GB2459664A

GB2459664A - Central heating control apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2459664A
Application number: GB0807756A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lindsay Ellacott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-29
Filing date: 2008-04-29
Publication date: 2009-11-04
Also published as: GB0807756D0

Abstract

A central heating control system comprises a plurality of flow control valves 104 for controlling water flow through their respective radiator panels 101. Each flow control valve 104 includes motor means to vary the opening of the valve in response to control signals received from a central control unit 106. Control signals may be sent to selected flow control valves.

Description

CENTRAL HEATING CONTROL APPARATUS

The present invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the control of hot water central heating systems.

Conventional hot water central heating systems consist of a boiler located in a convenient position in or close to building to be heated by the central heating system, a plurality of radiator panels located in regions where heating is required, and a water flow circuit connecting the radiator panels and the boiler.

Each radiator panel is provided with a water flow control valve, which can be opened or closed to turn on or off the radiator concerned. The water flow control valve can include a thermostat, which maintains at a pre-set value the temperature of the radiator panel to which the water flow control valve is fitted.

It has been proposed that the most efficient way of operating a central heating system is to heat eveiy part of the building in which the central heating system is installed to a similar temperature, so as to rniniinise thermal gradients within the building. This may be so in a modern house of relatively modest size, the walls and windows of which have a high thermal impedance, but is impractical in the case of larger houses, particularly period properties, which often have walls of varying thickness and thermal impedance and box-frame windows with sliding sashes. This type of window is notoriously leaky in the thermal sense due to the looseness of fit of the sashes in the frames, which is necessary to enable such windows to be opened and closed easily. Also, such windows tend to be larger than those used in modem properties, unless the windows are of the type known as picture windows. In the case of such larger or older properties, it is more cost-effective to heat only those parts of a property which are in use at a given time, and to keep other parts of the property concerned closed off. A result of doing this is that it becomes necessary to turn particular radiator panels on or off, as it is desired to bring into, or take out of, use, the rooms concerned.

With larger houses and varying occupancies, this can be quite laborious.

It is an object of the present invention to facilitate the operation of hot water central heating systems.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for facilitating the operation of a hot water central heating system, comprising a plurality of water flow control valves adapted to control the flow of water through respective radiator panels of the central heating system, wherein each water flow control valve includes means for varying the degree of opening of the water flow control valve in response to control signals, a central control unit adapted to generate the control signals and means for applying the control signals to selected water flow control valves.

Preferably, the means for varying the degree of opening of each of the water flow control valves is adapted to respond to electromagnetic control signals and the means for applying the control signals to selected water flow control valves includes a transmitter of electromagnetic cäntt1' signals generated by the central control unit.

Alternatively, the means for varying the degree of opening of each of the water flow control valves may be adapted to be connected electrically to the central control unit.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of part of a hot water central heating system embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a part section of a diagrammatic representation of a water flow control valve for use in performing the present invention, and Figure 3 is a part section of a diagrammatic representation of a second type of water flow control valve for use in performing the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a central heating system 100 embodying the invention consists of a plurality of radiator panels 101, which are disposed where required in a building (not shown in the drawing) to be heated by the central heating system 100.The radiator panels 101 are connected to a boiler (again not shown in the drawing) by flow and return pipes 102,103, respectively. On the inlet side of each radiator panel 101 there is a water flow control valve 104, to be described in more detail later. Each water flow control valve 104 includes an electro-mechanical servo unit 105, which is adapted to respond to control signals generated by a central control unit 106. The central control unit 106 includes a radio transmitter and each water flow control valve 104 includes a receiver for control signals generated and transmitted by the central control unit 106. The control signals generated and transmitted by the central control unit 106 are coded and specific to given water flow control valves 104. The central control unit 106 may be adapted to be mounted at a convenient location, or be adapted to be hand-held and portable.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, which shows the construction of a servo-unit 105 in more detail, each servo-unit 105 consists of a power pack 201, which is connected to a radio receiver 202. The power pack 201 also is connected to a dc electric motor 203 via a switch 204, which is adapted to be operated in response to control signals received by the radio receiver 202 and specific to the water flow valve 104 concerned. The electric motor 203 is connected to an operating spindle 205 of a conventional hot water radiator flow control valve body 206 via a gearbox 207. The servo-unit 105 is housed within removable protective cover 208, which may be fixed or rotatable and connected to the operating spindle 205 so that the flow control valve 105 can be operated manually, if so desired.

The power pack 201 may be adapted to receive a battery, or batteries, or to be mains-powered. In the latter case, for safety reasons, an isolating transformer should be included, between the power pack 201 and the mains supply. Also, if and particularly if the central heating system is installed during the initial construction of the building in which it is situated, the water flow control valves 104 can be connected directly to the central control unit 106 and the transmitter and receiver components of the central control unit 106 and water flow control valves I 04,respectively, can be omitted.

Referring to Figure 3, there is shown a part section of a diagrammatic representation of a second form of water flow control valve operating servo system. Those components which are common to both forms of water flow control valve operating servo systems, have the same reference numerals. In the second form of water flow control valve operating servo system 301, the electric motor 203 of the first type of water flow control valve operating servo system and associated gearbox 207 are replaced by an electric motor 302 of the stepping type and the control unit 105 is adapted to produce control signals which are pulsed in form, each pulse of the control signals being adapted to cause the electric motor 302 to move one step in a direction such as to open or close the water flow control valve 104, as required.