Fan reverse maintenance mode of a climate management system

Abstract

A climate management system includes a conditioning unit having a reversible fan and an enclosure. The enclosure separates an inner space of the enclosure from an external environment while allowing air flow therethrough. The reversible fan is configured to be turned by a fan motor in a first circumferential direction to pull air from the external environment into the inner space of the enclosure. The climate management system includes a monitoring system configured to monitor operational characteristics of the climate management system, and to communicate data feedback corresponding to the operational characteristics. The climate management system includes a controller configured to instruct, based on analysis of the data feedback, the fan motor to turn in a second circumferential direction opposite to the first circumferential direction to push air from the inner space into the external environment.

1 . A climate management system, comprising:
 a conditioning unit;   a reversible fan of the conditioning unit;   an enclosure of the conditioning unit separating an inner space of the enclosure from an external environment while allowing air flow therethrough, wherein the reversible fan comprises fan blades configured to be turned by a fan motor in a first circumferential direction so as to pull air from the external environment into the inner space of the enclosure;   a monitoring system configured to monitor operational characteristics of the climate management system, and to communicate data feedback corresponding to the operational characteristics; and   a controller configured to receive the data feedback from the monitoring system, and to instruct, based on analysis of the data feedback, the fan motor to turn the fan blades of the reversible fan in a second circumferential direction opposite to the first circumferential direction so as to push air from the inner space into the external environment.   
     
     
         2 . The climate management system of  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises an air intake opening and a grille disposed in the air intake opening, and wherein the grille is configured to permit the air flow to travel through the air intake opening. 
     
     
         3 . The climate management system of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioning unit comprises a stationary outdoor unit. 
     
     
         4 . The climate management system of  claim 3 , wherein the stationary outdoor unit comprises a condenser coil disposed in the inner space, and wherein the condenser coil is configured to receive a refrigerant. 
     
     
         5 . The climate management system of  claim 4 , wherein the stationary outdoor unit comprises a compressor disposed upstream from the condenser coil, wherein the compressor is configured to compress the refrigerant prior to the condenser coil receiving the refrigerant. 
     
     
         6 . The climate management system of  claim 4 , comprising a stationary indoor unit configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser coil of the stationary outdoor unit. 
     
     
         7 . The climate management system of  claim 6 , wherein the stationary indoor unit comprises an expansion device and an evaporator coil, wherein the expansion device is configured to receive the refrigerant from the condenser coil of the stationary outdoor unit and to expand the refrigerant, and wherein the evaporator coil is configured to receive the refrigerant from the expansion device. 
     
     
         8 . The climate management system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring system comprises an air sensor configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a pressure drop across or adjacent to an air intake opening of the enclosure. 
     
     
         9 . The climate management system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring system comprises an air demand device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to an upcoming or current operating air demand from the climate management system. 
     
     
         10 . The climate management system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring system comprises a schedule monitoring device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a timed maintenance interval of the conditioning unit. 
     
     
         11 . The climate management system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 an air sensor configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a pressure drop across or adjacent to an air intake opening of the enclosure; and   an air demand device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to an upcoming or current operating air demand from the climate management system.   
     
     
         12 . The climate management system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 an air sensor configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a pressure drop across or adjacent to an air intake opening of the enclosure; and   a schedule monitoring device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a timed maintenance interval of the conditioning unit.   
     
     
         13 . The climate management system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 an air demand device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to an upcoming or current operating air demand from the climate management system; and   a schedule monitoring device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a timed maintenance interval of the conditioning unit.   
     
     
         14 . The climate management system of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 an air sensor configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a pressure drop across or adjacent to an air intake opening of the enclosure;   an air demand device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to an upcoming or current operating air demand from the climate management system; and   a schedule monitoring device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a timed maintenance interval of the conditioning unit.   
     
     
         15 . A control system of a climate management system, the control system comprising:
 a monitoring system configured to monitor operational characteristics of the climate management system, and to communicate data feedback corresponding to the operational characteristics; and   a controller configured to receive the data feedback from the monitoring system, and to instruct, based on analysis of the data feedback, a fan motor to turn fan blades of a reversible fan of a conditioning unit of the climate management system in a circumferential maintenance direction opposite to a circumferential operating direction so as to push air from an inner space within an enclosure of the conditioning unit into an external environment surrounding the enclosure.   
     
     
         16 . The control system of  claim 15 , wherein the monitoring system comprises an air sensor configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a pressure drop across or adjacent to an air intake opening of the enclosure. 
     
     
         17 . The control system of  claim 15 , wherein the monitoring system comprises an air demand device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to an upcoming or current operating air demand from the climate management system. 
     
     
         18 . The control system of  claim 15 , wherein the monitoring system comprises a schedule monitoring device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a timed maintenance interval. 
     
     
         19 . The control system of  claim 15 , wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 an air sensor configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a pressure drop across an air intake opening of the enclosure; and   an air demand device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to an upcoming or current operating air demand from the climate management system.   
     
     
         20 . The control system of  claim 15 , wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 an air sensor configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a pressure drop across or adjacent to an air intake opening of the enclosure; and   a schedule monitoring device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a timed maintenance interval of the conditioning unit.   
     
     
         21 . The control system of  claim 15 , wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 an air demand device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to an upcoming or current operating air demand from the climate management system; and   a schedule monitoring device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a timed maintenance interval of the conditioning unit.   
     
     
         22 . The control system of  claim 15 , wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 an air sensor configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a pressure drop across or adjacent to an air intake opening of the enclosure;   an air demand device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to an upcoming or current operating air demand from the climate management system; and   a schedule monitoring device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the climate management system relating to a timed maintenance interval of the conditioning unit.   
     
     
         23 . A stationary outdoor unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the stationary outdoor unit comprising:
 a reversible fan having fan blades configured to be turned by a fan motor in a circumferential operating direction and in a circumferential maintenance direction opposite to the circumferential operating direction;   an enclosure separating an inner space of the enclosure from an external environment while allowing air flow therethrough;   a monitoring system configured to monitor operational characteristics of the HVAC system, and to communicate data feedback corresponding to the operational characteristics; and   a controller configured to receive the data feedback from the monitoring system, and to instruct, based on an analysis of the data feedback, the fan motor to turn the fan blades of the reversible fan in the circumferential maintenance direction so as to push air from the inner space into the external environment.   
     
     
         24 . The stationary outdoor unit of  claim 23 , wherein the enclosure comprises an air intake opening and a grille disposed in the air intake opening, and wherein the grille is configured to permit the air flow to travel through the air intake opening. 
     
     
         25 . The stationary outdoor unit of  claim 23 , wherein monitoring system comprises an air sensor configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the HVAC system relating to a pressure drop across or adjacent to an air intake opening of the enclosure. 
     
     
         26 . The stationary outdoor unit of  claim 23 , wherein the monitoring system comprises an air demand device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the HVAC system relating to an upcoming or current operating air demand from the HVAC system. 
     
     
         27 . The stationary outdoor unit of  claim 23 , wherein the monitoring system comprises a schedule monitoring device configured to monitor the operational characteristics of the HVAC system relating to a timed maintenance interval.