Discharge system and methods

Abstract

Different examples of discharge systems and the method of operation thereof are disclosed. In an example, a discharge system can have an intake passage fluidly coupled to a venting system and to an intake plenum. The system can also include an air mover coupled to the intake plenum, the air mover being positioned within a housing and coupled to a motor configured to drive the air mover at varying speeds. The discharge system can have a plurality of exhaust passages, which each can include a movable damper. Further, one or more sensors can be part of the system. A controller can be coupled to the one or more sensors and, in response to readings from the one or more sensors, the system can change air speed and/or dampers position to ensure proper air flow and exhaust conditions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A discharge system comprising:
 an intake passage fluidly coupled to a venting system and to an intake plenum or a main intake duct;   an air mover fluidly coupled to the intake plenum, the air mover being positioned within a housing and coupled to a motor configured to drive the air mover at varying speeds;   a plurality of exhaust passages fluidly coupled to the housing of the air mover, each of the exhaust passages including a damper, wherein each damper is movable from a fully closed position in which the damper substantially completely occludes its exhaust passage to a fully open position in which air flow through each exhaust passage is at a maximum for its respective damper;   a first sensor positioned upstream of the air mover, the first sensor configured to at least measure volumetric flow of air moving towards the air mover;   a second sensor positioned upstream of the air mover, the second sensor configured to at least measure pressure inside of the intake plenum; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second sensors, wherein the controller comprises circuitry configured to perform the operations of:
 in response to readings from the first and/or second sensors, changing the position of at least a first of the plurality of dampers between its fully open and closed positions; and 
 in response to readings from the first and/or second sensors, changing the speed at which the air mover operates. 
   
     
     
         2 . The discharge system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of actuators, each actuator being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of dampers. 
     
     
         3 . The discharge system of  claim 1 , wherein the second sensor is positioned within the intake plenum. 
     
     
         4 . The discharge system of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is positioned within an intake passage leading into the housing that contains the air mover. 
     
     
         5 . The discharge system of  claim 1 , wherein the air mover is a fan or a pump. 
     
     
         6 . The discharge system of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to perform the operations of:
 receiving a volumetric flow reading from the first sensor;   receiving a pressure reading from the second sensor;   when the pressure reading from the second sensor rises above a pre-set pressure threshold, causing the motor to decrease its speed; and   when a volumetric flow reading from the first sensor rises above a pre-set volumetric flow threshold, causing one or more of the plurality of dampers to move from the fully closed position to the fully open position.   
     
     
         7 . The discharge system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bypass intake passage fluidly coupled to the intake plenum. 
     
     
         8 . The discharge system of  claim 7 , wherein the bypass intake passage includes at least one of the plurality of dampers. 
     
     
         9 . A discharge system comprising:
 an intake passage fluidly coupled to a venting system and to an intake plenum or a main intake duct;   an air mover fluidly coupled to the intake plenum, the air mover being positioned within a housing and coupled to a motor configured to drive the air mover at varying speeds;   a plurality of exhaust passages fluidly coupled to the housing of the air mover, each of the exhaust passages including a damper, wherein each damper is movable only between a fully closed position in which the damper substantially completely occludes its exhaust passage and a fully open position in which air flow through each exhaust passage is at a maximum for its respective damper;   one or more sensors configured to measure air-flow conditions inside the discharge system; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors, wherein the controller comprises circuitry configured to perform the operations of:
 in response to readings from the one or more sensors, changing the position of at least a first of the plurality of dampers between its fully open and fully closed positions, and changing the speed at which the air mover operates. 
   
     
     
         10 . The discharge system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors is configured to at least measure volumetric flow of air moving towards the air mover. 
     
     
         11 . The discharge system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a sensor configured to at least measure pressure inside of the intake plenum. 
     
     
         12 . The discharge system of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of actuators, each actuator being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of dampers. 
     
     
         13 . The discharge system of  claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is configured to perform the operations of:
 receiving a volumetric flow reading from a first of the one or more sensors;   receiving a pressure reading from a second of the one or more sensors;   when the pressure reading from the second sensor rises above a pre-set pressure threshold, causing the motor to decrease its speed; and   when a volumetric flow reading from the first sensor rises above a pre-set volumetric flow threshold, causing one or more of the plurality of dampers to move from the fully closed position to the fully open position.   
     
     
         14 . The discharge system of  claim 9 , further comprising a bypass intake passage fluidly coupled to the intake plenum. 
     
     
         15 . The discharge system of  claim 14 , wherein the bypass intake passage includes at least one of the plurality of dampers. 
     
     
         16 . A method of venting and discharging air from a space comprising:
 sensing volumetric flow and/or pressure of air moving through a passage of a discharge system using one or more sensors;   operating an air mover of the discharge system at a first speed to move air through the passage of the discharge system to maintain proper pressure in an intake plenum;   moving air through a plurality of exhaust passages of the discharge system by operating the air mover at the first speed, each of the plurality of exhaust passages including a damper; and   in response to readings from the one or more sensors:
 (i) changing the speed of the air mover to a second speed different from the first speed to alter the speed at which the air flows through the passage; and 
 (ii) moving a first one of the dampeners from a fully closed position in which the first damper substantially completely occludes air flow inside its exhaust passage to a fully open position in which air flow through its exhaust passage is at a maximum. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a first sensor, and the method further comprises sensing volumetric flow of the air moving through the discharge system using the first sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a second sensor, and the method further comprises sensing the pressure of the air moving through the passage using the second sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising, in response to readings from the one or more sensors, moving the first damper from its fully open position back to its fully closed position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising performing steps (i) and (ii) of  claim 16  to keep an exhaust velocity of the air moving through the plurality of exhaust passages and out of an exhaust area of the discharge system within a pre-defined velocity range.