Device for estimating the hot water consumption of a hot water production system, process and associated systems

Abstract

Device for estimating the hot water consumption of a hot water production system, method and associated systems The present invention relates to a device (30) for estimating the hot water consumption of a hot water production system (10) over a time period comprising a tank (12) having a lower part (18) and a heating device (14), the estimating device (30) comprising: - an acquisition unit (34) measuring a temporal evolution of the water temperature of the lower part (18) during a period of use of the heating device (14), - an analysis unit (42) analyzing the variations of the temporal evolution to obtain a switching instant between a first sub-phase and a second sub-phase of a specific model of use of the heating device (14),and - a calculation unit (44) calculating a quantity representative of the heating energy of the volume of water consumed from the moment of switching. Figure for the abbreviation: figure 1,

Description

Title of the invention: Device for estimating the hot water consumption of a hot water production system, method and associated systems. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for estimating the consumption of incompressible Newtonian fluid in a hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system. The invention also relates to an associated control module, production system, and estimation method. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In the field of domestic hot water (sometimes referred to by the acronym DHW), hot water production systems are equipped with a heating device to heat the water contained in a tank.

[0003] The heating device consumes electricity with a maximum power consumption that depends on the maximum electrical power to which the owner of the hot water production system is entitled through their electricity supplier subscription. In practice, power consumption typically ranges from 1 kilowatt (kW) to 5 kW for domestic hot water production in a single-family dwelling.

[0004] This power limitation must be considered in relation to the maximum instantaneous power requirements of the heating device. As these requirements are much higher, namely between 20 kW and 30 kW, i.e., at best 4 times greater, an intermediate hot water storage tank is used to smooth out the power demands of the heating device.

[0005] During operation, the user draws hot water from an upper part of the tank. This drawing is balanced by the intake of cold water into a lower part of the tank. This leads to stratification, with a layer of cold water at the bottom pushing the hot water from the top down like a piston. Since water is not a good thermal conductor, heat transfer to the lower part of the tank is minimal.

[0006] In addition to this small transfer within the tank, there is also a small transfer between the outside and inside of the tank due to the presence of insulation (generally insulating foam). The transfer is proportional to the air-water temperature difference, so the transfer is relatively small for cold water drawn in, while it is greater where the water is hot.

[0007] As a result, the water which has cooled down over a day without being used despite a temperature above 40°C is therefore heated up to the heating setpoint temperature which is between 45° and 65°, while this water is hot enough to be used.

[0008] This therefore corresponds to energy losses supplied to the heating device which are avoidable provided that the volume of hot water consumed is known.

[0009] It is therefore desirable to be able to determine precisely the volume of hot water consumed.

[0010] For this purpose, hot water production systems can be equipped with a flow meter to be installed on the cold water inlet pipe of the tank allowing consumption to be measured and recorded automatically.

[0011] However, this is generally not the case, so that for many consumers it implies a costly change in the production system including the hydraulic and electrical implementation of new components.

[0012] Techniques have also been developed to model hot water consumption. For example, it has been proposed to use probability products, regression techniques, moving averages over several days, or even artificial intelligence, in particular neural networks.

[0013] However, in order to function, most of these models require prior information on the consumers or the type of installation and a device for measuring consumption over the period in question, such as a flow meter. This information is not always available and makes the generalization of these techniques difficult.

[0014] In addition, these techniques generally do not take into account fluctuations in the use that consumers make of their hot water production system and require regular updating of the DHW consumption learning model. Summary of the invention

[0015] There is therefore a need for a device for estimating the hot water consumption of a hot water production system over a period of time, which is easy to implement.

[0016] To this end, the description describes a device for estimating the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid, in particular hot water, of a hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system over a time period,

[0017] the production system comprising a reservoir of incompressible Newtonian fluid and a heating device, the reservoir having several parts including a lower part and having a total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid,

[0018] the estimation device comprising:

[0019] - a unit for acquiring the temperature of the incompressible Newtonian fluid located in the lower part of the tank, the acquisition unit being suitable for measuring a temporal evolution of the temperature during a period of use of the heating device, said period of use being subsequent to the time period for which the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid is to be estimated,

[0020] - a calculator comprising:

[0021] - a unit for receiving the temporal evolution acquired by the acquisition unit,

[0022] - an analysis unit, the analysis unit being suitable for analyzing variations in the temporal evolution of the temperature to obtain a switching instant between a first sub-phase and a second sub-phase, the first sub-phase and the second sub-phase being phases of a model according to which the heating device is suitable to implement during the period of use, an initial heating phase of the entire total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid and heating phases to maintain temperature, the initial heating phase comprising the first sub-phase during which the heating increases the temperature of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed during the time period and a second sub-phase during which the heating increases the temperature of the entire total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, and

[0023] - a calculation unit, the calculation unit being suitable for calculating a quantity representative of the heating energy of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed by the production system over the time period from the tipping instant obtained.

[0024] According to particular embodiments, the estimation device has one or more of the following characteristics, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations:

[0025] - the calculator further comprises a deduction unit, the deduction unit being capable of deducing the volume of water consumed over the time period from the representative quantity of heating energy calculated by the calculation unit.

[0026] - the representative quantity of the heating energy calculated by the calculation unit is the heating energy of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed by the production system over the time period.

[0027] - the calculation unit is suitable for calculating the integral of the heating power over the duration of the first sub-phase to obtain the heating energy of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed by the production system over the time period.

[0028] - the deduction unit calculates the volume of hot water consumed over the period temporal by calculating the ratio between the heating energy and the variation of the water temperature located in the lower part between the beginning and the end of the time period.

[0029] - the representative quantity of the heating energy calculated by the calculation unit is the duration of the first sub-phase.

[0030] - the calculation unit obtains the duration of the first sub-phase (SP1) by calculating the The following formula:

[0031]

[0032] where: • dspi denotes the duration of the first subphase (SP1), • designates the starting point of the usage period, • you designate the moment of switchover between the first sub-phase (SP1) and the second sub-phase (SP2), • P(t) denotes the power delivered by the heating device (14), • designates a power threshold value, and • {0,1}(j>b) denotes the function with a value of 0 when the condition a>b is not fulfilled and 1 when the condition a > b is met.

[0033] - the deduction unit (46) deducts the volume of hot water consumed as being the product of a proportionality coefficient, the total volume of the tank (12) and the ratio between the duration of the first sub-phase (SP1) and the total heating time over a period of use.

[0034] - the proportionality coefficient is equal to within 0.9 to within 10%.

[0035] - the time period and the usage period are equal.

[0036] - at least one period among the time period and the usage period is equal to one day.

[0037] The description also describes a control module for a hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system, the production system comprising a tank of incompressible Newtonian fluid and a heating device, the tank having several parts including a lower part and having a total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, the control module comprising a device for estimating the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid, in particular hot water, of a hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system over a time period.

[0038] According to a particular embodiment, the control module further comprises a control device suitable for controlling the heating device based on the estimate of the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid of the production system over the time period that the estimation device is suitable for providing.

[0039] The description also proposes a system for producing hot incompressible Newtonian fluid, in particular hot water, the production system comprising:

[0040] - a reservoir of incompressible Newtonian fluid and a heating device, the a reservoir having several parts, including a lower part, and having a total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, and

[0041] - a control module as previously described.

[0042] The description also describes a method for estimating the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid, in particular hot water, of a hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system over a time period,

[0043] the production system comprising a reservoir of incompressible Newtonian fluid and a heating device, the reservoir having several parts including a lower part and having a total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid,

[0044] the estimation method being implemented by a device for estimating the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid of the hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system over a time period, the estimation method comprising the steps of:

[0045] - acquisition of the temperature of the incompressible Newtonian fluid located in the lower part of the tank, the acquisition unit being suitable for measuring a temporal evolution of the temperature during a period of use of the heating device, said period of use being subsequent to the time period for which the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid is to be estimated,

[0046] - reception of the temporal evolution acquired during the acquisition step,

[0047] - analysis of the variations in the temporal evolution of the temperature to obtain a switching instant between a first sub-phase and a second sub-phase, the first sub-phase and the second sub-phase being phases of a model according to which the heating device is suitable for implementation during the period of use, an initial heating phase of the entire total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid and heating phases for maintaining temperature, the initial heating phase comprising the first sub-phase during which the heating increases the temperature of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed during the time period and a second sub-phase during which the heating increases the temperature of the entire total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, and

[0048] - calculate a quantity representative of the heating energy of the fluid volume incompressible Newtonian consumed by the production system over the time period from the tipping instant obtained.

[0049] In this description, the expression "specific to" means interchangeably "suitable for", "adapted to" or "configured for". Brief description of the drawings

[0050] Some features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0051] - [Fig. 1] [Fig. 1] is a schematic representation of an example of a system of water heating system including a device for estimating the volume of hot water consumption,

[0052] - [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a schematic representation of two examples of operation of the volume estimation device of the [Fig.1],

[0053] - [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a schematic representation of an example of evolution temporal measurement in a reservoir, the inset being a representation of a magnified portion of the temporal evolution,

[0054] - [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a schematic representation of the temporal evolution of the temperature within a tank according to a model, and

[0055] - [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a schematic representation of the second derivative of the temporal evolution measured in a reservoir, the box being a representation of an enlargement of a part of this signal.

[0056] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT MODES

[0057] A hot water production system 10 is schematically illustrated in [Fig.1].

[0058] The production system 10 includes a tank 12, a heating device 14 and a control module 16.

[0059] Tank 12 is a water tank.

[0060] The hot water tank 12 is often called a hot water tank and allows a total volume of water to be stored.

[0061] This total volume corresponds to the capacity of the hot water tank 12.

[0062] The reservoir 12 has several parts, including a lower part 18 and an upper part 19.

[0063] For example, as seen in [Fig.1], the reservoir 12 also has a middle part 20. The middle part 20 is located between the two lower parts 18 and upper parts 19 and corresponds to twice the volume of the two lower parts 18 and upper parts 19, which is the same for the lower part 18 and the upper part 19.

[0064] The upper part 19 is defined by its lower level corresponding to the height position of the hot water tap.

[0065] It is sought to minimize this upper part 19 constituting a dead volume because the hot water stored there is not drawable and therefore unusable.

[0066] Similarly, we generally seek to minimize the size of this lower part 18, which constitutes a dead volume because its temperature cannot be directly controlled by the heating device 14. Typically, the height of the lower part 18 represents less than 5% of the height of the tank 12.

[0067] The tank 12 is provided with a cold water inlet pipe 22 in the lower part 18 and a hot water outlet pipe 24 in the upper part 19.

[0068] The heating device 14 is a device suitable for heating the contents of the tank 12.

[0069] As will become apparent later, the heating device 14, by implementing a heating phase, will be able to heat totally or partially the water contained in the tank 12.

[0070] The heating device 14 is a heating element 26 powered by an energy source 28.

[0071] The energy source 28 is, for example, electricity, natural gas, propane or a solar energy source.

[0072] The heating element 26 can then be a heat pump, a solar panel, an electric resistance or any other means of heating water.

[0073] In addition, in some embodiments, the heating device 14 may include several different or identical heating elements to increase the heating power.

[0074] The control module 16 is specific to controlling the heating device 14.

[0075] For this purpose, the control module 16 includes an estimation device 30 and a control device 32.

[0076] The estimation device 30 seeks to estimate the daily hot water consumption of the hot water production system 10.

[0077] Before detailing more precisely how the estimation device 30 works through the description of the operation of the different units that can be part of this device with reference to [Fig.2], it is now described how the control device 32 uses the estimated value(s) of daily hot water consumption.

[0078] The control device 32 determines the most suitable setpoint to be applied to the heating element 26 according to the estimated value(s) of daily hot water consumption.

[0079] As can be seen in [Fig.2], the estimation device 30 comprises an acquisition unit 34 and a computer 36.

[0080] The acquisition unit 34 is suitable for acquiring the temperature of the water located in the lower part 18.

[0081] For example, the acquisition unit 34 is a temperature sensor.

[0082] In the example described, the acquisition unit 34 acquires the temporal evolution of the temperature during a day of use of the heating device 14.

[0083] The said day of use is subsequent to the day for which hot water consumption is to be estimated.

[0084] An example of a time evolution curve is shown in [Fig.3].

[0085] In the example described, the calculator 36 seeks to obtain an estimate of the hot water consumption by the production system 10 from a single type of measurement, that is to say only from the measurement made by the acquisition unit 34.

[0086] To obtain such information, the computer 36 includes a receiving unit 38 for the time evolution acquired by the acquisition unit 34.

[0087] The receiving unit 38 is linked to a memory 40 which stores the received temporal evolution.

[0088] In memory 40, several data are also stored.

[0089] According to the example described, the stored data are the volume of the reservoir 12 and thresholds which will be presented in the rest of the description.

[0090] The calculator 36 also includes an analysis unit 42.

[0091] The analysis unit 42 applies an analysis technique to the temporal evolution of the temperature stored in memory 40.

[0092] The analysis technique is based on a model that the applicant has specifically developed to obtain a suitable estimate of hot water consumption.

[0093] The model is a model of the time evolution of the temperature in the volume of water in the presence of a plurality of heatings representative of a common use of the hot water production system 10.

[0094] According to this model, the heating device 14 is suitable for implementing, during the day of use, an initial heating phase of the entire total volume of water and heating phases to maintain temperature, the initial heating phase comprising a first sub-phase SP1 during which the heating increases the temperature of the volume of water consumed during the time period and a second sub-phase SP2 during which the heating phase increases the temperature of the entire total volume of water.

[0095] As can be seen in [Fig.4], at the beginning of the day of use, the water volume is stratified with n layers corresponding to different temperatures, the layers exhibiting an increasing temperature when the reservoir 12 is traversed from the lower part 18 to the upper part 19.

[0096] The highest layer corresponds to the intermediate hot water storage. This layer is therefore one of the largest in volume.

[0097] When heating begins (initial heating), the lower layers are heated until their temperature reaches that of the highest layer.

[0098] This corresponds to the first sub-phase SP1.

[0099] Then, during the second sub-phase SP2, the entire volume of the tank 12 is heated.

[0100] The transition between the first sub-phase SP1 and the second sub-phase SP2 takes place at a switching instant noted hereafter as "switch instant tD".

[0101] As can be seen in [Fig.3], the switching instant tD corresponds to an inflection point in the temporal evolution of the temperature.

[0102] The analysis technique is therefore a mathematical technique allowing the determination of the first inflection point of the initial heating.

[0103] The analysis technique therefore involves the implementation of a mathematical function enabling the determination of the inflection points of the temporal evolution.

[0104] For example, analysis unit 42 calculates the derivative and second derivative of the time evolution of the temperature.

[0105] The second derivative obtained by the analysis unit 42 from the time evolution represented on [Fig.3] is visible on [Fig.5].

[0106] Inflection points are the points for which the value of the second derivative is zero and for which the derivative changes sign. The position of these points is indicated by a cross on [Fig. 5].

[0107] A practical implementation is to determine the time instants corresponding to a value of the second derivative less than a threshold. The threshold is chosen to be relatively close to zero.

[0108] It is then determined for each of these points whether the derivative changes sign at that point. If this is not the case, the point is eliminated.

[0109] Furthermore, the analysis unit 42 is also suitable for identifying the different heating phases and determining which is the initial heating phase.

[0110] This identification can, for example, be implemented as follows.

[0111] The controller starts a timer at the beginning of the user-defined heating programming period (typically one period per day). The controller then records in a memory table the times it activates and deactivates the heating element within the heating programming period. By subtracting the recorded times, a table of the durations of each successive activation / deactivation phase is obtained.

[0112] The analysis unit has the table and, by scanning the table from the beginning, identifies the first duration encountered as corresponding to the duration of the initial heating phase,

[0113] The inflection point belonging to the initial heating phase is the inflection point sought.

[0114] The instant of this inflection point is the tipping instant tD.

[0115] The calculator 36 also includes a calculation unit 44.

[0116] In the example described, the calculation unit 44 is suitable for calculating a quantity representative of the heating energy of the daily volume of water consumed by the production system 10.

[0117] For this purpose, the calculation unit 44 uses the switching instant tD obtained by the analysis unit 42.

[0118] According to a first case corresponding to the left part of [Fig.2], the calculation unit 44 obtains the heating energy of the daily volume of water consumed by calculating the integral of the heating power over the duration of the first sub-phase SP1.

[0119] Mathematically, this can be written according to the following formula:

[0120] E = \toP(t)dt

[0121] Where: • E denotes the heating energy of the volume of water consumed, • P denotes the power delivered by the heating element 26, and • *0 denotes the start of the day of use.

[0122] The power delivered by the heating element 26 is proportional to the setpoint power for the case of a heating element 26 which is a resistor.

[0123] For a heating element 26 comprising a thermostat, a multilinear model dependent on evaporation of Pair T / ( / ), the setpoint power P setpoint and the condensation temperature Tc(t) of the water on the reservoir 12 may be used.

[0124] For example, the following formula could be used:

[0125] P(t) = + + a3Tf(t) + a4Tc(t)*Tf(t) ]*PC(msiglK

[0126] Where the coefficients ai, a2, ai ets are constants.

[0127] The coefficients a; are obtained by the heating system manufacturer through post-processing of experimental test data producing recordings of measurements of P(t) and Tc(t) on equipment with a rated power Psetpoint. The calibration of the parameters a; on these recordings is performed using optimization algorithms such as least squares to reduce the integrated error over all comparison points between the measured power P(t) and that estimated by the model.

[0128]

[0129]

[0130]

[0131]

[0132]

[0133]

[0134]

[0135]

[0136]

[0137]

[0138]

[0139]

[0140]

[0141]

[0142]

[0143] According to a second case, the calculation unit 44 obtains the heating time of the volume of water consumed, that is to say the duration of the first sub-phase SP1. One way to obtain such a heating time is to calculate the duration during which the power is greater than a power threshold value. Calculation unit 44 then implements the following function: Or: • dspi denotes the duration of the first sub-phase SP1, • the power threshold value, and • {0,1}b denotes the function that equals 0 when the condition a>b is not fulfilled and 1 when the condition a > b is met. The power threshold value $ is stored in memory 40 and depends on the heating element 26 present in the heating device 14. For example, a power threshold value of 300 W gives satisfactory results in practice. Alternatively, calculation unit 44 determines the start time of the initial heating phase. The duration of the first sub-phase SP1 is then the difference between the switching instant tD and the start time of heating of the initial heating phase. As in practice, for an electric water heater, the heating power is constant and in particular on the first sub-phase SP1, the heating energy of the daily volume of water consumed is proportional to the duration of the first sub-phase SP1. In each case, the calculation unit 44 calculates a quantity representative of the heating energy of the daily volume of water consumed by the production system 10. The calculator 36 also includes a deduction unit 46 which receives the quantity calculated by the calculation unit 44 in order to deduce the volume of water consumed. In the first case where the heating energy E has been calculated, the deduction unit 46 calculates the daily volume of hot water consumed by calculating the ratio between the heating energy E and the variation in the temperature of the water located in the lower part 18 between the beginning and the end of the day of use. This can be written mathematically as: Or#: V represents the volume of hot water consumed,

[0144]

[0145]

[0146]

[0147]

[0148]

[0149]

[0150]

[0151]

[0152]

[0153] • C denotes the specific heat capacity of water, • Skin refers to the density of liquid water, and • AT refers to the variation in water temperature in the lower part 18 between the beginning and end of the day of use In the second case where the duration of the first sub-phase SP1 has been calculated, the deduction unit 46 deducts the daily volume of hot water consumed V as being proportional to the product of the total volume of the tank 12 and the ratio between the duration of the first sub-phase SP1 and the total heating time over a day of use. This can be written mathematically as: ~ Ü-Vres-d^ Or: • a is a proportionality coefficient, • Vres is the total volume of tank 12, and • refers to the total heating time over a day of use. The proportionality coefficient a allows us to disregard the area not directly heated (but nevertheless slowly heated by heat diffusion) in the reservoir 12 because it is located below the heating element 26. The applicant found that a proportionality coefficient equal to 0.9 to within 10%, preferably to within 5% and even more preferably to within 1% is particularly suitable for such a deduction. By definition, a quantity is equal to X to within Y% when the quantity is greater than or equal to (1-Y%)*X and less than or equal to (1+Y%)*X. In each case, the deduction unit 46 allows us to obtain, with good performance, an estimate of the daily volume of hot water consumed by the production system 10. This information is very interesting because estimating the volume of water actually consumed allows us to lower the heating setpoint to bring the energy stored in the tank during heating closer to the energy associated with water consumption and thus, by reducing the excess stock at higher temperature, decrease the associated heat losses. This gain stems from applying the first law of thermodynamics to this specific case, which states that the heating energy of the total storage tank to a setpoint temperature Te is the sum of the energy used to raise the temperature from 40°C to the setpoint temperature Te and the energy lost from cooling the water that was not consumed at the setpoint temperature Te (heat losses). Cooling leads to a temperature above 40°C. A decrease in the setpoint temperature to Typically, 60°C will therefore lead to a gain, typically of around 15% of the heating energy.

[0154] In addition, the estimation device 30 is relatively easy to implement since it relies on a single sensor present in each production system 10 and can be installed on any production system 10 by a simple update of the device giving instructions to the heating element 26.

[0155] More specifically, the estimation device 30 is compatible with existing electronic heating control systems, avoiding the supply and hydraulic and electrical installation of a DHW consumption measurement device such as a flow meter.

[0156] Indeed, in the example described, the estimation device 30 comprises an analysis unit 42 and a calculation unit 44 as shown in [Fig.1].

[0157] As an optional addition, the estimation device 30 includes a deduction unit 46.

[0158] In the example of [Fig.1], the estimation device 30 includes an information processing unit formed for example of a memory and a processor associated with the memory.

[0159] In the example of [Fig. 1], the analysis unit 42 and the calculation unit 44, as well as the optional deduction unit 46, are each implemented as a software program, or a software component, executable by the processor. The memory of the estimation device 30 is then capable of storing an analysis program and a calculation program, as well as, optionally, a deduction program. The processor is then capable of executing each of the following programs: the analysis program and the calculation program, as well as, optionally, the deduction program.

[0160] In an alternative not shown, the analysis unit 42 and the calculation unit 44, as well as the optional deduction unit 46, are each implemented as a programmable logic component, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or an integrated circuit, such as an ASIC (Application Specifies Integrated Circuit).

[0161] When the estimation device 30 is implemented in the form of one or more software programs, i.e., in the form of a computer program, also called a computer program product, it is further capable of being stored on a computer-readable medium, not shown. The computer-readable medium is, for example, a medium capable of storing electronic instructions and being connected to a bus of a computer system. By way of example, the readable medium is an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc, ROM, RAM, any type of non-volatile memory (e.g., FLASH or NVRAM), or a magnetic card. A computer program containing software instructions is then stored on the readable medium.

[0162] Other embodiments allowing the advantages described above to be taken advantage of are also conceivable.

[0163] According to the example described, it is proposed to estimate the daily hot water consumption.

[0164] However, it is also possible to estimate the hot water consumption of the production system 10 over a time period of different duration.

[0165] By way of illustration, the time period could be one week.

[0166] Similarly, instead of a day of use, a period of use of a different duration may be envisaged.

[0167] In particular, the period of use may have a different duration from the time period over which the estimation device 30 seeks to obtain the volume of hot water consumed.

[0168] It is possible to use the estimation device 30 presented for a production system 10 suitable for producing hot glycol water.

[0169] More generally, the estimation device 30 is suitable for estimating the consumed volume of any incompressible Newtonian fluid.

[0170] The model used is thus a model of the behavior of the incompressible Newtonian fluid in the reservoir 12 during heating and drawing.

[0171] It can also be envisaged that the calculator 36 can calculate other quantities.

[0172] According to a particular embodiment, the calculator 36 also calculates the minimum temperature reached by the water in the tank 12 over the time period.

[0173] As an alternative or in addition, the calculator 36 calculates a quantity representative of the presence of a user of the hot water production system 10 over the time period.

[0174] To do this, the calculator 36 determines whether water has been drawn during the time period. The calculator 36 then outputs, for example, a low value if no water has been drawn (no user present) and a high value if water has been drawn (at least one user present).

[0175] It is also possible to combine the aforementioned cases.

[0176] In particular, consideration could be given to calculating the volume according to the two formulas described above and then taking the average to obtain the final value estimated by the estimation device 30.

[0177] In each of the proposed embodiments, the estimation device 30 is suitable for estimating the hot water consumption of a water production system hot over a more precise time period while maintaining easier implementation.

Claims

1. Demands Estimating device (30) for the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid, in particular hot water, of a hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system (10) over a time period, the production system (10) comprising a reservoir (12) of incompressible Newtonian fluid and a heating device (14), the reservoir (12) having several parts including a lower part (18) and having a total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, the estimating device (30) comprising: - a temperature acquisition unit (34) for the incompressible Newtonian fluid located in the lower part (18) of the reservoir (12), the acquisition unit (34) being suitable for measuring a temporal evolution of the temperature during a period of use of the heating device (14), said period of use being subsequent to the time period for which the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid is to be estimated, - a calculator (36) comprising: - a reception unit (38) of the temporal evolution acquired by the acquisition unit (34), - an analysis unit (42), the analysis unit (42) being suitable for analyzing the variations in the temporal evolution of the temperature to obtain a switching instant (tD) between a first sub-phase (SP1) and a second sub-phase (SP2), the first sub-phase (SP1) and the second sub-phase (SP2) being phases of a model according to which the heating device (14) is suitable for implementing, during the period of use, an initial heating phase of the entire total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid and heating phases for maintaining temperature, the initial heating phase comprising the first sub-phase (SP1) during which the heating increases the temperature of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed during the time period and a second sub-phase (SP2) during which the heating increases the temperature of the entire total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, and - a calculation unit (44), the calculation unit (44) being suitable for calculating a quantity representative of the heating energy of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed by the production system (10) over the time period from the instant of tipping obtained.

2. Estimating device according to claim 1, wherein the calculator (36) further comprises a deduction unit (46), the deduction unit (46) being suitable for deducing the volume of water consumed over the time period from the quantity representing the heating energy calculated by the calculation unit (44).

3. Estimating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the representative quantity of the heating energy calculated by the calculation unit (44) is the heating energy of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed by the production system (10) over the time period.

4. Estimating device according to claim 3, wherein the calculation unit (44) is suitable for calculating the integral of the heating power over the duration of the first subphase (SP1) to obtain the heating energy of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed by the production system (10) over the time period.

5. Estimating device according to claim 2 and claim 3 or 4, wherein the deduction unit (46) calculates the volume of hot water consumed over the time period by calculating the ratio between the heating energy and the variation in the temperature of the water located in the lower part (18) between the beginning and the end of the time period.

6. Estimating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the quantity representing the heating energy calculated by the calculation unit (44) is the duration of the first subphase (SP1).

7. Estimation device according to claim 6, wherein the calculation unit (44) obtains the duration of the first sub-phase (SP1) by calculating the following formula: where: • dspi denotes the duration of the first sub-phase (SP1), • / q denotes the start time of the usage period, • tu denotes the switchover time between the first sub-phase (SP1) and the second sub-phase (SP2), * P(t) denotes the power delivered by the heating device (14), • denotes a power threshold value, and • {0,1} b denotes the function equal to 0 when the condition a>b is not met and 1 when the condition «b is met.

8. Estimating device according to claim 6 or 7 in their dependence with claim 2, wherein the deduction unit (46) deduces the volume of hot water consumed as being the product of a proportionality coefficient, the total volume of the tank (12) and the ratio between the duration of the first subphase (SP1) and the total heating time over a period of use.

9. Estimating device according to claim 8, wherein the proportionality coefficient is equal to within 0.9 to 10%.

10. Estimating device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the time period and the usage period are equal.

11. Estimating device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one period among the time period and the usage period is equal to one day.

12. Control module (16) of a hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system (10), the production system (10) comprising a tank (12) of incompressible Newtonian fluid and a heating device (14), the tank (12) having several parts including a lower part (18) and having a total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, the control module (16) comprising a device for estimating the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid, in particular hot water, of a hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system (10) over a time period, the estimating device (30) being according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. Control module (16) according to claim 12, wherein the control module (16) further comprises a control device (32) suitable for controlling the heating device as a function of the estimate of the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid of the production system (10) over the time period that the estimation device (30) is suitable for providing.

14. Production system (10) of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid, in particular hot water, the production system (10) comprising: - a tank (12) of incompressible Newtonian fluid and a heating device (14), the tank (12) having several parts including a lower part (18) and having a total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, and - a control module (16) according to claim 13 or 14.

15. A method for estimating the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid, in particular hot water, of a hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system (10) over a time period, the production system (10) comprising a tank (12) of incompressible Newtonian fluid and a heating device (14), the tank (12) having several parts including a lower part (18) and having a total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, the estimation method being implemented by an estimation device (30) for the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid of the hot incompressible Newtonian fluid production system (10) over a time period, the estimation method comprising the steps of: - acquiring the temperature of the incompressible Newtonian fluid located in the lower part (18) of the tank (12),the acquisition unit (34) being suitable for measuring a temporal evolution of the temperature during a period of use of the heating device (14), said period of use being subsequent to the temporal period for which the consumption of hot incompressible Newtonian fluid is to be estimated, - reception of the temporal evolution acquired during the acquisition step, - analysis of the variations of the temporal evolution of the temperature to obtain a switching instant (tD) between a first sub-phase (SP1) and a second sub-phase (SP2), the first sub-phase (SP1) and the second sub-phase (SP2) being phases of a model according to which the heating device (14) is suitable for implementing during the period of use, an initial heating phase of the entire total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid and heating phases to maintain temperature, the initial heating phase comprising the first sub-phase (SP1) during which the heating increases the temperature of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed during the time period and a second sub-phase (SP2) during which the heating increases the temperature of the entire total volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid, and - calculate a quantity representative of the heating energy of the volume of incompressible Newtonian fluid consumed by the production system (10) over the time period from the switching instant (tD) obtained.

Images