Actuator for temperature control system and temperature control system

Technical field

The present invention relates to an actuator, in particular to an actuator for a temperature control system, and further provides a temperature control system having the actuator.

Background art

A typical HVAC system generally comprises actuators,

temperature controllers and fan coil assemblies. Fan coil assemblies, as end apparatuses of an air conditioning system, are installed in a dispersed manner in various air-conditioned rooms, and are capable of processing air independently. A fan coil assembly generally comprises: a coil for supplying cold and hot media; a fan for causing air to flow past the coil to undergo heat exchange; and some necessary filters for

purifying air. An actuator is used to control a valve disposed in a pipeline supplying cold and hot media to the coil and, by controlling the valve, controls the size of the flow supply of cold and hot media. A temperature controller is generally disposed indoors, and controls a fan in the fan coil assembly (e.g. wind speed) according to the difference between a temperature set value preset by a user and an actual

temperature value sensed by a temperature sensor disposed therein, at the same time adjusting the flow rate of cold and hot media through the coil indirectly by means of the

actuator .

In such a conventional HVAC system, the actuator is generally disposed at an inlet of the fan coil assembly, very close to the fan coil assembly, e.g. near the roof. The temperature controller is generally disposed in a position on an indoor wall where it can be conveniently operated manually by the user. The fact that the temperature controller is remote from the fan coil assembly makes it difficult to precisely acquire measured temperatures, and at the same time makes the wiring of the temperature control system complex, thereby increasing overall costs.

Content of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide an actuator for a temperature control system which is capable of

simplifying the wiring of the temperature control system, lowering overall costs, and at the same time controlling temperature more precisely.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a temperature control system, having an actuator which is capable of simplifying the wiring of the temperature control system, lowering overall costs, and at the same time

controlling temperature more precisely.

The actuator for a temperature control system according to the present invention comprises a valve drive module, a fan drive module, a temperature sensor, a control module and a wireless module. The valve drive module is capable of receiving a valve drive signal and driving a valve of a fan coil assembly according to the valve drive signal. The fan drive module is capable of receiving a fan drive signal and controlling a fan of the fan coil assembly of the temperature control system according to the fan drive signal. The temperature sensor is capable of detecting a temperature and generating a measured temperature signal. The control module is capable of receiving the measured temperature signal and performing a calculation to generate the valve drive signal and the fan drive signal according to a preset parameter in the control module. The control module is capable of wirelessly communicating with the outside through the wireless module, and thereby sending the measured temperature or receiving an external instruction to modify the preset parameter.

The actuator for a temperature control system as provided in the present invention integrates the valve drive module, the fan drive module, and the control module, which is able to intelligently control the valve drive module and the fan drive module; the control module is capable of wirelessly

communicating with an external device through the wireless module, and thereby sending the measured temperature or receiving the external instruction to modify the preset parameter. A temperature controller in an existing temperature control system is replaced by means of the solution above, saving the temperature controller and the costs associated with the wiring thereof. At the same time, the actuator further comprises the temperature sensor connected to the control module; since the actuator is generally disposed at the fan coil assembly, the temperature sensor can acquire the measured temperature more precisely in order to achieve more precise temperature control.

In another schematic embodiment of the actuator for a

temperature control system, the control module is capable of controlling the fan to run at three different speeds. The control module can further optimize a logic algorithm to control the fan, improving the user experience.

In another schematic embodiment of the actuator for a temperature control system, the valve drive module comprises a motor and a motor drive circuit. The motor is capable of driving the valve to be opened or closed. The motor drive circuit is capable of receiving the valve drive signal and controlling the motor. Control of the valve is achieved by means of this simple structure, lowering the cost of the actuator .

In another schematic embodiment of the actuator for a

temperature control system, the wireless module is one or more of a WIFI module, a Bluetooth module or a near field

communication module. The WIFI module, Bluetooth module and near field communication module are well suited to control terminals commonly used in industry, and facilitate wireless communication between the actuator and the outside.

In another schematic embodiment of the actuator for a

temperature control system, preset parameters of the control module comprise a set temperature, a set fan rotational speed, and a set working mode.

In another schematic embodiment of the actuator for a

temperature control system, the actuator further comprises a power supply module. The power supply module is separately connected to the control module, the fan drive module and the valve drive module and provides electrical energy.

The present invention further comprises a temperature control system, comprising a fan coil assembly, a valve, an actuator as described above and a control terminal. The fan coil assembly comprises a fan and a coil. The valve is disposed at one end of the coil. The valve drive module is capable of receiving a valve drive signal and driving the valve according to the valve drive signal, and the fan drive module is capable of receiving a fan drive signal and controlling the fan according to the fan drive signal. The control terminal is capable of wirelessly communicating with the control module by means of an application program, wherein the application program comprises a user interface, the application program is capable of displaying a preset parameter of the control module and a measured temperature by means of the user interface, and is also capable of modifying the preset parameter of the control module or turning the actuator on or off by operating the user interface.

The temperature control system provided in the present

invention replaces a temperature controller in an existing temperature control system by means of the actuator, saving the temperature controller and the costs associated with the wiring thereof. At the same time, the actuator further

comprises the temperature sensor connected to the control module; since the actuator is generally disposed at the fan coil assembly, the temperature sensor can acquire the measured temperature more precisely in order to achieve more precise temperature control.

In another schematic embodiment of the temperature control system, the temperature sensor is disposed at an air return vent of the fan coil assembly. An ambient temperature can thereby be acquired more precisely, to achieve more precise temperature control.

In another schematic embodiment of the temperature control system, the application program is a Web application program, and the control terminal is capable of opening the Web

application program by scanning a two-dimensional code. Direct accessing of the application program by the control terminal is thereby realized, avoiding problems encountered during installation of an application program such as compatibility, and facilitating the use of the temperature control system.

In another schematic embodiment of the temperature control system, the application program comprises a plurality of user interfaces and switching can be performed among the plurality of user interfaces by operating the user interface. The user can customize user interfaces flexibly to adapt to different application scenarios, improving the user experience.

Preferred embodiments are explained below in a clear and easily comprehensible way with reference to the accompanying drawings, to further explain the abovementioned

characteristics, technical features and advantages of the actuator for a temperature control system, and of the

temperature control system, and embodiments thereof.

Description of the accompanying drawings

The accompanying drawings below merely illustrate and explain the present invention schematically, without limiting the scope thereof.

Fig. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a schematic embodiment of an actuator.

Fig. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a schematic embodiment of a temperature control system. Reference Numerals

10 control module 20 valve drive module 22 motor

24 motor drive circuit 30 fan drive module 40 temperature sensor 50 wireless module 60 power supply module 70 fan coil assembly 72 valve

74 fan

76 coil

80 control terminal.

Particular embodiments

To enable clearer understanding of the technical features, objects and effects of the invention, particular embodiments of the present invention are now explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which identical labels indicate structurally identical components or components with similar structures but identical functions.

As used herein, "schematic" means "serving as an instance, example or illustration". No drawing or embodiment described herein as "schematic" should be interpreted as a more

preferred or more advantageous technical solution.

Fig. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a schematic embodiment of an actuator of a temperature control system. Referring to Fig. 1, a heating and ventilating system

comprises a fan coil assembly 70 and a valve 72. The fan coil assembly 70 is generally composed of a fan 74 and a coil 76 (air heat exchanger), etc. A medium flowing through the coil 76 exchanges heat with air outside the coil, such that the air is cooled or heated to adjust an indoor air temperature. The valve 72 is disposed at one end of the coil and, driven by the actuator, controls the flow rate of the medium flowing through the coil 76. The actuator comprises a valve drive module 20, a fan drive module 30, a temperature sensor 40, a control module 10 and a wireless module 50.

The valve drive module 20 can receive a valve drive signal and drive the valve 72 located at one end of the coil 76 according to the valve drive signal. As shown in Fig. 1, the valve 72 is disposed at a water outlet pipe of the coil 76 of the fan coil assembly 70, and the opening or closing of the valve 72 can control the flow rate of the medium in the coil 76. In a schematic embodiment, the valve drive module 20 comprises for example a motor 22 and a motor drive circuit 24. The motor 22 can drive the valve 72 to open or close via a gearbox and a mechanical transmission mechanism (not shown) for example. The motor drive circuit 24 can receive the valve drive signal and control the motor 22. The fan drive module 30 may be a fan drive circuit which can receive a fan drive signal and control the wind speed of the fan 74 of the fan coil assembly 70 of the temperature control system according to the fan drive signal .

The temperature sensor 40 can detect temperature and generate a measured temperature. Preferably, the temperature sensor 40 is disposed at an inlet of the fan coil assembly, i.e. an air inlet, and is used to detect an actual indoor temperature. The control module 10 is a microcontroller or another processing device having a microprocessing function, and a data

processing program is preset therein. The control module 10 can receive a measured temperature signal from the temperature sensor 40, and perform a calculation to generate the valve drive signal and the fan drive signal by means of the data processing program and a preset parameter therein, thereby realizing control of the valve 72 and the fan 74 of the fan coil assembly 70.

In a schematic embodiment, the wireless module 50 can realize wireless communication according to one or more protocols, e.g. the wireless module 50 may be one or more of a WIFI module, a Bluetooth module or a near field communication module. The control module 10 can realize wireless

communication with an external device by means of the wireless module 50, and thereby transmit the measured temperature signal or receive an external instruction and change a preset parameter. The WIFI module, Bluetooth module and near field communication module are well suited to control terminals commonly used in industry, and facilitate wireless

communication between the actuator and the outside. Here, the external device capable of communicating with the wireless module 50 may for example be a wireless terminal of the user, e.g. a mobile phone, a handheld industrial control device, or even an NFC card having a near field communication function.

In a schematic embodiment, the actuator further comprises a power supply module 60. The power supply module is separately connected to the control module 10, the fan drive module 30 and the valve drive module 20, and supplies electrical energy.

The actuator of the temperature control system as shown in Fig. 1 integrates the valve drive module 20, the fan drive module 30, and the control module 10 which is able to

intelligently control the valve drive module and the fan drive module. The control module 10 can also communicate wirelessly with the external device by means of the wireless module 50, and the user can thereby realize remote control by means of the control module 10, i.e. remotely receive a temperature signal measured in real time or remotely transmit an

instruction and change a preset parameter in the actuator. Compared with a conventional HVAC system, the actuator shown in Fig. 1 may be installed in a position close to the fan coil assembly 70, e.g. likewise disposed in a ceiling. The use of an actuator designed in this way saves a temperature

controller disposed on an indoor wall, and at the same time also eliminates connection wiring between the fan coil

assembly and the temperature controller, thereby eliminating the raw material cost and installation cost of connection wiring. The actuator shown in Fig. 1 further comprises the temperature sensor 40 connected to the control module 10;

since the actuator is generally disposed at an outlet/inlet of the coil 76 of the fan coil assembly 70, the temperature sensor 40 can be more flexibly disposed at an air return vent in the fan coil assembly 70, and thereby acquire a measured temperature more precisely so as to achieve more precise temperature control.

In a schematic embodiment, the control module 10 can control the fan 74 to run at three different speeds. The preset data processing program in the control module 10 can be further optimized, to control the fan by means of an optimized logic algorithm and improve the user experience.

In a schematic embodiment, preset parameters of the control module 10 include a set temperature, fan rotation speed and operating mode. The set temperature is a temperature which the user wishes to attain. The control module 10 must receive the measured temperature signal generated by the temperature sensor 40 in order to acquire the difference between the actual temperature and the set temperature, and performs a calculation by means of the data processing program; a

calculation result is used to control the valve 72 and the fan 74 of the fan coil assembly 70 in an integrated manner, such that the actual temperature and the set temperature stay the same. In certain specific scenarios, for example in an

economical mode, it is required that the rotation speed of the fan 74 in the fan coil assembly 70 be low, in order to achieve an energy-saving result, whereas in a high-efficiency mode for example, it is required that the rotation speed of the fan 74 of the fan coil assembly 70 be higher in order to achieve the result of rapidly adjusting temperature. Among the preset parameters, the fan rotation speed is used to forcibly control the fan rotation speed to attain a predetermined value. Among the preset parameters, the operating mode artificially

distinguishes the different scenarios above into different operating modes, e.g. economical mode, high-efficiency mode or forced mode, so that the user can switch between different operating modes simply and quickly.

The present invention also provides a temperature control system. Fig. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a

schematic embodiment of a temperature control system;

referring to Fig. 2, the temperature control system comprises a fan coil assembly 70, a valve 72, an actuator as shown in Fig. 1 and a control terminal 80. The fan coil assembly 70 comprises a fan 74 and a coil 76. The fan 74 can blow air towards the coil 76 in the direction of the arrow in the figure. The valve 72 is disposed at one end of the coil 76; as shown in the figure, the valve 72 is disposed at a water outlet pipe of the coil 76 but, in other schematic

embodiments, the valve 72 could also be disposed at a water inlet of the coil 76. The valve drive module 20 can receive a valve drive signal and drive the valve 72 according to the valve drive signal; the fan drive module 30 can receive a fan drive signal and control the fan 74 according to the fan drive signal. In a schematic embodiment, the control terminal 80 is preferably a mobile phone, but is not limited to this; in other schematic embodiments, it could also be another device having a wireless communication function, e.g. a notebook computer or a tablet computer. Moreover, the control terminal may also communicate with the actuator by means of Bluetooth or near field communication for example. The control terminal 80 can wirelessly communicate with the control module 10 by means of an application program comprising a user interface; the application program can display the preset parameter of the control module 10 and a measured temperature by means of the user interface, and can also modify the preset parameter of the control module 10 or turn the actuator on/off by means of an operation performed on the user interface. The temperature control system shown in Fig. 2 replaces a temperature controller in an existing temperature control system by means of the actuator, saving the temperature controller and the costs associated with the wiring thereof.

At the same time, the actuator further comprises a temperature sensor connected to the control module. Since the actuator is generally disposed at the fan coil assembly, the temperature sensor can acquire the measured temperature more precisely in order to achieve more precise temperature control.

In a schematic embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the temperature sensor 40 is disposed at an air return vent of the fan coil assembly 70. An ambient temperature can thereby be acquired more precisely, to achieve more precise temperature control.

In a schematic embodiment, the application program is a Web application program; the control terminal 80 can open the Web application program by scanning a two-dimensional code, thereby realizing direct accessing of the application program by the control terminal 80. The Web application program may be an applet based on another common application program, e.g. a WeChat applet, etc. The use of the Web application program avoids the troublesome installation process of a conventional application program as well as problems of compatibility, etc., and facilitates the use of the temperature control system.

In a schematic embodiment, the application program comprises multiple user interfaces and switching is capable of being performed among the plurality of the user interfaces by operating the user interface. Compared with an existing temperature controller, the user can customize user interfaces flexibly according to application scenarios of the temperature control system, facilitating operation by the user and

improving the user experience.

It should be understood that although the description herein is based on various embodiments, it is by no means the case that each embodiment contains just one independent technical solution. Such a method of presentation is adopted herein purely for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the description in its entirety. The technical solutions in the various embodiments could also be suitably combined to form other embodiments capable of being understood by those skilled in the art.

The series of detailed explanations set out above are merely particular explanations of feasible embodiments of the present invention, which are not intended to limit the scope of protection thereof. All equivalent embodiments or changes made without departing from the artistic spirit of the present invention, such as combinations, divisions or repetitions of features, shall be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.