HVAC scrubber unit operational control systems and methods

1. A scrubber unit configured to be implemented in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, wherein the scrubber unit comprises:

a first internal segment implemented between a first cross-member and a second cross-member, wherein the first internal segment comprises a contaminant filter;

a second internal segment implemented between the second cross-member and a bottom panel of the scrubber unit, wherein the second internal segment comprises a fan and a heater implemented between the fan and the contaminant filter;

a third internal segment implemented between the first cross-member and a top panel of the scrubber unit, wherein the third internal segment comprises a closed loop damper fluidly coupled between a first outlet damper coupled to the top panel of the scrubber unit and a first inlet damper coupled to a sidewall of the scrubber unit; and

a control panel coupled to the sidewall of the scrubber unit, wherein the control panel comprises control circuitry is programmed to:

determine filtering efficiency of the contaminant filter based at least in part on input contaminant level measured at the first inlet damper and output contaminant level measured at the first outlet damper; and

instruct the scrubber unit to operate in a first regeneration mode when the filtering efficiency of the contaminant filter falls below an efficiency threshold to facilitate improving the filtering efficiency available during subsequent operation of the scrubber unit.

2. The scrubber unit of claim 1 , wherein, to instruct the scrubber unit to operate in the first regeneration mode, the control circuitry is programmed to:

instruct a first outlet actuator to maintain the first outlet damper in a fully closed position; and

instruct a first inlet actuator to ramp damper position of the first inlet damper from the fully closed position to a partially open position during a bleed phase of the first regeneration mode to enable venting air contaminants released from the contaminant filter using return air when:

temperature of outside air is less than a low temperature threshold;

humidity of the outside air is less than a low humidity threshold;

humidity of the outside air is greater than a high humidity threshold; or

any combination thereof.

3. The scrubber unit of claim 2 , wherein, to instruct the first inlet actuator to ramp damper position of the first inlet damper, the control circuitry is programmed to:

instruct the first inlet actuator to maintain the first inlet damper at a 10% open position during a first duration in the bleed phase of the first regeneration mode; and

instruct the first inlet actuator to maintain the first inlet damper at a 20% open position during a second duration in the bleed phase after the first duration;

instruct the first inlet actuator to maintain the first inlet damper at a 30% open position during a third duration in the bleed phase after the second duration;

instruct the first inlet actuator to maintain the first inlet damper at a 40% open position during a fourth duration in the bleed phase after the third duration; and

instruct the first inlet actuator to maintain the first inlet damper at a 50% open position during a fifth duration in the bleed phase after the fourth duration.

4. The scrubber unit of claim 2 , wherein, to instruct the scrubber unit to operate in the first regeneration mode, the control circuitry is programmed to, when temperature of the outside air is not less than the low temperature threshold, humidity of the outside air is not less than the low humidity threshold, and humidity of the outside air is not greater than the high humidity threshold:

instruct the first inlet actuator to maintain the first inlet damper in the fully closed position during the bleed phase of the first regeneration mode; and

instruct a second inlet actuator to ramp a second inlet damper coupled to the sidewall of the scrubber unit from the fully closed position to the partially open position during the bleed phase of the first regeneration mode to enable venting the air contaminants released from the contaminant filter using the outside air.

5. The scrubber unit of claim 4 , wherein, to instruct the second inlet actuator to ramp damper position of the second inlet damper, the control circuitry is programmed to:

instruct the second inlet actuator to maintain the second inlet damper at a 10% open position during a first duration in the bleed phase of the first regeneration mode; and

instruct the second inlet actuator to maintain the second inlet damper at a 20% open position during a second duration in the bleed phase after the first duration;

instruct the second inlet actuator to maintain the second inlet damper at a 30% open position during a third duration in the bleed phase after the second duration;

instruct the second inlet actuator to maintain the second inlet damper at a 40% open position during a fourth duration in the bleed phase after the third duration; and

instruct the second inlet actuator to maintain the second inlet damper at a 50% open position during a fifth duration in the bleed phase after the fourth duration.

6. The scrubber unit of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is programmed to:

determine occupancy status of a building serviced by the scrubber unit; and

instruct the scrubber unit to operate in a second regeneration mode when the occupancy status indicates that the building is currently unoccupied, wherein duration of a bleed phase in the second regeneration mode is greater than duration of the bleed phase in the first regeneration mode.

7. The scrubber unit of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is programmed to instruct the scrubber unit to operate in a third regeneration mode when the occupancy status indicates that the building is currently unoccupied and expected to remain unoccupied a duration greater than a duration threshold, wherein duration of the bleed phase in the third regeneration mode is greater than duration of the bleed phase in the second regeneration mode.

8. The scrubber unit of claim 1 , wherein, to instruct the scrubber unit to operate in the first regeneration mode, the control circuitry is programmed to:

instruct a closed loop actuator to adjust damper position of the closed loop damper from a fully open position to a first partially open position;

instruct the closed loop actuator to maintain damper position of the closed loop damper at the first partially open position during a first duration in a bleed phase of the first regeneration mode;

instruct the closed loop actuator to adjust damper position of the closed loop damper from the first partially open position to a second partially open position; and

instruct the closed loop actuator to maintain damper position of the closed loop damper at the second partially open position during a second duration in the bleed phase after the first duration.

9. The scrubber unit of claim 1 , wherein, to instruct the scrubber unit to operate in the first regeneration mode, the control circuitry is programmed to:

instruct a closed loop actuator to maintain the closed loop damper at a 90% open position during a first duration in a bleed phase of the first regeneration mode; and

instruct the closed loop actuator to maintain the closed loop damper at a 80% open position during a second duration in the bleed phase after the first duration;

instruct the closed loop actuator to maintain the closed loop damper at a 70% open position during a third duration in the bleed phase after the second duration;

instruct the closed loop actuator to maintain the closed loop damper at a 60% open position during a fourth duration in the bleed phase after the third duration; and

instruct the closed loop actuator to maintain the closed loop damper at a 50% open position during a fifth duration in the bleed phase after the fourth duration.

10. The scrubber unit of claim 1 , wherein, to instruct the scrubber unit to operate in the first regeneration mode, the control circuitry is programmed to:

instruct an inlet actuator to ramp damper position of the first inlet damper or a second inlet damper coupled to the sidewall of the scrubber unit from a fully closed position to a partially open position during a bleed phase of the first regeneration mode; and

instruct an outlet actuator to ramp damper position of a second outlet damper coupled to the top panel of the scrubber unit from the fully closed position to the partially open position during the bleed phase of the first regeneration mode in coordination with the inlet actuator.

11. The scrubber unit of claim 10 , wherein, to instruct the outlet actuator to ramp damper position of the second outlet damper, the control circuitry is programmed to:

instruct the outlet actuator to maintain the second outlet damper at a 10% open position during a first duration in aa bleed phase of the first regeneration mode; and

instruct the outlet actuator to maintain the second outlet damper at a 20% open position during a second duration in the bleed phase after the first duration;

instruct the outlet actuator to maintain the second outlet damper at a 30% open position during a third duration in the bleed phase after the second duration;

instruct the outlet actuator to maintain the second outlet damper at a 40% open position during a fourth duration in the bleed phase after the third duration; and

instruct the outlet actuator to maintain the second outlet damper at a 50% open position during a fifth duration in the bleed phase after the fourth duration.