Design and implementation of a hydraulic balancing system based on low-power ZigBee Ad-Hoc network electric household control valves

Accelerating global urbanization highlights the need for sustainable smart cities. Centralized heating systems, vital to intelligent heating networks, enhances energy efficiency and reduces carbon emissions. Hydraulic imbalance, however, compromises efficiency and comfort, with traditional remedies challenging in older districts. This study introduces an electric household control valve and a hydraulic balance control system based on the ZigBee protocol The system utilizes ZigBee's Ad-Hoc network features to monitor residential heating return water temperatures, achieving wireless monitoring of the heating system. The results demonstrate that ZigBee's mesh topology and media access control significantly improve system robustness Utilizing the Time Protocol Synchronization Node time synchronization mechanism, the time synchronization error rate is only 0.76 ‰, and the node current is reduced from 37.33 mA to 35.2uA, significantly lowering the system's power consumption and ensuring long-term stable operation. By adjusting the return water temperature, the maximum temperature differential was reduced from 5.9 °C to 1.6 °C, a reduction of about 73 %. The temperature difference between households was significantly reduced, effectively improving the hydraulic imbalance issue in old residential areas, ensuring an even temperature distribution. This study provides a cost-effective low-carbon solution to address the challenges of urban heating, promote the development of intelligent heating networks.