METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR BALANCING THE FLUID PRESSURE OF FLUID DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A fluid distribution system comprising:
- a. a pump connected to a pump variable speed drive, and further connected to a conduit;
b. one or more nodes incorporated in the conduit;
c. one or more node units incorporated in the conduit, each of the one or more node units being operable to receive information from other node units and from one or more external sources, and to process the received information to produce processed information for the purpose of determining if balanced flow in the conduit and line pressure loss at the one or more nodes is achieved and to generate adjustments to generate balanced flow and line pressure loss in the fluid distribution system;
d. a return conduit wherein fluid flows directly to the pump; and
said fluid distribution system being operable to maintain balance of flow in the conduit and line pressure loss at each of the one or more nodes after initiation of the fluid distribution system to achieve a high efficiency energy transfer within the fluid distribution system devoid of any of the following;
pinpoint settings for any pressure value;
pinpoint settings for any exact pump speed; and
any manual adjustment of any one or more valves of the one or more node units.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a fluid distribution system comprising connected conduits (e.g., lines) wherein fluid flows, such as pipes within a building. The lines may be configured to: (i) include multiple lines that connect at intersections (some of the intersections will be identified as nodes); and (ii) incorporate node units associated with line pressure loss simulation assemblies (“LLSAs”). Activities of a node unit incorporating a LLSA can result in alterations in fluid pressure, such as by a loop control process to reposition balancing valves or other valves of one or more LLSAs, and/or by alteration of the speed of the system pump. These activities adjust fluid pressure to cause the system to produce a balanced and high efficiency energy transfer (e.g., heating or cooling), and do not involve or require any identification or use of any specific, fixed or absolute pressure value. They function based on an operation locus (for a node unit) and/or an operation locus range (for node unit groupings) to adjust the fluid pressure.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fluid distribution system comprising:
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a. a pump connected to a pump variable speed drive, and further connected to a conduit; b. one or more nodes incorporated in the conduit; c. one or more node units incorporated in the conduit, each of the one or more node units being operable to receive information from other node units and from one or more external sources, and to process the received information to produce processed information for the purpose of determining if balanced flow in the conduit and line pressure loss at the one or more nodes is achieved and to generate adjustments to generate balanced flow and line pressure loss in the fluid distribution system; d. a return conduit wherein fluid flows directly to the pump; and said fluid distribution system being operable to maintain balance of flow in the conduit and line pressure loss at each of the one or more nodes after initiation of the fluid distribution system to achieve a high efficiency energy transfer within the fluid distribution system devoid of any of the following;
pinpoint settings for any pressure value;
pinpoint settings for any exact pump speed; and
any manual adjustment of any one or more valves of the one or more node units.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for generating and maintaining balanced of fluid flow and line pressure loss in a fluid distribution system comprising the steps of:
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a. operating the fluid distribution system configured to incorporate; i. a pump connected to a pump variable speed drive, and further connected to a conduit; ii. one or more nodes incorporated in the conduit; iii. one or more node units incorporated in the conduit; iv. an electronic communications network (ECN) connecting each of the one or more node units to the one node unit that is directly upstream and to any one or more of the one or more node units that are directly downstream; and v. a return conduit; and b. each of the one or more node units;
receiving information from other node units and from one or more external sources;
processing the received information to produce processed information for the purpose of determining if balanced flow in the conduit and line pressure loss at the one or more nodes is achieved;
generating system adjustments to create balanced flow and line pressure loss in the fluid distribution system; and
transmitting the processed information to one of the one or more node units that is upstream or to the pump variable speed drive via the ECN; andc. each of the one or more node units and the pump operating after initiation of the fluid distribution system to achieve a high efficiency energy transfer devoid of any of the following;
pinpoint settings for any pressure value;
pinpoint settings for any exact pump speed; and
any manual adjustment of any one or more valves of the one or more node units. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification