New electronic controller for radiator heating circuits
KSB Aktiengesellschaft introduced a new electronic controller for the combined control of temperature and volume flow in radiator heating circuits. With the help of BOA® Systronic, a circulator pump's rate of power consumption can be reduced by up to 50 % - and the make of the variable speed pump is of no consequence.
The energy savings result from an intelligent combination of valve and pump control to form a combined supply-temperature and volume-flow control system. The controller precisely adjusts the duty point of the control valves and circulator pump to achieve the output prescribed by the heating circuit controller. This integration into a higher-level control system is just as simple as for normal control valves.
The signal from the higher-level heating array controller is registered, internally converted, and continuously routed to the control valves. Communication with the circulator pump takes place via a LON bus. During commissioning, an online flow metering valve constantly monitors the volume flow through the heating circuit. The flow rate is automatically adjusted to the desired nominal volume flow rate. The otherwise necessary hydraulic balancing of heating circuits can be omitted, so the system requires fewer start-up operations.
This automatic hydraulic balancing feature saves the system time and ensures good distribution of heat throughout the circuit. The circuit involves less hydraulic resistance, because no balancing valves are required. In many cases, it turns out that a pump with less head will do the job just as well.
Source: KSB SE & Co. KGaA
