Abstract:
A slim profile rotary control valve capable of independently modulating fluids into a single heat exchanger from two different and distinct systems that utilize the same type of heat transfer fluid. The valve is capable of monitoring both the supply and return fluid temperatures as well as the mass flow to enable the valve controller to optimize system&#39;s energy efficiency. It eliminates the use of multiple valves currently used in a conventional changeover system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a extremely versatile valve that can be uses in a plethora of HVAC situations including for changeover operation, heating and cooling modulation and energy monitoring and control. It provides system simplicity and energy efficiency. 
         [0002]    Current HVAC systems employ multiple heat transfer surfaces in order to recover energy, preheat, heat, cool and dehumidify the supply airflow. Each of these heat transfer devices impart air friction, and in turn consumes fan energy. By using a single heat transfer surface for heat recovery, preheat, heat and cool, there is a reduction in the quantity of devices, air friction and resultant fan energy. The current invention results in a new type of valve which can allow multiple piping systems to share the usage of a common coil. The valve will allow hot and chilled water piping systems with the same type of fluid to utilize a single heat transfer device. The valve will combine numerous functions into a single valve which has not heretofore been done. 
         [0003]    Henceforth, combined changeover and control valve would fulfill a long felt need in the HVAC industry. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems and accomplish this. This new valve will allow buildings using hot and chilled water distribution systems to have improved efficiency especially if lowering the conventional return hot water temperature from 160 down to 100 deg F. In air handling units, fan energy is reduced as there is only a single coil providing both the heating and cooling functions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a cylindrical rotary valve that is able to improve HVAC fan and heating efficiency and simplify syatems by reducing the quantity of valves, heat exchangers and controls. 
         [0005]    It has many of the advantages mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new and improved cylindrical valve which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
         [0006]    In accordance with the invention, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved single valve capable of providing the supply and return fluid from one of two different systems to a single coil completely independently. 
         [0007]    It is another object of this invention to provide an improved single valve capable of modulating both the heating and cooling functions of a single coil and that has a reduced profile. 
         [0008]    It is a further object of this invention to provide a single valve capable of providing improved temperature control of heating and cooloing with a single control output. 
         [0009]    It is still a further object of this invention to provide for a new valve that will allow buildings using hot and chilled water distribution systems to have improved efficiency. 
         [0010]    It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an improved valve capable of modulating cooling and heating to a coil as well as having a supply pressure independent control and having the capability of measuring the fluid flowrate, in temperature and out temperature, thereby allowing energy to be calculated monitored and accumulated. 
         [0011]    It is another object of this invention to promote energy recovery with four pipe water to water heat pumps. 
         [0012]    It is yet another object of this invention to enable computer adjustment of minimum cool, maximum cool, minimum heat and maximum heat fluid flow and low energy. 
         [0013]    The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements. Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are discussed in greater detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is an isomeric perspective view of the valve and attached actuator showing the general arrangement of all components; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the valve; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the valve; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the valve; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the valve cylinder; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of the valve cylinder; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a to cross sectional view of the valve cylinder taken through the upper chamber; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the valve cylinder; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a side perspective view of the valve cylinder; 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the valve cylinder; 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a side view of the valve cylinder; 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is a top view of the valve body with the valve bonnet removed; 
           [0026]      FIG. 13  is a front perspective view of the valve body with the valve bonnet removed; 
           [0027]      FIG. 14  is a front view of the valve body with the valve bonnet removed; 
           [0028]      FIG. 15  is a side view of the valve body with the valve bonnet removed; 
           [0029]      FIG. 16  is a top perspective view of the valve body; 
           [0030]      FIG. 17  is a top view of a characterization plate; 
           [0031]      FIG. 18  is a top view of the valve packing at the top of the valve cylinder; 
           [0032]      FIG. 19  is a side view of the thrust bearing; 
           [0033]      FIG. 20  is a top cross sectional view of the valve with the valve cylinder rotated to the first system fluid position; 
           [0034]      FIG. 21  is a top cross sectional view of the valve with the valve cylinder rotated to the second system fluid position; 
           [0035]      FIG. 22  is a top perspective cutaway view of the valve with the valve cylinder rotated to the second system fluid position; 
           [0036]      FIG. 23  is a top perspective cutaway view of the valve with the valve cylinder rotated to the first system fluid position; 
           [0037]      FIG. 24  is a top view of the valve bonnet and packing gland assembly; 
           [0038]      FIG. 25  is a front perspective view of the valve bonnet and packing gland assembly; 
           [0039]      FIG. 26  is a front view of the valve bonnet and packing gland assembly; 
           [0040]      FIG. 27  is a side perspective view of the valve bonnet and packing gland assembly; 
           [0041]      FIG. 28  is a perspective view of the valve cylinder with the rotor incorporated into the second chamber; 
           [0042]      FIG. 29  is a front view of the valve cylinder with the rotor incorporated into the second chamber; 
           [0043]      FIG. 30  is a side view of the valve cylinder with the rotor incorporated into the second chamber; 
           [0044]      FIG. 31  is a top view of the rotor; 
           [0045]      FIG. 32  is a side perspective view of the rotor; 
           [0046]      FIG. 33  is a side view of the rotor; and 
           [0047]      FIG. 34  is a side perspective view of a rotated 90 degrees from  FIG. 33  so the hall effector magnet is visible. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0048]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0049]    The present invention is a cylindrical valve designed for system simplicity and energy efficiency in a plethora of HVAC situations. It sees its full potential when used for changeover operation, heating and cooling modulation. Here cold and hot fluid media from two separate and distinct fluid media systems may be each alternately introduced into a single heat exchanger and controlled/monitored with the use of a single valve. 
         [0050]    Looking at  FIG. 1  the exterior general arrangement of a power operated rotary valve  2  can be seen. The valve body  4  is a monolithic body with a stopped central bore formed therein about its longitudinal axis to matingly engage the valve cylinder  11 . Rotationally housed inside this central bore  9  ( FIGS. 13 and 16 ) is the valve cylinder  11  ( FIGS. 8-11 ). This valve cylinder  11  has the physical configuration of a right circular cylinder and has three parallel round faces that enclose the valve cylinder  11  at either end and segment it into a first valve chamber  24  and second valve chamber  26 . The first (upper) face  18 , second (central) face  20  and third (lower) face  22  can best be seen in  FIG. 9 . These valve faces may be formed as part of a unitary cylinder as illustrated in  FIG. 9  or they may be fabricated as separate first (upper) face disk  18 ′, second (central) face disk  20 ′ and third (lower) face disk  22 ′ that are seen in  FIGS. 28 to 30 . The first and third separate face disks may or may not be affixed to the valve cylinder  11  as the assembly is a close tolerance fit that is rigidly constrained within the valve body  11  by the valve bonnet  6 .  FIG. 7  shows a cross sectional view of the valve cylinder  11  sectioned through the first valve chamber  24 . In the preferred embodiment the central face  20  bisects the valve cylinder  11  such that the two chambers are of equal volume, although this need not be the case. Extending normally from the upper face  18  is a valve stem  12  having a circular and a square portion. ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) 
         [0051]    A thrust bearing  16  ( FIG. 19 ) resides at the midpoint of the bottom surface of the valve cylinder  11  so as to stabilize the valve cylinder  11  within the valve body  4  and minimize the rotational friction during valve manipulation. There may be a detent formed in the bottom of the valve body to accept the thrust bearing  16 , although this detail is not illustrated as such a design is well known in the industry. About the periphery of the valve body  4  are two substantially similar and parallel series of heat transfer media supply and return ports formed through the walls of the valve body  4 . Although the ports are depicted as having internal threads, a smooth walled embodiment may be utilized when it is desirable to solder in the piping connections. threaded 
         [0052]      FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  14  illustrates the first medium (lower) supply port  32  and the second medium (lower) supply port  34  that provide the fluid path into the first valve chamber  26  and the first medium (upper) return port  30  and the second medium (upper) return port  28  that provide the fluid path into the second valve chamber  24 . There is also a heat exchanger supply outlet  38  and a heat exchanger return inlet  36  formed through the walls of the valve body  4 . 
         [0053]    A bonnet  6  is mechanically affixed to said valve body by fasteners  8  ( FIG. 12 ) so as to form a fluid seal about the top of the valve body  4 . Appropriate seals may be incorporated between the exterior surfaces of these parts as is well known by one skilled in the art. Between the upper face  18  of valve cylinder  11  and the inner side of the bonnet  6  may reside a packing seal  15  as depicted in  FIG. 18 . In the preferred embodiment the bonnet  6  is generally planar and upon which a valve actuator  10  is mounted. It is known that in different embodiments the bonnet  6  may have an additional length platform extending therefrom to facilitate the attachment of different actuators to the valve. The bonnet  6  has a stem orifice  13  there through that the valve stem  12  passes. The packing seal  15  encircles this valvew stem  12 . Directly atop the bonnet  6  resides the packing gland assembly  14  with the midpoint of its central orifice aligned with that of the bonnet&#39;s stem orifice  13  such that the valve stem  12  may also pass through it. The packing gland assembly  14  is a conventional gland seal used around the circular section of the valve stem  12  the point it exits the valve body  4 . It is the most common method for preventing fluid leakage while still allowing the valve stem  12  to rotate and is well known by one skilled in the field of art. Generally, the seal itself is provided by packing rings, or a square cross-sectioned rope, made of greased flax, which is packed or wound tightly around the valve stem  12 , and compressed in place with a threaded nut and spacer. The packing gland may also be fitted with an opening for periodic insertion of grease between the rings, and sometimes with a small grease reservoir. 
         [0054]    The top square section of the valve stem  12  fits into a matingly engagable section of the valve actuator  10 . The valve actuator  10  is a commercially available rotary actuator that operates through an approximately 90 degree rotation with additional adjustment for rotary motion at each extent of its rotation travel. 
         [0055]    Looking in detail at the valve cylinder  11  ( FIGS. 9 to 11 ) it can be seen that the first (supply) valve chamber  26  and the second (return) valve chamber  24  each have two generally elliptical cylinder ports. The larger of the two cylinder ports are the heat exchanger supply port  46  and the heat exchanger return port  44  ( FIG. 11 ). The smaller of the two cylinder ports are the supply inlet (crossover) port  50  and the return outlet (crossover) port  48 . 
         [0056]    Key to the understanding of the operation of this valve is that for changeover operation in the heating or cooling of a heat exchanger either the first heat transfer medium (e.g. cold water) or the second heat transfer medium (e.g. hot water) independently and alone will be circulated through the heat exchanger. These two heat transfer media come from their own independent systems (e.g. chilled water or hot water systems) but contain the same type of heat transfer fluid. Generally, to accomplish this switching of heat transfer media with the prior art technology required multiple valves, actuators and controllers. 
         [0057]    For the purposes of clarity in this explanation and to prevent confusion, only the heat transfer medium supply operation is discussed. The heat transfer medium return operation is not discussed but operation of the supply side of the first (supply) valve chamber  26  is identical to that of the second (return) valve chamber  24  as all supply ports in the valve body  4  and the valve cylinder  11  are identical with the return ports and are symmetrical about the plane of the central face  20 . 
         [0058]    In operation, it is to be noted that the valve cylinder  12  only rotates clockwise and counterclockwise approximately 90 degrees within the valve body  4  (plus or minus 5 degrees on either side.) Looking at  FIGS. 20 to 23  with respect to the first valve chamber  24 , it can be seen that within this approximately 90 degree cylinder rotation constraint the heat exchanger supply port  44  is always aligned with the heat exchanger supply  38  of the valve body  4  regardless of whether the supply port  48  is aligned with the second medium (lower) supply port  34  ( FIGS. 20 and 23 ), aligned with the first medium (lower) supply port  32  ( FIGS. 21 and 22 ), closed by alignment with the closed section of the valve body wall  52  or is anywhere in between. Thus heat exchanger supply port  44  is fully open at all times. 
         [0059]    For this design to work it is critical that the width of the second medium (lower) supply port  34  and the first medium (lower) supply port  32  do not exceed ⅓ of the number of degrees of rotation of the valve cylinder  11  within the valve body  4 . (Here that would be 30 degrees) and that they reside apart at least ⅓ of the number of degrees of rotation of the valve cylinder  11 . (Again here that would be 30 degrees.) It is also critical that the width of heat exchanger supply port  44  is at a minimum the 4/3 the number of degrees of rotation of the valve cylinder  11  in the valve body  4 . (Here that would be 120 degrees) and that the heat exchanger supply inlet  36  resides more than the number of degrees of rotation of the valve cylinder  11  in the valve body  4  away from either the first medium supply port  28  or the second medium supply port  30 . (Here that would be 90 degrees.) The supply port  48  of the valve cylinder  11  is sized the same as both the second medium (lower) supply port  34  and the first medium (lower) supply port  32  of the valve body  4 . In this way the opening of the supply crossover port  48  may be rotationally positioned between the second medium (lower) supply port  34  and the first medium (lower) supply port  32  so as to reside directly adjacent the closed section of the valve body wall  52  so as to close off the flow from either of the heat transfer media through the valve cylinder  11  and into the heat exchanger. If a throttled flow is desired through the valve  2  the valve cylinder  11  is rotated to a position where the supply port  48  does not totally align with the first or second medium supply ports  32  and  34 . When a full flow of either of the heat transfer media is desired the supply port  48  is completely aligned with either of the first or second medium supply ports  32  or  34 . When changeover between the two different heat transfer media is required the valve cylinder  11  must be rotated through a position wherein the supply port is closed. This prevents any unwanted intermixing of the two heat transfer mediums. 
         [0060]    It is to be noted that the width of 48 is less than the spacing between the adjacent edges of  34  and  32  (which is the closed section of the valve body wall  52 .) The second valve chamber  26  functions in a similar fashion. With this design, within a 90 degree rotation of the valve cylinder  12  within the valve body  4  either the first heat transfer fluid or the second heat transfer fluid may be admitted to the heat exchanger. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Nominal Valve Body &amp; Cylinder Dimensions 
               
               
                 For a ¼ Turn (90°) Valve* 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Angular 
                   
               
               
                 Dimensioned Item 
                 Width** 
                 Formulae 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 width of opening of supply ports 
                 max 45° 
                 max up to ½ 
               
               
                 32 &amp; 34 and return ports 28 &amp; 30 
                   
                 the degrees of cylinder 
               
               
                 (valve body) 
                   
                 rotation 
               
               
                 width of opening of supply 
                 max 45° 
                 max up to ½ 
               
               
                 crossover port 48 and return 
                   
                 the degrees of cylinder 
               
               
                 crossover port 50 (valve cylinder) 
                   
                 rotation 
               
               
                 space 53 between adjacent supply 
                 max 45° 
                 max up to ½ 
               
               
                 ports 28 &amp; 30 and adjacent return 
                   
                 the degrees of cylinder 
               
               
                 ports 32 &amp; 34 (valve body) 
                   
                 rotation 
               
               
                 width of opening of heat 
                  min 135° 
                 min 3/2 the number of 
               
               
                 exchanger supply port 44 or heat 
                   
                 degrees of rotation of 
               
               
                 exchanger return port 46(valve 
                   
                 the valve cylinder+ 
               
               
                 cylinder) 
               
               
                 width of opening of heat 
                 min 45° 
                 min up to ½ the 
               
               
                 exchanger supply inlet 36 or heat 
                   
                 number of degrees of 
               
               
                 exchanger return outlet 38(valve 
                   
                 rotation of the valve 
               
               
                 body) 
                   
                 cylinder 
               
               
                 space 55 between heat exchanger 
                 min 90° 
                 min up to the number 
               
               
                 supply inlet 36 and adjacent 
                   
                 of degrees of rotation of 
               
               
                 supply ports 28 &amp; 30 or 
                   
                 the valve cylinder 
               
               
                 space between heat exchanger 
               
               
                 return outlet 38 and adjacent 
               
               
                 return ports 32 &amp; 34 (valve body) 
               
               
                 space 57 between heat exchanger 
                 min 90° 
                 min up to the number 
               
               
                 supply port 44 and supply 
                   
                 of degrees of rotation of 
               
               
                 crossover port 48 or heat 
                   
                 the valve cylinder 
               
               
                 exchanger return port 46 and 
               
               
                 return crossover port 50 
               
               
                 (valve cylinder) 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 *Reference FIGS. 22 and 23. 
               
               
                 **Taken from midpoint of the cylinder 11. 
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0061]    The above dimensions are minimum and maximum design purposes only. There must be additional spacing for overlap of the valve body walls beyond the limits of the openings in  44 ,  46 ,  48  and  50  to ensure that there is a complete seal formed between these parts as required so that there can be no unwanted bleed over or bypass flow between any of the valve body openings. This necessitates that the nominal angular dimensions of the valve body and valve cylinder of the previous chart are modified to ensure proper operation. The following chart details the dimensions for the preferred embodiment valve. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Valve Body &amp; Cylinder Dimensions 
               
               
                 For Preferred Embodiment(90°)Valve 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Angular Width 
               
               
                 Dimensioned Item 
                 &amp; Tolerance 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 width of opening of supply ports 32 &amp; 34 and 
                 42° +/− 2° 
               
               
                 return ports 28 &amp; 30 (valve body) 
               
               
                 width of opening of supply port 50 and return port 
                 42° +/− 2° 
               
               
                 48 (valve cylinder) 
               
               
                 space 53 between adjacent supply ports 32 &amp; 34 
                 48° +/− 2° 
               
               
                 and adjacent return ports 28 &amp; 30 (valve body) 
               
               
                 width of opening of heat exchanger supply port 46 
                 135° +/− 2°  
               
               
                 or heat exchanger return port 44(valve cylinder) 
               
               
                 width of opening of heat exchanger supply inlet 38 
                 42° +/− 2° 
               
               
                 or heat exchanger return outlet 36(valve body) 
               
               
                 space 55 between heat exchanger supply inlet 38 
                 92° +/− 2° 
               
               
                 and adjacent supply ports 32 &amp; 34 or 
               
               
                 space between heat exchanger return outlet 36 and 
               
               
                 adjacent return ports 28 &amp; 30 (valve body) 
               
               
                 space 57 between heat exchanger supply port 46 
                 92° +/− 2° 
               
               
                 and supply port 50 or heat exchanger return port 
               
               
                 44 and return crossover port 48 (valve cylinder) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0062]    It is to be noted that the general shapes of all openings in the valve cylinder and valve body have been optimized to minimize the overall size of the valve. Looking at  FIGS. 6 and 16  it can be seen that all supply and return ports  28 ,  32 ,  32  and  34  as well as the crossover ports  48  and  50  are generally elliptical in shape or a modified version of a generally elliptical shape. In this manner the valve cylinder diameter of the valve  2  may be minimized. 
         [0063]    To explain in terms of operation the system may only require flow through a nominal ½ inch schedule  40  pipe. This has an ID of 0.62 inches and a cross sectional area of 0.30 square inches. Assuming round ports, this would require the physical width of the ports  48  and  50  to be approximately 0.62 inches. This 0.62 inches would represent 45° of the circumference of the outside of the valve cylinder which would be 4.98 inches and would equal a valve cylinder of approximately 1.6 inches in diameter. 
         [0064]    If a nominal ¾ inch pipe were used with an ID of 0.82 inches and a cross sectional area of 0.53 square inches this would allow the ports  48  and  50  to be made into a traditional elliptical shape and heightened from 0.62 inches to 0.82 inches and narrowed from 0.62 inches to 0.46 inches and still retain the same cross sectional area of the previous example of 0.30 square inches. This 0.46 inches would represent 45° of the circumference of the outside of the valve cylinder which would be 3.68 inches and would equal a valve cylinder of approximately 1.17 inches in diameter. This represents approximately a 27% decrease in size. 
         [0065]    Looking at the configuration of the ports in  FIG. 10  it can be see that the preferred embodiment uses a modified ellipse shape that falls somewhere between a rectangle and an ellipse. This allows the opening to be narrowed even further and allows the preferred embodiment to achieve greater than 27% reduction in valve diameter. 
         [0066]    Looking at  FIGS. 1 ,  13  and  28 - 30  the measurement controls of the valve  2  can best be seen. Thermocouple taps  60  extend through the heat exchanger return inlet  36  and the heat exchanger supply outlet  38  on the valve body  4 . The sensing ends of thermocouples for temperature monitoring are housed in these taps and relay temperature signals to instrumentation for valve control or indication. At the juncture of the valve body fittings and the supply inlets  32  and  34  a flow restricting orifice or characterization disk  64  ( FIG. 17 ) is utilized to customize the flow response to match a more linear heat transfer result. A rotating vane (rotor)  64  shall provide positive displacement metering when placed in one of the valve cylinder chambers  24  or  26 . As is well known in the art there would be an electrical pulse transmitter (pickup)  65  mounted on the outside of the valve body  4  to receive rotation pulses from the passing magnet  67  from the spinning rotor and to relay them to a controller or indicator that may be mounted in the valve actuator  10 . This type of hall effector sensing device is well known in the art of instrumentation and control. The present invention lends itself to the inclusion of a positive displacement metering rotor  64  inside the valve cylinder itself. Looking at  FIGS. 31 to 34  the general assembly of this flow measuring device can best be seen. For precise flow measurement it is desirable to have a positive displacement vane or rotor  64  that offers minimal resistance through the use of an upper bearing  71  and a lower bearing  73  that act to stabilize the rotor and allow for low friction rotation. An efficient and economical design uses steel balls that reside partially in a set of detents formed in the central face  20  and the lower face  22 . 
         [0067]    In assembly it is known that this valve will be a close tolerance valve and that the tightening of the bonnet  6  onto the valve body  4  when the valve cylinder  11 , valve faces and all associated bearings are installed, will serve to compress the assembly and load the bearings so as to stabilize the internal structure of the unit. 
         [0068]    There are numerous features and benefits to the aforementioned combined changeover and control valve such as: it replaces four valves in the conventional changeover configuration; it needs only one control output, instead of two or three; it leads to fewer components pipe and instrumentation to mount; water balancing valves are eliminated; It offers the speed in shut off like a ball valve with 45 degree isolation; it acts like a ball valve with the resultant low pressure drop making it ideal for straight line flow with minimal restrictions; it acts like a globe valve with a proportional response to position with larger valve ports, strainers are no longer needed to catch debris; larger valve ports and a simpler water path reduces water friction, and lowers pump energy; water temperature and flow sensing built into the valve itself; the valve is now truly pressure independent of supply pressure fluctuations; the valve can now be modulated to match Btu energy requirements; and the amount of heating Btu and cooling Btu consumption is now measurable at the air handler via computer. 
         [0069]    Although depicted with two separate chambers in the valve cylinder, it is known that three or more valve cylinder chambers may be utilized with the attendant inlet and outlet connections in an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0070]    The above description will enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this invention. It also sets forth the best modes for carrying out this invention. There are numerous variations and modifications thereof that will also remain readily apparent to others skilled in the art, now that the general principles of the present invention have been disclosed. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. For example while this specification discloses a 90 degree rotation valve it is known that the valve cylinder must rotate within a limited number of degrees in the valve body, but that with modifications it need not be limited to a 90 degree rotation. 
         [0071]    It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.