Importance

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Abstract

The air velocity detector is used in combination with an air duct carrying heat, ventilation or air conditioned (HVAC) air therethrough. A rigid support subassembly is mounted in the HVAC air duct. At least a pair of ultrasonic transceivers are mounted in a spaced apart relationship facing each other on opposing end portions of the support subassembly. The acoustic, ultrasonic signal path from one transceiver to the other diagonally extends across a volume of duct covered by the rigid support subassembly. In one embodiment, the subassembly is a rigid sleeve mounted to the inboard, interior portions of the duct. In another embodiment, the subassembly is a rigid, substantially straight member diagonally extending through the duct volume. Electronic circuitry is connected to the transceivers which excites the transceivers, processes the received ultrasonic signal, and determines the phase difference or phase difference between the transmitted ultrasonic signal and the received ultrasonic signal. This phase difference representative signal is then used to calculate the velocity of the air. In one embodiment, additional temperature signals are obtained in order to determine the velocity of the air. In another embodiment, ultrasonic signals are first sent in one direction (from a first ultrasonic transceiver to a second ultrasonic transceiver) and then sent from the opposite end (from the second transceiver to the first transceiver). The resultant phase difference representative signals detected during each uni-directional transmission are subtracted from the other. The resultant signal is utilized to obtain the air velocity. In another embodiment, the system is calibrated when no air is flowing through the HVAC duct. The 'still air' time or phase difference signal is utilized as a reference signal to compute air velocity during normal HVAC operations. A method of detecting air velocity in the HVAC duct is also disclosed.

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First Claim