Optimization system and methods for furnaces, heat pumps and air conditioners

Abstract

Systems and methods for optimizing system efficiency and demand response performance for variable-fan-speed and variable-capacity air handling systems. A controller is provided selectively controlling building-zone dampers in response to acquired operational parameters, such that air flows through selected duct sections and not through the entire duct system simultaneously, wherein design velocity in each duct section is roughly maintained whenever the duct section is being used. Exemplary operational parameters include compressor speed, cooling capacity, heating capacity, fan speed, duct-section air flow, zone air flow, duct-inlet temperature, duct-outlet temperature, and duct-zone temperature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for optimizing system efficiency and demand response performance of an air-handling system, the air-handling system comprising a duct system having a plurality of duct sections and one or more dampers for controlling distribution of air into the plurality of duct sections, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a system controller coupled to the one or more dampers; and   (b) said system controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable on the processor to perform steps comprising:
 (i) acquiring one or more operational parameters associated with the air-handling system; 
 (ii) selectively controlling the one or more dampers based on the one or more operational parameters such that that airflow is only directed through selected duct sections of the one or more duct sections and not through the entire duct system simultaneously; and 
 (iii) maintaining one or more of design velocity, heating capacity, and cooling capacity in each duct section in which airflow is directed to optimize one or more of system efficiency and demand response performance of the air-handling system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air handling system further comprises a compressor or burner for conditioning the airflow and a fan for distributing airflow into the one or more duct sections, and each of the one or more duct sections corresponds with a zone to be conditioned:
 wherein maintaining one or more of design velocity, heating capacity, and cooling capacity in each duct section comprises adjusting one or more of a speed of the fan and a speed of the compressor or burner to a fraction of a 100% operation flow represented by a zone when only one zone is being called for conditioning or to a fraction of the 100% operation flow represented by a sum of all zones being called for conditioning.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 :
 wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise a call for capacity reduction from the air-handling unit or a utility supplying power to the air-handling unit; and   wherein selectively controlling one or more dampers comprises determining if the capacity reduction that is called for is less than a sum of a capacity of two or more zones presently being called for conditioning, and cycling the airflow to the duct sections corresponding to the two or more zones such that only one of the two or more zones is receiving distributed airflow at any given time during the call for capacity reduction.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein three zones are being called for conditioning, and wherein cycling the airflow to the duct sections comprises:
 controlling the one or more dampers such that airflow is delivered to a first duct section corresponding to a first zone while airflow is restricted to second and third duct sections for a first period of time, airflow is delivered to a second duct section corresponding to a second zone while airflow is restricted to first and third duct sections for a second period of time, and airflow is delivered to a third duct section corresponding to a third zone while airflow is restricted to first and second and third duct sections for a third period of time.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 :
 wherein the one or more operational parameters comprises one or more temperature readings from sensors located within the air-handling system and coupled to the controller;   wherein cycling of the airflow to the duct sections is only performed if a temperature effect threshold is not met, the temperature effect threshold being a function of the one or more temperature readings.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the temperature effect threshold is a function of one or more of measured temperatures from sensors located in the one or more ducts, a predicted duct-zone temperature, or a duct R-value. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the temperature effect threshold is a function of one or more of a measured temperature variation through a duct section, a measured temperature variation between a supply plenum and a return plenum of the duct system, or a temperature at one or more the grilles distributing airflow from the one or more duct sections. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the capacity of two or more zones is selected from the group consisting of: compressor or burner speed, fan speed, cooling capacity, or heating capacity. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the capacity of two or more zones is selected from the group consisting of: duct-section air flow, zone air flow, duct-inlet temperature, duct-outlet temperature, and duct-zone temperature. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 manipulating fan speed so as to decrease fan speed less than a specified decrease in compressor or burner speed or decrease in system capacity associated with the call for capacity reduction.   
     
     
         11 . A method for optimizing system efficiency and demand response performance of an air-handling system the air-handling system comprising a duct system having a plurality of duct sections and one or more dampers for controlling distribution of air into the plurality of duct sections, the method comprising:
 acquiring one or more operational parameters associated with the air-handling system;   selectively controlling the one or more dampers based on the one or more operational parameters such that that airflow is only directed through selected duct sections of the one or more duct sections and not through the entire duct system simultaneously; and   maintaining one or more of design velocity, heating capacity, and cooling capacity in each duct section in which airflow is directed to optimize one or more of system efficiency and demand response performance of the air-handling system;   wherein said method is performed by a processor executing instructions stored on a non-transitory medium.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the air handling system further comprises a compressor or burner for conditioning the airflow and a fan for distributing airflow into the one or more duct sections, and each of the one or more duct sections corresponds with a zone to be conditioned:
 wherein maintaining one or more of design velocity, heating capacity, and cooling capacity in each duct section comprises adjusting one or more of a speed of the fan and a speed of the compressor or burner to a fraction of a 100% operation flow represented by a zone when only one zone is being called for conditioning or to a fraction of the 100% operation flow represented by a sum of all zones being called for conditioning.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 :
 wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise a call for capacity reduction from the air-handling unit or a utility supplying power to the air-handling unit; and   wherein selectively controlling one or more dampers comprises determining if the capacity reduction that is called for is less than a sum of a capacity of two or more zones presently being called for conditioning, and cycling the airflow to the duct sections corresponding to the two or more zones such that only one of the two or more zones is receiving distributed airflow at any given time during the call for capacity reduction.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein three zones are being called for conditioning, and wherein cycling the airflow to the duct sections comprises:
 controlling the one or more dampers such that airflow is delivered to a first duct section corresponding to a first zone while airflow is restricted to second and third duct sections for a first period of time, airflow is delivered to a second duct section corresponding to a second zone while airflow is restricted to first and third duct sections for a second period of time, and airflow is delivered to a third duct section corresponding to a third zone while airflow is restricted to first and second and third duct sections for a third period of time.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 :
 wherein the one or more operational parameters comprises one or more temperature readings within the air-handling system;   wherein cycling of the airflow to the duct sections is only performed if a temperature effect threshold is not met, the temperature effect threshold being a function of the one or more temperature readings.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the temperature effect threshold is a function of one or more of measured temperatures from sensors located in the one or more ducts, a predicted duct-zone temperature, or a duct R-value. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the temperature effect threshold is a function of one or more of a measured temperature variation through a duct section, a measured temperature variation between a supply plenum and a return plenum of the duct system, or a temperature at one or more the grilles distributing airflow from the one or more duct sections. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the capacity of two or more zones is selected from the group consisting of: compressor or burner speed, fan speed, cooling capacity, or heating capacity. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the capacity of two or more zones is selected from the group consisting of: duct-section air flow, zone air flow, duct-inlet temperature, duct-outlet temperature, and duct-zone temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 manipulating fan speed so as to decrease fan speed less than a specified decrease in compressor or burner speed or decrease in system capacity associated with the call for capacity reduction.   
     
     
         21 . An air-handling system optimized for efficiency and demand response performance, comprising:
 (a) an air-handling unit;   (b) a duct system coupled to the air handling unit, the duct system comprising a plurality of duct sections and one or more dampers for controlling distribution of air into the plurality of duct sections, the apparatus comprising:   (c) a system controller coupled to the one or more dampers and air handling unit; and   (d) said system controller comprising a processor and a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable on the processor to perform steps comprising:
 (i) acquiring one or more operational parameters associated with the air-handling system; 
 (ii) selectively controlling the one or more dampers based on the one or more operational parameters such that that airflow is only directed through selected duct sections of the one or more duct sections and not through the entire duct system simultaneously; and 
 (iii) maintaining one or more of design velocity, heating capacity, and cooling capacity in each duct section in which airflow is directed to optimize one or more of system efficiency and demand response performance of the air-handling system. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the air handling unit further comprises a compressor or burner for conditioning the airflow and a fan for distributing airflow into the one or more duct sections, and each of the one or more duct sections corresponds with a zone to be conditioned:
 wherein maintaining one or more of design velocity, heating capacity, and cooling capacity in each duct section comprises adjusting one or more of a speed of the fan and a speed of the compressor or burner to a fraction of a 100% operation flow represented by a zone when only one zone is being called for conditioning or to a fraction of the 100% operation flow represented by a sum of all zones being called for conditioning.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 :
 wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise a call for capacity reduction from the air-handling unit or a utility supplying power to the air-handling unit; and   wherein selectively controlling one or more dampers comprises determining if the capacity reduction that is called for is less than a sum of a capacity of two or more zones presently being called for conditioning, and cycling the airflow to the duct sections corresponding to the two or more zones such that only one of the two or more zones is receiving distributed airflow at any given time during the call for capacity reduction.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein three zones are being called for conditioning, and wherein cycling the airflow to the duct sections comprises:
 controlling the one or more dampers such that airflow is delivered to a first duct section corresponding to a first zone while airflow is restricted to second and third duct sections for a first period of time, airflow is delivered to a second duct section corresponding to a second zone while airflow is restricted to first and third duct sections for a second period of time, and airflow is delivered to a third duct section corresponding to a third zone while airflow is restricted to first and second and third duct sections for a third period of time.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising one or more sensors located within the air handling system and coupled to the system controller:
 wherein the one or more operational parameters comprises one or more temperature readings from the one or more sensors within the air-handling system;   wherein cycling of the airflow to the duct sections is only performed if a temperature effect threshold is not met, the temperature effect threshold being a function of the one or more temperature readings.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the temperature effect threshold is a function of one or more of measured temperatures from sensors located in the one or more ducts, a predicted duct-zone temperature, or a duct R-value. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the temperature effect threshold is a function of one or more of a measured temperature variation through a duct section, a measured temperature variation between a supply plenum and a return plenum of the duct system, or a temperature at one or more the grilles distributing airflow from the one or more duct sections. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the capacity of two or more zones is selected from the group consisting of: compressor or burner speed, fan speed, cooling capacity, or heating capacity. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the capacity of two or more zones is selected from the group consisting of: duct-section air flow, zone air flow, duct-inlet temperature, duct-outlet temperature, and duct-zone temperature. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 manipulating fan speed so as to decrease fan speed less than a specified decrease in compressor or burner speed or decrease in system capacity associated with the call for capacity reduction.