Controlled routing of hydronic flow using a distribution area director

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12578115-B2
Application number	US-202217937088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2022
Priority date	Sep 30, 2022
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A method is provided for the controlled routing of hydronic flow within a climate control system. The method includes determining a condition type request for a plurality of area zones corresponding to a particular thermal zone. The method further includes determining a supply temperature type associated with at least a supply line of a primary supply loop and a supply line of a secondary supply loop. The supply temperature type is indicative of a thermal transport fluid temperature within the respective supply line. The method further includes providing an actuation signal set to a valve assembly. The actuation signal set is configured to describe a position for each value of the valve assembly and the position for each valve is based on the conditioning type request and the determined supply temperature types.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A method for controlling routing of hydronic flow within a climate control system, the method comprising:
determining a condition type request for a plurality of area zones corresponding to a particular thermal zone; determining a supply temperature type associated with at least a supply line of a primary supply loop and a supply line of a secondary supply loop, wherein the supply temperature type is indicative of a thermal transport fluid temperature within the respective supply line and at least one the supply line of the primary loop and the supply line of the secondary loop has a supply temperature type that changes over time; and providing an actuation signal set to a valve assembly, wherein the actuation signal set is configured to describe a position for each valve of the valve assembly associated with the particular thermal zone, the position for each valve is based on the conditioning type request and the determined supply temperature types, and the valve assembly is fluidically coupled at least to the supply line of the primary supply loop, the supply line of the secondary supply loop, and a supply line for an area zone primary unit for each of the plurality of area zones, wherein the valve assembly is two or more six-way valves,
the valve assembly is further fluidically coupled to a supply line of an auxiliary supply loop and a return line of the auxiliary supply loop, and
each six-way valve of the valve assembly are fluidically coupled to one another via a supply line and return line.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the supply temperature type further comprises:
determining a supply temperature associated with at least the supply line of the primary supply loop and the supply line of the secondary supply loop, wherein:
each supply temperature is measured by a temperature sensor located on or in the supply line of the respective supply loop, and
the supply temperature is a temperature of a thermal transport fluid flowing from within the respective supply line.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining a second condition type request.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the supply temperature type is one of hot.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the condition type request further comprises:
receiving a temperature setpoint request from one or more area zones of the plurality of area zones; and determining, using a prioritization temperature request model, the condition type request based on each received temperature setpoint request.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the prioritization temperature request model is configured to determine the condition type request based on one or more of: a priority score associated with each of the plurality of area zones, each received temperature setpoint request, an averaged temperature determined based on each received temperature setpoint request, or a temperature deviation from a configured set point.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition type request comprises a cooling request or heating request.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly is further fluidically coupled to: a return line of the primary supply loop, a return line of the secondary supply loop, and a return line for the area zone primary unit for each of the plurality of area zones.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each area zone primary unit comprises a fan coil, air handling unit, or a terminal unit.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly comprises one or more six-way valves.

11 . A climate control system for controlled routing of hydronic flow, comprising:
a primary supply loop, wherein:
the primary supply loop comprises a supply line and a return line;
a secondary supply loop, wherein:
the secondary supply loop comprises a supply line and a return line;
a plurality of area zones primary units, wherein:
each area zone primary unit is associated with an area zone of a plurality of area zones and each area zone corresponds to a particular thermal zone;
a valve assembly, wherein:
the valve assembly comprises one or more valves configured to control a flow of thermal transport fluid between two corresponding lines,
the valve assembly is two or more six-way valves, each six-way valve of the valve assembly are fluidically coupled to one another via a supply line and return line, and
the valve assembly is fluidically coupled at least to the supply line of the primary supply loop, the supply line of the secondary supply loop, and a supply line for the area zone primary unit for each of the plurality of area zones;
an auxiliary supply loop, wherein:
the auxiliary supply loop comprises a supply line and a return line, and
the valve assembly is further fluidically coupled to the supply line of the auxiliary supply loop and the return line of the auxiliary supply loop; and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a condition type request for the plurality of area zones corresponding to a particular thermal zone;
determine a supply temperature type associated with at least the supply line of the primary supply loop and the supply line of the secondary supply loop, wherein the supply temperature type is indicative of a thermal transport fluid temperature within the respective supply line and at least one the supply line of the primary loop and the supply line of the secondary loop has a supply temperature type that changes over time; and
provide an actuation signal set to the valve assembly, wherein:
the actuation signal set is configured to describe a position for each valve of the valve assembly associated with the particular thermal zone, and
the position for each valve is based on the conditioning type request and the determined supply temperature types.

12 . The climate control system of claim 11 , wherein the valve assembly is further fluidically coupled to a return line of the primary supply loop, a return line of the secondary supply loop, and a return line for the area zone primary unit for each of the plurality of area zones.

13 . The climate control system of claim 11 , wherein the condition type request comprises a cooling request or heating request.

14 . The climate control system of claim 11 , wherein the valve assembly comprises one or more six-way valves.

15 . The climate control system of claim 11 , wherein each area zone primary unit comprises a fan coil, air handling unit, or a terminal unit.

16 . The climate control system of claim 11 , wherein:
the climate control system further comprises one or more temperature sensors located on or in the supply line of a respective supply loop, and the controller is further configured to:
determine a supply temperature associated with at least the supply line of the primary supply loop and the supply line of the secondary supply loop, wherein:
each supply temperature is measured by a corresponding temperature sensor located on or in the supply line of the respective supply loop, and
the supply temperature is a temperature of a thermal transport fluid flowing from within the respective supply line.

17 . The climate control system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the supply temperature type for each supply line based on whether the corresponding supply temperature satisfies one or more supply temperature thresholds.

18 . The climate control system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

• Moffitt Ronnie R
• Fiegen Brian J
• Cline Lee R

Classifications

• F24D19/1015 Primary

  using a valve or valves · CPC title

• F24D10/00

  District heating systems · CPC title

• F24F11/54

  using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers · CPC title

• F24F2140/20

  Heat-exchange fluid temperature · CPC title

• F24F11/63

  Electronic processing · CPC title