HVAC fan-powered terminal unit having preset fan CFM

Abstract

An arrangement is disclosed for controlling fan motors in fan-powered terminal units which permit the air flow of the terminal units to be factory preset and reset using a voltmeter. The fan motor is responsive to the pulse width of pulses of a pulse width modulated signal to provide an air flow which is proportional to the pulse width. By adjusting the pulse width, the air flow may be set as desired. A pulse width modulated signal having pulses with a set amplitude and frequency is generated. The dc voltage of the pulse width modulated signal is measured using a voltmeter. As the pulses have a set amplitude and frequency, the pulse width of the pulses may be adjusted by controlling the dc voltage of the pulse width modulated signal. The fan motor is programmed to deliver the set air flow over a range of static pressures.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of open loop operating a fan motor in a ventilation system to obtain a predetermined air flow rate, wherein an internal processor determines a pulse width of pulses of a pulse width modulated signal and controls said fan motor accordingly, said method comprising the steps of: 
       generating a pulse width modulated signal having pulses with a substantially constant amplitude;  
       monitoring said pulse width modulated signal using a voltmeter measuring dc voltage; and,  
       adjusting said pulse width of said pulses of said pulse width modulated signal to obtain a preselected reading on said voltmeter, said preselected reading corresponding to said predetermined air flow rate.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of adjusting said pulse width of said pulses by adjusting a dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal so that said fan motor provides a predetermined air flow is performed manually. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of adjusting said pulse width of said pulses by adjusting a dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal so that said fan motor provides a predetermined air flow is performed automatically. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of generating said pulse width modulated signal with said pulses having a set amplitude comprises the steps of: 
       generating a periodic waveform having a predetermined frequency and a varying amplitude;  
       generating a control signal having a selectable amplitude; and  
       comparing said waveform with said control signal such that said pulses are defined by the portions of said waveform which are less than or equal to said selectable amplitude of said control signal.  
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said waveform is a triangular waveform. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said step of adjusting said pulse width of said pulses by adjusting a dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal so that said fan motor provides a predetermined air flow comprises the step of controlling said selectable amplitude of said control signal. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said predetermined frequency of periodic waveform is substantially constant. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said set amplitude of said pulses is substantially constant. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fan motor provides said predetermined air flow over a range of static pressures. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step measuring said dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal using a digital voltmeter. 
     
     
       11. A method of open loop operating a fan motor in a ventilation system to obtain a predetermined air flow rate, wherein an internal processor determines a pulse width of pulses of a pulse width modulated signal and controls said fan motor accordingly, said method comprising the steps of: 
       generating a pulse width modulated signal having pulses with a substantially constant amplitude;  
       measuring a voltage of said pulse width modulated signal using a voltmeter measuring a dc voltage; and  
       adjusting said pulse width of said pulses of said pulse width modulated signal to obtain a preselected reading on said voltmeter, said preselected reading corresponding to said predetermined air flow rate.  
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said step of adjusting said pulse width of said pulses by adjusting said dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal so that said fan motor provides a predetermined air flow is performed manually. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said step of adjusting said pulse width of said pulses by adjusting said dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal so that said fan motor provides a predetermined air flow is performed automatically. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of generating a pulse width modulated signal with pulses having a set amplitude comprises the steps of: 
       generating a periodic waveform having a predetermined frequency and a varying amplitude;  
       generating a control signal having a predetermined amplitude; and  
       comparing said waveform with said control signal such that said pulses are defined by the portions of said waveform which are less than or equal to said predetermined amplitude of said control signal.  
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said waveform is a triangular waveform. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said step of adjusting said pulse width of said pulses by adjusting a dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal so that said fan motor provides a predetermined air flow comprises the step of controlling said predetermined amplitude of said control signal. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said predetermined frequency of said periodic waveform is substantially constant. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said set amplitude of said pulses is substantially constant. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said fan motor provides said predetermined air flow over a range of static pressures. 
     
     
       20. An open loop method of presetting the air flow generated by a fan motor for a ventilation system for operation within a range of static pressures, said method comprising the steps of: 
       providing a fan motor having an internal processor to determine a pulse width of pulses of a pulse width modulated signal and to control said fan motor accordingly, said pulse width corresponding to the air flow provided by said fan motor;  
       generating said pulse width modulated signal to have pulses with a substantially constant amplitude; and  
       setting the air flow provided by said fan motor by adjusting said pulse width of said pulses to obtain a preselected reading on a voltmeter measuring dc voltage, said preselected reading corresponding to the air flow, such that the air flow provided by said fan motor is set for static pressures within said range.  
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein said step of setting the air flow provided by said fan motor by adjusting said pulse width of said pulses by using a voltmeter to measure the dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal is performed prior to installation of said ventilation system. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus for circulating air in a ventilation system, said apparatus comprising: 
       a fan motor having an internal processor to determine a pulse width of pulses of a pulse width modulated signal and to control said fan motor accordingly, said fan motor providing a predetermined air flow rate corresponding to said pulse width in an open loop manner; and  
       a controller generating said pulses of said pulse width modulated signal, said pulses having a substantially constant amplitude such that said predetermined air flow rate may be obtained by monitoring said pulse width modulated signal with a voltmeter measuring dc voltage to obtain a preselected reading on said voltmeter, said preselected reading corresponding to said predetermined air flow rate.  
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said controller comprises 
       a voltage generator generating a control signal having a selected amplitude;  
       a waveform generator generating a periodic waveform having a predetermined frequency and a varying amplitude; and  
       a comparator generating said pulse width modulated signal in response to said waveform and said control signal, said pulse width of said pulses being proportional to the amplitude of said control signal.  
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said waveform comprises a triangular waveform, and wherein said comparator compares said waveform and said control signal such that pulses are defined by the portions of said waveform which are less than or equal to said selected amplitude of said control signal. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said voltage generator further comprises a voltage adjuster for selecting the amplitude of said control signal. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said voltage adjuster comprises a variable resistor. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said voltage adjuster comprises an interface to a control system programmed to automatically select the amplitude of said control signal. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said voltage adjuster comprises a variable resistor for manually selecting the amplitude of said control signal, an interface to a control system programmed to automatically select the amplitude of said control signal, and a switching device for selecting one of said variable resistor and said interface for selecting the amplitude of said control signal. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said predetermined frequency of said periodic waveform is substantially constant. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said set amplitude of said pulses is substantially constant. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said fan motor is an electrically commutated motor. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said predetermined air flow is substantially constant over a predetermined range of static pressures. 
     
     
       33. An apparatus for circulating air in a ventilation system, said apparatus comprising: 
       
         a fan motor that is responsive to a pulse width modulated signal and is capable of providing one of a plurality of air flows in response to one of a plurality of pulse widths of said pulse width modulated signal, each of said plurality of air flows corresponding to one of said pulse widths of said pulse width modulated signal; and  
       
       
         a controller for generating said pulse width modulated signal with one of said plurality of pulse widths in response to a control signal generated by selection of one of a plurality of readable control signal values, each of said plurality of pulse widths corresponding to one of said control signal values, said selection thereby setting said fan motor to provide a predetermined air flow corresponding to said control signal value in an open loop manner. 
       
     
     
       34. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein said controller comprises: 
       
         a waveform generator generating a periodic waveform having a predetermined frequency and a varying amplitude; and  
       
       
         a comparator generating said pulse width modulated signal in response to said waveform and said control signal, said pulse width of said pulses being proportional to the amplitude of said control signal. 
       
     
     
       35. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 34  wherein said control signal is generated by a manual control device. 
     
     
       36. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 34  herein said control signal is generated by an automatic control system. 
     
     
       37. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 33  wherein said controller generates said pulse width modulated signal to have a set amplitude for all pulse widths of said pulse width modulated signal so that said pulse widths of said pulse width modulated signal can be read by measuring a dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal for setting said fan motor to provide a predetermined air flow. 
     
     
       38. An apparatus for circulating air in a ventilation system, said apparatus comprising: 
       
         a fan motor responsive to a pulse width of pulses of a pulse width modulated signal to correspond an air flow provided by said fan motor to said pulse width; and  
       
       
         a controller generating said pulses of said pulse width modulated signal which are coupled to said fan motor, said controller generating a control signal for setting said pulse width of said pulses to a value corresponding to said control signal and thereby setting said fan motor to provide a predetermined air flow corresponding to said control signal in an open loop manner. 
       
     
     
       39. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein said controller comprises 
       
         a waveform generator generating a periodic waveform having a predetermined frequency and a varying amplitude; and  
       
       
         a comparator generating said pulse width modulated signal in response to said waveform and said control signal, said pulse width of said pulses being proportional to the amplitude of said control signal. 
       
     
     
       40. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 39  wherein said control signal is generated by a manual control device. 
     
     
       41. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 39  wherein said control signal is generated by a control system. 
     
     
       42. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 38  wherein said controller generates all of said pulses of said pulse width modulated signal to have a set amplitude so that said pulse width of said pulses can be determined by measuring a dc voltage of said pulse width modulated signal for setting said fan motor to provide a predetermined air flow.