Encapsulated heating and / or cooling unit, production module and controller

Abstract

A heating and / or cooling unit for heating an encapsulation of a production module of a ventilation air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) system. The packaging unit comprises: a heat pump configured to provide heating and / or cooling; a connection to the piping distribution system to selectively connect to the hot fluid circuit and / or the cold fluid circuit; and a controller. The controller is configured to be connected to and receive signals from a building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand, and is further configured to selectively control connection to a hot fluid circuit or a cold fluid circuit, and independently controlling the encapsulated heating and / or cooling units based on signals from the building automation system for heating or cooling requirements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) systems having an array of packaged production modules for conditioning a space. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for connecting and controlling the operation of one or more packaged production modules to improve the performance, efficiency, and operability of a building automation system. Background Art

[0002] A building automation system (BAS) is a computerized network of electronic devices that can be configured to control one or more systems in a building (e.g., mechanical, electrical, lighting, security systems, etc.). For example, a building automation system can be configured to control a building's heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system and its components. Users (e.g., facility managers, building maintenance engineers, etc.) typically interact with a building automation system via a computer networked with various unit controllers and sensors.

[0003] The HVACR system may be a liquid hydronic heating system that includes, for example, an outdoor unit or the like to provide a liquid process fluid (e.g., water, an aqueous solution, or a glycol solution) as a heat transfer medium to condition a space in a building or occupied space. The HVACR system typically includes a heat transfer loop system that may include one or more compressors, expanders, condensers, evaporators, fans, filters, regulators, circulation pumps, and various other devices. The one or more compressors, condensers, expanders, and evaporators are fluidly connected.

[0004] Connecting multiple units or production modules of an HVACR system with a BAS can create a robust and stable system customized for a specific installation. However, these systems often require extensive customization to connect a building or site's BAS to multiple units or production modules, which is often a labor-intensive customization task that varies with each system implementation. In some cases, the necessary manual programming and other installation elements for one unit or production module may not be applicable to other systems, resulting in high costs, uneven wiring and connections, and time-consuming installation associated with these systems. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present disclosure generally relates to heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems having an array of packaged production modules for conditioning a space. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for connecting and controlling the operation of one or more packaged production modules to improve the performance, efficiency and operability of a building automation system.

[0006] The encapsulated production module is a circulatory system in which heat energy is exchanged with an ambient fluid (e.g., air or water) in the environment and with a liquid process fluid (e.g., water, an aqueous solution, or a glycol solution) used to condition the space. For example, when providing cooling to the conditioned space, the production module can reject heat to the ambient fluid, such as air flowing in the environment by wind, to provide a cooling process fluid that circulates in a chilled water loop to condition the space.

[0007] In some embodiments, a packaged heating and / or cooling unit for a production module of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system is provided. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit includes: a heat pump configured to provide heating and / or cooling to a fluid; a connection to a piping distribution system that selectively connects to a hot fluid loop and / or a cold fluid loop; and a controller. The controller is configured to connect to and receive signals from a building automation system for heating demand and / or cooling demand. The controller is also configured to selectively control the connection to the hot fluid loop or the cold fluid loop and independently control the packaged heating and / or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand.

[0008] In one embodiment, the packaged heating and / or cooling unit may further include a pump configured to pump fluid through the packaged heating and / or cooling unit.

[0009] In some embodiments, a controller for a packaged heating and / or cooling unit for a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) system is provided. The controller is configured to: connect to and receive signals from a building automation system for heating demand and / or cooling demand, control the connection of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit to a hot fluid loop or a cold fluid loop, and independently control the packaged heating and / or cooling unit based on the signals from the building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit includes a heat pump and a connection to a pipe distribution system.

[0010] A method of controlling a packaged heating and / or cooling unit of a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) system is provided. The method includes connecting to a building automation system for heating demand and / or cooling demand and receiving a signal from the building automation system, selectively controlling a connection of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit to a hot fluid loop or a cold fluid loop, and independently controlling the packaged heating and / or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit includes a heat pump and a connection to a pipe distribution system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this disclosure and which illustrate embodiments in which the systems and methods described in this specification may be practiced.

[0012] Figure 1A A schematic diagram of a chiller-heater hydronic system that may be implemented in an HVACR system is shown according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 1B A schematic diagram of a chiller-heater hydronic system is shown according to another embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a packaged unit of a chiller-heater hydronic system according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a packaged unit of a chiller-heater hydronic system according to one embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4 Control of a chiller-heater hydronic system in cooling mode is shown according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5 Control of a chiller-heater hydronic system in heating mode is shown according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 6 Control of a chiller-heater hydronic system in heating mode and cooling mode is shown according to one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a packaging unit with a triple feed system according to one embodiment.

[0020] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a control method of a packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to one embodiment.

[0021] Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In the detailed description that follows, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of the description. In the accompanying drawings, similar symbols generally identify similar parts unless the context indicates otherwise. In addition, unless otherwise stated, the description of each subsequent figure may refer to features from one or more previous figures to provide a clearer context and a more substantial explanation of the current exemplary embodiment. However, the exemplary embodiments described in the detailed description, the drawings, and the claims are not intended to be limiting. Other embodiments may also be utilized and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the various aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein and shown in the drawings, may be arranged, replaced, combined, separated, and designed in a variety of different configurations, all of which are expressly contemplated herein.

[0023] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the disclosure that may be embodied in various forms. Known functions or configurations are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to apply the present disclosure broadly to almost any appropriately detailed structure. In this description and in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals represent elements that may perform the same, similar, or equivalent functions.

[0024] In addition, the present disclosure may be described herein in terms of functional block components and various processing steps. It should be understood that such functional blocks may be implemented by any number of hardware and / or software components configured to perform the specified functions.

[0025] The scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given herein. For example, the steps recited in any method claim may be performed in any order and are not limited to the order presented in the claim. In addition, no element is necessary for the practice of the present disclosure unless specifically described as "critical" or "essential" herein.

[0026] The following definitions apply to this disclosure. As defined herein, the term "building automation system" or "BAS" may refer to a system for coordinating, managing, and automating the control of various environmental, physical, and electrical building subsystems (particularly HVACR systems and climate control systems, and may also include security, lighting, electrical systems, etc.). It should be understood that various embodiments of a BAS are described in U.S. Patent No. 10,269,235, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0027] As defined herein, the term "point" or "point of control" or "control point" may refer to a sensor input (of a controller), a control output, or a control value (of a controller), which may have different characteristics depending on the manufacturer. In one embodiment, the input and output of a controller may be referred to as a control point of the controller. A "point" may refer to a control operation, such as a sensing action (e.g., a sensor input), a control action (e.g., a control output), etc. For example, a point may include a temperature sensor input, an output of a proportional controller for operating a control valve, etc.

[0028] The HVACR system may include a plurality of production modules that are used to provide the necessary heating and / or cooling to condition the spaces in the building. The HVACR system and / or the production modules may be connected to a BAS system and a master controller for controlling the HVACR system and its components to provide heating and / or cooling to the building.

[0029] The problem associated with installing an existing production module in an HVACR system is the complexity of establishing control of the production module components and coordinating the system control with the BAS master controller. In some cases, such production modules, if not connected or set up correctly, can be prone to control errors that will jeopardize system operation and equipment reliability.

[0030] To overcome these problems, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for connecting and controlling production modules to improve the performance, efficiency and operability of building automation systems, such as dynamically scalable and automatically configurable BAS. These systems and methods enable users to install production modules into HVACR systems and plug into the connections of a BAS master controller, thereby providing heating and / or cooling to conditioned spaces without having to directly connect each end device or component of the production module to the BAS master controller.

[0031] In general, a BAS includes a main controller, one or more controllers, and one or more sensors connected to each other via a network. The controllers and sensors may constitute a subsystem of a building or may be components of an HVACR system. A subsystem of a building may similarly consist of a controller and multiple sensors, or multiple controllers and multiple sensors with the same communication protocol.

[0032] The BAS master controller may be hardwired or use a proprietary communication standard or protocol to link the various subsystems and provide system-wide user access, monitoring, and control. In some embodiments, the master controller may communicate with sensors and controllers via a token passing protocol such as BACnet (Building Automation and Control Networking Protocol) or other suitable communication protocols. In other embodiments, some devices may communicate via wireless communications, while other devices may communicate via BACnet or other suitable communication protocols.

[0033] In some embodiments, the master controller can receive data from and send data to the unit controllers or central controller (discussed below). For example, the master controller can receive data about the operating status of one or more unit controllers. In some embodiments, the master controller can schedule and coordinate various systems of the building. For example, the master controller can be configured to maintain a building or a portion thereof at a first temperature during a first time period and at a second temperature during a second time period by having at least one of a temperature sensor, a thermostat, or other similar sensor, the master controller communicating with a variable air volume (VAV) controller (unit controller) to control airflow (and therefore climate) (e.g., to maintain a desired temperature, humidity, etc.) into an area of ​​the building (e.g., a single room, multiple rooms, a wing of a building, etc.) that includes the sensor.

[0034] The main controller communicates with one or more controllers, one or more sensors and a user interface via a network. The network may, for example, include physical and / or wireless connections. For example, the network may be a local area network (LAN), and some devices may be physically connected to each other via Ethernet cables, etc. In some embodiments, the network may include a wireless network, such as a wireless network through a wireless network router. In some embodiments, the network may include a combination of physical connections and wireless connections.

[0035] Although some devices of the BAS system can be physically or wirelessly connected to the BAS master controller, the production modules of the HVACR system and their components are connected to the BAS master controller via a unit controller or a central controller so that the unit controller or the central controller independently controls its own unit components or equipment. The production module may include any one of a supply valve, a return valve, a thermostatic valve, a filter, a sensor, a unit and / or a central controller, a pump and / or a heat pump, which are independent liquid hydronic heating / cooling units and are independently controlled by a unit controller or a central controller, rather than by the BAS master controller. The heat pump may be an air source heat pump, a water-to-water heat pump, or a multi-pipe unit. The unit controller or the central controller is disposed on the production module and is programmed to control the production module locally and / or distributedly based on control signals from the BAS. In this way, the BAS does not control the individual components of the production module, but provides control signals, for example, set points or operating modes required for the conditioning space of the production module, such as cooling or heating. By integrating the cell controller or central controller into the production module, not only is the design, connection and control of the production module simplified, but it also improves repeatability, standardization of connections and sustainability of control, and provides more responsive control, as described below.

[0036] Figure 1AA schematic diagram of a chiller-heater liquid hydronic system 100 for conditioning a space using an HVACR system is shown. The chiller-heater liquid hydronic system 100 includes a pipe distribution system including a hot water loop, a cold water loop, and a plurality of sensors and / or elements. The hot water loop includes a hot water return line 105, a hot water supply line 110, a hot water tank 115, and a hot water distribution pump 120, and the cold water loop includes a cold water return line 125, a cold water supply line 130, a cold water tank 135, and a cold water distribution pump 140, and the plurality of sensors and / or elements are disposed in the process fluid line of the pipe distribution system for measuring environmental conditions, such as temperature or pressure or flow rate. It should be understood that in addition to the hot water loop and the cold water loop, in a non-limiting example, additional water loops at different temperatures may also be provided, such as a colder water loop or a warmer water loop. In addition, although water is discussed herein with respect to a liquid hydronic system, it should be understood that other solutions may be circulated for the liquid process fluid, such as glycol solutions, aqueous solutions, etc., for conditioning a space using an HVACR system. Although various components of the pipeline distribution system are shown, it should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Instead, different elements can be positioned to have different pipeline arrangements. For example, although the cold water tank 135 is shown as being located before the production module to mitigate the water temperature changes to the production module, the cold water tank 135 can also be located after the production module (e.g., further described below as 145) to provide a buffer for the cold water circuit. Additional components, such as additional water tanks, etc. may also be included.

[0037] The chiller-heater liquid hydronic heating system 100 can be generally applied in various systems for controlling environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, air quality, etc.) in a conditioned space. The conditioned space can be a space in a building such as an office building, a commercial building, a factory, a laboratory, a data center, a residential building, etc. In one embodiment, the chiller-heater liquid hydronic heating system 100 can be configured as a cooling system (e.g., an air conditioning system) capable of operating in a cooling mode. In one embodiment, the chiller-heater liquid hydronic heating system 100 can be configured as a heat pump capable of operating in a heating / defrost mode. It should be understood that the chiller-heater liquid hydronic heating system 100 can be configured to operate in a cooling mode and a heating / defrost mode.

[0038] The chiller-heater hydronic system 100 also includes at least one production module 145 that includes connections for connecting to a hot water circuit and a cold water circuit, such as boss fittings, push-to-connect fittings, cam lock fittings, valve fittings, threaded fittings, etc. The connections may include a three-way supply valve 150 (e.g., a two-position valve) and a three-way return valve 150 (e.g., a two-position valve) to allow the production module to be reversibly connected to the hot water circuit or the cold water circuit. In one embodiment, the three-way supply valve 150 may be connected to the inlet of the production module, and the three-way return valve 150 may be connected to the outlet of the production module, or may be integrated with the production module to allow connection to the hot water circuit and the cold water circuit. In another embodiment, as Figure 1B As shown, two two-way supply valves 150 can be connected to the inlet and outlet of the production module to provide switching between the production module and the cooling and heating distribution circuits, instead of Figure 1A A three-way switching valve 150 is shown. Although in one embodiment, at least one production module 145 discussed below is associated with one unit, a production module 145 may include multiple packaged heating and / or cooling units 155 connected in parallel with other packaged heating and / or cooling units 155.

[0039] Each packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 may include a unit controller 160, a filter 165, a pump 170, a heat pump 175, a thermostatic valve 180, a plurality of sensors or elements for measuring environmental conditions, such as the temperature or pressure of the process fluid or the temperature of the pressure within the packaged unit, such as the refrigerant temperature or pressure or the ambient fluid temperature, such as the temperature of air or water, or the flow rate, and / or any combination of one or more supply valves 150 and one or more return valves 150. The filter 165 is disposed at the outlet of one or more supply valves 150 and receives the process fluid to filter contaminants (e.g., debris, accumulation, corrosion products, etc.). The filter 165 may include a body that houses a filter membrane or unit. The pump 170 may be a variable speed process fluid pump to control the flow through the heat pump 175 based on the heat transfer principle (e.g., Q=mCpΔT). The process fluid pump 170 may be a centrifugal pump, a diaphragm pump, a piston pump, etc. The thermostatic valve 180 is disposed around the heat pump 175 to help control or thermostat the temperature of the process fluid entering the heat pump 175 (e.g., a thermostatic valve). The thermostatic valve 180 can be a solenoid valve or an adjustable valve to control the flow of process fluid around the heat pump 175. Although the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 is discussed above, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited in scope. In one embodiment, the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 can include a unit controller 160 and a heat pump 175, as well as one or more supply valves 150 and one or more return valves, the supply valve 150 and the return valve as a packaged unit disposed on a slide and / or frame based on the layout and / or configuration of the chiller-heater liquid hydronic heating system 100 (e.g., for the space or availability of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155). One or more of the remaining components, such as the heat pump components, the pump 170, the thermostatic valve 180, etc., can be provided as a separate component or as a separate packaged unit that can be connected to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 and the unit controller 160. As such, it should be understood that the various components of the disclosed packaged heating and / or cooling unit 150 are not limiting, but rather are intended to allow flexibility for a system having a plug-and-play design capability to meet customer needs for different configurations and layouts of any chiller-heater liquid hydronic heating system.

[0040] The heat pump 175 may be a cooling air heat pump that includes a compressor for compressing a working fluid of a packaged heating and / or cooling unit, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator. The compressor, condenser, expander, and evaporator may be fluidly connected.

[0041] The heat pump 175 can operate according to generally known principles. The heat pump 175 can be configured to heat and / or cool a liquid cycle to heat the HVACR system process fluid. In some embodiments, the heat pump 175 can be operated as a vapor compression loop so that the compressor compresses the working fluid (e.g., a heat transfer fluid such as, but not limited to, a refrigerant) from a relatively low pressure gas to a relatively high pressure gas. The relatively high pressure gas is at a relatively high temperature, is discharged from the compressor and flows through the condenser. According to generally known principles, the working fluid flows through the condenser and releases heat to the process fluid (e.g., water, air, etc.), thereby cooling the working fluid. The cooled working fluid (now in liquid form) flows to the expander, which can reduce the pressure of the working fluid. As a result, a portion of the working fluid is converted into a gaseous form. The working fluid, which is now in the form of a mixed liquid and gas, flows to the evaporator. The working fluid flows through the evaporator and absorbs heat from the process fluid (e.g., a heat transfer medium, such as, but not limited to, water, a solution, air, etc.), heating the working fluid and converting it into a gaseous form. Then, the gaseous working fluid returns to the compressor. The above process continues when the heat transfer circuit is operating, for example, in a cooling mode (eg, when the compressor is enabled).

[0042] The compressor can be, for example, a centrifugal compressor, a scroll compressor, a screw compressor, or any other suitable type of compressor for a working fluid circuit. The compressor can be controlled by a unit controller 160, for example, for regulating the operation of the compressor, such as the capacity of the compressor operation and / or any other suitable control for the operation of the compressor. In one embodiment, multiple compressors can be included in the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155.

[0043] The condenser includes a heat exchanger. The condenser receives compressed working fluid from the compressor, and the working fluid releases heat via the heat exchanger at the condenser. The heat released at the condenser condenses the working fluid into a liquid. The condenser can be thermally connected to the surrounding environment or source fluid and releases heat to the surrounding environment or source fluid. One or more condenser fans can provide airflow above the condenser. The operation of one or more condenser fans can be controlled by the unit controller 160. The operation of the condenser fans by the unit controller 160 can be used at least in part to control the operating capacity of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155.

[0044] The expander is configured to reduce the pressure of the working fluid. As a result, a portion of the working fluid is converted into a gaseous form. The expander can be, for example, an expansion valve, an orifice, or other suitable expanders for reducing the pressure of a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant). In one embodiment, the expander includes a plurality of orifices. In one embodiment, the plurality of orifices of the expander have different sizes. The expander can be a controllable expander with a variable aperture. In one embodiment, the expander is an electronic expansion valve. The expander can be controlled by the unit controller 160 to adjust its influence on the flow and expansion of the working fluid, for example, by controlling the orifice size of the expansion valve based on a signal from the unit controller 160 or controlling the number and size of orifices in use. The control of the expander by the unit controller 160 can be used at least in part to control the operating capacity of the encapsulated heating and / or cooling unit 155.

[0045] The evaporator receives the working fluid from the expander. The evaporator comprises a heat exchanger in which the working fluid can absorb heat, such as heat from a liquid process fluid that can be used to provide cooling to an area served by the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155. The process fluid exchanges heat with the working fluid in the evaporator, which absorbs heat from the process fluid and evaporates the working fluid.

[0046] It should be understood that the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 can be used to provide heating and / or cooling. Thus, although the condenser and evaporator are discussed above with respect to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 operating in cooling mode, it should be understood that if the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 is operated in heating mode, the condenser and evaporator will operate in the reverse order.

[0047] The packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 may include a housing (or shell) configured to accommodate one or more components or end devices of the system, such as a compressor, a condenser, an expander, an evaporator, a pump, a filter, a thermostatic valve and / or one or more supply valves and one or more return valves, etc. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 may be considered as a single unit and supported by a frame and / or disposed on a slide platform. It should be understood that other packaging designs, layouts, and specific configurations may also be used.

[0048] The unit controller 160 is a controller that controls the components of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155. The unit controller 160 may include spare input / output and programmability to allow receiving and / or receiving signals from the BAS master controller 10 for heating or cooling. In this way, the unit controller 160 can direct the operation of the components of the unit so that the BAS master controller 10 does not have to control each component. As a non-limiting example, the components of the unit include a pump 170, a thermostatic valve 180, a heat pump 175, including but not limited to a compressor, an expander, one or more condenser fans, one or more supply valves 150 and one or more return valves 150, etc. The unit controller 160 may include one or more processors and one or more memories. It should be understood that when the production module 145 includes multiple packaged heating and / or cooling units, a central controller (not shown) may be provided that controls each packaged heating and / or cooling unit by sending signals to the corresponding unit controllers, for example, the unit controllers are connected to the central controller in a daisy chain arrangement. In another embodiment, a central controller (eg, 400, 500, 600 as described below) of the production module 145 directly controls the heating and / or cooling units of each package.

[0049] In some existing designs of HVACR systems, the main controller of the BAS communicates directly with the end devices, which can include a range of HVACR equipment, such as devices / modules with multiple data sensors that produce a continuous data stream, variable air volume (VAV) boxes and regulators, temperature or humidity sensors that monitor the space, chillers, air handlers, furnaces or boilers, etc.

[0050] However, in the embodiment discussed herein, the BAS master controller does not communicate directly with the end device, but communicates with the unit controller 160 (or the central controller of the production module 145). In this way, the unit controller 160 distributes and controls any of the end devices such as the pump 170, the heat pump 175 (including a compressor or a fan) and / or one or more supply valves 150 and one or more return valves 150 to provide the operation control requested by the BAS master controller 10, such as heating or cooling. In this way, since the unit controller 160 has a communication protocol consistent with the BAS master controller 10, each of the individual components or end devices of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 does not have to be hardwired or otherwise connected to the BAS master controller 10, but only communicates with the unit controller and / or central controller associated with the packaged heating and / or cooling unit. In doing so, problems associated with existing production modules can be avoided, including the complexity of configuring each end device to coordinate with the BAS master controller 10 and control errors if the connection or setting is incorrect. This design of the unit controller also has the added advantage of allowing the packaged heating and / or cooling unit to be a plug-and-play design, where once the packaged unit is placed in the HVACR system and connected to the duct distribution system and the unit controller is connected to the BAS master controller 10, the packaged unit can be operated in a quick and efficient manner. That is, because the end devices or components of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 only communicate with the unit controller (or central controller), a simplified control interface is provided, where the unit controller 160 has decision-making capabilities to optimize the packaged heating and / or cooling unit at the cooler / heater level, for example, advanced mode control or quasi-distributed control to allow system coordination at the production module level. For example, if a new end device or component (e.g., an economizer) is added to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, the economizer only needs to be connected to communicate with the unit controller 160, and the unit controller 160 can determine to operate at the cooler / heater level to best control the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155. In another embodiment, such a distributed system allows multiple packaged heating and / or cooling units 155 to be connected to a production module 145. Thus, the unit controller 160 of each packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 is connected to a central controller of the production module 145 to receive signals from the BAS master controller, or components or devices of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 are connected to the central controller and the central controller is programmed to control the components or devices.

[0051] Exemplary embodiments regarding control of production module 145 and packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 will be discussed further below.

[0052] In one embodiment, the production module 145 may include at least one packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155. In another exemplary embodiment, the production module 145 may include at least two packaged heating and / or cooling units 155, one of which may be operated in a heating mode and the other may be operated in a cooling mode to provide the necessary heating and / or cooling requirements for conditioning a space of an HVACR system. Control of the packaged heating and / or cooling units 155 is discussed below as a non-limiting example, but is provided by way of exemplary example.

[0053] In one embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, the unit controller 160 can receive a control request for operation in a heating mode from a BAS master controller 10 for heating, for example, a conditioned space in a building. The unit controller 160 can instruct one or more supply valves 150 to be connected to the hot water return line 105 to return hot water to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, and instruct the return valve 150 to be connected to the hot water supply line 110 to supply the heated hot water supply. The unit controller 160 can also indicate or confirm that the heat pump 175 is operating in a heating mode, such as a configuration in which the refrigerant absorbs heat from the surrounding environment. The unit controller 160 can control the operation of the pump 170 to provide a flow of process fluid to the heat pump 175.

[0054] In one embodiment, the BAS master controller 10 can instruct the unit controller 160 to provide hot water at a given set point (e.g., between 130°F and 180°F), or to require a heating load. In this way, the unit controller 160 can optimize the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 to maximize the capacity of its system components. For example, based on the optimal compression ratio of the compressor of the heat pump 175 based on the ambient temperature, the compressor can be operated at maximum speed while a controlled amount of hot water return fluid is set to exchange heat with the condenser of the heat pump 175, for example, to avoid defrost events at low ambient temperatures. Taking into account the operating limits of the heat pump 175 (e.g., the lowest temperature that the heat pump 175 can heat), the unit controller 160 can control the thermostatic valve 180 to recirculate the fluid from the heat pump 175 back to the supply line of the heat pump 175, thereby keeping the heat pump 175 operating in a desired operating state.

[0055] In another embodiment, the unit controller 160 can monitor the pressure of the process fluid. In this way, when the unit controller 160 receives a control signal from the BAS master controller 10, the unit controller 160 can monitor and optimize the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 to maintain the hot water set point. For example, if the pressure after the filter 165 increases due to the clogging of the filter 165, the unit controller 160 can operate at least one of the pump 170 and the compressor of the heat pump 175 to optimize the flow through the packaged unit 155 and ensure that the flow restrictions of the packaged unit 155 are maintained, such as the temperature and / or operating restrictions of the heat pump and / or the set point requirements of the HVACR system. For example, since the flow of the process fluid is reduced by the clogging of the filter, the unit controller 160 can control the speed of the compressor of the heat pump 175 to compensate for the lower flow in the heat exchanger.

[0056] In another embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the unit controller 160 can receive a control request to operate in a cooling mode from a BAS master controller for cooling, for example, a conditioned space in a building. The unit controller 160 instructs one or more supply valves 150 to be connected to the cold water return line 125 to supply cold water back to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, and instructs one or more return valves 150 to be connected to the cold water supply line 130 to supply the cooled cold water supply. The unit controller 160 can also indicate or confirm that the heat pump 175 is operating in a cooling mode, for example, a configuration in which the refrigerant releases heat to the surrounding environment. The unit controller 160 can also operate the pump 170 to provide a flow of process fluid to the heat pump 175. Considering the operating limits of the heat pump 175 (e.g., the maximum temperature that the heat pump 175 can cool), the unit controller 160 can control the thermostat valve 180 to recirculate the fluid from the heat pump 175 back to the supply line of the heat pump 175, thereby maintaining the heat pump 175 in a desired operating state, for example, to thermostat the inlet fluid temperature.

[0057] In the embodiments discussed above, it should be understood that based on the operation of the heat pump, for example using a reversing valve, the same packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 can be selectively operated in a heating mode or a cooling mode, and can be selectively controlled to be connected to a hot water circuit or a cold water circuit. In this way, a simple and flexible design of a packaged heating and / or cooling unit having any combination of a heat pump, a condenser, an expander, an evaporator, a fluid pump, one or more supply valves and / or one or more return valves is provided, which has a plug-and-play design type connection to a production module and / or HVACR system. In this way, it should be understood that the packaged heating and / or cooling unit can be controlled locally and / or distributed by a unit controller or a central controller based on a control signal from a BAS. In this way, the BAS does not control the individual components of the production module, but provides control signals, for example, a set point or operating mode, such as cooling or heating, that is sent to the conditioned space of the production module. By integrating the unit controller or central controller into the production module, not only is the design, connection and control of the production module to the BAS simplified, but it also improves the repeatability, standardization and sustainability of the connection and provides more responsive control, as discussed below. In addition, this design allows the packaged heating and / or cooling unit to be self-regulating, so that the components of the individual packaged heating and / or cooling unit are controlled based on their own operating limitations / conditions.

[0058] In another exemplary embodiment, Figure 4 As shown, the production module 145 includes at least two packaged heating and / or cooling units 155. In this embodiment, the production module 145 may include a central controller 400 that controls each packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 by sending signals to the corresponding unit controller 160, for example, the central controller 400 receives control signals from the BAS master controller 10 and sends or relays control to the corresponding unit controller 160 of the corresponding packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155. In another embodiment, the central controller 400 of the production module 145 directly controls each end device or component of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit and is connected to each sensor in the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, for example, the central controller 400 is installed at the factory to control the end devices or components installed for the production module 145 and the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155. In one embodiment, the production module 145 can be considered a single unit and supported by a frame and / or set on a skid platform, where the production module 145 is connected to the piping of the liquid hydronic heating HVACR system. It should be understood that other packaging designs, layouts and specific configurations may also be used.

[0059] like Figure 4As shown, only one packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 operates in cooling mode, while the other packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 does not operate. That is, the BAS master controller 10 sends a cooling control request (e.g., a set point or operating mode) to the production module 145 to cool the conditioning space. The central controller 400 and / or the unit controller instructs the heat pump 175 to operate in cooling mode, and instructs one or more supply valves 150 to be connected to the cold water return line 125 to supply cold water back to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, and instructs one or more return valves 150 to be connected to the cold water supply line 130 to supply the cooled cold water return. The central controller 400 and / or the unit controller can also control the operation of the pump 170 to provide a flow of process fluid to the heat pump 175.

[0060] The packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 can be connected to a chilled water loop and control the process fluid as a variable flow control using one or more supply valves 150 and one or more return valves 150 and / or varying the speed of the pump 170 based on temperature or pressure in the system. In one embodiment, an optimization strategy (e.g., critical valve pump pressure optimization) can be applied according to the required code to optimize the operation of the packaged heating and / or cooling distribution system.

[0061] In one embodiment, the production module 145 is provided with a chilled water set point from the BAS master controller 10 for conditioning the space in the HVACR system. The use of other packaged heating and / or cooling units 155 can be based on an optimization strategy, such as resetting the chilled water temperature if appropriate for the chilled water distribution and air side system design. For example, the production module 145 and pump 170 are controlled in a cooling mode flow, which would be typical if the chilled water loop flow rate is close to (e.g., equal to) or above the minimum allowable flow of the heat pump 175 (e.g., evaporator operating limit). For example, when the design flow of the evaporator is at a predetermined flow rate (e.g., 80% or more) higher than its minimum allowable flow, or when the first unit is close to or at full load, the central controller 400 can instruct the other packaged heating and / or cooling units 155 to operate in a cooling mode to supplement the cooling of the process fluid in the chilled water loop, for example, using variable primary / variable secondary flow control logic. In this way, in the event of a failure of the primary packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, the heating and / or cooling unit 155 of another package is not only provided as a spare packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, but also provided as a supplementary packaged heating and / or cooling unit to provide the necessary cooling and / or optimize the control of the production module 145. For example, the variable primary / variable secondary flow control logic reduces the annual pumping energy consumption and cost, and the control is easier to implement and sustainable. It should also be understood that the supplementary use of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 can be provided for the safe operation of the system, for example, to ensure that the circulation system operates at its operability limit. For example, based on the design flow of the pump 170 and / or the heat pump 175, the supplementary use of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 can be operated in a staged manner to control the fluid flow to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, for example, the pump may need to rebalance the fluid flow to ensure the correct operation of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155.

[0062] Figure 5 Shown with Figure 4 Another exemplary embodiment similar to the embodiment of , wherein the production module 145 includes at least two packaged heating and / or cooling units 155. The production module 145 may include a central controller 500 that controls each packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 by sending signals to the corresponding unit controllers. In another embodiment, the central controller 500 of the production module 145 directly controls each end device or component of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 and is connected to each sensor in the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155.

[0063] like Figure 5As shown, only one packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 operates in heating mode, while the other packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 does not operate. That is, the BAS master controller 10 sends a heating control request (e.g., a set point or operating mode) to the production module 145 to heat the conditioned space. The central controller 500 and / or the unit controller instructs the heat pump 175 to operate in heating mode, and instructs one or more supply valves 150 to connect to the hot water return line 125 to supply hot water back to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, and instructs one or more return valves 150 to connect to the hot water supply line 110 to supply heated hot water supply. The central controller 500 and / or the unit controller can control the operation of the pump 170 to provide a flow of process fluid to the heat pump 175.

[0064] The packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 can be connected to the hot water loop and control the process fluid as a variable flow control using one or more supply valves 150 and one or more return valves 150 and / or changing the speed of the pump 170 based on the temperature or pressure in the system. In one embodiment, an optimization strategy (e.g., critical valve pump pressure optimization) can be applied according to the required code to optimize the operation of the packaged heating and / or cooling system.

[0065] In one embodiment, the production module 145 is provided with a hot water set point from the BAS master controller 10 for conditioning spaces in the HVACR system. The use of other packaged heating and / or cooling units 155 can be based on an optimization strategy, such as resetting the hot water temperature if appropriate for the hot water distribution and air side system design. For example, the packaged heating and / or cooling units 155 and pump 170 are controlled in a heating mode flow, which would be typical if the hot water loop flow rate is close to (e.g., equal to) or above the minimum allowable flow of the heat pump 175 (e.g., condenser operating limit). For example, when the design flow of the condenser is at a predetermined value (e.g., 80% or more) higher than its minimum allowable flow, or when the first unit is close to or at full load, the central controller 500 can instruct the other packaged heating and / or cooling units 155 to operate to supplement the heating of the process fluid in the hot water loop, for example, using variable primary / variable secondary flow control logic. Thus, in the event of a failure of the primary packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, the other packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 is provided not only as a backup packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, but also as a supplementary packaged heating and / or cooling unit to provide the necessary heating and / or optimize control of the production module 145. For example, the variable primary / variable secondary flow control logic reduces annual pumping energy consumption and costs, and the control is easier to implement and sustainable.

[0066] In yet another non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 6 , the production module 145 includes at least two packaged heating and / or cooling units 155 to provide simultaneous heating and cooling. The production module 145 may include a central controller 600 that controls each packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 by sending signals to the corresponding unit controllers. In another embodiment, the central controller 600 of the production module 145 directly controls each end device or component of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 and is connected to each sensor in the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155.

[0067] like Figure 6 As shown, each packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 is operating. The first packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 operates in heating mode, and the second packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 operates in cooling mode. That is, for the first packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, the BAS master controller 10 sends a heating control request (e.g., a set point or operating mode request) to the production module 145 to heat the conditioning space. The central controller 600 and / or the unit controller instructs the first packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 to operate the heat pump 175 in heating mode, and instructs one or more supply valves 150 to be connected to the hot water return line 105 to supply hot water back to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, and instructs one or more return valves 150 to be connected to the hot water supply line 110 to supply heated hot water back. The central controller 600 and / or the unit controller can also control the operation of the pump 170 to provide a flow of process fluid to the heat pump 175.

[0068] Similarly, for the second packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, the BAS master controller 10 sends a cooling control request (e.g., a set point or operating mode request) to the production module 145 to cool the conditioned space. The central controller 600 and / or the unit controller instructs the second packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 to operate the heat pump 175 in the cooling mode and instructs one or more supply valves 150 to connect to the cold water return line 125 to supply cold water back to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 and instructs one or more return valves 150 to connect to the cold water supply line 130 to supply the cooled cold water return. The central controller 600 and / or the unit controller may instruct the operation of the pump 170 to provide a flow of process fluid to the heat pump 175.

[0069] In this embodiment, the heating and / or cooling unit 155 of either package may be used to provide heating or cooling according to the heating / cooling demand of the HVACR system based on the control signal from the BAS master controller 10. For example, during the shoulder season, such as the months between the peak season and the off-season, the heating and / or cooling demand of the building may change within a day. Thus, while the heating and / or cooling unit 155 of the first package may be operating in a heating mode and the heating and / or cooling unit 155 of the second package may be operating in a cooling mode, if the heating and / or cooling demand of the building changes, such as during the night, and more heating is needed, the central controller 600 of the production module 145 may instruct the heating and / or cooling unit 155 of the second package to change its operating mode from cooling to heating to supplement the heating of one or more conditioned spaces of the building.

[0070] Thus, by having a packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 that can operate in either heating mode or cooling mode, a dual supply system is provided that can be disconnected / engaged from the hot water circuit and / or the cold water circuit as required. This configuration has at least the following advantages:

[0071] 1) Support simultaneous heating and cooling distribution;

[0072] 2) Sequencing flexibility, since any unit can be used at any time;

[0073] 3) Run time balance, allowing any unit to run for a set period of time;

[0074] 4) Flexible and simple failover for capacity redundancy - for example, any unit can be used for failover;

[0075] 5) If a small unit cooler is used to improve system capacity reduction, it can support low-load operation in either mode;

[0076] 6) Dedicated variable speed pumps can optimize process fluid flow;

[0077] 7) Thermostatic valves provide a simple and effective way to control heat pumps within operating limits;

[0078] 8) The supply valve and the return valve are simple two-position valves, e.g., non-modulatable;

[0079] 9) Unit controllers (e.g., Trane Commercial's Symbio 800) can be programmed at the factory or manufacturer to control valves and pumps of the packaged unit, thereby simplifying application and startup, reducing installation costs, and providing greater repeatability and installation standardization; and

[0080] 10) By providing unit controllers to distribute control of packaged units, the connection and control of the BAS main controller is simplified.

[0081] While the above description has been discussed with respect to supply valves and return valves connected to either a hot water loop or a cold water loop, it should be understood that additional process fluid loops may also be provided to supply heat loads to different temperature loops. In one embodiment, the process fluid loop may include a cold water loop in which a triple feed system is provided to provide the desired temperature for each load. It should be understood that any number of process fluid loops may be provided, such as a quadruple feed, a quintuple feed, a sextuple feed, etc., depending on the heating and / or cooling requirements of the HVACR system, and is not intended to be limited by the present disclosure. While the embodiments discussed below relate to a cold water loop, it should be understood that other temperature loops, such as a cooler water loop or a warmer water loop, may also be provided in a similar manner based on the load of the HVACR system.

[0082] like Figure 7 As shown, in one embodiment, a triple supply system including a hot water loop, a cold water loop and a cold water loop is provided. Similar to the above embodiment, the hot water loop includes a hot water return line 105 and a hot water supply line 110, and the cold water loop includes a cold water return line 125 and a cold water supply line 130. In addition, Figure 7 A chilled water circuit comprising a chilled water return line 780 and a chilled water supply line 785 is also involved.

[0083] In this embodiment, the unit controller 160 can receive a control request from the BAS master controller to operate in any of the heating mode, cooling mode, or refrigeration mode to heat and / or cool, for example, a conditioned space in a building under necessary load conditions. If the BAS master controller requests the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 to operate in the cooling mode, the unit controller 160 can operate the supply valve 150 to connect the cold water return line 125 to supply cold water back to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, and operate the return valve 150 to connect the cold water supply line 130 to return cold water to the cold water supply line 130. The unit controller 160 can indicate or confirm that the heat pump 175 is operating in the cooling mode, for example, using a refrigerant to release heat to the surrounding environment. The unit controller 160 can also operate the pump 170 to provide a flow of the process fluid to the heat pump 175. If the BAS master controller requests that the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 operate in a cooling mode, the unit controller 160 may operate the supply valve 790 to connect the chilled water return line 780 to supply chilled water back to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155, and operate the return valve 795 to return the cooled chilled water to the chilled water supply line 785. The unit controller 160 may indicate or confirm that the heat pump 175 is operating in a cooling mode, such as using a refrigerant to release heat to the surrounding environment.

[0084] In the embodiments discussed above, it will be appreciated that the same packaged heating and / or cooling unit 155 can be selectively operated in a heating mode, a cooling mode, or a refrigeration mode, and can be selectively controlled to be connected to any of a hot water loop, a cold water loop, or a cold water loop. Thus, a simple and flexible design of a production module with a heat pump is provided, with a plug-and-play design type connection.

[0085] It should be understood that although the supply valves and return valves are shown as connected to different pipes for the corresponding heating water loop, cooling water loop, and chilled water loop, the various loops can be connected to a single valve to supply and / or return the corresponding process fluid at the desired temperature for the heating and / or cooling needs of the HVACR system.

[0086] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a method 800 for controlling a packaged heating and / or cooling unit of a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system is shown, according to one embodiment.

[0087] Method 800 may include one or more operations, actions, or functions 810-830. Figure 8As shown, method 800 includes step 810 for connecting to a building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand and receiving a signal from the building automation system. As discussed above, with respect to other embodiments, it should be understood that since the unit controller of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit is connected to the BAS master controller, and the BAS master controller is not directly connected to the end device or component of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit, the packaged heating and / or cooling unit can distributively control its own components, so that not only the connection and control of the packaged unit to the BAS is simplified, the repeatability, standardization and sustainability of the connection are improved, and more responsive control is provided because the control of the unit is provided at the unit level. Then, the method proceeds to step 820.

[0088] In step 820, the unit controller selectively controls the connection of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit to the hot fluid loop or the cold fluid loop based on the load requirements requested by the BAS master controller for the HVACR system. For example, the HVACR system may need to cool a conditioned space in a building. In this way, the BAS master controller can send a cooling mode signal or set point temperature to the unit controller of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit can then control the required components to connect to the appropriate loop, such as a hot water loop or a cold water loop, such as opening one or more supply valves and / or one or more return valves on the appropriate loop, and provide the necessary heating or cooling. The method then proceeds to step 830.

[0089] At step 830, the unit controller independently controls the packaged heating and / or cooling unit based on the signal from the BAS to heat or cool the process fluid of the hot water loop or the cold water loop. For example, the unit controller can control the heat pump to operate in a cooling mode or a heating mode by reversing the direction of the refrigerant in the heat pump to release heat or absorb heat from the surrounding environment.

[0090] In one embodiment, the method may include additional steps, for example, the method may additionally include: regulating the recirculation of the process fluid flow through the heat pump to adjust the temperature of the process fluid entering the heat pump, controlling the speed of the pump to change or adjust the flow rate of the process fluid to exchange heat with the heat pump, controlling the compressor speed of the compressor to provide the load required by the HVACR system, controlling the speed of any one or more fans in the heat pump to control the airflow condensing or evaporating the working fluid to provide the necessary heating or cooling to the process fluid, and selecting another packaged heating and / or cooling unit to provide redundant operation of the packaged unit in the event of failure of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit, or to supplement the heating and / or cooling needs for the HVACR system.

[0091] All aspects : It should be understood that any one of aspects 1 to 8 may be combined with any one of aspects 9 to 14 or aspect 15 or 16.

[0092] Aspect 1. A packaged heating and / or cooling unit for a production module of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) system, the packaged heating and / or cooling unit comprising: a heat pump configured to provide heating and / or cooling to a fluid; a connection to a piping distribution system that selectively connects to a hot fluid circuit and / or a cold fluid circuit; and a controller configured to connect to a building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand and receive signals from the building automation system, and further configured to selectively control the connection to the hot fluid circuit or the cold fluid circuit, and independently control the packaged heating and / or cooling unit based on signals from the building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand.

[0093] Aspect 2. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to aspect 1, further comprising a pump configured to pump fluid through the packaged heating and / or cooling unit.

[0094] Aspect 3. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to aspect 1 or 2, further comprising a thermostatic valve configured to thermostat the inlet fluid temperature of the fluid to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit.

[0095] Aspect 4. A packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, further comprising a filter between the fluid pump and the pipe distribution system.

[0096] Aspect 5. A packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to aspect 2, wherein the pump is a variable speed pump.

[0097] Aspect 6. A packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, further comprising a sensor located on the fluid inlet and / or outlet pipes to at least detect the temperature and / or pressure and / or flow rate in the packaged heating and / or cooling unit, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the speed of the compressor and / or pump of the heat pump based on the detected temperature and / or pressure and / or flow rate.

[0098] Aspect 7. A packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6, wherein the pipe distribution system is selected from a dual supply pipe arrangement or a triple supply pipe arrangement to supply the fluid to at least the hot fluid circuit, the cold fluid circuit and / or an additional cold fluid circuit.

[0099] Aspect 8. A packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, wherein the heat pump unit further comprises a fan configured to control airflow for condensing or evaporating the working fluid.

[0100] Aspect 9. A production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) system, the production module comprising at least two packaged heating and / or cooling units according to any one of Aspects 1 to 8 and a production module controller, wherein the production module controller is configured to receive a signal from a building automation system for a heating demand or a cooling demand and select at least one of the two packaged heating and / or cooling units for the heating demand or the cooling demand.

[0101] Aspect 10. A production module according to aspect 9, wherein the signal is a temperature set point for the hot fluid circuit or the cold fluid circuit, and wherein the selected packaged heating and / or cooling units are distributedly controlled to maintain the temperature set point.

[0102] Aspect 11. A production module according to any one of Aspects 9 to 10, wherein the signal is a temperature set point for a hot fluid circuit and a temperature set point for a cold fluid circuit, and wherein the corresponding controllers of the at least two packaged heating and / or cooling units are configured to control the corresponding packaged heating and / or cooling units to maintain the corresponding temperature set point for the hot fluid circuit or the corresponding temperature set point for the cold fluid circuit.

[0103] Aspect 12. A production module according to any one of Aspects 9 to 11, wherein the production module controller is further configured to select a heating and / or cooling unit of another package for a specified heating demand or cooling demand when the heating and / or cooling unit of the selected package fails.

[0104] Aspect 13. A production module according to any one of Aspects 9 to 12, wherein, when the signal from the building automation system is for the cooling demand and the selected packaged heating and / or cooling unit has a predetermined fluid flow rate equal to or higher than the minimum allowable flow of the heat pump, a signal for operation for cooling demand is sent to another packaged heating and / or cooling unit, and wherein the production module controller is also configured to implement variable primary and variable secondary flow control logic between the selected packaged heating and / or cooling unit and another packaged heating and / or cooling unit and / or cooling unit to provide cooling demand.

[0105] Aspect 14. A production module according to any one of Aspects 9 to 13, wherein, when the signal from the building automation system is for heating demand and the selected packaged heating and / or cooling unit has a second predetermined fluid design flow rate equal to or higher than the minimum allowable flow of the heat pump, a signal for operation for the heating demand is sent to another packaged heating and / or cooling unit, and wherein the production module controller is also configured to implement variable primary and variable secondary flow control logic between the selected packaged heating and the other packaged heating and / or cooling unit and / or cooling unit to provide heating demand.

[0106] Aspect 15. A controller for a packaged heating and / or cooling unit of a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) system, the controller being configured to: connect to a building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand and receive signals from the building automation system, control the connection of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit to a hot fluid circuit or a cold fluid circuit, and independently control the packaged heating and / or cooling unit based on signals from the building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand, wherein the packaged heating and / or cooling unit includes a pump, a heat pump and a connection to a pipe distribution system.

[0107] Aspect 16. A method for controlling a packaged heating and / or cooling unit of a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) system, the method comprising: connecting to a building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand and receiving a signal from the building automation system, selectively controlling the connection of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit to a hot fluid circuit or a cold fluid circuit, and independently controlling the packaged heating and / or cooling unit based on the signal from the building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand, wherein the packaged heating and / or cooling unit includes a pump, a heat pump and a connection to a pipe distribution system.

[0108] The terms used herein are intended to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to be limiting. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the terms "a", "an", "the" also include plural forms. When used in this specification, the terms "include" and / or "comprise" specify the presence of features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts.

[0109] With respect to the foregoing description, it should be understood that changes in detail may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, especially in the aspects of the construction materials used and the shapes, sizes and arrangements of the parts. This specification and the described embodiments are exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are specified by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A packaged heating and / or cooling unit for a production module of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration system, characterized in that The encapsulated heating and / or cooling unit comprises: a heat pump configured to provide heating and / or cooling to a fluid; a connection to a piping distribution system that selectively connects to a hot fluid circuit and / or a cold fluid circuit; and A controller configured to connect to a building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand and receive signals from the building automation system, and further configured to selectively control connection to the hot fluid loop or the cold fluid loop, and independently control the packaged heating and / or cooling units based on signals from the building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand.

2. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to claim 1, characterized in that Also included is a pump configured to pump fluid through the packaged heating and / or cooling unit.

3. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that Also included is a thermostatic valve configured to thermostat an inlet fluid temperature of a fluid to the packaged heating and / or cooling unit.

4. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that Also included is a sensor located on the fluid inlet and / or outlet conduit to at least detect the temperature and / or pressure and / or flow rate in the packaged heating and / or cooling unit, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the speed of the compressor of the heat pump and / or the pump based on the detected temperature and / or pressure and / or flow rate.

5. The packaged heating and / or cooling unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The piping distribution system is selected from a dual feed piping arrangement or a triple feed piping arrangement to supply the fluid to at least the hot fluid circuit, the cold fluid circuit, and / or an additional cold fluid circuit.

6. A production module for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, characterized in that: The production module comprises at least two encapsulated heating and / or cooling units according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and a production module controller, Therein, the production module controller is configured to receive a signal from the building automation system for a heating demand or a cooling demand, and select at least one of the two packaged heating and / or cooling units for the heating demand or the cooling demand.

7. The production module according to claim 6, characterized in that The signal is a temperature set point for the hot fluid circuit or the cold fluid circuit, and the selected packaged heating and / or cooling units are distributively controlled to maintain the temperature set point.

8. The production module according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that The signal is a temperature set point for the hot fluid circuit and a temperature set point for the cold fluid circuit, and the respective controllers of at least two of the packaged heating and / or cooling units are configured to control the respective packaged heating and / or cooling units to maintain the respective temperature set point for the hot fluid circuit or the respective temperature set point for the cold fluid circuit.

9. The production module according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that The production module controller is further configured to select another packaged heating and / or cooling unit for a specified heating demand or the cooling demand when the selected packaged heating and / or cooling unit fails.

10. The production module according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that signaling another packaged heating and / or cooling unit to operate for the cooling demand when the signal from the building automation system is for the cooling demand and the selected packaged heating and / or cooling unit has a predetermined fluid flow rate equal to or greater than a minimum allowed flow rate for the heat pump, and The production module controller is also configured to implement variable primary and variable secondary flow control logic between the selected packaged heating and / or cooling unit and the another packaged heating and / or cooling unit to provide the cooling demand.

11. The production module according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that signaling another packaged heating and / or cooling unit for operation of the heating demand when the signal from the building automation system is for the heating demand and the selected packaged heating and / or cooling unit has a second predetermined fluid flow rate that is equal to or greater than a minimum allowed flow rate of the heat pump, and The production module controller is also configured to implement variable primary and variable secondary flow control logic between the selected packaged heating and / or cooling unit and the another packaged heating and / or cooling unit to provide the heating demand.

12. A controller for a packaged heating and / or cooling unit of a production module for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration system, characterized in that The controller is configured to: connecting to a building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand and receiving a signal from said building automation system, controlling the connection of the packaged heating and / or cooling unit to a hot fluid circuit or a cold fluid circuit, and independently controlling the packaged heating and / or cooling units based on signals from the building automation system for heating demand or cooling demand, Therein, the packaged heating and / or cooling unit comprises a heat pump and a connection to a pipe distribution system.

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