Monitoring and operation of a liquid flow circuit containing a chemical additive

Abstract

In a heat transfer system ( 10 ) including a liquid flow circuit ( 14 ) within which a liquid containing a chemical additive is circulated to flow through one or more transfer devices ( 11, 12 ) the circuit is provided with a sensor ( 17 ) operable to provide an output signal in the event of liquid flow into the liquid flow circuit.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A heat transfer system comprising a liquid flow circuit within which a liquid containing a chemical additive is circulated to flow through one or more heat transfer devices, said circuit comprising a sensor operable to provide an output signal in the event of a liquid flow into the liquid flow circuit subsequent to initial filling of the liquid flow circuit 
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 16  and adapted for permanent or substantially permanent connection to a supply of liquid for flow into the liquid flow circuit. 
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 16  wherein the sensor is operable to provide an output signal which is a function of the volume of liquid flow into the liquid flow circuit. 
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 16  and comprising a volume flow display to display the volume of liquid which has entered the liquid flow circuit. 
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 19  wherein the display has associated therewith re-set means whereby following addition of liquid or chemical additive to the liquid flow circuit the display may be re-set thereby to display only the volume of liquid subsequently entering the liquid flow circuit. 
     
     
         21 . A system according to  claim 19  wherein said sensor and display are part of a monitoring device comprising also a data store to store information relating to the volume of liquid introduced into the liquid flow circuit during initial commissioning thereof. 
     
     
         22 . A system according to  claim 21  wherein the sensor is in communication with, or adapted for communication with a dosing device which is operable to introduce chemical additive into the liquid flow circuit. 
     
     
         23 . A system according to  claim 22  wherein the dosing device is operable automatically to introduce chemical additive into the liquid flow circuit in response to a signal from the monitoring device. 
     
     
         24 . A system according to  claim 21  wherein the monitoring device is operable to guide an operator through performing a set of sequential actions necessary to result in correct commissioning or re-filling of a heating or cooling system. 
     
     
         25 . A system according to  claim 21  wherein the monitoring device comprises a data store operable to record a history of operations undertaken in respect of flow of liquid into the liquid flow circuit and/or introduction of chemical additive. 
     
     
         26 . A system according to  claim 21  wherein the monitoring device is operable to monitor the rate of addition of liquid into the liquid flow circuit per unit time thereby to identify a persistent leak of fluid from the system. 
     
     
         27 . A system according to  claim 16  wherein the sensor is in communication with or adapted for communication with a dosing device, wherein the dosing device is operable automatically to introduce required chemical additive into the liquid flow circuit and wherein an alarm is generated in the event of the dosing device not containing any or containing only insufficient chemical additive needed to restore the concentration of additive to the required level of concentration. 
     
     
         28 . A system according to  claim 16  and comprising a pressure monitor operable to initiate an alarm signal in the event of a significant loss of pressure in the liquid flow circuit. 
     
     
         29 . A system according to  claim 16  wherein the sensor is operable to provide an output signal which is a function of the volume of liquid entering the liquid flow circuit subsequent to initial filling of the liquid flow circuit. 
     
     
         30 . A method of operation of a heat transfer system of the type comprising a liquid flow circuit within which there is circulated a liquid containing a chemical additive, said method comprising providing the system with a sensor which is operable to provide an output signal in the event of a liquid flow into the liquid flow circuit subsequent to initial filling of the liquid flow circuit 
     
     
         31 . A system according to  claim 30  wherein the sensor is operable to provide an output signal which is a function of the volume of liquid entering the liquid flow circuit subsequent to initial filling of the liquid flow circuit.