Building control system using a control device position as a proxy for static pressure in a conduit

A method for affecting a flow rate of a fluid through a conduit, the method comprising:

• performing a volumetric control process to generate a control signal for a drive device of a building device, the building device operable to affect the flow rate of the fluid through the conduit;
• receiving an operating position signal of a control device indicating a current position of the control device within the conduit;
• determining an estimated static pressure level within the conduit using the current position of the control device within the conduit without requiring a measurement of the estimated static pressure level, wherein determining the estimated static pressure level comprises (i) determining a first estimated static pressure level when the control device is in a first position within the conduit without requiring a measurement of the first estimated static pressure level and (ii) determining a second estimated static pressure level different from the first estimated static pressure level when the control device is in a second position within the conduit different from the first position without requiring a measurement of the second estimated static pressure level, wherein at least one of the first position or the second position is an intermediate position between a fully open position and a fully closed position;
• updating the control signal based on the estimated static pressure level within the conduit determined using the current position of the control device within the conduit;
• and
• operating the drive device based on the updated control signal to affect the flow rate of the fluid.

A controller for affecting a flow rate of a fluid through a conduit, the controller comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
• performing a volumetric control process to generate a control signal for a drive device of a building device, the building device operable to affect the flow rate of the fluid through the conduit;
• receiving an operating position signal of a control device indicating a current position of the control device within the conduit;
• determining an estimated static pressure level within the conduit using the current position of the control device within the conduit without requiring a measurement of the estimated static pressure level, wherein determining the estimated static pressure level comprises (i) determining a first estimated static pressure level when the control device is in a first position within the conduit without requiring a measurement of the first estimated static pressure level and (ii) determining a second estimated static pressure level different from the first estimated static pressure level when the control device is in a second position within the conduit different from the first position without requiring a measurement of the second estimated static pressure level, wherein at least one of the first position or the second position is an intermediate position between a fully open position and a fully closed position;
• updating the control signal based on the estimated static pressure level within the conduit determined using the current position of the control device within the conduit;
• and
• operating the drive device based on the updated control signal to affect the flow rate of the fluid.