US 11,940,175 B2
Limiting operation of a HVAC system for low-noise municipalities
Arvind Chitrala, Tyler, TX (US); Don A. Schuster, Lindale, TX (US); John Hughes, Flint, TX (US); and Karl J. Mutchnik, Tyler, TX (US)
Assigned to Trane International Inc., Davidson, NC (US)
Filed by Trane International Inc., Davidson, NC (US)
Filed on Jan. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/147,251.
Application 17/147,251 is a continuation of application No. 15/870,600, filed on Jan. 12, 2018, granted, now 10,921,000.
Prior Publication US 2021/0131680 A1, May 6, 2021
Int. Cl. F24F 3/044 (2006.01); F03D 7/02 (2006.01); F25B 29/00 (2006.01); F25B 49/02 (2006.01); F25B 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC F24F 3/0442 (2013.01) [F03D 7/0276 (2013.01); F03D 7/0296 (2013.01); F25B 29/003 (2013.01); F25B 49/02 (2013.01); F25B 13/00 (2013.01); F25B 2313/0294 (2013.01); F25B 2500/12 (2013.01); F25B 2600/0253 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sound level control system comprising:
a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising a controller and an outdoor unit comprising a compressor and an outdoor fan; and
a portable communication device located away from the outdoor unit and communicatively coupled to the HVAC system, wherein the portable communication device comprises a processor, the portable communication device being a separate device from the controller and configured to:
communicatively couple to a plurality of HVAC systems, the plurality of HVAC systems including the HVAC system;
receive a plurality of first sound level measurements, each of the plurality of first sound level measurements indicative of a sound level at a different distance from the outdoor unit and received in response to operating the outdoor unit in one of a cooling mode or heating mode,
wherein a first of the plurality of first sound level measurements is indicative of a first sound level at a first distance from the outdoor unit, the first distance being the distance between a first installation location and a predetermined location, and
wherein a second of the plurality of first sound level measurements is indicative of a second sound level at a second distance from the outdoor unit, the second distance being the distance between the predetermined location and a second installation location, the second installation location being a different location than the first installation location;
select a representative first sound level measurements from the plurality of first sound level measurements, the representative first sound level measurements indicative of the first sound level measurements received from the second installation location of the outdoor unit;
determine a first demand level for the outdoor unit based on the representative first sound level measurements, the first demand level corresponding to a first percentage of speed of operation for the compressor and a first percentage of speed of operation for the outdoor fan;
transmit the first demand level for the outdoor unit to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a first instruction related to selective control of the outdoor unit during a first time period; and
selectively control the outdoor unit to operate at or below the first demand level during the first time period.