Honeywell International Inc.

Scott McMillan

Cory Lee Grabinger

Adrienne Thomle

Greg T Mrozek

Daniel Waseen

Torrey William McNallan

Paul C Wacker

Todd D Kreft

Christopher M Lange

Nathan Carlson

Ivo Chromy

Milan Kostelecky

Robert Sibilski

David Cermak

William S Theunissen

Methods and systems for automatically calibrating one or more damper positions of a demand control ventilation system are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a demand control ventilation system includes a damper for controlling a flow of outside air into a building. A controller may be programmed to automatically execute a calibration algorithm from time to time to calibrate one or more calibration damper positions such that a predetermined flow of outside air is drawn through the damper and into the building at each of the one or more calibration damper positions. This calibration can, in some instances, help increase the efficiency and/or utility of the demand control ventilation system.

Automatic calibration of a demand control ventilation system

A system incorporating an actuator connected to a polarity-insensitive two-wire communications bus. The actuator may have an electromechanical mover, a processor connected to the electromechanical mover, and a potentiometer, having a number of address settings, connected to the processor. A setting of the number of settings of the potentiometer may be a selection of an address for the actuator on the communications bus. There may be additional actuators and a controller connected to the communications bus. Each actuator may have an address which is different from an address of the other actuators connected to the communications bus. If an actuator is substituted with a replacement actuator, then a setting of a plurality of settings on a potentiometer of the replacement actuator may be selected to obtain an address that is the same as the address of the actuator which is substituted.

Actuator having an address selector

A system incorporating an actuator. The actuator may have a motor unit with motor controller connected to it. A processor may be connected to the motor controller. A coupling for a shaft connection may be attached to an output of the motor unit. The processor may incorporate a diagnostics program. The processor may be connected to a polarity-insensitive two-wire communications bus. Diagnostic results of the diagnostics program may be communicated from the processor over the communications bus to a system controller. If the diagnostic results communicated from the processor over the communications bus to the system controller indicate an insufficiency of the actuator, then an alarm identifying the insufficiency may be communicated over the communications bus to the system controller.

Actuator with diagnostics

Methods and systems for remotely monitoring and/or controlling a demand control ventilation system are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a demand control ventilation device having a damper and a controller are provided. The damper may have a range of damper positions for controlling a flow of outside air into the building. The controller controls the damper positions such that a desired flow of outside air is drawn through the damper and into the building. A remote monitoring device may also be provided. The remote monitoring device may be located remotely from the demand control ventilation device, but in communication with or part of the controller. In some instances, the remote monitoring device may have a user interface for remotely monitoring and/or controlling at least certain aspects of the demand control ventilation system from the remote location.

Demand control ventilation system with remote monitoring

An actuator system having an actuator with an auxiliary switch. Make and break connection positions of the auxiliary switch relative to a rotative position of an output shaft coupling may be adjusted electronically according to an adjustment signal. The adjustment signal may be conveyed to the actuator from a computer or controller via a two-wire polarity insensitive bus. The adjustment signal may instead be provided an auxiliary potentiometer.

Actuator having an adjustable auxiliary output

Methods for controlling an economizer of an HVAC system are disclosed. An illustrative control method may include positioning one or more controllable dampers in first and second configurations such that a mixed air stream has first and second mixing ratios of incoming outside air to return air. First and second measures related to the temperature of the mixed air stream may be recorded when the dampers are in each of the first and second configurations. Based on the recorded first and second measures, it may be determined whether and/or how much of the incoming outside air to admit into the economizer via the one or more controllable dampers during subsequent operation of the HVAC system.

Economizer control

The present disclosure provides a method for controlling an economizer of an HVAC system. The economizer has an outside air stream of incoming outside air, a return air stream of return air, and a mixed air stream of mixed incoming outside air and return air that is provided to the cooling unit of the HVAC system. The economizer also includes one or more controllable dampers for controlling a mixing ratio of incoming outside air to return air in the mixed air stream. The control method includes positioning the one or more controllable dampers in first and second configurations such that the mixed air stream has first and second mixing ratios of incoming outside air to return air in the mixed air stream. The method also includes recording first and second measures related to the temperature of the mixed air stream when the dampers are in each of the first and second configurations. First and second measures related to other parameters of the mixed air stream may be recorded as well. Based on the recorded first and second measures related to the temperature of the mixed air stream and possibly other recorded measures related to mixed air stream parameters, the method determines whether and/or how much of the incoming outside air to admit into the economizer via the one or more controllable dampers during subsequent operation of the HVAC system.

Methods and systems are disclosed for controlling the operation of a component according to the position of an actuated part of an actuator. In one illustrative embodiment, a position sensor is used to sense the current position of the actuated part. The position sensor may provide a position signal to a controller, wherein the controller may use the position signal to control the on/off position of one or more electrical switches that can control the operation of the component.

Actuator position switch

A method and system are disclosed for adjusting the torque of a motor for a HVAC actuator based upon one or more operating conditions of the HVAC actuator. One illustrative HVAC actuator includes an actuated part, a motor for providing a torque to move the actuated part, a detector for detecting an operating condition in or around the HVAC actuator, and a controller for adjusting the torque in accordance with the detected operating condition.

HVAC actuator having torque compensation

Methods for operating an actuator including providing a position sensor and using the position sensor to provide end-stop functionality for the actuator. The actuator may have a motor controlled by control circuitry, with the control circuitry reading a variable from a position sensor to determine when the motor should be deactivated due to an associated actuated part reaching a motion limit. Also, actuators including a position sensor, a motor, and control circuitry. The control circuitry may take an output from the position sensor and use the position sensor output to determine when to shut off the electric motor due to its encountering a motion limit, providing end stop functionality with reduced complexity and wear. Further embodiments include HVAC dampers and valves for use in controlling gas, steam, water, or other liquid or fluid flow.

Actuator with feedback for end stop positioning

Methods and devices for brushless DC motor operation. An example method may include using previously sensed Hall effect sensor transitions to predict a future Hall effect transition, and dividing a time between a most recent Hall effect sensor transition and the predicted Hall effect sensor transition into time increments. The time increments may be used to effect phase advance by selecting a number of time increments to create a time offset for phase advance purposes. The time increments may also be used as a virtual encoder. Devices incorporating controllers and control circuitry for performing like methods are also discussed.

Method of operating a brushless DC motor

Systems and methods for providing a current control loop for an actuator. A typical system includes a current command controller setting a command current, the current command controller being coupled to a drive circuit used to drive the actuator and a sampling module sampling a motor current of the actuator. The system also includes a summation module calculating a current error based on the motor current, the current error being calculated by subtracting the motor current from the command current. The current error is used to compensate for an error in the motor current of the actuator. The sampling module can include a switch and a capacitor coupled in parallel with the resistor when the switch is on, a charge on the capacitor being proportional to the voltage drop across the resistor. Methods for setting a maximum control current and for providing the current control loop are also illustrated.

Current control loop for actuator and method

A damper unit for an air circulation system. The damper unit includes a frame defining an air flow opening, a damper vane for opening and closing the air flow opening, and a stepper motor for turning the damper vane between the open and closed positions. The stepper motor is directly coupled to the damper vane to move the vane between the open and closed positions. A shaft of the stepper motor extends through a frame of the damper unit and is coupled to the damper vane by a hub. A controller is coupled to the stepper motor to control the stepper motor.

Damper including a stepper motor

An actuator including an electric motor driven by a drive circuit powered by a power source, and a load coupled to the electric motor. The actuator further includes a spring biasing the load to a first position, and a microcontroller coupled to the electric motor to commutate the electric motor. Upon failure of the power source, the spring returns the damper to the first position, and, as the spring returns the load to the first position, the electric motor is spun to generate electricity that is used to power the microcontroller. The microcontroller can govern a speed at which the spring returns the load to the first position. In addition, a potentiometer can be used to indicate when the load approaches the first position so that the microcontroller can slow the speed of return prior to the load reaching the first position.

Growing community of inventors

Golden Valley, MN, United States of America

Scott McMillan