System and method of operating an hvac system based on particulate matter and air filter efficiency

Abstract

A controller is configured to operate a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system based on a measurement of a detected quantity of particulate matter from an air quality sensor in relation to a threshold value.

1 . A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 an evaporator coil configured to receive an airflow and to transfer heat from the received airflow to a flow of refrigerant;   a compressor configured to receive the flow of refrigerant from the evaporator coil and to discharge the flow of refrigerant at a higher pressure;   an air quality sensor configured to detect the quantity of particulate matter within the airflow; and   a unit controller communicatively coupled to the air quality sensor, the unit controller comprising:
 a unit memory configured to store a look-up table associated with the detected quantity of particulate matter; and 
 a unit processor operably coupled to the unit memory, the unit processor configured to:
 receive a measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter from the air quality sensor; 
 determine if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter exceeds a first threshold value; and 
 if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter does exceed the first threshold value, transmit a notification indicating an action to inspect an air filter of the HVAC system. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the air filter is disposed upstream of the evaporator coil, wherein the air quality sensor is disposed between the air filter and the evaporator coil. 
     
     
         3 . The HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein the air quality sensor comprises a first air quality sensor and the HVAC system further comprises a second air quality sensor disposed upstream of the air filter and configured to detect a second quantity of particular matter within the airflow upstream of the air filter, wherein the unit processor is further configured to determine an air filter efficiency for the air filter based on the measurement of the quantity of particulate matter detected by the first air quality sensor and the measurement of the quantity of particulate matter detected by the second air quality sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The HVAC system of  claim 3 , wherein the first air quality sensor and the second air quality sensor are each configured to detect particulate matter having a size of 2.5 microns or less. 
     
     
         5 . The HVAC system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first air quality sensor is packaged in a first sensor housing and the second air quality sensor is packaged in a second sensor housing;   there is an inlet and an outlet defined in a bottom side of each of the first sensor housing and the second sensor housing;   the inlet is operable to introduce the airflow into the first sensor housing or the second sensor housing; and   the outlet is operable to discharge the airflow from the first sensor housing or the second sensor housing.   
     
     
         6 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the air quality sensor is communicatively coupled to the unit controller using Bluetooth. 
     
     
         7 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the unit processor is further configured to:
 determine if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter exceeds a second threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is less than the first threshold value; and   if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter does exceed the second threshold value, transmit a notification indicating an action to inspect an external environment for a source of the particulate matter.   
     
     
         8 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , further comprising a condensing unit configured to reject heat from the flow of refrigerant, wherein the condensing unit comprises a condenser and at least one fan. 
     
     
         9 . A method of operating a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
 operating the HVAC system in a first mode of operation, wherein operating the HVAC system in the first mode of operation comprises sending a command to actuate an evaporator coil and a compressor;   receiving a measurement of a detected quantity of particulate matter from an air quality sensor;   determining if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter exceeds a first threshold value; and   if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter does exceed the first threshold value, transmitting a notification indicating an action to inspect an air filter of the HVAC system.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the air filter is disposed upstream of the evaporator coil, wherein the air quality sensor is disposed between the air filter and the evaporator coil. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the air quality sensor is packaged in a sensor housing and there is an inlet and an outlet defined in a bottom side of the sensor housing, wherein the inlet is operable to introduce the airflow into the sensor housing, and wherein the outlet is operable to discharge the airflow from the sensor housing. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the air quality sensor comprises a first air quality sensor, and the method further comprising:
 receiving a measurement of a detected quantity of particular matter from a second air quality sensor disposed upstream of the air filter; and   determining an air filter efficiency for the air filter based on the measurement of the quantity of particulate matter detected by the first air quality sensor and the measurement of the quantity of particulate matter detected by the second air quality sensor.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter exceeds a second threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is less than the first threshold value. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter does exceed the second threshold value, maintaining the HVAC system in the first mode of operation and transmitting a notification indicating an action to inspect an external environment for a source of the particulate matter. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 operate the HVAC system in a first mode of operation, wherein operating the HVAC system in the first mode of operation comprises sending a command to actuate an evaporator coil and a compressor;   receive a measurement of a detected quantity of particulate matter from an air quality sensor;   determine if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter exceeds a first threshold value; and   if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter does exceed the first threshold value, transmit a notification indicating an action to inspect an air filter of the HVAC system.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the air filter is disposed upstream of the evaporator coil, wherein the air quality sensor is disposed between the air filter and the evaporator coil. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the air quality sensor is packaged in a sensor housing and there is an inlet and an outlet defined in a bottom side of the sensor housing, wherein the inlet is operable to introduce the airflow into the sensor housing, and wherein the outlet is operable to discharge the airflow from the sensor housing. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , the air quality sensor comprises a first air quality sensor and wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 receive a measurement of a detected quantity of particular matter from a second air quality sensor disposed upstream of the air filter; and   determine an air filter efficiency for the air filter based on the measurement of the quantity of particulate matter detected by the first air quality sensor and the measurement of the quantity of particulate matter detected by the second air quality sensor.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the air quality sensor is communicatively coupled to the processor using Bluetooth. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 determine if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter exceeds a second threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is less than the first threshold value; and   if the measurement of the detected quantity of particulate matter does exceed the second threshold value, maintain the HVAC system in the first mode of operation and transmit a notification indicating an action to inspect an external environment for a source of the particulate matter.