HVAC Hydronic Balancing Control Using Adaptive Valve and Pump Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HVAC systems face challenges in achieving hydronic balancing in historic or existing buildings due to uncertainties in hydraulic resistances and heating requirements, leading to inefficient operation, excessive flow, and increased energy waste.
Innovation Solution
A control device that communicates with valves and adjusts pump flow to achieve hydronic balancing by determining and recording valve positions and temperature rise constants, iteratively lowering pump pressure to approach optimal valve positions, allowing for efficient heat distribution without prior knowledge of the distribution network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conservative estimates of heating requirements are used, then comfort maintenance is ensured, but thermal losses of boilers increase unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The control device continuously monitors actual temperature deviations and valve positions, using this feedback to dynamically adjust pump flow and optimize heating distribution, replacing conservative static estimates with adaptive real-time control that reduces energy waste while maintaining comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs autonomous hydronic balancing by automatically determining hydraulic resistances and optimizing flow distribution without manual intervention, enabling the heating system to self-optimize its performance and eliminate unnecessary thermal losses
2Ease of operation
If hydronic balancing is not achieved, then system operation is simple, but parts of the building will be oversupplied or undersupplied with heat
Solution Approach 1:
The control device autonomously performs hydronic balancing by automatically measuring temperature deviations, calculating hydraulic resistances, and adjusting pump flow without manual intervention, achieving optimal heat distribution while maintaining simple operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts pump flow parameters based on measured temperature deviations and calculated hydraulic resistances, optimizing heat distribution across different building zones without requiring manual system reconfiguration
3Reliability
If excessive flow is present, then heating coverage is sufficient, but wear of mechanical parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device optimizes pump flow parameters by calculating actual hydraulic resistances and adjusting flow rates to match real system conditions, ensuring adequate heating coverage while minimizing excessive flow that causes mechanical wear
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors temperature deviations and valve positions to feedback-adjust pump flow, maintaining optimal flow rates that provide sufficient heating coverage without causing excessive wear on mechanical components
4Productivity
If prior knowledge of hydraulic resistance is required for hydronic balancing, then flow can be optimized, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device autonomously determines hydraulic resistances by measuring temperature deviations and calculating flow characteristics without requiring pre-programmed system data, enabling flow optimization while keeping the system simple to install and operate
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurements of temperature deviations and valve positions to calculate hydraulic resistances before optimizing pump flow, automatically gathering necessary system characteristics without requiring manual input or complex pre-configuration
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
The solution enables efficient hydronic balancing, reducing thermal losses, wear on mechanical parts, and energy waste, while ensuring reliable and cost-effective operation, even in complex building configurations.
Implementation Method 1
a pump operable to generate a pressure resulting in a fluid flowing through said heat exchangers
Implementation Method 2
each of the valves is operable to modulate flow through its heat exchanger between an open position giving flow of a fluid through the heat exchanger and a closed position giving no flow
Implementation Method 3
at least two heat exchangers connected to a pump
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Control of heating, ventilation, air conditioning. A method for control of a HVAC installation, with at least two heat exchangers (10, 11, 12), and with a pump (2), wherein the heat exchangers (10, 11, 12) each comprise an adjustable, electromechanical valve (7, 8, 9), wherein the valves (7, 8, 9) and the pump (2) exchange data with a control unit (15), the method comprising the steps of setting the valves (7, 8, 9) to positions different from fully closed, the valves (7, 8, 9) taking a first temperature measurement and after the first temperature measurement taking a second temperature measurement, determining for each of the valves (7, 8, 9) a temperature rise quantity as a function of the first temperature measurement and of the second temperature measurement, determining a limit position for each valve (7, 8, 9) as a function of its temperature rise quantity.