US 12,140,977 B2
Regulation system for a thermo-hydraulic circuit and control method
Anton Soppelsa, Bolzano (IT)
Assigned to ACCADEMIA EUROPEA BOLZANO—EURAC RESEARCH, Bolzano (IT)
Filed by ACCADEMIA EUROPEA BOLZANO—EURAC RESEARCH, Bolzano (IT)
Filed on Oct. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/961,184.
Claims priority of application No. 102021000025670 (IT), filed on Oct. 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0109989 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. G05D 23/19 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 23/1931 (2013.01) 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for regulating a thermo-hydraulic circuit, the system comprising:
a thermo-hydraulic circuit comprising:
a thermal machine configured to heat or cool a carrier fluid,
at least one heat exchange terminal configured to exchange heat with a thermal load,
a carrier fluid circulation system comprising:
a delivery duct for transferring the carrier fluid from the thermal machine to the heat exchange terminal,
a return duct for transferring the carrier fluid from the heat exchange terminal towards the thermal machine, and
a three-way valve arranged along the delivery duct and fluidically connected to the thermal machine and the return duct, the three-way valve being operable to mix the carrier fluid in the delivery duct with the carrier fluid in the return duct,
a pump installed on the delivery duct or on the return duct, adapted to pump the carrier fluid through the carrier fluid circulation system;
at least a first temperature sensor installed on the delivery duct and adapted to measure a post-valve delivery temperature of the carrier fluid downstream of the three-way valve in a flowing direction of the carrier fluid;
at least a second temperature sensor installed on the delivery duct or inside the thermal machine and adapted to measure a pre-valve delivery temperature of the carrier fluid upstream of the three-way valve in the flowing direction of the carrier fluid;
at least a third temperature sensor installed on the return duct or inside the heat exchange terminal and adapted to measure a temperature of the carrier fluid downstream of the heat exchange terminal in the flowing direction of the carrier fluid and upstream of the three-way valve;
at least one flow or flow rate sensor installed in the carrier fluid circulation system to measure a mass or volumetric flow rate of the carrier fluid in an area of the carrier fluid circulation system;
said system further comprising:
an electronic control unit operatively connected to the three-way valve, the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, the third temperature sensor, and the flow or flow rate sensor;
wherein said electronic control unit is configured to acquire the post-valve delivery temperature, the pre-valve delivery temperature, the mass or volumetric flow rate of the carrier fluid, the temperature of the carrier fluid downstream of the heat exchange terminal, from respective sensors;
wherein said electronic control unit comprises a storage device in which a model function of the thermo-hydraulic circuit is stored, and a processing unit is configured to calculate values of:
a valve control signal adapted to determine an opening value of the three-way valve to mix the carrier fluid from the thermal machine and from the heat exchange terminal according to said opening value of the three-way valve;
a pump control signal adapted to regulate a value of power emitted by the pump, that is, the mass or volumetric flow rate of the carrier fluid;
wherein said processing unit is configured to calculate an estimated value of the post-valve delivery temperature and an estimated value of the mass or volumetric flow rate as output values of the model function of the thermo-hydraulic circuit and wherein said processing unit is further configured to calculate a carrier fluid delivery temperature error and a carrier fluid mass or volumetric flow rate error,
wherein said carrier fluid delivery temperature error is calculated by the processing unit according to a desired value of the post-valve delivery temperature, the measured post-valve delivery temperature and the estimated value of the post-valve delivery temperature, and
wherein said carrier fluid mass or volumetric flow rate error is calculated by the processing unit according to a desired value of the mass or volumetric flow rate, the value of the measured mass or volumetric flow rate of the carrier fluid and the estimated value of the mass or volumetric flow rate,
said valve control signal and pump control signal being calculated according to said carrier fluid mass or volumetric flow rate error and said carrier fluid delivery temperature error.