Hvac monitoring apparatus and method

Abstract

The invention relates to an HVAC monitoring apparatus. The HVAC monitoring apparatus monitors the carbon monoxide, pressure, and temperature inside the air duct network of an HVAC system, directly above the furnace. The apparatus can send detailed information wirelessly through the cloud.

1 . An apparatus for monitoring a HVAC system from a plenum of the HVAC system in which airflow generated by the HVAC system travels through, the apparatus comprising:
 a control module with an air inlet opening formed thereon, the control module coupled to an exterior surface of the plenum, so as to expose the air inlet opening to ambient air outside of the plenum;   a probe assembly with an internal cavity, the probe assembly coupled to the control module and extending therefrom into the plenum so that the probe assembly is at least partially in a path of the airflow, wherein the internal cavity is in fluid communication with the air inlet opening;   at least one sensing element is arranged within the probe assembly for monitoring at least one aspect of the HVAC airflow; and   an air displacement means in fluid communication with the internal cavity;   wherein the air displacement means is configured to displace air inside the internal cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the probe assembly is a coaxial tube comprising an inner tube and an outer tube. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the internal cavity is defined by the space between the inner tube and the outer tube in coaxial alignment. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing element is a differential air pressure sensor, which comprises
 a first sensor terminal configured to detect ambient air pressure outside of the plenum, and   a second sensor terminal configured to detect air pressure of the airflow inside the plenum;   wherein the differential air pressure sensor is configured to determine a pressure difference value between sensor data generated from the first and second sensor terminals.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the second sensor terminal is on the probe assembly and the first sensor terminal is on the control module. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further configured to determine when a stored pressure difference value differs from a detected pressure difference value by a threshold value. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is configured to provide a notification or visual cues when the threshold value is met. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air displacement means draws the ambient air outside of the plenum into the internal cavity through the air inlet opening. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing element is a carbon monoxide (CO) sensor for detecting CO presence within the airflow in the plenum. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the internal cavity is configured so that the air drawn into the internal cavity removes heat within proximity of the CO sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising an audio module configured to emit an audio signal when the detected CO presence meets a threshold. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus shuts down the HVAC system when the detected CO presence meets a threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the audio signal is emitted into the plenum so that the audio signal is propagated through an air duct network that is in fluid connection with the plenum. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which further comprises a ultra-violet (UV) light emitter,
 wherein the UV light emitter is arranged to subject the airflow inside the plenum to UV light.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow from inside the plenum enters into the internal cavity through the air displacement means, thereby driving a generator operably connected to the air displacement means. 
     
     
         17 . A method of determining a change in air pressure by a HVAC monitoring apparatus, the method comprising:
 detecting a ambient air pressure outside of a HVAC plenum by a first differential air pressure sensor terminal;   detecting a HVAC airflow pressure inside the HVAC plenum by a second differential air pressure sensor terminal;   determining a pressure difference value between the detected ambient air pressure and the detected HVAC airflow pressure;   storing the pressure difference value;   continually determining a recent pressure difference value between the ambient air pressure outside the HVAC plenum and the airflow pressure inside the plenum;   determining a change in air pressure by comparing the recent pressure difference value against the stored pressure difference value.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining if the change in air pressure meets a predefined threshold value. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising providing indication to user when the threshold value for pressure change is met. 
     
     
         20 . A method of providing audio warning for a HVAC system, the method comprising:
 generating a audio warning signal from an audio module arranged in a HVAC monitoring apparatus;   directing the audio warning signal into a plenum of the HVAC system;   propagating the audio warning signal through an air duct network, the air duct network is in fluid communication with the plenum.