Hydronic building systems control

A method for controlling heat pump efficiency, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) calculating with a microprocessor controller a speed of a two-stage compressor of the heat pump to meet a demand, wherein the two-stage compressor has a first low-speed stage and a second high-speed stage;
• (b) when the microprocessor controller determines that the two-stage compressor needs to run at the first low-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to a two-stage source side circulator causing the two-stage source side circulator to circulate a fluid to the heat pump at a low-flow rate, wherein the two-stage source side circulator is fluidly connected to the heat pump and fluidly connected to a heat exchanger;
• (c) when the microprocessor controller determines that the two-stage compressor needs to run at the second high-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the two-stage source side circulator causing the two-stage source side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at a high-flow rate;
• (d) substituting the one heat pump with two or more heat pumps fluidly connected to the at least one two-stage source side circulator;
• (e) substituting a variable speed source side circulator for the at least one two-stage source side circulator, and the heat exchangers are water-to-water heat exchangers;
• (f) calculating with the microprocessor controller a speed of one or more compressors of the two or more heat pumps to meet the demand;
• (g) calculating with the microprocessor controller a flow rate of the variable speed source side circulator to meet the demand;
• and
• (h) sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the variable speed source side circulator causing the variable speed source side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at the flow rate calculated by the microprocessor controller.

A method for controlling heat pump efficiency, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) calculating with a microprocessor controller a speed of a two-stage compressor of the heat pump to meet a demand, wherein the two-stage compressor has a first low-speed stage and a second high-speed stage;
• (b) when the microprocessor controller determines that the two-stage compressor needs to run at the first low-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to a two-stage load side circulator causing the two-stage load side circulator to circulate a fluid to the heat pump at a low-flow rate, wherein the two-stage load side circulator is fluidly connected to the heat pump and fluidly connected to a heat exchanger;
• (c) when the microprocessor controller determines that the two-stage compressor needs to run at the second high-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the two-stage load side circulator causing the two-stage load side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at a high-flow rate;
• (d) substituting the one heat pump with two or more heat pumps fluidly connected to the at least one two-stage load side circulator;
• (e) substituting a variable speed source side circulator for the at least one two-stage load side circulator, and the heat exchangers are water-to-water heat exchangers;
• (f) calculating with the microprocessor controller a speed of one or more compressors of the two or more heat pumps to meet the demand;
• (g) calculating with the microprocessor controller a flow rate of the variable speed load side circulator to meet the demand;
• and
• (h) sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the variable speed load side circulator causing the variable speed load side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at the flow rate calculated by the microprocessor controller.

A method for controlling occupant comfort in a conditioned space, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving in a microprocessor controller at least one of a desired set point temperature, a desired set point relative humidity, or a desired set point dew point;
• (b) receiving in the microprocessor controller a plurality of sensor inputs from a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors sense at least one temperature;
• (c) processing by the microprocessor controller the plurality of sensor inputs from the plurality of sensors in light of the desired set point temperature, desired set point relative humidity, or desired set point dew point;
• (d) calculating and tracking by the microprocessor controller a dew point in at least one of:
• (i) a fresh intake air moving into a dehumidifying device;
• (ii) a thermally conductive structure in the conditioned space;
• or
• (iii) the conditioned space;
• (e) sending a plurality of digital signals from the microprocessor controller to a device controller;
• and
• (f) sending a plurality of control signals from the device controller to a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of devices upon receiving the plurality of control signals achieve the desired set point temperature, set point relative humidity, or set point dew point;
• in the conditioned space by:
• (i) circulating a fluid within the thermally conductive structure;
• (ii) keeping the temperature of the fluid greater than the dew point at the thermally conductive structure,
• wherein the microprocessor controller is programmed to provide staged heating, cooling and ventilation.

A method for controlling the interaction of first and second process heat exchangers with at least one heat pump, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) calculating with a microprocessor controller an optimal source fluid temperature to be circulated to the at least one heat pump;
• (b) receiving in the microprocessor controller a first fluid temperature of a first portion of fluid in the first process heat exchanger, wherein the first fluid temperature is less than the optimal fluid temperature;
• (c) receiving in the microprocessor controller a second fluid temperature of a second portion of fluid in the second process heat exchanger, wherein the second fluid temperature is greater than the optimal fluid temperature;
• (d) sending by the microprocessor controller a first and second control signal to a first and second source mixing device, each fluidly connected to the first and second process heat exchangers, wherein the first portion of fluid and the second portion of fluid are mixed together forming a third portion of fluid at the optimal fluid temperature;
• and
• (e) circulating the third portion of fluid to the at least one heat pump.