Motor for fans or blowers, pumps or compressors, method for operating such a motor and blower system having one or more motor(s)/blower(s)

Abstract

A motor for a fan, a ventilator, a pump or a compressor includes integrated motor electronics and at least one sensor unit for pressure or volume flow control. The at least one sensor unit may be a module that can be plugged onto or into the integrated motor electronics or may be at least partly integrated into the motor electronics. The motor may be an electronically commutated motor. The integrated motor electronics may be configured to supply the at least one sensor unit with energy.

Claims

1. A fan or ventilator, comprising: a motor, wherein the motor includes: a control unit with integrated motor electronics; at least one sensor unit for pressure control or volume flow control; at least one internal pressure hose inside the motor; and a passage, wherein: the at least one sensor unit is modular; the at least one sensor unit is configured to be plugged into or onto a printed circuit board of the integrated motor electronics such that the at least one sensor unit is in contact with the printed circuit board of the integrated motor electronics; the at least one sensor unit includes a pressure sensor; the pressure sensor is configured to determine: (i) a local pressure via the at least one internal pressure hose or at least one external pressure hose outside the motor; or (ii) a pressure difference between a pressure at a first location in the at least one internal pressure hose or the at least one external pressure hose and a pressure at a second location in the at least one internal pressure hose or the at least one external pressure hose; the pressure sensor is configured to feed a signal corresponding to the local pressure or the pressure difference to a processing unit; and the at least one internal pressure hose extends from the at least one sensor unit to the passage and from the passage to at least one connection for the at least one external pressure hose.

2. The fan or ventilator according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one internal pressure hose includes two internal pressure hoses inside the motor; and the at least one external pressure hose includes two external pressure hoses outside the motor.

3. The fan or ventilator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor unit includes an additional electronic component.

4. The fan or ventilator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor unit includes a printed circuit board.

5. The fan or ventilator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor unit includes at least one additional sensor.

6. The fan or ventilator according to claim 5, wherein the at least one additional sensor is configured to provide a measurement value with respect to at least one of temperature, humidity, or air quality.

7. The fan or ventilator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor unit is configured to communicate directly with the control unit.

8. The fan or ventilator according to claim 1, further comprising an external control system configured to provide at least one setpoint value.

9. The fan or ventilator according to claim 8, wherein the external control system is configured to provide the at least one setpoint value via a bus system.

10. The fan or ventilator according to claim 8, wherein the external control system is configured to exchange data with the integrated motor electronics and the at least one sensor unit.

11. The fan or ventilator according to claim 10, further comprising an interface for data exchange which is configured to dynamically address at least one slave unit.

12. The fan or ventilator according to claim 10, wherein the fan or ventilator is configured to use a common communication protocol with a uniform protocol set.

13. The fan or ventilator according to claim 1, wherein the motor is an electronically commutated motor.

14. The fan or ventilator according to claim 1, wherein the integrated motor electronics are configured to supply energy to the at least one sensor unit.

15. A fan system including at least one fan or ventilator according to claim 1.

16. The fan system according to claim 15, further comprising at least one additional fan or ventilator.

17. The fan system according to claim 15, wherein the fan system is an air-conditioning box unit.

18. A fan or ventilator, comprising: a motor, wherein the motor includes: a control unit with integrated motor electronics; at least one sensor unit for pressure control or volume flow control; at least one internal pressure hose inside the motor; and a passage, wherein: the at least one sensor unit is at least partially integrated into the integrated motor electronics; the at least one sensor unit includes a pressure sensor; the pressure sensor is configured to determine: (i) a local pressure via the at least one internal pressure hose or at least one external pressure hose outside the motor; or (ii) a pressure difference between a pressure at a first location in the at least one internal pressure hose or the at least one external pressure hose and a pressure at a second location in the at least one internal pressure hose or the at least one external pressure hose; the pressure sensor is configured to feed a signal corresponding to the local pressure or the pressure difference to a processing unit; and the at least one internal pressure hose extends from the at least one sensor unit to the passage and from the passage to at least one connection for the at least one external pressure hose.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Various options exist for developing and extending the teaching of the current invention in an advantageous way. For this purpose, reference must be made to a preferred execution example of the invention on the basis of the drawings on the other. In conjunction with the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, also generally preferred improvements and further developments of the teaching are explained. The following is shown in the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1a In a schematic view, a design example of a centrifugal fan according to the invention (with an inventive motor as drive), where an integrated differential pressure measurement is provided,

(3) FIG. 1b In a schematic view, enlarged, the object from FIG. 1a,

(4) FIG. 2 In a schematic view of the object from FIG. 1a, tilted against FIG. 1a,

(5) FIG. 3a In a schematic view of the object from FIG. 2, but with the lid open, which shows the sensor unit inserted in the motor electronics in a modular manner,

(6) FIG. 3b In a schematic view, enlarged, the motor electronics of the object from FIG. 3a,

(7) FIG. 4 In a schematic view, a pressure feed-through for connecting two external pressure hoses and for connecting the feed-through to the modular sensor unit,

(8) FIG. 5a In a schematic plan view, the sensor unit for insertion into the motor electronics with internal pressure hoses, and

(9) FIG. 5b In a schematic view of the object from FIG. 5a.

(10) FIG. 6 In a schematic view, a design example of a fan system according to the invention including two centrifugal fans and a higher-level control system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) FIG. 1a shows an example of an application of the teaching according to the invention, namely a radial fan 1 with integrated differential pressure measurement. Motor 2, which includes the integrated differential pressure measurement, can be used to drive different fans or compressors.

(12) FIG. 1a clearly shows a housing 3 for the motor electronics, whereby a pressure connection 4 with two nozzles 5 for external pressure hoses for differential pressure measurement are provided in housing 3. The pressure connection 4 is part of a passage 6 shown in FIG. 4, which is screwed into the housing 3. Electrical connections 7 are also provided.

(13) FIG. 1b shows the housing 3 of the centrifugal fan 1 from FIG. 1a in enlarged view. FIG. 1b clearly shows the pressure connection 4 with the two nozzles 5.

(14) FIG. 2 shows the centrifugal fan shown in FIG. 1 in a tilted diagram with the components discussed above. The housing 3 has a cover 8, which is fastened to the housing 3 by means of screws 9.

(15) FIGS. 3a and 3b show the centrifugal fan 1 as shown in FIG. 2, but with open housing 3. The cover 8 not shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b has been removed after loosening the screws 9.

(16) According to FIG. 3b, the motor electronics in the housing 3 is indicated, where only the terminals 10, which are part of the motor electronics, are visible. The actual motor electronics is covered by an inner cover 8a, which serves as a touch protection.

(17) The modular sensor unit 11 is inserted into the motor electronics, in the area of a recess in the inner cover 8a, or inserted in/on the printed circuit board of the motor electronics and contacted there. The two internal hoses 12 are visible. They extend from the modular sensor unit 11 to passage 6 and can be connected from outside the housing 3 via the sockets 5 to external hoses which are not shown. Pressures from any location can be communicated to the sensor unit 11, i.e. by means of a flow connection created in this way.

(18) FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of passage 6 with internal connection piece 13, from which relatively thin hoses lead to sensor unit 11 (see FIG. 3b). The external connection pieces 5 are used to connect external pressure hoses in accordance with the previous versions.

(19) FIG. 5a shows the sensor unit 11 in a plan view, which is housed in a housing made preferably of plastic. In addition to other electronic components, the actual pressure sensor (17), which is connected to the internal hoses 12 by a flow, is located on a printed circuit board (PCB) 15.

(20) Furthermore, connection terminals (18) are provided for (Modbus) communication with the outside world.

(21) FIG. 5b shows the modular sensor unit 11 from below, i. e. in a lower view of the circuit board 15 provided there, which is provided with a contacting 16 for power supply directly from the main circuit board of the motor electronics and for the internal communication connection to the processor, etc.

(22) FIG. 6 shows two radial fans 1 and an external, higher-level control 19, which preferably sets a setpoint value via a bus system, e. g. via a Modbus. The higher-level control system 19 is designed for data exchange with the integrated motor control and the sensor unit 11 of each radial fan 1, among other things. It is also conceivable that the interface used for data exchange uses a method for the dynamic addressing of the radial fans 1 as slave units 1.

REFERENCE LIST

(23) 1 Radial fan 2 Motor 3 Housing (for motor electronics) 4 Pressure connection 5 Nozzle (outside) 6 Passage (in the housing wall) 7 Electrical connection 8 Outer cover 8a Inner cover (protective cover) 9 Screw 10 Connection terminals (part of the motor electronics) 11 Sensor unit 12 Hose (internal) 13 Nozzle (internal) 14 Plastic housing (the sensor unit) 15 Printed circuit board (sensor unit) 16 Contacts 17 Sensor, pressure sensor 18 Connection terminals (sensor unit) 19 Higher level control system