Reduce water / energy consumption in water supply systems

Abstract

A heater arrangement system of a water supply system for controlling the water supply amount of a water outlet, wherein the water outlet is configured to provide hot water to a user, and the heater arrangement system comprises: a water heating device, which is arranged away from the water outlet; a control unit, which is communicatively coupled to the water heating device, and the control unit is configured to a) set a timer to count from an initial time value when detecting that the water outlet has been opened, and b) start a warning if the running time of the timer has exceeded a first time threshold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to water flow / energy flow utility management in a water supply system, such as a heater arrangement system for a water supply system for supplying hot water to a plurality of water outlets (faucets) in a building. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to reducing the waste of water and / or energy flow to the water outlets in the water supply system to save water and / or energy. Background Art

[0002] Whether in commercial or domestic environments, hot water is required all year round. It goes without saying that providing hot water requires clean water and a heat source. In order to provide hot water, a heating system is provided to a conventional central water supply system to heat the water to a predetermined temperature, for example, set by the user, and the heat source used is usually one or more electric heating elements or burning natural gas.

[0003] Clean water as a public utility is currently receiving a lot of attention. As clean water becomes increasingly scarce, much effort has been put into educating the public to conserve clean water and developing systems and devices that reduce water consumption, such as aerated showers and faucets that reduce water output, showers and faucets equipped with motion sensors that stop water output when no motion is detected, etc. However, these systems and devices are limited to a single specific use and have limited impact on bad water habits.

[0004] With growing concern about the impact of energy consumption on the environment, there has been a recent increase in interest in using heat pump technology as a way to provide domestic hot water. A heat pump is a device that transfers thermal energy from a heat source to a thermal storage chamber. Although a heat pump requires electricity to do the job of transferring thermal energy from the heat source to the thermal storage chamber, it is generally more efficient than a resistance heater (electric heating element) because it typically has a coefficient of performance of at least 3 or 4. This means that for the same amount of electricity usage, 3 or 4 times more heat can be delivered to the user via a heat pump compared to a resistance heater.

[0005] The heat transfer medium that carries the heat energy is called a refrigerant. A heat receiving exchanger extracts the heat energy from the air (e.g., outside air, or air from a hot room indoors) or a ground source (e.g., a ground loop or a water-filled borehole) and transfers it to the contained refrigerant. A new generation of more energetic refrigerant is compressed, causing its temperature to rise significantly, and this high-temperature refrigerant exchanges heat energy with the water heating loop through a heat exchanger. In the case of providing hot water, the heat extracted by the heat pump can be transferred to water in an insulated tank for thermal energy storage, and the hot water can be used later when needed. The hot water can be directed to one or more water outlets, such as faucets, showers, radiators, as required. However, heat pumps generally require more time for the water to reach the required temperature than electric resistance heaters.

[0006] Since different homes, workplaces and commercial spaces have different requirements and preferences for hot water use, new ways of supplying hot water are needed in order for heat pumps to become a practical alternative to electric heaters. In addition, in order to save energy and water, it would be desirable to detect when water or energy flows are being wasted and take appropriate measures to try to avoid this waste. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention provides a heater arrangement system of a water supply system for controlling the water supply amount of a water outlet, as described in claim 1.

[0008] The present invention also provides a method for controlling the water supply amount of a water outlet in a water supply system, as described in claim 8.

[0009] The present invention also provides a corresponding computer program product and a control module as described in claims 12 and 13. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011] Figure 1 is a system overview schematic diagram of an exemplary water supply system;

[0012] Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating the steps involved in temporarily reducing energy flow and / or water flow in an exemplary water supply system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] In view of the above, the present disclosure provides various methods for controlling the use of utilities including water and energy in a household environment. According to one embodiment, when it is determined that there is no object under the water outlet, the flow rate and / or temperature of the hot water flowing out of the water outlet will be reduced, so that the use of water (due to the lower flow rate of the water) and / or energy (due to the lower temperature of the water) can be reduced when not needed. According to a supplementary embodiment, when it is determined that the water outlet has continuously provided hot water for a first time period, a warning such as sound or flashing is activated; when it is determined that the water outlet has continuously provided hot water for a longer second time period, the hot water is stopped from being provided, so that the use of water and / or energy can be reduced when it is deemed unnecessary, and overflow is further prevented. According to another supplementary embodiment, a report can be generated based on the collected hot water usage data, for example, to prompt users to adjust their usage habits.

[0014] In the following embodiments, in a building, such as a private residence or a commercial space, hot water is provided to a plurality of water outlets, including taps, showers, radiators, etc., via a central water heating system. The water heating system may include one or more electric heating elements for directly heating cold water to a temperature controlled by energy supplied to one or more electric heating devices. The water heating system may also include a less direct, slower acting, but cost-effective and environmentally friendly heat source for heating the water, such as in the form of a heat pump for extracting thermal energy from the surrounding environment and / or a thermal energy storage, such as a phase change material for storing thermal energy for later extraction to heat the cold water to a temperature determined by the amount of heat stored in the thermal energy storage. The water heating system is controlled by a control module communicatively coupled to the water heating system, such as the control module being configured to regulate the power supplied to the one or more electric heating elements to activate or otherwise control and regulate the power supplied to the heat pump.

[0015] Water supply system

[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, cold and hot water are provided by a central water supply system to multiple water outlets of a building in a domestic or commercial environment, including faucets, showers, radiators, etc.

[0017] As Figure 1 An exemplary water supply system of the embodiment shown. In this embodiment, the water supply system 100 includes a control module 110, which may include a machine learning algorithm 120. The control module 110 is communicatively coupled to various elements of the water supply system and is configured to control the elements, including a flow controller 130, such as in the form of one or more valves to control the water flow inside and outside the system; a (ground source or air source) heat pump 140, configured to extract heat from the surrounding environment and store the extracted heat in a thermal energy storage 150 for heating water; and one or more electric heating elements 160, configured to directly heat cold water to a desired temperature by controlling the energy provided to the electric heating element 160. Whether the water heated by the thermal energy storage 150 or the water heated by the electric heating element 160, it will be introduced into one or more water outlets when needed. In this embodiment, the heat pump 140 extracts heat from the surrounding environment into the thermal energy storage medium in the thermal energy storage 150. In addition, the thermal energy storage medium can also be heated by other heat sources. The thermal energy storage medium is heated to the required operating temperature, and then the thermal energy storage medium can heat cold water (e.g., cold water from the water main) to the required temperature. The heated water can then be supplied to various water outlets in the system.

[0018] In this embodiment, the control module 110 is configured to receive inputs from a plurality of sensors 170-1, 170-2, 170-3, ..., 170-n. For example, the plurality of sensors 170-1, 170-2, 170-3, ..., 170-n may include one or more air temperature sensors arranged indoors and / or outdoors, one or more water temperature sensors, one or more water pressure sensors, one or more timers, one or more motion sensors, and may also include other sensors that are not directly connected to the water supply system 100, such as a GPS signal receiver, a calendar and a weather forecast application on a smartphone carried by a resident, and communicate with the control module through a communication channel. In this embodiment, the control module 110 is configured to perform various control functions using the received inputs, for example, controlling the water flow through the flow controller 130 to the thermal energy storage 150 or the electric heating element 160 to heat the water.

[0019] Although heat pumps are generally more energy efficient at heating water than electric resistance heaters, heat pumps require time to transfer enough heat to the thermal energy storage medium to bring it to the desired operating temperature before heating the water; therefore, heat pumps require longer time to heat the same amount of water to the same temperature than electric resistance heaters. In addition, in some embodiments, the heat pump 140 may use a phase change material (PCM) as a thermal energy storage medium, which changes from a solid to a liquid when heated. Therefore, the heat pump may require additional time to first transfer enough heat to change the PCM from a solid to a liquid (if it is allowed to solidify) before further increasing the temperature of the liquefied thermal energy storage medium. Although this method of heating water is slower, it consumes less energy to heat the water than an electric heating element, so overall, energy can be saved and the cost of providing hot water can be reduced.

[0020] Phase change materials

[0021] In this embodiment, the phase change material can be used as a heat storage medium for the heat pump. One class of suitable phase change materials is paraffin wax, which has a solid-liquid phase transition at the temperatures required for domestic hot water supply and use in conjunction with a heat pump. Of particular interest is that the melting temperature of paraffin wax is between 40 and 60 degrees Celsius (°C), and within this range paraffin waxes can be found melting at different temperatures to suit specific applications. Typical latent heat capacities are between about 180 kJ / kg and 230 kJ / kg, and in the liquid phase, the specific heat capacity may be 2.27 Jg -1 K -1 , in the solid phase, the specific heat capacity may be 2.1 Jg -1 K -1. It can be seen that a large amount of energy can be stored using the latent heat of fusion. Even more energy can be stored by heating the phase change liquid above the melting point. For example, when electricity costs are relatively low during off-peak periods, a heat pump can be operated to "charge" the thermal energy storage to a higher than normal temperature, making the thermal energy storage "overheated".

[0022] Suitable waxes may be waxes having a melting point of about 48°C, such as n-tricosane C 23 (n-tricosane C 23 ) or paraffin 20 -C 33 ), the wax requires the heat pump to operate at a temperature of around 51°C and can heat water to a satisfactory temperature of around 45°C required for general domestic hot water, sufficient for use in, for example, kitchen taps, shower / bathroom taps. If necessary, cold water can be added to the water flow to reduce the water temperature. Considering the impact on the temperature performance of the heat pump. In general, the maximum temperature difference between the input and output temperatures of the fluid heated by the heat pump is preferably maintained in the range of 5°C to 7°C, although the temperature difference can be as high as 10.

[0023] Although paraffin is a preferred material for use as a thermal energy storage medium, other suitable materials may also be used. For example, salt hydrates are also suitable for latent heat storage systems such as the present invention. In this case, the salt hydrate is a mixture of inorganic salts and water, and its phase change process loses all or most of the water. During the phase change process, the hydrate crystals are divided into anhydrous (or less water-containing) salts and water. The advantage of salt hydrates is that they have a much higher thermal conductivity than paraffin (2 to 5 times higher) and a much smaller volume change during phase change. Salt hydrates suitable for the current application include Na2S2O3·5H2O, which has a melting point of about 48°C to 49°C and a latent heat capacity of 200-220kJ / kg.

[0024] Overview of Machine Learning Algorithms

[0025] There are many different types of machine learning algorithms (MLA) known in the art. Broadly speaking, there are three types of MLA: MLA based on supervised learning, MLA based on unsupervised learning, and MLA based on reinforcement learning.

[0026] The supervised learning MLA process is based on a target outcome variable (or dependent variable) that needs to be predicted by a given set of predictors (independent variables). Using the above set of variables, MLA (during the training process) generates a function that maps the input to the desired output. The training process continues until the MLA achieves the desired accuracy on the validation data. Examples of supervised learning based MLA include regression, decision trees, random forests, logistic regression, etc.

[0027] Unsupervised learning MLA itself does not involve predicting the target or outcome variable. This type of MLA is used to cluster a set of values ​​into different arrays, which are widely used to segment customers into different groups for specific interventions. For example, unsupervised learning MLA can include: Apriori algorithm, K-means algorithm.

[0028] A reinforcement learning MLA is trained to make specific decisions. During training, the MLA is exposed to a training environment where it continuously trains itself through trial and error. The MLA learns from past experience and tries to acquire the best knowledge to make accurate decisions. As a specific example, a reinforcement learning MLA can be a Markov decision process.

[0029] It is understood that different types of MLAs have different structures or topologies and can be used for various tasks. A special type of MLA includes Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), also known as Neural Networks (NN).

[0030] Neural Networks

[0031] In general, a given NN consists of a set of interconnected artificial "neurons" that process information using a connectionist computational approach. Neural networks are used to model complex relationships between inputs and outputs (without actually knowing the relationship) or to find patterns in data. Neural networks are first conditioned in a training phase, during which the neural network is given a set of known "inputs" and information that is used to adjust the neural network to generate appropriate outputs (for the given situation it is trying to model). During this training phase, the given neural network adapts to the situation it is learning and changes its structure so that the given neural network can provide reasonable predicted outputs for the given inputs in the new situation (based on what it has learned). Therefore, the purpose of a given neural network is not to try to determine a complex statistical arrangement or mathematical algorithm for a given situation, but to provide an "intuitive" answer based on the "perception" of the given situation. Therefore, a given neural network is seen as a trained "black box" that can be used to determine a reasonable answer for a given set of inputs in a specific situation, and at that time, what happens in the "box" is not important.

[0032] Neural networks are often used in many situations where only the output given the input is needed, and the exact way the output is derived is less important or unimportant. For example, neural networks are often used to optimize the distribution of network traffic between servers and in data processing, including filtering, clustering, signal separation, compression, vector generation, etc.

[0033] Deep Neural Networks

[0034] In some non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, the neural network is a deep neural network. It is understood that neural networks can be divided into various types, one of which includes recurrent neural networks (RNN).

[0035] Recurrent Neural Networks

[0036] Recurrent Neural Networks are suitable for processing input sequences using their "internal state" (stored memory). This makes Recurrent Neural Networks very suitable for tasks such as segmented handwritten text recognition and speech recognition. The internal state of a Recurrent Neural Network can be controlled, which is called "gated" state or "gated" memory. It should also be noted that Recurrent Neural Networks themselves can also be divided into various subclasses of Recurrent Neural Networks. For example, Recurrent Neural Networks include Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs), Bidirectional Recurrent Neural Networks (BidirectionalRNNs, BRNNs), etc.

[0037] An LSTM network is a deep learning system that can, in a sense, learn tasks that require "remembering" events that occurred in very short discrete time steps. The topology of an LSTM network can vary depending on the specific task it is "learning" to perform. For example, an LSTM network can learn to perform tasks where relatively long delays occur between events or where events occur at both low and high frequencies. A recurrent RNN with a specific gating mechanism is called a GRU. Unlike an LSTM network, a GRU does not have an "output gate" and therefore has fewer parameters than an LSTM network. A BRNN may include a "hidden layer" with neurons connected in opposite directions, so that information about past and future states can be used.

[0038] Residual Neural Network

[0039] Another example of a neural network that can be used to implement non-limiting embodiments of the present invention is a residual neural network (ResNet).

[0040] Deep networks naturally integrate low / mid / high-level features and classifiers in an end-to-end multi-layer manner, and the "hierarchy" of features can be enriched by the number of stacked layers (depth).

[0041] In summary, in the context of the present invention, the implementation of at least a portion of one or more machine learning algorithms can be roughly divided into two phases - a training phase and an operation phase. First, in the training phase, a given machine learning algorithm is trained using one or more appropriate training data sets. Then, once the given machine learning algorithm has learned which data can be used as ideal input and which data can be provided as output, the given machine learning algorithm will be run based on the operating data in the operation phase.

[0042] Figure 2 An embodiment of a method for controlling utility usage in a domestic environment is shown. The method begins at step S2001 when a user activates or opens a water outlet (e.g., a tap in a bathroom sink) to receive hot water provided by a water heating system located remote from the water outlet, the water heating system being Figure 1 The control module 110 shown is controlled by the control module, which is arranged away from the water outlet and is connected to a sensor (such as a sensor) arranged at or near the water outlet. Figure 1The control module 110 communicates with one of the sensors 170-n shown in the figure to sense whether there is an object (such as the hands of a person washing hands) under the water outlet. In step S2002, the control module 110 receives a signal from the sensor and determines whether there is an object under the water outlet in step S2003. If the control module determines that there is an object, the method returns to step S2002, and the control module continues to monitor the signal from the sensor. If the control module determines that there is no object under the water outlet, in step S2004, the control module controls the water heating system to reduce the temperature of the hot water supplied to the water outlet and / or reduce the flow rate of the hot water supplied to the water outlet. Then the method returns to step S2002, and the control module continues to monitor the signal from the sensor. In this process, hot water can continue to be supplied to the water outlet, but energy consumption and / or water consumption can be reduced. For example, during the period when a user washes his hands with hot water under the faucet, when the user removes his hand from the faucet to get soap, the control module can reduce the temperature and flow of the hot water to save energy and water, and then once the user puts his hand back to the faucet, the temperature and flow of the hot water can be restored to the initial level.

[0043] There may be a situation where the user forgets to turn off the faucet. Therefore, in another embodiment, or based on the previous embodiment, when the water outlet is activated to supply hot water, a timer in communication with the control module is also activated to record the running time. In step S2005, the control module receives a signal from the timer to determine the running time T for continuously providing hot water from the water outlet. If the control module determines in step S2006 that the running time T does not exceed the preset first threshold value T1, the method returns to step S2005 and the control module continues to monitor the signal from the timer. If the control module determines in step S2006 that the running time T exceeds the first threshold value T1, the control module starts a warning sequence in step S2007, and the warning sequence may include emitting a sound or activating a light signal at or near the water outlet to warn the user that the water outlet has been open for a period of time T1, thereby prompting the user to close the water outlet when hot water is no longer needed. In step S2008, the control module determines whether the running time T exceeds a preset second threshold value T2, and the second threshold value T2 is higher than the first threshold value T1. If it is determined that the running time T does not exceed the second threshold value T2, the method returns to step S2005, and the control module continues to monitor the signal from the timer. If the control module determines in step S2008 that the running time T exceeds the second threshold value T2, then the control module controls the water heating system so that the water outlet is completely closed, thereby stopping the supply of hot water to the water outlet in step S2009. In this way, when hot water is no longer needed, energy and water will not be wasted. For example, if a user forgets to turn off the faucet after washing his hands, or a child forgets to turn off the faucet when playing, the supply of hot water can be automatically stopped to save energy and water. In addition to the preset values, the values ​​of the two thresholds T1 and T2 can also be determined by deriving predicted values ​​based on an artificial intelligence algorithm (such as deep learning or other MLA), which has been trained based on past usage of water flows in a specific building, so that no warning will be generated and the water source will not be shut down under normal water use in a specific household or commercial building.

[0044] In one embodiment, over time, the hot water usage data collected ( S2010 ) may be used to generate usage reports ( S2011 ) as a tool to prompt users to review and possibly adjust their usage habits to reduce energy and water usage.

[0045] The control module 110 implements the above functions through software programming and Figure 2 Alternatively, the control module performs the above functions by directly connecting to the hardware logic.

[0046] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Therefore, the present invention may be implemented in the form of complete hardware, complete software or a combination of hardware and software.

[0047] In addition, the present invention may also take the form of a computer program product, which is embodied in a computer-readable medium, wherein the computer-readable medium contains computer-readable program code. The computer-readable medium may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. For example, computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor systems, devices or equipment, or any suitable combination of the foregoing media.

[0048] Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object oriented programming languages ​​and traditional procedural programming languages.

[0049] For example, the program code used to perform the operations of the present invention may include source code, object code or executable code in a traditional programming language (interpreted or compiled) such as C language, or assembly code, code for building or controlling an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or code for a hardware description language such as VerilogTM or a very high-speed integrated circuit hardware description language (VHDL).

[0050] Code components may be embodied as programs, methods, etc., and may also include subcomponents, which may be in the form of instructions or instruction sequences at any level of abstraction, from direct machine instructions of a native instruction set to high-level compiled or interpreted language structures.

[0051] It should also be clear to those skilled in the art that all or part of the logic method according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention can be appropriately embodied in a logic device, the device comprising a logic element for executing the method steps, the logic element can include a logic gate component in a programmable logic array or an application-specific integrated circuit. The above logic arrangement can be further embodied in an enabling element for temporarily or permanently establishing a logic structure in such an array or circuit, for example, a virtual hardware description language, which can be stored and transmitted using a fixed or transmittable carrier medium.

[0052] The examples and conditional language listed in this specification are intended to help readers understand the principles of the present invention, rather than limiting its scope to these specific examples and conditions. It is understood that a person skilled in the art can design various arrangements, which, although not explicitly described or shown in this specification, embody the principles of the present invention and are included in the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0053] In addition, to aid understanding, the above description may describe relatively simplified embodiments of the present invention. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, various embodiments of the present invention may be more complex.

[0054] In some cases, useful examples that are considered to be modifications of the present invention may also be described. This is done only to aid understanding and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention or to define the limits of the present invention. These modifications are not an exhaustive list, and those skilled in the art may make other modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, where no examples of modifications are listed, it should not be interpreted that any modification is impossible and / or that what is described is the only way to implement the original of the present invention.

[0055] In addition, all statements in this specification describing the principles, aspects and implementations of the present invention and their specific examples are intended to cover their structural and functional equivalents, whether they are currently known or developed in the future. Thus, for example, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that any block diagram in this specification is a conceptual view of an example circuit that embodies the principles of the present invention. Similarly, it will be understood that any flow chart, operation procedure diagram, state transition diagram, pseudo code, etc. represent various processes that can be substantially represented in a computer-readable medium and executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such a computer or processor is explicitly shown.

[0056] The functions of the various elements shown in the figure can be provided by using dedicated hardware and hardware capable of executing software associated with appropriate software. When the functions are provided by a processor or a control module, they can be provided by a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or multiple separate processors, some of which can be shared. In addition, the explicit use of the term "processor" or "controller" should not be understood as referring only to hardware capable of executing software, which may implicitly include but is not limited to digital signal processor (Digital Signal Processor, DSP) hardware, network processor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), read-only memory (Read-only Memory, ROM), random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM) for storing software) and non-volatile memory. In addition, other traditional and / or customized hardware may also be included.

[0057] A software module, or a simple module that is self-evidently identified as software, can be represented in this specification as any combination of flow chart elements or other elements indicating flow steps and / or textually described performance. The module can be executed by hardware that is explicitly shown or implied.

[0058] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many improvements and modifications may be made to the above exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heater arrangement system of a water supply system for controlling a water supply amount of a water outlet, wherein the water outlet is configured to provide hot water to a user, the heater arrangement system comprising: A water heating device is arranged away from the water outlet; as well as A control unit is communicatively coupled to the water heating device, wherein the control unit is configured to: a) receiving a signal from a sensor, wherein the sensor is arranged at or near the water outlet; b) Determine whether there is an object under the water outlet; c) if it is determined that there is no object below the water outlet, controlling the water heating system to reduce the temperature and / or flow rate of hot water supplied to the water outlet; d) when it is detected that the water outlet has been opened, setting a timer to start counting from an initial time value; e) if the running time of the timer has exceeded a first time threshold, initiating a warning; as well as f) if the running time of the timer has exceeded a second time threshold, the second time threshold being higher than the first time threshold, stopping the water flow supplied to the water outlet; in Once an object appears under the water outlet, the temperature and flow of the hot water are controlled to return to the initial level; in The first time threshold and the second time threshold are set by an artificial intelligence algorithm executed by the control unit; the artificial intelligence algorithm predicts the values ​​of the first time threshold and the second time threshold based on the past usage of the water supply system; the artificial intelligence algorithm has been trained based on the past usage of water flow in specific buildings, and the specific buildings include specific household buildings and specific commercial buildings. When the specific household buildings and the specific commercial buildings use water normally, no warning will be generated and the water source will not be shut down.

2. The heater arrangement system of claim 1, wherein the water heating device comprises a heat pump and a thermal energy storage device.

3. The heater arrangement system of claim 2, wherein the thermal energy storage device is a phase change material device. The heater arrangement system of claim 3 , wherein the phase change material is paraffin wax. 5 . The heater arrangement system according to claim 4 , wherein the paraffin wax melts at a temperature of 40° C. to 60° C.

6. A heater arrangement according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the latent heat capacity of the phase change material is between 180 kJ / kg and 230 kJ / kg and, in the liquid phase, the specific heat capacity is 2.27 Jg -1 K -1 , in the solid phase, the specific heat capacity is 2.1 Jg -1 K -1 .

7. The heater arrangement system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control unit is further configured to collect water usage data and generate a water usage report accordingly.

8. A method for controlling the water supply of a water outlet in a water supply system, applicable to the heater arrangement system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the water outlet is configured to provide hot water from a water heating device to a user, the method comprising the following steps: a) receiving a signal from a sensor, wherein the sensor is arranged at or near the water outlet; b) Determine whether there is an object under the water outlet; c) if it is determined that there is no object below the water outlet, controlling the water heating system to reduce the temperature and / or flow rate of hot water supplied to the water outlet; d) when it is detected that the water outlet has been opened, setting a timer to start counting from an initial time value; e) if the running time of the timer has exceeded a first time threshold, initiating a warning; as well as f) stopping the water flow supplied to the water outlet if the running time of the timer has exceeded a second time threshold, the second time threshold being higher than the first time threshold; Once an object appears under the water outlet, the temperature and flow rate of the hot water are controlled to return to the initial level; wherein the first time threshold and the second time threshold are set by an artificial intelligence algorithm executed by the control unit; and The artificial intelligence algorithm predicts the values ​​of the first time threshold and the second time threshold based on the past usage of the water supply system; the artificial intelligence algorithm has been trained based on the past usage of water flow in specific buildings, and the specific buildings include specific household buildings and specific commercial buildings. When the specific household buildings and the specific commercial buildings use water normally, no warning will be generated and the water source will not be shut down.

9. A computer readable medium comprising machine readable code, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the method of claim 8.

10. A control module configured to control the operation of a water supply system based on a communication channel, the water supply system comprising a heating system, the heating system being configured to heat water from a main pipe and being controlled by the control module, the water supply system being configured to provide water heated by the heating system to a user at one or more water outlets, the control module comprising a processor having software executed thereon, or having preconfigured hardware logic components, the processor being configured to execute the method of claim 8.

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