Room-Level Steam Radiator Control for Balanced Building Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional building heating systems often result in temperature inconsistencies, with around 20% of spaces being either too hot or too cold due to reliance on single thermostats and mechanical controls, which fail to dynamically adjust conditioned fluid distribution according to room-specific needs.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a server, electro-mechanical air vents, steam sensors, and room temperature sensors that wirelessly control the flow rate of conditioned fluid to individual radiators, allowing for real-time adjustments based on measured temperatures and steam demand, ensuring balanced heating or cooling across rooms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single thermostat with temperature setpoint is used to activate the boiler, then the system structure is simple, but temperature distribution becomes unbalanced with 20% of spaces being too hot or too cold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the building into multiple zones with individual thermostats in each zone, allowing independent temperature control for each space. This segmentation enables localized temperature management, eliminating the temperature imbalance caused by single-thermostat systems while maintaining reasonable system complexity through modular thermostat units.
2Device complexity
If mechanical valves with alcohol-filled floats are used for radiator control, then the control mechanism is simple, but the system cannot dynamically adjust conditioned fluid distribution according to room-specific needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical float valves with electronically controlled motorized valves that receive signals from digital thermostats. This substitution enables dynamic adjustment of conditioned fluid distribution based on real-time temperature sensors and zone-specific requirements, while the motorized valves maintain mechanical simplicity in their actuation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where temperature sensors continuously monitor room conditions and transmit data to thermostats, which then adjust motorized valve positions accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables automatic dynamic adjustment of fluid distribution to meet room-specific needs without requiring complex manual intervention.
3Loss of energy
If building owners make shell improvements and heating system improvements, then energy costs are reduced, but the distribution of conditioned fluid remains unaddressed and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic control of fluid distribution through motorized valves that can adjust their opening positions in real-time based on zone temperature requirements. This dynamic adjustment optimizes conditioned fluid delivery to active zones while reducing flow to occupied spaces, complementing shell improvements and maximizing energy efficiency without requiring excessive complexity.
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 provides increased comfort and energy savings by dynamically redistributing heated or cooled air to occupied rooms, optimizing fluid flow and reducing energy consumption by modulating steam output based on actual demand.
Implementation Method 1
The steam sensors are configured to sense the progression of steam through each of the steam radiators
Implementation Method 2
The room temperature sensors measure room temperature in each of the rooms and transmit the measured room temperatures to the server
Implementation Method 3
The first controllers are each electrically coupled to a respective one of the electro-mechanical air vents and control the electro-mechanical air vents based on a first control signal received from the server
Implementation Method 4
The second controller modulates the flow rate of steam output from the steam source based on a second control signal received from the server
Implementation Method 5
This solution provides increased comfort and energy savings by dynamically redistributing heated or cooled air to occupied rooms
Data Source
AI summary
The systems and methods of this disclosure control the flow rate of conditioned fluid at thermal distribution devices and at a conditioned fluid source that supplies conditioned fluid to the thermal distribution devices. The systems include multiple thermal distribution devices disposed throughout multiple rooms of a building, a fluid flow control device in fluid communication with each of the thermal distribution devices, multiple sensors disposed on each of the thermal distribution devices, a room temperature sensor disposed in each of the rooms, a first controller coupled to each of the fluid flow control devices, and a second controller coupled to a source of conditioned fluid. The first controllers control respective fluid flow control devices based on the measurement data obtained from the sensors and the room temperature sensors and a second controller controls the conditioned fluid source based on the demand for conditioned fluid by the thermal distribution devices.