FR2730801A1 - Control of water central heating system - Google Patents

Abstract

A boiler (50) is heated by a number of heating resistances (51-55) and supplies hot water to an output manifold (60) through an aquastat (57). The output manifold feeds outputs (61-65) which are controlled by electrovalves (101-105) and each output supplies a heating element (91-95) in a particular premise. Thermostats or similar heat sensors (131-135) in each individual premise operate units (141-145) in a regulator (140) and these units control the boiler heating elements (51-55) and the hot water electrovalves (101-105). A pump (80) circulates the hot water and there is a bypass circuit (120) and differential valve (72).

Description

 The present invention relates to a central heating installation with water circulation and a boiler used in such an installation.

 We already know such installations and we will usefully refer to French patent application FR-A-2 597 585 which describes an installation consisting of two loops supplied with hot water by a boiler, a first loop supplying a first type of elements heating, such as heated floors while a second loop supplies a second type of heating elements such as radiators. Regulation devices make it possible to manage the temperature of the fluid in each loop.

 The growing interest in electrical energy heating installations is also known. They provide flexibility of use and also independent regulation of each of the heating elements.

 Generally, the heating elements of these installations consist of heating cables crossing floors and installed in each of the rooms of the house to be heated. However, current standards are increasingly stringent for the use of such heating electric cables working in direct emission. Indeed, it turns out that in the case of thermal blockage caused by a thick carpet, a chest, a mattress placed on the ground, the temperature of the ground can reach a dangerous value locally.

 Also, a central heating installation with water circulation is preferred in which the heating energy supplied by a boiler is electrical energy.

 To do this, an electrically heated boiler is used.

 Such installations include a boiler, the outlet of which is connected to the inlet of a plurality of heating elements respectively installed in rooms to be heated and the inlet of which is connected to the outlets of the heating elements, each heating element being consisting of a water pipe, and a circulator for driving the heating water in each of said heating elements.

 The object of the invention is to provide a central heating installation which is economical in use. The problem with such installations is that it is difficult to adapt the demand for energy by the installation to that for the production of energy by the boiler. For example, the demand at a given time may be low because only one room is to be heated, while the boiler heats the water to meet this demand at its nominal power. The object of the invention is therefore to propose a solution to this problem.

 To this end, said boiler is provided with a plurality of heating members, each heating member of said boiler being controlled by a regulation device installed in a room to be heated, said regulation device controlling at the same time as said heating organs, a valve provided for controlling the flow of water from the boiler in the heating element associated with said part to be heated.

 Thus, if a single room needs to be heated, its regulating device, which can be a room thermostat, will control the opening of the valve so that the hot water can flow into the heating element of this part but will also control the only heating element which is associated with said heating element. Each heating element of the boiler can advantageously be an electrical resistance. Thus, it will be understood that the heating power of the boiler is substantially proportional to the power demanded by the heating elements of the rooms to be heated.

 Each heating element advantageously consists of a tube incorporated in the floor of a room to be heated.

 An installation according to the invention advantageously comprises a control unit which is made up of modules which are unequivocally associated with the rooms to be heated, the thermostat installed in each room being connected to the input of the corresponding module, said module being provided when the temperature ambient of said room is lower than a set temperature, to control, on the one hand, the opening of the corresponding solenoid valve so that the hot water can flow in the heating element associated with said room and, on the other hand, the supply of the resistance associated with said part and, when the ambient temperature of said part is higher than a set temperature, for, on the one hand, controlling the closing of the corresponding solenoid valve so that the hot water can no longer flow into the heating element associated with said room and to, on the other hand, cut off the supply of the resistance associated with ladi the room.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, each module consists of a relay which is controlled by said thermostat of the associated room so that its working contacts close when the ambient temperature of said room is below a set temperature , One of said working contacts controlling the supply of the motor to the corresponding solenoid valve and the other contact controlling the corresponding resistance of the boiler.

 Furthermore, each resistance of said boiler is controlled only when temperature and pressure conditions in said installation are met.

 The present invention also relates to a boiler which can be used in such an installation. Such a boiler is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of heating elements, such as electric heating resistors, which can be controlled one independently of the other.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a heating installation according to the invention, and
Fig. 2 is a schematic view of an electrical circuit controlling the installation.

 The installation shown in FIG. 1 consists of an electric boiler 50, the outlet 50a of which is connected to the inlet of a heating element consisting of a flow collector 60, a return collector 70 and a circulator 80 connected together in series . The output of the circulator 80 is connected to the input 50b of the boiler 50.

 The flow manifold 60 has a plurality of outlets (here five) 61 to 65 respectively connected, by means of heating elements 91 to 95 (only the heating element 91 has been shown for the readability of FIG. 1 ) at a plurality of inlets (here five) 71 to 75 from the return collector 70. Each heating element 91 to 95 consists of a tube incorporated in the floor of a room to be heated.

 The flow manifold 60 carries solenoid valves 101 to 105 which are provided to allow or prevent the hot water coming from the boiler 50 from circulating in the corresponding heating element 91 to 95.

 The boiler 50 is provided with a plurality of heating elements, such as electrical resistors 51 to 55 which are provided for heating the water which circulates in the boiler 50.

 In the embodiment shown, the boiler 50 is provided with a thermal safety device 56 which cuts off the supply to said boiler when the water passing through it exceeds the temperature of 850 and when the pressure is greater than 0.5 bar. The pipe which is at the outlet 50a of the boiler 50 is provided with an automatic vent valve 110 and an aquastat 57 adjusted for the temperature of 50 ".

 It will be noted that the line 120 which is located between the outgoing collector 60 and the return collector 70 is provided with a differential valve 72. Likewise, a charge arrival line 121 is provided with a pressure gauge 122 and is connected, on the one hand, to an expansion vessel 123, and, on the other hand, to a filling pump 124 ensuring a sufficient volume of water in the entire heating installation when it is in operation.

 In each room where a heating element 91 to 95 is installed, there is mounted a device 131, 132, 133, 134, 135 for regulating the ambient temperature in said room.

Such a device is for example a temperature probe or even a thermostat. The devices 131 to 135 are respectively connected to the corresponding inputs of a regulation unit 140, comprising modules 141 to 145 respectively associated with the regulation devices 131 to 135.

 It can also be seen that the module 141 of the unit 140 is designed to control, on the basis of the signals received from the regulation device 131, on the one hand, the resistor 51 of the boiler 50 and, on the other hand, I solenoid valve 101 of the flow manifold 60.

 Similarly, the module 142 of the unit 140 is designed to control, on the basis of the signals received from the regulating device 132, on the one hand, the resistor 52 of the boiler 50 and, on the other hand, the solenoid valve 102 of the collector go 60.

 And so it is with the other modules 143, 144 and 145.

 The operation of the installation of the invention is as follows.

 When a room, because its ambient temperature is higher than the set temperature of the corresponding control device 131 to 135, does not need to be heated, the corresponding solenoid valve 101 to 105 is closed and the corresponding resistance 51 at 55 is not powered. Hot water therefore does not flow into the corresponding heating element 91 to 95 and the room is therefore not heated.

 Note that if no room needs to be heated, all the solenoid valves 101 to 105 are closed and hot water then circulates through the intermediate pipe 120. The differential valve 72 ensures that the pressure in this pipe 120 is not not too important.

When a room, on the contrary, needs to be heated, that is to say when its ambient temperature is lower than the set temperature of the corresponding control device 131 to 135, the corresponding control device 131 to 135 controls the corresponding module 141 to 145 of the unit 140 so that, in turn, said module controls, on the one hand, the opening of the corresponding solenoid valve 101 to 105 and, on the other hand,
The supply of the corresponding resistor 51 to 55. Thus, the hot water will circulate in the corresponding heating element 91 to 95 and the heating power of the boiler 50 is adapted to demand.

 There is shown in FIG. 2, a block diagram of one of the modules 141 to 145 of the unit 140 which has been designated 14.

 Between the P phase and neutral N wires, are connected, in series, the winding 15a of a relay 15 and the contact of a thermostat 13. The latter is the thermostat 131 to 135 which is associated with the module 14. The relay 15 includes working contacts 15b and 15c. The first contact 15b is connected, between phase P and neutral N, in series with the motor 10 of the corresponding solenoid valve 101 to 105 while the second contact 15c is connected, also between phase P and neutral N, in serine, on the one hand, with the resistor 5 (the resistor 51 to 55 which is associated with the module considered) and, on the other hand, with a working contact 1 6a of a relay 16 common to all the modules 141 to 145. Contact 16a is controlled by winding 16b, the terminals of which are connected to phase P and to neutral N in series with the contact of the safety device 56, the contact of the aquastat 57 as well as the contact an outdoor thermostat 58.

Claims (9)

 1) Central heating installation with water circulation comprising a boiler (50) whose outlet (50a) is connected to the inlet of a plurality of heating elements (91 to 95) respectively installed in rooms to be heated and whose input is connected to the outputs of the heating elements (91 to 95), each heating element (91 to 95) consisting of a water pipe, and a circulator (80) for driving the water from heating in each of said heating elements, characterized in that said boiler (50) is provided with a plurality of heating members (91 to 95), each heating member (51 to 55) of said boiler (50) being controlled by a regulating device (131 to 135) installed in a room to be heated, said regulating device (131 to 135) controlling, at the same time as said heating elements (51 to 55), a valve (101 to 105) provided for controlling the flow of water from the boiler (50) into the heating element associated with said part to be heated.  2) Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that each regulating device (131 to 135) is a room thermostat.  3) Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each heating member (51 to 55) of said boiler (50) is an electrical resistance.  4) Installation according to the preceding claims, characterized in that each heating element consists of a tube incorporated in the floor of a room to be heated.  5) Installation according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a control unit (140) which consists of modules (141 to 145) associated in a one-to-one manner with the parts to be heated, the thermostat (131 to 135) installed in each room being connected to the input of the corresponding module (141 to 145), said module (141 to 145) being provided, when the ambient temperature of said room is lower than a set temperature, to control, on the one hand, The opening of the corresponding solenoid valve (101 to 105) so that the hot water can flow into the heating element (91 to 95) associated with said part and, on the other hand, Supplying the resistor (51 to 55) associated with said part and, when the ambient temperature of said part is higher than a set temperature, for, on the one hand, controlling the closing of the solenoid valve (101 to 105 ) corresponding so that hot water can no longer flow into the heating element (91 to 95) associated with said room and, on the other hand, cut the power supply to the resistor (51 to 55) associated with said piece.  6) Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that each module (141 to 145) consists of a relay (15) which is controlled by said thermostat (13) of the associated part so that its working contacts (15b and 15c) close when the ambient temperature of said room is lower than a set temperature, one of said working contacts (15b) controlling the supply of the motor (10) of the corresponding solenoid valve (101 to 105) and the other contact (15c) the corresponding resistance (51 to 55) of the boiler (50).  7) Installation according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that each resistor (51 to 55) of said boiler (50) is controlled only when temperature and pressure conditions in said installation are met.  8) Boiler intended to be mounted in an installation according to one of the preceding claims, said boiler (50) being provided with a flow (50a) for hot water and a return (50b) for cooled water, characterized in that it is equipped with a plurality of heating elements (51 to 55) which can be controlled one independently of the other.  9) Boiler according to claim 8, characterized in that said heating elements are electrical resistors (51 to 55).