1. An energy measurement system for a fluid heating and cooling system, comprising:
a primary fluid flow loop;
a first secondary fluid flow loop and a second secondary fluid flow loop each being fluidly coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the first secondary fluid flow loop exchanging heat with a heat load and the second secondary fluid flow loop exchanging heat with a heat source, the first and second secondary fluid flow loops each including an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupling the primary fluid flow loop to each of the first and second secondary fluid flow loops;
a fluid flow meter coupled to the primary fluid flow loop between at least one of the outlet of the first secondary fluid flow loop and the inlet of the second secondary fluid flow loop and the outlet of second secondary fluid flow loop and the inlet of the first secondary fluid flow loop, the flow meter measuring a volumetric fluid flow of the flow within the primary loop at the position of the flow meter;
a first temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the first temperature sensor measuring the temperature of a fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop upstream of the inlet of the first secondary fluid flow loop;
a second temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the second temperature sensor measuring the temperature of the fluid in the primary fluid flow loop flowing downstream of the outlet of the first secondary fluid flow loop;
a third temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the third temperature sensor measuring the temperature of the fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop downstream of the outlet of the second secondary fluid flow loop; and
a processor in communication with the first, second, and third temperature sensors and the fluid flow meter, the processor being configured to:
multiply the difference between the measured temperatures of the second and first temperature sensors by the volume flow measured by the flow meter to determine the thermal energy consumption rate of the heat load of the first secondary flow loop; and
multiply the difference between the measured temperatures between the third and second temperature sensors by the volume measured by the flow meter to determine the thermal energy generation rate of the heat source of the second secondary flow loop.
2. The system of claim 1, further including a heat exchange element exchanging heat with the primary fluid flow loop.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second primary fluid flow loop in thermal communication with the primary fluid flow loop; and wherein the second primary fluid flow loop exchanges heat with the primary fluid flow loop through a heat exchanging element.
4. The system of claim 3, further including a second fluid flow meter coupled to the second primary fluid flow loop.
5. The system of claim 3, further including a tertiary fluid flow loop fluidly coupled to the second primary fluid flow loop, the tertiary fluid flow loop including at least one of a heat load and a heat source; and wherein the at least one heat source on the tertiary fluid flow loop is one or more solar energy collectors.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the tertiary fluid flow loop includes an inlet and outlet in fluid communication with the second primary fluid flow loop.
7. A method of measuring at least one of energy production and consumption rate in a fluid heating or cooling system, comprising:
coupling a single fluid flow meter to a primary fluid flow loop, the primary fluid flow loop being fluidly coupled to a first secondary fluid flow loop and a second secondary loop, the first secondary fluid flow loop including an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupling the primary fluid flow loop and the first secondary fluid flow loop, the first secondary fluid flow loop exchanging heat with a heat load and the second secondary flow loop exchanging heat with a heat source;
coupling a first temperature sensor to the primary fluid flow loop upstream of the inlet of the first secondary fluid flow loop;
measuring the volumetric fluid flow rate within the primary fluid flow loop at any position along the primary fluid flow loop that is not between the inlet and the outlet of the first secondary fluid flow loop and the second secondary fluid flow loop with the fluid flow meter;
measuring the temperature of a fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop upstream of the inlet of the first secondary fluid flow loop with the first temperature sensor;
coupling a second temperature sensor to the primary fluid flow loop downstream of the outlet of the first secondary fluid flow loop, and
measuring the temperature of the fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop downstream of the outlet of the first secondary fluid flow loop with the second temperature sensor;
coupling a third temperature sensor to the primary fluid flow loop downstream of the outlet of the second secondary fluid flow loop;
measuring the temperature of the fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop downstream of the outlet of the second secondary fluid flow loop with the third temperature sensor;
multiplying the difference between the measured temperatures of the second and first temperature sensors by the volume flow measured by the flow meter to determine the energy consumption rate of the heat load of the first secondary flow loop; and
multiplying the difference between the measured temperatures between the third and second temperature sensors by the volume measured by the flow meter to determine the energy generation rate of the heat source of the second secondary flow loop.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the primary cooling loop exchanges heat with a heat exchanging element.
9. The method of claim 8, further including coupling a second fluid flow meter to a second primary fluid flow loop, the second primary fluid flow loop exchanging heat with the primary fluid flow loop through the heat exchanging element.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second primary fluid flow loop is fluidly coupled to a tertiary fluid flow loop, the tertiary fluid flow loop including an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupling the second primary fluid flow loop and the tertiary flow loop, the tertiary fluid flow loop exchanging heat with at least one of a heat source and a heat load.
11. The method of claim 7, further including fluidly coupling one or more solar collectors to the second primary fluid flow loop.
12. An energy measurement system for a fluid heating and cooling system, comprising:
a primary fluid flow loop;
a plurality of secondary fluid flow loops fluidly coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, each secondary fluid flow loop exchanging heat with at least one of a heat source and a heat load, each secondary fluid flow loop including an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupling the primary fluid flow loop to the secondary fluid flow loop;
a fluid flow meter coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the fluid flow meter being positioned on the primary fluid flow loop at any position other than between the inlet and outlet of each secondary fluid flow loop;
a first temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the first temperature sensor measuring the temperature of a fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop upstream of the inlet of a first one of the plurality of secondary fluid flow loops, the first one of the plurality of secondary fluid flow loops being fluidly coupled to a heat load;
a second temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the second temperature sensor measuring the temperature of the fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop downstream of the outlet of the first one of the plurality of secondary fluid flow loops;
a third temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the third temperature sensor measuring the temperature of a fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop downstream of the outlet of a second one of the plurality of secondary fluid flow loops, the second one of the plurality of secondary fluid flow loops being fluidly coupled to a heat source;
a processor in communication with the first, second, and third temperature sensors and the fluid flow meter, the processor being configured to:
multiply the difference between the measured temperatures of the second and first temperature sensors by the volume flow measured by the flow meter to determine the energy consumption rate of the heat load of the first one of the plurality of secondary loops; and
multiply the difference between the measured temperatures between the third and second temperature sensors by the volume measured by the flow meter to determine the energy generation rate of the heat source of the second one of the plurality of secondary fluid flow loops.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An inverter for driving multiple discharge lamps comprising:
a transformer for driving a first discharge lamp and a second discharge lamp, comprising primary and secondary windings;
a first balancing circuit connected in series with the first discharge lamp, sensing a first lamp current through the first discharge lamp to provide a first sensing signal, for adjusting the first lamp current in accordance with a matching signal;
a second balancing circuit connected in series with the second discharge lamp, sensing a second lamp current through the second discharge lamp to provide a second sensing signal, for adjusting the second lamp current in accordance with the matching signal; and
a comparator receiving the first and the second sensing signals, for comparing the first sensing signal with the second sensing signal to generate the matching signal used to control the first and the second balancing circuits, thereby equalizing the first lamp current and the second lamp current.
2. The inverter as recited in claim 1 wherein the comparator drives the matching signal to a first state when the first sensing signal is greater than the second sensing signal and drives the matching signal to a second state when the first sensing signal is less than the second sensing signal.
3. The inverter as recited in claim 2 wherein the first balancing circuit comprises a first transistor circuit, in response to the matching signal, for decreasing the first lamp current when the matching signal is in the first state, and for increasing the first lamp current when the matching signal is in the second state.
4. The inverter as recited in claim 2 wherein the second balancing circuit comprises a second transistor circuit, in response to the matching signal, for increasing the second lamp current when the matching signal is in the first state, and for decreasing the second lamp current when the matching signal is in the second state.
5. The inverter as recited in claim 3 wherein the first balancing circuit further comprises a first coupling device connected between the comparator and the first transistor circuit, for protecting against noise from the comparator.
6. The inverter as recited in claim 4 wherein the second balancing circuit further comprises a second coupling device connected between the comparator and the second transistor circuit, for protecting against noise from the comparator.
7. The inverter as recited in claim 3 wherein the first balancing circuit further comprises a first rectifier circuit having an input port and an output port, where one terminal of the input port is coupled to the first discharge lamp and terminals of the output port are coupled across the first transistor circuit.
8. The inverter as recited in claim 4 wherein the second balancing circuit further comprises a second rectifier circuit having an input port and an output port, where one terminal of the input port is coupled to the second discharge lamp and terminals of the output port are coupled across the second transistor circuit.
9. The inverter as recited in claim 7 wherein the first balancing circuit further comprises a first sensing circuit for sensing the first lamp current through the first discharge lamp to provide the first sensing signal, in which the first sensing circuit has its input terminal coupled to the other terminal of the first rectifier circuit’s input port and has its output terminal coupled to a first input terminal of the comparator.
10. The inverter as recited in claim 8 wherein the second balancing circuit further comprises a second sensing circuit for sensing the second lamp current through the second discharge lamp to provide the second sensing signal, in which the second sensing circuit has its input terminal coupled to the other terminal of the second rectifier circuit’s input port and has its output terminal coupled to a second input terminal of the comparator.
11. The inverter as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
a resonant push-pull converter, including the transformer generating an AC voltage in a push-pull manner at the secondary winding to drive the first and the second discharge lamps in parallel; and
drive circuitry for controlling the resonant push-pull converter to regulate the AC voltage in accordance with the first sensing signal, in which the input of the drive circuitry receives a DC voltage and the output of the drive circuitry is coupled to the transformer’s primary winding.
12. An inverter for driving multiple discharge lamps comprising:
a resonant push-pull converter, including a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding that is coupled to a parallel connection of a first and second discharge lamp, for generating an AC voltage in a push-pull manner at the secondary winding to drive the first and the second discharge lamps in parallel;
a first balancing circuit connected in series with the first discharge lamp, sensing a first lamp current through the first discharge lamp to provide a first sensing signal, for adjusting the first lamp current in accordance with a matching signal;
a second balancing circuit connected in series with the second discharge lamp, sensing a second lamp current through the second discharge lamp to provide a second sensing signal, for adjusting the second lamp current in accordance with the matching signal;
a comparator receiving the first and the second sensing signals, for comparing the first sensing signal with the second sensing signal to generate the matching signal used to control the first and the second balancing circuits, thereby equalizing the first lamp current and the second lamp current; and
drive circuitry for controlling the resonant push-pull converter to regulate the AC voltage in accordance with the first sensing signal, in which the input of the drive circuitry receives a DC voltage and the output of the drive circuitry is coupled to the transformer’s primary winding.
13. The inverter as recited in claim 12 wherein the comparator drives the matching signal to a first state when the first sensing signal is greater than the second sensing signal and drives the matching signal to a second state when the first sensing signal is less than the second sensing signal.
14. The inverter as recited in claim 13 wherein the first balancing circuit comprises a first transistor circuit and the second balancing circuit comprises a second transistor circuit, wherein the first transistor circuit decreases the first lamp current and the second transistor circuit increases the second lamp current respectively in response to the matching signal in the first state, and wherein the first transistor circuit increases the first second lamp current and the second transistor circuit decreases the second lamp current respectively in response to the matching signal in the second state.
15. The inverter as recited in claim 14 wherein the first balancing circuit further comprises a first coupling device and the second balancing circuit further comprises a second coupling device, for respectively protecting against noise from the comparator, wherein the first coupling device is connected between the comparator and the first transistor circuit, and wherein the second coupling device is connected between the comparator and the second transistor circuit.
16. The inverter as recited in claim 14 wherein the first balancing circuit further comprises a first rectifier circuit and the second balancing circuit further comprises a second rectifier circuit, wherein one terminal of the first rectifier circuit’s input port is coupled to the first discharge lamp and terminals of the first rectifier circuit’s output port are coupled across the first transistor circuit, and wherein one terminal of the second rectifier circuit’s input port is coupled to the second discharge lamp and terminals of the second rectifier circuit’s output port are coupled across the second transistor circuit.
17. The inverter as recited in claim 16 wherein the first balancing circuit further comprises a first sensing circuit for sensing the first lamp current through the first discharge lamp to provide the first sensing signal, in which the first sensing circuit has its input terminal coupled to the other terminal of the first rectifier circuit’s input port and has its output terminal coupled to a first input terminal of the comparator.
18. The inverter as recited in claim 16 wherein the second balancing circuit further comprises a second sensing circuit for sensing the second lamp current through the second discharge lamp to provide the second sensing signal, in which the second sensing circuit has its input terminal coupled to the other terminal of the second rectifier circuit’s input port and its output terminal coupled to a second input terminal of the comparator.
19. An inverter for driving multiple discharge lamps comprising:
a transformer for driving a plurality of discharge lamps, comprising primary and secondary windings;
a plurality of balancing circuits respectively connected in series with the corresponding discharge lamps, sensing respective lamp currents through their corresponding discharge lamps to provide a plurality of sensing signals, for adjusting the lamp currents in accordance with a set of matching signals; and
a comparator for comparing the sensing signals from the balancing circuits to generate the set of matching signals used to control the balancing circuits, thereby equalizing the lamp currents among the discharge lamps.
20. The inverter as recited in claim 19 wherein each of the balancing circuits comprises a transistor circuit in response to the corresponding matching signal set, when one of the matching signals indicates that its corresponding lamp current is the largest of all, the corresponding transistor circuit decreases the largest lamp current and the rest of the transistor circuits increase the other lamp currents.
21. The inverter as recited in claim 20 wherein each of the balancing circuits further comprises a coupling device connected between the comparator and its associated transistor circuit, for protecting against noise from the comparator.
22. The inverter as recited in claim 21 wherein each of the balancing circuits further comprises a rectifier circuit having an input port and an output port, where one terminal of each rectifier circuit’s input port is coupled to the corresponding discharge lamp and terminals of each rectifier circuit’s output port are coupled across its associated transistor circuit.
23. The inverter as recited in claim 22 wherein each of the balancing circuits further comprises a sensing circuit for sensing the corresponding lamp current to provide the respective sensing signal, in which each sensing circuit has its input terminal coupled to the other terminal of its associated rectifier circuit’s input port and has its output terminal coupled to a corresponding terminal of the comparator.
24. The inverter as recited in claim 19 further comprising:
a resonant push-pull converter, including the transformer generating an AC voltage in a push-pull manner at the secondary winding to drive the discharge lamps in parallel; and
drive circuitry for controlling the resonant push-pull converter to regulate the AC voltage in accordance, with the one of the sensing signals, in which the input of the drive circuitry receives a DC voltage and the output of the drive circuitry is coupled to the transformer’s primary winding.