Thermal energy assembly

A cooling machine assembly arranged to be connected to a thermal energy circuit comprising a hot conduit configured to allow thermal fluid of a first temperature to flow therethrough, and a cold conduit configured to allow thermal fluid of a second temperature to flow therethrough, the second temperature is lower than the first temperature, the cooling machine assembly comprising:

• a thermal cooling circuit comprising a thermal cooling circuit inlet connectable to the cold conduit and a thermal cooling circuit outlet connectable to the hot conduit, the thermal cooling circuit is configured to transfer thermal fluid from the thermal cooling circuit inlet to the thermal cooling circuit outlet, the thermal cooling circuit further comprising a thermal cooling circuit flow controller configured to control the flow of the thermal fluid from the thermal cooling circuit inlet to the thermal cooling circuit outlet;
• a cooling machine;
• a cooling machine circuit comprising a cooling machine circuit inlet connected to the thermal cooling circuit at a first connection point, a cooling machine circuit outlet connected to the thermal cooling circuit at a second connection point and a cooling machine control pump configured to control a flow of thermal fluid from the cooling machine circuit inlet through the cooling machine at a heat generation side thereof to the cooling machine circuit outlet, and
• a cooling machine assembly controller configured to control the cooling machine assembly based on a parameter associated with an efficiency of the cooling machine assembly, wherein the parameter comprises a signal indicative of electric power consumption by the cooling machine assembly,
• wherein the cooling machine circuit and the thermal cooling circuit partially overlap, wherein the overlap is between the first and second connection points, and
• wherein the cooling machine assembly controller is configured to reduce electric power consumption of the cooling machine by at least controlling, based on the signal, the cooling machine assembly such that the cooling machine control pump circulates thermal fluid in the cooling machine circuit independently at a higher flow rate or at a lower flow rate than in the thermal cooling circuit.

A method for controlling a heat pump assembly, wherein the heat pump assembly is arranged to be connected to a thermal energy circuit comprising a hot conduit configured to allow thermal fluid of a first temperature to flow therethrough, and a cold conduit configured to allow thermal fluid of a second temperature to flow therethrough, the second temperature is lower than the first temperature, the heat pump assembly comprising:

• a thermal heating circuit comprising a thermal heating circuit inlet connectable to the hot conduit and a thermal heating circuit outlet connectable to the cold conduit, the thermal heating circuit is configured to transfer thermal fluid from the thermal heating circuit inlet to the thermal heating circuit outlet, the thermal heating circuit further comprising a thermal heating circuit flow controller configured to control the flow of the thermal fluid from the thermal heating circuit inlet to the thermal circuit outlet;
• a heat pump;
• a heat pump circuit comprising a heat pump circuit inlet connected to the thermal heating circuit at a first connection point, a heat pump circuit outlet connected to the thermal heating circuit at a second connection point and a heat pump control pump configured to control a flow of thermal fluid from the heat pump circuit inlet through the heat pump at a heat extraction side thereof to the heat pump circuit outlet;
• and
• a heat pump assembly controller configured to control the heat pump assembly based on a parameter associated with an efficiency of the heat pump assembly, wherein the parameter comprises a signal indicative of electric power consumption by the heat pump assembly;
• wherein the heat pump circuit and the thermal heating circuit partially overlap, wherein the overlap is between the first and second connection points, wherein the method comprises:
• determining a first parameter value associated with the parameter,
• adjusting, by controlling the heat pump control pump, a flow in the heat pump circuit based on the first parameter value,
• determining a second parameter value associated with the parameter post adjustment,
• determining a change in the efficiency of the heat pump assembly based on the first parameter value and the second parameter value, and
• adjusting, by controlling the heat pump control pump, the flow in the heat pump circuit based on the determined change in the efficiency.

A method for controlling a cooling machine assembly arranged to be connected to a thermal energy circuit comprising a hot conduit configured to allow thermal fluid of a first temperature to flow therethrough, and a cold conduit configured to allow thermal fluid of a second temperature to flow therethrough, the second temperature is lower than the first temperature, the cooling machine assembly comprising:

• a thermal cooling circuit comprising a thermal cooling circuit inlet connectable to the cold conduit and a thermal cooling circuit outlet connectable to the hot conduit, the thermal cooling circuit is configured to transfer thermal fluid from the thermal cooling circuit inlet to the thermal cooling circuit outlet, the thermal cooling circuit further comprising a thermal cooling circuit flow controller configured to control the flow of the thermal fluid from the thermal cooling circuit inlet to the thermal cooling circuit outlet;
• a cooling machine;
• a cooling machine circuit comprising a cooling machine circuit inlet connected to the thermal cooling circuit at a first connection point, a cooling machine circuit outlet connected to the thermal cooling circuit at a second connection point and a cooling machine control pump configured to control a flow of thermal fluid from the cooling machine circuit inlet through the cooling machine at a heat generation side thereof to the cooling machine circuit outlet, and
• a cooling machine assembly controller configured to control the cooling machine assembly based on a parameter associated with an efficiency of the cooling machine assembly, wherein the parameter comprises a signal indicative of electric power consumption by the cooling machine assembly,
• wherein the cooling machine circuit and the thermal cooling circuit partially overlap, wherein the overlap is between the first and second connection points, wherein the method comprises:
• determining a first parameter value associated with the parameter,
• adjusting, by controlling the cooling machine control pump, a flow in the cooling machine circuit based on the first parameter value,
• determining a second parameter value associated with the parameter post adjustment,
• determining a change in the efficiency of the cooling machine assembly based on the first parameter value and the second parameter value, and
• adjusting, by controlling the cooling machine control pump, the flow in the cooling machine circuit based on the determined change in the efficiency.