Zone control of space conditioning system with varied uses

Abstract

A space conditioning system for a building including production and occupied spaces provides precise control of exhaust and space conditioning equipment by taking into account multiple conditions and by using predictive control. The control method and system are illustrated by a commercial kitchen ventilation application.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for controlling a commercial kitchen exhaust flow rate, comprising the steps of:
 receiving occupancy data indicating an instantaneous occupancy rate of a kitchen;   controlling an exhaust rate of an exhaust hood such that a rate of exhaust flow is sufficient to permit only a first amount of escape of effluent from an exhaust stream in response to a first occupancy rate indicated by said data;   controlling said exhaust rate such that said exhaust flow is sufficient to permit only a second amount of escape of effluent from an exhaust stream in response to a second occupancy rate indicated by said data.   
     
     
       2. A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said second amount is higher than said first amount when said second occupancy rate is higher than said first occupancy rate and vice versa. 
     
     
       3. A method for controlling a commercial kitchen exhaust flow rate, comprising:
 receiving data indicating the a physical activity level of human occupants in a kitchen, which activity stirs up transient air velocities near an exhaust hood in the kitchen; and  
 controlling an exhaust rate of an the exhaust hood in the kitchen responsively to said data such that a fume load is captured by the exhaust hood without escape of effluent therefrom despite said transient air velocities. 
 
     
     
       4. A method as in  claim 3 , wherein said controlling includes increasing an the exhaust flow rate when said data indicates a high physical activity level of the human occupants. 
     
     
       5. A method as in  claim 3 , wherein the data includes a video stream. 
     
     
       6. A method as in  claim 3 , wherein the data includes output from an optical sensor. 
     
     
       7. A method as in  claim 3 , wherein the commercial kitchen includes a source of transfer air to make up a quantity of air exhausted as a result of the controlling. 
     
     
       8. A method as in  claim 7 , wherein the source of transfer air is a dining room. 
     
     
       9. A method as in  claim 3 , further comprising transferring air from a dining space to make up at least a part of an exhaust flow resulting from the controlling.