To ventilate
Healthy and comfortable indoor climate in energy-efficient houses requires cleverly designed ventilation systems. With ventilation controls designed by Airios, we help our customers build best-in-class solutions to manage humidity, CO2 levels, VOCs, allergens etc. in the most energy-efficient way. Our controls are designed for all kinds of indoor demands and outdoor climates -from Italy to Norway- and always comply with local regulations.
Solutions
Zoning solutions
Our new valvescontrol for zoning (VMZ-02V02) offers benefits like more targeted ventilation in the living and/or sleeping zone. This is more energy efficient, it reduces noise and ensures a healthy indoor climate where it is needed at that moment.
The air distribution is distributed between the living zone and the sleeping zone on the basis of the measured CO2 concentrations. The CO2 concentrations indicate where the air quality in the house has decreased. This allows targeted ventilation. In many cases this means that there is more ventilation at night in the sleeping zone and less in the living zone and vice versa during the day.
Our zoning PCB supports 12V or 24V stepper with a max power of 4W. It is intended for a unipolar, 4-coil stepper motor.
Exhaust and supply systems
Exhaust ventilation systems work by depressurizing the building. By reducing the inside air pressure below the outdoor air pressure, they extract indoor air from a house while make-up air infiltrates through leaks in the building shell and through intentional, passive vents.
Exhaust ventilation systems are most applicable in cold climates. In climates with warm, humid summers, depressurization can draw moist air into building wall cavities, where it may condense and cause moisture damage. The systems are relatively simple and inexpensive to install. Typically, an exhaust ventilation system is composed of a single fan connected to a centrally located, single exhaust point in the house.
A preferable option is to connect the fan to ducts from several rooms (especially rooms where pollutants tend to be generated, such as bathrooms). Adjustable, passive vents through windows or walls can be installed to introduce fresh air rather than rely on leaks in the building envelope. However, passive vents may be ineffective because larger pressure differences than those induced by the ventilation fan may be needed for them to work properly.
Spot ventilation exhaust fans installed in the bathroom but operated continuously represent an exhaust ventilation system in its simplest form.
Supply ventilation systems work by pressurizing the building. They use a fan to force outside air into the building while air leaks out of the building through holes in the shell, bath- and range-fan ducts, and intentional vents.
As with exhaust ventilation systems, supply ventilation systems are relatively simple and inexpensive to install. A typical system has a fan and duct system that introduces fresh air into usually one—but preferably several—rooms that residents occupy most (for example, bedrooms, living room, kitchen). This system may include adjustable window or wall vents in other rooms.
Supply ventilation systems allow better control of the air that enters the house than do exhaust ventilation systems. By pressurizing the house, these systems discourage the entry of pollutants from outside and prevent backdrafting of combustion gases from fireplaces and appliances. They also allow air introduced into the house to be filtered to remove pollen and dust or to be dehumidified.
Like exhaust ventilation systems, supply ventilation systems do not temper or remove moisture from the air before it enters the house. Thus, they may contribute to higher heating and cooling costs compared with energy recovery ventilation systems. Because air is introduced in the house at discrete locations, outdoor air may need to be mixed with indoor air before delivery to avoid cold air drafts in winter.
Balanced and recovery systems
Balanced ventilation systems, if properly designed and installed, neither pressurize nor depressurize a house. Rather, they introduce and exhaust approximately equal quantities of fresh outside air and polluted inside air, respectively. A balanced ventilation system usually has two fans and two duct systems. It facilitates good distribution of fresh air by placing supply and exhaust vents in appropriate places.
A typical balanced ventilation system is designed to supply fresh air to bedrooms and common rooms where people spend the most time. It also exhausts air from rooms where moisture and pollutants are most often generated, such as the kitchen, bathrooms, and the laundry room.
Like both supply and exhaust systems, balanced ventilation systems do not temper or remove moisture from the air before it enters the house. They do, however, use filters to remove dust and pollen from outside air before introducing it into the house.
Also, like supply ventilation systems, outdoor air may need to be mixed with indoor air before delivery to avoid cold air drafts in the winter. This may contribute to higher heating and cooling costs.
Energy recovery ventilation systems usually cost more to install than other ventilation systems. In general, simplicity is key to a cost-effective installation. To save on installation costs, many systems share existing ductwork.
Complex systems are not only more expensive to install, but often they are also more maintenance intensive and consume more electric power. For most houses, attempting to recover all of the energy in the exhaust air will probably not be worth the additional cost. Also, these types of ventilation systems are still not very common. Only some HVAC contractors have enough technical expertise and experience to install them.
In general, you want to have a supply and return duct for each bedroom and for each common living area. Duct runs should be as short and straight as possible. The correct size duct is necessary to minimize pressure drops in the system and thus improve performance. Insulate ducts located in unheated spaces and seal all joints with duct mastic.
Energy recovery ventilation systems operated in cold climates must have devices to help prevent freezing and frost formation. Very cold supply air can cause frost formation in the heat exchanger, which can damage it. Frost buildup also reduces ventilation effectiveness.
In addition, energy recovery ventilation systems need to be cleaned regularly to prevent deterioration of ventilation rates and heat recovery, and to prevent mold and bacteria from forming on heat exchanger surfaces.
To connect
With the increasing use of sensors and user interfaces in residential heating and ventilation systems, trouble-free communication is critical. When a wired solution is not an option, communication via our wireless RF protocol is the solution. It allows for 2-way communication between any components of the system. In case of a third-party control unit, our add-on bridge will take care of communication between the control unit and other components.
Solutions
RF-protocol
868MHz: This is the RF frequency that has been adopted by Europe as to be the frequency that if used must then operate within agreed criteria, for example standards for this frequency specify the communication power levels and dictate the number of times a product can transmit (cycle) over a given time period. It is a well controlled relatively ‘quiet’ band used by manufacturers. It allows Airios to provide wireless capability offering the greatest protection from outside interference but also ensuring that these wireless controls do not have an effect on other wireless products.
The expected range of communications: Within a typical house wireless products should communicate reliably within a 30m range. It is important to take into consideration that walls and ceilings will reduce the RF signal.
How do we design our devices to minimize the risk of reduced efficiency in areas where other wireless signals are operating?
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Our wireless communications are robust and do not interfere with other wireless technologies that can be found in normal domestic situations;
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Our products do not broadcast continuously;
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We transmit only on a single band with a high data transmission rate which minimizes the transmission time which reduces the risk of conflict with other transmissions in the area;
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The output power of the wireless devices is, dependent on the device, between 200 to 400 times less than a mobile phone;
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Our products conform with the demanding class 2 receiver requirements as defined by ETSI EN300220-1.
How reliable is 2-way RF communication?
The 2-way RF communication is extremely robust and reliable. When installed correctly the signal strength test feature allows the Installer to locate the system components where mutual signal reception is strong.
During communication, signals are sent several times to ensure receipt, and if any message is garbled, the error detection software recognizes this and ensures the message is repeated again. The benefit of the two way RF is that symbols showing successful communications and systems operation can appear on both transmitter and receiver, making testing and fault finding easy.
How are our devices designed to minimize the risk of causing reduced efficiency in other wireless devices?
In order to ensure that other devices do not get wireless instructions that may interfere with their operation we have developed our own protocol (language) so that even if a message is received by another device it will not act upon it as it will not recognize the instructions, thus ensuring we avoid conflict with other products in same frequency band.
To maximize transmission reliability the transmission times are randomized. In this way the risk that some transmissions will ‘collide’ is minimized.
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The comprehensive specifications of our wireless products mean that:
They are suitable for many types of buildings including single homes; apartments; multi occupancy homes; shops & small businesses. The wireless signal is proven to work through a wide variety of building materials (Concrete, brick, wood, etc).
We have tested the devices and our stated wireless ranges are:
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Open field range approximately 100 metres
In home range 30 metres
The wireless signals will operate through one concrete floor up and down.
Repeaters
A repeater is a transceiver installation that receives a signal and retransmits it in real time. You can place the repeater inbetween two Airios products that can not connect to eachother due to distance. The aim is to obtain a greater range and thus enable communication over greater distances. In fact you can double the range by placing the repeater in the middle. The BRDG-02M11 is a perfect example. This works ideally to extend the range and makes sure that all products have a strong connection.
Bluetooth and wifi
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have some similar applications: setting up networks, printing, or transferring files. Wi-Fi is intended as a replacement for high-speed cabling for general local area network access in work areas or home. This category of applications is sometimes called wireless local area networks (WLAN). Bluetooth was intended for portable equipment and its applications. The category of applications is outlined as the wireless personal area network (WPAN). Bluetooth is a replacement for cabling in various personally carried applications in any setting and also works for fixed location applications such as smart energy functionality in the home (thermostats, etc.).
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are to some extent complementary in their applications and usage. Wi-Fi is usually access point-centered, with an asymmetrical client-server connection with all traffic routed through the access point, while Bluetooth is usually symmetrical, between two Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth serves well in simple applications where two devices need to connect with a minimal configuration like a button press while Wi-Fi suits better in applications where some degree of client configuration is possible and high speeds are required, especially for network access through an access node. However, Bluetooth access points do exist, and ad hoc connections are possible with Wi-Fi though not as simply as with Bluetooth.
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We are constantly looking for both opportunities to be implemented in our products where necessary.
Add-on bridges
The Add-On bridge gives you the opportunity to extend your products with all RF 868 components. It can be used to add wireless sensors to your ventilation system or to add wireless heating products to your setup. Also integrate it in your gateway to the outside world for mobile application. It provides you an easy way to have a complete wireless product portfolio to your products/systems. The data can be read out and written accordingly with a variant of the Modbus protocol, a widely spread communication protocol.
OpenTherm testing tool
OpenTherm is a non-manufacturer-dependent system of communication between modulating HVAC heating appliances and room thermostats. It consists of a communication protocol and an interface specification. OpenTherm is a futuristic technology combining simple installation procedure with high functionality and future expansion possibilities.
Communication standard
Thermostats operated with a traditional on/off controller can be exchanged easily, regardless of whether they are regular thermostats or clock controllers. The same applies for the compatibility of central heating appliances operated by on/off controllers. This provides a wider choice to the fitters when determining the components of a heating system.
Yet when manufacturers of heating systems apply extra functions, more sophisticated communication protocols are needed. The various products are then no longer necessarily interchangeable. In this case, products (i.e. a central heating appliance and a controller) can only operate together provided that they use the same manufacturer-specific protocol.
On the other hand, if manufacturers of both central heating appliances and controllers all maintain a common standard protocol, their respective products can easily operate together. Hence, opting for a standard protocol means opting for a larger market and more freedom of choice for all market participants.
Standards for heating controllers
The communication protocol describes the way digital information is exchanged between central heating appliances and room thermostats. The way this protocol is implemented, and any extra functionality resulting from the use of OpenTherm, is determined entirely by manufacturers of central heating appliances and room thermostats.
Product documentations should state which system functions are available for particular combinations of products. In any case, using OpenTherm guarantees a minimum level of compatibility.
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The following applies to the OpenTherm protocol:
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OpenTherm is a multi point to point communication protocol for use in residential heating.
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OpenTherm requires a standard type of connection like in any modern installation practice, i.e. a 2-wire low voltage and polarity-free connection.
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OpenTherm can also be used as a wireless protocol.
Expanding the functionality
The OpenTherm communication protocol is primarily designed to control modulating heating appliances. As stated above, the protocol offers expansion possibilities which enable the manufacturer to build extra functions into their control devices or appliances as well as the basic function which is compulsory for all OpenTherm implementations. As such they can distinguish themselves from other suppliers and increase the freedom of choice for installers and consumers.
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For certification you can reach out to the Opentherm association.
Cloud solutions
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Customizable data collection: User configurable data collection in the cloud infrastructure. In principle all data registers can be collected. You determine which data to share with the cloud and for which data you build up history.
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Restful API for (mobile) application support: Documented Restful API enabling you to develop your own application. Remote service AP.
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Product statistics/status: The cloud portal provides you with the visualization of the collected data:
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Number of products of each type in the field
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Firmware version per product type: min. version, Release version, Test Version
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Status and configuration of Device registers
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Adjustable device registers: able to Delete and Edit device registers
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Last time connection with the product - Error status of the products
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Graphical data presentation: For some of the data (temperature, humidity, CO2, ventilation level), graphs are visually represented. This allows pattern tracking throughout a certain period of time.
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Data communication: Controlled and configurable data communication frequency. Appliance triggers data combination.
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Secure communication: Data Servers are hosted in Europe, not in public IP domain.
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GDPR compliancy: All data collection is anonymous. User data is stored in a database separate from the system data. Only one-way reference. In backend the Google cloud service is used and in the frontend a portal supports your online information of your systems in the field. Cloud servers are located in Western-Europe. Data is stored and encrypted in the cloud.
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Scalable: Your cloud infrastructure will grow with your business needs. You can start small and can easily scale up when more customers with their products are connected.
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Remote upgrade of Gateway: The cloud service receives its data via our Gateway.
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Joint data controllership: When using the cloud infrastructure there is a joint controllership and responsibility for the personal data stored and processed in the Airios User database. Airios is responsible for the personal data required to grant access to the end-user’s data. Your company will be responsible for the processing of personal data that you collect from the end user.
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For the end-user, your company will be the selling party and therefore you are responsible for the privacy statement related to the product/service. For the content of this statement, the Airios privacy statement can be consulted: https://www.airios.eu/privacy
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Our Cloud solution is designed and developed at the intersection of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). Below, a simplified overview of the Cloud infrastructure is presented.
Custom-made solutions
Custom-made (tailor-made or ready-to-use) solution is a solution prepared according to the customer specific needs and requirements. Custom-made solution is a product, with a real practical application compared to the conventional standard solutions. We are able to create a customer specific product that is only intended for a specific customer.
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Please contact our sales to discuss the possibilities.
Joint development
At Airios we are used to creating new opportunities together with customers. If there is a good idea, we can explore it and use our R&D to further develop it in a joint effort.
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Please contact our sales to discuss the possibilities.