Air treatment apparatus

Abstract

An air treatment apparatus is provided and includes a primary airflow passage, a primary air mover disposed in the primary airflow passage to move air along the primary airflow passage from an inlet to an outlet, and an air treatment device for treating air flowing along the primary airflow passage. Additionally, a secondary airflow passage extends between a first opening arranged to receive untreated air by the air treatment device and a second opening connected to the primary airflow passaged downstream of the air treatment device. One or more sensors are arranged to sense a characteristic of the air flowing along the secondary airflow passage. A controller is configured to control an airflow director between a baseline configuration, where air flows from the first opening to the one or more sensors, and a diagnostic configuration, where air flows from the second opening to the one or more sensors.

1 . An air treatment apparatus comprising:
 a primary airflow passage extending from an inlet to an outlet;   a primary air mover disposed in the primary airflow passage to move air along the primary airflow passage from the inlet to the outlet;   an air treatment device arranged to treat air flowing along the primary airflow passage;   a secondary airflow passage extending between:
 a first opening arranged to receive air that is untreated by the air treatment device; and 
 a second opening connected to the primary airflow passage downstream of the air treatment device; and 
   one or more sensors arranged to sense a characteristic of the air flowing along the secondary airflow passage;   an airflow director for directing airflow; and   a controller configured to control the airflow director between:
 a baseline configuration in which air flows from the first opening to the one or more sensors; and 
 a diagnostic configuration in which air flows from the second opening to the one or more sensors. 
   
     
     
         2 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first opening opens to the external environment. 
     
     
         3 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the air treatment apparatus is configured such that in the diagnostic configuration, air that has passed over the one or more sensors is discharged to the external environment through the first opening. 
     
     
         4 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first opening opens to the primary airflow passage upstream of the air treatment device. 
     
     
         5 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the air treatment apparatus is configured such that in the diagnostic configuration, air that has passed over the one or more sensors is discharged into the primary airflow passage through the first opening. 
     
     
         6 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising one or more additional air treatment devices, wherein the first opening is arranged to receive air treated by at least one of the one or more additional air treatment devices. 
     
     
         7 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising one or more further air treatment devices, wherein the first opening opens to the primary airflow passage upstream of the air treatment device. 
     
     
         8 . The air treatment apparatus according to any one of  claim 1 , wherein the airflow director is a secondary air mover arranged to move air along the secondary airflow passage. 
     
     
         9 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the secondary air mover is a bi-directional fan, and wherein the controller is configured to control the bi-directional fan to drive airflow in a first direction in the baseline configuration and a second direction, opposite to the first direction, in the diagnostic configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to control the flow speed of the secondary air mover relative to the primary air mover such that:
 in the diagnostic configuration, the primary air mover moves air from the primary airflow passage to the one or more sensors through the first opening; and   in the baseline configuration, the secondary air mover moves air from the second opening and across the one or more sensors to the first opening.   
     
     
         11 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to control the secondary air mover to have a first flow speed in the diagnostic configuration and a second flow speed in the baseline configuration that is different to the first flow speed. 
     
     
         12 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the secondary air mover in one of the baseline and diagnostic configurations. 
     
     
         13 . The air treatment apparatus according  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the flow speed of the secondary air mover in response to changes in the flow speed of the primary air mover. 
     
     
         14 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the airflow director comprises a valve. 
     
     
         15 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the valve is moveable to alter the orientation of the second opening. 
     
     
         16 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein in the baseline configuration, the second opening faces at least partly upstream in the primary airflow passage. 
     
     
         17 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary airflow passage comprises a narrowed portion, and wherein the second opening opens to the narrowed portion of the primary airflow passage. 
     
     
         18 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the air treatment apparatus is configured such that in the baseline configuration, air that has passed over the one or more sensors is discharged into the primary airflow passage through the second opening. 
     
     
         19 . The air treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a filter upstream of the one or more sensors in one of the baseline configuration and the diagnostic configuration.