Safety system, method and computer program product for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system

Abstract

A safety system (1) for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system (2). The air handling system (2) comprises a compressor enclosure (3). The safety system (1) is connectable to a power supply (4) and comprises an evacuation unit (5) connected to the compressor enclosure (3) for evacuation of contaminated air from the compressor enclosure (3).

Claims

1. An air handling system comprising a safety system for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in the air handling system, wherein the air handling system comprises a compressor enclosure and a power supply, wherein the safety system comprises an evacuation unit connected to the compressor enclosure for evacuation of contaminated air from the compressor enclosure, and wherein said safety system comprises an air contamination sensor positioned in the compressor enclosure for collection of air contamination data and an air flow sensor arranged in or in proximity to the evacuation unit for collection of air flow data, wherein the evacuation unit comprises a duct and an extraction unit, and wherein the power supply is divided into a safety system power supply and an air handling power supply, wherein the safety system power supply provides power to the extraction unit, the air contamination sensor and the air flow sensor, and wherein the air handling power supply provides power to the air handling system, wherein the safety system power supply and the air handling power supply are operating independently of each other.

2. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein the safety system power supply is continuously operating irrespective of the air handling power supply being active or inactive.

3. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein the extraction unit is a fan.

4. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein the extraction unit is a first and a second fan connected in series or in parallel.

5. The air handling system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the first fan and the second fan is connected to an uninterruptible power supply for providing power in case of a power cut.

6. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein a duct inlet of the duct unit is arranged in a bottom part of the compressor enclosure.

7. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein an air supply inlet for supply of air is arranged in an upper part of the compressor enclosure.

8. The air handling system according to claim 1, wherein the contaminated air contains flammable gas.

9. The air handling system according to claim 8, wherein the flammable gas is R32 or any other A2L classified refrigerant, or the flammable gas is propane or any other A3 classified refrigerant.

10. A method for controlling a safety system for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system, wherein the air handling system comprises a power supply, wherein the power supply is divided into a safety system power supply and an air handling power supply, wherein power is provided to the air handling system by means of the air handling power supply, wherein power is provided to an air flow sensor, an air contamination sensor and an extraction unit by means of a safety system power supply, wherein the method comprises the steps of: collecting air contamination data by means of the air contamination sensor; comparing the collected air contamination data to a predefined air contamination threshold value; shutting down the air handling power supply providing power to the air handling system as a response to if an air contamination data value of the collected air contamination data is greater than the predefined air contamination threshold value, wherein the evacuation unit comprises a duct and an extraction unit, and wherein the power supply is divided into a safety system power supply and an air handling power supply, wherein the safety system power supply provides power to the extraction unit, the air contamination sensor and the air flow sensor, and wherein the air handling power supply provides power to the air handling system, wherein the safety system power supply and the air handling power supply are operating independently of each other.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises the step of: providing power to the extraction unit by means of an uninterruptible power supply as a response to if the power supply stops providing power.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the extraction unit is a fan.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the extraction unit is a first and a second fan connected in series or in parallel.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: providing power to the air contamination sensor by means of the power supply; collecting air contamination data by means of the air contamination sensor; comparing the collected air contamination data to a predefined air contamination threshold value; transmitting an alarm to an operator as a response to if an air contamination data value of the collected air contamination data is greater than the predefined air contamination threshold value.

15. A computer program product comprising coded instructions to implement a method according to claim 10 when the computer program product is executed in a processor provided in the system according to claim 10.

16. A computer readable medium storing a computer program product according to claim 15.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a and 6a shows a safety system for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system, in a front view, according to an embodiment of the invention, and

(3) FIGS. 1b, 2b, 3b, 4b, 5b and 6b shows a safety system for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system, from above, according to an embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 8 shows a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a control system according to an embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(7) In the following, a detailed description of an air handling system for heating/cooling of air is provided.

(8) FIGS. 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a and 6a shows a safety system 1 for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system 2 according to different embodiments of the invention.

(9) FIGS. 1b and 2b shows a safety system 1 for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system 2 according to an embodiment of the invention. The air handling system 2 made up of a compressor enclosure 3. The safety system 1 is connectable to a power supply 4 and comprises an evacuation unit 5 connected to the compressor enclosure 3 for evacuation of contaminated air from the compressor enclosure 3. The evacuation unit 5 comprises a duct unit 7 and an extraction unit 8. An air contamination sensor 9 is positioned in the compressor enclosure 3 for collection of air contamination data 10. An air flow sensor 11 is arranged in or in proximity to the evacuation unit 5 for collection of air flow data 12.

(10) FIGS. 3b and 4b shows a safety system 1 for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system 2 according to an embodiment of the invention. The air handling system 2 made up of a compressor enclosure 3. The safety system 1 is connectable to a power supply 4 and comprises two evacuation units 5 connected in parallel to the compressor enclosure 3 for evacuation of contaminated air from the compressor enclosure 3. An evacuation unit 5 comprises a duct unit 7 and an extraction unit 8. The extraction unit 8 is a first 26 and a second fan 27 connected in parallel. At least one of the first fan 26 and the second fan 27 is connected to an uninterruptible power supply 16 for providing power in case of a power cut. An air contamination sensor 9 is positioned in the compressor enclosure 3 for collection of air contamination data 10.

(11) FIGS. 5b and 6b shows a safety system 1 for evacuation of contaminated air and prevention of ignition in an air handling system 2 according to an embodiment of the invention. The air handling system 2 made up of a compressor enclosure 3. The safety system 1 is connectable to a power supply 4 and comprises an evacuation unit 5 connected to the compressor enclosure 3 for evacuation of contaminated air from the compressor enclosure 3. The evacuation unit 5 comprises a duct unit 7 and an extraction unit 8. The extraction unit 8 is a first 26 and a second fan 27 connected in series. An air contamination sensor 9 is positioned in the compressor enclosure 3 for collection of air contamination data 10. At least one of the first fan 26 and the second fan 27 is connected to an uninterruptible power supply 16 for providing power in case of a power cut.

(12) The air to be treated passes through the evaporator/condenser coil 6 in the air treatment space 3. The treated air is to be transferred to the premises where e.g. human beings are to be found. In the air treatment space 3 or in said premises there should be no leaking refrigerant 7.

(13) In a step S100 power is provided to the air handling system 2 and an extraction unit 8 by means of a power supply 4. In a step S110 power is provided to the extraction unit 8 by means of an uninterruptible power supply 16 as a response to if the power supply 4 stops providing power.

(14) The method for controlling a safety system 1 is preceded by the steps S200-S210. In a step S200 power is provided to the air handling system 2 by means of an air handling power supply 14. In a step S210 power is provided to an air flow sensor 11, an air contamination sensor 9 and an extraction unit 8 by means of a safety system power supply 13. The method for controlling a safety system 1 comprises the steps of S220-S240. In a step S220 air contamination data 15 is collected by means of an air contamination sensor 9. In a step S230 the collected air contamination data 15 is compared to a predefined air contamination threshold value 21. In a step S240 the air handling power supply 14 which is providing power to the air handling system 2 is shut down as a response to if an air contamination data value 22 of the collected air contamination data 15 is greater than the predefined air contamination threshold value 21.

(15) FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a control system 28, comprising a processor 28.a, a user interface 28.b, a memory 28.c, and communication gateways 28.d. Through the communication gateways the control system can receive and send signals from/to other parts of the system. Through the user interface the control system can communicate with the user, through for instance a viewing screen, keyboard, mouse, printer, loud speaker, microphone or other type of peripheral. The computer program product can be stored in the memory, and be executed in the processor.

LIST OF COMPONENTS

(16) 1=safety system 2=air handling system 3=compressor enclosure 4=power supply 5=evacuation unit 6=contaminated air 7=duct unit 8=extraction unit 9=air contamination sensor 10=air contamination data 11=air flow sensor 12=air flow data 13=safety system power supply 14=air handling power supply 15=air contamination data 16=uninterruptible power supply 17=a duct inlet 18=bottom part of the compressor enclosure 19=an air supply inlet 20=upper part of the compressor enclosure 21=predefined air contamination threshold value 22=air contamination data value 23=predefined air flow threshold value 24=air flow data value 25=control unit 26=first fan 27=second fan 28=control system 28.a=processor 28.b=user interface 28.c=memory 28.d=communication gateways