US 11,193,691 B1Granted

Controller for heating system diagnostics and operation

OwnerEric C. Guyer, Mark J. Macaulayinventors

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Abstract

This invention provides an electronic control for combination (fuel-fired boiler and electric heat pump) building space and water heating systems that optimizes operation of such within the operating temperature limits and heat capability of both the heat pump and boiler unit in the combination system. In a diagnostic mode, the controller assesses the ability of existing heat radiation systems in thermostatically controlled zones to meet heating loads at different operating temperature limits of the heat pump and boiler. The system/controller provides information to guide most effective deployment of system heat-dissipation devices. In its normal operating mode, the controller is capable of receiving input signals from zone thermostats, the boiler and heat pump, along with current outdoor temperature and other data, processing and evaluating inputs over time, and outputting control signals. The controller facilitates use of a combined heat pump and boiler heating system with minimum equipment, installation, and operational cost.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An electronic controller for the operation of a building space and domestic water heating system employing the circulation of a heated liquid, the system having different heat supply sources with different liquid temperature operating limits and heating capacities and thermostatically-controlled heat delivery zones containing heat delivery devices having a heat output dependent on the liquid temperature, the controller configured to execute:

(a) a diagnostic process to record and analyze, over time, an operating history of the thermostatic controls of each of the heat delivery zones of the heating system to determine and record the fractional time of active heat demand of the thermostat in each of the zones at specific outdoor temperatures, over a range of outdoor temperatures, at a specific heated liquid temperature,
(b) a runtime process that executes the overall operational control of the heating system in the satisfaction of heating demands of the heat delivery zones within the different liquid operating temperature limits and heating capacities of the heat sources wherein
i) the capacity of a heating zone to meet the heating load, at a specific heating supply water temperature and outdoor temperature, is established by combining the prior measurement of the fractional time of active heat demand of the thermostat in each of the zones at specific outdoor temperatures, over a range of outdoor temperatures, at a specific heated liquid temperature together with the known general knowledge of the relative heating supply capacity, as a function of temperature, of the type of heating devices contained in each zone, and
i) the operational control achieves substantially minimum fuel use or substantially minimum cost of operation while maintaining the thermostat set point temperatures in each of the heating zones by selectively switching among the different heat supply sources having different liquid temperature limits to enable operation of the thermostatically controlled heat delivery zones, singly or collectively, in a manner that meets, for all expected outdoor temperatures, said established, required heating supply liquid temperature for each of the zones.

1 more element

An electronic controller for the operation of a combined heating system that includes a heat pump and a boiler for building-space and domestic-water heating that has one or more thermostatically-controlled heating zones being supplied with heated liquid and containing heat delivery devices, the electronic controller configured to execute:

(a) a diagnostic process to record and analyze, over time, an operating history of the thermostatic controls of each of the heat delivery zones of the heating system to determine and record the fractional time of active heat demand of the thermostat in each of the zones at specific outdoor temperatures, over a range of outdoor temperatures, at a specific heated liquid temperature,
(b) a runtime process that executes the overall operational control of the heating system in the satisfaction of heating demands of the heat delivery zones within the different liquid operating temperature limits and heating capacities of the heat sources wherein
i) the capacity of a heating zone to meet the heating load, at a specific heating supply water temperature and outdoor temperature, is established by combining the prior measurement of the fractional time of active heat demand of the thermostat in each of the zones at specific outdoor temperatures, over a range of outdoor temperatures, at a specific heated liquid temperature together with the known general knowledge of the relative heating supply capacity, as a function of temperature, of the type of heating devices contained in each zone, and
ii) the operational control achieves substantially minimum fuel use or substantially minimum cost of operation while maintaining the thermostat set point temperatures in each of the heating zones by selectively switching between the boiler and the heat pump to enable operation of the thermostatically controlled heat delivery zones, singly or collectively, in a manner that meets, for all expected outdoor temperatures, said established, required heating supply liquid temperature for each of the zones.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.