Filtered Fresh Air Ventilation for Grid-Aware HVAC Gas Flushing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HVAC systems are energy-inefficient and allow harmful environmental elements to circulate within buildings, while whole house fans require open windows and lack integration with CO/Refrigerant gas detectors to automatically flush structures with filtered air.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-controlled, grid-optimizing filtered fresh air ventilation system that uses existing or new ducting to bring in outdoor fresh air, integrates with HVAC systems to seal off CO/Refrigerant gas detectors, and automatically powers off HVAC equipment to flush structures with filtered air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional air conditioning systems are used to cool and ventilate buildings, then the structure reaches a set point temperature, but energy consumption is high and harmful environmental elements remain within the building
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between air conditioning mode and whole house fan mode based on real-time temperature conditions. When outside temperature is lower than inside temperature, the system activates the whole house fan to draw cooler outside air through the structure, replacing the need for air conditioning compression and refrigeration cycles
Solution Approach 2:
The HVAC system is enhanced with multi-functionality by integrating both air conditioning capabilities and whole house fan ventilation capabilities into a single system, allowing it to perform both temperature control and fresh air ventilation functions, eliminating the need for separate systems
2Use of energy by moving object
If whole house fans are used to force air through the structure, then energy consumption is reduced, but open windows or doors are required allowing dust and pollutants to enter
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary component - the whole house fan - that mediates between the outside environment and the building interior. The fan forces air through controlled pathways (intake vents and exhaust points) rather than requiring open windows, filtering and directing airflow to avoid direct pollutant entry while maintaining ventilation effectiveness
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If CO/Refrigerant gas detectors are installed to detect poisonous gas, then gas detection capability is provided, but automatic shutdown and flushing functionality is not available
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback loop where the CO/refrigerant gas detector continuously monitors air quality and provides real-time data to the control system. When harmful gases are detected above threshold levels, the control system automatically triggers the whole house fan to flush the structure and shuts down the air conditioning system, creating a closed-loop safety response
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-service safety functionality by automatically detecting gas leaks and initiating corrective actions (flushing with fresh air and shutting down HVAC equipment) without requiring manual intervention, making the safety response as automated as the detection itself
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides energy-efficient, automated ventilation that eliminates the need for open doors or windows, ensures indoor safety by flushing out harmful gases, and optimizes energy use with smart grid integration.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporative cooler coupled to the fresh air intake
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for providing a cloud controlled, grid optimizing selective alternative filtered fresh air source using existing or new ducting is disclosed. An example embodiment includes: a central ventilation green cooling system comprising: a selective fan or vent cooling system installed in a structure, the selective fan or vent cooling system including a first controller; a selective filtered fresh air sourcing system installed in the structure, the selective filtered fresh air sourcing system including a second controller; a mobile software application in wireless data communications with the first and second controllers, the mobile application also in data communications with a plurality of internet-connected data sources via an internet cloud interface, the internet-connected data sources including power grid monitoring sites, solar array sites, weather data sites, the mobile software application configured to control the selective fan or vent cooling system and the selective filtered fresh air sourcing system based on power grid loading information and solar array generation capacity information obtained from the internet-connected data sources.