Fan operation management

Abstract

In various implementations, an air conditioner may manage operations of fan(s) of the air conditioner. The air conditioner may determine properties of the air conditioner (e.g., ambient temperature and/or pressure of a portion of the air conditioner) and determine setting(s) for fan(s) and/or a crankcase heater based on the determined properties.

1 . An air conditioner system comprising:
 more than one compressor;   more than one fan, wherein at least one of the fans comprises one or more first fans, and wherein a first fan comprises a high setting and one or more lower settings;   a memory storing a fan management module; and   a processor adapted to execute the fan management module, wherein the fan management module is adapted to:
 receive a request for operation of an air conditioner; 
 determine a temperature proximate at least a portion of the air conditioner; and 
 determine whether the determined temperature is less than a first predetermined low ambient temperature; 
 if the determined temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature, restrict operation of at least one of the fans; and 
 if the determined temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature, allow operation of at least one of the first fans. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the one or more lower settings comprises a first low setting; and   wherein the fan management module is further adapted to:
 determine an operation of the compressors; 
 determine whether the determined temperature is less than a second predetermined low ambient temperature, wherein the second predetermined low ambient temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature; and 
 if the determined temperature is less than the second predetermined low ambient temperature and if the determined compressor operation comprises a full load operation, allow operation of at least one first fan at the first low setting. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the one or more lower settings comprises a first low setting, a second low setting that is lower than the first low setting, and a third low setting that is lower than the second low setting; and   wherein the fan management module is further adapted to:
 determine an operation of the compressors; 
 determine whether the determined temperature is less than a second predetermined low ambient temperature, wherein the second predetermined low ambient temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature; and 
 if the determined temperature is less than the second predetermined low ambient temperature and if the determined compressor operation comprises a part load operation, allow operation of at least one first fan at the third low setting. 
   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the one or more lower settings comprises a first low setting, a second low setting that is lower than the first low setting, and a third low setting that is lower than the second low setting; and   wherein the fan management module is further adapted to:
 determine an operation of the compressors; 
 determine whether the determined temperature is less than a second predetermined low ambient temperature; and 
 if the determined temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature and the determined temperature is not less than the second predetermined low ambient temperature and the determined compressor operation comprises a part load operation, allow operation of at least one first fan at the second low setting. 
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan management module is further adapted to allow operation of one of the first fans and restrict operation of the other fans. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan management module is further adapted to:
 determine an operation of the compressors; and   allow operation of at least one of the fans at the high setting if the determined compressor operation comprises a full load operation.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the one or more lower settings comprises a first low setting and a second low setting that is lower than the first low setting; and   wherein the fan management module is further adapted to:
 determine an operation of the compressors; and 
 allow operation of at least one of the fans at the second low setting if the determined compressor operation comprises a part load operation. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan management module is further adapted to:
 determine whether a compressor operation comprises a part load operation; and   allow operation of one or more crankcase heaters associated with one or more compressors in which operation is restricted, if the compressor operation comprises a part load operation.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan management module is further adapted to:
 determine whether the determined temperature is less than a second predetermined low ambient temperature, wherein the second predetermined low ambient temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature; and   allow operation of one or more crankcase heaters associated with one or more compressors of the air conditioner, if the determined temperature is less than the second predetermined low ambient temperature.   
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 determining a temperature proximate at least a portion of an air conditioner;   determining whether the determined temperature is less than a first predetermined low ambient temperature;   if the determined temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature, restricting operation of at least one fan of the air conditioner; and   if the determined temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature, allowing operation of at least one of the fans of the air conditioner.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein one or more fans of the air conditioner comprises a high setting and at least one low setting, and further comprising:
 determining whether the determined temperature is less than a second predetermined low ambient temperature; and   allowing operation of at least one of the fans at one of the low settings, if the determined temperature is less than the second predetermined low ambient temperature.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein one or more fan of the air conditioner comprises a high setting and at least one low setting, and further comprising:
 determining an operation of compressors of the air conditioner;   determining whether the determined temperature is less than a second predetermined low ambient temperature; and   allowing operation of at least one of the fans at the high setting, if the determined compressor operation comprises a full load operation, and if the determined temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature and not less than the second predetermined low ambient temperature.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein one or more of the fans of the air conditioner comprises a high setting and at least one low setting, and further comprising:
 determining an operation of compressors of the air conditioner; and   allowing operation of at least one of the fans of the air conditioner at one of the low settings if the determined compressor operation comprises a part load operation, and if the determined temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 allowing operation of one or more crankcase heaters associated with one or more of the compressors in which operation is restricted, if the determined operation of the compressors comprises a part load operation, and if the determined temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining whether the determined temperature is less than a second predetermined low ambient temperature, wherein the second predetermined low ambient temperature is less than the first predetermined low temperature; and   allowing operation of one or more crankcase heaters associated with one or more of the compressors of the air conditioner, if the determined temperature is less than the second predetermined low ambient temperature.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining an operation of compressors of the air conditioner; and   allowing operation of one or more crankcase heaters associated with one or more of the compressors in which operation is restricted, if the determined temperature is less than the first predetermined low ambient temperature and the determined operation of the compressors comprises a part load operation.   
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 determining a temperature of a portion of an air conditioner;   retrieving a predetermined low ambient temperature from a memory of a computer;   determining if the determined temperature is less than the retrieved predetermined low ambient temperature; and   if the determined temperature is less than the predetermined low ambient temperature:
 restricting operation of at least one fan of the air conditioner; and 
 allowing operation of at least one fan of the air conditioner at a setting to maintain a pressure of a portion of the air conditioner in a predetermined pressure range. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining the setting to maintain the pressure of the portion of the air conditioner based at least partially on the determined temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining the setting to maintain the pressure of the portion of the air conditioner based at least partially on at least one of the determined temperature, a number of fans included in the air conditioner, a number of modes of operation of each fan of the air conditioner, or the predetermined pressure range. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining whether an operation of compressors of the air conditioner comprises a part load operation; and   allowing operation of one or more crankcase heaters associated with compressors in which operation is restricted, if the operation of compressors comprises a part load operation and if the determined temperature is less than the retrieved predetermined low ambient temperature.