Methods and systems for managing air quality and energy use in air-conditioning systems

Abstract

Methods and systems for a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system for an enclosed environment may be configured to at least one of heat and cool air and include an air circulation system configured to circulate air at least within the enclosed environment. The air within the enclosed environment may comprise at least the indoor air. The system may further include an outdoor air inlet for introducing at least a portion of outdoor air into the enclosed environment, where the outdoor air comprises air from outside the enclosed environment. The system may further include a scrubbing system having an adsorbent material to reduce presence of at least one gas contaminant in the indoor air. A controller system may be included for controlling the operation of at least one of the circulation system and the scrubbing system.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . An HVAC system comprising:
 a scrubbing system including an adsorbent material to reduce presence of at least one gas contaminant in an indoor air of an enclosed environment; and   a controller system configured for controlling an operation of the scrubbing system according to an operative mode selected based on a level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system and a level of the at least one gas contaminant in air exiting the scrubbing system, the operative mode including at least:
 a scrubbing mode configured to cause scrubbing of the at least one gas contaminant from the indoor air; and 
 a regeneration mode configured to cause regeneration of the adsorbent material. 
   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the operative mode further includes a scrubbing bypass mode configured to cause a circulating air to bypass the scrubbing system and/or the scrubbing system to be turned off. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the operative mode further includes an economizer mode configured to allow introduction of an outdoor air into the enclosed environment to lower an amount of a circulating air required to be scrubbed to reduce the presence of the at least one gas contaminant in the indoor air. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 41 , further comprising at least one sensor and/or at least one input for receiving information for determining the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system and/or the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air exiting the scrubbing system. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein a level of the at least one gas contaminant in the adsorbent material is determined based on the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system and the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air exiting the scrubbing system. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the scrubbing bypass mode is activated when the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system fails to exceed the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 41 , further comprising an air circulation system configured to circulate the indoor air within the enclosed environment. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 41 , further comprising a fan-coil unit configured for arrangement adjacent to or within the enclosed environment and to at least one of heat and cool the indoor air. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein airflow from the enclosed environment to the fan-coil unit or from the fan-coil unit to the enclosed environment is ductless. 
     
     
         50 . A method of operating an HVAC system, comprising:
 reducing, using an adsorbent material, presence of at least one gas contaminant in an indoor air of an enclosed environment, a scrubbing system of the HVAC system including the adsorbent material;   selecting an operative mode for the scrubbing system based on a level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system and a level of the at least one gas contaminant in air exiting the scrubbing system; and   controlling the operation of the scrubbing system according to the selected operative mode, the operative mode including at least:
 scrubbing mode configured to cause scrubbing of the at least one gas contaminant from the indoor air; and 
 a regeneration mode configured to cause regeneration of the adsorbent material. 
   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the operative mode further includes a scrubbing bypass mode configured to cause a circulating air to bypass the scrubbing system and/or the scrubbing system to be turned off. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the operative mode further includes an economizer mode configured to allow introduction of an outdoor air into the enclosed environment to lower an amount of a circulating air required to be scrubbed to reduce the presence of the at least one gas contaminant in the indoor air. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising receiving, from at least one sensor and/or at least one input, information for determining the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system and/or the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air exiting the scrubbing system. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising determining a level of the at least one gas contaminant in the adsorbent material based on the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system and the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air exiting the scrubbing system. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising activating the scrubbing bypass mode when the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system fails to exceed the level of the at least one gas contaminant in air entering the scrubbing system. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising circulating, via an air circulation system, the indoor air within the enclosed environment. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 50 , further comprising at least one of heating and cooling the indoor air using a fan-coil unit configured for arrangement adjacent to or within the enclosed environment. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein airflow from the enclosed environment to the fan-coil unit or from the fan-coil unit to the enclosed environment is ductless.