Animal House Climate Control System and Method for Automatic Configuration and Equipment Substitution in the System

摘要

A climate control system for an animal house is operated by determining a minimum ventilation curve for required minimum ventilation. A plurality of ventilation stages is created based on the minimum ventilation curve and the plurality of ventilation fans in the climate control system, each stage providing a percentage of the required minimum ventilation. Creating the stages includes prioritizing the ventilation fans to create a selection hierarchy and determining a minimum stage ventilation and a maximum stage ventilation for each stage. Ventilation fans are selected following the hierarchy that provides the desired percentage of the minimum required ventilation. The system advances from a lower stage a higher stage based on ventilation requirements. When it is determined that a fan is not operating, the system returns to the lower stage to substitute ventilation fans.

主权项

1. A method for operating a climate control system for use with an animal house, the climate control system configured to operate in an automatic setting for the number and type of animals contained within the animal house, the climate control system having a plurality of climate control input devices to measure a temperature of a location within the animal house, the climate control system also having a plurality of ventilation fans, and the climate control system having a control unit configured to receive temperature input from the input devices and operate the plurality of ventilation fans, the method comprising:
determining a minimum ventilation curve comprising required minimum ventilation for the animals contained within the animal house; identifying the plurality of input devices and plurality of ventilating fans in the climate control system to the control unit; determining a plurality of ventilation stages based on the minimum ventilation curve and the plurality of ventilation fans in the climate control system, wherein each stage provides a desired percentage of the minimum required ventilation, wherein determining the plurality of ventilation stages comprises:
prioritizing the plurality of ventilation fans to create a selection hierarchy;determining a minimum stage ventilation and a maximum stage ventilation for each ventilation stage;determining a group of ventilation fans from said plurality of ventilation fans following the selection hierarchy that provides the desired percentage of the minimum required ventilation;defining an increment between a maximum stage ventilation one of said plurality of ventilation stages and a minimum stage ventilation for a next higher ventilation stage of said plurality of ventilation stages, wherein the minimum capacity level is a function of the minimum capacity of the group of ventilation fans added to the next higher stage, and the maximum capacity for the next higher stage is determined based on the increment:continuing to define the plurality of ventilation stages until all of the plurality of ventilation fans are used in a group of fans for a ventilation stage;determining a start and stop temperature for each of the plurality of stages; advancing from a lower stage of said plurality of stages to a higher stage based on ventilation requirements as determined by temperatures received by the control unit from the input devices; determining that one of said ventilation fans in the group of ventilation fans for the current selected ventilation stage is not operating; returning to the lower stage of said plurality of stages from the higher stage to substitute ventilation fans for the climate control system.