Control systems and methods for managing rate of heat delivery in hydronic systems

A hydronic system, comprising:

• a heat transfer device;
• a forced air heat delivery component configured to control flow of air in the hydronic system;
• at least one pump operatively coupled to a storage tank for pumping fluid from the storage tank to the heat transfer device;
• and
• a control unit operatively coupled to the heat transfer device, a forced air heat delivery component, and the at least one pump, wherein the control unit is configured to perform the following steps at predefined intervals:
• receiving at least a first temperature and a second temperature from two spatially separated points in the hydronic system, wherein the first temperature corresponds to temperature of the fluid entering an inlet of the heat transfer device and the second temperature corresponds to temperature of the fluid leaving an outlet of the heat transfer device;
• receiving a flow rate of the fluid in the heat transfer device;
• calculating a temperature difference between the two spatially separated points in the hydronic system based, at least in part on, the first temperature and the second temperature;
• calculating an actual rate of heat delivery in the heat transfer device based, at least in part, on the flow rate and the temperature difference;
• determining a heat delivery rate difference between the actual rate of heat delivery and a target rate of heat delivery;
• calculating a target pumping rate based, at least in part, on the heat delivery rate difference;
• and
• maintaining the target rate of heat delivery in the heat transfer device by:
• operating the at least one pump at the target pumping rate for adapting at least the flow rate of the fluid into the inlet of the heat transfer device;
• and
• operating the forced air heat delivery component for adapting a rate of the flow of air in the hydronic system.

A method for controlling rate of heat delivery in a hydronic system, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a control unit, at least a first temperature and a second temperature from two spatially separated points in the hydronic system, wherein the two spatially separated points correspond to an inlet of a heat transfer device and an outlet of the heat transfer device;
• receiving, by the control unit, a flow rate of fluid in the heat transfer device;
• calculating at a predefined interval, by the control unit, a temperature difference between the two spatially separated points in the hydronic system based, at least in part, on the first temperature and the second temperature;
• calculating at the predefined interval, by the control unit, an actual rate of heat delivery to the heat transfer device based, at least in part, on the flow rate and the temperature difference;
• determining at the predefined interval, by the control unit, a heat delivery rate difference between the actual rate of heat delivery and a target rate of heat delivery;
• and
• adapting, by the control unit, at least the flow rate of the fluid into the inlet of the heat transfer device and a rate of flow of air in the hydronic system based, at least in part, on the heat delivery rate difference to maintain the target rate of heat delivery in the heat transfer device.