System and method for controlling hydronic systems having multiple sources and multiple loads

• US 7,848,853 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solarlogic, LLC
• Original Assignee: Solarlogic, LLC
• Inventors: Milder, Fredric, Soifer, Boaz, Stickney, Bristol
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh B
• Application Number:
  US12/411,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20090287355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 700276-278, 602/031, 606/418, 126561-562, 126/569, 432/219
• US Class Current: 700/278
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 12/02 having more than one heat source using heat pumps, in water central heating systems F24D3/18; in air central heating systems F24D5/12; in systems using heat storage masses F24D11/02
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1075 the system uses solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/04 Gas or oil fired boiler
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/11 Geothermal energy
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/12 Heat pump
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/14 Solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/02 Fluid distribution means
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/06 Heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/08 Storage tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/2009 Radiators
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/2081 Floor or wall heating panels
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/209 Sanitary water taps
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2240/10 Placed within or inside of
• 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 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/06 characterised by the arrangements for the supply of heat-exchange fluid for the subsequent treatment of primary air in the room units
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1923 : using thermal energy, the cost of which varies in function of time
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 : Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/30 : Wind power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/40 : Geothermal heat-pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 : Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 : Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

A system and method are provided to control hydronic systems having a plurality of on-demand sources, semi-on-demand sources, and intermittent sources that are fluidly or thermally coupled to a plurality of load zones. The hydronic system device obtains performance measurements for system components to provide system metrics, including failure diagnostics, energy capture, and usage optimization. The hydronic system device may also calculate British Thermal Units produced and used by the plurality of sources and loads to calculate incentives, including renewable energy credits.

Claims

1. A hydronic system, comprising:

a plurality of sources, including at least one of on-demand sources, semi-on-demand sources, and intermittent sources;

a plurality of source sensors that are positioned to measure properties of the plurality of sources;

a plurality of loads that are fluidly or thermally coupled to the plurality of sources;

a plurality of load sensors that are positioned to measure properties of the plurality of loads; and

a controller that communicates with the plurality of sources, the plurality of source sensors, the plurality of loads and the plurality of load sensors, the controller comprising;

a sensor interface that communicates with the plurality of source sensors and the plurality of load sensors to receive source sensor data and load sensor data;

a monitoring module that monitors the sensor data in substantially real-time;

an alert module that generates an alert signal if the sensor data is different from predefined sensor threshold values;

a ranking module that ranks the sources and the loads;

a temperature setpoint module that contains preselected values for at least one of the plurality of loads;

a trigger module that generates a trigger signal if the preselected values from the temperature setpoint module are different from the measured properties received from the corresponding load; and

an actuator module that communicates with the alert module, the ranking module and the trigger module and generates a control signal to fluidly or thermally couple selected ones of the plurality of sources to selected ones of the plurality of loads, or to fluidly or thermally decouple the plurality of sources and loads.

2. The hydronic system of claim 1, wherein the actuator module fluidly or thermally couples selected ones of the plurality of sources to a heat storage device or at least one of the plurality of loads when the alert module generates the alert signal.

3. The hydronic system of claim 1, wherein the actuator module fluidly or thermally couples selected ones of the plurality of sources to a heat storage device or at least one of the plurality of loads when the alert module generates the alert signal and the trigger module generates the trigger signal.

4. The hydronic system of claim 1, wherein the actuator module fluidly or thermally decouples the plurality of sources from the plurality of loads when the alert module fails to generate the alert signal.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the actuator module fluidly or thermally couples selected ones of the plurality of sources to at least one of the plurality of loads when the trigger module generates the trigger signal.

6. The hydronic system of claim 1, wherein the ranking module ranks the sources to provide priority based on carbon neutrality or cost of energy.

7. The hydronic system of claim 1, wherein the ranking module ranks the sources to provide priority to sources that match temperature or heat flux delivery criteria requested by the corresponding load.

8. The hydronic system of claim 1, wherein the ranking module ranks the loads to provide priority based on a preset ranking order established by a user.

9. The hydronic system of claim 1, wherein the ranking module ranks the sources to provide priority to the intermittent sources over the on-demand sources.

10. A controller for a hydronic system that communicates with a plurality of sources, including on-demand sources, semi-on-demand sources, or intermittent sources, a plurality of source sensors that are positioned to measure properties of the plurality of sources, a plurality of loads that are fluidly or thermally coupled to the plurality of sources, a plurality of load sensors that are positioned to measure properties of the plurality of loads, the controller comprising:

a sensor interface that communicates with the plurality of source sensors and the plurality of load sensors to receive source sensor data and load sensor data;

a monitoring module that monitors the sensor data in substantially real-time;

an alert module that generates an alert signal if the sensor data is different from predefined sensor threshold values;

a ranking module that ranks the sources and the loads;

a temperature setpoint module that contains preselected values regarding at least one of the plurality of loads;

a trigger module that generates a trigger signal if the preselected values from the temperature setpoint module is different from the measured properties received from the corresponding load; and

an actuator module that communicates with the alert module, the ranking module and the trigger module and generates a control signal to fluidly or thermally couple selected ones of the plurality of sources to selected ones of the plurality of loads or to fluidly or thermally decouple the plurality of sources and loads.

11. The controller of claim 10, wherein the actuator module fluidly or thermally couples selected ones of the plurality of sources to a heat storage device or at least one of the plurality of loads when the alert module generates the alert signal.

12. The controller of claim 10, wherein the actuator module fluidly or thermally couples selected ones of the plurality of sources to a heat storage device or at least one of the plurality of loads when the alert module generates the alert signal and the trigger module generates the trigger signal.

13. The controller of claim 10, wherein the actuator module fluidly or thermally couples selected ones of the plurality of sources to a heat storage device or at least one of the plurality of loads when the trigger module generates the trigger signal.

14. The controller of claim 10, wherein the actuator module fluidly or thermally decouples the plurality of sources from the plurality of loads when the alert module fails to generate the alert signal.

15. The controller of claim 10, wherein the ranking module ranks the sources to provide priority based on carbon neutrality or cost of energy.

16. The controller of claim 10, wherein the ranking module ranks the sources to provide priority to sources that match temperature or heat flux delivery criteria requested by the corresponding load.

17. The controller of claim 10, wherein the ranking module ranks the loads to provide priority based on a preset ranking established by a user.

18. The controller of claim 10, wherein the ranking module ranks the sources to provide priority to the intermittent sources over the on-demand sources.

19. A method of managing a hydronic system, comprising:

providing a plurality of sources, including at least one of on-demand sources, semi-on-demand sources, and intermittent sources;

providing a plurality of sensors that are positioned to measure properties of the plurality of sources;

providing a plurality of loads that are fluidly or thermally coupled to the plurality of sources;

providing a plurality of load sensors that are positioned to measure properties of the plurality of loads; and

providing a controller that communicates with the plurality of sources, the plurality of source sensors, the plurality of loads and the plurality of load sensors, the controller performing the steps of;

communicating with the plurality of source sensors and the plurality of load sensors to receive source sensor data and load sensor data;

monitoring the sensor data in substantially real-time;

generating an alert signal if the sensor data is different from predefined sensor threshold values;

ranking the sources and the loads;

receiving preselected values from at least one of the plurality of loads;

generating a trigger signal if the preselected values received from at least one of the plurality of loads is different from the measured properties received from the corresponding load; and

generating a control signal to fluidly or thermally couple selected ones of the plurality of sources to selected ones of the plurality of loads, or to fluidly or thermally decouple the plurality of sources and loads based on the alert signal, the trigger signal, the source and load ranking, and a set of rules maintained by the controller.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising enabling modification of the set of rules based on manual entry of instructions or automatically based on analyzing data from the sensors.