Control device for a heating system and heating system

• US 9,593,858 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uponor Innovation AB (Uponor Oyj)
• Original Assignee: Uponor Innovation AB (Uponor Oyj)
• Inventors: Dellwig, Stefan, Lipinski, Johann
• Primary Examiner(s): Tompkins, Alissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Decker, Phillip E
• Application Number:
  US13/293,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20120118556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 237/2.R, 237/8.A, 237/69, 165/53, 165/288
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1009 for central heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 3/08 in combination with systems for domestic hot-water supply

Abstract

A control device for controlling a heating system having a first heat exchanger disposed in a first part of a building, and second heat exchanger disposed in a second part of a building, the control device comprising: a first temperature sensor associated with the first heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the first part of the building, a second temperature sensor associated with the second heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the second part of the building. The control device includes a control station by which a temperature compensation can be initiated by recirculating a fluid medium to be used for heat exchange as a function of the temperatures (T1, T2) measured by the first and the second temperature sensor and at least partial exchange of the fluid medium takes place between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a heating system, the control device comprising:

at least one first heat exchanger disposed in a first room of a building, and at least one second heat exchanger disposed in a second room of a building, and an active heat input capable of being in communication with the at least one first heat exchanger and the at least one second heat exchanger,

at least one first temperature sensor associated with the first heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the first room,

at least one second temperature sensor associated with the second heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the second room,

an electronic control station which automatically initiates a temperature compensation by recirculating a fluid medium to be used for heat exchange depending on the temperatures measured by the first and the second temperature sensors, wherein an at least partial exchange of the fluid medium takes place between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; and

wherein the electronic control station is implemented so that it produces a closed partial circuit only between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger is connected in series to the second heat exchanger, for circulating the fluid medium carried in the first and the second heat exchangers only between the first and the second heat exchangers and remains cut off from the remaining fluid medium and from the active heat input;

wherein the fluid medium, in the closed circuit between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, is alternately passing through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control station is implemented for always automatically initiating and/or maintaining a circulating circuit between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger whenever the temperature in the first room is greater than a first target temperature prescribed for the first room and at the same time the temperature in the second room is less than a second target temperature prescribed for the second room, wherein the second target temperature is less than or equal to the first target temperature.

3. The control device according to the claim 1, comprising switching elements for switching on and off a circulating pump and a mixing valve provided at a heat source, at the control station, or at a distributor, wherein the electronic control station, in order to initiate the temperature compensation by circulation, uses the switching-elements to set the mixing valve to a closed circuit between the first and the second heat exchanger and to switch on the circulating pump.

4. The control device according to the claim 1, wherein the at least one first temperature sensor and the at least one second temperature sensor are disposed on the same story but on different sides of a building.

5. The control device according to the claim 4, wherein the at least one first temperature sensor and the at least one second temperature sensor are disposed in rooms on the same story but on opposite sides of the building.

6. The control device according to the claim 1, wherein the at least one first temperature sensor is disposed in an upper story, in a roof or in an attic of a building, whereas the at least one second temperature sensor is disposed in a lower story or in a basement of the building.

7. The control device according to the claim 1, wherein the electronic control station is connected to a distributor.

8. The control device according to the claim 7, wherein the electronic control station is connected upstream of the distributor.

9. The control device according to the claim 1, wherein the control device compares the temperature measured in the first room and the temperature measured in the second room with target temperatures and determines whether they are both either above or below their respective target temperatures at the same time, and if they are the electronic control station is implemented so that it produces a closed partial circuit between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

10. The control device according to the claim 1, wherein the active heat input is used for heating only and the fluid medium is capable of heating and cooling.

11. The control device according to the claim 1, further including a circulating pump to circulate the fluid medium.

12. A heating system for a building, comprising at least the following:

an arrangement of heat exchangers, the arrangement comprising at least one first heat exchanger disposed in a first room of the building and at least one second heat exchanger disposed in a second room of the building,

a heating source for heating a fluid medium of the heating system used for heat exchange,

a circulating pump for circulating the fluid medium in the heating system,

at least one distributor for distributing the fluid medium within the heating system,

wherein the heating system comprises a control device

including;

at least one first temperature sensor associated with the first heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the first room,

at least one second temperature sensor associated with the second heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the second room,

an electronic control station which automatically initiates a temperature compensation by recirculating a fluid medium to be used for heat exchange depending on the temperatures measured by the first and the second temperature sensors, wherein an at least partial exchange of the fluid medium takes place between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; and

wherein the electronic control station is implemented so that it produces a closed partial circuit only between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger is connected in series to the second heat exchanger, for circulating the fluid medium carried in the first and the second heat exchanger only between the first and the second heat exchanger and remains cut off from the remaining fluid medium, from the heating source, and from the arrangement of heat exchangers, except the first and second heat exchangers;

wherein the fluid medium, in the closed circuit between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, is alternately passing through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

13. The heating system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one first heat exchanger and the at least one second heat exchanger each comprise one or more heat exchangers installed in concrete slabs or in other surface heating elements.

14. The heating system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one first heat exchanger and the at least one second heat exchanger are disposed in the same story of a building, but in rooms on opposite sides of the building, or at different heights, including a roof, an attic or a basement of the building.

15. A control device for controlling a heating system, the control device comprising:

an arrangement of heat exchangers including at least a first heat exchanger disposed in a first room of a building and a second heat exchanger disposed in a second room of a building, the heating system including a distributor for distributing a fluid medium to the arrangement of heat exchangers and a heating source connected to the distributor for heating the fluid medium of the heating system, the control device including;

at least one first temperature sensor associated with the first heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the first room,

at least one second temperature sensor associated with the second heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the second room, and

an electronic control station configured to automatically separate the first and second heat exchangers from the other heat exchangers in the arrangement of heat exchangers and from the heating source, based on the temperatures measured by the first and the second temperature sensors, the electronic control station further configured to automatically produce a closed circuit in which the fluid medium carried in the first and the second heat exchangers circulates in-series between the first and the second heat exchangers and remains cut off from the remaining fluid medium in the heating system, from the arrangement of heat exchangers, except the first and second heat exchangers, and from the heating source;

wherein the fluid medium, in the closed circuit between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, is alternately passing through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

16. A heating system for a building, comprising at least the following:

an arrangement of heat exchangers, the arrangement comprising at least one first heat exchanger disposed in a first room of the building and at least one second heat exchanger disposed in a second room of the building,

a heating source for heating a fluid medium of the heating system used for heat exchange,

a circulating pump for circulating the fluid medium in the heating system,

at least one distributor for distributing the fluid medium within the heating system, and

a control device, including;

at least one first temperature sensor associated with the first heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the first room,

at least one second temperature sensor associated with the second heat exchanger and measuring a temperature in the second room, and

an electronic control station configured to automatically separate the first and second heat exchangers from the other heat exchangers in the arrangement of heat exchangers and from the heating source, based on the temperatures measured by the first and the second temperature sensor, the electronic control station further configured to automatically produce a closed circuit in which the fluid medium carried in the first and the second heat exchangers circulates in-series between the first and the second heat exchangers and remains cut off from the remaining fluid medium in the heating system, from the arrangement of heat exchangers, except the first and second heat exchangers, and from the heating source;

wherein the fluid medium, in the closed circuit between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, is alternately passing through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.