Electrical heating apparatus, in particular underfloor heating

Abstract

An electrical heating apparatus comprises a heating conductor device having at least one heating circuit with at least one power stage, a heating temperature setting unit that sets a set-point temperature, a temperature sensor that measures an actual temperature, an activating device that activates the heating conductor device on the basis of the respective values of the set-point and actual temperatures, a first energy source and a single control apparatus with a control module, which is connected between the first energy source and the heating conductor device. Further, the heating temperature setting unit and the temperature sensor output their signals to the control apparatus. The control module activates or deactivates first, second and/or additional more power stages individually or in combination on the basis of the difference between the set-point and actual values.

1 . An electrical heating apparatus comprising:
 a heating conductor device containing;
 a first heating circuit with a first power stage, and 
 at least one second heating circuit with a second power stage, 
   a heating temperature setting unit that sets a set-point temperature;   a temperature sensor that measures an actual temperature;   an activating device that activates the heating conductor device on the basis of the respective values of the set-point and actual temperatures;   a first energy source; and   a single control apparatus with a control module, said single control apparatus being designed as multistage controller, wherein   the single control apparatus is connected between the first energy source and the heating conductor device,   the heating temperature setting unit and the temperature sensor output their signals to the control apparatus, and   the control module activates or deactivates first and second power stages individually or in combination on the basis of the difference between the set-point and actual values.   
     
     
         2 . The heating apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control module is designed as a PI control module, which calculates in each case a control output on the basis of a control deviation in set-point and actual temperatures, a P component of said control output being dependent on the magnitude of the control deviation and an I component of said control output being dependent on the duration of the control deviation, and said control module correspondingly actuates the individual heating circuits. 
     
     
         3 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the power stages has an identical heating power. 
     
     
         4 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power stages have different heating powers. 
     
     
         5 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second electrical energy source for the power stages which is connectable to the control apparatus.   
     
     
         6 . The heating apparatus according to,  claim 1 , wherein the first energy source is a regular power grid and the second energy source is designed to be an individual alternative energy source, for instance photovoltaic installation or wind turbine. 
     
     
         7 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a logic switching unit that is connected between the second energy source and the control apparatus, to which the logic switching unit outputs a control signal relating to the respective present energy production of the second energy source and, in the event of sufficient energy production, enables the second energy source to supply energy to the heating conductor device.   
     
     
         8 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an operating mode switching unit that communicates with the control apparatus, wherein   the operating mode switching unit is configured to set the following operating states via the control apparatus, said operating states including:
 first state where energy is supplied to the heating conductor device via the first energy source, 
 second state where energy is supplied to the heating conductor device via the second energy source, and 
 third state where energy is supplied to the heating conductor device by a combination of the first and second energy source. 
   
     
     
         9 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the control apparatus is designed such that the heating conductor device is activated only when a positive signal of the logic unit is present and the second state is activated, otherwise the heating conductor device is deactivated. 
     
     
         10 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the operating states further include a fourth state where frost protection is set by the operating mode switching unit, in which fourth operating state the control apparatus activates the heating conductor device when a predefined temperature is undershot, independently of the set operating state of the second energy source. 
     
     
         11 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating conductor device has a heating conductor which has a plurality of electrically insulated heating conductors which are actuable independently of one another and have identical or different power stages. 
     
     
         12 . The heating apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein
 the heating conductor device is designed as one or more heating mats, and   the heating conductors are provided in a meandrous arrangement.   
     
     
         13 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller housing, where the control module, the heating temperature setting unit and operating mode setting unit are arranged therein.   
     
     
         14 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the housing has optical display units for displaying the set set-point temperature and the set operating state. 
     
     
         15 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, when the first and second heating circuits are provided,   the first power stage applies approximately 33% of the total heating power and the second power stage (L 2 ) applies approximately 66% of the total heating power.   
     
     
         16 . The heating apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 ,
 wherein when a control output, which is calculated by the control apparatus, is approximately 33%, the first power stage is activated, when a control output is approximately between 33% to 66%, the second power stage is activated, and when a control output is between 66% and 100%, the first and second power stages are activated.   
     
     
         17 . The heating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the heating conductor device further contains at least one additional heating circuit with at least one additional power stage, and   the control module activates or deactivates the at least one additional power stage.