GB2050704A

GB2050704A - Control apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2050704A
Application number: GB8013759A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Gelsen K L
Current assignee: Gelsen K L
Priority date: 1979-04-25
Filing date: 1980-04-25
Publication date: 1981-01-07
Also published as: DK174880A; FR2455249A1; BE882974A; NL8002283A; SE8002815L; DE7912081U1; FR2455249B3

Abstract

Control apparatus for a plurality of space heating, air-conditioning and/or water heating systems, comprising a unitary housing 13 which has a plurality of mounting locations 14 for modular control units 11, 12 for said systems, and also includes an adjustable modular control subassembly 26 for selecting the said control units. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Control apparatus The invention relates to control apparatus for a plurality of space heating, air-conditioning and/or water heating systems.

Devices for the regulation and control of space heating and/or water heating systems by means of adjustable control units with the necessary solenoid valves, thermostats, indicator instruments and setting devices, are known in a number of forms. These known switching and control devices are generally supplied together with the heating system and are usually already adapted thereto. Often these devices are already preassembled, but in any case they can readily be connected to the system by a person skilled in the art.

It has been conventional until recently to provide only a single heating system, e.g. an oil burner, in buildings or places of residence.

However, in view of the rising costs of energy, especially of oil, it is increasingly the custom to install, in addition to or in combination with an existing heating system, further systems which are cheaper to run.

In the case of these heating systems installed subsequently, a separate assembly and installation of control units has to be carried out.

This is difficult especially when the subsequently installed system has to be combined with the existing system, since it is necessary for a person skilled in the art, e.g. a fitter, to effect the requisite connections and junctions, the control units often being fitted in various places. The result is that the operation of the systems is both inconvenient and difficult to understand, quite apart from the fact that the new system needs considerable space and that a number of electrical leads and/or pipelines have to be laid exclusively for the new system.

The main object of the present invention is to provide control apparatus of the kind already mentioned which enables the operation of a plurality of control units to be readily understood and selectively controlled.

Thus according to the invention there is provided control apparatus for a plurality of space heating, air-conditioning and/or water heating systems, comprising a unitary housing or base member which has a plurality of mounting locations for modular control units for said systems, and also includes an adjustable modular control subassembly for selecting the said control units.

Due to the provision of a unitary housing or base member, a central operating unit is created.

The housing or base member may be provided optionally with basic elements such as reversing valves and circulating pumps, and the modular control units for the heating systems are provided in the housing or on the base member at the said mounting locations. It is thus possible not only to equip the housing or base member with the necessary control units or with exchangeable and checkable plug boards for one or two existing heating systems but the housing or base member is also able to receive and mount further control units for other heating systems to be installed subsequently. Thus the invention provides in addition to the advantage that control units can be added when required, also the advantage that the control units are accommodated in a clearly understood manner in a small space in one control apparatus and can be operated in a clearly understood way.

By means of the adjustable control subassembly of the apparatus it is possible according to certain criteria to control separately the control units for the respective heating systems and it can be arranged, e.g. by programme, that the heating system which operates most cheaply is switched on first. If this is not sufficient to reach the desired room or water temperature, then the next cheapest heating system or systems can be switched on in sequence, for example after a certain time or according to predetermined switching programme. Thus there may be provided an apparatus which is ready to receive the control units for a plurality of heating systems and by means of which it is possible to select automatically the system which operates most cheaply.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, electrical and/or pipeline connections assigned to the respective control units may be arranged in the said housing or on the said base member, so that separate electrical wiring or the fitting of pipeline connectors or the like is superfluous, and standardised plug and/or screwthreaded connecting parts can be used for the installation and mounting of the modular control units, if said parts are not already provided as standard on the control units. The installation of these control units thus only involves the fitting of simple electrical or pipeline connections so that, to that extent, a fitter does not need to be employed.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the heating systems of a building; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a control apparatus according to the invention.

The various heating systems of a building which are illustrated schematically in Figure 1 comprise wall-mounted space heaters 3, an under floor heating system 4, a hot-water tank 5, a swimming-pool heat exchanger 6, a heat pump 7, an oil or gas burner 8 and solar heat collectors 9.

The individual pipelines and connections as well as valves are shown schematically and lead to a control apparatus designated as a whole by 10.

The apparatus 10 is illustrated in detail in Figure 2. It is designed as a unitary housing 13 or base plate which receives control units 11, 12 and in which a plurality of fixed mounting locations 14 for the control units 11, 12 are provided. The mounting locations are provided as compartments 1 7 which subdivide the housing 13 and are adapted to receive the modular control units 11, .12.

The control units 11, 12 have solenoid valves 20 with indicator instruments, optionally combined with thermostats 21 and setting devices (not shown in the drawing). Pipelines 22 are connected by means of screw or plug connections (not shown in the drawing) to a collecting line 23 which is connected to a circulating pump 24 or to a two-way valve 25.

Also mounted in the housing 13 is an electrical control subassembly 26 which is connected (not shown in the drawing) to the circulating pump 24 and the two-way valve 25. The outlet lines 27 and 28 of the circulating pump 24 and two-way valve 25 respectively are carried through openings 30 in the top wall 29 of the housing 1 3, as pipeline connections 31.

The electrical control subassembly 26 has, moreover, electrical lead connections 32, e.g. plug connections, the like of which can also be provided (not apparent in the drawing) on the outside of the housing 13 for the connection of external control lines for the heating systems.

Electrical lead connections 33 for the control units 11, 12 are fitted to the electrical control subassembly 26, and can be designed likewise as plug connections, so that they can be connected quickly and simply without the expense of fitting, by means of a connecting line already attached to the modular control units 11, 12. For the sake of clarity, this connection has been omitted in the drawing and the last compartments 17 of the mounting locations 14 for the control units 11, 12 have likewise been omitted.

The electrical control subassembly 26 is made adjustable or programrnable so that the solenoid or reversing valves 20 are opened or closed in a certain sequence in dependence on a preset temperature and/or pressure value of the indicator instruments 21 or thermostats, so as to maintain a certain desired temperature in a room. The opening and closing can be made dependent on programme, temperature or time.

The housing 13 can if desired be closed in a damp-proof manner, e.g. by means of a cover plate or by means of a door. For this purpose, the openings 18 can be closed e.g. by means of blind flanges.

Claims

1. Control apparatus for a plurality of space heating, air-conditioning and/or water heating systems, comprising a unitary housing or base member which has a plurality of mounting locations for modular control units for said systems, and also includes an adjustable modular control subassembly for selecting the said control units.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein electrical and/or pipeline connections assigned to the respective control units are arranged in the said housing or on the said base member.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said connections are plug or screw connections of modular construction.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein some of the said pipeline connections are located on one side of and outside the boundary of the said housing or base member and the said control unit mounting locations are located on this same side within the boundary of the housing or base member.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting means at the said mounting locations is a clamp, plug or screw mounting.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein all of the said pipeline connections which project from the housing or base member are provided with cap shut-off slides.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one circulating pump and/or two-way valve is arranged in the housing or on the base member

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the said housing comprises a cabinet with a door or the said base plate is mounted in a cabinet with a door.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the said mounting locations are provided as compartments subdividing the said housing.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the said control subassembly is connected to thermostats of the said control units and is arranged to cut said thermostats in automatically in dependence on a detected temperature.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the said control subassembly is programmable.

12. Control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, substantiaily as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.