Apparatus and method for regulation and balancing of a thermal system

A regulation apparatus (1) for thermal plants, configured for regulating the circulation of a fluid in a thermal plant (100), said thermal plant comprising a primary side (P), which generates and provides a flow of said fluid, a secondary side (S), which comprises one or more terminals using such fluid, a delivery circuit (M), connecting the primary side (P) to the secondary side (S) in order to bring to the latter a flow of said fluid, and a return circuit (R), connecting the secondary side (S) to the primary side (P) in order to bring back, to the latter, the fluid used by said terminals, the apparatus (1) being operatively placed in the thermal plant in order to regulate the flow of fluid entering the secondary side from the delivery circuit and exiting the secondary side from the return circuit,

• the apparatus (1) comprising:
• a differential pressure regulator (2), comprising:
• an internal duct (5), intended to be traversed by the fluid intercepted by the regulator;
• a high-pressure inlet (3), intended to be placed in communication with a flow of fluid having a specific pressure;
• a low-pressure inlet (4), intended to be placed in communication with a respective flow of fluid having a specific pressure;
• the differential pressure regulator (2) being configured for varying or modulating the passage of fluid through the internal duct (5) in a manner such to maintain constant the pressure difference value between the high-pressure inlet (3) and the low-pressure inlet (4), said pressure difference value being selectable in a use interval of the differential pressure regulator (2);
• a three-way selection valve (10), comprising:
• a first inlet/outlet terminal (11), intended to be placed in fluid communication with a point of the plant or of the apparatus;
• a second inlet/outlet terminal (12), intended to be placed in fluid communication with a respective point of the plant or of the apparatus;
• a third inlet/outlet terminal (13), intended to be placed in fluid communication with a respective point of the plant or of the apparatus;
• the three-way selection valve (10) being configured at least for selectively placing in fluid communication:
• said first inlet/outlet terminal (11) with said second inlet/outlet terminal (12), simultaneously closing the third inlet/outlet terminal (13), in accordance with a first operating position, or
• said first inlet/outlet terminal (11) with said third inlet/outlet terminal (13), simultaneously closing the second inlet/outlet terminal (12), in accordance with a second operating position;
• a two-way zone valve (30), comprising:
• a fluid inlet (31);
• a fluid outlet (32);
• a passage duct (33), extending between the fluid inlet (31) and the fluid outlet (32) and intended to be traversed by the fluid intercepted by the two-way zone valve and circulating from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet;
• the two-way zone valve (30) being configured for allowing the circulation of a fluid flow through said passage duct (33) equal to a specific flow rate value selectable for the zone valve;
• wherein the apparatus is configured for being installed in accordance with a plurality of installation modes, and wherein in each installation mode:
• the differential pressure regulator (2) can be placed so as to intercept the delivery circuit (M) or the return circuit (R), said internal duct (5) thus being traversed by the fluid circulating in the delivery circuit (M) or in the return circuit (R);
• the two-way zone valve (30) can be placed so as to intercept the delivery circuit (M) or the return circuit (R), in a manner such that said passage duct (33) is traversed by the fluid circulating in the delivery circuit (M) or in the return circuit (R);
• the three-way selection valve (10) is intended to be operatively interposed between the delivery circuit (M) and the return circuit (R);
• the first inlet/outlet terminal (11) is intended to be placed in fluid communication with the high-pressure inlet (3) or with the low-pressure inlet (4) of the differential pressure regulator (2);
• the second inlet/outlet terminal (12) is intended to be placed in fluid communication with a point of the delivery circuit (M) or of the return circuit (R);
• the third inlet/outlet terminal (13) is intended to be placed in fluid communication with a respective point of the return circuit (R), if the second inlet/outlet terminal (12) is in fluid communication with the delivery circuit (M), or of the delivery circuit (M), if the second inlet/outlet terminal (12) is in fluid communication with the return circuit (R).