A method of controlling the ventilation of one or more room spaces and a ventilation level control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ventilation control systems in buildings, particularly those using on/off dampers and air flow regulators, are limited by providing only two ventilation control options and require continuous air flow measurement, which is prone to contamination and maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A level controller that allows manual adjustment of control signal voltage levels for supply and exhaust air dampers, enabling three or more ventilation levels without continuous air flow measurement, using a potentiometer to set voltage levels corresponding to specific air amounts, and switching between levels for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dynamic measurement sensors are used to continuously measure air flow, then ventilation control precision is improved, but maintenance requirements increase due to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the measurement function from the air flow path by using static pressure sensors located in the building automation system rather than dynamic sensors in the air flow path. This removes the sensor from the contaminated environment, eliminating contamination issues while maintaining measurement capability through pressure differential measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces static pressure sensors as intermediary measurement points that indirectly measure air flow through pressure differentials across dampers. This intermediary approach avoids direct contact with contaminated air flow while still providing accurate ventilation level information to the control system.
2Device complexity
If on/off dampers are used for ventilation control, then device complexity is reduced, but ventilation control flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static on/off damper positions to dynamic multi-level control by implementing a level controller that can select from three or more ventilation levels. The system dynamically adjusts damper positions based on occupancy and environmental conditions while maintaining relatively simple actuator mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from binary on/off states to multi-level voltage control signals (0-10V or 0-24V) that correspond to different ventilation levels. This parameter expansion allows flexible ventilation control without significantly increasing device complexity, as the same actuator hardware can handle both on/off and multi-level control.
3Measurement precision
If air flow regulators with continuous measurement are used, then ventilation control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into discrete ventilation levels (three or more predefined levels) rather than implementing continuous analog control. Each level corresponds to specific damper positions and control signals. This segmentation simplifies the control logic and reduces computational requirements while maintaining sufficient precision for demand-controlled ventilation applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses static pressure sensors and predefined level mappings to automatically determine ventilation requirements based on occupancy and environmental conditions. The level controller self-adjusts damper positions based on sensor inputs without requiring complex algorithms or continuous calculation, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining control precision.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of controlling the ventilation of a room space wherein the supply air and exhaust air dampers of one or more room spaces are adjusted in order to achieve a desired ventilation level, by taking into account any changes in the conditions and/or occupancy of the space. The voltage level of the actuator control signals of the supply air and exhaust air dampers is set by means of a level control having analogous control signals (2, 3) for three or more ventilation levels, resulting in the desired ventilation level of the room space.