Method and system for regulating energy usage

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method for regulating energy consumption by a water supply system installed in a building, the water supply system comprising one or more electric heating elements operable to heat water, a heat pump configured to transfer thermal energy from outside the building to a thermal energy storage medium inside the building; and a control module configured to control the operation of the water supply system. The water supply system is configured to provide water heated by the one or more electric heating elements and / or the thermal energy storage medium to one or more water outlets, the method being performed by the control module and comprising: determining an energy demand level of a geographic area including the building; and when it is determined that the energy demand level is high, controlling the water supply system to switch from using the one or more electric heating elements to using the thermal energy storage medium to provide hot water.

Description

[0001] The present invention or disclosure relates to methods and systems for managing public service consumption or utility consumption. In particular, the present invention relates to methods and systems for actively regulating water and / or energy consumption or energy consumption in domestic environments as well as commercial environments, public environments and other environments where water and / or energy is provided. Background Art

[0002] Hot water is needed all day, all year round, in both commercial and domestic environments. 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 usually provided to the central water supply system so that the water is heated to a predetermined temperature, such as a predetermined temperature set by the user, and one or more electric heating elements or burning natural gas are conventionally used as a heat source. Generally speaking, during periods of high energy (such as natural gas or electricity) demand, public service providers implement peak rates that increase the unit cost of energy, partly including the additional cost of having to purchase more energy to supply customers, and partly discouraging unnecessary energy use. Subsequently, during periods of low energy demand, public service providers implement off-peak rates that reduce the unit cost of energy to encourage consumers to switch to using energy during these off-peak hours rather than during peak hours, so as to achieve a more balanced energy consumption or energy consumption overall over time, however, such a strategy is only effective if consumers always pay attention to changes in rates and make extra conscious efforts to change their energy consumption habits.

[0003] Clean water as a public service is currently receiving more attention. As clean water becomes increasingly scarce, many efforts have been made to educate the public to conserve clean water, as well as to develop systems and devices that reduce water waste, such as showers and faucets that incorporate gas to reduce water flow, showers and faucets equipped with motion sensors that stop water flow when no motion is detected, etc. However, these systems and devices are limited to a single specific use and have only limited impact on problematic water habits.

[0004] With increasing concern about the environmental impact of energy consumption, 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 heat energy from a heat source to a heat reservoir. Although a heat pump requires electricity to complete the work of transferring or transmitting heat energy from the heat source to the heat reservoir, 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, a heat pump can provide 3 to 4 times more heat to the user than a resistance heater.

[0005] The heat transfer medium that transports thermal energy is called a refrigerant. Thermal energy is extracted from the air (e.g., outdoor air or air from a hot room in the house) or from a ground source (e.g., a ground loop or a well that is filled with water) through a receiving heat exchanger and then transferred to the contained refrigerant. The refrigerant with a higher current energy is compressed, causing its temperature to rise significantly, and the hot refrigerant exchanges thermal energy with the heating water circuit 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 that acts as a thermal energy storage device, and the hot water can be used later when needed. The hot water can be diverted to one or more water outlets, such as faucets, showers, radiators, as needed. However, heat pumps generally take longer to heat the water to the desired 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 hot water supply 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 may be desirable to regulate the consumption of energy and clean water; however, regulating the consumption of public services cannot blindly restrict usage.

[0007] Therefore, it is desirable to provide improved methods and systems for regulating energy consumption. Summary of the invention

[0008] In view of the above situation, one aspect of the present invention or technology provides a computer-implemented method for regulating the energy consumption of a water supply system installed in a building, the water supply system including one or more electric heating elements that are operable or operable to heat water, a heat pump configured to transfer thermal energy from outside the building to a thermal energy storage medium in the building; and a control module configured to control the operation or operation of the water supply system, the water supply system being configured to provide water heated by the one or more electric heating elements and / or the thermal energy storage medium to one or more water outlets, the method being executed by the control module and including: determining an energy demand level for a geographic area including the building; and when it is determined that the energy demand level is high, controlling the water supply system to switch from using one or more electric heating elements to using a thermal energy storage medium to provide hot water.

[0009] During periods of high energy demand, embodiments of the present invention will actively switch to a more energy efficient heat source to provide hot water. In doing so, energy demand can be reduced during periods of high energy demand.

[0010] There may be some situations where the thermal energy storage medium does not have enough energy stored therein to provide hot water, for example, during periods of high energy demand and / or on cold days. In some embodiments, the method may further include operating a heat pump based on an expected hot water demand to transfer thermal energy to the thermal energy storage medium. In doing so, the heat pump operates with an estimate of the expected hot water demand to ensure that there is enough heat stored in the thermal energy storage medium to meet the expected demand.

[0011] Hot water usage generally follows a predictable pattern. For example, in a domestic environment, the demand for hot water is generally high in the morning and evening, but low during the midday period. In some embodiments, the method may further include determining an expected hot water demand based on a water usage pattern established from historical usage of the water supply system. In doing so, the heat pump may be run or operated in advance of an expected rise in demand to store heat in the thermal energy storage medium.

[0012] In some embodiments, the method may further include: implementing at least one common service consumption reduction strategy when the energy demand level is determined to be high. By implementing one or more common service consumption reduction strategies, the control module can control and adjust the use of hot water to reduce energy costs and / or water consumption during periods of high energy demand.

[0013] In some embodiments, at least one common service consumption reduction strategy may include determining that a first outlet among the one or more outlets is in use, and reducing a flow rate of hot water provided to the first outlet from a first flow rate to a second flow rate, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate. By reducing the flow rate of hot water, less water is used in a given period of time, and therefore, less energy is required to heat the water.

[0014] In some embodiments, at least one common service consumption reduction strategy may include determining that a second water outlet of the one or more water outlets is in use, and reducing a temperature of hot water provided to the second water outlet from a first temperature to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature. By reducing the temperature of the hot water, less energy is required to heat a given amount of water.

[0015] In some embodiments, the water supply system can be configured to supply hot water to a central heating system configured to increase the indoor temperature of a building, and at least one public service consumption reduction strategy can include controlling the water supply system to supply hot water to the central heating system so that the heat supply or heating output of the central heating system meets at least one heating target.

[0016] In some embodiments, controlling the water supply system to supply hot water to the central heating system may include: adjusting the flow rate and / or temperature and / or duration of the hot water supplied to the central heating system.

[0017] In some embodiments, at least one heating objective may include using a maximum amount of energy to heat water supplied to the central heating system.

[0018] In some embodiments, the maximum energy may be determined based on an amount of energy stored in the thermal energy storage medium.

[0019] In some embodiments, the method may further include: when it is determined that the energy demand level is low, operating the heat pump to store thermal energy in the thermal energy storage medium. In doing so, when the water supply system is controlled to switch from using the one or more electric heating elements to the thermal energy storage medium to provide hot water during periods of high energy demand, it can be ensured that the thermal energy storage medium is ready to provide hot water.

[0020] In some embodiments, the energy demand level may be determined based on rate data obtained from an energy provider.

[0021] In some embodiments, the energy demand level may be determined to be high when the rate data indicates peak rates.

[0022] Another aspect of the present invention provides a control module configured to control the operation of a water supply system installed in a building, the water supply system comprising: a heat pump configured to transfer thermal energy to a thermal energy storage medium and one or more electric heating elements operable to heat water, the water supply system configured to provide the one or more electric heating elements operable to heat water and / or water heated by the thermal energy storage medium to one or more water outlets, the control module comprising a control circuit configured to: determine an energy demand level of a geographic area including the building; and when it is determined that the energy demand level is high, control the water supply system to switch from using the one or more electric heating elements to using the thermal energy storage medium to provide hot water.

[0023] Another aspect of the present invention provides a water supply system for supplying water to one or more water outlets arranged in a building, the water supply system comprising: one or more electric heating elements configured to heat water provided by the water supply system; a thermal energy storage device arranged in the building and configured to store thermal energy; a heat exchanger arranged close to the thermal energy storage device and configured to use the thermal energy stored in the thermal energy storage device to heat the water provided by the water supply system; a heat pump configured to transfer thermal energy from outside the building to the thermal energy storage device; and a control module configured to control the operation of the water supply system, the control module comprising a control circuit, the control circuit being configured to: determine an energy demand level of a geographic area including the building; and when it is determined that the energy demand level is high, control the water supply system to switch from using the one or more electric heating elements to using a thermal energy storage medium to provide hot water.

[0024] The present invention also provides a computer program stored on a computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program is executed on a computer system, it instructs the computer system to implement the above methods.

[0025] The embodiments of the present invention each have at least one of the above-mentioned objectives and / or aspects, but do not necessarily have all objectives and / or aspects. It should be understood that some aspects of the present invention generated in an attempt to achieve the above-mentioned objectives may not meet the objectives and / or may meet other objectives not specifically described herein.

[0026] Additional and / or alternative features, aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, drawings and appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 is a system overview diagram of an exemplary water supply system;

[0029] Figure 2 An exemplary method of regulating public service usage or utility usage based on a rate is shown;

[0030] Figure 3 An exemplary method of regulating water flow and temperature is shown; and

[0031] Figure 4 Exemplary methods of regulating heat supply or heating output are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In view of the above, the present invention or disclosure proposes various solutions for providing hot water using or with the assistance of heat pumps, and in some cases for regulating the use of public services including water and energy to reduce water and energy waste.

[0033] Water supply system

[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention or technology, cold and hot water is provided by a central water supply system or a centralized water supply system to multiple water outlets of a building in a home or commercial environment, including faucets, showers, radiators, etc. Figure 1 An exemplary water supply system 100 is shown.

[0035] In this embodiment, the water supply system 100 includes a control module 110. The control module 110 is communicatively coupled to various elements or components of the water supply system and is configured to control various elements of the water supply system, including: a flow controller 130, which is, for example, arranged in the form of one or more valves that control the flow of water into or out of the system; a (ground source or air source) heat pump 140, which is configured to extract heat or thermal energy from the surrounding environment and store the extracted heat in a thermal energy storage 150 for use in heating water; and one or more electric heating elements 160, which are configured to directly heat cold water to a desired temperature or desired temperature by controlling the amount or amount of energy supplied to the electric heating element 160. Then, the hot water or heated water, whether heated by the thermal energy storage 150 or by the electric heating element 160, will be directed to one or more water outlets and / or a central heating system as needed and when needed. In these embodiments, the heat pump 140 introduces heat or thermal energy extracted from the surrounding environment into the thermal energy storage medium in the thermal energy storage 150 until the thermal energy storage medium reaches the working or operating temperature, and then cold water, such as cold water from the main pipeline, can be heated to the desired temperature by the thermal energy storage medium. Subsequently, hot water can be supplied to various water outlets in the system.

[0036] In this embodiment, the control module 110 is configured to receive input information or data 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 an air temperature sensor arranged indoors and / or outdoors, one or more water temperature sensors, one or more water pressure sensors, one or more timers, one or more dynamic or 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 on a smartphone carried by a resident and communicating with the control module through a communication channel, a calendar, a weather forecast application, etc. In this embodiment, the control module 110 is configured to use the received input information to implement various functional controls, such as controlling the water flow through the flow controller 130 to flow to the thermal energy storage 150 or the electric heating element 160 to heat the water.

[0037] Optionally, one or more machine learning algorithms (MLA) 120 may be executed on the control module 110, for example, on a processor (not shown) of the control module 110 or on a server remote from the control module 110 and in communication with the processor of the control module 110 via a communication channel. For example, the machine learning algorithm 120 may be trained using input sensor data received by the control module 110 to establish baseline water and energy usage patterns based on time of day, day of week, date (e.g., seasonal changes, public holidays), occupancy, etc. The learned usage patterns may then be used to determine and in some cases improve various control functions performed by the control module 110, and / or generate reports, for example, to enable users to analyze their public service usage and / or provide suggestions for more efficient public service usage.

[0038] Although heat pumps are generally more energy efficient at heating water than electric resistance heaters, heat pumps require a certain amount of time to transfer sufficient thermal energy to the thermal energy storage medium to bring it to the desired operating temperature before the heat from the thermal energy storage medium can be used to heat the water; therefore, heat pumps generally take longer to heat the same amount of water to the same temperature than electric resistance heaters. In some embodiments, the heat pump 140 may use, for example, a phase change material (PCM) as a thermal energy storage medium, which changes from a solid to a liquid when heated. If the phase change material has been allowed to solidify, in this case, additional time may be required to change the phase change material from a solid to a liquid before the heat extracted by the heat pump is used to increase the temperature of the thermal energy storage medium. Although this scheme or method of heating water may be slow, the total amount of energy consumed to heat the water is less than that of using an electric heating element to heat the water, so overall, energy is saved and the cost of providing hot water is reduced.

[0039] Phase change materials

[0040] In this embodiment, the phase change material can be used as the heat storage medium of the heat pump. One suitable type of phase change material is paraffin wax, which has a solid-liquid phase transition at a temperature suitable for domestic hot water supply and use in conjunction with a heat pump. Paraffin wax is particularly suitable for melting at a temperature in the range of 40 to 60 degrees Celsius (°C), and paraffin waxes can be found within this range that melt at different temperatures to suit specific applications. Typical latent heat capacities are about 180 kJ / kg to 230 kJ / kg, and liquid specific heat capacities are about 2.27 Jg -1 K -1 , while the solid relative heat capacity is about 2.1 Jg -1 K -1It can be seen that a large amount of energy can be stored using the latent heat of melting. Even more energy can be stored by heating the phase change liquid above its melting point. For example, when electricity rates are relatively low during off-peak hours, a heat pump can be operated to "charge" the thermal energy storage to a higher temperature than normal, so that the thermal energy storage is "superheated".

[0041] A suitable wax may be one having a melting point of about 48°C, such as n-tricosane. 23 or paraffin C 20 -C 33 , which requires the heat pump to operate at a temperature of around 51°C and be able to heat water to a satisfactory temperature of around 45°C for general domestic hot water, sufficient to meet the needs of, for example, kitchen / bathroom taps, showers, etc. If necessary, cold water can be added to the water flow to reduce the water temperature. The temperature performance of the heat pump needs to be considered. Generally speaking, 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, but can be as high as 10°C.

[0042] Although paraffin is a preferred material for use as a thermal energy storage medium, other suitable materials can also be used. For example, salt hydrates are also suitable for latent heat storage systems, such as the present system. The salt hydrates mentioned here are mixtures of inorganic salts and water, in which all or most of their water content is lost during a phase change. During the phase transition, the hydrate crystals are separated into anhydrous (or less water-containing) salt and water. The advantages of salt hydrates are that they have a higher thermal conductivity than paraffin (2 to 5 times higher) and that the volume decreases significantly with the phase change. A salt hydrate suitable for the current application is Na 2 S 2 O 3 ·5H 2 O, its melting point is about 48℃ to 49℃, and its latent heat is 200-220kJ / kg.

[0043] Regulation of the use of public services

[0044] Since both energy and clean water are necessities, it is desirable to regulate their use. The inventive solution provides methods and systems for actively regulating energy use, which are integrated or incorporated into a hot water supply system suitable for domestic, commercial or public use. The inventive solution is particularly relevant in the case of using a heat pump to provide hot water. Actively regulating energy consumption based on current energy demand is to enable the heat pump to operate when the energy demand of the national grid is low (e.g., during off-peak hours) so that heat is stored in a thermal energy storage, and then the stored energy can be extracted when the energy demand is high (e.g., during peak hours) to provide hot water and / or district heating. In this way, the energy demand during peak hours can be reduced, thereby improving the balance of energy demand between peak hours and off-peak hours, and improving the availability or cheapness of heat pumps as a form of hot water supply and district heating.

[0045] Figure 2 A method for regulating energy consumption based on current energy rates according to one embodiment is shown. Energy rates, such as obtained from an energy supplier, reflect energy demand in a country or region for a given time period or period; therefore, in this embodiment, energy rates are used as an indicator for implementing energy regulation. The method can be implemented by a control module (such as control module 110) of a water supply system (such as water supply system 100) that provides hot water to a household in a home environment, for example.

[0046] The method starts at step S201 , when the control module determines the current energy rate, for example using data received directly from the energy supplier and / or based on data obtained from the public domain (eg from the energy supplier's website).

[0047] In step S202, the control module determines whether the current energy rate is a peak rate (high unit energy cost) or an off-peak rate (low unit energy cost), the peak rate indicating a high demand for energy, while the off-peak rate indicating a low demand for energy. If the control module determines in S202 that the current energy rate is an off-peak rate, the control module executes one or more off-peak strategies in step S203. For example, in step S204, a heat pump (e.g., heat pump 140) may be operated to store energy in a thermal energy storage (e.g., thermal energy storage 150) so that at a later time, such as during a peak period, the stored energy may be extracted to heat water. For example, in step S205, the control module may increase the amount and / or temperature of hot water provided by the water supply system to the central heating system to increase the heating output of the central heating system, and use the building structure in which the water supply system is installed, which serves as a thermal storage medium. These examples will be discussed in detail below, but these examples are non-exhaustive and other strategies may be implemented in addition or alternatively.

[0048] If the control module determines in step S202 that the current energy rate is a peak rate, the control module can instruct the water supply system to actively switch to a low-cost energy source for heating water, such as using the thermal energy already stored in the thermal energy storage and / or running a heat pump to continue to transfer heat to the thermal energy storage, rather than running an electric heating element.

[0049] Additionally or alternatively, the control module may implement one or more public service consumption reduction strategies in step S208 to regulate the consumption of public services. The control module may be programmed to have one or more different reduction strategies and select to implement one or more such strategies during peak hours. A non-exhaustive list of exemplary strategies is given here. In step S209, the control module may adjust the flow (or pressure) and / or temperature of hot water provided by the water supply system to the water outlet based on the hot water budget. For example, the flow of hot water flowing to the water outlet may be reduced compared to the level set by the user to remain within the hot water budget, and / or the temperature of the hot water supplied to the water outlet may be reduced compared to the temperature set by the user to remain within the hot water budget. In step S210, the control module may, for example, adjust the amount (flow, pressure) and / or temperature of hot water provided to the central heating system according to one or more heating targets. For example, the control module may instruct the water supply system to reduce the amount and / or temperature of hot water provided to the central heating system to meet the energy output target. These strategies will be discussed in detail below.

[0050] Off-peak strategy

[0051] During off-peak hours, the control module may implement one or more off-peak strategies S203 to optimize low energy demand periods.

[0052] In one embodiment, the control module is configured to operate the heat pump 140 during off-peak hours when energy demand is low to store energy in the thermal energy storage 150 (step S204). The stored energy can be extracted by the water supply system at a later time, such as during peak hours, to heat water provided to one or more water outlets and / or a central heating system. The heat pump 140 can be operated to transfer heat from the surrounding environment to the thermal energy storage 150, thereby raising or charging the temperature of the thermal energy storage 150 to a predetermined operating temperature (e.g., 48° C.). Alternatively, the heat pump 140 can be operated to charge the thermal energy storage 150 to a temperature above the predetermined operating temperature to "overheat" the thermal energy storage 150, thereby storing more energy in the thermal energy storage 150 that can be used during peak hours. In this case, if the thermal energy storage 150 is charged to a lower predetermined operating temperature, the water is heated to a higher temperature by the thermal energy storage 150; however, the water temperature can be easily adjusted to a desired temperature by adding cold water to adjust the ratio of cold water to hot water.

[0053] In one embodiment, during off-peak hours, the control module is configured to increase the amount and / or temperature of hot water provided by the water supply system to the central heating system to increase the heating output of the central heating system (step S205). More specifically, during off-peak hours when energy demand is low and energy cost is low, the control module can operate the heat pump 140 to preheat the thermal energy storage 150 to a predetermined operating temperature, and control the water supply system to heat water using the energy stored in the thermal energy storage 150, and to divert the hot water to the central heating system so as to heat the building structure in which the water supply system is installed. Additionally or alternatively, the control module can also operate the electric heating element 160 to heat the water, and then the water supply system diverts the heated water to the central heating system. Additionally or alternatively, the control module can also operate one or more electric space heating devices (such as electric radiators, infrared heaters, fan heaters, etc.) associated therewith to heat the building structure. Therefore, in this solution, in addition to the thermal energy storage 150, or instead of the thermal energy storage 150, the building structure itself is also used as a thermal energy buffer. The amount of heat that can be stored in the building structure for thermal energy, and the rate at which the building structure loses heat to the surrounding environment, depends on the thermal capacity of the building structure, the outdoor temperature, and how well the building is insulated, among other things. The control module can then control the water supply system to stop supplying hot water to the central heating system during peak hours, so as to allow the building structure to slowly release the stored thermal energy as a form of passive heating. Additionally or alternatively, an indoor heat pump can be provided for the water supply system and controlled by the control module 110 to extract heat from within the building and transfer the heat to, for example, a thermal energy storage 150. The control module can then operate the indoor heat pump to extract the excess thermal energy stored in the building structure and transfer the extracted energy to the thermal energy storage 150 for use in heating water. Thus, the indoor heat pump is used, and the heated building is used as a thermal storage.

[0054] Peak Hour Strategy

[0055] like Figure 2 As shown, during peak hours, the control module can implement one or more peak time strategies, in step S206, to reduce the energy demand on the national grid and reduce the energy cost of the user. One such strategy includes switching to a low-cost, i.e., low energy demand energy source, in step S207. In one embodiment involving a water supply system 100, the system includes an electric heating element 160 and a heat pump 140 (thermal energy storage 150), and the control module 110 is configured to implement the strategy by switching to using the heat pump 140 instead of using the electric heating element 160 to heat water.

[0056] Alternatively, the control module 110 may operate the heat pump 140 during off-peak hours (or low energy demand hours) to charge the thermal energy storage 150 to a predetermined operating temperature or higher. Then, during peak hours (or high energy demand hours), the stored energy may be used to heat water.

[0057] Optionally, the control module 110 may be configured to learn the water usage patterns of users of the water supply system, for example with the aid of a machine learning algorithm (MLA) 120, which enables the control module to predict when hot water may be needed. In this case, regardless of whether the thermal energy storage 150 is pre-charged during off-peak hours, the control module may still implement the current peak time strategy in such a way that the heat pump 140 is operated in advance of the predicted hot water demand using the predictions made through the water usage patterns to prepare the thermal energy storage 150 to provide heated water, rather than relying on more costly electric heating elements.

[0058] In addition to switching to a low-cost energy source, the control module can also be selectively programmed to implement one or more common service consumption reduction strategies during peak rates, at step S208. Common service consumption reduction strategies can include, for example, adjusting the flow and / or temperature of hot water supplied by the water supply system at step S209 based on one or more heating targets (e.g., based on temperature or duration (time)), and / or adjusting the hot water supplied by the water supply system to the central heating.

[0059] Figure 3 A method for adjusting the flow rate and / or temperature of hot water based on a hot water budget according to one embodiment is shown. In step S209, the method starts with the control module implementing a water flow control strategy.

[0060] In step S301, a water outlet connected to and supplied by a water supply system is opened. For example, the water outlet can be a faucet or a shower. The user can open the water outlet by setting the water temperature, such as using temperature control, and the flow rate, such as using water pressure control.

[0061] Once the water outlet is detected to be opened, the control module starts monitoring the elapsed time T in step S302. For example, the control module may be arranged or connected to a timer for recording the elapsed time T from the time the water outlet is opened. The control module may be arranged to be connected to multiple timers so that it can determine multiple elapsed times when multiple water outlets are opened simultaneously. The elapsed time T, together with the water temperature and water pressure (flow), provides an indication of the energy used.

[0062] According to this embodiment, the elapsed time threshold T1 may be set based on a predetermined hot water budget that sets a limit on the amount of hot water to be used or the energy used to heat water when implementing a common service consumption reduction strategy (e.g., during peak hours). Therefore, at step S303, the control module determines whether the elapsed time T exceeds the threshold T1. If the control module determines that the elapsed time T does not exceed the threshold T1, then at step S304, the control module continues to monitor the water outlet. If the water outlet is still open, the control module continues to monitor the elapsed time T. If the water outlet is no longer open, the control module stops monitoring the water outlet, and the process ends.

[0063] In step S303, if the control module determines that the elapsed time T exceeds the threshold value T1, then in step S305, the control module controls the water supply system to reduce the flow rate of hot water being supplied to the water outlet. In doing so, it is possible to reduce the total amount of hot water used, thereby reducing both the consumption of clean water and the energy required to heat the water. The control module may alternatively or additionally control the water supply system to reduce the temperature of the hot water being supplied to the water outlet in step S305. In doing so, the total amount of energy consumed to heat the water may be reduced.

[0064] Optionally, the control module continues to monitor the time T that has passed since the water outlet was opened, and may further reduce the flow rate, for example, if the time T that has passed again exceeds the threshold value T1.

[0065] Figure 4 A method for regulating hot water supplied for central heating based on a predetermined heating or heating target from a set of heating targets according to one embodiment is shown. At step S210, the method starts with a control module implementing a heating target.

[0066] In step S401, the control module determines whether the central heating system is turned on. For example, the central heating system can be set to turn on at a specified time of the day, and / or when the indoor temperature reaches a specified temperature or is lower than a specified temperature, and / or is turned on manually by the user. If it is determined that the central heating system is not turned on, the process ends.

[0067] If it is determined in step S401 that the central heating system is turned on, the control module controls the energy output E of the central heating system. 出 Monitoring is performed, for example, by monitoring the temperature and amount of hot water diverted to the central heating system, and / or monitoring changes in indoor temperature.

[0068] In step S402, the control module determines the energy output E of the central heating system. 出 Then, in step S403, the control module determines the energy output E 出Whether a predetermined heating target is met. For example, the heating or heating target may set a predetermined maximum energy output for the central heating system, the maximum energy output, for example, being related to the amount of energy consumed and / or to the maximum cost of the energy consumed for supplying hot water to the central heating system.

[0069] If, in step S403, the control module determines that the energy output E of the central heating system 出 Meeting heating targets, such as E 出 If the energy output is lower than the predetermined maximum energy output, then in step S404, the control module continues to monitor whether the central heating system is still on, and if the central heating system is still on, continues to monitor the energy output E of the central heating system. 出 ; Otherwise, the process ends.

[0070] If, in step S403, the control module determines that the energy output E of the central heating system 出 Heating targets not met, e.g. E 出 If the energy output is higher than the predetermined maximum energy output, the control module reduces the energy output of the central heating system in step S405, for example, by reducing the temperature of the hot water and / or reducing the amount of hot water supplied by the water supply system to the central heating system (for example, by reducing the flow rate and / or intermittently supplying hot water). The control module then continues to monitor the energy output of the central heating system and optionally performs further adjustments if the heating target is not met.

[0071] By implementing one or more common service consumption reduction strategies, the control module can control and regulate the use of hot water to keep energy consumption (optionally, water consumption) within the budget. It is clear to those skilled in the art that the above strategies can be implemented independently or in any combination as desired.

[0072] According to the present solution, the efficiency and availability of heat pumps for providing hot water can be improved in a practical and low-cost manner by implementing a strategy of storing thermal energy in one or more thermal energy stores (including the building itself) during periods of low energy demand and using the stored thermal energy to heat water during periods of high energy demand. Furthermore, by shifting at least some of the energy demand for heating water from peak periods to off-peak periods, the balance of energy demand during different periods can be improved.

[0073] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present invention may be implemented or realized as a system, method or computer program product. Therefore, the present invention may take the form of a fully hardware embodiment, a fully software embodiment or a combination of hardware and software embodiments.

[0074] In addition, the present invention may also be in the form of a computer program product embodied in a computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code embodied thereon. The computer-readable medium may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer-readable medium may be, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system, device or apparatus, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0075] 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.

[0076] For example, the program code used to implement the operation 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 setting or controlling an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) or FPGA (field programmable gate array), or code in a hardware description language, such as VerilogTM or VHDL (Very High Speed ​​Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language).

[0077] The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer, or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer by any type of network. Code components may be implemented as procedures, methods, or the like, and may include subcomponents that may take the form of instructions or sequences of instructions at any level of abstraction, from direct machine instructions of a native instruction set to high-level compiled or interpreted language structures.

[0078] It is also 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 implemented in a logic device, which includes logic elements for executing the method steps, and such logic elements can include elements such as logic gates in a programmable logic array or a dedicated integrated circuit. Such a logic arrangement can also be further implemented as an enabling element for temporarily or permanently establishing a logic structure in such an array or circuit, for example using a virtual hardware description language, which can be stored and transmitted using a fixed or transmittable carrier medium.

[0079] The examples and conditional language described herein are intended to help readers understand the principles of the present invention, rather than limiting its scope to these specifically described examples and conditions. It is understood that a person skilled in the art can design various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present invention and are included within the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0080] Furthermore, to aid understanding, the above description may describe relatively simplified embodiments of the present invention. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various embodiments of the present invention may be more complex.

[0081] In some cases, useful examples that are considered to modify the present invention are also described. This is done only to aid understanding, and is also not intended to limit the scope of the present invention or to define the limits of the present invention. These modifications are not exhaustive, and those skilled in the art may make other modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, where no modification examples are listed, it should not be interpreted as impossible to modify and / or that what is described is the only way to implement the elements of the present invention.

[0082] In addition, all statements herein describing the principles, aspects, and embodiments 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 herein is a conceptual view of an example circuit that implements the principles of the present invention. Similarly, it will also be understood that any process, flow chart, state transition diagram, pseudocode, 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 displayed.

[0083] The functions of the various elements shown in the figure, including any functional blocks marked as "processors", can be provided by using dedicated hardware and hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When the function is provided by a processor, the function can be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by multiple separate processors, some of which can be shared. In addition, the terms "processor" or "controller" used explicitly should not be interpreted as referring exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, but may implicitly include, but are not limited to, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM) and non-volatile memory for storing software. Other conventional and / or customized hardware may also be included.

[0084] Software modules, or modules that are merely implied to be software, can be represented herein as any combination of flow chart elements or other elements and / or textual descriptions that represent steps in the execution of a flow chart. These modules can be executed by hardware, either explicitly or implicitly.

[0085] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many improvements and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for regulating energy consumption by a water system installed in a building, the water system comprising one or more electrical heating elements operable to heat water; an air or ground source heat pump configured to transfer thermal energy from outside the building to a thermal energy storage medium in a thermal energy reservoir within the building; a heat exchanger disposed proximate to the thermal energy storage medium and configured to heat water provided by the water supply system using thermal energy stored in the thermal energy storage medium; and a control module configured to control the operation of the water supply system; and the water supply system is configured to provide water heated by the one or more electric heating elements and / or the thermal energy storage medium to one or more water outlets; The method is performed by the control module and includes: determining an energy demand level for a geographic area including the building based on energy data obtained from the public domain; as well as When it is determined that the energy demand level is high, the water supply system is controlled to switch from using the one or more electric heating elements to using the thermal energy storage medium to heat water to provide hot water.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that It also includes operating the heat pump to transfer thermal energy to the thermal energy storage medium based on the expected hot water demand.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that It also includes determining the expected hot water demand based on water usage patterns established from historical usage of the water supply system.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that It also includes: implementing at least one common service consumption reduction strategy when the energy demand level is determined to be high.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The at least one common service consumption reduction strategy includes determining that a first outlet of the one or more outlets is in use and reducing a flow rate of hot water being provided to the first outlet from a first flow rate to a second flow rate that is lower than the first flow rate.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The at least one common service consumption reduction strategy includes determining that a second outlet of the one or more outlets is in use and reducing a temperature of hot water being provided to the second outlet from a first temperature to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The water supply system is configured to supply hot water to a central heating system, and the central heating system is configured to increase the indoor temperature of the building, wherein the at least one public service consumption reduction strategy includes controlling the water supply system to supply hot water to the central heating system so that the heating output of the central heating system meets at least one heating target.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that Controlling the water supply system to supply hot water to the central heating system includes adjusting the flow rate and / or temperature and / or duration of the hot water being supplied to the central heating system.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The at least one heating target comprises using a maximum amount of energy to heat water supplied to the central heating system.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The maximum energy is determined based on the amount of energy stored in the thermal energy storage medium.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that It also includes operating the heat pump to store thermal energy in the thermal energy storage medium when the energy demand level is determined to be low.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that Obtaining energy data from the public domain includes receiving energy data directly from an energy supplier or obtaining energy data from a website of an energy supplier.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The energy demand level is determined to be high when the energy rate data indicates peak energy rates.

14. A control module, comprising a control circuit configured to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, the control module constituting a part of a water supply system and configured to control the operation of the water supply system installed in a building, the water supply system comprising: one or more electric heating elements operable to heat water; an air or ground source heat pump configured to transfer thermal energy from outside the building to a thermal energy storage medium in a thermal energy store; and a heat exchanger disposed proximate to the thermal energy storage medium and configured to heat water provided by the water supply system using thermal energy stored in the storage medium; as well as The water supply system is configured to provide water heated by one or more electrical heating elements operable to heat water and / or the thermal energy storage medium to one or more water outlets.

15. A water supply system for supplying water to one or more water outlets arranged in a building, comprising: a control module configured to control the operation of the water supply system, the control module comprising a control circuit configured to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13; one or more electrical heating elements configured to heat water provided by the water supply; a thermal energy storage device disposed within the building and configured to store thermal energy in a storage medium; a heat exchanger disposed proximate to the thermal energy storage medium and configured to heat water provided by the water supply system using thermal energy stored in the storage medium; as well as An air or ground source heat pump is configured to transfer thermal energy from outside the building to the thermal energy storage medium.

16. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a computer program stored therein, wherein the computer program is used to instruct a computer system to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 when the computer system executes the computer program.

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