Broadband Heat Pump Control for Variable-Temperature Hot Water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pumps are limited in their ability to supply hot water with various levels of temperature to meet the demands of different sources, as they typically operate with heat sources and demand sources that have constant temperature and flow rate characteristics, whereas renewable heat sources like geothermal, sewage, and solar sources have varying temperatures and flow rates.
Innovation Solution
A broadband heat pump system comprising multiple heat pumps, heat source supply modules, and controllers that selectively use heat sources and mix hot water from different heat pumps to provide hot water at desired temperatures, allowing for the use of heat sources with varying temperatures to meet the temperature requirements of different demand sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heat pumps are installed in parallel to supply hot water with various temperatures, then the ability to meet diverse temperature demands is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the heat pump functionality into multiple independent heat pump units, each capable of operating with different heat sources (groundwater, sewage, solar water) and producing hot water at different temperatures. This segmentation allows the system to meet diverse temperature demands while maintaining modular simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Each heat pump unit is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple heat sources and operate under varying conditions. The heat pumps can selectively use different heat sources based on availability and temperature requirements, making the overall system adaptable to various scenarios without requiring completely different equipment for each case.
2Adaptability or versatility
If heat sources with varying temperatures are used to match demand source requirements, then the adaptability to different demand conditions is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring appropriate heat sources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller continuously monitors the temperatures of available heat sources and demand source requirements, using this feedback information to automatically select and switch between different heat pumps and heat sources. This feedback mechanism simplifies the detection and measurement process by centralizing temperature monitoring and decision-making in the control system.
3Stability of the object's composition
If heat pumps operate with constant temperature and flow rate characteristics, then the operational stability is improved, but the ability to efficiently utilize renewable heat sources with varying temperatures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, fixed-operation heat pumps to dynamic operation where multiple heat pumps can adjust their running status based on real-time heat source availability and demand requirements. The controller dynamically selects which heat pumps to operate and with which heat sources, allowing the system to adapt to varying temperatures while maintaining stable hot water supply through coordinated control.
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 effectively supplies hot water with various temperatures to meet the demands of different sources, increasing energy availability by utilizing heat sources with varying temperatures, such as geothermal, sewage, and solar sources.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pump module including a plurality of heat pumps that supply hot water with different levels of temperature
Implementation Method 2
a hot water mixing module with different levels of temperature and including a plurality of hot water mixers that allow hot water to be selectively introduced from one or a plurality of heat pumps among the plurality of heat pumps and mix the introduced hot water
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a broadband heat pump system including: a heat pump module including a plurality of heat pumps that supply hot water with different levels of temperature; a heat source supply module that introduces a heat source from one heat source or selectively introduces a heat source from one or a plurality of heat sources among heat sources with different levels of temperature so as to produce a heat source with a desired temperature; and a controller that controls the heat pump module and the heat source supply module to select one from the plurality of heat pumps to be appropriate to a temperature of hot water requested by a demand source and to receive a heat source with a necessary temperature from the heat source supply module so that the selected heat pump is able to supply hot water with the requested temperature.