Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 03076442 2020-03-19
SELF-REGULATING ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR A FLOW CONTROL VALVE,
A TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM AND A DISTRIBUTOR DEVICE HAVING
THE SAME, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
The present application relates to an adjustment device for the self-
regulating
adjustment of a flow control valve of a consumer loop comprising a heat
exchanger in a
temperature control system and a temperature control system with the same, as
well as a
distributor device for the self-regulating distribution of a liquid heat
carrier to several consumer
loops. The application furthermore relates to a corresponding method for the
self-regulating
io adjustment
of a flow in a consumer loop and for the self-regulating distribution, which
achieves
a demand-oriented balancing of partial flows of a liquid heat carrier to
several consumer loops.
A technical background of the invention lies in the application of heating and
air-
conditioning systems for rooms, such as in particular underfloor heating,
panel heating or
cooling ceilings installed in a building, in order to provide a selectable
room temperature
independent of the weather.
In the state of the art, numerous arrangements and control systems for the
comfort and
efficiency-oriented distribution and control of heat energy through a
hydraulic network in
buildings are known from the field of heating engineering, wherein similar
installations in
buildings are also known for the distribution and control of air conditioning
energy or heat
extraction from rooms.
For example, WO 2015/142879 Al discloses a retrofit for a system for heat
transfer
through a fluid, wherein a thermostat is used for regulation. In the
embodiment shown, the
retrofit has a circuit, a flow temperature sensor and a return flow
temperature sensor. The
thermostat outputs a control signal for the valve. There is a hot and a cold
set point for the
return flow temperature. If the return flow temperature is outside the range
between the setting
points, i.e. is too hot or too cold, the circuit is overridden to modify the
control signal from the
thermostat, otherwise it is left unchanged. If the flow temperature is known,
the hot and cold
set points can be modified dynamically. This can be done using a readable
table or based on a
formula based on the flow temperature. Feedback can also be provided, by which
the circuit
achieves a degree of valve opening. Furthermore, a memory can be provided for
data of a
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course of temperatures, valve position etc. In this case, the thermostat
outputs a control signal
for the valve position, so that the room thermostat is a component specific to
the retrofittable
overall system, which is required for each room.
US 2009/0314484 Al describes an independent flow rate control for a heat
exchanger
to provide a control signal for a control element of a flow valve. A first and
second temperature
sensor measure an input and an output temperature of a liquid at the heat
exchanger. A control
unit responds to a temperature difference between the input and output
temperature to adjust
the control signal so that the temperature difference is kept substantially
constant. The control
unit can be a stand-alone device adapted for retrofitting to a conventional
valve and actuator.
Otherwise, the control unit and actuator may be integral with the valve to
form an independent
unit requiring only the installation and connection of temperature sensors.
Control is performed
according to an algorithm and the valve is operated independently of a central
control, which
is common in advanced building installations. The control keeps the
temperature difference
(input/output of the heat exchanger) at a constant value. This value is preset
using a DIP switch
according to the capacity of the heat exchanger. The control of the system
therefore does not
offer any possibilities of adaptation to external or changing conditions or
intelligent adaptation
to individual user behavior after the presetting.
From DE 10 2006 052 124 Al, an adjustment system for a floor temperature
control
arrangement is known, in which on each return flow a return flow temperature
controller with
a temperature sensor that detects the temperature in the respective return
flow is arranged, and
in which all return flow temperature controllers have the same temperature
control behavior.
The return flow temperature controllers have the same characteristics
depending on the
temperature and the flow rate. At an electric return flow temperature
controller, the temperature
sensor reports the temperature in the return flow to a controller which, in
turn, adjusts an
adjustable throttle means such as a valve. The return flow temperature
controller ensures that
the water leaving the heating circuit always has a predetermined temperature.
In addition, a
distributor or manifold is provided into which each return flow pipe has a
connection. The
.. return flow temperature controller is assigned to the connection.
From DE 10 2009 004 319 Al a method for carrying out hydraulic balancing is
known
in which the return flow temperature is measured at a heat exchanger and the
volumetric flow
rate through the heat exchanger is controlled as a function of the return flow
temperature. A
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control difference can be formed from the return flow temperature and a target
value of the
return flow temperature, and the volumetric flow rate through the heat
exchanger can be
controlled as a function of the control difference. Alternatively, a
temperature difference
between flow temperature and return flow temperature can be determined so that
a control
difference is formed from the temperature difference and a target value of the
temperature
difference, and the volumetric flow rate through the heat exchanger is
controlled depending on
this control difference.
DE 10 2014 020 738 Al describes a method for the automated hydraulic balancing
of
a heating system. In this method, a mean heating period, in particular a mean
heating period or
heat-up time of all heat consumers and/or a mean heating period of all rooms
by a fixed
temperature value, is determined. Maximum flow openings of the valves are
determined as a
function thereof. It is determined whether a heating period exceeds or falls
short of the mean
heating period. In this way the heating system is hydraulically balanced step
by step and
configured to changing conditions of the heating system. The heating period of
the heat
consumer or a room is the time required to heat the heat consumer or a room
from an initial
temperature to a target temperature. The average or mean heating period is
then calculated as
the sum of all heating periods divided by the number of heat consumers or
rooms present. To
form the sum of all heating periods, common communication between the heating
circuits or
with a common controller as well as appropriate wiring and its installation or
alternative
communication interfaces are required.
DE 10 2015 222 110 Al discloses a valve that determines a heating period of at
least
one heat consumer and/or a heating period of a room by a temperature
difference, wherein the
valve has a controllable flow opening. A maximum valve position is set
depending on whether
an actual heating period exceeds or falls short of a presettable target
heating period, whereby
the heating system can be hydraulically adjusted and configured to changing
boundary
conditions. To determine the actual heating period, an instantaneous
temperature is measured
at a starting time and stored. After a unit of time, for example 10 minutes,
has elapsed, the
current temperature is measured again and stored. The actual heating period is
calculated by
dividing the difference between the two measured temperature values by the
unit of time which
lies between the two temperature measurements. This means that the valve takes
a temperature
measurement at intervals along the heat exchanger section of a heating circuit
and/or in the
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room. Thus, two temperatures are measured, wherein the valve itself does not
determine a
heating period in relation to the course or development of these temperatures.
EP 2 653 789 A2 teaches a control system that includes a controller that
measures a
temperature difference between the flow temperature and the return flow
temperature of a
temperature control fluid. Based on this temperature difference, the
controller causes the valve
actuator to adjust the degree of opening of the valve in such a way that the
average temperature
difference between the flow temperature and the return flow temperature of the
temperature
control fluid lies within a predetermined value range. In addition, a
thermostat can be provided
to detect a room temperature and provide temperature data. In systems with
several temperature
control arrangements, a central controller with one regulator is provided for
the several valves.
US 2014/321839 Al describes a heating element control unit for a liquid
heating system
designed to: determine the operating cycle of a heating element by monitoring
the waveform
of electrical current to the heating element; modulate the timing of the start
of heating by the
heating element as a function of an expected duration of completion of the
heating process and
a required time at which the heating process is to be completed; said expected
duration being
determined as a function of said operating cycle.
EP 2 679 930 Al describes a refrigeration circuit device with a compressor,
heat
exchangers and an expansion valve, wherein the refrigeration circuit device
can control a valve
in a bypass.
WO 2015/148596 Al describes a control system that is flexibly designed for
retrofit
use with several types of boiler-based heating systems and that includes a
thermostat device, a
user interface, a processor, a memory and a temperature sensor. The control
system is designed
to selectively control activation of the boiler-based heating system.
EP 3 012 705 Al describes a heat exchanger valve assembly, a heating system
and a
method of operating a heating system. The heat exchanger valve assembly has a
pressure
control valve comprising a valve element that interacts with a throttling
element and controls
a differential pressure. Detection means are further provided for detecting
whether the
differential pressure exceeds a predetermined minimum value.
4
Based on the aforementioned state of the art, the object of the present
invention is to
provide an alternative adjustment device and a method for a consumer loop with
heat exchanger
in a temperature control system, which self-regulatingly set an efficient
volumetric flow rate
of a heat medium through a heat exchanger and continuously adjust it based on
previous start-
ups.
A further aspect of the invention is to provide an alternative temperature
control system,
an alternative distributor device and a method which self-regulatingly
distribute a volumetric
flow rate of the heat medium to several consumers according to their needs.
In summary, the adjustment device for adjusting a flow control valve of a
consumer
loop with a heat exchanger in a temperature control system for rooms of a
building with a
temperature control source, a liquid heat carrier and a pump, inter alia
comprises an electrically
controllable actuator, temperature detection means, a calculation means and an
interface for
receiving an external activation signal, and is in particular characterized in
that the adjustment
device comprises time detection means and storage means which are configured
to detect and
store a previous or current activation period of said activation signal and/or
a deactivation
period between two activations; and in that said calculation means is
configured to variably
determine the temperature spread from an output-side return flow temperature
to an input-side
flow temperature based on the activation duration and/or the deactivation
duration.
The adjustment device thereby forms the decisive inventive component of a
temperature
control system with an associated room thermostat, in which the corresponding
inventive
method is implemented, and is therefore also in need of protection as a
separately tradeable
unit.
A corresponding temperature control system for the self-regulating temperature
control
of rooms of a building with a temperature control source, at least one
consumer loop with heat
exchanger, which comprises a flow control valve, as well as a liquid heat
carrier and a pump,
comprises at least one thermostat arranged in a room, with input means for
inputting a value
indicative of a presettable room temperature, and an interface for outputting
an activation signal
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Date Recue/Date Received 2021-07-21
CA 03076442 2020-03-19
for at least one consumer loop in the room; wherein the thermostat is
configured to respond to
an actual room temperature by the thermostat outputting the activation signal
as long as a
deviation tolerance between the presettable room temperature and the actual
room temperature
is exceeded; and is in particular characterized in that for the at least one
consumer loop an
adjustment device in accordance with the invention is provided, respectively,
which is in
operatively connected with the flow control valve of the consumer loop, and
with which an
activation signal or deactivation signal from the thermostat is associated,
which is arranged in
the same room as the consumer loop.
The corresponding method for adjusting a flow rate comprises the following
steps: a)
detecting an input-side flow temperature and an output-side return flow
temperature of the heat
carrier passing through the consumer loop; b) calculating a control difference
between a
temperature difference from the detected input-side flow temperature and the
output-side return
flow temperature, and the predetermined temperature spread, that is the
absolute value of the
difference ATtarget minus ATactual; and c) calculating and setting an
adjustable flow cross-section
in the consumer loop based on the control difference. The method is
particularly characterized
by the steps: d) detecting a previous or current activation period and/or a
deactivation period
of the consumer loop; and e) determining the variable temperature spread from
the output-side
return flow temperature to the input-side flow temperature based on the
activation period and/or
.. the deactivation period.
An activation, as defined by the present disclosure, is a switch-on state or a
start-up
from a standby mode of the adjustment device or at least the calculation means
in the
adjustment device, which is supported by a continuous signal level, triggered
by a signal pulse,
or activated by a control voltage or drive voltage applied in the form of a
signal for switching
a transistor at a power supply, a power supply directly supplied in the form
of a signal, or the
like. An activation duration, by definition, refers to the time period from
the beginning to the
end of the correspondingly triggered switch-on state or start-up from a
standby mode, or the
reception duration of a continuous signal level, control voltage, drive
voltage or power supply,
or the time period between two signal pulses which cause a switch-on process
and a switch-off
process. A deactivation and a deactivation duration arc accordingly the
complementary state
and duration in which there is no operation of the adjustment device or at
least no calculation
by the calculation means or control of the actuator.
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In its most general form, the present invention thus provides for the first
time for the
regulation of a volumetric flow rate and a resulting temperature spread, i.e.
an energy input or
energy output between the source of temperature control and the room at the
heat exchanger,
or heating or cooling, respectively, decidedly on the basis of activation
and/or deactivation
durations detected during use, which in the intended case of application
correspond to a heating
or cooling time of the room concerned from an actual room temperature to a
predetermined
room temperature.
The self-regulation of the valve setting in line with the invention has the
advantage of
effectively determining and automatically adjusting itself to an optimum
operating point in
relation to an individual installation environment of the heat exchanger in a
simple and easy
way. This applies in particular to the application of a surface heating system
in the form of a
heating coil of an underfloor heating system, where the heating behavior
varies due to partial
insulation and heat transfer of the respective room in the building in a way
that cannot be
determined in advance by the installer, and is reflected in resulting room-
specific heating
periods. The present invention addresses this point by measuring heating
periods and linking
them in the self-regulation according to the invention with a control
influence known from
mentioned the state of the art, which serves to maintain an energy-efficient
operating range.
This control influence concerns the temperature difference before and after
the heat exchanger,
which results from a volumetric flow rate and a flow temperature in relation
to the ambient or
building temperature.
Furthermore, the inventive self-regulation of the valve setting has the
advantage that it
adapts intelligently to user behavior and independently optimizes the comfort
of a fast-
responding room temperature control within a range of efficient operating
points. In this way,
an actual heating period, which depends on the user profile, such as the
temporal heating
actuation and its temperature specifications, is continuously brought closer
to heating periods
that correspond to a reaction time of a room temperature adjustment that can
be perceived as
comfortable.
In addition, the self-regulating adjustment device in accordance with the
invention has
the advantage that it can be implemented using simple, cost-effective
components with reliable
operation and low wiring and installation costs. For example, there is no need
for a central
control unit, which would have to be connected to heat exchangers with
temperature sensors,
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actuators and valve position detectors of all consumer loops. Furthermore,
neither room
temperature detection nor temperature detection in general, nor communication
of such
temperature data to a central control unit is necessary, since a heating
period is not determined
by detecting a temperature curve but rather the activation or deactivation
signal of the
thermostat is required or processed by the dedicated calculation means of the
adjustment device
which can be accomplished by a simple design of the room thermostat without
sensors for the
current room temperature. Thus, both the room thermostat and the transmission
and reception
of the signal can be implemented by simple components, as no data or
calculated or modelled
control signals need to be generated and transmitted by the room thermostat in
each room.
The distributor device for the self-regulating distribution of a liquid heat
carrier to at
least two or more consumer loops with heat exchangers, each comprising a flow
control valve,
in a temperature control system with a temperature control source and a pump,
has a flow
distributor and a return flow distributor, at which the consumer loops are
brought together on
the inlet side and on the outlet side, wherein the flow control valves are
provided at the flow
distributor or the return flow distributor; and is in particular characterized
in that an adjustment
device for the self-regulating adjustment of the consumer loops according to
the invention is
provided to each flow control valve.
The corresponding method for distributing a liquid heat carrier is in
particular
characterized in that the method for the self-regulating adjustment of a flow
of a liquid heat
carrier through an externally activatable consumer loop according to the
invention is carried
out independently of one another for each consumer loop.
The inventive self-regulation of the distribution of the liquid heat transfer
medium or
the distributor device are thus formed by a hydraulic parallel connection of
consumer loops in
each of which the self-regulation of the valve adjustment according to the
invention is carried
out independently.
The self-regulating distributor device according to the invention has the
advantage that
it can be installed or retrofitted particularly easily to a temperature
control system with several
consumer loops. It can be supplied as a pre-assembled distributor or manifold
set with the flow
control valves and the adjustment devices, which simply needs to be connected
to the installed
consumer loops and interfaces of room thermostats. After that, the temperature
control system,
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like in particular an underfloor heating system, is not only completely
assembled but is also
hydraulically balanced as required from now on.
In a temperature control system with several consumer loops, the self-
regulation of the
distribution according to the invention provides the advantage that a result
is achieved
particularly simply, i.e. without further preparations and means, which is at
least equivalent to
or better than an automatic demand-oriented compensation of partial flows of
the total
volumetric flow rate of the heat transfer medium through the consumer loops.
The self-
regulation of the distribution in accordance with the invention thus achieves
a result which is
at least equivalent to or better than a coordination of all consumer loops
which are temporarily
used in a common underfloor heating arrangement or the like.
The demand-oriented balancing achieved according to the invention corresponds
to the
objective of a "hydraulic balancing" of a heating system known in the state of
the art. However,
this is achieved by a different approach based on an overall view of the
system with
comparative calculations between the parameters of the consumer loops. Such a
hydraulic
balancing is either carried out by a higher-level control system or, in
hydraulic systems, is
determined by a heating engineer or heating installer prior to commissioning
and statically
adjusted once. However, it has been found that the latter case is associated
with a high rate of
misadjustment, and furthermore a static adjustment per se can only be adjusted
to a basic state
that serves as a model. In such hydraulic systems, the basic state serving as
a model is often
the maximum load case, which only occurs on very few days in a year, whereas
the inventive
self-regulation of the distribution enables continuous optimization
independent of the
maximum load case.
The inventive self-regulation of the distribution is dynamic, i.e. it
automatically adapts
to individually changing power requirements or switching on and off of
consumer loops. This
can be achieved in particular without a multi-wired central control unit and
corresponding
determinations and calculations for comparing parameters among the consumer
loops, and only
by parallel operation or arrangement of the self-regulating valve settings.
Even before
commissioning, no potentially faulty intervention by an installer is therefore
required, which
also saves labor.
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The self-regulation of the distribution according to the invention implements
a demand-
oriented distribution of the partial flows, the ratio of which is limited on
the one hand by the
independently self-regulated valve settings and by the flow resistances of the
consumer loops
defined by length and diameter, and on the other hand by the available total
volumetric flow
rate of the heat transfer medium.
In illustrative extreme cases, this prevents a small consumer loop with low
flow
resistance in a small room, such as a guest WC, from being hydraulically
oversupplied, which
leads to excessive or inefficient heat input with unnecessarily short heating
period, and can
lead to valve whistling due to the high volumetric flow rate, while heating
period in larger
rooms increases unnecessarily. If, on the other hand, all rooms are to be
heated and the total
volumetric flow rate is not sufficient for a short heating period in all
rooms, a demand-oriented
distribution is achieved, which is set in a proportional limitation of each
partial flow of the
consumer loops based on their valve position and flow resistance.
The control influence of the temperature difference before and after a heat
exchanger
or consumer loop compensates for the contradictory relationship that a large
consumer loop
with a high flow resistance, which is assigned to a large room with high
energy demand, does
not receive a smaller but a larger partial flow in comparison to small
consumer loops with low
flow resistance and low energy demand. However, this in turn takes place
without any
comparative positions or balances by a higher-level control system.
In addition, the inclusion of the resulting heating period in accordance with
the
invention compensates for conditions in the building, such as the floor,
cellar location or
external wall ratio, and the installation, such as unequal ratios of an
installed panel heating
system to the floor area, or the like in a room.
Advantageous further developments of the present invention are subject of the
dependent claims.
According to one aspect of the invention, the adjustment device may be
configured to
output the electric trigger calculated by the calculation means to the
actuator during an
activation period, and to output no electric trigger or a predetermined
electric trigger
corresponding to the closed position of the flow control valve to the actuator
during a
CA 03076442 2020-03-19
deactivation period. This will cause the consumer loop to be shut off after a
heating operation,
depending on the type of actuator, to prevent excessive energy input or
temperature control
overshoot.
According to one aspect of the invention, the adjustment device may be
configured to
switch off supply of electric power to the calculation means and/or to the
adjustment device
during a deactivation period. This saves electricity during deactivation
periods, which may
extend over a summer period, for example.
According to one aspect of the invention, the calculation means may be
configured to
store at least one value of a previous opening position of the flow control
valve in the storage
means. This means that when the adjustment device is activated, a valve
position can first be
approached as a starting point, which has already been determined in the
course of previous
heating periods, and only needs to be adjusted differently in the current
heating period.
According to one aspect of the invention, the storage means may contain a pre-
stored
reference value for the activation period and/or a pre-stored reference value
for the deactivation
period. Thus, a time period for reaching a predetermined temperature, which is
defined as
convenient, is stored as an aspired reference value according to which self-
regulation is based.
According to one aspect of the invention, the storage means may contain a pre-
stored
value range for the temperature spread. This makes it easy to ensure that the
operating point of
the heat exchanger is selected within an energy-efficient range.
According to one aspect of the invention, the storage means may contain a pre-
stored
map with associated values of activation and/or deactivation durations and
predetermined
temperature spreads for determining the temperature spread. Thus, a
predetermined universal
control can be implemented with lower processing power.
According to one aspect of the invention, the storage means may contain a pre-
stored
control logic for calculating the temperature spread. Thus, a more individual
control can be
implemented.
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According to one aspect of the invention, the adjustment device may be
configured to
change the temperature spread depending on the flow temperature, and/or the
adjustment
device may be configured to change a bandwidth of the temperature spread
depending on the
flow temperature, and/or the adjustment device may be configured to receive,
via the interface,
further external signals with operating parameters from the temperature
control system; and
the calculation means may be configured to adjust the temperature spread
depending on the
operating parameters. In this way, a control can be implemented which detects
weather
fluctuations or seasons on the basis of a change in the flow temperature and
adjusts an efficient
operating point accordingly, or further comfort-oriented functions which can
be specified on a
multifunctional room thermostat can be incorporated into the control.
According to one aspect of the invention, one room of the building may contain
the
thermostat and two or more consumer loops or heating or cooling circuits.
Thus, it is possible
to supply large rooms by several installed heating or cooling coils with
standardized diameters
and a lower total flow resistance, which are controlled by their own
adjustment devices but the
same room thermostat.
According to one aspect of the invention, the thermostat may have a bimetallic
element
which responds to the actual room temperature and activates an output of the
activation signal
.. or deactivation signal. This makes it possible to achieve a particularly
simple, reliable and cost-
effective design of the room thermostat without electronics or sensors.
According to one aspect of the invention, the activation signal or
deactivation signal
can be a binary signal comprising an on-state with a signal level above a
predetermined level
value and an off-state without signal level or a signal level below the
predetermined level value.
This also makes signal generation and signal detection particularly simple and
cost-effective.
According to one aspect of the invention, the thermostat may comprise a
microcomputer
and a temperature sensor for detecting the actual room temperature; wherein
the thermostat
detects and stores a course of the actual room temperature during and/or after
the activation
signal or the deactivation signal is output; and the thermostat and the
adjustment device are
configured to communicate data on a course of detected actual room
temperatures. This realizes
a multifunctional design of the temperature control system, which allows
adaptive control to
further comfort-oriented parameters, such as influencing a heating curve
progression
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depending on an initial and target temperature and/or an outside temperature
or a time or the
like.
According to one aspect of the invention, the activation signal and/or the
deactivation
signal can be communicated via wireless interfaces from the specific
thermostat to the
associated adjustment device. This eliminates the need for wiring from the
room thermostat to
the adjustment device and reduces installation effort. Furthermore, such a
wireless interface
can also be used to establish a connection between a smartphone, tablet PC or
the like and an
adjustment device or a thermostat, thus enabling the user to make further
inputs to the system.
According to one aspect of the invention, a smaller temperature spread can be
determined if at least one previous activation period is greater than a
reference value, or a larger
temperature spread can be determined if at least one previous activation
period is less than the
reference value. In this way, self-regulation is oriented to a time period
which has been defined
in advance as convenient for achieving a specified value.
According to one aspect of the invention, the temperature spread can be
determined
based on a course of successive, preceding activation durations. This enables
a better adaptation
of the self-regulation to user behavior, seasons and the like.
According to one aspect of the invention, the adjustment device may comprise a
position detecting means configured to detect an actual position of the
actuator. This enables a
predetermined travel distance to be maintained, depending on the type of
actuator.
According to one aspect of the invention, the position detecting means may be
formed
by a solenoid and a hall sensor associated with the solenoid. This enables an
exact detection
and execution of a predetermined adjustment travel.
The invention becomes easier to understand by means of the following detailed
description with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein the same
reference signs are
used for the same elements, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view through an adjustment device according to
the
invention;
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Fig. 2 shows a representation of a temperature control system with inventive
adjustment devices in a distributor device, thermostats and other system
components;
Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the system components for self-regulation
according
to the invention;
Fig. 4 is a flow diagram representing steps for a determination of the
temperature
spread in the self-regulation according to the invention; and
Fig. 5 is a finite state machine for the representation of logical links in
the self-
regulation according to the invention.
Below, an exemplary embodiment of the adjustment device 1 according to the
invention
is described with reference to Fig. 1.
The adjustment device 1 is mounted on a flow control valve 2. The adjustment
device
1 is attached to flow control valve 2 by means of a flange 27. In the present
embodiment shown,
the flow control valve 2 is, in turn, installed in a return flow distributor
14. The return flow
distributor 14 has a connection piece 18 screwed into it, which connects the
return flow
distributor 14 with a consumer loop 3 not shown in detail. The flow control
valve 2 can also be
installed elsewhere in the return flow distributor 14. The connection piece 18
can also be
pressed, glued, soldered, welded or otherwise fastened into the return flow
distributor.
The adjustment device 1 comprises an electrically controllable actuator 6. In
this
example the longitudinal axis of the adjustment device 1 and of the actuator 6
coincide. The
electrically actuated actuator 6 contains an actuation means 20 which is
movable in the axial
direction. The longitudinal axis of the actuation means 20 also coincides with
the longitudinal
axis of the electrically actuated actuator 6. The actuation means 20 is
arranged inside the
electrically controllable actuator 6, has a component 21 which is variable in
length in the axial
direction, for example an expansion element 21, in particular a wax cartridge,
and is biased by
a spiral spring 22 arranged concentrically and coaxially thereto. The length-
adjustable
component 21 can also be designed as an electric mini-actuator, although this
is often not
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considered for reasons of cost and the presumed noise development. Instead of
the coil spring
22, another suitable means, such as a ring spring package or similar, can also
generate a
pretensioning.
Via electrical wirings 7, the electrically controllable actuator 6 receives
signals from a
not shown temperature sensor on the return flow distributor 14 relating to the
output-side return
flow temperature Treturn flow of a heat transfer medium or heat carrier
flowing through. The
electrically controllable actuator 6 also receives temperature signals from a
temperature sensor
at the flow distributor not shown here via the wirings 7, relating to an input-
side flow
temperature Tflow of the heat carrier flowing through. In the present version,
a further electrical
wiring 9 forms an interface to a thermostat not shown in Fig. 1.
Calculation means 8 contained in the adjustment device 1 process the signals
received
via wirings 7 and 9 and issue corresponding commands or control signals to the
electrically
controllable actuator 6, on the basis of which the expansion element 21 in
actuation means 20
is activated or deactivated. In this way, a defined adjustment path or stroke
of the actuation
means 20 in the axial direction is ultimately realized. In doing so, the
actuation means 20
presses in the axial direction on an actuating pin 23 of the flow control
valve 2 and thus actuates
the same. In the present embodiment, the longitudinal axis of the actuation
means 20 and of
the actuating pin 23 as well as of the flow control valve 2 coincide.
By means of the axial actuation of the valve pin 23, a valve head designed as
a valve
disk 24 in the exemplary embodiment is lifted from a valve seat 25 and thus a
valve position is
defined which corresponds to a certain opening position of the flow control
valve 2 or a certain
valve opening cross-section.
The respective stroke of the flow control valve 2 or the resulting opening
cross section
is detected by a position detection means 15 in the adjustment device 1. The
position detection
means 15 in present embodiment consists of a solenoid 16, which is assigned to
the electrically
controllable actuator 6 via a cantilever 26 projecting radially outward and is
connected to the
actuation means 20. In this way, the solenoid 16 moves in the axial direction
parallel to the
expansion element 21 and parallel to the valve disk 24, respectively, follows
the same stroke
or adjustment path with these, and serves as a reference for the respective
stroke. A hall sensor
17, arranged opposite the solenoid 16, is a further component of the position
detection means
CA 03076442 2020-03-19
15. The position as well as the movement or stroke of the solenoid 16 is
detected by the hall
sensor 17 and based on this the stroke of the valve disk 24 relative to the
valve seat 25 is
detected or, finally, the cross-section of the flow control valve 2 is
determined.
The inventive adjustment device 1 shown in Figure 1 is installed in multiple
copies in
the inventive temperature control system 10 explained in Figure 2. The
exemplary embodiment
of the temperature control system 10 as shown in Figure 2 contains a
distributor device 11 with
three adjustment devices 1, which are mounted on the respective associated
flow control valve
2 by means of a respective flange 27. The respective flow control valves 2 are
installed in the
one return flow distributor 14. The return flow distributor 14 has, on the
opposite side of the
adjustment device 1 or on its bottom side when viewed in the direction of
installation, a
connection piece 18, respectively, via which the connection to the respective
consumer loop 3
is established. The respective consumer loop 3 forms a respective heat
exchanger 30. A
temperature detection means 7, for example a return flow temperature sensor
7b, is attached,
in particular clipped or glued, to each connection piece 18. The return flow
temperature sensor
7b is used to measure the respective return flow temperature Tretum flow on
the outlet side of the
heat carrier flowing through the respective consumer loop 3. The return flow
temperature
sensor 7b could also be installed at another suitable location to measure the
respective return
flow temperature, for example, directly after the connection piece 18 on the
pipe wall of the
consumer loop 3 shown in a line.
The temperature control system 10 also has a flow distributor 13. The flow
distributor
13 in the exemplary embodiment contains three connectors 28 for the three
consumer loops 3
shown. A temperature detection means 7 is again attached to each connector 28,
for example a
flow temperature sensor 7a, in order to detect the respective flow temperature
Tflow of the heat
transfer medium or heat carrier flowing through the respective consumer loop 3
on the input
side. The flow temperature sensor 7a could also be installed at another
suitable location to
measure the respective flow temperature, for example, directly after the
connection 28 on the
pipe wall of the consumer loop 3 shown in a line.
The flow distributor 13 is connected to the return flow distributor 14 via a
line 29
containing a temperature control source 4 and a pump 5. The pump 5 can be used
to circulate
the liquid heat carrier that has been charged with thermal energy from the
temperature control
source 4 or, if necessary, cooled. The heat carrier flowing through is
transported by the pump
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to the flow manifold 13, where the heat carrier flows into the three consumer
loops 3 shown
here and back through them to the return flow distributor 14, wherein the
respective flow rate
is determined by the flow cross-section of the respective flow control valve 2
installed in the
return flow distributor 14. From the return flow distributor 14, the heat
carrier collected there
5 flows back to the pump 5 or to the temperature control source 4.
A thermostat 12 assigned to the respective consumer loop 3 sends a control
signal when
a temperature control requirement exists. The control signal is transmitted
from thermostat 12,
for example, via an interface 9, in this case a cable, to the adjustment
device 1. The interface 9
could also be designed as a wireless connection. Using the respective
calculation means 8, the
respective adjustment device 1 determines the opening cross-section of the
respective flow
control valve 2 depending on the activation signal or deactivation signal of
the respective
thermostat 12 and the respectively assigned signals or data of the flow and
return flow
temperatures.
The adjustment devices 1 as shown in Fig. 1 installed in the temperature
control system
10 as shown in Fig. 2 are illustrated again in Fig. 3 in a block diagram which
shows the system
components for the self-regulation according to the invention.
Heat or cold is emitted to the environment by consumer loop 3. A thermostat
12,
especially a room thermostat in a living room of a building, outputs a signal.
The signal from
thermostat 12 is transmitted to an ECU of the adjustment device 1. The ECU
also receives
temperature signals or data, such as the return flow temperature Treturn flow
and the flow
temperature Tflow. A calculation means 8, which contains the ECU, is
configured to carry out
an electric control of the actuator 6 of the adjustment device 1, which is not
shown in detail
here, in order to realize a stroke of the valve, or to set the predetermined
opening position of
the flow control valve 2, which is assigned to a certain flow cross-section.
The opening cross-section of valve 2 or its stroke is calculated based on a
control
difference Tcontrol difference, wherein the control difference Tcontrol
difference to be calculated is
formed between a temperature difference ATactual from the detected input-side
flow temperature
Tflow and the output-side return flow temperature Tretum flow, and a
predetermined temperature
spread ATtarget from the output-side return flow temperature Tretum flow to
the input-side flow
temperature Tow.
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The adjustment device 1 further comprises a time detection means not further
described
herein and a storage means which are configured to detect and store a previous
or current
activation period of the activation signal from thermostat 12 and/or a
deactivation period
between two activations or deactivations, wherein the calculation means 8 with
the ECU
contained therein is configured to variably determine the temperature spread
ATtarget based on
an activation period and/or a deactivation period.
Fig. 4 shows a flow chart which shows steps for a determination of the
temperature
spread ATtarget in the self-regulation according to the invention.
In function Fl it is checked whether the heating period Atheat is less than a
predetermined
time Attarget, for example half an hour. In other words, it is checked
whether:
1
&heat < Attarget with Attarget = h
2
If this is the case, i.e. the answer is õYes", the target value ATtarget is
increased by two
Kelvin or two degrees in step S100. If this is not the case, i.e. the answer
is õNo", it is continued
with function F2.
In function F2 it is checked whether the heating period is less than one hour.
It is
therefore checked whether:
&heat < Attarget with Attarget = lh
If this is the case, i.e. the answer is ,Yes", the target value ATtarget is
increased by one
Kelvin or one degree in step S110. If this is not the case, i.e. the answer is
õNo", it is continued
with function F3.
In function F3 it is checked whether the heating period is less than two
hours. It is
therefore checked whether:
Atheat < Attarget with Attarget = 2h
If this is the case, i.e. the answer is õYes", the target value ATtarget is
increased by 0.5
Kelvin or 0.5 degrees in step S120. If this is not the case, i.e. the answer
is õNo", the routine
continues with function F4.
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In function F4 it is checked whether the heating period is longer than three
hours. It is
therefore checked whether:
Lt heat > Attarget with Attarget = 3h
If this is the case, i.e. the answer is õYes", the target value ATtarget is
reduced by one
Kelvin or one degree in step S130. If this is not the case, i.e. the answer is
õNo", the routine
continues with function F5.
In function F5 it is checked whether the heating period is longer than four
hours. It is
therefore checked whether:
Atheat > Attarget with Attarget = 4h
If this is the case, i.e. the answer is õYes", the target value ATtarget is
reduced by three
Kelvin or three degrees in step S140.
In step S150, which follows steps S100 to S140, the possible values of the
target value
ATtarget are limited to a temperature spread profile between five to fifteen
Kelvin or five to
fifteen degrees.
After that, the routine ends.
In Fig. 5, a finite state machine for the representation of logical links in
the self-
regulation according to the invention is explained.
In condition 1, the valve position of flow control valve 2 is controlled. The
actual spread
dT_actual or ATactual is calculated or determined. Furthermore, the difference
dT_diff or
ATcontrol difference is calculated from the target spread dT_target or
ATtarget and the actual spread
dT_actual or ATactual. The valve opening cross section, the valve stroke or
the valve travel
distance sV is calculated, the latter is adjusted, for example, via a PID
controller, in particular
via an I controller, and the valve travel distance is limited to, for example,
a minimum of 10
percent. This has the advantage that undesirable flow noise is minimized.
Furthermore, the
heating period is calculated in the controller cycle, which is set to 10
seconds, for example.
In condition 2, the valve position is maintained. The actual spread dT_actual
or ATactual
is calculated. The duration or activation time is counted in the controller
cycle. The controller
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CA 03076442 2020-03-19
cycle is 10 seconds, for example. The heating period is also calculated in the
controller cycle
of 10 seconds. If condition 2 is left, an action is carried out to zero the
time duration or set it to
zero.
The controller clock can be set to integer seconds between 1 second and 30
seconds,
preferably it is set to 5 to 15 seconds, especially 10 seconds.
In condition 3 the valve is closed. The valve travel distance sV is set to
zero.
In condition 4, the target spread is calculated. The target dT_target or
ATtarget is
calculated and the heating period is then reset to zero.
Condition 1 is linked in the direction of condition 2 via function F10.
Function F10
checks whether the control difference ATcontrol difference, i.e. the amount of
the difference ATtarget
minus ATactual or from dT_target - dT_actual is smaller than dT_diff Max, i.e.
it is checked
whether:
dT_target ¨ dT_actual I < dT_Diff _Max
In other words, it is checked whether the control difference ATcontrol
difference is within a
maximum permissible control difference ATcontrol difference-max.
Condition 2 is linked in the direction of condition 1 via function F20. In
function F20
it is checked whether the absolute value of dT_target - dT_actual is greater
than twice
dT_diff Max and at the same time the duration is greater than or equal to 10
minutes, i.e. it is
checked whether:
I dT_target ¨ dT_actual I > 2 * dT_dif f _Max AND duration 10 minutes
Condition 2 is linked in the direction of condition 4 via function F30 In
function F30 it
is checked whether RT is identical to 0 or whether the heating period is
greater than 4 hours,
i.e. it is checked whether:
RT == 0 OR heating period > 4 h
Condition 4 is linked to condition 3 via function F40. In function F40 it is
checked
whether RT is identical to 0, i.e. it is checked whether:
CA 03076442 2020-03-19
RT == 0
Here, RT again represents the control signal from the room thermostat.
Condition 3 is again linked to the direction of condition 2 via function F50.
Here it is
checked whether RT is identical to 1, i.e. it is checked whether:
RT == 1
In other words, function F50 determines whether the room thermostat sends a
control
or activation signal.
Condition 4 is linked to condition 1 via function F60. In function F60 it is
checked
whether RT is identical to 1, i.e. it is checked whether:
RT == 1
or whether the room thermostat sends an activation signal.
Condition 1 is linked to condition 4 via function F70. In function F70 it is
checked
whether the heating period is longer than 4 hours, i.e. it is checked whether:
heating period > 4 h
The heating period specified by way of example as 4 hours can also be set to a
suitable
value of 2 to 6 hours, for example 3, 4 or 5 hours.
The present invention thus provides for the first time an adjustment device 1
for the
self-regulating adjustment of a flow control valve 2 of a consumer loop 3 with
heat exchanger
30, in particular in a temperature control system 10 for buildings with a
temperature control
source 4, a liquid heat carrier and a pump 5.
Furthermore, the invention provides for the first time a distributor device 11
for the self-
regulating distribution of a liquid heat carrier to at least two or more
consumer loops 3 with
heat exchangers 30, each comprising a flow control valve 2, in a temperature
control system
10 with a temperature control source 4 and a pump 5, wherein the distributor
device 11
comprises a flow distributor 13 and a return flow distributor 14. At these the
consumer loops 3
are brought together or merged on the input side and on the output side,
wherein the flow valves
2 are arranged at the flow distributor 13 or the return flow distributor 14.
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Finally, the invention proposes for the first time suitable methods for this
purpose.
In figures 1 to 5 discussed above, the reference signs summarized below were
used,
although this list does not claim to be exhaustive:
1 adjustment device;
2 flow control valve;
3 consumer loop;
4 temperature control source;
5 pump;
6 electrically controllable actuator;
7 temperature detection means;
7a flow temperature sensor;
7b return flow temperature sensor;
8 calculation means;
9 interface;
10 temperature control system;
11 distributor device;
12 thermostat,
13 flow distributor;
14 return flow distributor;
15 position detection means;
16 solenoid;
17 hall sensor;
18 connection piece;
20 actuation means;
21 expansion element, especially wax cartridge;
22 coil spring;
23 valve pin;
24 valve disk;
25 valve seat;
26 cantilever;
27 flange;
28 connector;
29 line;
30 heat exchanger;
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Tflow input-side flow temperature of the heat transfer medium
flowing
through;
Tretum flow output-side return flow temperature of the heat transfer
medium flowing
through;
ATactuai temperature difference;
ATtarget temperature spread;
ATcontrol difference temperature control difference;
Troom-target presettable room temperature;
Troom-actual actual room temperature;
23
