Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] Embodiments herein generally relate to a painting booth and more particularly, to a system and a method for controlling operating parameters of the painting booth based on ambient conditions outside the painting booth to achieve optimal spraying during the painting process.

BACKGROUND
[002] Painting booths may facilitate to paint objects and frames such as automobile parts and bodies in a paint shop. Generally, these painting booths may be large and require special equipment for performing the painting process in a controlled manner within optimal conditions either manually by an operator or using a robotic system. The operating parameters such as humidity and temperature of the painting booth must be maintained within optimal range during the painting process.
[003] Currently, the painting booth may use a burner or a heater for providing heat in order to maintain the operating parameters of the painting booth within the predetermined ranges. For instance, the predetermined temperature ranges of the painting booth may vary between 23oC and 29oC and the humidity may vary between 65% and 75%. For example, if the outside temperature is less than 25oC and the humidity is at least of 85%, then the burner will be turned ON to control the operating parameters of the painting booth.
[004] One problem associated with the painting booth is to maintain booth operating parameters such as temperature and humidity within the predetermined ranges. The burner of the painting booth may be continuously maintained in ON condition for providing the heat within the painting booth even though outside atmospheric conditions are suitable as per the predetermined ranges of the operating parameters of the painting booth. The burner may be controlled based on the detected temperature and humidity levels inside the painting booth in order to keep and maintain the predetermined ranges of the painting booth operating parameters during the painting process. However, the control system of the painting booth does not consider the atmospheric conditions even though which are within the predetermined ranges during the operation of the painting booth, thereby keeping the burner in ON condition. Thus, resulting in increasing consumption of electric power and piped natural gas (PNG) gas of the burner.

OBJECTS
[005] The principal object of embodiments herein is to provide a system and method for controlling operating parameters such as humidity and temperature of the painting booth based on ambient conditions.
[006] Another object of embodiments herein is to enable an operator to provide a plurality of painting booth set points based on the ambient conditions for controlling the operating parameters of the painting booth.
[007] Another object of embodiments herein is to control the operations of an air supply unit, a burner unit and a humidifier unit of the painting booth based on the ambient conditions.
[008] Another object of embodiments herein is to automatically turn ON and turn OFF the burner unit based on the ambient conditions, thereby reducing consumption of electric power and piped natural gas (PNG) gas of the burner unit.
[009] These and other objects of embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with following description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] The embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a system for controlling operating parameters of a painting booth, according to embodiments as disclosed herein;
[0012] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of the painting booth having a humidifier unit and a burner unit in communication with a controller, according to embodiments as disclosed herein;
[0013] FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the painting booth, according to embodiments as disclosed herein;
[0014] FIG. 4 depicts an example table represents a status of a burner unit with respective to ambient conditions and a plurality of painting booth setpoints of the painting booth, according to embodiments as disclosed herein; and
[0015] FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart showing steps of a method for controlling operating parameters of the painting booth based on the ambient conditions, according to embodiments as disclosed herein.
 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0017] The embodiments herein to provide a system and a method for controlling operating parameters of the painting booth based on ambient conditions. Further, embodiments herein to control the operation of at least one of an air supply unit, a burner unit and a humidifier unit of the painting booth based on the ambient conditions and a plurality of painting booth setpoints, thereby reducing consumption of electric power and PNG gas of the burner unit. Referring now to the drawings FIGs. 1 through 5, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown embodiments.
[0018] FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a system (100) for controlling operating parameters of a painting booth (10), according to embodiments as disclosed herein. In an embodiment herein, the system (100) is configured to control the operating parameters of the painting booth (10) based on the ambient conditions outside the painting booth (10). In an embodiment herein, the system (100) comprises a temperature sensor (102), a humidity sensor (104) and a computing device (106). The temperature sensor (102) is adapted for sensing and communicating ambient temperature outside the painting booth (10) to the controller (108). The humidity sensor (104) is adapted for sensing and communicating ambient humidity outside the painting booth (10) to the controller (108). In an embodiment herein, the sensors (102, 104) are located exterior of the painting booth (10) for detecting the ambient conditions.
[0019] In an embodiment herein, the computing device (106) comprises a controller (108), a memory unit (110) and a user interface unit (112). The memory unit (110) is adapted for storing one or more programs configured for execution by the controller (108). In an embodiment herein, the controller (108) is configured to communicate with the temperature sensor (102) and the humidity sensor (104) for receiving the ambient temperature and ambient humidity respectively. The user interface (112) is configured to enable the operator to provide a plurality of painting booth setpoints based on the ambient conditions for controlling the operating parameters of the painting booth (10). In an embodiment herein, the user interface (112) may be, but not limited to, a keyboard and a touch screen. In an embodiment herein, the controller (108) may be a programmable logic controller (PLC). In an embodiment herein, the computing device (106) is at least any one of, but not limited to, a computer, a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone, and a personnel digital assistance (PDA).
[0020] In an embodiment herein, the painting booth (10) includes an air supply unit (ASU) (12), a humidifier unit (14), and a burner unit (16). The controller (108) is configured to communicate with the humidifier unit (14) and the burner unit (16) of the painting booth (10). The controller (108) is further configured to control at least one of operation of the air supply unit (12), the humidifier unit (14) and the burner unit (16) based on the ambient conditions and the plurality of painting booth setpoints.
[0021] In an embodiment herein, the controller (108) is further configured to enable the one or more programs to execute the steps of: receiving ambient temperature and ambient relative humidity from the sensors (102, 104), receiving the plurality of painting booth setpoints from the user interface unit (112), and controlling the operating parameters of the painting booth (10) by controlling the operation of at least one of the humidifier unit (14), the ASU (12) and the burner unit (16) based on the ambient temperature, the ambient humidity and the plurality of painting booth setpoints to achieve optimal spraying during the painting process. In an example herein, the predetermined ranges of the booth temperature may vary between 23oC and 29oC and the humidity may vary between 65% and 75%.
[0022] The controller (108) is configured to turn ON and turn OFF the burner unit (16) based on the ambient conditions and the plurality of painting booth setpoints, thereby reducing consumption of electric power and PNG gas of the burner unit (16). In an embodiment herein, the operating parameters of the painting booth (10) include temperature and humidity. In an embodiment herein, the controller (108) is further configured to control the operation of the air supply unit (12) of the painting booth (10) through an ASU control unit. The air supply unit (12) may supply a constant or variable flow of ambient air into the painting booth (10).
[0023] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of the painting booth (10) including the humidifier unit (14) and the burner unit (16) in communication with the controller (108), according to embodiments as disclosed herein. In an embodiment herein, the controller (108) is in communication with humidifier pumps (30, 32) and the burner unit (16) through motor controllers (26, 28) and a burner controller (34) respectively. The humidifier pumps (30, 32) may be provided to introduce the moisture into the ambient air. The controller (108) may control the operation of the humidifier unit (14) by controlling the humidifier pumps (30, 32) through the motor controllers (26, 28). The motor controllers (26, 28) may be variable frequency drives (VFDs). The controller (108) may also control the operation of the burner unit (108) through the burner controller (34). In an embodiment herein, the burner unit (16) maintains the operating parameters such as temperature and humidity of the painting booth (10) within the predetermined ranges in order to maintain the optimal spraying conditions during the painting process. The controller (108) controls the operation of the burner unit (16) for heating the ambient air based on the ambient conditions in order to reduce the consumption of the electric power and the PNG gas of the burner unit (16).
[0024] FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the painting booth (10), according to embodiments as disclosed herein. In an example embodiment herein, the painting booth (10) further includes ambient air inlets (18) for allowing the ambient air into the painting booth (10) and one or more fans or blowers (20) is used for circulating the ambient air into the painting booth (10) through a pre-filter (22), and the pre-filtered ambient air flows to a post-filter (24) which in turn filters the hot air prior to discharge through an outlet (26). In an embodiment herein, the air supply unit (12) of the painting booth (10) may circulate the ambient air, and supply it into the painting booth (10) via the pre- filter (22), thus supplying a constant flow of purified air into the painting booth (10) by using the fans or blowers (20). The pre-filter (22) may remove larger dust particles from the intake ambient air. The burner unit (16) heats the intake ambient air based on the ambient conditions. The hot air could be discharged via the outlet (26) through the post-filter (24), thereby maintaining the optimal spraying conditions during the painting process.
[0025] FIG. 4 depicts a painting booth setpoints table (400) which represents a status of the burner unit (16) with respective to the ambient conditions and the plurality of painting booth setpoints, according to embodiments as disclosed herein. In an embodiment herein, the operator could provide the plurality of painting booth setpoints based on the ambient conditions such as temperature and humidity. The controller (108) may turn ON and turn OFF the burner unit (16) based on the ambient conditions and the plurality of painting booth setpoints provided by the operator via the user interface unit (112). In an embodiment herein, the plurality of painting booth setpoints may include, but not limited to, painting booth humidity setpoints, humidity positive switch limits, humidity negative switch limits, humidity positive fault limits, humidity negative fault limits, painting booth temperature setpoints, temperature positive switch limits, temperature negative switch limits, temperature positive fault limits and temperature negative fault limits for corresponding ranges of ambient temperature and ambient humidity.
[0026] In an example herein, the controller (108) may turn OFF the burner unit (16) if the ambient humidity ranges between 7 to 8% and the ambient temperature ranges between 8 to 26oC, and also the corresponding plurality of setpoints provided by the operator includes booth humidity at 66%, a positive switch limit of the humidity at 68%, a negative switch limit of the humidity at 66%, a positive fault limit of the humidity at 80%, a negative fault limit of the humidity at 65%, booth temperature setpoint at 23oC, a positive switch limit of temperature at 25oC, a negative switch limit of the temperature at 23oC, a positive fault limit of the temperature at 29oC, and a negative fault limit of the temperature at 22oC.
[0027] In an example herein, the controller (108) may turn ON the burner unit (16) if the ambient humidity ranges between 60 to 70 and the ambient temperature ranges between 15 to 18oC, and also the corresponding plurality of setpoints provided by the operator includes the booth humidity at 66%, the positive switch limit of the humidity at 68%, the negative switch limit of the humidity at 66%, the positive fault limit of the humidity at 80%, the negative fault limit of the humidity at 65%, the booth temperature setpoint at 23oC, the positive switch limit of temperature at 25oC, the negative switch limit of the temperature at 23oC, the positive fault limit of the temperature at 29oC, and the negative fault limit of the temperature at 22oC.
[0028] FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart (500) showing steps of a method for controlling operating parameters of the painting booth (10) based on the ambient conditions, according to embodiment as disclosed herein.
[0029] At step (502), the method (500) includes detecting and communicating, by a temperature sensor (102) and a humidity sensor (104), ambient temperature and ambient humidity outside the painting booth (10), to a controller (108).
[0030] At step (504), the method (500) includes sending, by a user interface unit (112), a plurality of painting booth setpoints to the controller (108).
[0031] At step (506), the method (500) includes receiving, by the controller (108), the ambient temperature, the ambient humidity and the plurality of painting booth setpoints from the temperature sensor (102), the humidity sensor (104) and the user interface unit (112) respectively.
[0032] At step (508), controlling (508), by the controller (106), the operation of at least one of an air supply unit (12), a humidifier unit (14) and a burner unit (16) of the painting booth (10) based on the ambient temperature, the ambient humidity and the plurality of painting booth setpoints to achieve optimal spraying during the painting process.
[0033] The technical advantages of the system (100) for controlling the operating parameters of the painting booth (10) are as follows. The system (100) controls the operating parameters such as temperature and humidity of the painting booth (10) based on the ambient conditions and a plurality of painting booth setpoints to achieve optimal spraying conditions during the painting process. The system (100) may turn ON and turn OFF the burner unit (16) based on the ambient conditions and the plurality of painting booth setpoints thereby reducing the consumption of the electric power and PNG gas of the burner unit (16).
[0034] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modifications within the scope of the embodiments as described herein.
, Claims:We claim:
1. A system (100) for controlling operating parameters of a painting booth (10) having an air supply unit (ASU) (12), a humidifier unit (14) and a burner (16), said system (100) comprising:
a temperature sensor (102) adapted for detecting ambient temperature outside the painting booth (10);
a humidity sensor (104) adapted for detecting ambient humidity outside the painting booth (10); and
a computing device (106) having a controller (108) which is in communication with the sensors (102, 104), wherein the controller (108) is configured to operate at least one of the ASU (12), the humidifier unit (14) and the burner (16) thereby controlling the operating parameters of the painting booth (10) based on inputs received from the sensors (102, 104).

2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computing device (100) includes,
a memory (110) for storing one or more programs configured for execution by the controller (108); and
a user interface unit (112) adapted to provide a plurality of painting booth setpoints to the controller (108),
wherein
the controller (108) is configured to enable the one or more programs to execute the steps of:
receiving ambient temperature and ambient relative humidity from the sensors (102, 104);
receiving the plurality of painting booth setpoints from the user interface unit (112); and
controlling the operating parameters of the painting booth (10) by controlling the operation of at least one of the humidifier unit (14), the ASU (12) and the burner unit (16) based on the ambient temperature, the ambient humidity and the plurality of painting booth setpoints to achieve optimal spraying during the painting process.

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of painting booth setpoints includes painting booth humidity setpoints, humidity positive switch limits, humidity negative switch limits, humidity positive fault limits, humidity negative fault limits, painting booth temperature setpoints, temperature positive switch limits, temperature negative switch limits, temperature positive fault limits and temperature negative fault limits for corresponding ranges of ambient temperature and ambient humidity.

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plurality of painting booth setpoints are provided in painting booth setpoints table(s) (400), wherein said painting booth setpoints table(s) (400) is stored in the memory (110) of the computing device (106).

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller (108) is configured to turn ON and turn OFF the burner unit (16) of the painting booth (10) based on the ambient temperature, the ambient humidity and the plurality of painting booth setpoints, thereby reducing consumption of piped natural gas (PNG) gas of the burner unit (16); and
the controller (108) is a programmable logic controller (PLC).

6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensors (102, 104) are located exterior of the painting booth (10); and
the computing device (106) is at least any one of a computer, a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone, and a personnel digital assistance (PDA).

7. A method (500) for controlling operating parameters of a painting booth (10), the method (500) comprising:
detecting (502) and communicating, by a temperature sensor (102) and a humidity sensor (104), ambient temperature and ambient humidity outside the painting booth (10), to a controller (108);
sending (504), by a user interface unit (112), a plurality of painting booth setpoints to the controller (108);
receiving (506), by the controller (108), the ambient temperature, the ambient humidity and the plurality of painting booth setpoints from the temperature sensor (102), the humidity sensor (104) and the user interface unit (112) respectively;
controlling (508), by the controller (106), the operation of at least one of an air supply unit (12), a humidifier unit (14) and a burner unit (16) of the painting booth (10) based on the ambient temperature, the ambient humidity and the plurality of painting booth setpoints to achieve optimal spraying during the painting process.