Heating Valve Control for Automatic Hydraulic Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In heating systems with multiple heat exchangers of varying sizes, achieving balanced heat distribution is challenging due to different flow resistances, leading to inadequate temperature regulation in rooms with higher heat demands, which affects user comfort.
Innovation Solution
A control system that automatically balances heat exchangers during a starting period by comparing valve open time periods and adjusting the maximum opening stroke of each valve using pulse width modulation, ensuring all valves operate at a consistent fraction of the modulation time period, allowing for efficient heat distribution without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If heat exchangers of different sizes are connected in parallel without balancing, then the system structure is simple, but the heat distribution becomes unbalanced and rooms with higher heat demands receive insufficient heat transfer fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically performs hydraulic balancing during a starting period by monitoring valve open time periods and adjusting maximum opening strokes, eliminating the need for manual intervention and making the system self-regulating
Solution Approach 2:
The balancing process is executed during a dedicated starting period before normal operation begins, allowing the system to pre-adjust valve settings based on actual flow conditions and heat exchanger characteristics
2Manufacturing precision
If manual balancing of heat exchangers is performed, then heat distribution balance can be improved, but the operation complexity and knowledge requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system autonomously performs balancing by comparing valve open time periods and automatically adjusting maximum opening strokes, eliminating the need for operator knowledge and manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors valve open time periods and uses this feedback information to iteratively adjust maximum opening strokes until balanced operation is achieved
3Manufacturing precision
If valve opening times are extended to satisfy rooms with higher heat demands, then heat distribution balance improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes the maximum opening stroke parameter for each valve based on actual flow conditions and heat exchanger characteristics, ensuring energy-efficient operation while maintaining balance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures balanced heat exchanger operation, optimizing heat transfer fluid distribution to meet set temperatures efficiently, reducing energy consumption, and maintaining user comfort without manual balancing, allowing for automatic operation and reduced energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
said control means controls said valve by pulse width modulation, said pulse width modulation having a modulation time period
Implementation Method 2
a heat source heating a heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 3
at least two heat exchangers connected to said heat source and said circulation pump
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A heating system (1) is shown comprising a heat source (2) heating a heat transfer fluid, a circulation pump (3), at least two heat exchangers (5-7) connected to said heat source (2) and said circulation pump (3), each heat exchanger (5-7) being provided with a valve (9-11) controlling a flow of said heat transfer fluid through said heat exchanger(5-7), each valve being actuated by actuator means (12-14), and control means (15) controlling said actuator means (12-14). Such a heating system should increase the comfort feeling of a person in a room in which the heating system or part of it is installed. To this end said control means (15) are structured and arranged to perform a balancing of said heat exchangers (5-7) during a starting period.