     
         26 . The multi-duct air conditioning system as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the bypass flap is controlled by the control unit. 
     
     
         27 . A method for operating a multi-duct air conditioning system for air conditioning multiple room zones, the multi-duct air conditioning system including at least one air inlet device to each room zone to be air conditioned, at least two supply air fans, a control unit, and at least two supply air ducts each having a flap, wherein at least one supply air fan is situated in each of the at least two supply air ducts, the method comprising:
 detecting, using climate sensors, actual condition in each room zone;   comparing the detected actual condition in each room zone to a setpoint value stored in the control unit to determine control parameters; and   controlling, by the control unit, the rotational speeds of the supply air fans and the flap positions of the flaps assigned to the supply air ducts as a function of the control parameters, whereby proportionate assignment of the supply air volume from each supply air duct to the corresponding room zone is derived.   
     
     
         28 . The method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein at least one of a recirculating air portion and fresh air portion is controlled as a function of the control parameters. 
     
     
         29 . The method as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the control of the at least one of the recirculating air portion and the fresh air portion is carried out according to physical characteristic values as a function of the control parameters.