Hvac system damper

Abstract

A damper for determining and regulating amount of airflow admitted into a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) duct of a building from the ambient includes a variable position gate. The gate is configured to generate a continuous access opening into the duct from the ambient. The damper also includes a mechanism configured to select a position for the gate between and inclusive of fully opened and fully closed and a first sensor configured to sense a velocity of the airflow admitted into the duct. The selected position of the gate determines an area of the continuous access opening and regulates the amount of airflow admitted into the duct. Additionally, when the continuous access opening is not fully closed, the airflow admitted into the duct by the gate is substantially uniform. An HVAC system employing the damper and a method for controlling a temperature inside the building are also disclosed.

1 . A damper for determining and regulating amount of airflow admitted into a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) duct of a building from the ambient, the damper comprising:
 a variable position gate configured to generate a continuous access opening into the duct from the ambient;   a mechanism configured to select a position for the gate between and inclusive of fully opened and fully closed; and   a first sensor positioned relative to the continuous access opening and configured to sense a velocity of the airflow admitted into the HVAC duct;   wherein:
 the selected position of the gate is indicative of an area of the continuous access opening and determines the amount of airflow admitted into the duct; and 
 when the continuous access opening is not fully closed, the airflow admitted into the duct by the gate is substantially uniform. 
   
     
     
         2 . The damper according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor configured to sense a position of the gate and a controller configured to regulate the mechanism in response to the sensed velocity of the airflow admitted into the HVAC duct and the sensed position of the gate to control the amount of airflow admitted into the duct. 
     
     
         3 . The damper according to  claim 1 , wherein the gate is configured as first and second opposing panels, wherein each panel is characterized by a leading edge, and wherein the area of the continuous access opening is adjusted by shifting at least one of the first and second panels via the mechanism between and inclusive of a state where the leading edges are abutted to select the fully opened position and a state where the leading edges are spread apart for a predetermined maximum distance to select the fully closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The damper according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one of the first and second panels is configured from a plurality of segments. 
     
     
         5 . The damper according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one of the first and second panels is characterized by a flexible structure. 
     
     
         6 . The damper according to  claim 3 , wherein the mechanism includes a motor operatively connected to a gear drive, and wherein the gear drive is configured to shift the at least one of the first and second panels. 
     
     
         7 . The damper according to  claim 3 , wherein the first panel is configured to be shifted via the mechanism and guided by a track, and wherein the second panel is stationary. 
     
     
         8 . The damper according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second panels is configured to be shifted via the mechanism and guided by a track. 
     
     
         9 . The damper according to  claim 8 , wherein the area of the continuous access opening is adjusted by shifting each of the first and second panels via the mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for controlling a temperature inside a building, the system comprising:
 a duct configured to channel an airflow into the building;   a heating unit and a cooling unit configured to adjust a temperature of the airflow channeled into the building, each positioned inside the duct;   a fan positioned inside the duct downstream of the heating and cooling units and configured to force the airflow through the duct;   a damper positioned relative to the duct upstream of the heating and cooling units and configured to regulate amount of the airflow admitted into the duct from the ambient, the damper comprising:
 a variable position gate configured to generate a continuous access opening into the duct from the ambient; 
 a mechanism configured to select a position for the gate between and inclusive of fully opened and fully closed; 
 a first sensor positioned relative to the continuous access opening and configured to sense a velocity of the airflow admitted into the duct; and 
 a second sensor configured to sense a position of the gate; and 
   a controller configured to regulate the heating unit and the cooling unit, the fan, and the mechanism to control the temperature inside the building in response to the sensed velocity of the airflow admitted into the duct and the sensed position of the gate;
 wherein:
 the selected position of the gate is indicative of an area of the continuous access opening and determines the amount of airflow admitted into the duct; and 
 when the continuous access opening is not fully closed, the airflow admitted into the duct by the gate is substantially uniform. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The HVAC system according to  claim 10 , wherein the gate is configured as first and second opposing panels, wherein each panel is characterized by a leading edge, and wherein the area of the continuous access opening is adjusted by shifting at least one of the first and second panels via the mechanism between and inclusive of a state where the leading edges are abutted to select the fully opened position and a state where the leading edges are spread apart for a predetermined maximum distance to select the fully closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The HVAC system according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the first and second panels is configured from a plurality of segments. 
     
     
         13 . The HVAC system according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the first and second panels is characterized by a flexible structure. 
     
     
         14 . The HVAC system according to  claim 11 , wherein the mechanism includes a motor operatively connected to a gear drive, and wherein the gear drive is configured to shift the at least one of the first and second panels. 
     
     
         15 . The HVAC system according to  claim 11 , wherein the first panel is configured to be shifted via the mechanism and guided by a track, and wherein the second panel is stationary. 
     
     
         16 . The HVAC system according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second panels is configured to be shifted via the mechanism and guided by a track. 
     
     
         17 . The HVAC system according to  claim 16 , wherein the area of the continuous access opening is adjusted by shifting each of the first and second panels via the mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The HVAC system according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller is programmed to determine a mass flow rate of the airflow admitted into the duct using the area of the continuous access opening and the velocity of the airflow to control the temperature inside the building. 
     
     
         19 . A method of controlling a temperature inside a building via a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:
 adjusting an area of a continuous access opening via a damper of the HVAC system to regulate an amount of airflow admitted from the ambient into a duct, wherein the duct is configured to channel the airflow into the building, wherein the damper includes a variable position gate configured to generate the continuous access opening into the duct from the ambient and a mechanism configured to select a position for the gate between and inclusive of fully opened and fully closed, and wherein when the continuous access opening is not fully closed, the amount of airflow regulated by the gate and admitted into the duct by the gate is substantially uniform;   sensing a velocity of the airflow admitted into the duct via a first sensor positioned relative to the continuous access opening;   sensing a position of the gate via a second sensor;   regulating the mechanism using the sensed velocity of the airflow and the sensed position of the gate to adjust the area of a continuous access opening;   adjusting, via heating and cooling units of the HVAC system, a temperature of the airflow admitted into the duct; and   regulating a fan of the HVAC system positioned inside the duct downstream of the heating and cooling units to force the airflow through the duct and channel such that the temperature inside the building is controlled.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 determining the area of the continuous access opening in response to the sensed velocity of the airflow admitted into the HVAC duct and the sensed position of the gate to control the amount of airflow admitted into the duct;   determining a mass flow rate of the airflow admitted into the duct using the area of the continuous access opening and the velocity of the airflow for controlling temperature of the airflow; and   sensing the temperature inside the building by a third sensor and communicating a signal indicative of the sensed temperature to the controller to generate a closed-loop control of temperature inside the building;   wherein each of said determining and adjusting the area of the continuous access opening via the damper, determining the mass flow rate of the airflow, adjusting temperature via the heating unit and cooling units, and regulating the fan is accomplished via the controller.