Safety power connecting system and method for electric water heaters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric water heaters face challenges in maintaining water temperature above 140 degrees F during power outages or control device malfunctions, leading to potential bacterial growth and health risks due to unpredictable power cuts and complex control system errors.
Innovation Solution
A safety system with a control device and temperature sensor that communicates with a power provider to maintain power to the water heater's resistive heating elements, ensuring the upper tank water remains above 140 degrees F by overriding remote shutdowns and detecting temperature drops, thereby preventing bacterial propagation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If power is cut off during load shedding, then grid demand is reduced, but water temperature drops below safe levels allowing bacterial growth
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different temperature maintenance strategies to different portions of the water heater tank. The upper portion (where bacteria growth is most likely) is maintained at a minimum temperature threshold, while other portions can be subject to normal load shedding. This localized approach allows grid demand reduction while ensuring safety in the critical upper portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device receives advance notice from the utility company before load shedding occurs and proactively adjusts the water heater operation. By receiving the notice signal beforehand, the system can pre-heat water in the upper portion to ensure it remains above the minimum temperature threshold during the upcoming power interruption, preventing bacterial growth before it can occur.
2Adaptability or versatility
If control devices are made more complex for remote access and load control, then utility management capability is improved, but user error and improper settings increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control device continuously monitors the actual water temperature in the upper portion of the tank and compares it to the minimum safe threshold. This feedback mechanism ensures that even if users make improper settings or errors occur, the system will detect when the temperature drops below safe levels and automatically take corrective action by activating the heating element, thereby maintaining safety despite control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically monitors and corrects temperature deviations without requiring continuous user intervention or complex programming. The control device autonomously detects temperature drops and activates heating elements as needed, making the system self-correcting and reducing reliance on proper user configuration of complex controls.
3Use of energy by moving object
If power cut-off occurs after hot water draw, then energy consumption is reduced, but water temperature drops allowing legionella bacteria propagation
Solution Approach 1:
The system focuses energy consumption on the critical upper portion of the tank where hot water is drawn and bacteria growth is most likely. By maintaining temperature only in this specific region rather than the entire tank, the system minimizes overall energy consumption while still preventing bacterial propagation in the area that matters most for health safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows rapid temperature drops in non-critical portions of the tank during energy-saving periods, but quickly responds to maintain safe temperatures in the upper portion when needed. This selective approach enables energy reduction in acceptable areas while rapidly protecting the critical area from bacterial growth risks.
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 maintains safe water temperatures, preventing legionella bacteria growth and ensuring constant access to safe hot water during load shedding periods or control device malfunctions, while allowing grid management during emergencies.
Implementation Method 1
A temperature sensor senses water temperature in an upper portion of a tank of the water heater and feeds temperature signals to the control device
Implementation Method 2
power to the resistive heating elements of the water heater is shut off
Data Source
AI summary
A safety system and method to prevent water within a top portion of a tank of an electric water heater to drop below a safe temperature during a load shedding period, other than a full emergency grid failure, by a power provider whereby to prevent the propagation of harmful bacteria in a top portion the tank. A control device monitors the water temperature in the top portion of the tank by the use of a temperature sensor. If the control device detects a temperature of the water in the top portion of the tank inferior to 140 degrees F., it will by-pass the instructions of the power provider and connect power to one or more of the resistive heating elements of the tank until a predetermined temperature above 140 degrees F. is attained before switching off the resistive heating elements.