Patent Publication Number: US-6220520-B1

Title: Manifolds for use in water heat distribution systems

Description:
This invention relates to hydronic (hot water) heating systems for buildings, and in particular to manifolds therefor. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Hydronic heating systems mix hot water from a source thereof, such as a boiler, with cooler water returning from terminal units in order to regulate the temperature of supply water flowing to the terminal units. Many such systems have been proposed and some are in commercial use. However, because of difficulties arising from the fact that different terminal units and different zones of a building normally require difficult supply water temperatures, a need still exists for a hydronic heating system which achieves such requirements in an improved manner. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved hydronic heating system for buildings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a modular manifold which includes master modules and possibly also slave modules which each provide a respective terminal unit with a relatively constant rate of water flow at a modulated supply water temperature. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a hydronic heating system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a similar view of the hydronic circuit associated with the master and slave modules in a manifold assembly, 
     FIG. 3 is a partly exploded perspective view of a manifold assembly in the hydronic heating system of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view, generally from the right, of a master module, 
     FIG. 5 is a similar view, but generally from the left, of the master module, 
     FIG. 6 is a similar view, generally from the right, of a slave module, 
     FIG. 7 is a similar view, but generally from the left, of the slave module, 
     FIG. 8 is a similar view, generally from the right, of a motor end module and pump motor, 
     FIG. 9 is a similar view, but generally from the left, of an end plate, 
     FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper manifold assembly of FIG. 1 showing the water supply, 
     FIG. 11 is a similar view, but showing the water return, 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of a master module, 
     FIG. 13 is a rear view of the master module, 
     FIG. 14 is an opposite side view of the master module, 
     FIG. 15 is a front view of the master module, 
     FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the master module taken along the line  16 — 16  of FIG. 12, 
     FIG. 16 a  is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the master module showing features shown in FIG. 16, 
     FIG. 17 is a sectional view of the master module taken along the line  17 — 17  of FIG. 12, 
     FIG. 17 a  is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the master module showing features shown in FIG. 17, 
     FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the master module taken along the line  18 — 18  of FIG. 12, 
     FIG. 18 a  is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the master module showing features shown in FIG. 18, 
     FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the master module taken along the line  19 — 19  of FIG.  13  and also showing a sectional view of a primary injection valve, 
     FIG. 19 a  is an enlarged view of the upper part of FIG. 19 showing the injection valve in the closed portion, 
     FIG. 19 b  is a similar view but showing the injection valve fully open, 
     FIG. 19 c  is a sectional perspective view showing features shown in FIG. 19, 
     FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the master module taken along the line  20 — 20  of FIG. 12, 
     FIG. 20 a  is a partly broken away perspective view of the master module showing features shown in FIG. 20, 
     FIG. 21 is a side view of a slave module, 
     FIG. 22 is a rear view of the slave module, 
     FIG. 23 is an opposite side view of the slave module, 
     FIG. 24 is a front view of the slave module, 
     FIG. 25 is a sectional view of the slave module taken along the line  25 — 25  of FIG. 21, 
     FIG. 25 a  is a broken away perspective view of the slave module showing features shown in FIG. 25, 
     FIG. 26 is a sectional view of the slave module taken along the line  26 — 26  of FIG. 21, 
     FIG. 27 is a sectional view of the slave module taken along the line  27 — 27  of FIG. 21, 
     FIG. 28 is a longitudinal sectional view of a manifold assembly similar to FIG. 10 but showing a further embodiment of the invention, and 
     FIG. 29 is a schematic view of the hydronic circuit associated with master and slave modules in a manifold assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a hydronic heating system in which hot water is pumped from a hot water source such as a boiler  10  by a pump  12  through a primary loop  14  which includes a series of temperature controlled manifold assemblies  16 , with water from the last manifold assembly being returned to the boiler  10 . Each manifold assembly  16  has several master modules  18 , a motor end module  20  with an air vent  22  and a single pump motor  24 , and an end plate  25 . One or more slave modules  26  may also be included. Tubing  28  connects one or more terminal units to each master or slave module  18 ,  26 . A terminal unit may for example be a convector  30 , a radiant floor system  32 , a fan coil  34  or other suitable hydronic heating units. 
     FIG. 2 shows the hydronic circuit associated with the master and slave modules  18 ,  26  in a manifold assembly  16 . As previously mentioned, the primary loop  14  passes through each manifold assembly  16 . Each master module  18  is supplied with hot water from the primary loop  14  through an injection supply passage  40  which has a primary injection valve  42  operated by an electric motor  44  to throttle the flow of hot water from the primary loop  14 . The hot water supplied through injection supply passage  40  is mixed with return water supplied through passage  56  from the master and slave modules  18 ,  26  by an impeller  46  driven by a motor  48 . The mixed flow passes through a passage  50  to a terminal unit, with the temperature of the mixed water in the passage  50  being measured by a supply temperature sensor  52 . Mixed water from the impeller  46  also passes from passage  50 , upstream of the sensor  52 , along passage  60  to another terminal unit. 
     Cooler return water from the terminal unit passes into a return passage  54 . Some of the return water in passage  54  is returned to the impeller  46  through passage  56 . The remainder of the return water in passage  54 , together with most of any air bubbles in the system, is returned to the primary loop  14  through a passage  58  to balance the flow from the primary loop  14  to the injection valve  42 . Cooler return water from the slave module  26  is passed through a return passage  62  to master return pipe  54 . The slave module  26  thus operates at the same temperature as the master module  18 . 
     When the injection valve  42  is closed, there is virtually no heat (i.e. hot water) transferred from the primary loop  14  to the master and slave modules  18 ,  26 . Conversely, when the injection valve  42  is fully open, at least 50 percent of the hot water supplied to the master and slave modules  18 ,  26  will be from the primary loop  14 , depending upon the size of the return passage  56 . 
     FIG. 3 shows the manifold assembly  16  which appears in the upper part of FIG.  1 . The various components are held together by threaded rods  64  which extend from the motor end module  20  through bores (not shown) in the components with nuts  68  being threaded on to the ends of rods  64  which project from end plate  25 . The end plate  25  is connected to the adjacent portion of the primary loop  14 , as also is the end module  20 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each master module  18  has a main body  70  which is preferably an integral moulding of fibre-reinforced thermoplastic material. The main body  70  has a continuous outer surface  72  extending between a first generally planar side face  74  and a second generally planar side face  76  which extend substantially parallel to one another at opposite ends of the main body  70 . The main body  70  has three bores  77  extending therethrough to receive the threaded rods  64  shown in FIG. 3. A first hot water supply conduit  78  in the main body  70  forms a portion of the primary loop  14  and is in fluid communication with an inlet port  80  in the first side face  74  and an outlet port  82  in the second side face  76 . 
     The side face  76  has a continuous groove  84  which receives a sealing ring (not shown) to provide a seal between the side face  76  and a side face of an adjacent module or other component. The groove  84  surrounds a portion  86  of the side face  76  within which the port  82  is located. A further port  88  is located in a recessed portion  90  of side face portion  86  for a purpose which will be described later. The upper part of the outer surface  72  of the main body  70  has an aperture  92  surrounded by a threaded collar  94  to receive a primary injection valve  42 , again as will be described later. The end face  74  also has a port  96  for connection with a port of an adjacent component, such as the port  88  in the end face  76  of a master module  18 . The lower part of the outer surface  72  of the main body  70  of the master module  18  has an outlet port (not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) surrounded by a threaded collar  98 . 
     Each slave module  26 , as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, has a main body portion  100  which is also an integral moulding of fibre-reinforced thermoplastic material. The main body  100  has a continuous outer surface  102  extending laterally between a first generally planar end face  104  and a second greatly planar end face  106  oriented substantially parallel to one another at opposite ends of the main body  100 . The main body  100  has three passages  105  extending therethrough to receive the threaded rods  64  shown in FIG. 3. A first hot water supply conduit  103  in the main body  100  forms a portion of primary loop  14  and is in fluid communication with an inlet port  108  in the end face  104  and an outlet port  110  in the opposite end face  106 . 
     The side face  106  has a continuous groove  112  which receives a sealing ring (not shown) to provide sealing between the side face  106  and the side face of an adjacent module or other component. The groove  112  surrounds a portion  114  of the side face  106  in which the port  110  is located, with ports  116 ,  118 ,  120  also being located therein for a purpose which will be described in more detail later. 
     The end face  104  also has ports  122 ,  124 ,  126  for communication with respective ports in an adjacent component such as the ports  116 ,  118 ,  120  in the end face  106  of a slave module  26 . The lower part of the outer surface  102  of the main body  100  has an inlet port (not shown in FIGS. 6 and 7) surrounded by an externally threaded collar  128 . 
     A motor end module  20  is shown in FIG. 8 and, as with the master and slave modules  18 ,  26 , is an integral moulding of fibre-reinforce thermoplastic materials. The motor end module  20  has a main body  130  of a similar size and shape as the main bodies  70 ,  102  of the master and slave modules  18 ,  26  respectively. The end module  22  also has an end face  132  from which three passages  134  extend to retain the screw threaded rods  64 . The end face  132  has an inlet port  136  from which a hot water passage  138  extends to form a portion of the primary loop  14 . The end face  132  also has a further port  140  positioned for communication with the port  88  of a master module  18  or the port  116  of a slave module  26 . The pump motor  24  is secured to the other end face (not shown) of the end module  20 . 
     An end plate  25  is shown in FIG.  9  and is likewise an integral moulding of fibre-reinforced thermoplastic material. The end plate  25  has a body  142  of the same peripheral shape as the main bodies  70 ,  100 ,  130  of the master and slave modules  18 ,  26  and end module  20 . 
     The supply flow of hot water through the upper manifold assembly of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG.  10 . Hot water in the primary loop  14  flows (from right to left in the drawing) from the pump  12  through passage  146  (not shown in FIG. 10) of the end plate  25 , through the passages  78  of the first two master modules  18 , through the passage  103  of the slave module  26 , through the passage  78  of the next two master modules  18 , and through the passage  138  in the end module  20  to proceed along the next portion of the primary loop  14 . 
     In each master module  18 , the injection supply valve  42  (as set by its motor  44 ) determines the amount of hot water fed from the primary loop  14  to the impeller  46  which pumps, together with return water (as will be described in more detail later), hot water through passage  50  to a terminal unit, for example the fan coil  34  shown in FIG.  1 . As shown in FIG. 10, the impellers  46  of the master modules  18  are each mounted on a shaft  150  which extends through passages  151 ,  153  between ports  88 ,  96  and  116 ,  122  in the master and slave modules  18 ,  26  respectively. The shafts  150  are drivingly connected to each other and are journalled in the ports  96 ,  122  of the master and slave modules  18 ,  26  respectively. The pump motor  24  is drivingly connected to a first shaft  150  which is journalled in the port  140  of the end module  20 . 
     FIG. 11 shows the return flow in the upper manifold assembly of FIG.  1 . Return water in passage  54  passes into the master module  18  and either flows to the impeller  46  through a passage  152  (equivalent to passage  56  in FIG.  2 ), as will be shown in more detail later, or is returned to conduit  78 , i.e. primary loop  14 . In the slave module  26 , return water in passage  62  is returned to the return flow in an adjacent master module  18 . 
     Further details of the construction of the master module  18  are shown in FIGS. 12 through 19 c.  Hot water in the primary loop  14  flows through the conduit  78  and, if the injection valve  42  is open, some hot water flows from the primary loop  14  through the valve  42  down a vertical passage  156  (see especially FIG. 19) and through a cross-passage  158  to the port  88  leading to the input of impeller  46 . Some of the return flow from passage  54  flows through passages  160   a,    160   b  &amp;  160   c  back to the passage  78 , i.e. the primary loop  14  (see especially FIG. 16 a ). Most of the return water flows from passage  160   b  through a passage  162  to passage  88  where it merges with the flow from the injection valve  42  to the impeller  46 . After passing impeller  46 , the hot water passes through passage  164  (see especially FIG. 18 a ) and then through passage  166  to connector  97  and supply passage  50 ,  60  leading from master and slave modules  18 ,  26  to the terminal units. 
     Further details of the injection valve  42  are shown in FIGS. 19 and 19 c.  Injection valve  42  comprises a valve seat  43  at the upper end of passage  156  and a valve member  45  which is movable relative to the valve seat  43  by motor  44 . Motor  44  is mounted in screw-threaded engagement with a housing  170  secured to collar  94  of master module body  70 . Valve member  45  is carried by a rod  172  which slides in a mounting member  174  screwed into the collar  94 . Rod  172  is connected to motor  44  such that a portion of the motor  44  slides rod  172  in mounting member  147  with consequent raising or lowering of the valve member  45  relative to the valve seat  43 . Motor  44  is thermostatically controlled to ensure that the space to be heated is maintained at a desired temperature in a manner which will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art from the foregoing description. 
     Further details of a slave module  26  are shown in FIGS. 21 through 27. Return pipe  62  is connected to collar  128  so that return water flows up a passage  180  and along longitudinal passage  182  to connect with passage  160   b  in an adjacent master module  18 . Supply water is fed from passage  164  of an adjacent master module  18  to slave module port  124  and a longitudinal passage  184  and then a passage  186  where supply pipe  60  is connected to a collar  188 . 
     FIG. 28 shows a modification of the manifold assembly shown in FIG.  10 . In this embodiment, each impeller  46  is driven by separate motors  200  instead of by one motor  24  and mechanically coupled shafts  150 . 
     FIG. 29 shows a hydronic circuit associated with the master and slave modules  18 ,  26  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. Instead of the return water being recycled to the impeller  46  through passage  56  as in the hydronic circuit shown in FIG. 2, return passage  56  is omitted and the injection valve  42 ′ operates, under the control of motor  44 , to maintain a constant rate of flow of hot water to the impeller  46  at the desired temperature by varying the amount of hot water from the conduit  78  in primary loop  14  relative to the amount of cooler water from return passage  58  supplied to the injection valve  42 ′ through passage  57 . Otherwise, the system functions in the same manner as previously described. 
     Other embodiments of the invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, the scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.