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US 10,712,021 B2Granted
Pulse modulated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control
AssigneeComputime, Ltd.
InventorPhilip John Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An underfloor heating (UFH) system limits the floor temperature of an environmental entity (for example, a room) by pulsing (pulse modulating) the flow rate through a hydronic emitter (circuit) heating the environmental entity. Once the heated water fills the circuit during time interval Ton, the flow is stopped for a fixed time Toff before allowing the cycle to repeat until a target temperature is reached. The ratio of flow/no flow (Ton/Toff) may be a proportional lower floor temperature compared to a traditional circuit supporting a constant water flow. The UFH system may heat a plurality of rooms, each having different floor temperature limitations. The floor temperatures may be limited differently by pulsing the hydronic emitters (circuits) rooms differently.
Claims19
An underfloor heating (UFH) system comprising:
- at least one controller assembly controlling the system, the at least one controller assembly including:
- a movement actuator configured to connect to a valve in order to control water flow through a hydronic emitter;
- a temperature sensor interface configured to interface to a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor measures an outlet temperature of the hydronic emitter;
- a thermostat interface configured to obtain a measured room temperature for an environmental entity, wherein the environmental entity comprises a floor;
- and
- a computer device comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a first memory device storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the at least one controller assembly to perform:
- obtaining, through the thermostat interface, the measured room temperature;
- determining a pulsing ratio Ton/Toff based on a maximum floor temperature of the floor, wherein the movement actuator enables the water flow through the valve during Ton and stops the water flow during Toff;
- when the measured room temperature has not reached a targeted temperature, instructing the movement actuator to pulse the water flow through the hydronic emitter in accordance with the determined pulsing ratio;
- repeating the obtaining and the instructing for an updated room temperature;
- and
- when the outlet temperature is above a predetermined temperature, stopping the water flow through the hydronic emitter during Toff.
12 more elements
A manifold/valve heating/cooling system comprising:
- at least one controller assembly controlling the system, the at least one controller assembly including:
- a movement actuator configured to connect to a valve in order to control water flow through a hydronic emitter;
- a temperature sensor interface configured to interface to a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor measures an outlet temperature of the hydronic emitter;
- a thermostat interface configured to obtain a measured room temperature for an environmental entity, wherein the environmental entity comprises a floor;
- and
- a computer device comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a first memory device storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the at least one controller assembly to perform:
- obtaining, through the thermostat interface, the measured room temperature;
- when the manifold/valve heating/cooling system is operating in a heating mode:
- determining a pulsing ratio Ton/Toff based on a maximum floor temperature of the floor, wherein the movement actuator enables the water flow through the valve during Ton to fill the hydronic emitter with heated water and stops the water flow through the hydronic emitter during Toff;
- when the measured room temperature has not reached a targeted heating temperature, instructing the movement actuator to pulse the water flow through the hydronic emitter in accordance with the determined pulsing ratio over a number of pulsing cycles;
- repeating the obtaining and the instructing for an updated room temperature;
- and
- varying the number of pulsing cycles as the measured room temperature approaches the targeted heating temperature;
- and
- when the manifold/valve heating/cooling system is operating in a cooling mode:
- instructing the movement actuator to allow the water flow until a targeted cooling temperature is reached.
16 more elements
A method for controlling water flowing through a hydronic emitter of a heating/cooling system for an environmental entity having a floor, the method comprising:
- obtaining a measured room temperature of the environmental entity;
- and
- when operating in a heating mode:
- determining a pulsing ratio Ton/Toff based on a maximum floor temperature of the floor, wherein a movement actuator enables a water flow through a valve during Ton to fill the hydronic emitter with heated water and stops the water flow through the hydronic emitter during Toff;
- when the measured room temperature has not reached a targeted heating temperature, instructing the movement actuator to pulse the water flow through the hydronic emitter in accordance with the determined pulsing ratio over a number of pulsing cycles;
- repeating the obtaining and the instructing for an updated room temperature;
- and
- varying the number of pulsing cycles as the measured room temperature approaches the targeted heating temperature.
5 more elements
A method for controlling water flowing through a hydronic emitter of a heating/cooling system for an environmental entity having a floor, the method comprising:
- obtaining a measured room temperature of the environmental entity;
- and
- when operating in a heating mode:
- determining a pulsing ratio Ton/Toff based on a maximum floor temperature of the floor, wherein a movement actuator enables a water flow through a valve during Ton to fill the hydronic emitter with heated water and stops the water flow through the hydronic emitter during Toff;
- when the measured room temperature has not reached a targeted heating temperature, instructing the movement actuator to pulse the water flow through the hydronic emitter in accordance with the determined pulsing ratio over a number of pulsing cycles;
- repeating the obtaining and the instructing for an updated room temperature;
- obtaining an outlet temperature of the hydronic emitter;
- and
- when the outlet temperature is above a predetermined temperature, stopping the water flow through the hydronic emitter during Toff.
6 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to perform:
- obtaining a measured room temperature of an environmental entity, the environmental entity comprising a floor;
- when operating in a heating mode:
- determining a pulsing ratio Ton/Toff based on a maximum floor temperature of the floor, wherein a movement actuator enables a water flow through a valve during Ton to fill a hydronic emitter with heated water and stops the water flow through the hydronic emitter during Toff;
- when the measured room temperature has not reached a targeted heating temperature, instructing the movement actuator to pulse the water flow through the hydronic emitter in accordance with the determined pulsing ratio over a number of pulsing cycles;
- and
- repeating the obtaining and the instructing for an updated room temperature;
- and
- varying the number of pulsing cycles as the measured room temperature approaches the targeted heating temperature;
- and
- when operating in a cooling mode:
- instructing the movement actuator to allow the water flow until a targeted cooling temperature is reached based.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.