US 10,649,508 B1Granted

Modulated heating/cooling system control

AssigneeComputime, Ltd.

InventorPhilip John Smith

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Abstract

A heating/cooling system modulates the temperature of water flowing through a hydronic emitter by mixing water flows through a mixing valve. The mixing valve has an inlet connect to a water flow pipe, an inlet connected to a water return pipe, and an outlet connected to the hydronic emitter. Water flows through the inlets are configured to obtain a desired mixed water flow at a targeted temperature through the outlet. A controller receives temperature information from a thermometer and then determines the targeted temperature of the outlet. The controller then determines an inlet ratio and configures the mixing valve based on the ratio. The heating/cooling system may support one or more heating/cooling zones and may operate either in a heating or a cooling mode.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A hydronic heating/cooling system comprising:

a first mixing valve, the first mixing valve including a first A inlet, a first B inlet and a first A/B outlet, the first A inlet connected to a water flow pipe from an environmental conditioner, the first B inlet connected to a water return pipe, the first A/B outlet connected a first hydronic emitter;
a modulation-thermostatic controller configured to receive first temperature information about a first controlled entity and to generate, from the first temperature information, a first targeted outlet temperature for the first A/B outlet, wherein the hydronic heating/cooling system affects environmental conditions of the first controlled entity;
an actuator controller configured to determine a first inlet ratio from the first targeted outlet temperature and a first measured outlet temperature at the first A/B outlet, the first inlet ratio indicative of a first water flow ratio of the first A inlet to the first B inlet;
a first actuator connected to the first mixing valve, the first actuator configured to control first water flows through the first A inlet and the first B inlet based on the first inlet ratio and to obtain a first desired mixed water flow through the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve;
the actuator controller configured to determine an updated inlet ratio from the first targeted outlet temperature and an updated measured outlet temperature at the first A/B outlet, wherein the updated inlet ratio is indicative of an updated water flow ratio of the first A inlet to the first B inlet of the first mixing valve;
the first actuator configured to control updated mixing valve water flows through the first A inlet and the first B inlet based on the updated inlet ratio;
the modulation-thermostatic controller configured to wait a predetermined time duration before obtaining updated first temperature information when the first measured outlet temperature of the first A/B outlet is within a desired temperature range, wherein the desired temperature range is specified by a predetermined offset temperature value;
and
the modulation-thermostatic controller configured to generate, from the updated first temperature information, an updated first targeted outlet temperature for the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve.

6 more elements

A method for controlling water flowing through at least one hydronic emitter of a heating/cooling system, the method comprising:

receiving first temperature information about a first controlled entity;
generating, from the first temperature information, a first targeted outlet temperature for a first A/B outlet of a first mixing valve;
measuring a first measured outlet temperature of the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve;
determining a first inlet ratio from the first targeted outlet temperature and the first measured outlet temperature at the first A/B outlet, wherein the first inlet ratio is indicative of a first water flow ratio of a first A inlet to a first B inlet of the first mixing valve;
instructing a first actuator to configure the first mixing valve to allow water flows through the first A inlet and the first B inlet based on the first inlet ratio to obtain a first desired mixed water flow through the first A/B outlet, wherein a first hydronic emitter is connected to the first A/B outlet, the first desired mixed water flow flows through the first hydronic emitter, and wherein the first hydronic emitter affects environmental conditions of the first controlled entity;
measuring an updated measured outlet temperature of the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve;
determining an updated inlet ratio from the first targeted outlet temperature and the updated measured outlet temperature at the first A/B outlet, wherein the updated inlet ratio is indicative of an updated water flow ratio of the first A inlet to the first B inlet of the first mixing valve, the determining further comprising:
including a predetermined offset temperature value to specify a desired temperature range,
instructing the first actuator to configure the updated mixing valve water flows through the first A inlet and the first B inlet based on the updated inlet ratio;
when the first measured outlet temperature of the first A/B outlet is within the desired temperature range, waiting a predetermined time duration before obtaining updated first temperature information;
and
generating, from the updated first temperature information, an updated first targeted outlet temperature for the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve.

9 more elements

A computing device controlling a hydronic heating/cooling system, the computing device comprising:

at least one processor;
and
at least one memory device storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to perform:
receiving first temperature information about a first controlled entity;
generating, from the first temperature information, a first targeted outlet temperature for a first A/B outlet of a first mixing valve;
obtaining a first measured outlet temperature of the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve;
determining a first inlet ratio from the first targeted outlet temperature and the first measured outlet temperature at the first A/B outlet, wherein the first inlet ratio is indicative of a first water flow ratio of a first A inlet to a first B inlet of the first mixing valve;
instructing a first actuator to configure the first mixing valve to allow water flows through the first A inlet and the first B inlet based on the first inlet ratio to obtain a first desired mixed water flow through the first A/B outlet, wherein a first hydronic emitter is connected to the first A/B outlet, the first desired mixed water flow flows through the first hydronic emitter, and wherein the first hydronic emitter affects environmental conditions of the first controlled entity;
obtaining an updated measured outlet temperature of the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve;
determining an updated inlet ratio from the first targeted outlet temperature and the updated measured outlet temperature at the first A/B outlet, wherein the updated inlet ratio is indicative of an updated water flow ratio of the first A inlet to the first B inlet of the first mixing valve;
instructing the first actuator to configure the updated mixing valve water flows through the first A inlet and the first B inlet based on the updated inlet ratio;
waiting a predetermined time duration before obtaining updated first temperature information when the first measured outlet temperature of the first A/B outlet is within a desired temperature range, wherein the desired temperature range is specified by a predetermined offset temperature value;
and
generating, from the updated first temperature information, an updated first targeted outlet temperature for the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A hydronic heating/cooling system comprising:

a first mixing valve, the first mixing valve including a first A inlet, a first B inlet and a first A/B outlet, the first A inlet connected to a water flow pipe from an environmental conditioner, the first B inlet connected to a water return pipe, the first A/B outlet connected a first hydronic emitter;
a modulation-thermostatic controller configured to receive first temperature information about a first controlled entity and to generate, from the first temperature information, a first targeted outlet temperature for the first A/B outlet, wherein the hydronic heating/cooling system affects environmental conditions of the first controlled entity;
an actuator controller configured to determine a first inlet ratio from the first targeted outlet temperature and a first measured outlet temperature at the first A/B outlet, the first inlet ratio indicative of a first water flow ratio of the first A inlet to the first B inlet;
a first actuator connected to the first mixing valve, the first actuator configured to control first water flows through the first A inlet and the first B inlet based on the first inlet ratio and to obtain a first desired mixed water flow through the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve;
the actuator controller configured to determine an updated inlet ratio from the first targeted outlet temperature and an updated measured outlet temperature at the first A/B outlet, wherein the updated inlet ratio is indicative of an updated water flow ratio of the first A inlet to the first B inlet of the first mixing valve;
the first actuator configured to control updated mixing valve water flows through the first A inlet and the first B inlet based on the updated inlet ratio;
the modulation-thermostatic controller configured to wait a predetermined time duration before obtaining updated first temperature information when the first measured outlet temperature of the first A/B outlet is within a desired temperature range, wherein the desired temperature range is specified by a predetermined offset temperature value;
and
the modulation-thermostatic controller configured to generate, from the updated first temperature information, an updated first targeted outlet temperature for the first A/B outlet of the first mixing valve.

6 more elements