Automated control method for the heatwave-induced closure of a solar shutter

Abstract

Method for automated control of the heatwave closure of a solar shutter comprising at least one solar panel for supplying energy to an electric motor for driving the shutter, said solar panel comprising an irradiance sensor capable of measuring solar irradiance, each motor being connected to a control unit equipped with telecommunication means, linked to the irradiance sensor and controllable by means of an individual remote control capable of being programmed by the user between an automated operating mode and a non-automated operating mode of the shutter, an additional remote control being associated with each shutter, said additional remote control comprising means for measuring the ambient temperature.The process includes: - calculation by the control unit of an optimized irradiance threshold Io = 350 + 10 x (22-Tamb); - comparison between a measured irradiance Is and the optimized irradiance Io, and if Is ≥ Io: - command by the control unit of the motor to close the shutter. See Fig. 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Method for automated control of the heatwave-resistant closing of a solar shutter

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling the so-called heatwave closing of a motorized solar shutter, enabling automated movement of the shutter if the temperature is too high. The objective is to automate the shutter's closing via a heatwave-responsive management system, specifically based on the temperature rise, with closure occurring only if the climatic conditions are considered characteristic of a heatwave. The most immediate goal is to improve living comfort in a home, given the ever-present threat of heatwaves. Secondarily, in the case of a building equipped with air conditioning, proper management of the solar shutters' positioning can lead to energy savings by reducing air conditioning needs during hot summers.

[0002] In many private homes equipped with motorized shutters, the shutters include at least some that operate using solar energy. These shutters are therefore equipped with what will be called solar motors, connected to a battery that stores the solar energy collected via solar panels installed near each shutter. When the amount of solar energy is a parameter used in controlling the shutter drive motors, the solar panels are typically equipped with solar irradiance sensors.

[0003] Each motor is also connected to a control unit, often an electronic board that includes the components for processing information to control the motor. Methods for closing solar shutters during periods of extreme heat already exist, based specifically on an irradiance measurement that allows for the deduction of heatwave conditions requiring the shutter to be closed. Essentially, an irradiance threshold is set and stored in the control unit, and the measurement from the irradiance sensor is periodically compared with this threshold. If the measurement is at least equal to the stored irradiance threshold, the motor is controlled by the control unit to close the shutter. It is generally accepted that the theoretical solar irradiance threshold indicating a heatwave is around 350 W / m².The automated heatwave closing procedures for solar shutters are therefore designed so that a closing command frame is sent by the control unit to the motor as soon as the irradiance sensor measures a solar irradiance of at least 350 W / m2.

[0004] However, this single measure struggles to adequately account for the emergence of Heatwave characteristics are not solely linked to the solar energy measurable on or near the building, which is also somewhat modeled by the amount of solar energy received per unit area of ​​the solar panels. It seems obvious that temperature, and in particular the ambient temperature measured inside a building, and therefore directly felt by the inhabitants whom we are trying to protect from the rigors of a heatwave, is a crucial factor that should also be taken into account. However, until now, automated procedures for closing shutters during heatwaves have not considered any parameters other than solar irradiance.

[0005] The objective of the present invention is therefore to remedy this by refining the assessment of heatwave conditions, in order to offer an automation process that is more suited to the reality experienced by people living in buildings subjected to high temperatures. In essence, the method of the invention aims to correct the current "switchover" threshold in heatwave mode, which triggers the shutter closure based solely on solar energy. Put another way, the goal is to optimize the automated heatwave closure process by weighting the solar irradiance parameter using a second parameter, the ambient temperature in the building.

[0006] To this end, the method for automatically controlling the heatwave-resistant closure of a solar shutter, conventionally comprising at least one solar panel for powering an electric motor to drive the shutter, said solar panel comprising an irradiance sensor capable of measuring solar irradiance, each motor being connected to a control unit equipped with telecommunications means, linked to the irradiance sensor and controllable by means of an individual remote control capable of being programmed by the user between an automated operating mode and a non-automated operating mode of the shutter, an additional remote control being associated with each shutter, said additional remote control comprising means for measuring the ambient temperature, said method is such that it comprises:

[0007] - verification by the control unit of the activation of the automated mode of the shutter;

[0008] - the collection by the control unit of the measurement of the solar irradiance Ismeasured by the irradiance sensor;

[0009] - the collection by the control unit of the ambient temperature measurement Tamb measured by the additional remote control;

[0010] - the calculation by the control unit of an optimized irradiance threshold Io = 350 + 10 x (22-Tamb);

[0011] - the comparison between the measured irradiance Is and the optimized irradiance Io, and

[0012] if Is > Io:

[0013] - the control by the motor control unit for the purpose of closing the shutter.

[0014] The actual switching threshold becomes in practice lower than the value of 350 clas This method has been used until now if temperatures exceed 22°C, and its effect increases as the temperature rises. It is essentially an ambient correction performed by the system to refine the thermal control threshold, which is no longer solely dependent on a fixed irradiance value. Measuring solar irradiance does not provide direct information on the actual ambient temperature inside the building, which is nevertheless an important indicator of a heatwave. By relying solely on solar irradiance, the system clearly prioritizes overall weather conditions, which do not have a clear and easily quantifiable impact on temperatures.

[0015] By way of example, in the method of the invention, if the ambient temperature inside a dwelling reaches 27°C, the motor's activation threshold for closing is set at Io = 300, whereas in prior art systems, the control unit would have waited for a value of 350 to activate the closing mechanism. If the measured temperature is even higher, the switching threshold decreases as the temperature rises: Io = 270 for T = 30°C, Io = 250 for T = 32°C, etc. The difference in thresholds therefore varies considerably, reflecting, to some extent, the system's sensitivity to the ambient temperature parameter.

[0016] In practice, according to the method of the invention, after a heat-related closing command is sent to the motor, the control unit activates a time delay that inhibits any further heat-related closing commands for its duration, said duration being between 2 and 4 hours, preferably 3 hours. The aim is to prevent the method from continuing to operate idly when the temperature continues to rise, for example, as the day progresses, and the shutter has already been closed automatically. Or, alternatively, to inhibit an automated closing of the shutter, which is logical because the conditions have not changed and result in a successful heat-related software test, even though the user has decided to reopen it for their own reasons.

[0017] When referring to ambient temperature measurements, this does not refer to a single measurement but, in order to avoid, in particular, the side effects that could result from a single measurement, to a measurement resulting from several measurements. In the method of the invention, the ambient temperature Tamb is an average value calculated from a plurality of measurements taken over a predetermined period lasting a few seconds, in practice at most 10 seconds and preferably less than or equal to 5 seconds.

[0018] For the purposes of the process of the invention, with a view to its use by the unit of In the aforementioned calculation formula for the optimized irradiance threshold Io, the ambient temperature Tamb is calculated at regular intervals ranging from 20 to 40 minutes, and preferably every 30 minutes. Once calculated, the temperature is transmitted to the shutter control unit. The frequency is kept low to avoid excessively draining the battery powering the additional remote control associated with the shutter, whose energy is conserved as much as possible to ensure its longevity.

[0019] The successive calculations by the control unit of the optimized irradiance threshold Io are also carried out at regular intervals, the duration between two successive calculations being between 2 minutes and 15 minutes, preferably equal to 5 minutes.

[0020] It has been seen that the automatic closure of the shutter following a command issued by the control unit to the electric motor can be inhibited for a few hours by a time delay. However, the regular measurement of the parameters used in the method of the invention remains useful insofar as the method also provides for an additional possibility of automated shutter opening. To implement this, the control unit checks whether the measured irradiance value Is is less than or equal to the optimized irradiance threshold value Io minus a value between 40 and 60, and preferably equal to 50. The unit commands the automated reopening of the shutter if this is the case.

[0021] In this scenario, the calculation is also based on the optimized threshold value, which takes into account the ambient temperature. Therefore, a hysteresis of 50, indicating a significant temperature drop between two consecutive measurements, is considered to render the closed state of the shutter unnecessary. To revisit some of the previous numerical examples, with an ambient temperature of 28°C, and consequently a heatwave threshold for closing the shutter of Io = 290, the shutter will be activated for an ambient temperature of 23°C, implying, in principle, a threshold for closing the shutter of Io = 340.

[0022] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following description, which relates to an embodiment given by way of illustrative example. Understanding this description will be particularly facilitated by reference to the figures attached hereto:

[0023] [Fig-1] shows a synoptic diagram of the overall operation of the process of automated control of a solar shutter for heatwave-related closure according to the methods of the invention; and

[0024] [Fig.2] shows a synoptic diagram of the operation of the piloting process automated solar shutter according to the invention for detecting the end of conditions determined to be heatwave conditions.

[0025] With reference to [Fig. 1], the method for controlling the heat-related closure of a solar shutter relies on the existence of a hardware configuration based on a shutter The solar-powered shutter's movement is achieved using an electric drive motor powered by at least one solar panel and an associated battery for storing electrical energy. An irradiance sensor is placed near the solar panel(s). A control unit manages this hardware system, specifically to synchronize the control—whether manual via an individual remote control for the shutter or automated—with the actual shutter movements. During automated operation, such as for managing the shutter's movements in hot weather, the control unit collects several signals, for example, signals from at least one irradiance sensor on the solar panel and a temperature sensor on an additional remote control. It also typically operates using limit switches on the shutter.All these signals are processed by the control unit to implement pre-programmed actions.

[0026] According to [Fig.1], in order to satisfy the main objective of the invention of automating the drive of a solar shutter for its closure according to a heatwave operating mode, the activation of the automated mode is first checked, meaning in practice that the remote control is not in principle used to occasionally operate the movements of the shutter in both directions.

[0027] If so, the control unit regularly collects the solar irradiance value Is, a parameter available at the terminals of the irradiance sensor located outside, generally at the level of at least one solar panel. The unit also collects the ambient temperature value at regular intervals, which is measured by at least one temperature sensor located in the additional remote control.

[0028] The electronic control unit then performs the calculation of the stored formula:

[0029] Io = 350 + 10 x (22-Tamb)

[0030] This formula optimizes the threshold at which a heatwave closure is triggered. It has been mentioned that until now, heatwave closures were implemented based on a single parameter, namely solar irradiance, and that the irradiance threshold considered as a marker of a heatwave was conventionally measured at 350 W / m². The contribution of the invention lies in refining and optimizing this fixed threshold by taking into account an additional parameter, namely ambient temperature, which can easily be considered a natural marker of a heatwave.

[0031] In fact, the formula was developed following numerous tests and trials, and it is based in particular on the observation that at an ambient temperature—that is, the temperature inside the building—of around 22°C, a threshold of solar irradiance of 350 W / m², as used in the prior art, can be accepted. As soon as the ambient temperature increases, such a threshold is too high. The tests showed that people who experience an indoor ambient temperature, for example, of around 25-26°C, clearly require a ca closure Even if the irradiance sensor indicates an irradiance value below 350 W / m², this is obviously even more true for indoor temperatures approaching 30°C, which is no longer a far-fetched scenario given climate change. The tipping point in terms of temperature, according to these tests, is around 22°C.

[0032] Conversely, according to the method of the invention, there can also be a heatwave closure for temperatures lower than 22°C, but this implies high solar irradiance. According to the invention, for a temperature of 20°C, the solar irradiance must then be measured at 370 W / m². In other words, very high irradiance can also be considered a characteristic of a heatwave despite an average temperature, and trigger the automated closure of the solar shutter, of course only when the shutter's automated operating mode is active.

[0033] In the event that automation is activated, the invention nevertheless provides a means of inhibiting the automatic nature of the process, to prevent the repeated activation of the closure if conditions remain unchanged, clearly indicating the existence of a heatwave, but the building occupant has decided, for various reasons, to raise the shutter, at least partially. After each automated heatwave-related shutter closure, a time delay is systematically triggered by the control unit, typically for a period of a few hours, on the order of 3 hours.

[0034] Within the framework of the process, there is no need for overly frequent ambient temperature measurements, due to the inherent inertia of temperature changes in atmospheric air masses, and the chosen value is therefore on the order of half an hour. At each programmed interval, however, several measurements are taken over a few seconds to calculate a usable average value, as taking a single measurement could present a greater risk of error.

[0035] The collection of solar irradiance measurements by the outdoor irradiance sensor is more frequent because it depends a priori on factors that are more easily changed and is therefore potentially more variable over time. In particular, it changes depending on the presence or absence of clouds, it can vary according to air pollution, and very generally according to changes in weather conditions. Solar irradiance also varies throughout the day due to the Earth's rotation and the variable angle of incidence of solar radiation, which depends on the time of day. The solar irradiance measurement is therefore taken very regularly, every few minutes.

[0036] All these measures also allow the flap to be reopened if necessary, as shown in [Fig.2], if the conditions change clearly, typically when the measurement of the irradiance Is is less than or equal to the calculated value, which is the optimized threshold value of the solar irradiance Io, by a significant deviation. on the order of a few tens of units, typically on the order of 50. This means in practice that the value Is collected by the control unit is compared by said unit to the calculated threshold value Io and that when their difference reaches the threshold of 50, the control unit considers that the measured irradiance conditions justify the reopening of the solar shutter.

[0037] The configuration examples shown in the figures should not be considered exhaustive of the invention, which includes, for example, variants of parameter value collection times by the solar shutter control unit.

Claims

Demands

1. Method for automated control of the heatwave closure of a solar shutter comprising at least one solar panel for powering an electric motor for driving the shutter, said solar panel comprising an irradiance sensor capable of measuring solar irradiance, each motor being connected to a control unit equipped with telecommunication means, linked to the irradiance sensor and controllable by means of an individual remote control capable of being programmed by the user between an automated operating mode and a non-automated operating mode of the shutter, an additional remote control being associated with each shutter, said additional remote control comprising means for measuring the ambient temperature, method characterized in that it comprises: - the verification by the control unit of the activation of the automated mode of the shutter;- The control unit collects the solar irradiance (Is) measured by the irradiance sensor; - The control unit collects the ambient temperature (Tamb) measured by the additional remote control; - The control unit calculates an optimized irradiance threshold (Io) = 350 + 10 x (22-Tamb); - The control unit compares the measured irradiance (Is) with the optimized irradiance (Io), and if Is > Io: - The control unit commands the motor to close the shutter.

2. Automated control method for the heatwave closure of a solar shutter according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, after sending a heatwave closure command to the motor, the control unit activates a time delay inhibiting, for its duration, any further sending of a heatwave closure command, said duration being between 2 and 4 hours, preferably equal to 3 hours.

3. Method for automated control of the heat-related closing of a shutter solar according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ambient temperature Tamb is an average value calculated from a plurality of measurements taken during a predetermined period of duration not exceeding 10 s and preferably less than or equal to QSQ

4. a J b. Method for automated control of the heatwave closure of a solar shutter according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the ambient temperature Tamb is calculated at regular intervals ranging from 20 minutes to 40 minutes, and preferably equal to 30 minutes.

5. Automated control method for the heatwave closure of a solar shutter according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the successive calculations by the control unit of the optimized irradiance threshold Io are carried out at regular intervals, the time between two successive calculations being between 2 minutes and 15 minutes, preferably equal to 5 minutes.

6. Method for automated control of the heatwave closure of a solar shutter according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the control unit commands the automated reopening of the shutter if the measured irradiance value Is is less than or equal to the value of the optimized irradiance threshold Io less a value between 40 and 60, and preferably equal to 50.

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