Hydronic System Feed-Forward Control with Valve Authority Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydronic systems face challenges in balancing control accuracy and energy efficiency due to improper sizing of control valves, leading to instability and poor system control, with issues like excessive pressure drops and 'hunting' oscillations affecting overall performance.
Innovation Solution
A hydronic system with a control improvement path, including a feed-forward controller, valve authority determining device, and oscillation suppressing means, which actively measures and adapts valve authority and flow coefficients to optimize control valve operation and suppress unwanted oscillations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the control valve is oversized, then energy consumption is reduced, but control accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic valve sizing by enabling the control valve to switch between multiple sizing configurations (first sizing and second sizing) based on operating conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize between energy efficiency and control accuracy at different operational stages, rather than being constrained by a fixed valve size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of valve size by providing at least two control valves with different sizing configurations. The system dynamically selects which valve to use or combines them based on operational requirements, thereby changing the effective valve size parameter to resolve the contradiction between energy loss and control accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If the control valve is undersized, then control accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between different valve sizing configurations based on operational needs. When high control accuracy is required, the system activates the undersized valve configuration; when energy efficiency is prioritized, it switches to the oversized configuration, thus dynamically resolving the contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
By providing control valves with different sizing configurations and dynamically selecting between them, the system changes the effective valve size parameter to match operational requirements, allowing optimization of both control accuracy and energy consumption at different times.
3Device complexity
If a fixed valve size is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to changing hydraulic parameters deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic valve sizing system where the control valve can switch between at least two different sizing configurations based on changing hydraulic parameters and operational conditions. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to varying requirements without increasing overall system complexity, as the switching mechanism is integrated into the existing control architecture.
4Measurement precision
If valve authority is increased, then control accuracy is improved, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts valve authority by switching between different valve sizing configurations. When high control accuracy is needed, the system activates the valve configuration that provides higher valve authority; when pressure drop needs to be minimized, it switches to the configuration with lower valve authority, thus dynamically resolving the contradiction.
Data Source
AI summary
A hydronic system (HS) comprises at least one hydronic circuit (HC) and a control (CT) for controlling the operation of said at least one hydronic circuit (HC) via a control path (CP), whereby said control (CT) comprises a feed forward controller (FFC). Operation of the system is improved by said hydronic system (HS) further comprising a control improvement path (CIP) running from said at least one hydronic circuit (HC) to said control (CT), by means of which control improvement path (CIP) said control (CT) can be improved in the case of said hydronic system (HS) becoming instable and/or showing poor system control.