Maintenance or service module in a hydraulic installation

Abstract

The invention relates to a maintenance module 5 for a pump 1 intended for circulating a fluid in a hydraulic system, or a service module for such a hydraulic system. It finds particular application in implementing a balancing procedure for a building's heating hydraulic system, including a heat generator 2 such as a boiler. The pump 1 includes a communication interface 4 with a non-radio-electromagnetic communication port, configured to communicate with the heat generator 2 via this communication port. The module 5 includes a first communication interface 6 configured to communicate with the communication interface 4 of the pump 1 via the communication port, for implementing the maintenance and / or service procedure. Figure 1 (for the abstract)

Description

Title of the invention: Maintenance or service module in a hydraulic installation

[0001] The present invention relates to a maintenance module for a pump intended for circulating a fluid in a hydraulic system, or for service in such a hydraulic system. The invention also relates to a hydraulic system comprising this module. For example, it finds application in implementing a balancing procedure for a building's heating hydraulic system.

[0002] In a hydraulic installation comprising a pump for circulating a fluid, and a heat generator intended to be transported in the installation by the fluid, such as a heating hydraulic installation in which water heated by a boiler circulates, it is necessary to be able to carry out maintenance operations, in particular on the pump, and service operations in particular when starting up the installation (hydraulic balancing for example).

[0003] These operations require the ability to exchange information, in particular with the pump, i.e. to retrieve information from the pump and to transmit information to this pump.

[0004] These operations can be carried out entirely manually, with the intervention of a specialist who adjusts the parameters of the various components of the installation concerned to obtain the desired result (for example, hydraulic balancing). These operations require specific skills and can be complex, lengthy, and tedious.

[0005] To make some of these operations less complex, it is possible to provide presets, particularly for the pump parameters, depending on the configuration of the building in which the hydraulic system is located (number of rooms, room size, type of radiators, etc.). These presets facilitate commissioning, but make the components concerned non-interchangeable with the equivalent component of another system.

[0006] Generally, the pump has a wired connection through which it can be connected to the boiler controller, via a wired communication port provided for this purpose, for exchanging information with the latter during operation. The LIN, Modbus, and iPWM protocols are commonly used, for example, in this type of application for this activity.

[0007] Furthermore, some pumps are equipped with a specific communication port, generally wireless, and separate from the communication port for interfacing with The boiler controller has a specific port that allows connection to a device for implementing a maintenance or service procedure. However, not all pumps have such a dedicated communication port. Furthermore, when this dedicated communication port is present, it generally functions differently from one manufacturer to another, particularly in terms of communication technologies and protocols. This results in a high cost due to the design of a device specific to each pump, and a difficulty of use due to the dedicated nature of each device.

[0008] One of the aims of the invention is therefore to solve, in particular, the aforementioned problems. Thus, the invention aims in particular to provide a module for implementing a maintenance and / or service procedure in a hydraulic installation comprising a heat generator and a pump, which can be used generically in installations comprising pumps of different types, and which is easy to use for the user working on these installations.

[0009] The invention thus relates, according to a first aspect, to a module for implementing a maintenance procedure on a pump intended for circulating a fluid in a hydraulic installation comprising a heat generator, such as a boiler, and / or for implementing a service procedure in said hydraulic installation, the pump comprising a communication interface with a non-radio-electromagnetic type communication port, configured to communicate with the heat generator via this communication port of the pump.

[0010] The module includes a first communication interface configured to communicate with the communication interface of the pump via the communication port, for the implementation of said maintenance procedure and / or said service procedure.

[0011] Depending on certain implementation modes, the device further comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations: - The first communication interface is configured to exchange one or more of the following pieces of information with the pump's communication interface: • differential pump pressure, • Power consumed by the pump, • flow rate supplied by the pump, • pump motor rotation speed, • Temperature of the fluid circulating in the pump, • Error related to the operation of the pump, • alert regarding pump operation, • activation or deactivation message for at least one routine corresponding to an action or sequence of actions performed by the pump, such as a degassing routine, a clearing routine, a hydraulic balancing routine, • status relating to the state of implementation of one or more of said routines; - the heat generator of the hydraulic system is controlled by a The controller and the pump communication interface are configured to communicate with the controller via the pump communication port, the module including a second communication interface configured to communicate with the controller by a non-radio-electromagnetic type means, so as to allow the module to be interposed between the controller and the pump via the first communication interface and the second communication interface; - The second communication interface is configured to exchange one or more of the following pieces of information with the controller: • differential pump pressure, • Power consumed by the pump, • flow rate supplied by the pump, • pump motor rotation speed, • temperature of the fluid circulating in the pump, • error related to the operation of the pump, • alert regarding pump operation, • activation or deactivation message for at least one routine corresponding to an action or sequence of actions performed by the pump, such as a degassing routine, a clearing routine, a hydraulic balancing routine, • status relating to the state of implementation of one or more of said routines; - the module includes a control unit intended to receive or deliver data on the implementation of the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure; - the control unit includes a third radio-electromagnetic communication interface configured to allow the exchange, with a remote control unit, of data for the implementation of the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure; - the control unit includes a data capture device for the implementation of the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure; - the control unit includes an information display device, the control unit being configured to allow the display, on said device

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[0018] display of information relating to the implementation of the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure; - the module includes a first box containing the first communication interface, and possibly the second communication interface when present, and the control unit is integrated into this first box; - the module includes a first housing forming a first sub-module comprising the first communication interface, and possibly the second communication interface when present, and the module includes a second housing forming a second sub-module comprising the control unit, the first and second housings being configured to be connected to each other temporarily; - the first box is configured to allow the temporary connection of the first communication interface with the communication interface of the pump, and possibly to allow the temporary connection of the second communication interface, when present, with the controller. The invention also relates, according to a second aspect, to a hydraulic installation comprising a heat generator, such as a boiler, a pump for circulating a fluid in the hydraulic installation, and a module as presented above. Thus, the module of the invention uses the communication port available on the pump, which is dedicated to communication between the pump and the heat generator. Regardless of the type of pump, it interfaces with it via this communication port to implement a maintenance procedure on the pump or a service procedure on the hydraulic system in which the pump is located. The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given solely by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the following attached figures: [Fig.1] is a schematic representation of a first example of a module of the invention, in an example of a hydraulic installation of the invention; [Fig.2] is a schematic representation of a second example module of the invention, in an example of a hydraulic installation of the invention; [Fig.3] is a schematic representation of a variant of the second example module of the invention (also applicable to the first example). An example of a hydraulic installation according to the invention is shown in the figures 1 and 2, with two examples of a module according to the invention.

[0019] The hydraulic installation includes a pump 1 and a heat generator 2. The pump 1 circulates a fluid, generally water, through the installation's circuits, which carries the heat generated by the heat generator 2. In the examples shown, the heat generator 2 is a boiler type, equipped with a controller 3. This heat generator 2 could also be a heat pump type, or an apartment technical module, in which case it is not necessarily equipped with a controller 3.

[0020] The pump 1 includes a communication interface 4, with a non-radio-electromagnetic communication port. This communication interface 4 is configured to communicate with the heat generator 2 via this communication port. Specifically, when the heat generator 2 is equipped with a controller 3, as in the examples of Figures 1 and 2, the communication interface 4 is configured to communicate with the controller 3 of the heat generator 2 via this communication port.

[0021] Non-radio-electromagnetic communication refers to any communication by interconnection between two electrical or electromechanical contacts. Such an interconnection may be direct or indirect via a connector, which may be wired.

[0022] Module 5 is a module intended for implementing a maintenance procedure on pump 1, or for implementing a service procedure in the hydraulic installation. It includes a first communication interface 6. This first communication interface 6 is configured to communicate with the communication interface 4 of pump 1 via the pump's communication port, in order to implement a maintenance and / or service procedure.

[0023] The configuration of the first communication interface 6 allows the exchange with the communication interface 4 of the pump 1 of information required for the implementation of maintenance and / or service procedures. This may be one or more of the following pieces of information:

[0024] - differential pressure of pump 1,

[0025] - power consumed by pump 1,

[0026] - flow rate supplied by pump 1,

[0027] - rotation speed of pump motor 1,

[0028] - temperature of the fluid circulating in the pump 1,

[0029] - error relating to the operation of pump 1,

[0030] - alert relating to the operation of pump 1.

[0031] Within the framework of the procedures that can be implemented by module 5, it may be a matter of running routines corresponding to an action or a sequence of actions performed by pump 1. This may be, for example, a degassing routine, an unblocking routine, or a hydraulic balancing routine. In such a case, among the information exchanged, there may also be a message of activation or deactivation of one of these routines, or the status relating to the state of the implementation of one of these routines.

[0032] As seen above, the calorie generator 2 can be of the type controlled by a controller 3. In this case, the communication interface 4 of the pump 1 is then configured to communicate with this controller 3 via its communication port.

[0033] Module 5 includes a second communication interface 7, which is configured to communicate with the controller 3 via a non-radio-electromagnetic communication channel. Module 5 is thus interposed between the controller 3 and the pump 1 via the first communication interface 6 and the second communication interface 7. Therefore, the pump 1 communicates with the controller 3 via the non-radio-electromagnetic communication port of its communication interface 4, the first communication interface 6 of module 5, and the second communication interface 7 of module 5.

[0034] This second communication interface 7 is configured to exchange information with the controller 3, including the same information as that presented above with reference to the communication between the communication interface 4 of the pump 1 and the first communication interface 6 of the module 5.

[0035] Module 5 is also expected to include a control unit 8 for receiving or transmitting data for implementing the maintenance and / or service procedure. This data may relate to, or correspond to, the information presented above with reference to the communication between the communication interface 4 of pump 1 and the first communication interface 6 of module 5, or between the second communication interface 7 of module 5 and the controller 3.

[0036] The control unit 8 may itself include a communication interface, called the third communication interface, for radio-electromagnetic communication, typically by short- or long-range radio frequency waves or by light waves. This third communication interface is configured to allow the exchange of data for implementing the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure with a remote control unit 12, for example, a mobile phone, a tablet, or a computer.

[0037] This third interface can also be configured to allow the collection of data for monitoring the module and / or one or more components of the installation and / or the installation itself, in order to carry out monitoring operations of the module, respectively of the component(s) or installation. This data can be analyzed for various purposes. It can also be used to diagnose the implementation and operating conditions of installation components such as pump 1.

[0038] Communication between the remote control unit 12 and the third interface can be direct, provided that the remote control unit 12 is within direct communication range (e.g., Bluetooth® communication). This communication can also be indirect. As an example, [Fig. 3] shows module 5 of [Fig. 2] with communication between the remote control unit 12 and the third interface of the control unit 8 via one or more servers 13 in a cloud architecture. In such a configuration, a user can connect to the server(s) 13 via the remote control unit 12, which communicates directly or via one or more relay antennas (not shown) with the server(s) 13.The data for implementing the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure, presented above, are then exchanged between the server(s) 13 and the control unit 8 (via the third interface) by direct communication or via one or more relay antennas (not shown) with this or these server(s) 13.

[0039] When the remote control unit 12 is equipped with an input device and a display device, a user of the remote control unit 12 can input data for the implementation of the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure using the input device, and view information or data relating to the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure using a display device.

[0040] Alternatively, or in combination, the control unit 8 may include its own data entry device for implementing the maintenance and / or service procedure. It may also include its own information display device. The control unit is then configured to allow the display on this display device of data or information relating to the implementation of the maintenance and / or service procedure.

[0041] The control unit 8 can also be configured to collect monitoring data on the operation of the pump 1 and / or the heat generator 2, and / or other components of the hydraulic system, and more generally on the hydraulic system itself. In this case, the third interface is configured to also allow the exchange of this monitoring data with the remote control unit 12, in order to enable the implementation of an analysis of the collected data and a diagnostic, particularly concerning the implementation and operating conditions of the pump 1.

[0042] The module 5 includes a first housing 10, in which a number of its elements are integrated, including the first communication interface 6, and possibly the second communication interface 7 when present.

[0043] In the example of [Fig.1], the control unit 8 is also integrated into this first housing 10.

[0044] In the example of [Fig.2], we find the first case 10, but the module 5 also includes a second case 11 in which the control unit 8 is integrated. Thus, the first case 10 forms a first sub-module of the module 5, and the second case 11 forms a second sub-module of the module 5.

[0045] The first box 10 and the second box 11 are then configured to be connected to each other temporarily.

[0046] In these two examples, the first box 10 is configured to allow the temporary connection of the first communication interface 6 with the communication interface 4 of the pump 1. Optionally, when the second communication interface 7 is present, the first box 10 is also configured to allow the temporary connection of this second communication interface 7 with the controller 3.

[0047] Module 5 can thus be easily connected by being inserted between the controller 3 of the heat generator 2 and the communication interface 4 of the pump 1, and easily disconnected.

[0048] In the case where pump 1 is not connected to a controller 3 of the heat generator 2, module 5 can be easily connected to the communication interface 4 of pump 1, and easily disconnected.

[0049] In the context of this invention, a maintenance procedure may, for example, involve modifying the parameters of pump 1, such as the rotational speed of its motor. Pump 1 is initially configured with a given rotational speed, but is sized so that this rotational speed can be increased or decreased within the limits of a specific range of values ​​characteristic of the pump. By connecting module 5 to the non-radio-electromagnetic communication port of the communication interface 4 of pump 1, which is usually dedicated to communication with a controller 3 of a heat generator 2, it is possible to modify, temporarily or permanently, an operating parameter of the pump.

[0050] By way of example, pump 1 can initially be configured so that its motor rotates at a speed of 3000 revolutions per minute. For the purposes of implementing a given maintenance or service procedure, after connecting module 5 as explained above, the rotation speed can be reduced to 2000 revolutions per minute. Then, by programming performed by module 5, upon disconnection of In this module 5, the rotation speed can be maintained at the new value, or brought back to its initial value, or even increased, for example, to 4000 revolutions per minute.

[0051] The present description is given by way of example and is not limiting of the invention.

[0052] In particular, the invention is not limited to the implementation of a given maintenance procedure on the pump 1, or of a given service procedure on the installation.

Claims

Demands

1. Module (5) for, in a hydraulic installation, implementing a maintenance procedure on a pump (1) and / or implementing a service procedure, which module implies: - that the hydraulic installation includes a heat generator consisting of a boiler, a heat pump, a technical module in which case it is not necessarily equipped with a controller 3, or similar equipment; - that the said pump is intended for the circulation of a fluid; - that the pump (1) includes a communication interface (4) equipped with a non-radio-electromagnetic communication port configured to communicate with the heat generator (2) via this communication port of the pump (1), and that a first communication interface (6) is configured to communicate with the communication interface (4) of the pump (1) via said communication port of the pump (1), for the implementation of said maintenance procedure and / or said service procedure; characterized in that: the heat generator (2) of the hydraulic installation which is controlled by a controller (3) includes a communication port (14); - the communication interface (4) of the pump (1) is configured to communicate with a controller (3) via the communication port of the pump (1), - a second communication interface (7) is configured to communicate with the controller (3) by a non-radio-electromagnetic type means, so as to allow the module (5) to be interposed between the controller (3) and the pump (1) via respectively the first communication interface (6) and a second communication interface (7); - a control unit (8) is intended to receive or deliver data for the implementation of the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure; - a third radio-electromagnetic communication interface is configured to allow the exchange, with a remote control unit (12), of data for the implementation of the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure.

2. Module (5) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first communication interface (6) is configured to exchange with the communication interface (4) of the pump (1) one or more of the following information: - the differential pressure of the pump (1), - the power consumed by the pump (1), - the flow rate supplied by the pump (1), - the rotation speed of the pump motor (1), - the temperature of the fluid circulating in the pump (1), - the error relating to the operation of the pump (1), - the alert relating to the operation of the pump (1), - the activation or deactivation message of at least one routine corresponding to an action or a sequence of actions carried out by the pump, such as a degassing routine, a unblocking routine and / or a hydraulic balancing routine, - the indication of the status relating to the state of the implementation of one or more of said routines.

3. Module (5) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second communication interface (7) is configured to exchange with the communication interface (72) of the controller (3) one or more of the following information: - the differential pressure of the pump (1), - the power consumed by the pump (1), - the flow rate supplied by the pump (1), - the rotational speed of the motor of the pump (1), - the temperature of the fluid circulating in the pump (1), - the error relating to the operation of the pump (1), - the alert relating to the operation of the pump (1), - the activation or deactivation message of at least one routine corresponding to an action or a sequence of actions performed by the pump, consisting of a degassing routine, a unblocking routine and / or a hydraulic balancing routine, - the indication of the status relating to the state of the implementation of one or more of said routines.

4. Module (5) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control unit (8) includes a data capture device for implementing the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure.

5. Module (5) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the control unit (8) comprises a display device information, the control unit (8) being configured to allow the display, on said display device, of information relating to the implementation of the maintenance procedure and / or the service procedure.

6. Module (5) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a first housing (10) comprising the first communication interface (6), and optionally the second communication interface (7) when present, and in that the control unit (8) is integrated into this first housing (10).

7. Module (5) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a first housing (10) forming a first sub-module comprising the first communication interface (6), and optionally the second communication interface (7) when present, and in that it comprises a second housing (11) forming a second sub-module comprising the control unit (8), the first and second housings (10, 11) being configured to be temporarily connected to each other.

8. Module (5) according to any one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the first housing (10) is configured to allow temporary connection of the first communication interface (6) with the communication interface (4) of the pump (1), and optionally to allow temporary connection of the second communication interface (7), when present, with the controller (3).

9. Hydraulic installation comprising a heat generator (2), such as a boiler, a pump (1) for circulating a fluid in the hydraulic installation, and a module (5) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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