Hydronic building systems control

• US 10,072,863 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energy Environmental Corporation
• Original Assignee: Energy Environmental Corporation
• Inventors: Wallace, Albert Reid
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Jigneshkumar C
• Application Number:
  US15/202,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20160313020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 700276
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1009 for central heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0008 for air-humidification F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/80 for controlling the temperature of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/81 by controlling the air supply to heat-exchangers or bypass channels
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/22 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/30 Condensation of water from cooled air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0046 : using natural energy, e.g. solar energy, energy from the ground
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/20 : characterised by control inputs
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/38 : Control of compressors of heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/421 : using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/464 : using local wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/00 : Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus control arrangements in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 : using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 : specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/272 : Solar heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 : Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 : Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 : Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

Controlling heating and cooling in a conditioned space utilizes a fluid circulating in a thermally conductive structure in fluid connection with a hydronic-to-air heat exchanger and a ground heat exchanger. Air is moved past the hydronic-to-air heat exchanger, the air having fresh air supply and stale air exhaust. Sensors located throughout the conditioned space send data to a controller. User input to the controller sets the desired set point temperature and humidity. Based upon the set point temperature and humidity and sensor data, the controller sends signals to various devices to manipulate the flow of the fluid and the air in order to achieve the desired set point temperature and humidity in the conditioned space. The temperature of the fluid is kept less than the dew point at the hydronic-to-air heat exchanger and the temperature of the fluid is kept greater than the dew point at the thermally conductive structure.

Claims

1. A method for controlling heating and cooling in a conditioned space, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving in a microprocessor controller a desired set point temperature;

(b) receiving in the microprocessor controller a plurality of sensor inputs from a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors sense at least one temperature and at least one relative humidity;

(c) processing by the microprocessor controller the plurality of sensor inputs from the plurality of sensors in light of the desired set point temperature;

(d) calculating and tracking by the microprocessor controller a dew point in at least one of;

(i) a fresh intake air moving into a dehumidifying device;

(ii) a thermally conductive structure in the conditioned space;

or

(iii) the conditioned space;

(e) sending a plurality of digital signals from the microprocessor controller to a device controller; and

(f) sending a plurality of control signals from the device controller to a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of devices upon receiving the plurality of control signals achieve the desired set point temperature in the conditioned space by;

(i) circulating a fluid within the thermally conductive structure;

(ii) keeping the temperature of the fluid greater than the dew point at the thermally conductive structure.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (f) further comprises the step of:

moving the air in the conditioned space through a dehumidification device, wherein the dehumidification device is at least one of an energy recovery ventilator, a heat recovery ventilator, a dehumidifier, an absorption chiller, dedicated outdoor air system, demand controlled ventilation system and an air conditioner.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (f) further comprises the steps of:

drawing the fresh intake air into the energy transfer and ventilation device with a fresh air fan; and

exhausting stale exhaust air from the energy transfer and ventilation device with an exhaust air fan.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the microprocessor controller is a component of a remote building controls system.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of microprocessor controllers are controlled by the same remote building control system using a wireless client-server architecture.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the remote building control system is operated through a user interface.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

enabling communications between the user interface and the microprocessor controller through a communications module.

8. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

receiving in the communications module weather and climate data from at least one external device.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

circulating a first portion of the fluid through a first thermal storage;

circulating a second portion of the fluid to the thermally conductive structure;

circulating a third portion of the fluid through a second thermal storage;

circulating at least one of the first portion of the fluid and the third portion of the fluid from at least one of the first thermal storage and the second thermal storage to the thermally conductive structure based upon the function of a radiant mixing device fluidly connected to the first thermal storage and the second thermal storage.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising circulating the second portion of the fluid to the thermally conductive structure with a pump upstream or downstream of the radiant mixing device.

11. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of:

in an active chilling operation, cooling the first portion of the fluid in the first thermal storage with a heat pump; and

in an active heating operation, heating the second portion of the fluid in the second thermal storage with the heat pump.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of

in a passive chilling operation that bypasses the heat pump, cooling the first portion of the fluid in the first thermal storage by circulating the first portion of the fluid with a bypass 3-way load circulator through a heat exchanger, and a first positions of a first and second bypass 3-way control valves each fluidly connected to the first thermal storage and the second thermal storage, and a first positions of a first and second first source 3-way control valves each fluidly connected to a heat exchanger;

and

in a passive heating operation that bypasses the heat pump, heating the second portion of the fluid in the second thermal storage by circulating the second portion of the fluid with a bypass 3-way load circulator through the heat exchanger, and a second positions of the first and second bypass 3-way control valves and a second positions of the first and second first source 3-way control valves.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the heat exchanger is a ground heat exchanger.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the heat exchanger is a process heat exchanger.

15. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

in a passive chilling operation that bypasses the heat pump, cooling the first portion of the fluid in the first thermal storage by circulating the first portion of the fluid with a bypass 3-way load circulator through a process heat exchanger, and a first positions of a first and second bypass 3-way control valves each fluidly connected to the first thermal storage and the second thermal storage, and a first positions of a first and second source 3-way control valves each fluidly connected to the process heat exchanger; and

in a passive heating operation that bypasses the heat pump, heating the second portion of the fluid in the second thermal storage by circulating the second portion of the fluid with a bypass 3-way load circulator through the process heat exchanger, and a second positions of the first and second bypass 3-way control valves and a second positions of the first and second source 3-way control valves.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the process heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a boiler, a chiller, a solar thermal array, a combined heat and power unit, and an absorption chiller.

17. The method according to claim 1 wherein steps (d), (e), and (f) further comprise the steps of:

(d1) continuously calculating and tracking by the microprocessor controller the dew point;

(e1) sending an updated plurality of digital signals from the microprocessor controller to the devices controller; and

(f1) sending an updated plurality of control signals from the devices controller to the plurality of devices in order to maintain the desired set point temperature in the conditioned space.

18. The method according to claim 1 wherein step (d) further comprises the step of:

accounting for atmospheric pressure when calculating and tracking the dew point by the microprocessor controller.

19. The method according to claim 1 wherein the dehumidifying device is selected from the group consisting of a hydronic coil-to-air heat exchanger, a dehumidifier, an energy recovery ventilator, a heat recovery ventilator, a dedicated outdoor air system and a demand controlled ventilation system.

20. A method for controlling the interaction of first and second ground heat exchanger with at least one heat pump, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) calculating with a microprocessor controller an optimal fluid temperature to be circulated to the at least one heat pump;

(b) receiving in the microprocessor controller a first fluid temperature of a first portion of fluid in the first ground heat exchanger, wherein the first fluid temperature is less than the optimal fluid temperature;

(c) receiving in the microprocessor controller a second fluid temperature of a second portion of fluid in the second ground heat exchanger, wherein the second fluid temperature is greater than the optimal fluid temperature;

(d) sending by the microprocessor controller a first and second control signal to a first and second source mixing device, each fluidly connected to the first and second ground heat exchangers, wherein the first portion of fluid and the second portion of fluid are mixed together forming a third portion of fluid at the optimal fluid temperature; and

(e) circulating the third portion of fluid to the at least one heat pump.

21. The method according to claim 20 further comprising the step of:

in a passive chilling operation that bypasses the heat pump, circulating the first portion of fluid with the first fluid temperature to a thermally conductive structure or a dehumidifying device; and

in a passive heating operation that bypasses the heat pump, circulating the second portion of fluid with the second fluid temperature to a dehumidifying device or the thermally conductive structure.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the dehumidifying device is selected from the group consisting of a hydronic coil-to-air heat exchanger, a dehumidifier, an energy recovery ventilator, a heat recovery ventilator, a dedicated outdoor air system and a demand controlled ventilation system.

23. The method according to claim 20 further comprising the step of:

receiving heated fluid from another heat exchanger in the second ground heat exchanger, in order to cool the another heat exchanger, wherein the another heat exchanger is a solar thermal array.

24. The method according to claim 20 wherein the ground heat exchanger further comprises three or more heat exchangers.

25. The method according to claim 20 wherein the ground heat exchanger is selected from a combination of ground source heat exchangers and water source heat exchangers.

26. The method according to claim 20 wherein the ground heat exchanger is selected from a combination of air source heat exchangers.

27. A method for controlling heat pump efficiency, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) calculating with a microprocessor controller a speed of a two-stage compressor of the heat pump to meet a demand, wherein the two-stage compressor has a first low-speed stage and a second high-speed stage;

(b) when the microprocessor controller determines that the two-stage compressor needs to run at the first low-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to a two-stage source side circulator causing the two-stage source side circulator to circulate a fluid to the heat pump at a low-flow rate, wherein the two-stage source side circulator is fluidly connected to the heat pump and fluidly connected to a heat exchanger;

(c) when the microprocessor controller determines that the two-stage compressor needs to run at the second high-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the two-stage source side circulator causing the two-stage source side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at a high-flow rate;

(d) substituting a variable speed compressor for the two-stage compressor;

(e) substituting a variable source side circulator for the two-stage source side circulator, and the heat exchanger is a water-to-water heat exchanger;

(f) calculating with the microprocessor controller a speed of the variable compressor of the heat pump to meet the demand;

(g) calculating with the microprocessor controller a flow rate of the variable source side circulator to meet the demand; and

(h) sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the variable source side circulator causing the variable source side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at the flow rate calculated by the microprocessor controller.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of controlling the operation of one or more compressors contained in one heat pump to meet the demand.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of controlling the operation of compressors in one or more heat pumps to meet the demand.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of controlling the operation of at least one of a group consisting of single speed, multiple speed and variable source side circulators to meet the demand.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

calculating with the microprocessor controller a combination of a speed of the variable compressor of the heat pump and an optimal fluid temperature of the fluid to meet the demand;

sending by the microprocessor controller a first and second control signal to a first and second source mixing device, each fluidly connected to the first and second loops of ground heat exchangers, wherein the first portion of fluid and the second portion of fluid are mixed together forming a third portion of fluid at the optimal fluid temperature; and

circulating with the variable source side circulator the third portion of fluid to the heat pump.

32. A method for controlling heat pump efficiency, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) calculating with a microprocessor controller a speed of a two-stage compressor of the heat pump to meet a demand, wherein the two-stage compressor has a first low-speed stage and a second high-speed stage;

(b) when the microprocessor controller determines that the two-stage compressor needs to run at the first low-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to a two-stage source side circulator causing the two-stage source side circulator to circulate a fluid to the heat pump at a low-flow rate, wherein the two-stage source side circulator is fluidly connected to the heat pump and fluidly connected to a heat exchanger;

(c) when the microprocessor controller determines that the two-stage compressor needs to run at the second high-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the two-stage source side circulator causing the two-stage source side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at a high-flow rate;

(d) substituting a three-stage compressor for the two-stage compressor;

(e) substituting a three-stage side circulator for the two-stage source side circulator, and the heat exchanger is a water-to-water heat exchanger;

(f) calculating with the microprocessor controller a speed of the three-stage compressor of the heat pump to meet the demand, wherein the three stage compressor has a first low-speed stage, a second high-speed stage, and a third intermediate-speed stage;

(g) when the microprocessor controller determines that the three stage compressor needs to run at the first low-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the three-stage source side circulator causing the three-stage source side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at a low-flow rate;

(h) when the microprocessor controller determines that the three stage compressor needs to run at the second high-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the three-stage source side circulator causing the three-stage source side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at a high-flow rate; and

(i) when the microprocessor controller determines that the three stage compressor needs to run at the third intermediate-speed stage to meet the demand, sending by the microprocessor controller a control signal to the three-stage source side circulator causing the three-stage source side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump at an intermediate-flow rate.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of controlling the operation of one or more compressors contained in one heat pump to meet the demand.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of controlling the operation of compressors in one or more heat pumps to meet the demand.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of controlling the operation of at least one of a group consisting of single speed, multiple speed and variable source side circulators to meet the demand.

36. A method for controlling cooling in a conditioned space, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving in a microcontroller a desired set point temperature;

(b) receiving in the microcontroller a temperature of a mixed radiant supply fluid;

(c) calculating a dew point by the microcontroller of a thermally conductive structure;

(d) circulating the mixed radiant supply fluid into the thermally conductive structure, wherein the temperature of the mixed radiant supply fluid circulating in the thermally conductive structure is kept greater than the dew point in the thermally conductive structure by the operation of a mixing device modulating mixed flow received from a hydronic supply fluid and a hydronic return fluid.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein operation of the mixing device is controlled by the microcontroller.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the flow of the hydronic supply fluid is controlled by a hydronic load circulator.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the hydronic supply fluid is received from at least one of a thermal storage source, a ground heat exchanger or a process heat exchanger.