Hydronic building systems control

• US 9,410,752 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• 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
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Jigneshkumar
• Application Number:
  US13/969,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20140048244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 165287-300
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 and a desired set point humidity;

(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 and the desired set point relative humidity;

(d) calculating and tracking by the microprocessor controller a first dew point in a fresh intake air moving into a dehumidifying device; and

a second dew point in a thermally conductive structure in the conditioned space;

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

(f) sending a plurality of control signals from the devices controller to a plurality of devices, the plurality of devices selected from the group consisting of analog devices and digital devices, wherein the plurality of devices upon receiving the plurality of control signals achieve the desired set point temperature and the desired set point humidity in the conditioned space by;

(i) circulating a fluid within at least one of the thermally conductive structure and the dehumidifying device, wherein the dehumidifying in fluid connection with the thermally conductive structure;

(ii) moving the fresh intake air through the dehumidifying device and into the conditioned space;

(iii) keeping a first temperature of the fluid less than the first dew point at the dehumidifying device; and

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

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

moving the fresh intake air through an energy transfer and ventilation device prior to the dehumidifying device, wherein the energy transfer and ventilation device is at least one of an energy recovery ventilator, a heat recovery ventilator, a dehumidifier, an absorption chiller, and an air conditioner;

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.

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

receiving through a user interface in communication with the microprocessor controller the desired set point temperature and the desired set point humidity, wherein the microprocessor controller further provides the functionality for;

storing a plurality of settings of system operating parameters; and

displaying system operations on a display device of the user interface.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

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

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

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

storing a first portion of the fluid in a first thermal storage;

storing a second portion of the fluid in a second thermal storage;

circulating the first portion of the fluid from the first thermal storage to the dehumidifying device and returning the fluid back to the first thermal storage; and

circulating at least one of the first portion of the fluid and the second 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 positions of a first and second thermal load 3-way control valves each fluidly connected to the first thermal storage and the second thermal storage.

6. The method according to claim 5 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 having one or more speeds, a load circulator, and a first positions of a first and second thermal storage source 3-way control valves each fluidly connected to the first thermal storage and the second thermal storage; and

in an active heating operation, heating the second portion of the fluid in the second thermal storage with the heat pump having the one or more speeds, the load circulator, and a second positions of the first and second thermal storage source 3-way control valves;

wherein the one or more speeds of the heat pump is set to achieve a highest system energy efficiency.

7. The method according to claim 5 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 the 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.

8. The method according to claim 5 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 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 second source 3-way control valves.

9. The method according to claim 8 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.

10. 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 first dew point and the second 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 and the desired set point humidity in the conditioned space.

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

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

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

achieving the desired set point humidity in the conditioned space by circulating the fluid within the dehumidifying device and moving the fresh intake air through the dehumidifying device without circulating the fluid within the thermally conductive structure.

13. 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 air conditioning unit, an absorption chiller, and a heat recovery ventilator.

14. 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; and

(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.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising the step of:

substituting a first source side circulator and a second source side circulator for the two-stage source side circulator, and the heat exchanger is a water-to-water heat exchanger;

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 the first source side circulator causing the first source side circulator to circulate the fluid to the heat pump; and

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 first source side circulator and the second source side circulator causing the first and second source side circulators to circulate the fluid to the heat pump.

16. The method according to claim 14 further comprising the step of:

substituting a three-stage compressor for the two-stage compressor;

substituting a three-stage source side circulator for the two-stage source side circulator;

calculating with a 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;

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;

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

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.