Patents by Inventor Brian L. Merkel

Brian L. Merkel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • System and method of freeze protection of a heat exchanger in an HVAC system
    Patent number: 9890980
    Abstract: A system and method of heat exchanger freeze protection for an HVAC system by operating an indoor unit assembly and an outdoor unit assembly in a cooling mode and operating a fan at an initial airflow, operating a temperature sensor to measure a temperature value of a heat exchanger, at the expiration of a first predetermined time period, determining whether the temperature value is less than or equal to a first temperature preset value, determining whether a current airflow multiplier is equal to a maximum airflow multiplier limit, increasing the current airflow by an airflow offset multiplier if the current airflow multiplier is less than or equal to the maximum airflow multiplier limit and the temperature value is less than or equal to the first temperature preset, and operating the fan at an increased airflow to move more air across the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Peitz, Brian L. Merkel, Paul B. Kiningham
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD OF FREEZE PROTECTION OF A HEAT EXCHANGER IN AN HVAC SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20150082818
    Abstract: A system and method of heat exchanger freeze protection for an HVAC system by operating an indoor unit assembly and an outdoor unit assembly in a cooling mode and operating a fan at an initial airflow, operating a temperature sensor to measure a temperature value of a heat exchanger, at the expiration of a first predetermined time period, determining whether the temperature value is less than or equal to a first temperature preset value, determining whether a current airflow multiplier is equal to a maximum airflow multiplier limit, increasing the current airflow by an airflow offset multiplier if the current airflow multiplier is less than or equal to the maximum airflow multiplier limit and the temperature value is less than or equal to the first temperature preset, and operating the fan at an increased airflow to move more air across the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Robert W. Peitz, Brian L. Merkel, Paul B. Kiningham