Fan airflow monitoring system in an appliance

摘要

An independent monitoring system and method for measuring the airflow rate in an appliance and determining its sufficiency is provided. An airflow detection system that monitors airflow rate (velocity) in an appliance is separate from the primary appliance control system and can determine whether a sufficient flow of air through air passageways occurs during operation of the appliance. An appliance component or subsystem can be controlled (e.g. activated or deactivated) by the airflow monitoring system based on the detected airflow rate.

主权项

1. An appliance, comprising:
an ambient air passageway defined in the appliance, the ambient air passageway configured to direct circulating ambient air around at least part of a chamber of the appliance; a fan in communication with the ambient air passageway, the fan configured to selectively cause the ambient air to circulate through the ambient air passageway; an appliance control system configured to control a speed of the fan based on an operating mode of the appliance; and an airflow monitoring system in communication with the ambient air passageway, the airflow monitoring system configured to autonomously control a subsystem of the appliance based on a measured airflow rate within the ambient air passageway, the airflow monitoring system including
an airflow measuring device disposed at least partly within the ambient air passageway, the airflow measuring device configured to measure air velocity and determine the measured airflow rate through the ambient air passageway, andan airflow monitoring controller configured to control the subsystem of the appliance based on the measured airflow rate by the airflow measuring device and compare the measured airflow rate by the airflow measuring device with a dynamic predetermined value of airflow velocity, where the dynamic predetermined value is dynamically determined according to a commanded fan speed; wherein the appliance control system and the airflow monitoring system are both operably coupled to the subsystem of the appliance.