E~flow facilitates just-in-time energy, based on building energy demand.
(Feb. 6, 2018 – LANSING) – Vytau K. Virskus of Millenium Energy Company has been awarded U.S. patent no. 9,519,297 for Dynamic Differential Energy Control of Hydronic Heating or Cooling Systems.
The trade name of this next-generation intelligent, on-demand hydronic pumping control system is E~flow.
E~flow is a mathematical algorithm that uses building energy demand as the primary control variable to slow down or speed up a hydronic pump through a variable speed control thereby increasing or decreasing volume flow. The E~flow control process is compatible with any off-the-shelf variable speed drive and has been proven to reduce energy cost by eliminating over-pumping, optimize instantaneous energy delivery to a system or load and minimize incremental electric and/or thermal energy waste.
“This unique, patented system combines basic engineering principles and standard mathematics with the physics of hydronic system thermal and flow relationships, resulting in considerable energy and cost savings,” said Mr. Virskus.
The energy delivered in a hydronic system is based on the temperature of a hydronic fluid and the flow rate. It has been shown that managing the system flow rate can cut electric pumping costs by as much as 50 percent. The E~flow control process responds directly to the energy the building is using in real time. E~flow provides a mechanism that is far more universal, and scalable, with respect to controlling thermal distribution systems, and therefore is a major improvement on the old pressure-based control mechanism.
One of the most beneficial aspects to the patented E~flow control is that if the hydronic system has three-way valves, the valves do not have to be modified (one leg cut and capped) to operate like a two-way valve, nor do the valves have to be replaced with two-way valves. Both scenarios create a very significant expense that makes paybacks less attractive and may create liability for the contractor.
The mathematics of E~flow theory of control have been well-developed, and the concepts of controlling hydronic boilers, pumps and circulating loops have now been well established. With hydronic systems in millions of square feet of facilities of various types being controlled with E~flow, the efficacy of the system has been proven, both for variable volume pumping of heating and cooling water systems, as well as legacy boiler and chiller sequencing control.
This press release was originally posted on Newswire, Feb. 6, 2018.
