US 11,971,184 B2
Air mover refrigerant leak detection and risk mitigation
Michael W. Branson, Fishers, IN (US); and Sivakumar Gopalnarayanan, Plano, TX (US)
Assigned to Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/880,509.
Application 17/880,509 is a continuation of application No. 16/583,956, filed on Sep. 26, 2019, granted, now 11,435,101.
Prior Publication US 2023/0013427 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. F24F 11/36 (2018.01); F24F 1/0018 (2019.01)
CPC F24F 11/36 (2018.01) [F24F 1/0018 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An air mover system for use in an indoor unit of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the air mover system comprising: a blower comprising a motor; a sensor configured to:
(i) detect presence of a refrigerant in air inside the indoor unit, and
(ii) detect presence of non-refrigerant elements in ambient air; and a controller configured to: cause the blower to direct the air toward the sensor in a first direction that is different than a second direction of air flow inside the indoor unit; receive first feedback from the sensor; determine, based at least in part on the first feedback from the sensor, that the refrigerant is present in the air inside the indoor unit; and cause the blower to direct the air out of the indoor unit.