Refilling device for a hydronic heating system and method of operating

A refilling device for a hydronic heating system, the refilling device comprising:

• a monolithic housing providing an inlet port, an outlet port, a middle section providing a flow channel extending between the inlet port and the outlet port and a connection socket for a softening and/or demineralization cartridge,
• wherein the refilling device is connectable to a water supply pipe of a water supply system through the inlet port, and
• wherein the refilling device is connectable to a water supply pipe of a hydronic heating system through the outlet port;
• an inlet shut-off-valve at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing downstream of the inlet port;
• an automatically actuated outlet shut-off-valve at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing upstream of the outlet port;
• a system separator having backflow preventers at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing;
• a first conductivity or TDS sensor;
• a second conductivity or TDS sensor at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing downstream of the connection socket and upstream of the automatically actuated outlet shut-off-valve;
• a temperature sensor at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing and downstream of the inlet shut-off-valve and between the backflow preventers of the system separator,
• a flow meter at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing;
• and
• a controller mounted to the monolithic housing,
• wherein the controller is configured to receive signals from the temperature sensor, from at least one of the first conductivity or TDS sensor or the second conductivity or TDS sensor, and from the flow meter,
• wherein the controller is configured to determine from the signal provided by the at least one of the first conductivity or TDS sensor or the second conductivity or TDS sensor, and from the signal provided by the temperature sensor, the hardness and/or mineralization of the water upstream of the connection socket, and
• wherein the controller is configured to process the signals from the at least one of the first conductivity or TDS sensor, the second conductivity or TDS sensor, the flow meter, or the temperature sensor to automatically control the operation of the refilling device.

A refilling device for a hydronic heating system, the refilling device comprising:

• a monolithic housing providing an inlet port, an outlet port, a middle section providing a flow channel extending between the inlet port and the outlet port, and a connection socket,
• wherein the refilling device is connectable to a water supply pipe of a water supply system through the inlet port, and
• wherein the refilling device is connectable to a water supply pipe of a hydronic heating system through the outlet port;
• an inlet shut-off-valve at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing downstream of the inlet port;
• an automatically actuated outlet shut-off-valve at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing upstream of the outlet port;
• a system separator having backflow preventers at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing;
• a conductivity or TDS sensor at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing;
• a temperature sensor at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing and downstream of the inlet shut-off-valve and between the backflow preventers of the system separator,
• a flow meter at least partially accommodated within the monolithic housing;
• a softening and/or demineralization cartridge connected to the connection socket, wherein the softening and/or demineralization cartridge has a RFID or NFC tag storing data about the softening and/or demineralization cartridge;
• and
• a controller mounted to the monolithic housing,
• wherein the controller is configured to receive signals from the temperature sensor, from the conductivity or TDS sensor, and from the flow meter, and to receive the data from the RFID or NFC tag,
• wherein the controller is configured to determine from the signal provided by the conductivity or TDS sensor and from the signal provided by the temperature sensor, the hardness and/or mineralization of the water upstream of the connection socket,
• wherein the controller is configured to determine from the hardness and/or mineralization of the water upstream of the connection socket and from the data received from the RFID or NFC tag a nominal amount of water which can be softened and/or demineralized by the softening and/or demineralization cartridge,
• wherein the controller is configured to determine from the signal provided by the flow meter an actual amount of water which has been softened and/or demineralized by the softening and/or demineralization cartridge,
• wherein the controller is configured to automatically generate a warning signal and/or automatically closes the outlet shut-off-valve if the difference between the nominal amount and the actual amount becomes smaller than a threshold, and
• wherein the controller is configured to process the signals from at least one of the conductivity or TDS sensor, the flow meter, the temperature sensor, or the RFID or NFC tag to automatically control the operation of the refilling device.