Heating System Water Flow Rate Prediction Using Three Port Control Valves

Abstract

This work highlights the requirement for flow rate measurement in order to monitor energy use in heating systems. It recognises that not all heating systems have the facility to monitor system water flow rates. It investigates, via a test facility,the combined port flow characteristics of three port valves and fits mathematical equations to them. The paper then goes on to test the validity of the use of these relationships in the prediction of system water flow rates in practice. The work finds that there is considerable potential in using three port valves for ‘passive flow monitoring’