Multi-Device Drain Heat Recovery Through Coordinated Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for medium heating devices, such as dishwashers and washing machines, fail to effectively reuse drain water heat, particularly in single-cycle operations and after the final operating cycle, leading to energy wastage.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that schedules the operation of multiple devices to reuse drain heat from one device to heat fresh intake water in another through a heat exchanger, optimizing water parameters and operation cycles to minimize energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If drain water heat recovery systems are installed in devices with multiple heating cycles, then energy can be recovered during intermediate cycles, but the system cannot effectively reuse heat after the final operating cycle leading to energy wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables drain water heat recovery to serve multiple purposes: heating fresh water intake during operating cycles and providing preheated water storage after final cycles. The heat exchanger and storage tank configuration allows the system to function effectively in both multi-cycle and single-cycle operations, making it universally applicable across different device types and operational patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary heating of fresh water intake using drain water heat before the water enters the main heating device. By preheating the water in advance through the heat exchanger, the system reduces the energy burden on the main heater during both intermediate and final cycles, including after the last operating cycle when preheated water is stored for subsequent use.
2Loss of energy
If multiple devices operate independently with separate heating cycles, then each device can be controlled autonomously, but energy consumption increases due to inability to share and reuse thermal energy
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the thermal management of multiple devices by connecting their drain water lines to a common heat exchanger and storage tank system. This allows thermal energy from any device's drain water to be captured and used to preheat fresh water intake for any connected device, creating a shared thermal resource pool that reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining individual device operational independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger and storage tank act as intermediary components between multiple devices, facilitating thermal energy transfer without requiring direct connection or coordination between the devices themselves. The intermediary system autonomously captures heat from drain water and makes it available for preheating fresh water intake, eliminating the need for complex inter-device scheduling while still achieving energy reuse.
3Use of energy by moving object
If fresh water intake is heated directly by main heating devices, then heating is simple and direct, but energy consumption is high without utilizing available thermal resources
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger system performs preliminary heating of fresh water intake using thermal energy from drain water before the water enters the main heating device. This preheating action reduces the temperature differential that the main heater must overcome, significantly lowering its energy consumption while the heat exchanger adds relatively minimal system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the thermal energy contained in drain water, the system recovers this waste heat through the heat exchanger to preheat fresh water intake. The heat exchanger captures thermal energy that would otherwise be lost and redirects it to a useful purpose, converting waste into a valuable resource with minimal additional complexity.
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 reduces energy consumption by efficiently reusing drain water heat across devices, reducing the need for additional heating energy and minimizing heat loss, thereby lowering overall energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
A drain line is arranged in a heat exchange relationship with an input line of fresh water to be heated, in order to enable heat from water traveling through the drain line to transfer heat to water traveling through the input line
Data Source
AI summary
A method for reducing energy consumption by a medium heating device, the method comprising the step: scheduling an operation (501) of the first device (111) requiring heating of a first medium; scheduling an operation (502) of the second device (112) requiring heating of a second medium; the method being characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: sending (504), from the first device (111), information regarding its operation cycles and water parameters to the second device (112); rescheduling (505) operations of the liaised devices (111, 112) so that drain heat of the first medium is reused to heat a fresh intake of the second medium by the second device by means of a heat exchanger (160); instructing (506), the reprogrammed devices (111, 112) to start their operations according to the new schedule.