HVAC air distribution system

Abstract

An HVAC system including a first diverter valve configured to divert, in varying amounts, an airflow entering the valve out two different outlets, in a manner that does not create a substantial increase in backpressure due to the diversion or otherwise substantially restrict the general flow of air in the HVAC system. The system further includes a first sensor assembly configured to sense a first environmental condition that includes at least one of temperature and a phenomenon indicative of the makeup of room air, a control unit, and a user interface unit, wherein the control unit is in communication with the diverter valve and the first sensor assembly.

1 . An HVAC system, comprising:
 a first diverter valve adapted to divert air entering the valve and maintain a substantially constant backpressure in front of the valve during air diversion,   a first sensor assembly adapted to sense a first environmental condition that includes at least one of temperature and a phenomenon indicative of the makeup of air;   a control unit; and   a user interface unit,   wherein the control unit is in communication with the first diverter valve and the first sensor assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first diverter valve is a Y valve including an inlet and two outlets adapted to route air entering the inlet into the outlets at varying routing ratios. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first diverter valve is adapted to receive a communication initiated by the control unit and substantially steplessly vary a routing ratio of air routed into the two outlets based on that communication. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first diverter valve includes a stepper motor adapted to move a flap to accordingly vary the routing ratio of air routed into the two outlets. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first diverter valve is adapted to output a signal indicative of at least one of the identity of the first diverter valve, a current routing ratio of the first diverter valve, and a relative position of a flap that diverts air in the first diverter valve 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first diverter valve is electrically operated and stepless. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor assembly is adapted to identify the first environmental condition at two substantially different sensed altitudes within a first room and output one or more signals indicative of data based on the identified first environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first environmental condition is air temperature, and wherein the control unit is adapted to:
 receive one or more communications indicative of the identified first environmental condition at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room; and   control the first diverter valve to varyingly route conditioned air entering the first diverter valve to a first outlet in the first room and a second outlet in the first room, the first outlet and the second outlet being at substantially different altitudes within the first room so as to control the first environmental condition at the two substantially different sensed altitudes due to the routed conditioned air.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the control unit is adapted to:
 receive one or more communications indicative of the data based on the identified first environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room; and   control the first diverter valve to varyingly route a first stream of conditioned air entering the first diverter valve to a first outlet in the first room and a second outlet in the first room, the first outlet and the second outlet being separated by substantially different altitudes within the first room so as to control the first environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room by the varyingly routed first stream of conditioned air so that at least one of (i) the first environmental condition is substantially the same at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room, and (ii) a desired gradient of the first environmental condition is substantially maintained at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first environmental condition is temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room are separated by at least 6 feet in altitude, wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are separated by at least 5 feet in altitude. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first stream of conditioned air is cooled air. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein one of the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room is near a ceiling of the first room, and wherein one of the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room is near a floor of the first room. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first diverter valve is a stepless Y valve. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically execute a setup sequence in which the control unit learns which position of the first diverter valve directs air to a higher of the first and second outlets and which position of the first diverter valve directs air to a lower of the first and second outlets, the setup sequence including:
 (i) a first period in which:
 the control unit commands the first diverter valve to direct air to only one of the first and second outlets, and 
 data is received by the control unit indicative of at least one of a first temperature difference between the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room and a first temperature change over a period of time at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room based on information obtained by the first sensor assembly, 
   (ii) a second period in which:
 the control unit commands the first diverter valve to direct air to only another, with respect to the first period, of the first and second outlets, and 
 data is received by the control unit indicative of at least one of a second temperature difference between the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room and a second temperature change over a period of time at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room based on information obtained by the first sensor assembly, and 
   (iii) a third period in which the control unit compares the received data and identifies which position of the first diverter valve directs air to the higher and lower outlets based on the comparison.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first environmental condition is temperature, and wherein the control unit is adapted to varyingly route the first stream of condition air entering the first diverter valve to the first and second outlets to maintain predetermined room temperatures at the two substantially different altitudes within the first room, the control unit including logic which is utilized to varyingly route the condition air based on real time identification of variables relating to the temperatures identified by the first sensor assembly at the two substantially different altitudes within the first room. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the HVAC system further comprises:
 a second sensor assembly adapted to identify the first environmental condition at two substantially different sensed altitudes within a second room separate from the first room and output one or more signals indicative of data based on the identified first environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the second room; and   a second diverter valve,   wherein the control unit is in communication with the second diverter valve and the second sensor assembly, and   wherein the control unit is adapted to:
 receive one or more communications indicative of the data based on the identified first environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the second room; and 
 control the second diverter valve to varyingly route a second stream of conditioned air entering the second diverter valve to a third outlet in the second room and a fourth outlet in the second room, the third outlet and the fourth outlet being separated by substantially different altitudes within the second room, so as to control the first environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the second room by the varyingly routed second stream of conditioned air from the second diverter valve so that at least one of (i) the first environmental condition is substantially the same at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the second room, and (ii) a desired gradient of the first environmental condition is substantially maintained at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the second room. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further including a third diverter valve, wherein the control unit is in communication with the third diverter valve, and wherein the control unit is adapted to:
 control the third diverter valve to varyingly route conditioned air entering the third diverter valve to the first diverter valve and the second diverter valve so as to provide sufficient conditioned air to the first and second diverter valves so that the first and second diverter valves may respectively control the first environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room and control the second environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the second room.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically execute a setup sequence in which:
 the control unit autonomously learns which position of the first diverter valve directs air to a higher of the first and second outlets and which position of the first diverter valve directs air to a lower of the first and second outlets,   the control unit autonomously learns which position of the second diverter valve directs air to a higher of the third and fourth outlets and which position of the second diverter valve directs air to a lower of the third and fourth outlets, and   the control unit autonomously learns which position of the third diverter valve directs air to the first diverter valve and which position of the third diverter valve directs air to the second diverter valve.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the setup sequence includes:
 (i) a first period in which:
 the control unit commands the third diverter valve to direct air to only one of the first and second diverter valves and then only to the other of the first and second diverter valves, 
 the control unit cycles positions of the first and second diverter valves to alternately direct air, respectively, to only the first and third outlets and then to only the second and fourth outlets, 
 data is received indicative of one or more first temperature changes sensed by the first sensor assembly and one or more second temperature change sensed by the second sensor assembly, and 
 the control unit compares the data respectively indicative of the one or more first temperature changes and the one or more second temperature changes and identifies which positions of the third diverter valve directs air to the first and second diverter valves and which positions of the first and second diverter valves directs air to the respective higher and lower outlets based on the comparison. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically execute a setup sequence in which:
 the control unit autonomously learns which position of the first diverter valve directs air to a higher of the first and second outlets and which position of the first diverter valve directs air to a lower of the first and second outlets.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first diverter valve is adapted to change a routing ratio in about 10% increments. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first diverter valve is adapted to change a routing ratio in about 5% increments. 
     
     
         24 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the diverter valve includes a processor adapted to control a position of a flap within the diverter valve to divert an air stream flowing into a room so that a specified room temperature at two substantially different altitudes within the room may be obtained. 
     
     
         25 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the diverter valve is an intelligent diverter valve that is adapted to receive a signal indicative of a desired routing ratio of the valve and control a position of a flap within the intelligent diverter valve so that the desired routing ratio is achieved. 
     
     
         26 . A method of delivering conditioned air in an HVAC system, comprising:
 cooling or heating air;   automatically directing the cooled or heated air into a first diverter valve;   automatically routing, at a first routing ratio, the directed cooled or heated air to a first outlet near a ceiling in a first room a second outlet near a floor in the first room,   automatically sensing an environmental condition that includes at least one of temperature and a phenomenon indicative of the makeup of air within the first room; and   automatically routing, at a second routing ratio, the directed cooled or heated air to the first outlet and the second outlet, wherein a backpressure upstream of the location where the directed cooled or heated air is rerouted is substantially the same while routing at the second routing ratio and the first routing ratio.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein, the second routing ratio is substantially different from the first routing ratio. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 sensing the environmental condition within the first room at two substantially different sensed altitudes within the room, wherein the environmental condition is air temperature;   analyzing the sensed environmental condition and determining that a temperature gradient exists between the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the room;   identifying a value of a control routing ratio to be used as the second routing ratio that will, within a desired period of time, substantially eliminate the temperature gradient between the two substantially different sensed altitudes; and   using the control routing ratio as the second routing ratio.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 (i) sensing the environmental condition within the first room at two substantially different sensed altitudes within the room, wherein the first environmental condition is air temperature;   (ii) analyzing the sensed environmental condition and determining that a temperature gradient exists between the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the room;   (iii) identifying a value of a control routing ratio to be used as the second routing ratio that will substantially eliminate the temperature gradient between the two substantially different sensed altitudes;   (iv) using the control routing ratio as the second routing ratio;   (v) identifying a period of time at which the temperature gradient between the two substantially different sensed altitudes will be eliminated; and   (vi) repeating actions i-iv at constant and/or varying intervals at least until the temperature gradient between the two substantially different sensed altitudes is eliminated.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein a first diverter valve is utilized to automatically route, at the first and second routing ratios, the directed cooled or heated air to the first outlet and the second outlet, the method further comprising automatically executing a setup sequence which includes:
 automatically placing a flap of the first diverter valve so that the first diverter valve directs air only to the first outlet and identifying this position as a first flap position;   automatically periodically sensing the first environmental condition at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room while the flap is at the first flap position;   automatically executing a first analysis of the sensed first environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room while the flap is positioned at the first flap position and correlating the first analysis to the first flap position; and   determining which position of the flap directs air to the first outlet and which position of the flap directs air to the second outlet based at least on the first analysis.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the setup sequence further includes:
 automatically placing the flap of the first diverter valve so that the first diverter valve directs air only to the second outlet and identifying this position as a second flap position;   automatically periodically sensing the first environmental condition at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room while the flap is at the second flap position;   automatically executing a second analysis of the sensed first environmental conditions at the two substantially different sensed altitudes within the first room while the flap is at the second flap position and correlating the second analysis to the second flap position; and   determining which position of the flap directs air to the first outlet and which position of the flap directs air to the second outlet based on the first and second analysis.   
     
     
         32 . An HVAC system, comprising:
 at least one diverter valve adapted to variously route air through two different outlets, at least a first routing ratio and a second routing ratio that is substantially different than the first routing ratio, in a manner such that backpressure at an inlet of the valve is substantially the same while routing at the second routing ratio and the first routing ratio; and   a program product for controlling room temperature air at substantially two different altitudes comprising machine-readable program code for causing, when executed, a machine to perform the following method actions:
 automatically routing, at the first routing ratio, air to the first outlet and the second outlet, 
 automatically analyzing a received signal indicative of a first environmental condition, at substantially different altitudes within a room, that includes at least one of temperature and a phenomenon indicative of the makeup of air within the first room; 
 identifying a control routing ratio based on the analyzed received signal; 
 setting the second routing ratio to be the control routing ratio; and 
 automatically routing, at a second routing ratio, the directed air to the first outlet and the second outlet.