Zoning circulator controller
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A zoning circulator for circulating fluid within a hydronic heating or cooling system, the zoning circulator comprising:
- a wet-rotor circulator motor, the circulator motor comprising;
a motor housing,a stator disposed within the motor housing and sealed from the circulating fluid,a rotor housing disposed within the motor housing within the stator, the rotor housing being unsealed from the circulating fluid so that the fluid enters the rotor housing,a rotor disposed within the rotor housing and in contact with the fluid, andan impeller affixed to one end of the rotor, the stator and rotor configured with respect to one another so that the rotor is caused to rotate when the stator is energized;
an impeller casing fastened to the motor housing, the impeller casing including an inlet end for accepting the circulating fluid flowing into the impeller casing, an impeller zone into which the impeller extends from the motor, the impeller zone being in fluid communication with the inlet of the impeller casing, and an outlet end for discharging the circulating fluid flowing from the impeller casing, anda circulator controller physically attached to the circulator motor and including a speed regulating circuit for providing electrical drive signals to the motor to operate the motor, the speed regulating circuit controlling a rate at which the electrical drive signals are provided to the motor, the rate being representative of a preselected speed across a range of speed settings between a predetermined minimum speed setting and a predetermined maximum speed setting, wherein the speed regulating circuit operates the circulator motor for a predetermined initial period at a speed setting sufficient to generate a torque to overcome frictional resistances in the circulator motor and thereafter operates the circulator motor at the preselected speed setting of the speed regulating circuit.
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Abstract
A zoning circulator for circulating fluid within a zone in a hydronic heating or cooling system includes a zoning circulator controller including a speed regulating circuit for controlling the speed of a circulator motor. The circulator controller also includes an override circuit for operating the circulator at a high speed, high starting torque for several seconds to overcome frictional resistances between the moving parts of the motor and then tapers down to the speed established by the speed regulating circuit.
64 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A zoning circulator for circulating fluid within a hydronic heating or cooling system, the zoning circulator comprising:
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a wet-rotor circulator motor, the circulator motor comprising; a motor housing, a stator disposed within the motor housing and sealed from the circulating fluid, a rotor housing disposed within the motor housing within the stator, the rotor housing being unsealed from the circulating fluid so that the fluid enters the rotor housing, a rotor disposed within the rotor housing and in contact with the fluid, and an impeller affixed to one end of the rotor, the stator and rotor configured with respect to one another so that the rotor is caused to rotate when the stator is energized; an impeller casing fastened to the motor housing, the impeller casing including an inlet end for accepting the circulating fluid flowing into the impeller casing, an impeller zone into which the impeller extends from the motor, the impeller zone being in fluid communication with the inlet of the impeller casing, and an outlet end for discharging the circulating fluid flowing from the impeller casing, and a circulator controller physically attached to the circulator motor and including a speed regulating circuit for providing electrical drive signals to the motor to operate the motor, the speed regulating circuit controlling a rate at which the electrical drive signals are provided to the motor, the rate being representative of a preselected speed across a range of speed settings between a predetermined minimum speed setting and a predetermined maximum speed setting, wherein the speed regulating circuit operates the circulator motor for a predetermined initial period at a speed setting sufficient to generate a torque to overcome frictional resistances in the circulator motor and thereafter operates the circulator motor at the preselected speed setting of the speed regulating circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 15)
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6. A zoning circulator for circulating fluid within a hydronic heating or cooling system, the zoning circulator comprising:
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a circulator motor; a circulator controller physically attached to the circulator motor, the circulator controller comprising, a voltage transforming device for receiving and transforming a high voltage supply signal to a low voltage, an electrical relay connected to the transforming device, including at least one low voltage activation input terminal and at least one pair of high voltage switched output terminals for receiving the high voltage supply signal, the relay being configured to switch the output terminals when low voltage from the transforming device is supplied to the activation input terminals, an electrical switch, connected between the electrical relay and the circulator motor, having at least one low voltage activation input terminal and at least one pair of high voltage switched output terminals for receiving the high voltage supply signal from the electrical relay, the electrical switch being configured to switch the output terminals when low voltage is supplied to the activation input terminals, a speed regulating circuit connected between the electrical switching device and the circulator motor for controlling the speed of the circulator motor and for providing low voltage signals to the at least one low voltage activation input terminal of the electrical switch to control a rate at which the high voltage supply signal at the at least one pair of high voltage switched output terminals are provided to the motor, the rate being representative of a preselected speed within at a preselected speed across a range of speed settings between a predetermined minimum speed setting and a predetermined maximum speed setting, and an override circuit connected to the electrical switch for overriding the speed regulating circuit upon initial application of the high voltage supply signal to operate for a predetermined duration the circulator motor at a speed setting sufficient to generate a torque to overcome frictional resistances in the circulator motor, the speed regulating circuit thereafter operating the circulator motor at the preselected speed setting. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A zoning circulator for circulating fluid within a hydronic heating or cooling system, the zoning circulator comprising:
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a circulator motor; a circulator controller, physically attached to the circulator motor, including an electrical switch, connected to the circulator motor, having at least one low voltage activation input terminal and at least one pair of high voltage switched output terminals for receiving a high voltage supply signal, the electrical switch being configured to switch the output terminals when low voltage is supplied to the activation input terminals, and a speed regulating circuit connected to the electrical switch for operating the circulator motor at a desired speed within a range of speed settings between a predetermined minimum speed setting and a predetermined maximum speed setting, including; an input circuit for receiving a low level electrical signal from a thermostat and for converting the electrical signal to a voltage signal representative of a desired speed setting of the motor, a time delay circuit for controlling the rate of switching of the electrical switch based on the voltage signal representative of the desired speed setting of the motor, and an override circuit connected to the electrical switch for overriding the speed regulating circuit upon initial application of the high voltage supply signal to operate for a predetermined duration the circulator motor at a speed setting sufficient to generate a torque to overcome frictional resistances in the circulator motor, the speed regulating circuit thereafter operating the circulator motor at the desired speed setting. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification