Abstract: A method of operating an HVAC system that includes a thermal energy source and a thermal energy transfer device, using a flow regulating device arranged to regulate a flow rate of a fluid between the thermal energy source and the thermal energy transfer device, the method including determining a supply temperature of the fluid, determining a return temperature of the fluid, determining the flow rate of the fluid, and regulating the flow rate of the fluid such as to maintain a target temperature difference between the supply temperature and the return temperature, while ensuring that the return temperature is above a minimum return temperature threshold and the flow rate is above an operational flow rate threshold of the thermal energy transfer device.

Abstract: A brushless DC motor includes a stator, a permanent magnet rotor, a motor shaft, and a shaft bearing. The brushless DC motor has a motor axis. The stator includes a set of teeth, each of the teeth being spaced apart from the rotor by a gap having a gap width. The motor shaft and the shaft bearing are radially biased with respect to each other by a magnetic biasing force, the magnetic biasing force acting in a fixed radial direction. A tooth design of the teeth differs among the teeth.

Abstract: An actuator includes an electric motor having cogging torque, and a controller that controls operation of the electric motor and determines a motor position of the electric motor, the electric motor having a set of stable positions being defined by the cogging torque. The controller includes a circuit that controls the electric motor to drive an actuated part of a Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning system to a target position and maintain a current motor position by controlling a motor torque of the electric motor to maintain the motor position within a defined range around the stable position closest to the current motor position.

Abstract: A heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) sensor device includes a control signal input for receiving, from an HVAC controller, a control signal for controlling a HVAC actuator, a control signal output for transmitting a control signal to the HVAC actuator; and an electronic circuit, which receives a sensor signal indicative of condensation and/or indicative of relative humidity; and passes through the control signal to the control signal output in response to the sensor signal indicative of condensation and/or indicative of relative humidity being within defined ranges, or overwrites the control signal received at the control signal input with a control reference value and outputs the overwritten control signal at the control signal output in response to the sensor signal being outside the defined ranges. The control reference value causes the HVAC actuator to move an actuated part to a safety position which reduces and/or prevents formation of condensation.

Abstract: A method of controlling a Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system including a fluid transportation network that includes one or more network sections, each network section being connected to a fluid transportation circuit through respective supply lines and return lines, each network section including plural parallel zones, includes arranging a pressure regulating device in the supply lines and/or respective return lines of the network sections, arranging flow regulating devices in the zones of the network sections, measuring a remote differential pressure of the fluid in a first zone of the plurality of zones of each of the network sections, and controlling, by a controller, the pressure regulating devices of each network section to maintain the measured remote differential pressure within a specified differential pressure range.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically controlling the flow rate of a fluid (FR) flowing along a duct is disclosed, including a valve element provided with an obturator interposed along a section of the duct, a servo-motor connected to the obturator to allow displacement thereof, and an electronic control unit connected to the servo-motor configured to generate an output signal supplied to the servo-motor. The apparatus also includes an electronic interface module connected to the electronic control unit and external electronic control means. The electronic interface module converts the input signal received by the external electronic control means into an intermediate signal and the electronic control unit converts the intermediate signal into the output signal.

Abstract: A method of detecting an operating condition of a controllable flow regulator in a fluid flow channel of an HVAC system, comprising transmitting a sonic signal, from a sonic transmitter, directly or indirectly to the flow regulator, the sonic signal being distinguished from background noise by being at least one of: (i) modulated according to a modulation schema, (ii) an ultrasonic signal, (iii) a frequency selected to be away from background noise, receiving a signal from a sonic receiver for detecting the transmitted signal after interacting with the flow regulator; and determining, in an electronic signal processor, the operating condition of the flow regulator on the basis of the signal received.

Abstract: The valve includes a valve body forming a valve opening, an actuator flange, a valve stem configured to be disposed through the actuator flange, and an end stop plate. The end stop plate is configured to interface with the valve stem such that rotations of the valve stem and the end stop plate around a rotation axis of the valve are coupled. The end stop plate is further configured to interface with the actuator flange such that a rotation of the end stop plate around the rotation axis is limited in at least one direction and, in at least a portion of the rotation of the end stop plate around the rotation axis, the end stop plate is prevented from translating along the rotation axis away from the valve opening. Thus, an interface between the end stop plate and the actuator flange performs multiple functions.

Abstract: A method of controlling an HVAC system (10) that comprises least one flow regulator (16), an electromechanical actuator (20), one or more sensors (34) associated with the actuator, and a controller (32) operatively connected with the actuator and with the sensors. The method includes the steps of actuating the flow regulator, receiving signals from the sensors, and determining an actual or forthcoming malfunction based on the signals. It is determined whether the malfunction is in the actuator or the flow regulator.

Abstract: A method and device for determining the flow of a fluid in a channel includes receiving, in a processing unit of a flowmeter, measurement data of the fluid, the measurement data measured by a sensor system and including a measured flow velocity of the fluid, a measured temperature of the fluid, and a measured speed of sound in the fluid, determining, in the processing unit, a viscosity of the fluid, using the measurement data and a defined relation between speed of sound, viscosity, and temperature in the fluid, and calculating, in the processing unit, a corrected flow velocity of the fluid, using the measured flow velocity and the determined viscosity.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically controlling the flow rate of a fluid (FR) flowing along a duct is disclosed, including a valve element provided with an obturator interposed along a section of the duct a servo-motor connected to the obturator to allow displacement thereof, and an electronic control unit connected to the servo-rotor configured to generate an output signal supplied to the servo-motor. The apparatus also includes an electronic interface module connected to the electronic control unit and external electronic control means. The electronic interface module converts the input signal received by the external electronic control means into an intermediate signal and the electronic control unit converts the intermediate signal into the output signal.

Abstract: A method of controlling an orifice of a valve in an HVAC system to regulate a flow of a primary fluid through a primary side of a thermal energy exchanger of the HVAC system and thereby adjust a thermal energy transfer by the thermal energy exchanger from the primary fluid to a secondary fluid, flowing through a secondary side of the thermal energy exchanger, includes adjusting, by one or more electronic circuits, the orifice of the valve by applying an efficiency control algorithm to a control setpoint for the valve, the efficiency control algorithm processing the control setpoint for the valve to maintain energy-efficient thermal energy transfer. The method further includes the one or more electronic circuits determining the control setpoint for the valve, using current performance values of the HVAC system and recorded historical data of the HVAC system.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating parameters and loading them into an HVAC controller are described herein. Setpoint functions are input into a simulation of an environment of the controller. An output of the controller within the simulation is evaluated, using an objective function based on oscillations of the output of the controller, to determine the parameters, which are then loaded into the controller. Alternatively or additionally, data corresponding to an environment in which the controller is implemented is received. The data includes information about a setpoint signal received from an external controller and feedback from a physical system controlled by the controller. The data is evaluated using a reward function to determine parameters, which are then loaded into, or used to augment existing parameters within, the controller. By using the techniques herein, the controller may be configured to stabilize the setpoint signal received from the external controller.

Abstract: An actuator includes an electric motor having cogging torque, and a controller that controls operation of the electric motor and determines a motor position of the electric motor, the electric motor having a set of stable positions being defined by the cogging torque. The controller includes a circuit that controls the electric motor to drive an actuated part of a Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning system to a target position and maintain a current motor position by controlling a motor torque of the electric motor to maintain the motor position within a defined range around the stable position closest to the current motor position.

Abstract: A field device of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system including a microcontroller that controls the field device, and a near field communication system which is connected to the microcontroller and which includes a near field communication chip and an antenna, the near field communication system for a near field communication with a near field communication device. The near field communication system controls the near field communication in response to receiving a control signal from the microcontroller or the near field communication device, and the near field communication system disables the near field communication in response to discerning in the control signal a disablement signal, or enables the near field communication in response to discerning in the control signal an enablement signal.

Abstract: A room unit for an HVAC system is disclosed. The system includes a housing for installing the room unit on a wall of a building; a connection means to connect the device to the HVAC system; a controller being arranged on a first printed circuit board; and at least one temperature sensor to measure the temperature of ambient air, whereby the at least one temperature sensor is arranged on a frontside of a second printed circuit board. In addition, the second printed circuit board protrudes from the first printed circuit board, especially in a direction perpendicular to the first printed circuit board. Still further, the second printed circuit board is arranged such that a backside of the second printed circuit board is in physical contact with an inner surface of the housing.

Abstract: A hydronic distribution system obtains, in real time, valve operating information from one or more valves arranged in a network, executes a speed determination algorithm which processes the valve operating information to determine a desired speed for one or more pumps to maintain a desired amount of process fluid flow of a process fluid to plural coils, and sets a speed of the one or more pumps, based on the desired speed for the one or more pumps that is determined.