Networked Water Heaters for Cost-Based Hot Water Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water heaters often waste energy as the remaining hot water cools when less than the heated volume is used, leading to inefficiencies in energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A network of interconnected water heaters communicates through a central server to determine whether transferring hot water from one heater to another is more energy-efficient than reheating, allowing for the transfer of excess hot water between units based on cost calculations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water heaters heat a volume of water to a preset temperature and keep it hot, then hot water is available upon demand, but the remaining hot water gradually cools and loses energy
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple water heaters are merged into a networked system that shares hot water resources. When one water heater has excess hot water, it can transfer that water to other water heaters in the network, preventing the excess hot water from cooling down and wasting energy while ensuring hot water availability where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A computing device acts as an intermediary that coordinates water transfer between water heaters. The computing device receives requests for hot water, determines the most energy-efficient source, and facilitates the transfer of hot water from water heaters with excess capacity to those needing hot water, thereby reducing overall energy loss.
2Loss of time
If water heaters are turned ON in anticipation of demand, then hot water is ready when needed, but energy is consumed to maintain heated water that may not be used
Solution Approach 1:
Water heaters pre-heat water and store it in the network, and when demand is anticipated, the system prepares to transfer hot water from nearby water heaters with excess capacity. This preliminary action ensures rapid response to hot water demand without requiring every water heater to continuously maintain full heating capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors hot water levels, temperature, and demand patterns across the network. Based on this feedback, the computing device dynamically determines whether to maintain heating, transfer hot water, or allow cooling, optimizing energy consumption while ensuring hot water availability when needed.
3Loss of energy
If a network of interconnected water heaters is implemented with cost calculation and transfer coordination, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A computing device serves as a centralized intermediary that handles the complex calculations and coordination of hot water transfers. This mediator receives requests from water heaters, calculates the most energy-efficient transfer options based on temperature, volume, and distance, and coordinates the transfers, thereby managing system complexity centrally rather than requiring complex distributed intelligence in each water heater.
Solution Approach 2:
Water heaters in the network autonomously monitor their own hot water levels, temperature, and capacity. Each water heater can independently determine when it has excess hot water available for transfer and can autonomously participate in transfer operations when requested by the computing device, reducing the need for complex control systems in each individual unit.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system of providing hot water efficiently. A cost of heating a volume of water to a predetermined temperature in a first water heater is determined. A cost of transferring a volume of hot water from a second water heater of a network of interconnected water heaters to the first water heater is determined. Upon determining that the cost of transferring the volume of hot water from the second water heater is lower than the cost of heating the volume of water of the first water heater, the second water heater transfers at least part of the volume of hot water to the first water heater. Otherwise, the volume of water is heated to the predetermined temperature in the first water heater.