Hvac apparatus with dynamic pressure balancing

Abstract

In some examples, an apparatus for and method of heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning of an interior space of a structure. The apparatus can include a heat exchanger core, a first blower in fluid connection with a first side of the heat exchanger core, a second blower in fluid connection with a second side of the heat exchanger core, at least one sensor collecting pressure data, and a control component. The control component can operate the first and second blowers to reduce a difference in pressure between the first and second sides of the heat exchanger core.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning of an interior space of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing comprising a recirculation air inlet, a recirculation air outlet, a fresh air inlet, and a fresh air outlet;   a heat exchanger core arranged in the housing and comprising a first side and a second side segregated from the first side, the first side being in fluid connection with the recirculation air outlet, the second side being in fluid connection with the fresh air outlet;   a recirculation air chamber arranged between the recirculation air inlet and the first side of the heat exchanger core, the recirculation air chamber including a recirculation air blower;   a fresh air chamber arranged between the fresh air inlet and the second side of the heat exchanger core, the fresh air chamber including a fresh air blower;   at least one sensor configured to collect pressure data related to at least one of the first and second sides of the heat exchanger core; and   a control component configured to adjust operation of at least one of the recirculation air blower and the fresh air blower based on the pressure data.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control component is configured to adjust operation of at least one of the recirculation air blower and the fresh air blower to reduce a difference in pressure between the first and second sides of the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a differential pressure sensor, and the control component is configured to receive the pressure data from the differential pressure sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor for measuring a pressure in the first side of the heat exchanger core and a second sensor for measuring a pressure in the second side of the heat exchanger core, and the control component is configured to receive the pressure data from the first and second sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the control component comprises a processor for comparing the pressures in the first and second sides of the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, when the pressure in the second side of the heat exchanger core is greater than the pressure in the first side of the heat exchanger core, the control component is configured to increase a duty cycle and/or speed of the recirculation air blower and/or decrease a duty cycle and/or speed of the fresh air blower. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, when the pressure in the first side of the heat exchanger core is greater than the pressure in the second side of the heat exchanger core, the control component is configured to increase a duty cycle and/or speed of the fresh air blower and/or decrease a duty cycle and/or speed of the recirculation air blower. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control component comprises:
 a processor configured to receive the pressure data from the at least one sensor;   a recirculation air fan motor controller operatively coupled to the recirculation air blower and the processor; and   a fresh air fan motor controller operatively coupled to the fresh air blower and the processor.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a heating/cooling device. 
     
     
         10 . A method of heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning of an interior space of a structure, the method comprising:
 operating a recirculation air blower at a first initial speed to guide recirculation air from the interior space to flow to a first side of a heat exchanger core;   guiding the recirculation air from the first side of the heat exchanger core to be expelled to outside of the interior space;   operating a fresh air blower at a second initial speed to guide fresh air to flow to a second side of the heat exchanger core;   guiding the fresh air from the second side of the heat exchanger core to be delivered to the interior space;   collecting pressure data related to at least one of the first and second sides of the heat exchanger core; and   based on the pressure data, adjusting at least one of the first initial speed and the second initial speed.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of adjusting comprises adjusting at least one of the first and second initial speeds to reduce a difference in pressure between the first and second sides of the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of collecting comprises measuring a differential pressure between the first and second sides of the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of collecting comprises measuring pressures in each of the first and second sides of the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, when the pressure in the second side is greater than the pressure in the first side, the step of adjusting comprises at least one of increasing the first initial speed and decreasing the second initial speed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, when the pressure in the first side is greater than the pressure in the second side, the step of adjusting comprises at least one of increasing the second initial speed and decreasing the first initial speed. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein, when the pressure in the second side is greater than the pressure in the first side, the step of adjusting comprises at least one of increasing the first initial speed and decreasing the second initial speed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein, when the pressure in the first side is greater than the pressure in the second side, the step of adjusting comprises at least one of increasing the second initial speed and decreasing the first initial speed. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising guiding the fresh air through a heating/cooling device prior to being delivered to the interior space. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing comprising a recirculation air inlet, a recirculation air outlet, a fresh air inlet, and a fresh air outlet;   a heat exchanger core arranged in the housing and comprising a first side and a second side segregated from the first side, the first side being in fluid connection with the recirculation air inlet and outlet, the second side being in fluid connection with the fresh air inlet and outlet;   a recirculation air blower arranged between the recirculation air inlet and the first side of the heat exchanger core;   a fresh air blower arranged between the fresh air inlet and the second side of the heat exchanger core; and   a control component configured to adjust operation of at least one of the recirculation air blower and the fresh air blower to reduce a difference in pressure between the first and second sides of the heat exchanger core.