Coupling of several heat generators for central heating installation

Abstract

Adaptation kit 1 for a central heating installation 22 with heat transfer fluid, said installation comprising a controllable boiler 221 being connected to a set of radiators 222, said installation 22 comprising a first loop L1 for circulating the heat transfer fluid, said first loop comprising said controllable boiler 221 and said set of radiators 222, said installation 22 being coupled to a boiler 21 by means of a second loop L2 for circulating the heat transfer fluid, by means of a passive thermostatic valve 11, with three ways, comprising an inlet for hot heat transfer fluid 111, an inlet for cold heat transfer fluid 112 and an outlet for heat transfer fluid 113, and a device ensuring a progressive mixing of the cold and hot heat transfer fluids by the action of a passive thermostatic element calibrated to a chosen transition temperature T.

Description

Title of the invention: Coupling of several heat generators for central heating installation Field of invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an improvement to heating and domestic hot water production installations, using several heat generators. State of the art

[0002] Heating installations are known which include a controllable boiler, using fossil energy (gas or fuel oil) or formed by a heat pump, coupled with a wood-fired boiler, the controllable boiler operating in addition to the wood-fired boiler when the latter does not produce sufficient heating power in relation to the installation's demand. In this document, the term "controllable boiler" refers to a boiler which can be activated and deactivated according to a control, generally a simple thermostatic control, and this without inertia in the control.

[0003] Devices are also known that use a solar panel with a heat transfer fluid (pure water or water with added antifreeze), the solar panel being coupled to a heat accumulator formed by a water tank, heated by circulation of heat transfer fluid between the accumulator and the solar panel when the temperature conditions allow it. Conventionally, such a device is used to heat domestic hot water and / or is coupled to a controllable boiler to operate as heating assistance. The expression "heating assistance" means that the calories required for heating are essentially produced by the controllable boiler and that the solar panel device only produces calories when the weather conditions allow it.Furthermore, considerations of economic optimization of the installation and its operation lead to eminently variable installed power sizing, which means that the respective shares of calories produced also depend on these sizing choices. In this document, "solar panel" exclusively designates a panel in which a heat transfer fluid heated by the action of the sun can circulate, and not photovoltaic panels.

[0004] Furthermore, wood stoves and fireplace inserts are also very popular due to the pleasure that a wood fire can bring to a living room. But these heating devices are not strictly speaking controllable, even the most sophisticated of these devices having a combustion chamber. closed combustion and a regulation generally acting on the combustion air inlet to act on the combustion intensity of the wood. Some versions of these heating appliances are surrounded by an enclosure comprising coils allowing water to circulate: in this document, this type of appliance is called a "boiler". Compared to conventional stoves or inserts, a boiler further improves their efficiency and allows them to be used as a heat generating element, as the main heating element or as heating assistance in a central heating installation.

[0005] Among the many proposals for combining a wood stove with an installation comprising other heat generators, we can cite patent application FR2925950 in which a wood stove is combined with a solar panel and an electric boiler which, in the context of this document, is considered to be a controllable boiler.Such an installation includes a calorie accumulator, as is conventional when there is a solar panel. However, it uses an accumulation device formed by cast iron plates to be integrated into the stove, which makes this system impossible to install when there is not enough space at the stove, and moreover, the proper functioning of the proposed installation is entirely dependent on the proper functioning of motorized valves. Furthermore, in this patent application, the controllable boiler also heats the calorie accumulator. This is in contradiction with the controllable nature of this source, which does not require anticipation and therefore storage of energy. This arrangement can only minimize the production and storage of the fatal free source that constitutes the solar panel.

[0006] The objective of the present invention is to enable the coupling of a boiler to a controllable boiler, without transformation of either a controllable boiler or a boiler compared to commercially available devices.Another objective of the invention is to improve the coupling of a boiler to a controllable boiler, by proposing simple installation means which make it possible to improve the overall efficiency of a central heating installation using two types of heat generators, one controllable regardless of the primary energy it uses, and the other formed by a boiler, so that the resulting overall heating system makes it possible to efficiently move the calories produced by the boiler both in space, that is to say in rooms of the building distant from the boiler thanks to operation in heating assistance as known per se, and in time, that is to say by deferring the consumption of a part of the calories produced.

[0007] Another objective of the invention is to propose a diagram for coupling a boiler to a heating installation comprising a controllable boiler whose operation, independently of the power choices of the different heat generators present, automatically adapts as best as possible to the inertia of significant operation in the production of heat specific to the boiler, while taking advantage of the presence of a controllable boiler. Another objective of the invention is to propose a coupling scheme which, when a solar panel is also used, automatically adapts as best as possible to the random nature of heat production by a solar panel. Presentation of the invention

[0008] To create a heating system using a wood-burning heat source and a controllable heat source, the invention proposes an adaptation kit for a central heating installation with heat transfer fluid, said installation comprising a controllable boiler being connected to a set of radiators, said installation comprising a first heat transfer fluid circulation loop, said first loop comprising said controllable boiler and said set of radiators, said installation being coupled to a boiler by means of a second heat transfer fluid circulation loop, characterized in that the kit comprises: • a passive, three-way thermostatic valve, comprising an inlet for hot heat transfer liquid, an inlet for cold heat transfer liquid and a heat transfer liquid outlet, and a device ensuring progressive mixing of the cold and hot heat transfer liquids by the action of a passive thermostatic member calibrated at a chosen transition temperature T, • a flow connection to the installation allowing the hydraulic connection to the controllable boiler and a return connection to the installation allowing the hydraulic connection to the return of the radiator assembly, • a flow connection to the boiler and a boiler return connection, • said outlet connection to the installation being connected to a pipeline of boiler return joining the boiler return connection, • said installation return connection being connected to a radiator return pipe joining said inlet for cold heat transfer liquid, • said heat transfer liquid outlet being connected to a boiler outlet pipe which joins said outlet connection to the boiler, • a first junction being connected in bypass to said boiler return pipe on the one hand and on the other hand to said inlet for hot heat transfer liquid, • a second junction being connected in bypass to said radiator return pipe on the one hand and on the other hand also in bypass to said boiler return pipe.

[0009] In such an installation, thanks to the particular choice of installation of a passive thermostatic valve, i.e. not dependent on electronic control, the invention allows a coupling of a boiler which takes advantage of the inertia provided by the heating installation itself and, beyond a temperature level of the heat transfer liquid which depends only on the constructive characteristics of the passive thermal valve, there is automatic coupling of the second heat transfer liquid circulation loop to the first loop, by progressively recycling an increasingly large part of the return heat transfer liquid flow from the radiators, the two loops being able to end up constituting only one (or almost), seen from the circulation of the heat transfer liquid, when a temperature is reached such that the thermal valve blocks (or almost) any entry of heat transfer liquid through its inlet for hot heat transfer liquid.

[0010] In the context of this specification, the term "connection" means any means which allows the flow of heat transfer liquid to pass through, whether by screwing, fitting by relative axial approximation, or even welding. Such a kit may take the form of a set of elements to be assembled on site, or in a local workshop, or even be pre-assembled on a support or in a box, all these variations being different options for implementing the present invention.

[0011] Preferably, for operation more reliably avoiding the consequences of a very high production of calories by the boiler, it is recommended to add a thermal capacity independent of that of the central heating installation, that is to say to use a kit according to one of the preceding characteristics, for an installation further comprising a calorie accumulator, characterized in that the kit comprises a flow connection to the accumulator and an accumulator return connection, said boiler return pipe being formed of a first section connected to said boiler return connection on the one hand and on the other hand to said flow connection to the accumulator, and being formed of a second section connected to said accumulator return connection on the one hand and on the other hand to said flow connection to the installation.

[0012] In a particularly advantageous implementation of the invention, the kit according to the invention is suitable for an installation in which the heat accumulator comprises a heat transfer fluid, the installation further comprising a solar panel arranged so as to be able to heat said heat transfer fluid, characterized in that said third section comprises a bypass valve whose inlet is connected to the side of said section joining said boiler return connection, one of the outlets of which is connected to said outlet connection to the accumulator and the other of the outlets of which is connected to a third section also connected to said second section. Brief description of the figures

[0013] The following describes some examples of implementation of the invention based on the drawing plates in which: • [Fig.l] is an example of the installation of an adaptation kit 1 in a simple implementation, without using a calorie accumulator; • [Fig.2] is an example of the implementation of a first variant of a kit AI adaptation, suitable for coupling with calorie accumulator; • [Fig.3] is an example of the implementation of a second variant of a 1S adaptation kit, suitable for coupling with a solar panel. Detailed description of the invention

[0014] In [Fig.l], we see a central heating installation 22, with heat transfer liquid comprising: said installation comprises a controllable boiler 221 connected to a set of radiators 222; said installation 22 comprises a first loop L1 for circulating the heat transfer liquid, said first loop comprising said controllable boiler 221 and said set of radiators 222; said installation 22 is coupled to a boiler 21 by means of a second loop L2 for circulating the heat transfer liquid; we also see a passive thermostatic valve 11, with three ways, comprising an inlet for hot heat transfer liquid 111, an inlet for cold heat transfer liquid 112 and a heat transfer liquid outlet 113, and a device ensuring a progressive mixing of the cold and hot heat transfer liquids by the action of a passive thermostatic member calibrated at a chosen transition temperature T.

[0015] We also see a flow connection to the installation 22o allowing the hydraulic connection to the controllable boiler 221 and an installation return connection 21i allowing the hydraulic connection to the return of the set of radiators 222; we see a flow connection to the boiler 21o and a boiler return connection 21i; note that said flow connection to the installation 22o is connected to a boiler return pipe 13 joining the boiler return connection 21i and that said installation return connection 22i is connected to a radiator return pipe 14 joining said inlet for cold heat transfer liquid 112; said heat transfer liquid outlet 113 is connected to a boiler flow pipe 15 which joins said flow connection to the boiler 21o.

[0016] A first junction J1 is connected in bypass to said boiler return pipe 13 on the one hand and on the other hand to said inlet for hot heat transfer liquid 111; a second junction J2 is connected in bypass to said radiator return pipe 14 on the one hand and on the other hand also in bypass to said boiler return pipe 13. An expansion vessel 223 and an installation circulator 224 are also seen. It is sufficient here to describe the central heating installation in a very summary manner, only to the extent useful for understanding the operation of the coupling to a boiler. The heat transfer liquid is generally water.

[0017] Those skilled in the art also know that, when installing a boiler, it is appropriate to equip it with various safety devices such as a safety valve opening when the pressure of the heat transfer liquid in the installation reaches a certain level, as well as a valve for injecting cold water and drawing hot water from the boiler circuit to discharge it outside; all these elements are conventional, perfectly compatible with the present invention.

[0018] The kit according to the invention may comprise an anti-thermosiphon valve 215 arranged at a location chosen between a position on said boiler return pipe 13 joining the boiler return connection 21i and a position on said boiler outlet pipe 15 which joins said outlet connection to the installation 22o. This anti-thermosiphon valve operates on the second loop L2; it prevents the boiler 21 from dissipating calories under certain operating conditions; it should be noted, however, that the anti-thermosiphon valve 215 could, in a completely equivalent manner, be installed elsewhere along the second loop L2.

[0019] The kit according to the invention may preferably comprise, on said second junction J2, a non-return valve 225 authorizing the circulation of heat transfer liquid only towards the boiler return pipe 13.

[0020] As known per se, said boiler outlet pipe 15 comprises a boiler circulator 214; this may or may not be part of the kit. Preferably, said boiler circulator 214 is of the proportionally controllable speed type, the advantage of which is both to achieve as quickly as possible an operating state of the boiler 21 favorable to its efficiency and to the good condition of all the elements, whether the boiler or the flue gas duct.Let us note that the proper functioning of the heating system constituted by the central heating installation 22 with the assistance of a boiler 21 depends on the effective circulation of the heat transfer liquid in the first and second heat transfer liquid loops, which generally requires (except for total thermosiphon operation) the operation of the circulators 214, 224, but remains independent of any electronic control, for example by means of a central unit loaded with a program, which would require continuity of available electrical energy. It is possible to avoid electrical failure by supplying at least the boiler circulator 214 via an inverter.

[0021] In this first embodiment, the capacity to absorb the calories produced by the boiler comes only from the central heating installation itself. In the case of high boiler power compared to the dissipation power of the radiators, this may prove insufficient for very resilient operation of the heating system constituted by the central heating installation with the assistance of a boiler. Therefore, preferably, the heating system comprises a calorie accumulator arranged to receive the calories produced by the boiler, either as a priority, or at least when the central heating does not dissipate enough calories. The installation of a calorie accumulator, in particular as proposed by the present invention, makes it possible to effectively absorb short peaks of heat output such as what generally occurs when reloading a log in the boiler. It may indeed be that the heating installation does not have this absorption capacity, or insufficiently, which would lead to a sudden rise in temperature of the heat transfer liquid, with risk of evaporation. However, in particular depending on weather forecasts, it may be preferable to send the calories produced by the boiler directly into the heating installation by bypassing the accumulator, as will be explained below.

[0022] [Fig.2] illustrates such an implantation. We find all the elements common to the first embodiment. Furthermore, the kit according to the invention, specifically adapted to an installation advantageously further comprising a heat accumulator 23; such a kit then comprises a flow connection to the accumulator 23o and an accumulator return connection 23i; said boiler return pipe is in this case formed of a first section 131 connected to said boiler return connection 21i on the one hand and on the other hand to said flow connection to the accumulator 23o, and formed of a second section 132 connected to said accumulator return connection 23i on the one hand and on the other hand to said flow connection to the installation 22o.

[0023] Preferably, for such an installation comprising a heat accumulator 23, the kit according to the invention comprises a three-way solenoid valve 12 having an inlet 121 and two outlets 122 and 123 for heat transfer liquid as well as an electric actuator M allowing the passage of the heat transfer liquid from the inlet to one of the two outlets;said second junction is in this case formed by a first part J21 starting from the bypass connection arranged on said radiator return pipe 14 on the one hand and on the other hand connected to said inlet 121 of the solenoid valve 12, and is formed by a second part J22 connected to one 122 of the two outlets on the one hand and on the other hand and on the other hand is connected in bypass to said boiler return pipe 13, between said outlet connection to the installation 22o and said first junction JL In this case, the non-return valve 225 of the second junction J2 is arranged on said first part J21 of the second junction. ;

[0024] The kit according to the invention also comprises a third junction J3, connected on the one hand in bypass to said first section 131 on the one hand and on the other hand to the other 123 of said two outputs; in this case, a control unit ensures the control of said solenoid valve 12 as a function of at least (i) a temperature representative of the presence of fire in the boiler, (ii) the radiator return temperature, and (iii) the temperature in the heat accumulator.

[0025] By installing a solenoid valve 12, greater flexibility is then available in the management of the heating system by actuating this solenoid valve 12 so as to allow the flow of heat transfer fluid returning from the radiators to draw calories from the accumulator before reaching the controllable boiler, and this when the temperature conditions are suitable, namely when the temperature of the heat transfer fluid returning from the radiators is lower than the temperature prevailing in the heat accumulator; otherwise, it is preferable for this flow to be sent directly to the controllable boiler, and this for the benefit of better overall efficiency of the heating system.

[0026] It should also be noted that the kit can take the form of two sub-assemblies in order to be able to install each sub-assembly in different places in the boiler room to be equipped; note that, to avoid small parasitic leaks which would be due to heating of the passive thermostatic valve 11 by conduction in the pipes, and not under the effect of the circulation of the heat transfer liquid, all this according to the technical characteristics of the passive thermostatic valve 11 chosen, it is preferable to place said passive thermostatic valve at a sufficient distance from the heat accumulator 23.

[0027] The following relates to the detailed description of the heat transfer liquid circulations. Let us observe in the figures the continuities of heat transfer liquid flow starting from a state where the temperature in the boiler return pipe 13 or 131 is low, imposing a low temperature at the hot inlet of the thermostatic valve 111. By low temperature, we mean sufficiently lower than the transition temperature T so that the thermostatic valve does not allow the passage of heat transfer liquid through its inlet for cold heat transfer liquid 112. In this configuration, the flow of heat transfer liquid conveyed to the boiler passes through the inlet for hot heat transfer liquid 111 which is only connected, via the first junction J1, to said boiler return pipe 13 or 131, that is to say to the boiler 21 directly or respectively via the heat accumulator 23.It is noted that said inlet for hot heat transfer liquid 111 is also connected to the controllable boiler 221 via the continuation of the boiler return pipe 13 downstream of the bypass connection of said first junction J1 on said boiler return pipe (see references 13 or 132 according to the figures). Furthermore, the flow of heat transfer liquid coming from the radiator return of the installation 22 and arriving in the radiator return pipe 14 is only connected to the controllable boiler 221 via the second junction J2 connected in bypass to the downstream end of the boiler return pipe (see the left end of the references 13 or 132 according to the figures).

[0028] In the heating phase, typically after starting the fire in the boiler, the circulation of the heat transfer liquid takes place in two independent loops: a. a first loop L1 on which are located, in series, the controllable boiler, the set of radiators then return directly to the boiler via the second junction J2; note that, in the case of the second embodiment with the presence of a solenoid valve, it is appropriate that this be positioned so as to return the flow of heat transfer liquid directly to the controllable boiler, thus ensuring a circuit identical to that which it is in the absence of said solenoid valve; b. a second loop comprising the boiler and the heat accumulator, isolated from the first loop by the fact that the thermostatic valve 11 does not allow any recycling coming from the radiator return as long as the outlet temperature of the accumulator is lower than a chosen temperature, for example typically 60°C (depending on the choice of the model of thermostatic valve 11), the circulation in this loop being forced by the boiler circulator 214.

[0029] A very interesting characteristic of the invention is that these two loops, even in their operation independently of one another, are always hydraulically connected by the boiler return pipe 13 (or its variants) going from the boiler return connection 21i to the outlet connection to the installation 22o, and therefore are connected to the expansion tank 223 ensuring the pressure regulation of the heat transfer liquid in the entire heating system.

[0030] When the temperature in the accumulator approaches the chosen transition temperature, for example 60°C, the thermostatic valve 11 gradually recycles part, or even gradually all, of the flow of heat transfer fluid returning from the radiators; the part of the flow returning from the radiator which no longer returns directly to the controllable boiler leads to the same part of the flow leaving the heat accumulator 23 no longer going to the boiler 21 but to said controllable boiler 221, and this by simple conservation of the volume of heat transfer fluid contained in the loops. Regarding the choice of the transition temperature, it should be noted that it is advisable to choose a value higher than 60°C if one wishes to increase the quantity of energy stored in the accumulator, and conversely to choose a value lower than 60°C if one wishes to maximize the assistance to the controllable boiler for heating the building.

[0031] If the heat transfer fluid continues to heat (this depends on the difference between the power supplied by the boiler and taken by the heating), a single loop is gradually obtained comprising in series the controllable boiler, the set of radiators 222, the thermostatic valve 11, the boiler 21 (as well as, if present, the accumulator 23), and again the controllable boiler. The outlet of the accumulator 23 can only be made towards the controllable boiler by forcing of the installation circulator 224 and appropriate control of the boiler circulator 214 (a rule of good practice is that the control of the latter must make the flow rate in the boiler loop tend to be greater than the flow rate provided by the installation circulator). Preferably, the two circulators can be in series with each other, it is important that at least one of them is of a non-volumetric pump type, not imposing a flow rate but imposing an increase in pressure. Note also that, preferably, said second loop L2 can include an anti-thermosiphon valve 215, with advantageously adjustable pressure, to be able to be calibrated at a level such that the circulation in the loop L2 only occurs under the effect of the boiler circulator 214. This makes it possible to avoid any risk of the boiler operating as a radiator at the end of a fire or in the absence of a fire under the action of the installation circulator 224.

[0032] Preferably, the boiler is of the type comprising automatic regulation of the fire power by a fresh air inlet valve controlled by the temperature of the heat transfer liquid circulating in the boiler.

[0033] The invention finds very favorable application in a heating system which also uses a device for heating under the action of the sun. The following describes heating assistance by means of a solar panel. However, conceptually speaking, it would be equivalent to use photovoltaic panels and to heat the accumulator 23 by an electrical resistance.

[0034] [Fig. 3] illustrates an installation layout in which the heat accumulator comprises a heat transfer fluid, and further comprising a solar panel 24 arranged so as to be able to heat said heat transfer fluid. All the elements common to the first and second embodiments are found. Furthermore, and in this embodiment, said third section 133 of the kit according to the invention comprises a bypass valve 242 whose inlet is connected to the side of said section joining said boiler return connection 21i, one of the outlets of which is connected to said outlet connection to the accumulator 23o and the other of the outlets of which is connected to a third section 133 also connected to said second section 132.In this case, the accumulator 23 generally uses a heat transfer fluid which is most often water, with or without the addition of antifreeze, said heat transfer fluid circulating towards the panel 24 to be charged with calories before returning to the calorie accumulator 23, it being recalled that this is a circuit independent of the heat transfer fluid circulating in the heating system. In this particular implementation of the invention, it is then the same fluid as that achieving the inertial effect of storing calories explained previously.

[0035] This document does not address the production of domestic hot water; it is sufficient to recall that it can be provided by the controllable boiler with or without assistance. by the calorie accumulator 23, pointing out in passing that the storage of calories in the accumulator 23 can very usefully preheat the domestic hot water via a dedicated coil.

[0036] Let us note that one of the advantages of the invention is to make better use of the heat accumulator always present in the case of a solar panel, when the need for heating is significant, namely rather in winter especially if there is no sun. But there may very well be weather conditions where there is significant solar radiation and a need for heating. In this case, to optimize the recovery of solar calories, it is necessary to avoid overheating the accumulator 23 by the calories produced by the boiler. This is what the bypass valve 242 allows. It is preferable to choose an accumulator 23 whose coils of the accumulator exchanger 230 are at least partly in the high position in the accumulator 23, and whose heat transfer fluid is taken by a pipe 240 for circulating heat transfer fluid between accumulator 23 and solar panel 24 connected in the low position, as drawn in [Fig.2].Indeed, the natural stratification of the heat transfer fluid makes it possible to keep a portion of the tank at a low temperature and therefore to keep a certain potential for heating it by the effect of the sun. The use of heating the lower part is particularly useful if another coil (that of the domestic hot water, not shown so as not to overload the drawing) makes it possible to advantageously take calories from the lower part. It should also be noted that an alternative arrangement can provide for forced mixing of the heat transfer fluid from the accumulator 23 with a pump or a propeller, in order not to over-stratify the heat transfer fluid and increase the accumulator's ability to store calories. Those skilled in the art can easily add all the devices necessary to take advantage of what has just been specified.

[0037] The control of the bypass valve can be simply manual, the installation manager being able to take into account the weather conditions. However, it is also possible to automate the operation of the heating system more completely thanks to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the kit according to the invention in which said bypass valve 242 is of the electrically controlled type.

[0038] The following relates to the control of an installation equipped with a kit according to the invention. In the case of the installation of a kit which comprises a solenoid valve 12, the invention extends to a method operating in such a way that: a. as soon as and as long as the control unit detects the presence of fire, the three-way solenoid valve 12 is controlled so as to ensure the circulation of the heat transfer fluid to said second part J22, so that the heat transfer fluid returning from the radiators is sent to the controllable boiler; b. the flow rate of the circulator 214 is controlled proportionally based on a measurement of the temperature of the heat transfer liquid at the outlet of the boiler.

[0039] Preferably, in order to allow rapid switching to an optimized configuration when using the boiler 21, it is appropriate to ensure without delay the detection of the start of a fire in the boiler, to evaluate the apparent power of the fire to ensure a prediction of thermal power to be drawn from the boiler by the heat transfer liquid. Similarly, it is appropriate to prevent excessive cooling of the boiler by the heat transfer liquid, which would risk causing condensation of the fumes and fouling the flue. To this end, the method for controlling the flow rate of the circulator is based, among other parameters, on a measurement of the temperature of the combustion fumes and ensures proportional control.

[0040] Furthermore, it is appropriate for the control to ensure a good transfer of calories to the heating installation 22, if necessary via the accumulator 23, and to this end the method is such that the flow rate of the circulator is controlled proportionally also as a function of a measurement of the temperature of the heat transfer liquid at the outlet of the boiler and of a temperature in the calorie accumulator.

[0041] Furthermore, for better optimization of the capture of solar calories combined with the use of calories produced by the boiler, the method of controlling a kit for an installation further comprising a solar panel is such that said bypass valve 242 is controlled according to meteorological information.

[0042] In the summer period, the ideal use of the calorie accumulator 23 will be to produce domestic hot water, as the sole means of heating or in assistance of another means of heating domestic hot water, for example the controlled boiler 221. In the mid-season, the calorie accumulator 23 will also be used to heat the heat transfer fluid reaching the set of radiators 222, possibly as heating assistance. The search for the best efficiency of the heating system as described leads to giving priority to the calories of solar origin, then to the calories produced by the boiler in the presence of a fire, and finally to the controllable boiler. To this end, the solenoid valve 12 is activated in the position sending the heat transfer fluid to the calorie accumulator 23, and the same for the bypass valve 242.In the presence of fire, the solenoid valve 12 is immediately activated to the position sending the heat transfer fluid to the controllable boiler 221, to reserve the calorie accumulator 23 for the storage of calories produced by the boiler 21. But in the presence of favorable weather conditions, priority is given to the accumulation of solar calories by activating the bypass valve 242 so that the flow of heat transfer fluid from the boiler no longer passes through the calorie accumulator 23, even in the presence of fire.

[0043] The overall control of such a heating system can also act on the controlled boiler 221 to deactivate or activate it, and can also act to activate the installation circulator 224 even when the controllable boiler 221 is deactivated; by acting on the solenoid valve 12 (and where appropriate on the bypass valve 242), it can be guaranteed that the installation 22 is heated only by means of the heat accumulator 23, including if the heat accumulator 23 has been heated by the boiler 21, at the end of the fire for example. A person skilled in the art can easily adopt control modes which make it possible to consume as a priority the calories coming from the heat accumulator 21 to lower the temperature of the heat transfer fluid which it contains and thus tend to put it in a greater capacity to recover solar calories, or to accumulate calories produced by the boiler.

[0044] All the rules for controlling a heating system which have just been explained can be implemented by means of a control unit, not shown so as not to unnecessarily overload the drawings. This control unit is connected to the necessary temperature sensors, according to the rules retained, and can also be connected to an appropriate interface for processing meteorological information. This control unit is also connected to the elements to be controlled, namely in the examples described (non-limiting the possible implementations of the invention), the solenoid valve 12, the bypass valve 242, the boiler circulator 214, the installation circulator 224, the controllable boiler 221.

[0045] The invention can be implemented in installations comprising different variants of arrangement of the non-specific elements of the invention, such as for example in an installation where the controllable boiler is a low-temperature heat pump which, in this case, will preferably be downstream of the radiators and before the connection to the installation return connection 22i, by means of appropriate adaptations.

Claims

1. Claims Adaptation kit (1) for a central heating installation (22) with heat transfer fluid, said installation comprising a controllable boiler (221) being connected to a set of radiators (222), said installation (22) comprising a first loop (L1) for circulating the heat transfer fluid, said first loop comprising said controllable boiler (221) and said set of radiators (222), said installation (22) being coupled to a boiler (21) by means of a second loop (L2) for circulating the heat transfer fluid, characterized in that the kit comprises: • a passive thermostatic valve (11), with three ways, comprising an inlet for hot heat transfer liquid (111), an inlet for cold heat transfer liquid (112) and a heat transfer liquid outlet (113), and a device ensuring progressive mixing of the cold and hot heat transfer liquids by the action of a passive thermostatic member calibrated at a chosen transition temperature T, • a flow connection to the installation (22o) allowing hydraulic connection to the controllable boiler (221) and an installation return connection (22i) allowing hydraulic connection to the return of the radiator assembly (222), • a departure connection to the boiler (21o) and a boiler return connection (21i), • said outlet connection to the installation (22o) being connected to a boiler return pipe (13) joining the boiler return connection (21i), • said installation return connection (22i) being connected to a radiator return pipe (14) joining said inlet for cold heat transfer liquid (112), • said heat transfer liquid outlet (113) being connected to a boiler outlet pipe (15) which joins said outlet connection to boiler (21o), • a first junction (J1) being connected in bypass to said boiler return pipe (13) on the one hand and on the other hand to said inlet for hot heat transfer liquid (111), • a second junction (J2) being connected in bypass to said radiator return pipe (14) on the one hand and on the other hand also in bypass to said boiler return pipe (13).

2. Kit according to claim 1, characterized in that said boiler outlet pipe (15) comprises a boiler circulator (214).

3. Kit according to claim 2, characterized in that said boiler circulator (214) is of the proportionally controllable speed type.

4. Kit according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises an anti-thermosiphon valve (215) arranged at a location chosen between a position on said boiler return pipe (13) joining the boiler return connection (21i) and a position on said boiler outlet pipe (15) which joins said outlet connection to the installation (22o).

5. Kit according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said second junction (J2) comprises a non-return valve (225) allowing the circulation of heat transfer liquid only towards the boiler return pipe (13).

6. Kit according to one of the preceding claims, for installation further comprising a heat accumulator (23), characterized in that the kit comprises: • a flow connection to the accumulator (23o) and an accumulator return connection (23i), • said boiler return pipe is formed of a first section (131) connected to said boiler return connection (21i) on the one hand and to said flow connection to the accumulator (23o) on the other hand, and is formed of a second section (132) connected to said accumulator return connection (23i) on the one hand and to said flow connection to the installation (22o) on the other hand.

7. Kit according to claim 6, characterized in that the kit comprises: • a three-way solenoid valve (12) having an inlet (121) and two outlets (122, 123) for heat transfer liquid as well as an electric actuator (M) allowing the passage of the heat transfer liquid from the inlet to one of the two outlets,• said second junction being formed by a first part (J21) starting from the bypass connection arranged on said radiator return pipe (14) on the one hand and on the other hand connected to said inlet (121) of the solenoid valve (12), and being formed by a second part (J22) connected to one (122) of the two outlets on the one hand and on the other hand and on the other hand is connected in bypass to said boiler return pipe (13), between said outlet connection to the installation (22o) and said first junction (Jl), • a third junction (J3), connected on the one hand in bypass to said first section (131) on the one hand and on the other hand to the other (123) of said two outlets, • a control unit ensuring the control of said solenoid valve (12) as a function of at least (i) a temperature representative of the presence of fire in the boiler, (ii) the temperature of return radiators, and (iii) the temperature in the heat accumulator.

8. Kit according to one of claims 6 or 7, for installation in which the heat accumulator comprises a heat transfer fluid, and further comprising a solar panel (24) arranged so as to be able to heat said heat transfer fluid, characterized in that the kit comprises a third section (133) comprising a bypass valve (242) whose inlet is connected to the side of said section joining said boiler return connection (21i), one of the outlets of which is connected to said outlet connection to the accumulator (23o) and the other of the outlets of which is connected to a third section (133) also connected to said second section (132).

9. A kit according to claim 8, wherein said bypass valve (242) is of the electrically controlled type.

10. Method for controlling an installation equipped with a kit according to claims 2 and 7, the installation comprising a controllable boiler (221) connected to a set of radiators (222), said installation (22) comprising a first loop (L1) for circulating the heat transfer liquid, said first loop comprising said controllable boiler (221) and said set of radiators (222), said installation (22) being coupled to a boiler (21) by means of a second loop (L2) for circulating the heat transfer fluid, said installation further comprising a heat accumulator (23), the method being characterized in that: a. as soon as and as long as the control unit detects the presence of fire, the three-way solenoid valve (12) is controlled so as to ensure the circulation of the heat transfer fluid to said second part (J22), so that the heat transfer fluid returning from the radiators is sent to the controllable boiler; b. the flow rate of the circulator (214) is controlled proportionally as a function of a temperature measurement of the heat transfer fluid at the outlet of the boiler.

11. Control method according to claim 10, characterized in that the flow rate of the circulator is controlled proportionally as a function of a measurement of the temperature of the combustion fumes.

12. Control method according to claim 11, characterized in that the flow rate of the circulator is controlled proportionally also as a function of a measurement of the temperature of the heat transfer liquid at the outlet of the boiler and of a temperature in the heat accumulator.

13. Control method according to one of claims 10 to 12, of an installation equipped with a kit according to claim 9, characterized in that said bypass valve (242) is controlled according to meteorological information.

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