Air conditioning system with moisture control
View Patent ↗Devices and methods for moisture removal from conditioned air. A speed control is provided that selectively operates the blower motor of an air conditioning system at a lower speed. The speed control may include a time delay circuit and single pole, double throw relay. The speed control is used to slow the speed of the air cycler during the initial stage of a cooling cycle. This initial stage is typically the first 5–7 minutes of the air conditioning cycle. In a further aspect, a humidistat is operably associated with the system for detection of humidity levels within the air of a home or other structure. The system is programmed to close the motorized outside air damper in the event that humidity levels exceed a predetermined level, thereby limiting further entry of humid outside air into the home.
1. An air conditioning system, comprising:
an air handler containing an AC blower motor for movement of air past a cooling coil; and a speed control adapted to accelerate the removal of moisture within the air being conditioned, the speed control including a time delay circuit and relay that:
(i) operate only the blower motor of the air handler at a first speed for a delay period when the cooling coil is energized and then operating the blower motor at a second speed that is higher than the first speed without varying a voltage applied to the blower motor, the difference between the first speed and the second speed being selected such that more moisture is removed from within the air being conditioned at the first speed than at the second speed; and
(ii) operate the blower at the first speed during every cooling cycle.
2. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the time delay circuit is adjustable.
3. The air conditioning system of claim 2 wherein the first speed is substantially fixed.
4. The air conditioning system of claim 2 wherein the time delay circuit causes the blower motor to operate at the first speed for the delay period at the start of a cooling cycle.
5. The air conditioning system of claim 4 wherein the delay period is adjustable from about 5 minutes to about 10 minutes.
6. The air conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising: an outside air damper for selective introduction of outside air into the air conditioning system; and a humidistat for operational control of the outside air damper to close the outside air damper upon detection of an excessive humidity level in the air being conditioned;.
7. The air conditioning system of claim 6 further comprising return air ductwork for carrying conditioned air from the structure back into the air conditioning system, and wherein the humidistat is mounted within the return air ductwork.
8. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein the relay is a single pole, double-throw relay for switching the fan blower from the first speed to the second speed.
9. The air conditioning system of claim 1 wherein speed control is interconnected with a preexisting furnace circuit board, the speed control and furnace circuit board being configured to operate the blower motor.
10. A method of conditioning air within a structure comprising:
energizing a cooling coil;
accelerating the removal of moisture from the air by operating only an AC blower motor at a first speed for a predetermined time period to move air past the cooling coil;
operating only the blower motor at a second speed after said predetermined time period has elapsed to move air past the cooling coil, the second speed being greater than the first speed, the difference between the first speed and the second speed being selected such that more moisture is removed at the first speed than at the second speed and the difference substantially prevents moisture from building up in the structure, the speed being controlled by a time delay circuit and relay;
operating the blower at the first speed during each cooling cycle;
changing a speed of the blower motor without varying a voltage applied to the blower motor.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of: detecting a humidity level within conditioned air; and limiting entry of outside air into the conditioned air by closing off an outside air damper upon detection of a predetermined humidity level.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined time period is from about 5 minutes to about 7 minutes.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first speed is substantially fixed.
14. The method of claim 10 further comprising adjusting the predetermined delay period.
15. The method of claim 10 further comprising selectively introducing outside air into the air conditioning system using an outside air damper.
16. A control unit for controlling an air conditioning system having a condensing unit having cooling coils, an air handler having an AC blower motor for blowing air across the cooling coils, the control unit comprising: a control circuit configured to control the speed of only the blower motor and a time delay circuit and relay, the control circuit being further configured to operate the blower motor at a first speed for a predetermined period, and then operate the blower motor at a second speed greater than the first speed without varying a voltage applied to the blower motor, the difference between the first speed and the second speed being selected such that more moisture is removed at the first speed than at the second speed, the control circuit operating the blower motor and the first speed during each cooling cycle.
17. The control unit of claim 16 wherein the first speed is substantially fixed.
18. The control unit of claim 17 further comprising a humidistat mounted within a return air ductwork that measures the amount of moisture in the air being conditioned.
19. The control unit of claim 17 wherein the control circuit is configured to introduce outside air into the air conditioning system by operating an outside air damper.
20. The control unit of claim 16 further comprising a time delay circuit for controlling the delay period and a single pole, double-throw relay for switching the fan blower from the first speed to the second speed.