Thermally regulated central heating system

Claim 2

A thermally regulated central heating system comprising a hot fluid generator, radiators, a hot fluid supply pipe connecting the generator to the radiators, a cooled fluid return pipe connecting the radiators to the generator, a three-way mixer valve inserted in the hot fluid supply pipe, a cooled fluid recycling pipe connecting the return pipe to the mixer valve, the mixer valve having means defining a first inlet way, a second inlet way, and an outlet way, means defining a valve aperture associated with said first inlet way and a valve aperture associated with said second inlet way, and valve closure means co-operative with said valve apertureS for varying the flow of fluid through the first inlet way valve aperture and the second inlet way valve aperture, control means for controlling the closure means of the mixer valve and responsive to a differential pressure which is a function of the mixed fluid supply flow to the radiators, the mixture valve dividing the supply pipe into a hot fluid supply pipe section connected to said first inlet way and a mixed fluid supply pipe section connected to said outlet way, said mixed fluid supply pipe section and a part of said return pipe upstream of the connection of said recycling pipe to said return pipe forming part of a pipe circuit in which a fluid circulating pump is inserted, restriction means in said mixed fluid pipe section, two pressure take-off pipes connecting said control means to points of said mixed fluid supply pipe section located respectively upstream and downstream of said restriction means, and thermostically controlled flow regulating means inserted in said mixed fluid supply pipe section.

Claim 3

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermostically controlled flow regulating means comprises at an inlet of at least one of the radiators a thermostatic valve.

Claim 4

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restriction means is inserted in the mixed fluid supply pipe section in the vicinity of the mixer valve.

Claim 5

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restriction means is inserted in said outlet way.

Claim 6

A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the restriction means is a rigid diaphragm.

Claim 7

A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the restriction means is a venturi.

Claim 8

A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of the two pressure take-off pipes communicates with the upstream side of the venturi and the other of the pressure take-off pipes communicates with the throat of the venturi.

Claim 9

A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the restriction means is a butterfly valve member.

Claim 10

A thermally regulated central heating system comprising a hot fluid generator, radiators, a hot fluid supply pipe connecting the generator to the radiators, a cooled fluid return pipe connecting the radiators to the generator, a three-way mixer valve inserted in the hot fluid supply pipe, a cooled fluid recycling pipe connecting the return pipe to the mixer valve, the mixer valve having means defining a first inlet way, a second inlet way, and an outlet way, means defining a valve aperture associated with said first inlet way and a valve aperture associated with said second inlet way, and valve closure means co-operative with said valve apertures for varying the flow of fluid through the first inlet way valve aperture and the second inlet way valve aperture, control means for controlling the closure means of the mixer valve and responsive to a differential pressure which is a function of the mixed fluid supply flow to the radiators, the mixer valve dividing the supply pipe into a hot fluid supply pipe section connected to said first inlet way and a mixed fluid supply pipe section connected to said outlet way, said mixed fluid supply pipe section and a part of said return pipe upstream of the connection of said recycling pipe to said return pipe forming part of a pipe circuit in which a fluid circulating pump is inserted, restriction means in said mixed fluid pipe section, two pressure take-off pipes connecting said control means to points of said mixed fluid supply pipe section located respectively upstream and downstream of said restriction means, and thermostically controlled flow regulating means inserted in said mixed fluid supply pipe section, the restriction means being constituted by the closure means of the mixer valve.

Claim 11

A thermally regulated central heating system comprising a hot fluid generator, radiators, a hot fluid supply pipe connecting the generator to the radiators, a cooled fluid return pipe connecting the radiators to the generator, a three-way mixer valve inserted in the hot fluid supply pipe, a cooled fluid recycling pipe connecting the return pipe to the mixer valve, the mixer valve having means defining a first inlet way, a second inlet way, and an outlet way, means defining a valve aperture associated with said first inlet way and a valve aperture associated with said second inlet way, and valve closure means co-operative with said valve apertures for varying the flow of fluid through the first inlet way valve aperture and the second inlet way valve aperture, control means for controlling the closure means of the mixer valve and responsive to a differential pressure which is a function of the mixed fluid supply flow to the radiators, the mixer valve dividing the supply pipe into a hot fluid supply pipe section connected to said first inlet way and a mixed fluid supply pipe section connected to said outlet way, said mixed fluid supply pipe section and a part of said return pipe upstream of the connection of said recycling pipe to said return pipe forming part of a pipe circuit in which a fluid circulating pump is inserted, restriction means in said mixed fluid pipe section, two pressure take-off pipes connecting said control means to points of said mixed fluid supply pipe section located respectively upstream and downstream of said restriction means, and thermostically controlled flow regulating means inserted in said mixed fluid supply pipe section, the restriction means being constituted by the closure means of the mixer valve.

Claim 12

A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein one of the two pressure take-off pipes opens onto the second inlet way of the mixer valve, and the other pressure take-off pipe opens onto the outlet way of the mixer valve.

Claim 13

A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein one of the pressure take-off pipes opens onto the first inlet way of the Mixer valve and the other pressure take-off pipe opens onto the outlet way of the mixer valve.

Claim 14

A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control means of the closure member of the mixer valve comprise two chambers, a movable partition wall located between the two chambers, a rod supporting the closure means and integral with the partition wall, the upstream pressure take-off pipe being constituted by an axial passage in the rod.

Claim 15

A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control means of the closure member of the mixer valve comprise two chambers, a movable partition wall located between the two chambers, a rod supporting the closure means and integral with the partition wall, one of the chambers of the control means having a second wall which also partly defines an inlet chamber of the mixer valve and the upstream pressure take-off pipe being constituted by an opening formed in said second wall.

Claim 16

A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control means of the closure member of the mixer valve comprise two chambers, a movable partition wall located between the two chambers, a rod supporting the closure means and integral with the partition wall, the upstream pressure take-off pipe being constituted by an axial passage in the rod, the upstream pressure take-off pipe opening onto said second inlet way of the mixer valve.

Claim 17

A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the upstream pressure take-off pipe opens onto said first inlet way of the mixer valve.

Claim 18

A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the upstream pressure take-off pipe opens onto said second inlet way after having passed through the associated valve closure means.

Claim 19

A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the upstream pressure take-off pipe opens onto said first inlet way through lateral orifices in the upstream pressure take-off pipe.

Claim 20

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure take-off pipes terminate in cranked tubes which open onto an axis of flow of the fluid through the mixer valve from said first inlet way to said outlet way.

Claim 21

A system as claimed in claim 2, comprising a complementary differential pressure regulating means disposed between the closure means of the mixer valve and the downstream pressure take-off pipe.

Claim 22

A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the complementary pressure differential regulating means is a butterfly valve member.

Claim 23

A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the complementary pressure differential regulating means is a flap.

Claim 24

A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the same butterfly valve member acts as both restriction means and complementary means regulating the differential pressure.