Distributed Water Heater Control for Reliable Hot Water Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hot water supply systems are inconvenient when the main control device malfunctions, requiring replacement and leading to increased complexity, space occupation, and manufacturing costs, especially as more water heaters are connected.
Innovation Solution
A hot water supply system design where each water heater includes a conduit, heating device, detecting module, calculating unit, and control unit, allowing one water heater to coordinate others and take over if needed, simplifying installation, reducing space, and lowering manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for a standalone main control device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standalone main control device is used to coordinate water heaters, then the system can provide hot water with demanded temperature, but the device complexity increases and occupies additional space
Solution Approach 1:
The control function is segmented from the standalone main control device and distributed to individual water heater control units. Each control unit independently performs coordination functions, eliminating the need for a centralized control device and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability through distributed control architecture
Solution Approach 2:
Each water heater control unit is designed to perform multiple functions: local temperature control, coordination with other water heaters, and backup coordination capability. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate main control device while maintaining system reliability
2Reliability
If a standalone main control device is used to coordinate water heaters, then the system can provide hot water with demanded temperature, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control function is extracted from the standalone main control device and integrated into each water heater unit. This eliminates the need for manufacturing a separate main control device, reducing overall manufacturing costs while maintaining reliability through distributed control
Solution Approach 2:
The coordination control function is merged with the local control unit of each water heater. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate main control device manufacturing, reducing costs while maintaining system reliability through integrated control capability
3Productivity
If more water heaters are connected to the system, then the hot water supply capacity increases, but the wiring complexity and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each water heater control unit independently performs coordination functions with other units, eliminating the need for complex centralized wiring. The distributed control architecture allows each unit to autonomously manage connections, reducing wiring complexity while increasing hot water supply capacity through modular expansion
4Ease of operation
If a standalone main control device is used, then the system can coordinate water heaters, but the space occupied increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coordination control function is merged into the existing control units of water heaters, which are already installed in service areas. This eliminates the need for separate main control device housing space while maintaining full coordination capability through distributed control architecture
5Reliability
If the main control device malfunctions, then the system stops providing hot water, but replacing the main control device is inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The control function is segmented across multiple independent water heater control units, each capable of performing coordination functions. If one unit fails, others continue operation, ensuring system reliability and eliminating single-point failure while simplifying maintenance through distributed redundancy
Solution Approach 2:
Each control unit is designed with backup coordination capability from the outset. This beforehand cushioning ensures that if any single control unit fails, the system maintains operational continuity through other units, improving reliability while simplifying repair scenarios
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
Ensures continuous hot water supply even if one water heater malfunctions, simplifies wiring, reduces manufacturing costs, and minimizes space occupation by allowing other water heaters to assume coordination roles, thereby maintaining operational efficiency and reducing installation complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the heating device is controllable to heat up the heating section
Implementation Method 2
the detecting module detects an operation status of the water heater, and the operation status includes a water temperature inside the inlet section, a water temperature inside the outlet section, and a water flow inside the inlet section
Data Source
AI summary
A hot water supply system provided on a water pipeline, which includes a water inflow side and a water outlet side. The hot water supply system includes a plurality of water heaters; each includes a conduit, a heating device, a calculating unit, and a control unit. The conduit includes an inlet section, an outlet section, and a heating section in sequence, wherein the inlet section and the outlet section are connected with the water inflow side and the water outflow side respectively; the heating device heats the heating section; the calculating unit estimates a heating workload needed. If the heating workload of any water heater exceeds a predetermined upper limit workload thereof, the control unit of one water heater controls the other idle heating device to heat water, which ensures that water temperature of water provided to the water outflow side would reach a demanded water temperature.