US 12,286,975 B2
Smart fan for building diagnostic testing
Kris H. Koenig, Minneapolis, MN (US); Eric Mueller, Minneapolis, MN (US); Steven B. Rogers, Minneapolis, MN (US); Clay Hansen, Minneapolis, MN (US); and Samuel Alan Englund, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Assigned to The Energy Conservatory, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by The Energy Conservatory, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on May 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/314,426.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/364,379, filed on May 9, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0358245 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. F04D 25/08 (2006.01); F04D 19/00 (2006.01); F04D 27/00 (2006.01); F04D 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC F04D 25/08 (2013.01) [F04D 19/002 (2013.01); F04D 27/001 (2013.01); F04D 29/002 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A smart fan, comprising:
a fan housing defining a flow path;
an electric drive motor;
a propeller in engagement with and driven by the electric drive motor for generating a flow through the flow path;
a display screen on the fan housing;
a communication transceiver;
a variable flow restrictor that restricts flow through the smart fan, and a variable flow restrictor detector;
at least one pressure sensor positioned on the fan for measuring at least pressure of the flow through the smart fan;
a data processor electrically connected to the display screen, the communication transceiver, the variable flow restrictor and the variable flow restrictor detector, the at least one pressure sensor, and the electric drive motor; and
data storage in communication with the data processor,
wherein the data processor is configured to determine the flow through the smart fan to test for air leakage in a building or duct work,
wherein the variable flow restrictor comprises one or more flow restrictor rings that are each removably mountable on the smart fan, and wherein the variable flow restrictor detector is configured to detect which ones of the one or more flow restrictor rings are mounted on the smart fan.