Comfort control system and method

Abstract

The comfort control system includes an auxiliary heat source, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The auxiliary heat source may be coupled to a heat pump. The sensor and/or the controller may be communicatively coupled to the auxiliary heat source and/or the heat pump. The controller may engage the auxiliary heat source to provide supplemental heat to selectively increase the air temperature output from the heat pump system. The controller may include a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller and a solid-state relay (SSR). The SSR may efficiently engage and disengage the auxiliary heat source. The PWM may regulate the auxiliary heat source by precisely adjusting the electrical pulse duration of the SSR. Advantageously, the use of the PWM with the SSR may operate more efficiently than known methods to use less auxiliary heat while maintaining thermal comfort.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A comfort control system configured to selectively increase the temperature of air being supplied by a heat pump, the comfort control system comprising:
 an auxiliary heat source;   a temperature sensor; and   a controller communicatively coupled with the temperature sensor and the auxiliary heat source, the controller including a solid-state relay for selectively engaging the auxiliary heat source.   
     
     
         2 . The comfort control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat pump. 
     
     
         3 . The comfort control system of  claim 2 , wherein the auxiliary heat source is disposed downstream from a coil of the heat pump within a duct. 
     
     
         4 . The comfort control system of  claim 2 , wherein controller includes a pulse width modulation controller coupled to the solid-state relay. 
     
     
         5 . The comfort control system of  claim 4 , wherein the controller selectively engages the auxiliary heat source based on an indoor air temperature setpoint detected from the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The comfort control system of  claim 5 , wherein the temperature sensor includes a plurality of sensors having at least one sensor measuring the air temperature exiting the resistor heater providing a supply temperature and at least one sensor measuring the indoor air temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The comfort control system of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the indoor air temperature setpoint and a supply temperature setpoint are transmitted via modbus communication. 
     
     
         8 . The comfort control system of  claim 2 , wherein the heat pump is a single-speed heat pump system. 
     
     
         9 . The comfort control system of  claim 2 , wherein the heat pump is a variable speed air-source centrally ducted unitary heat pump system. 
     
     
         10 . The comfort control system of  claim 4 , wherein the solid-state relay replaces at least one current auxiliary heater element in an air source heat pump. 
     
     
         11 . A method of using a comfort control system configured to selectively increase the temperature of the air being supplied by a heat pump, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an auxiliary heat source, a temperature sensor, and a controller, the controller coupled to the temperature sensor and the auxiliary heat source;   monitoring an indoor air temperature with the temperature sensor;   determining the air temperature that is beyond a threshold from the indoor air temperature setpoint via the controller;   engaging the auxiliary heat source with the controller; and   heating air with the auxiliary heat source.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a step of monitoring a supply air temperature with the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the controller includes a solid-state relay which selectively engages the auxiliary heat source. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the controller includes a pulse width modulation controller that modulates an electrical current supplied to the auxiliary heat source via the solid-state relay.