Fraunhofer IEE: “At least as good as conventional hydraulic balancing”

Homematic IP: Floor heating with automatic hydraulic balancing

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22.02.2021

Homematic IP automates hydraulic balancing. The FALMOT-C12 floor heating controller continuously automatically recalculates the optimum flow of heating water according to target temperatures. The product thereby achieves continuous thermal balancing, i.e. based on room heat, between the energy required and the energy provided – without any configuration required and for any day and any weather. FALMOT thus heralds a transformation in heat distribution – away from static hydraulic optimisation for design conditions, towards intelligent, dynamic control based on actual target variables.

FALMOT's other special feature is its continuous control of heating circuits. Motorised drives are used for control rather than the usual thermal actuators. Thermal actuators permit just opening and closing of heating circuit valves whereas motorised actuators enable precise and continuous regulation of the required flow rates. As part of a measurement project by Fraunhofer IEE, already in 2019 it could be shown that “[t]he continuous control by the FALMOT results in more uniform flow rates in individual rooms compared to traditional thermal actuators”. This enables “better use of the heat generator's ability to modulate heat output and avoids cycling of the generator”. This leads to significantly increased efficiency: according to Fraunhofer IEE, instead of the 3 to 5 watts per heating circuit typical for thermal actuators, the Homematic IP solution consumes less than 1 watt to control temperatures in the entire house. Furthermore, “by avoiding cycling, the service life of heat pumps can be expected to increase”.

The FALMOT-C12 floor heating controller for up to 12 heating circuits is available as a wireless solution and now also as a new variant for the Homematic IP Wired System. Control is flexible via the free Homematic IP app, the WebUI user interface or alternatively directly via one of the many available wireless or wired wall thermostats from Homematic IP.

The previous standard for optimising an existing heating system was conventional, i.e. manually performed, hydraulic balancing. This attempts to balance the amount of heat required for the room and the amount emitted by the heating system by balancing flow rates, flow temperature and water pressure. Calculation is based on a single operating point in the full load range, usually a hypothetical day with an outside temperature of -14 ⁰C. Changing weather conditions are not taken into account. Given the complexity of the manually performed hydraulic balancing, inaccuracies cannot be excluded. The problem: inadequate balancing affects comfort and, in most cases, the efficiency of the entire heating system. FALMOT from Homematic IP, on the other hand, is a control technology that continuously and automatically adapts to changes in room heating needs and different hydraulic conditions.

For more information on the topic, see: Smart control of floor heating in new and existing buildings

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