Heating-energy saving system and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage machines consume excessive energy when heating liquids, leading to increased waiting times for users as the liquid cools down when the heating system is turned off, and simple timers do not effectively balance energy savings with user convenience.
Innovation Solution
A self-learning energy preservation system that uses a plurality of data registers and a control unit to anticipate user behavior by adjusting the heating system's operation based on detected usage patterns, minimizing energy consumption while reducing waiting times by only reheating when usage is anticipated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the heating system is turned off to reduce energy consumption, then energy savings are achieved, but the liquid cools down and requires reheating, increasing user waiting time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by turning on the heating system in advance during off-peak hours (e.g., nighttime) to preheat the liquid. This allows the liquid to be ready for use during peak hours without requiring continuous heating, thus reducing both energy consumption and user waiting time. The control unit stores heating commands and executes them at predetermined times based on usage patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the heating operation based on time of day and usage patterns. Instead of static on/off control, the heating system operates dynamically - being more active during periods leading up to expected usage and less active during off-peak periods. The control unit modifies heating commands based on current time and learned usage patterns, creating a dynamic balance between energy savings and readiness.
2Loss of time
If the heating system operates continuously to minimize waiting time, then user convenience is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic heating action instead of continuous operation. The heating system operates in cycles - active during periods when usage is anticipated and inactive during off-peak periods. The control unit generates periodic heating commands based on time of day and usage patterns, allowing the liquid to be reheated only when necessary rather than maintaining constant temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from usage detection to adjust heating operations. The detection unit monitors when the beverage machine is actually used, and this information feeds back to the control unit, which then adjusts future heating commands. This feedback loop allows the system to learn from actual usage patterns and optimize heating timing to match real demand, reducing unnecessary energy consumption while ensuring readiness when users actually need beverages.
3Ease of operation
If a simple timer is used to control heating, then the system is easy to operate, but it cannot effectively balance energy savings with user convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically learning and adapting to usage patterns without requiring user programming or intervention. The detection unit automatically monitors usage, the control unit automatically analyzes patterns and adjusts heating commands, and the system continuously optimizes itself. This self-learning capability provides sophisticated adaptability while maintaining ease of operation, as users simply use the machine normally without needing to configure or program anything.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple mechanical timer-based control with an intelligent system that uses detection units, control units, and data processing to automatically adapt to usage patterns. Instead of relying on fixed mechanical timers that cannot respond to actual usage, the system uses electronic sensing and intelligent control to dynamically adjust heating operations, achieving both ease of operation and high adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system efficiently reduces energy consumption and minimizes user waiting times by learning and adapting to usage patterns, ensuring the heating system is only turned on when needed, thereby optimizing energy usage and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a suitable liquid (e.g. water or milk or the like) is heated by a heating-system
Implementation Method 2
the liquid in the supply means of the beverage machine is cooled down
Data Source
AI summary
A heating-energy saving system and a heating-energy saving method, which realize self-learning energy preservation (SLEP) system or method. By means of this system or method, the energy consumption of a beverage machine, which is mainly due to heating of the liquid required to provide hot beverages, can be reduced. At the same time, by adaptively learning and anticipating when a user is likely to use the beverage machine, the waiting time for the user, which is typically caused by the reheating process of the liquid in the beverage machine, can be significantly reduced. The system adapts the heating to what it learns from the user behavior. The described system and method are adapted to be installed in all kinds of beverage machines, either used in private or in public.