Method and devices for equalizing a group of consumers in a fluid transport system

• US 9,766,633 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belimo Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Belimo Holding AG
• Inventors: Lederle, Norbert Markus, Keller, Urs, Hobi, Reto, Schmidlin, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNN, DARRIN D
• Application Number:
  US14/129,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20140150883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,917 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1009 for central heating
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0368 By speed of fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow

Abstract

For the purpose of balancing (S3) a group of consumers in a fluid transport system in which each consumer is configured with a motorized regulating valve for the purpose of regulating the flow through the consumer, characteristic data for the consumer is saved (S2) which determines a valve position of the corresponding regulating valve for the target throughput through each consumer. A momentary total throughput through the group of consumers is determined (S32) by means of a common throughput sensor, and based on the momentary total throughput and a sum of the desired target throughputs through the consumers, a balancing factor is determined (S34). By setting (S31) the valve positions of the corresponding regulating valves based on the characteristic data and the balancing factor, a dynamic balancing of the consumers is carried out.

Claims

1. A method for balancing a group of consumers in a fluid transport system in which each consumer is configured with a motorized regulating valve for a purpose of regulating fluid flow through the consumer wherein the method comprises:

obtaining characteristic data for a respective regulating valve of each consumer in said group of consumers by one of (1) flowing fluid through each regulating valve and measuring flow volume at each of plural valve positions of each regulating valve using a common flow sensor, such that separate sensors are not required for a purpose of measuring the flow, and (2) retrieving known data of the respective regulating valve of each consumer;

storing for each consumer, the characteristic data which assigns valve positions of the respective regulating valve of the consumer to target throughputs for the respective consumer,

determining a momentary total throughput through the group of consumers by means of the common flow sensor,

determining a balancing factor based on the momentary total throughput and a sum of desired specified target throughputs through the consumers, and

executing a dynamic balancing of the consumers by setting the valve positions of the corresponding regulating valves based on the characteristic data and the balancing factor.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized by repeated determinations of the momentary total throughput and the balancing factor, and execution of the dynamic balancing until the momentary total throughput is within a defined threshold range around the sum of the desired target throughputs.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized by detection of the characteristic data for the consumers of the group by setting the regulating valves for a first part of the consumers in a closed position, and measuring a flow through a second part of the consumers in different valve positions by means of the common flow sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized by detection of the characteristic data for each consumer of the group by setting the regulating valves for the other consumers of the group in a closed position, and measuring a flow through the one consumer in different valve positions by means of the common flow sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized by execution of a one-time actuation of the consumers when a maximum position is reached in at least one of the regulating valves.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized by saving of priority data for each of the consumers, and throttling of the flow through consumers with low priority, when a maximum position is reached in one of the regulating valves of a consumer with high priority.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized by reduction of the output of a fan and/or pump when a defined minimum position is reached in at least one of the regulating valves, for a purpose of preventing flow noise by a fluid.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized by the setting of the valve position of the corresponding regulating valves based on the characteristic data, the balancing factor, and when pump output is reduced and the sum of the desired target throughputs through the consumers is kept constant, with an increased degree of opening of the corresponding regulating valve up to a defined maximum position in at least one of the regulating valves.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored computer program code for controlling one or more processors of a device in such a manner that the device executes a method according to one of the claims 1-8 for a purpose of balancing a group of consumers in a fluid transport system.

9. A device for balancing a group of consumers in a fluid transport system, the fluid transport system having a motorized regulating valve for each consumer for a purpose of regulating fluid flow through the consumer, and the fluid transport system having a common flow sensor for a purpose of measuring a total throughput through the group of consumers such that separate sensors for each consumer for a purpose of determining the flow are not required, wherein the device comprises:

a characteristic data module which is designed for obtaining characteristic data for a respective regulating valve of each consumer in said group of consumers by one of (1) flowing fluid through each regulating valve and measuring flow volume at each of plural valve positions of each regulating valve using the common flow sensor and (2) retrieving known data of the respective regulating valve of each consumer, and saving characteristic data for each of the consumers, said characteristic data determining a valve position of a respective regulating valve for each of target throughputs for each of the consumers, and

a balancing module which is designed to determine the momentary total throughput through the group of consumers by means of the common flow sensor,

wherein the device is operative to determine a balancing factor based on the momentary total throughput and a sum of the desired target throughputs through the consumers, and

wherein the device carries out a dynamic balancing of the consumers by setting the valve positions of the corresponding regulating valves based on the characteristic data and the balancing factor.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the balancing module is designed:

to make repeated determinations of the momentary total throughput and the balancing factor, and

to execute the dynamic balancing until the momentary total throughput is within a defined threshold range around the sum of the desired target throughputs.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the characteristic data module is designed:

to detect the characteristic data for the consumers of the group by setting the regulating valve for a first part of the consumers in a closed position, and

to measure fluid flow (F) through a second part of the consumers in different valve positions by means of the common flow sensor.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the characteristic data module is designed:

to detect the characteristic data for each of the consumers by setting the regulating valve for the other consumers of the group in a closed position, and

to measure fluid flow (F) through the specific one of the consumers in different valve positions by means of the common flow sensor.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein the balancing module is designed to execute a one-time actuation of the consumers when a maximum position is reached in at least one of the regulating valves.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein the characteristic data module is designed to save priority data for each of the consumers, and

the balancing module (12) is designed to throttle the flow through consumers with low priority when a maximum position is reached in one of the regulating valves of a consumer with high priority.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein the balancing module is designed to prevent flow noise by a fluid by reducing the output of a fan and/or pump when a minimum position is reached in at least one of the regulating valves.

16. The device according to claim 9, wherein the balancing module is designed to set the valve position of corresponding regulating valves, based on the characteristic data, the balancing factor, and, when pump output is reduced and the sum of the desired target through the consumers are kept constant, with an increased degree of opening of the corresponding regulating valve up to a defined maximum position in at least one of the regulating valves.