A system and method for minimizing indoor infection risk and improving indoor air quality (IAQ) while maximizing energy savings. The system integrates occupancy detection and forecasting, outdoor weather conditions and forecasting, indoor infection risks and air quality modeling, any tunable air filtration, the clean air delivery rate, and any portable air cleaners. The system outputs the total amount of outdoor air intake, the air temperature of the supply air into the space, the supply air flow rate into the space, the operation mode of tunable air filtration/purification/disinfection, the operation mode of the in-room air cleaner, and space/room temperature set-points, and thus can serve as the central controller for an HVAC system.

A furnace with at least one adjustable baffle assembly, a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system incorporating the same, and a method of operating the HVAC system are provided. The at least one adjustable baffle assembly is disposed adjacent to the furnace heat exchanger in the furnace. The at least one adjustable baffle assembly is configured to actuate, between a cooling position and a heating position. The at least one adjustable baffle assembly may be in a heating position when the HVAC system is in a heating mode. The at least one adjustable baffle assembly may be in a cooling position when the HVAC system is in a cooling mode. The actuation of the adjustable baffle assembly may increase the efficiency of the furnace and/or HVAC system.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for monitoring air quality with multiple sensing devices. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of: obtaining first sensor data from a sensor that is not an air quality sensor, determining that the first sensor data satisfy a first air quality criterion, in response to determining that the first sensor data satisfy the first air quality criterion, obtaining second sensor data from an air quality sensor, determining that the second sensor data satisfy a second air quality criterion, and based on a determination that the second sensor data satisfy the second air quality criterion, activating an air quality device.

There is described a controller and method for managing a flow unit. A measured full flow corresponding to a full open position of a flow control element of the flow unit is detected. A calibration nominal is established based on the measured full flow, and calibration relative flows are calculated based on the calibration nominal and calibration measured flows corresponding to calibration positions of the flow control element. Subsequent to calibration, an operation measured flow of the flow unit and an operation position of the flow control element are detected. A dynamic nominal is determined based on the operation measured flow and a particular calibration relative flow corresponding to the operation position of the flow control element. An operation relative flow and a relative flow setpoint are determined based, in part, on the dynamic nominal. The operation position of the flow control element is controlled based the operation relative flow and relative flow setpoint.

A device and a method to provide direct room air cooling. The device is a duct-less economizer that runs independent of existing HVAC systems. The device has its own thermostat setting and is capable of providing significant insulation values when closed. In addition, the method by which the device determines the availability of cool air is improved. This is achieved by using internet weather data, to read outdoor heat indexes, instead of primarily relying on local sensors.

An intelligent self-balancing downstream device (e.g., air fixture or diffuser) that can obtain accurate flow measurements that can be used to perform the self-balancing in situ and during operation to satisfy a set point. The downstream device may be controllable by a single software system or network accessible locally on site or remotely off site. The downstream device can operate in a single zone or be coupled with multiple like apparatuses for multi-zone operation. It is a high turndown ratio and self-balances, which can allow for continuous commissioning with built-in fault diagnostic systems and that may be used as a supply, return, or exhaust system, or a combination thereof. The downstream device can include multi-stage airflow control systems that operate progressively based on unique actuation mechanisms and/or algorithms that allow for precise flow control and feedback to self-balance and commission the system.

The LFFC technology allows for accurate measurement and metering of fluids in a HVAC system-based on parameters such as pressure, velocity, volume, particles, and temperature. A procedure in a processor allows for the calibration of the aperture devices thru various methods in real time based on the actual system performance. The fluid aperture device calibration curves can be developed in a lab environment, on calibrated flow stands and/or field calibration methods using adaptive learning software based on sensor data. The procedure can rely on calibration curves, characterizations, equations, predictive analysis, machine learning, artificial intelligence, simulation software, calibrated flow stands, duplicating environmental conditions, various sensor data and programming software executed by a processor or system software. Upstream and downstream reference points for temperature, flow, particles, and pressure can be used as additional data to auto calibrate/commission the system thru the software.

A control system for a HVAC system for a structure and including a blower that flows air over an indoor heat exchanger. The control system may include a first input device, a first sensor, and a processor in electronic communication with the first input device, the first sensor, and the blower of the HVAC system. The first input device may be operable to accept a zoning mode selection. The first sensor may be sensor operable to measure a first temperature at a first location within the structure. The processor may be programmed to determine a cooling or heating demand on the HVAC system based on an input temperature and the first measured temperature. The processor may be further programmed to adjust an air flow rate produced by the blower based on the demand on the HVAC system and the zoning mode selection.

An intelligent self-balancing downstream device that can obtain accurate flow measurements (e.g., flow of a liquid or gas through a tube) that can perform the self-balancing in situ and during operation to satisfy a set point and without k factors or the use of TAB balancers. The downstream device may be controllable by a single software system or network. The downstream device can operate in a single zone or be coupled with multiple like apparatuses. It has a high turndown ratio and self-balances, which can allow for continuous commissioning with built-in fault diagnostic systems. A fluid metering device can include control systems that operate progressively based on unique actuation mechanisms and/or algorithms that allow for precise flow control and feedback to self-balance and commission the system.

A method/structure for calibrating a product fluid flow device having one or more apertures with aggregate area A.sub.o, where fluid flows along a fluid flow path therethrough in response to pressure differentials ΔP across the apertures. Calibration is effected relative to a calibration fluid flow device having a geometry and operational parameters corresponding to those of the product fluid flow device. A piecewise curved calibration controller establishes calibration conditions and generates a discrete point calibration flow rate (dpCFR) Function by measuring at a sparse set of points in a range of interest and determining a piecewise curved mathematical representation of fluid flow through the calibration fluid flow device. Data representative of the CFR function is transferred to a product blade controller, which processes the mathematical representation, and controls fluid flow through product fluid flow device based on values extracted from the received dpCFR Function.