OPTIMIZED HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A heating and cooling system comprising;
- a thermal mass including at least one phase change material disposed therein;
a plurality of conduits disposed within said thermal mass and allowing passage of a heat transfer fluid through said conduits wherein said heat transfer fluid and said conduits are configured to deliver thermal energy to said thermal mass and said phase change material;
a heat exchanger in thermal communication with said conduits;
an energy source for generating thermal energy wherein said thermal energy is transferred to said heat transfer fluid in said conduits by said heat exchanger; and
a controller configured to monitor a plurality of operating and environmental parameters of said heating and cooling system and to optimize an aspect of performance of said heating and cooling system.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optimized heating and cooling system including a thermal mass, thermal energy transport conduits to deliver thermal energy to the thermal mass including one or more phase change materials (PCMs), at least one heat exchanger to exchange the thermal energy from a energy input into heat transfer fluid that is pumped through the thermal mass. The system also includes a controller in electronic communication with a temperature sensor, a throttle and a pump. A desired building temperature profile, a daily temperature forecast, the electricity rates, the thermal characteristics of the PCMs are entered into or obtained by the controller and the controller uses that information to optimize the energy use to avoid using the heating and cooling system during peak electricity demand time, or uses the rate structure to determine the operation sequence that results in the most efficient use of energy or least cost.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. A heating and cooling system comprising;
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a thermal mass including at least one phase change material disposed therein; a plurality of conduits disposed within said thermal mass and allowing passage of a heat transfer fluid through said conduits wherein said heat transfer fluid and said conduits are configured to deliver thermal energy to said thermal mass and said phase change material; a heat exchanger in thermal communication with said conduits; an energy source for generating thermal energy wherein said thermal energy is transferred to said heat transfer fluid in said conduits by said heat exchanger; and a controller configured to monitor a plurality of operating and environmental parameters of said heating and cooling system and to optimize an aspect of performance of said heating and cooling system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A heating and cooling system comprising;
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a lower fluid loop having a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with a geothermal source and disposed to transfer thermal energy between said geothermal source and a fluid in said lower loop; an upper loop having a circulating fluid flowing within, said circulating fluid of said upper loop being in thermal communication with said fluid in said lower loop such as to transfer thermal energy between said circulating fluid in said upper loop and fluid in said lower loop; a thermal mass, said thermal mass containing a phase change material configured to store thermal energy; a circulating conduit embedded in said slab to transfer thermal energy between phase change materials and said circulating fluid in said upper loop; and a controller configured to monitor a plurality of operating and environmental parameters of said heating and cooling system and to optimize a daily energy consumption or a daily cost of operation of said heating and cooling system.
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Specification