Air Cleaning Cluster Control for Adaptive Indoor Air Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air cleaning systems struggle to maintain effective indoor air quality in dynamically changing environments due to inefficient operation of independent air cleaning devices, which leads to over-dimensioning and inability to adapt to varying contaminant loads and device performance degradation.
Innovation Solution
A coordinated control system for air cleaning clusters that interconnects multiple air cleaning devices to share data on air quality and operational states, allowing for dynamic load balancing, efficient energy use, and proactive maintenance, using sensors and control devices to adjust the operation of each device based on real-time data and scheduled activities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple independent air cleaning devices are installed to manage indoor air quality, then air quality management capability is improved, but system coordination and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent air cleaning devices into a coordinated cluster system where devices communicate and share operational data. The control device aggregates information from all cluster members to make centralized operational decisions, transforming independent units into an integrated system that maintains air quality while adapting to changing conditions through collective intelligence.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where air quality sensors monitor environmental conditions and operational sensors track device performance. This feedback is transmitted to the control device, which adjusts the operational parameters of cluster members in real-time, enabling dynamic adaptation to both environmental changes and device degradation patterns.
2Device complexity
If air cleaning devices operate independently without coordination, then device simplicity is maintained, but energy efficiency and load balancing deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The control device serves as an intermediary between air quality sensors and cluster members, and between operational sensors and the central controller. This intermediary coordinates information flow and operational commands, enabling energy-efficient load distribution without requiring complex communication infrastructure or modifications to individual device architectures.
3Reliability
If air cleaning devices are over-dimensioned to handle peak loads, then air quality maintenance capability is improved, but energy consumption during normal operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational parameters of air cleaning devices based on real-time air quality conditions and device performance data. Instead of operating at fixed high capacity, cluster members modulate their output according to actual needs, maintaining air quality standards while minimizing energy consumption during both peak and normal operational periods.
4Device complexity
If air cleaning devices operate without coordinated control, then system complexity is reduced, but ability to adapt to device degradation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where operational sensors monitor device performance and transmit data to the control device. This feedback enables the system to detect degradation patterns and adjust operational loads across the cluster, compensating for deteriorating devices without requiring complex manual intervention or system reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method of operating an air cleaning cluster (20, 20′) comprising a plurality of air cleaning devices (10, 10.1-10.n) interconnected to each other by a volume of air (100), each air cleaning device (10, 10.1-10.n) being configured to remove contaminants from the volume of air (100), the method comprising: receiving, by control device(s) (30, 30′, 30″ 30.1-30.n) from air quality data sources, data indicative of air quality within the volume of air (100); receiving, by the control device(s) (30, 30′, 30″ 30.1-30.n), data indicative of operational state(s) of the air cleaning devices (10, 10.1-10.n); and the control device(s) (30, 30′, 30″ 30.1-30.n) controlling the air cleaning device(s) (10, 10.1-10.n) of the air cleaning cluster (20, 20′) such as to influence the indoor air quality within the volume of air (100), using the data indicative of the indoor air quality and the data indicative of an operational state of the plurality of air cleaning devices (10, 10.1-10.n).