Hydraulic Balancing Evaluation Using Temperature Gradient Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack a practical method to determine and ensure hydraulic balancing of heating or cooling circuits, leading to inefficiencies and energy waste, as there are no standardized criteria for evaluating or adjusting the hydraulic balancing of existing systems.
Innovation Solution
A measurement and analysis system using temperature sensors to record and evaluate temperature gradients and spread differences between flow and return temperatures, generating an indicator for hydraulic balancing, which allows for data processing and output of control values to adjust the system, enabling measurement-based assessment and adjustment of hydraulic balancing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydraulic balancing is performed based on calculation specifications and requirements, then the system can ensure adequate water distribution and permissible noise levels, but there is no method to monitor or verify the quality of hydraulic balancing in existing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a monitoring system that continuously measures temperature differences between flow and return lines, calculates hydraulic balance indicators, and provides feedback on the actual balancing status. This allows verification of whether the calculated design values are achieved in practice, resolving the contradiction by adding a relatively simple measurement and evaluation system that provides reliable feedback without complex intervention mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical flow measurement and adjustment verification systems with a thermal measurement-based evaluation method. By measuring temperature differences and using thermal calculations to infer flow characteristics, the system achieves reliable hydraulic balancing assessment without requiring complex mechanical instrumentation in the existing heating circuits.
2Loss of energy
If the heating system operates without standardized monitoring criteria, then the system structure remains simple, but energy waste occurs due to lack of optimized temperature and volume flow control
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system uses existing temperature sensors and control elements in the heating system, making the system monitor and evaluate its own performance using already-available infrastructure. This minimizes additional device complexity while enabling energy optimization through standardized evaluation criteria and identification of imbalance conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent monitors changes in temperature parameters (flow temperature, return temperature, temperature difference) over time and uses these parameter variations to assess hydraulic balancing quality. By tracking parameter changes rather than requiring absolute precision measurements, the system achieves energy efficiency evaluation with relatively simple measurement requirements.
3Productivity
If hydraulic balancing is adjusted to achieve lowest possible temperature and volume flow, then energy efficiency improves, but the system requires standardized criteria for evaluation and adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides automated feedback on hydraulic balancing status by continuously monitoring temperature differences and calculating balance indicators. This feedback mechanism guides adjustment operations by indicating whether the system is achieving optimal efficiency, eliminating the need for operators to manually interpret complex measurements or determine when optimal balancing has been reached.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a standardized evaluation procedure that provides clear guidance for balancing adjustments, requiring only partial implementation (monitoring key temperature parameters) rather than complete system overhaul. The standardized criteria enable operators to achieve improved efficiency through systematic, stepwise adjustments rather than requiring expert judgment for every decision.
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 system provides a standardized method for evaluating hydraulic balancing, optimizing energy efficiency by ensuring the lowest possible temperature and volume flow while maintaining required thermal output, reducing energy waste and ensuring consistent heating performance across all load situations.
Implementation Method 1
recording and evaluating the gradients of the room temperatures measured by the thermostats as well as the recording and evaluation of the gradient of the spread of flow and return temperature of the heating circuit
Implementation Method 2
a measuring and analysis system for assessing the condition of the hydraulic balancing of a heating circuit by generating an indicator 'spreading gradient in the heating phase' through measured-value analysis of the condition-, time- and load-dependent heating behavior
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for assessing the condition of the hydraulic balancing of at least one heating circuit using a measurement-based measurement and analysis system, comprising the steps of: acquiring measured values for the condition-, time-, and load-dependent heating behavior of the at least one heating circuit, comprising: the temperature values of the flow temperature and the return temperature, the temperature difference between the flow temperature and the return temperature, and the time-dependent heating gradients of the flow temperature, the return temperature, and the temperature difference; analyzing the acquired measured values of the heating circuit; deriving an indicator for the temperature difference heating gradient from the acquired measured values;Evaluation of the condition of a hydraulic balancing of at least one heating circuit based on the indicator for the temperature difference heating gradient and output of control values for adjusting the hydraulic balancing of the at least one heating circuit and a recording and evaluation unit for evaluating the condition of the hydraulic balancing.