System and flow adaptive sensorless pumping control apparatus for energy saving pumping applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016017889-A1
Application number	US-201514730871-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 4, 2015
Priority date	Dec 16, 2011
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A signal processor receives signaling containing information about flow rates from sensorless converters in zone circulators in heating/cooling zones controlled by temperature sensors in a hydronic heating system in order to derive an adaptive pressure set point to meet the flow rates requested by the heating/cooling zones using an adaptive system and flow control curve equation, the signaling containing information about total flow rates requested by the zone circulators; determines desired pump speeds for the zone circulators to meet temperature requirements in heat zones; provides corresponding signaling containing information about the desired pump speeds; and/or determines the adaptive pump control curve equation based upon an adaptive system curve and as a moving maximum system flow rate depending on an adaptive pressure set point, a system flow rate requested by temperature loads, a minimum pressure at no flow, a control curve setting parameter, and an adaptive moving maximum flow and pressure.

First claim

What we claim is:

1 . Apparatus comprising:
a signal processor or processing module configured at least to:
receive signaling containing information about flow rates from sensorless converters in zone circulators in heating/cooling zones controlled by temperature sensors in a hydronic heating system in order to derive an adaptive pressure set point to meet the flow rates requested by the heating/cooling zones using an adaptive system and flow control curve equation, the signaling received also containing information about total flow rates requested by the zone circulators; and
determine desired pump speeds for the zone circulators to meet temperature requirements in heat zones, based upon the signaling received.

2 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor or processing module is configured to provide corresponding signaling containing information about the desired pump speeds.

3 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the corresponding signaling contains information used to control a pumping hydronic system.

4 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor or processing module is configured in, or forms part of, a central pump control panel.

5 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the zone circulators include sensors for providing the flow rates.

6 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal processor or processing module is configured to determine the adaptive pump control curve equation based upon an adaptive system curve and as a moving maximum system flow rate that depends on a relationship between an adaptive pressure set point, a system flow rate requested by temperature loads, a minimum pressure at no flow, a control curve setting parameter, and an adaptive moving maximum flow and pressure.

7 . Apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the signal processor or processing module is configured to:
1) determine the adaptive pump control curve equation based upon the adaptive system curve and as the moving maximum system flow rate using an equation (2.1), as follows:

P
*



(
t
)

=

(

Q
*



(
t
)

Q
_

m



(
t
)

)

α



(

P
_

m



(
t
)

-

b
0

)

+

b
0

,

(
2.1
)

where P*(t) represents the adaptive pressure set point, Q*(t) is the system flow rate requested by the temperature loads, b 0 is the minimum pressure at no flow, α is the control curve setting parameter varying as 1≦α≦2 defined in between a linear curve and a quadratic one, and Q m (t) and P m (t) are the adaptive moving maximum flow and pressure; or
2) determine a flow signal for use in a flow PID control technique based upon a flow set point in a control function using an equation (2.2), as follows:

Q
*



(
t
)

=

(

P
*



(
t
)

-

b
0

P
0

-

b
0

)

-
α



Assignees

• Fluid Handling Llc

Inventors

• Cheng Andrew A
• Gu James J
• Scott Graham A

Classifications

• F24F11/85

  using variable-flow pumps · CPC title

• F24F11/006

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• G05B13/041 Primary

  in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance · CPC title

• F04D27/00 Primary

  Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids · CPC title

• F24F11/83

  by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers · CPC title