SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A LOW-VOLTAGE POWER HUB

A low-voltage power hub located and powered at an indoor HVAC unit. More specifically, embodiments may include an input power tapped from an HVAC unit line-voltage AC input, and will utilize a step-down transformer to bring the voltage to 49 v or below.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Field of the Disclosure

Examples of the present disclosure are related to systems and methods for a low-voltage power hub located and powered at an indoor HVAC unit. More specifically, embodiments may include an input power tapped from an HVAC unit line-voltage AC input and will utilize a step-down transformer or ac to dc converter to bring the voltage to 49V or below

Background

Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) technology is directed toward providing thermal comfort and higher air quality within a confined space. HVAC is important in the design of industrial and residential buildings where safe and healthy building conditions are regulated concerning temperature, humidity, fire and smoke standards, and air quality. HVAC units typically filter fresh air from the outdoors and recirculate air from the confined space. Standard HVAC units require 240 v, and they must be hard wired and have a dedicated circuit. As such, most HVAC units are powered by line voltage, coupled to a circuit breaker.

Home, commercial, or office wiring typically includes electrical wiring for lighting and power distribution, permanently installed and portable appliances, telephone, heating or ventilation system control, and increasingly for home theatre and computer networks. Power and telecommunication services generally require entry points into the home and a location for connection equipment. For electric power supply, a cable is run either overhead or underground into a distribution board in the home. A distribution board, or circuit breaker panel, is typically a metal box mounted on a wall of the home. In many new homes, the location of the electrical switchboard is on the outside of the external wall of the garage.

Conventional home, commercial, and industrial settings incorporate copious amounts of wiring running from various lighting fixtures to the circuit breakers utilizing loops or junction boxes. This creates a lot of wires being run throughout a system, which can be difficult to control, manage, or prepare.

Accordingly, needs exist for systems and methods for indoor HVAC units that include a transformer to step down voltage to a level of 49 volts or below, making the voltage suitable for a variety of low-voltage applications, such that the HVAC unit may function as a hub for distributing the transformed power to various loads in a versatile and user-friendly manner ensuring the ease of integration with different electrical systems.

SUMMARY

Examples of the present disclosure are related to systems and methods for a novel and efficient solution for power management in conjunction with indoor HVAC systems (the term HVAC systems used hereinafter may refer to any high voltage appliance receiving line voltage, and may be referred to as a “high voltage appliance” or “line voltage appliance”; the term line voltage or high voltage used hereinafter may refer to single-phase or three-phase AC power systems, where voltages may include 120V, 208V, 240V, 277V, and 480V, in contrast to low voltage which includes voltages 49V or below), offering flexibility, safety, and adaptability for various electrical applications. Each of the HVAC systems or high voltage appliances may be a non-line voltage subpanel configured to control multiple loads. In embodiments, an indoor HVAC system or high-voltage appliance may include a transformer, an inverter, and a power distribution panel, wherein the indoor HVAC system is coupled to the line-voltage AC input.

In embodiments, the HVAC system or high voltage appliance may be a mini-split or multi-split, a cassette, floor standing, packaged unit, window unit, refrigerator, furnace, dryer, range, electric vehicle charger, etc. unit that is configured to receive high voltage from a breaker and/or provide environmental controls to a portion, zone, partition, etc. of a building. In other embodiments, the HVAC system may be any appliance that is configured to use a variable amount of voltage based on environmental controls and coupled to line voltage. The HVAC system may be a line voltage branch circuit running at 240V AC, which may be directly coupled to a line voltage distribution panel or coupled to an outdoor HVAC unit that is powered from the line voltage distribution panel. In embodiments, buildings may have multiple HVAC systems that are independently operated, wherein each of the HVAC systems is configured to provide environmental controls to different portions, zones, partitions, etc. within a building. For example, a first HVAC system may be configured to provide heating and cooling to a first floor of a building, and a second HVAC system may be configured to provide heating and cooling to a second floor of a building.

The transformer may be a device that is configured to receive an input voltage, such as 240V, and transform it to a different output voltage. In specific embodiments, the transformer may be configured to step down the input voltage to a level of 49 volts or below. This would make the output voltage suitable for a variety of low-voltage applications. For example, the transformer may transform the received 240 V to 24 V. In embodiments, the transformer may include over-current protections, such as a fuse.

The inverter may be configured to convert the stepped-down AC power into DC power. This may be beneficial for environments where DC power distribution is preferred, such as in systems utilizing universal DC applications.

The power distribution panel may be configured to serve as a hub for distributing the transformed and optionally inverted power to various loads. This power distribution panel may be configured to be versatile and user-friendly, ensuring ease of integration with different electrical systems. In further implementations, the power distribution panel may be configured to transmit control signals utilizing low-voltage (such as 24 v) to localized power load, and to the outdoor HVAC unit.

A localized power load may be configured to receive the transformed and optionally inverted power. In embodiments, the load may be independent of controlling heating and cooling air, such as lights, sensors, thermostats, etc. The load may be configured to be operated independently from the HVAC system, such that the load may be turned off and/or on while the HVAC system is running.

In further embodiments, the load may include an occupancy sensor. The occupancy sensor may be configured to determine if a person is occupying the zone. Responsive to the occupancy sensor determining a person in the zone, the power distribution panel may transmit 24 V to initialize the HVAC system and/or transmit 24 V to the localized power load to turn on lights, fans, etc. Responsive to the occupancy sensor determines that a person is no longer in the zone, the power distribution panel may transmit 24 V to the HVAC system to turn off and/or transmit 24 V to the localized power load to turn off lights, fans, etc.

By utilizing a single line voltage running to the HVAC system, and then smaller low voltage wiring being routed from the HVAC system, less wiring may be required. Specifically, fewer line voltage connections may be utilized within a building. This would lead to not requiring electricians for lighting because all of the lighting is run through low-voltage wiring. Furthermore, routing the low-voltage wiring, and the local HVAC system would allow for more localized control and maintenance.

In embodiments, the light sources may be positioned on ductwork associated with the local HVAC system. The light sources may be wrapped around the ductwork to provide lighting around an entire circumference of the ducts. The lighting may be positioned in parallel circumferential loops, or the lighting may be a spiral. In specific embodiments, the ducts may include a grooved spiral, wherein the lighting is embedded within the grooved spiral, which may provide uniform lighting around the duct. To this end, the amount of conduit within a building can be greatly reduced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are outlined to provide a thorough understanding of the present embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art that the specific detail need not be employed to practice the present embodiments. In other instances, well-known materials or methods have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the present embodiments.

Turning now to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 depicts a novel and efficient solution for power management system 100 in conjunction with indoor HVAC systems 120, 130, 140 offering flexibility, safety, and adaptability for various electrical applications. Power management system 100 may be configured to allow for localized control of each of the HVAC systems 120, 130, 140, and may be a non-line voltage subpanel configured to control multiple loads. Power management system 100 may include distribution panel 105, outdoor AC unit 110, first HVAC system 120, second HVAC system 130, and third HVAC system 140.

Distribution panel 105, also known as panelboard, breaker panel, electric panel, fuse box, etc., is a component of an electricity supply system that divides an electrical power feed into subsidiary circuits while providing a protective fuse or circuit breaker for each circuit in a common enclosure. In embodiments, the distribution panel 105 may be coupled to mains electricity or a large-scale electrical grid. As such, distribution panel 105 may be configured to receive 240 volts into a breaker, such as a 15 amp-double pole breaker. This power may be transferred to outdoor AC unit 110.

Outdoor AC unit 110 may be a type of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system that includes a system for air ventilation and air conditioning. In embodiments, outdoor AC unit 110 may include line voltage directly coupled to distribution panel 105, and line voltage directly coupled to each of the first HVAC system 120, second HVAC system 130, and third HVAC system 140. This may allow outdoor AC unit 110 to supply power to the various HVAC systems, and the branched wiring may greatly reduce the amount of wiring or conduit within a building. Specifically, there may be no conduit within the building coupled directly to distribution panel 105.

First HVAC system 120, second HVAC system 130, and third HVAC system 140 may each be indoor HVAC systems, such as a mini-split or multi-split, a cassette, floor standing, packaged, window, etc. unit that is configured to provide environmental controls to a portion, zone, partition, etc. of a building, such as zone one 122, zone two 132, and zone three 142. Each of the first HVAC system 120, second HVAC system 130, and third HVAC system 140 may include their own junction box, that is configured to receive power from outdoor AC unit 110, wherein the junction box is configured to transmit 24V power to an auxiliary box and their respective control systems. In embodiments, the junction box may be configured to supply control signals to a load, and the auxiliary box may be configured to receive and condition power received from the outdoor AC unit 110.

In other embodiments, each of the first HVAC system 120, second HVAC system 130, and third HVAC system 140 may be any appliance that is configured to use a variable amount of voltage based on environmental controls and coupled to outdoor AC unit 110 or directly to distribution panel 105 via line voltage. Each of the first HVAC system 120, second HVAC system 130, and third HVAC system 140 may be a line voltage branch circuit running at 240V AC. Each of the first HVAC system 120, second HVAC system 130, and third HVAC system 140 are configured to provide environmental controls to different zones 122, 132, 142. In embodiments, the HVAC systems 120, 130, 140 may be configured to relay high voltage to other high voltage appliances. This may allow for a branched system that limits the amount of high-voltage wiring within a building.

Furthermore, each of the first HVAC system 120, second HVAC system 130, and third HVAC system 140 may be coupled to low power voltage loads 124, 134, 144, respectively. Each of the lower power voltage loads 124, 134, 144 may be coupled to their respective HVAC system 120, 130, 140 via wiring under 50 volts. This wiring may have a smaller diameter and may not require electricians due to being omitted from the US National Electrical Code. In embodiments, low power voltage loads 124, 134, 144, such as lighting and a thermostat wiring, may having wiring that is run in the same bundle (such as a CAT5 bundle) when controls for low power voltage loads 124, 134, 144 are at the same locations. In embodiments, each of the first HVAC system 120, second HVAC system 130, and third HVAC system 140 may be coupled to low-power voltage loads 124, 134, 144, respectively, via twisted-pair copper cables.

Each of the low-power voltage loads 124, 134, 144 may include lighting, thermometers, sensors, etc. Because each of the low-power voltage loads 124, 134, 144 is coupled to their respective HVAC system via low-power wiring the amount of conduit run throughout the building can be reduced, and also the overall length of wiring can be reduced. Furthermore, each of these low power voltage loads 124, 134, 144 may be more locally controlled.

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of the first HVAC system 120. Elements depicted in FIG. 2 may be described above, and for the sake of brevity, a further description of these elements may be omitted. As depicted in FIG. 2, first HVAC system 120 may be coupled directly to line voltage, or may be coupled to the distribution panel through outdoor unit 110. One skilled in the art may appreciate that the other HVAC systems may be similar to first HVAC system 120.

First HVAC system 120 may include a transformer, an inverter, and a local power distribution panel with the junction box. These elements may be positioned within or on first HVAC system 120, which may eliminate the need of additional components to control power within various zones. This may be possible due to the high voltage power requirements of first HVAC system 120.

The transformer may be configured to receive an input voltage, such as 240V from the outdoor AC unit 110, and transform it to a different output voltage. In specific embodiments, the transformer may be configured to step down the input voltage to a level of 49 volts or below. This would make the output voltage suitable for a variety of low-voltage applications, such as power load 122. Specifically, the transformer may be configured to step down the voltage to 24 volts.

The inverter may be configured to convert the stepped-down AC power into DC power. This may be beneficial for environments where DC power distribution is preferred, such as in systems utilizing universal DC applications. The inverter power may be transferred to the localized power distribution panel, wherein the localized distribution panel may utilize the 24 V DC to power a fresh air fan and/or a CO2 sensor.

The localized power distribution panel may include a control board configured to serve as a hub for distributing the transformed and optionally inverted power to various loads. In embodiments, the localized power distribution panel may be configured to receive the 24 volts from the transformer and/or inverter. This power distribution panel may be configured to be versatile and user-friendly, ensuring ease of integration with different electrical systems. In further embodiments, the localized power distribution panel may include local fuses associated with power load 122. In specific embodiments, the localized power distribution panel may receive 24 AC volts from the transformer to power temperature and humidity sensors, a localized display, PWN device, power an exhaust fan, and relays that sent 24 AC back to the interface panel to communicate instructions to the outdoor AC unit 110 to run in a fan mode, heat mode, or cooling mode.

Power load 122 may be configured to receive the transformed and optionally inverted power. In embodiments, the power load 122 may be independent of controlling heating and cooling air, such as lights, sensors, thermostats, etc. The power load 122 may be configured to be operated independently from the first HVAC system 120, such that the load may be turned off and/or on while the first HVAC system 120 is running. In embodiments, the power load 122 receiving power via the localized power distribution panel may be based on occupancy sensors determining that person is within a room. Responsive to determining that a room is occupied, lights may be turned on via the 24 V, while the localized power distribution panel transmits 24 V to the outdoor AC unit to initialize.

By utilizing a single line voltage running to the first HVAC system 120, and then smaller low voltage wiring being routed from the first HVAC system 120, less wiring and conduit may be required. Specifically, fewer line voltage connections may be utilized within a building. This would lead to not requiring electricians for lighting because all of the lighting is run through low-voltage wiring. Furthermore, routing the low-voltage wiring, the local first HVAC system 120 would allow for more localized control and maintenance.

In embodiments, the light sources may be positioned on ductwork associated with the first HVAC system 120. The light sources may be wrapped around the ductwork to provide lighting around an entire circumference of the ducts. The lighting may be positioned in parallel circumferential loops, or the lighting may be a spiral. In specific embodiments, the ducts may include a grooved spiral, wherein the lighting is embedded within the grooved spiral, which may provide uniform lighting around the duct. To this end, the amount of conduit within a building can be greatly reduced.

FIG. 3 depicts a method 300 for locally controlling power for low-voltage applications. The operations of method 300 presented below are intended to be illustrative. In some embodiments, method 300 may be accomplished with one or more additional operations not described, and/or without one or more of the operations discussed. Additionally, the order in which the operations of method 300 are illustrated in FIG. 3 and described below is not intended to be limiting. Embodiments are not limited to a specified number of chambers, inlets, or outlets.

At operation 310, a transformer of a first HVAC system may receive an input voltage, such as 240V.

At operation 320, the transformer may transform the received power to a different output voltage. In specific embodiments, the transformer may be configured to step down the input voltage to a level of 49 volts or below.

At operation 330, the transformed power may be converted from AC power into DC power. This may be beneficial for environments where DC power distribution is preferred, such as in systems utilizing universal DC applications. Alternatively, the transformed power may remain in AC power.

At operation 340, the transformed and inverted power may be distributed to multiple different loads, such as lighting, sensors, etc.

At operation 350, the first HVAC system may ensure ease of integration with different electrical systems, such that additional low-voltage loads may be added and removed from the first HVAC system.

At operation 360, the low voltage loads may be independently managed from each other and from the first HVAC system.

FIG. 4 depicts a power management system 400, according to an embodiment.

As depicted in FIG. 4, line voltage 410 may be transmitted to a high voltage appliance 430, wherein the high voltage appliance 430 is configured to utilize the high voltage. In embodiments, the high voltage appliance may be an HVAC unit, ductless outdoor unit, washer, dryer, recreational vehicle, refrigeration unit, etc. In embodiments, an overcurrent protection device 420 may be configured to regulate the line voltage before the line voltage reaches the high-voltage appliance 430. The overcurrent protection device 420 may be a breaker, fuse, etc.

The high-voltage appliance 420 may include a localized power distribution panel 440. The localized power distribution panel 440 may be configured to manage simultaneous power distribution to other appliances and/or equipment that may require different voltage levels. For example, the localized power distribution panel 440 may be configured to relay the line voltage to additional high-voltage appliances 450 and/or to a controller 480. While distributing the high voltage to the additional high voltage appliances 450 and/or controller 480, localized power distribution panel 440 may transmit low voltage power to low voltage appliances for low voltage applications.

For example, localized power distribution panel 440 may transmit low voltage AC to sensors 476 (such as CO2 sensors, pressure sensors, occupancy sensors, smoke sensors, etc.), light switches 474, HVAC controls 472, fan switches 470, AC to DC converter 460. The low-voltage appliances may be dynamically added or removed from the localized power distribution panel 440 because these appliances are not directly related to the high-voltage appliance 430.

Furthermore, converter 460 may be configured to convert AC power received from localized power distribution panel 440 into DC voltages, for other appliances such as controllers or exhaust fans that require DC power.

In embodiments, the light sources may be positioned on ductwork. The light sources may be wrapped around the ductwork to provide lighting around an entire circumference of the ducts. The lighting may be positioned in parallel circumferential loops, or the lighting may be a spiral. In specific embodiments, the ducts may include a grooved spiral, wherein the lighting is embedded within the grooved spiral, which may provide uniform lighting around the duct. To this end, the amount of conduit within a building can be greatly reduced.