Systems and methods for implementing an advanced energy efficient boiler control scheme

Abstract

Automated systems, methods, techniques, processes, products and product components are provided to implement an advanced and energy efficient hot water heating system control scheme that incorporates an advanced hot water reset for the boilers, including condensing boilers in hydronic systems. The advanced controls are provided to substantially enhance combustion (heating) efficiency for the boilers. The disclosed schemes replace conventional linear hot water reset with a device which can stand alone or integrate with boiler control technology or an existing building automation system to create a unique (non-linear) boiler reset curve based on various inputs. The schemes allow boiler control systems to learn and adapt over time maximizing the efficiency of a condensing boiler plant, by providing an independent, intelligent, economical, monitorable and manipulable solution eliminating the need of a head end BAS control system.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 810,385, entitled “Systems and Methods For Implementing an Advanced Energy Efficient Boiler Control Scheme,” by Nicholas E. Aumen and Bryan Haag, filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Feb. 25, 2019, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]This disclosure is directed to exemplary embodiments of automated systems, methods, techniques, processes, products and product components that implement an advanced and energy efficient hot water heating system control scheme that incorporates an advanced hot water reset for the boilers, including condensing boilers in hydronic systems, being controlled to enhance combustion (heating) efficiency for the boilers.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART[0003]Environmental control systems for buildings take many forms. Certain heating systems for large buildings include certain heating...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]In exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this disclosure, it may be advantageous to implement certain schemes that allow modern digital building control systems, and advanced control for boilers, whereby a supply water temperature needed to meet space environmental comfort requirements is determined in a manner that maximizes combustion efficiency of the boilers. Such control schemes may, in embodiments, result in increased comfort for building occupants through advanced control of the environmental control systems. It is anticipated further that, through implementation of exemplary embodiments of the disclosed schemes, significant cost savings may be realized based on the efficiencies introduced according to the disclosed schemes over conventional linear hot water reset techniques. In the disclosed operating schemes and scenarios, advanced reset controls may significantly affect occupant comfort within building and overall efficiency of the controlled heating systems themselves.

[0012]In embodiments, systems and methods according to the disclosed embodiments may modify (lower) supply water temperatures for condensing and non-condensing boilers in a manner that realizes significant efficiencies.

[0013]Exemplary embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods may provide standalone control via a control standalone device, capable of more efficient operations without the comparatively higher cost of a modern digital building automation system (BAS) infrastructure, or necessary compatibility with, and incorporation into a BAS scheme. Other embodiments may access and use information available from the BAS in a manner that allows the implemented control schemes according to this disclosure to make intelligent decisions to maximize boiler efficiencies. In embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods may piggy-back onto, or otherwise supplement (or be supplemented by) BAS data.

[0016]In embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods may compute a new supply water temperature set point. This newly computed supply water temperature set point may be communicated to the building control system or the boiler control system, as appropriate, to reset the hot water supply temperature to the boiler thereby resulting in increased efficiencies in boiler operations.

Problems solved by technology

Though thermostats are typically employed, it should be noted that some buildings may not employ conventional thermostats to activate the hot water circulation systems.

Ambient temperatures significantly affect the operations of the boilers.

Conversely, operations in more temperate surroundings may waste energy in forcing the boiler to “overheat” the water in consideration of the demand, cycling the burner cycles and the ultimate temperature of the boiler much less efficiently.

In this manner, significant overall inefficiencies in the operation of the boiler system are introduced.

The automated algorithms are straightforward, and thus limited in their inability to, for example, take advantage of modern intelligent system components and / or digital control equipment and sensors that exist today.

In addition to the inability to adapt linear reset control systems to incorporate the enumerated advancing technologies, an additional shortfall exists in the employment of linear reset strategies based on their limited applicability to non-condensing boilers.

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