EP1801508A1

EP1801508A1 - System and method for the optimised management of a heating system

Info

Publication number: EP1801508A1
Application number: EP06126464A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paolo Degl'innocenti
Original assignee: Bronzuto Teresa; Nastrucci Licia
Current assignee: Bronzuto Teresa; Nastrucci Licia
Priority date: 2005-12-20
Filing date: 2006-12-19
Publication date: 2007-06-27
Also published as: ITTO20050883A1

Abstract

A system for the optimised management of a heating system (2), comprising at least a local control apparatus (3), which is adapted to drive the heating system (2) according to a predetermined heating program, and is capable of acquiring a plurality of consumption parameters correlated to the actual energy consumption of the heating system (2); a remote control unit (4), which is adapted to receive the acquired consumption parameters from the local control unit (4), through a communication system (5), and is capable of processing them for determining an actual energy consumption profile of the heating system (2); the central remote unit (4) verifies whether the actual energy consumption profile meets a predetermined ratio with a certain optimal energy consumption profile, and, if the ratio is not met, determines a correction profile containing a series of modifications to be implemented in the predetermined heating program contained in the local control apparatus (3) so that the actual energy consumption profile of the system (2) meets the predetermined ratio with the optimal consumption profile.

Description

The present invention relates to a system and method for the optimised management of a heating system.
In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method capable of efficiently managing one or more heating systems installed in a building, to which explicit reference will be made in the following description without for this loosing in generality.
As known, next-generation heating systems are provided with an electronic system having the function of selectively and automatically controlling a series of heat exchangers typically consisting of radiators and/or convectors arranged in the various rooms to be heated.
The above-mentioned electronic system is typically provided with a series of thermostats arranged in the rooms to be heated to measure the temperature, and a local electronic control unit arranged in the building and adapted to drive the heating system on the basis of temperature measurements made and according to a heating program stored inside. In particular, such heating program is typically set by the user and contains a plurality of data indicating the time pattern that the temperature must follow in the various rooms.
Regretfully, the settings made by the user on the heating program may often be inadequate and not comply with the settings required for optimal operation of the heating system, in terms of both energy consumptions and comfort reached in the heated rooms.
Indeed, the user may intervene once or more often on heating programming of the electronic control unit only on the basis of a subjective feeling of heat generated inside the various rooms, and not according to the actual heating needs of each room, often on the basis of estimation and therefore incorrectly setting the programmed parameters, with obvious consequences in terms of costs and energy waste.
Furthermore, the complexity of the program and/or the partial or incomplete knowledge by the operator about the parameters to be set in the program determines an approximate or incomplete programming of the heating profile implemented by the system, causing in some cases an only partial condition of wellbeing in the various rooms, not optimal with respect either to the actual heating needs of the user in each room or to the potentials offered by the system.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to create a system which is capable of optimally and efficiently managing the management of a heating system, in a building so as to increase comfort in the heated rooms and to reduce waste of energy at the same time.
According to the present invention, it is made a system for the optimal management of a heating system as indicated in claim 1 and, preferably in any of the subsequent claims depending either directly or indirectly on claim 1.
According to the present invention, a method is also provided for the optimal management of a heating system as indicated in claim 8.
The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a non-limitative embodiment example thereof, in which:

figure 1 shows a block diagram of the system for the optimised control of a heating system, made according to the dictates of the present invention; while
figure 2 shows a flow diagram indicating the operations implemented by the optimised control system of a heating system shown in figure 1.

With reference to figure 1, it is indicated as a whole by 1 a system capable of efficiently and optimally managing the consumptions of a heating system 2 installed inside a building (not shown) such as for example a home. It is however apparent that system 1 is capable of managing consumptions also of a plurality of heating systems installed in one or more buildings.
In the example shown in figure 1, the system essentially comprises a local electronic apparatus 3, which has the function of driving the operation of the heating system 2 according to a heating program stored inside, and which is capable instant-by-instant of acquiring a predetermined plurality of quantities and consumption parameters correlated to the actual energy consumption of the heating system 2.
System 1 further comprises a remote processing unit 4, which is adapted to communicate through a two-way communication system 5 with the local electronic apparatus 3 to receive from the latter the detected consumption parameters and is capable of processing the consumption parameters themselves for determining an actual energy consumption profile of the system 2, so as to check whether the actual energy consumption profile meets a predetermined ratio with a certain optimal energy consumption profile or not.
The remote processing unit 4, if the actual energy consumption profile of the heating system 2 does not meet the aforesaid predetermined ratio with the optimal energetic consumption profile, determines a correction profile containing a series of modifications to the settings to be made to the predetermined heating program so that, after implementing the modified program, the actual energy consumption profile of the system 2 corresponds to the optimal energy consumption profile.
The remote processing unit 4 is also adapted to communicate to the local electronic apparatus 3, through the communication system 5, a signal that encodes a service message, which is adapted to inform the user of heating system 2 that a non-optimal operating condition of the system 2 itself has been detected. In other words, the service message informs the user that the energy consumption of the heating system 2 being controlled is not optimal and, at the same time, provides a remote intervention proposal for optimising the predetermined heating program of system 2.
The electronic apparatus 3, on the basis of an acceptance command of the remote intervention proposal (imparted by the user), is adapted to indicate to the remote unit 4 an authorisation to receive the correction profile, which comprises a plurality of settings and/or modifications to be made to the predetermined heating program contained in the electronic apparatus 3 itself.
The electronic apparatus 3, upon reception of the correction profile, automatically modifies the predetermined heating program on the basis of settings and/or modifications contained in the same.
With reference to the example shown in figure 1, the heating system 2 essentially comprises a working fluid generator device 6, for example a heater, capable of feeding the working fluid (for example water) through a distribution box 7 to a plurality of heat exchangers 8 (only one of which is shown in figure 1), constituted, for example, by radiators or convectors adapted to heat the rooms concerned by system 2. In the case in point, the distribution box 7 comprises a plurality of solenoid valves 9, which are interposed between a feeding manifold and a return collector of the system 2, and which are adapted to open/close upon command to regulate the thermal flow fed to each room. The above-described system 2 is known and will consequently not be further described.
As regards the local electronic apparatus 3, instead, it essentially comprises an electronic control unit 10, which is capable of controlling each solenoid valve 9 to regulate the thermal flow of each heat exchanger 8 on the basis of the program predetermined by the user and, at the same time, has the function of acquiring the quantities and the consumption parameters correlated to the energy consumption of the system 2.
The local electronic apparatus 3 further comprises a control and programming unit 16, preferably, but not necessarily of the portable type, which is adapted to communicate through a communication system 50 and/or the communication system 5 with the electronic control unit 10 so as to receive from the latter the acquired consumption parameters and is adapted to allow the user to set, modify, and display the heating program that has to be implemented by the electronic control unit 10.
With reference to the example shown in figure 1, the electronic control unit 10 comprises a memory module 12 containing the predetermined program, an interface module 13 connected to the solenoid valves 9 for controlling the opening/closing thereof, a processing module 14 capable of driving the opening/closing of the solenoid valves 9 on the basis of the predetermined heating program, a transceiver module 15, and a communication module 40.
In particular, the transceiver module 15 is adapted to implement a "short radius" communication, through the communication system 50, with a plurality of detection units appropriately arranged in the system, i.e. in the rooms to be heated, to receive from the latter the consumption parameters correlated to the energy consumption of the system 2. More in detail, the detection units 21 may also comprise sensors 22 arranged in the rooms to be heated to measure the temperatures present in each room, and the sensors 22 adapted to measure the temperature outside the building. The detection units 21 are further each provided with a communication device 23 capable of communicating the consumption parameters detected by the sensors 22 in the control and programming unit 16, through the two-way communication system 50.
The transceiver module 5 is further adapted to implement a "short radius" communication through the communication system 50 with the control and programming unit 16 to transmit to the latter the acquired consumption parameters. The two-way communication system 50 may be an infrared or radiofrequency wireless system.
As regards the communication module 40, instead, it is capable of implementing a "wide radius" communication through the communication system 5, both with the remote processing unit 4 and the control and programming unit 16 when the latter is at a distance not allowing a "short radius" communication with the transceiver module 15.
As regards the control and programming unit 16, instead, it comprises a control keyboard 24 (or any other type of system for data and command entry, such as for example a touchscreen), which is adapted to allow the user to enter the various parameters which characterise the heating program. Specifically, the user may set the heating program so that in each room, the thermal flow generated by the heat exchangers 8 existing in the room itself follows the thermal profile required by the user.
The keyboard 24 is further adapted to allow the user to impart direct commands for intervening on the operation of the heating system to interrupt and/or temporarily modify (totally or partially) the predetermined heating program; such commands may comprise, for example, switching one or more heat exchangers 8 off/on, turning the temperature in each room up/down, etc.
The control and programming unit 16 further comprises a display device 25, for example a liquid crystal display adapted to display the information related to energy consumption or programming of the heating system 2; a processing module 26; and a memory module 27.
The control and programming unit 16 further comprises at least one communication apparatus, comprising in turn a communication module 29 adapted to communicate through the communication system 5 with the remote processing unit 4, and/or with the communication module 40 of the electronic control unit 10; and preferably but not necessarily a transceiver module 28 adapted to exchange data through the communication system 50 with the transceiver module 15 of the electronic control unit 8.
It must be specified that the communication system 5 may comprise a fixed or mobile telephone network or a network capable of implementing a known IP protocol (Internet Protocol) or any other communication network capable of allowing "wide radius" data transmission and reception. In the case in point, the communication system 5 comprises a wireless network of the WiFi type.
As regards the processing unit 4, it essentially comprises a communication module 30 adapted to implement data exchange, through the communication system 5, with the communication module 29 of the control and programming unit 16, and/or with the communication module 40 of the electronic control unit 10; a storage module 31 adapted to store the consumption parameters acquired by the control and programming unit 16; and a processing module 32, having the function of processing the consumption parameters to determine the actual consumption profile of the heating system 2.
The operating method of the system will now be described with reference to figure 2; we will assume that the user has set up the heating program by means of the control and programming unit 16 and that the latter, following such setting, transmits the program to the electronic control unit 10, which stores it in its memory module 12. During this step, the processing module 14 controls the solenoid valves 9 of the system 2 according to the predetermined heating program so that the heating profile generated by the system follows that envisaged by the program.
In operation, the electronic control unit 10 of the local electronic apparatus 3 detects instant-by-instant the parameters correlated to the energy consumption of the heating system 2 itself (block 100). Such consumption parameters correspond to a series of quantities related to energy consumption, which as mentioned above, comprise the temperatures inside the rooms and the temperature outside the building measured by detection units 21. The consumption parameters further comprise the deviations between the "programmed" heating and the "actual" heating which occur due to the direct commands imparted by the user for temporarily deactivating the heating program.
The electronic control unit 10 is preferably, but not necessarily adapted to store the acquired consumption parameters at predetermined time intervals in the memory module 12, and to transmit them to the control and programming unit 16. It must be specified that such transmission may be performed either by the electronic control unit 10 by means of the transceiver module 15, if the control and programming unit 16 is not provided with the communication module 29 and is at a short distance (inside the building), or alternatively by the communication module 40, if the control and programming unit 16 is provided with the module 29 and/or is located at a high distance (such as not to allow short radius communication).
Upon reception of the consumption parameters, the control and programming unit 16 stores them in the memory module 27 and at the same time (and/or at predetermined time intervals) transmits them to the remote processing unit 4 (Block 110) which processes them to determine the actual energy consumption of the heating system 2 (Block 120).
During this step, the processing module 32 stores the consumption parameters acquired in the memory module 31, and processes them through an appropriate algorithm, which provides the actual energy consumption profile on the basis of the historical pattern of the stored consumption parameters and of the newly acquired consumption parameters.
Once the actual energy consumption profile is determined, the processing module 32 checks if such actual energy profile meets the predetermined ratio with the optimal consumption profile or not (Block 130). It must be specified that the optimal energy consumption may be characterised by a series of significant quantities and that the predetermined ratio may be met, for example, when such quantities are essentially equal to the corresponding quantities contained in the calculated actual energy consumption profile. It must also be specified that the optimal energy consumption profile may be determined by the processing module 32 in different ways; for example it may be calculated on the basis of a series of quantities associated to experimental data and/or according to quantities deriving from statistic processing of the consumption parameters acquired in a plurality of heating systems 2, etc. For example, the processing module 32 may determine the optimal energy consumption profile by implementing an intelligent learning algorithm. Such algorithm may be capable of introducing modifications to quantities characterising the predetermined heating program, according to the historical trend of the stored consumption parameters and/or the like on the basis of consumption parameters acquired in other heating systems. In particular, the intelligent learning algorithm detects modifications of operation controlled by the user by means of the control and programming unit 16, and detects the actual operating data of the heating system 2, during a significant time interval for statistic purposes, and updates the consumption parameters in the storage module 31 so as to be able to determine the optimal energy consumption associated to the monitored system 2. Indeed, by processing the acquired consumption parameters, the central remote unit 7 is capable of advantageously identifying the average behaviour and the use habits of the system 2 and therefore the basic use needs of the single user, from the historical database progressively detected and stored during operation. On the basis of such information, the central remote unit 7 is therefore capable of determining the use model of the system 2 corresponding to an optimal energy consumption profile.
If such relation is satisfied (YES output from block 130), i.e. if the actual energy consumption profile meets the predetermined ratio with the optimal energy consumption profile, the processing module 32 will wait for the reception of new consumption parameters and, after a predetermined time interval, will start processing consumption parameters again to repeat the above-described comparison.
If instead the ratio is not satisfactory, i.e. if the actual energy consumption profile does not meet the predetermined ratio with the optimal energy consumption profile (NO output from Block 130), the processing module 32 will identify a non-optimal energy consumption condition and determine the correction profile, which may be calculated on the basis of existing deviations between the actual energy consumption profile and the optimal energy consumption profile (Block 140).
At this point, the processing module 32 controls through the communication module 30 transmission to the control and programming unit 16 of the signal containing the service message (Block 150).
The control and programming unit 16 receives the signal containing the service message and communicates it to the user. It is obvious that such communication may occur via a visual message, an acoustic message or any other type of similar message (Block 160).
At this point, the user will impart an acceptance command of the optimisation proposal contained in the message (Block 170) by means of the control keyboard 24, and the processing module 26 activates the transmission of a remote intervention request to the remote processing unit 4 which, upon reception of such signal, transmits the correction profile containing the modifications to be made to the predetermined heating program to the control and programming unit 16.
The control and programming unit 16 upon reception of the correction profile (Block 180) is capable of communicating to the user (in a visual and/or acoustic format) the list of the modifications contained in the same so as to allow the user him/herself to personally intervene to modify the predetermined heating program on the basis of the notified modification (Block 190) . In this case, the user may make the listed modifications using the command keyboard 24.
The control and programming unit 16 is also capable of fully automatically activating the correction of the settings characterising the predetermined heating program on the basis of the modifications received (Block 200). In the case in point, the modifications shown in the optimal energy consumption profile are automatically implemented in the heating program by the processing module 26 such that the actual energy consumption profile meets the predetermined ratio with the optimal energy consumption profile. It is apparent that even in this case, the user may impart through the command keyboard 24 a command which automatically modifies the predetermined heating program on the basis of the received modifications.
According to a different embodiment, the remote processing unit 14, upon reception of the acceptance signal imparted by the user through the control and programming unit 16, is capable of transmitting the correction profile directly to the electronic control unit 5. In this case, the processing module 14 will correct the predetermined heating program stored in the memory module 12 according to the received correction profile and control operation of the solenoid valves 9 according to the modified program.
The advantages of the above-described system are various: it allows to optimise the energy consumption of the heating system, also if the predetermined heating program is not correct, determining a high reduction of waste consequent to inefficient programming, due to over/underestimated expectation with respect to the heating needs and/or to a partial or incomplete preventive and effective knowledge of the local programming and/or the respective control parameters. Furthermore, the system is extremely versatile as it is able to control both self-standing heating systems and centralised heating systems, such as, for example, remote heating systems. Furthermore, the system may be used also to collect useful energy billing data, for statistic consumption estimates used for planning heating expenses.
Finally, the system is capable of optimising energy consumptions also on the basis of external environmental conditions; indeed the acquisition and the subsequent processing of the external temperature of the building allow to determine an optimal consumption profile related not only to the internal heated environment, but also to the influence of the parameters associated to environmental conditions outside the building on thermal behaviour of the latter. For this purpose, the remote processing unit may be capable of optimising energy consumptions not only according to the environmental information obtained in "real time", such as for example the external temperature, but also on the basis of possible weather forecasts provided to the same by known forecasting systems.
It is finally apparent that changes and variations can be made to the system and method here described and illustrated without however departing from the scope of of the present invention, as defined by the accompanying claims.

Claims

A system (1) for the optimised management of at least one heating system (2), characterised in that it comprises:
- local control means (3) which are adapted to drive said heating system (2) according to a predetermined heating program, and are capable of acquiring a plurality of consumption parameters related to the actual energy consumption of said heating system (2);

- a central remote unit (4), which is adapted to communicate with said local control means (3) by means of a communication system (50) for receiving the acquired consumption parameters by the local control means (3) themselves, and is capable of processing said consumption parameters for determining an effective energy consumption profile of said heating system (2) ; the central remote unit (4) being adapted to verify whether said energy consumption profile meets a predetermined ratio with a certain optimal energy consumption profile, and if such ratio is not met, to determine a correction profile containing a series of modifications to be implemented in the predetermined heating program to obtain an actual energy consumption profile which meets said predetermined ratio with said optimal energy consumption profile.
A system according to claim 1, characterised in that, if said ratio is not met, said central remote unit (4) is adapted to transmit to said local control means (3) a signal containing a service message indicating a non-optimal condition of operation of the system (2) itself to the user of the heating system (2).
A system according to claims 1 or 2, characterised in that if said ratio is not met, said central remote unit (4) is adapted to transmit to said local control means (3) said correction profile containing a series of modifications to be implemented in said predetermined heating program.
A system according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that if said ratio is not met, said central remote unit (4), after receiving a modification request command, is adapted to transmit said correction profile containing a series of modifications to be implemented on said predetermined heating program to said local control means (3).
A system according to claim 4, characterised in that said local control means (3) are adapted to transmit said modification request command to said central remote unit (4) according to a command imparted to the local control means (3) themselves by said user.
A system according to any of the claims from 3 to 5, characterised in that said local control means (3) are adapted to modify said predetermined heating program according to said correction profile transmitted by said central remote unit (4).
A system according to any of the claims from 3 to 6, characterised in that said local control means (3) are adapted to communicate to the user said correction profile transmitted by said central remote unit (4).
A method (1) for the optimised management of at least one heating system (2), characterised in that it comprises the following steps:
- storing by means of local control means (3) a predetermined heating program adapted to be implemented by the local control means (3) themselves for driving the operation of said heating system (2);

- acquiring (100) by means of said local control means (3) a plurality of consumption parameters related to the actual energy consumption of said heating system (2);

- receiving via a central remote unit (4) by means of a data communication system (5), the consumption parameters acquired by said local control means (3), and processing (120) said consumption parameters for determining an actual energy consumption profile of said heating system (2);

- verifying (130) by means of said central remote unit (4) if the actual energy consumption profile meets a predetermined ratio with an optimal energy consumption profile, and if said ratio is not met, determining (140) a correction profile containing a series of modifications to be implemented on said predetermined heating program to obtain an actual energy consumption profile of said system (2) which meets said predetermined ratio with said optimal energy consumption profile.
A method according to claim 8, characterised in that it comprises the step of transmitting (150) a signal containing a service message indicating to the user of the heating system (2) a non-optimal condition of operation of the system (2) itself to said local control means (3).
A method according to claims 8 or 9, characterised in that it comprises the step of transmitting to said local control means, if said ratio is not met, said correction profile containing a series of modifications to be implemented to said heating program.
A method according to claim 10, characterised in that it comprises the step of transmitting to said local control means, if said ratio is not met, and upon reception of a modification request command, said correction profile containing a series of modifications to be implemented in said heating program.
A method according to claim 11, characterised in that it comprises the step of transmitting (170) by means of said local control means (3), upon command by said user, said modification request command to said central remote unit (4).
A method according to any of the claims from 8 to 12, characterised in that it comprises the step of modifying (200), by means of said local control means (3), the predetermined heating program according to said received correction profile.
A method according to any of the claims from 8 to 13, characterised in that it comprises the step of communicating to the user (190) said correction profile by means of said local control means.