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Setpoint Manager on the demand side of the hot water loop in DesignBuilder

asked 2025-10-01 05:09:50 -0500

Mimi's avatar

updated 2025-10-01 09:13:13 -0500

Hello, I have a question about Detailed HVAC in DesignBuilder. Is it possible to add a Setpoint Manager-Outdoor Air Reset directly on the demand side of the hot water loop fed by a gas boiler, in order to control the water radiator supply temperature based on outdoor air temperature?

– In my system the HW Loop branches into multiple circuits, but I need to change the setpoint only for the node supplying the garage radiator without affecting the other loops.

– I’ve tried using EMS, but either the setpoint is overridden by a supply-side manager or the EMS has no effect on the demand side.

I’m attaching a schematic of my system. https://ibb.co/cKDmhKyj

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How would this approach be reproduced in a real system? The temperature only for the radiator cannot be higher than the boiler temperature, and for it to be lower it would need to be mixed with cold water, which achieves the same result as lowering the water flow through the radiator.

PmP's avatar PmP  ( 2025-10-02 02:17:57 -0500 )edit
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The garage radiator must have a circulator pump and mixing valve. The mixing valve would have to be automated to modulate the loop temperature based on OA reset. Cold water is not required.

Greg Estep's avatar Greg Estep  ( 2025-10-05 06:57:37 -0500 )edit

Thank you all for your replies. @Greg Estep I tried to implement this solution earlier, but it is not possible to add a mixing valve and pump without adding a buffer tank (as I did in the underfloor heating loop). As far as I know, real systems do not have this additional tank, so I wonder if it will not cause too much energy loss due to the efficiency of the tank and, in general, if it will not affect the system too much. Do you know of a way to connect the boiler loop with an auxiliary water loop with a mixing valve without adding a tank?

Mimi's avatar Mimi  ( 2025-10-06 02:28:33 -0500 )edit

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answered 2025-10-04 19:06:59 -0500

Greg Estep's avatar

updated 2025-10-05 06:55:43 -0500

Hello, This can be accomplished by adding another hot water loop with a fluid to fluid heat exchanger (remove boiler). Connect the boiler HW loop demand side to the HX of the second HW loop. You can then choose the control scheme of the heat exchanger to heating modulating and choose the OA reset setpoint manager and place it on the supply side of the heat exchanger. This loop would serve the zone group with the garage.

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Do you think this solution is closer to how real systems work than the solution with an auxiliary hot water loop with a mixing valve, pump, and additional buffer tank (as I used in the underfloor heating loop and as you mentioned in your comment above)?

And one more technical question: I added a setpoint manager after the HX, OA reset, but the program asks me to add another one on the supply side of the loop with the HX, i.e., one after the other. What settings should I use in the second setpoint manager?

Mimi's avatar Mimi  ( 2025-10-06 02:38:24 -0500 )edit
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I wouldn't use the buffer tank and tempering valve for the heated floor zones, unless your system has a buffer tank. I typically find heated floor designs to be constant flow, and that object has its own integrated pump and temperature control settings. In this configuration, the hot water loop can still be variable, or constant and use the bypass pipe.

Regarding the second setpoint manager, match the outdoor air reset.

Greg Estep's avatar Greg Estep  ( 2025-10-06 18:18:11 -0500 )edit

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Asked: 2025-10-01 05:09:50 -0500

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Last updated: Oct 05