Method and system for controlling energy transfer of a thermal energy exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12072116-B2
Application number	US-201917054856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2019
Priority date	Jun 12, 2018
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

For controlling energy transfer (Q) of a thermal energy exchanger of an HVAC system, a control system determines flow-dependent model parameters (M) for modelling performance of the thermal energy exchanger, using a plurality of measurement data sets, each measurement data set including for a respective measurement time a value of a measured flow of fluid (Φact), a value of a measured supply temperature (Tsup) of the fluid, and a value of the measured return temperature (Tret) of the fluid. The control system calculates an estimated energy transfer (Qest) of the thermal energy exchanger, using the flow-dependent model parameters (M), and controls (S4) the energy transfer (Q) of the thermal energy exchanger by regulating (S5) the flow of fluid (Φ) through the thermal energy exchanger, using the estimated energy transfer (Qest).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for controlling energy transfer of a thermal energy exchanger of an HVAC system, the control system comprising at least one processor configured to:
obtain from a flow sensor, a measured flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger;
obtain from a first temperature sensor, a supply temperature of the fluid in a supply pipe connected to an entry of the thermal energy exchanger;
obtain from a second temperature sensor, a return temperature of the fluid in a return pipe connected to an exit of the thermal energy exchanger;
determine flow-dependent model parameters for modelling performance of the thermal energy exchanger, using one or more measurement data sets, each measurement data set including for a respective measurement time a value of the measured flow of fluid, a value of the measured supply temperature of the fluid, and a value of the measured return temperature of the fluid;
calculate an estimated energy transfer of the thermal energy exchanger, using the flow-dependent model parameters, by
determining an estimated energy transport, extracted in the thermal energy exchanger from the fluid, by
determining an input temperature of the thermal energy exchanger, using the measured supply temperature and a delay time in the supply pipe for the fluid to move from the first temperature sensor to the thermal energy exchanger,
determining an output temperature of the thermal energy exchanger, using the measured return temperature and a delay time in the return pipe for the fluid to move from the thermal energy exchanger to the second temperature sensor, and
calculating the estimated energy transport from the measured flow of fluid, the input temperature of the thermal energy exchanger, and the output temperature of the thermal energy exchanger;
determining an energy content stored in the thermal energy exchanger, and
calculating the estimated energy transfer as a difference from the energy transport and the energy content; and

control the energy transfer of the thermal energy exchanger by regulating the flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger, using the estimated energy transfer.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine with the flow-dependent model parameters a delay time in the supply pipe for the fluid to move from the first temperature sensor to the thermal energy exchanger, and determining a delay time in the return pipe for the fluid to move from the thermal energy exchanger to the second temperature sensor.

3. The control system of one of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine with the flow-dependent model parameters an energy transfer coefficient for the thermal energy exchanger.

4. The control system of one of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine with the flow-dependent model parameters a secondary temperature associated with a secondary side of the thermal energy exchanger.

5. The control system of one of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine with the flow-dependent model parameters an exchange time for the fluid to replace a total fluid content of the thermal energy exchanger.

6. The control system of one of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the flow-dependent model parameters by determining an estimated return temperature of the fluid in the return pipe, and setting the flow-dependent model parameters to minimize a difference between the estimated return temperature and the measured return temperature.

7. The control system of one of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a target energy transfer, and control the energy transfer by regulating the flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger based on a comparison of the target energy transfer and the estimated energy transfer.

8. The control system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to regulate the flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger by determining a target flow based on the comparison of the target energy transfer and the estimated energy transfer, and regulate the flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger based on a comparison of the target flow and the measured flow of fluid.

9. A control system for controlling energy transfer of a thermal energy exchanger of an HVAC system, the control system comprising at least one processor configured to:
obtain from a flow sensor, a measured flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger;
obtain from a first temperature sensor, a supply temperature of the fluid in a supply pipe connected to an entry of the thermal energy exchanger;
obtain from a second temperature sensor, a return temperature of the fluid in a return pipe connected to an exit of the thermal energy exchanger;
determine flow-dependent model parameters for modelling performance of the thermal energy exchanger, using one or more measurement data sets, each measurement data set including for a respective measurement time a value of the measured flow of fluid, a value of the measured supply temperature of the fluid, and a value of the measured return temperature of the fluid, wherein determining the flow-dependent model parameters comprises the control system determining a delay time in the supply pipe for the fluid to move from the first temperature sensor to the thermal energy exchanger, and determining a delay time in the return pipe for the fluid to move from the thermal energy exchanger to the second temperature sensor;
calculate an estimated energy transfer of the thermal energy exchanger, using the flow-dependent model parameters; and
control the energy transfer of the thermal energy exchanger by regulating the flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger, using the estimated energy transfer.

10. The control system of one of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine with the flow-dependent model parameters an energy transfer coefficient for the thermal energy exchanger.

11. The control system of one of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine with the flow-dependent model parameters a secondary temperature associated with a secondary side of the thermal energy exchanger.

12. The control system of one of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the flow-dependent model parameters by determining an estimated return temperature of the fluid in the return pipe, and setting the flow-dependent model parameters such as to minimize a difference between the estimated return temperature and the measured return temperature.

13. The control system of one of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a target energy transfer, and control the energy transfer by regulating the flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger based on a comparison of the target energy transfer and the estimated energy transfer.

14. The control system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to regulate the flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger by determining a target flow based on the comparison of the target energy transfer and the estimated energy transfer, and regulate the flow of fluid through the thermal energy exchanger based on a comparison of the target flow and the measured flow of fluid.

15. A control system for controlling energy transfer of a thermal energy exchanger of an HVAC system, the control system comprising at least one processor configured to:
obtain from a flow sensor, a measured flow of fluid through the therma

Assignees

• Belimo Holding Ag

Inventors

• Keller Jürg
• Hänseler Armon
• Reider Forest
• Mischler Stefan

Classifications

• G01F1/125

  with electric, electro-mechanical or electronic means · CPC title

• G05B2219/2614

  HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• F24D2220/044

  Flow sensors · CPC title

• F24F2110/10

  Temperature · CPC title