Method for heating drinking water, domestic engineering system, residence station and building
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for heating drinking water in buildings are inefficient, particularly in variable temperature conditions, and often require excessive energy usage and heat loss in heating returns.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a home station with two complementary heating stages: a water-water heat exchanger and an electric post-heater, where the primary heating flow from a central system is used to heat drinking water, with optional heat recovery from waste water, allowing for flexible and efficient energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single heating stage using only a water-to-water heat exchanger is used, then the system is simpler, but it cannot reliably provide desired domestic hot water temperature under variable heating supply temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into two distinct heating stages: a first heating stage using a water-to-water heat exchanger for preheating, and a second heating stage using an electric auxiliary heater for final temperature adjustment. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function optimally while ensuring reliable hot water supply under varying conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that coordinates between the water-to-water heat exchanger and the electric auxiliary heater. It monitors the heating supply temperature and automatically switches between or combines the two heating methods to achieve the desired domestic hot water temperature reliably.
2Loss of energy
If heating water is circulated through primary heating return at higher temperatures, then heat loss in the return line is reduced, but the efficiency of heat recovery from the primary heating flow decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the temperature parameters of the primary heating return based on the available heating supply temperature. When heating supply temperature is high, the return temperature is optimized for heat recovery efficiency; when heating supply temperature is low, the return temperature is adjusted to minimize heat loss, achieving optimal energy utilization under varying conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system operates dynamically by continuously adapting the heating strategy based on real-time temperature conditions. The control unit monitors the primary heating flow temperature and adjusts the operation of the heat exchanger and auxiliary heater accordingly, allowing the system to optimize between heat recovery efficiency and heat loss prevention under different operating conditions.
3Reliability
If electric auxiliary heating is used continuously, then domestic hot water temperature is always maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the heating supply temperature and the domestic hot water temperature. Based on this feedback, it intelligently determines when to activate the electric auxiliary heater and when to rely solely on the water-to-water heat exchanger, maintaining reliable temperature while minimizing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the available primary heating flow to serve the majority of the heating requirement through the water-to-water heat exchanger. The electric auxiliary heater serves only as a supplementary component that activates when necessary, allowing the system to be self-sufficient using the central heating system's resources whenever possible.
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
This approach ensures reliable domestic hot water supply with reduced energy consumption and heat loss, optimizing energy use by using electric reheating only as needed and recovering heat from waste water, thus enhancing the efficiency of the heating system.
Implementation Method 1
one by means of a water-to-water heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
one by means of an electric auxiliary heater
Data Source
Figure 1~1'
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method and a building services system are proposed that very efficiently provide domestic hot water for apartments, offices, shops, and building units. The invention is based on a two-stage heating process for the drinking water, in which two complementary heating stages of different principles are provided, namely one by means of a water-to-water heat exchanger and one by means of an electric reheater.