Applications - CAN System Engineering - page 278

are being closely monitored, with some 1.45 × 10 7 accumulated flight hours (in-
cluding multiple equipment factor) having been accumulated in the period between
mid-2003 and February 2006.

5.4 The Geniax System Decentralised Heating Pumps

“Geniax” is a real technical revolution in the field of heating technology. It is based
on several miniature pumps at the heating surfaces or in the heating circuits instead
of using thermostatic regulating valves. The conventional “supply-oriented heat-
ing” with one central heating pump is replaced in this way by “demand-oriented
heating”—pumping only takes place when heat is needed (see Fig. 5.22 , which
demonstrates the basic principle of Geniax).
Also new is a central control intelligence for the whole heating system. It main-
tains the heating system in a hydraulically optimal state and generally improves
precision, speed and energy efficiency. Fields of application include new buildings
and upgrades of older buildings. The system can be installed in both single- and
multi-family houses as well as in commercial properties such as office buildings.
The central advantage—besides improved hydraulics and comfort—is the signifi-
cant reduction in heating energy consumption by an average of 20 %.
A further decisive component of the decentralised pump system—besides the
miniature pumps and their pump electronics—is a central management unit with an
interface to the heat generator: the Geniax server. It is responsible for the coordina-
tion of heating needs in the individual rooms and, using the present specifications
from the room user interfaces, the management of all components in the entire heat-
ing system. The Geniax server's control signals to the pump electronics are used to
variably control the pump speed and therefore also the mass flow of the pumps and
the heating performance in a needs-based fashion. Beyond this, the server controls
the displays of the room user interfaces, monitors all connected components, col-
lects data for diagnostic purposes and controls the heat generator via the 0-10 V
interface (see Fig. 5.23 ).
As already indicated above, the Geniax system is a master-slave system in
which all slaves are dependent on the communication with the Geniax server. With
this concept, Wilo SE also takes an unusual path for a traditional individual room
temperature regulation system, where all the rooms to be regulated typically work
on their own.
In the Geniax system, the server works with all the system's information so that
individual pumps, if need be, can even be handled according to preference or can
perform anticipatory work as a result of learning processes.
As is the case for any master-slave system, the Geniax system requires a suitable
communication medium. Since a Geniax pump has a maximum power consump-
tion of approximately 3.5 W, there is no need for a permanent battery supply for the
components integrated in the system. This led to the decision to use a cabled system
at the start of the newly developed system.