Systems and methods for implementing an advanced energy efficient boiler control scheme

Abstract

Automated systems, methods, techniques, processes, products and product components are provided to implement an advanced and energy efficient hot water heating system control scheme that incorporates an advanced hot water reset for the boilers, including condensing boilers in hydronic systems. The advanced controls are provided to substantially enhance combustion (heating) efficiency for the boilers. The disclosed schemes replace conventional linear hot water reset with a device which can stand alone or integrate with boiler control technology or an existing building automation system to create a unique (non-linear) boiler reset curve based on various inputs. The schemes allow boiler control systems to learn and adapt over time maximizing the efficiency of a condensing boiler plant, by providing an independent, intelligent, economical, monitorable and manipulable solution eliminating the need of a head end BAS control system.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A building heating system, comprising:
 at least one boiler comprising one or more heating elements, the one or more heating elements being selectively energized to heat a fluid medium in the at least one boiler;   piping that is connected between an outlet side of the at least one boiler and an inlet side of the at least one boiler, the piping being configured to circulate the heated fluid medium in the building;   at least one circulating pump that is configured to urge flow of the heated fluid medium through the piping;   a first sensor that is configured to generate a first input signal based on an ambient air temperature of an environment of the building;   at least one second sensor that is configured to generate at least one second input signal based on a sensed parameter measured by the at least one second sensor; and   a controller that is configured to receive the first input signal and the at least one second input signal and to generate at least one output signal for controlling at least one operating parameter of an operating component of the building heating system.   
     
     
         2 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the controller being configured generate the at least one output signal for controlling the at least one operating parameter of the operating component of the building heating system to modify a boiler supply water temperature set point. 
     
     
         3 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the at least one second sensor comprising one or more of: (1) an operation sensor associated with the at least one circulating pump; (2) a pump speed sensor; (3) an outlet or supply fluid temperature sensor; (4) an inlet or return water temperature sensor; (5) a piping loop pressure sensor; and (6 ) a heated fluid flow rate sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the at least one operating parameter being the selective energizing of the one or more heating elements of the at least one boiler as the operating component. 
     
     
         5 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the one or more heating elements being selected from a group consisting of combustible fuel fire heating elements, electrical heating elements, and heating elements powered by renewable energy sources. 
     
     
         6 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the at least one operating parameter being at least one of (1) selectively energizing, and (2) controlling an operating speed for, the at least one circulating pump as the operating component. 
     
     
         7 . The building heating system of  claim 6 , the at least one circulating pump comprising a plurality of circulating pumps, and the at least one operating parameter being at least one of (1) selectively energizing, and (2) controlling an operating speed for, each of the plurality of circulating pumps in a specified order as the operating component. 
     
     
         8 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the piping including at least one selectable pressure relief valve and the at least one operating parameter being controlling a loop pressure in the piping by selectively opening and closing the at least one selectable pressure relief valve as the operating component. 
     
     
         9 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the at least one boiler being a condensing boiler. 
     
     
         10 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the at least one boiler being a plurality of boilers, each of the plurality of boiler being in communication with separate piping that is connected between an outlet side and an inlet side of the each of the plurality of boilers and at least one circulating pump that is configured to urge flow of the heated fluid medium from the each of the plurality of boilers through the separate piping,
 the controller being configured to receive the first input signal and the at least one second input signal and to generate the at least one output signal for controlling the at least one operating parameter of the operating component of the building heating system associated with each of the plurality of boilers.   
     
     
         11 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the controller applying a selectable weighting factor to at least one of the first input signal and the at least one second input signal to generate the at least one output signal for controlling that at least one operating parameter of the building heating system. 
     
     
         12 . The building heating system of  claim 7 , further comprising a user interface that is configured to allow a user to manually input the selectable weighting factor for the controller to apply to the at least one of the first input signal and the at least one second input signal to generate the at least one output signal. 
     
     
         13 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the at least one output signal for controlling the at least one operating parameter of the operating component being transmitted to the operating component from the controller via a digital building automation system. 
     
     
         14 . The building heating system of  claim 1 , the controller being further configured to calculate and output a comparative analysis of an efficiency in operation of the building heating system as controlled by the controller with a baseline conventional linear reset model. 
     
     
         15 . A method for heating a building heating, comprising:
 providing at least one boiler comprising one or more heating elements, the one or more heating elements being selectively energized to heat a fluid medium in the at least one boiler;   providing piping that is connected between an outlet side of the at least one boiler and an inlet side of the at least one boiler, the piping being configured to circulate the heated fluid medium in the building;   providing at least one circulating pump that is configured to urge flow of the heated fluid medium through the piping;   providing a first sensor that is configured to generate a first input signal based on an ambient air temperature of an environment of the building;   providing at least one second sensor that is configured to generate at least one second input signal based on a sensed parameter measured by the at least one second sensor;   receiving, via a controller, the first input signal and the at least one second input signal; and   generating, with the controller, at least one output signal for controlling at least one operating parameter of an operating component of the building heating system.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , the controller being configured generate the at least one output signal for controlling the at least one operating parameter of the operating component of the building heating system to modify a boiler supply water temperature set point. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , the at least one second sensor comprising one or more of: (1) an operation sensor associated with the at least one circulating pump; (2) a pump speed sensor; (3) an outlet or supply fluid temperature sensor; (4) an inlet or return water temperature sensor; (5) a piping loop pressure sensor; and (6) a heated fluid flow rate sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , the at least one operating parameter being the selective energizing of the one or more heating elements of the at least one boiler as the operating component. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , the at least one operating parameter being at least one of (1) selectively energizing, and (2) controlling an operating speed for, the at least one circulating pump as the operating component. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , the piping including at least one selectable pressure relief valve and the at least one operating parameter being controlling a loop pressure in the piping by selectively opening and closing the at least one selectable pressure relief valve as the operating component.