Series Water Heaters for Peak Load Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical service providers face challenges in managing peak demand for electricity, particularly during hot or cold weather, as existing methods either incur high costs or require reducing service to neighborhoods, and current approaches to shift load are often inconvenient for customers or inefficient in storing excess energy.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where electrical service providers control storage water heaters at customer locations to store excess electrical power generated during off-peak hours, using two water heaters in series, where one pre-heats water for the other during peak demand periods, reducing the need for additional power generation and maintaining efficient operation of power plants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical service providers purchase expensive electricity from the power grid to meet peak demand, then the reliability of power supply is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing excess electrical energy in water heaters during off-peak hours when electricity is cheaper and more abundant. This pre-stored thermal energy is then utilized during peak demand periods, eliminating the need to purchase expensive electricity from the grid and maintaining power supply reliability without incurring high costs.
2Productivity
If electrical service providers reduce service to entire neighborhoods during peak demand, then the load is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-heating water in storage water heaters during off-peak hours. During peak demand periods, this pre-heated water is utilized, allowing continuous hot water supply without interrupting service to customers. This maintains service availability while effectively reducing peak load on the electrical grid.
3Productivity
If financial incentives are offered to customers to shift load to off-peak times, then the productivity is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by providing customers with locally-controlled storage water heaters that automatically store excess electricity during off-peak hours and discharge it during peak periods. Customers benefit from reduced electricity costs and maintained service availability without needing to manually shift their load or interact with complex incentive programs, thereby maintaining convenience while achieving load shifting.
4Reliability
If new power generation capacity is added to meet peak demand, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing excess electrical energy as thermal energy in water heaters during off-peak hours. This pre-stored energy serves as a distributed backup power source during peak demand periods, reducing the need for additional centralized power generation capacity and the associated infrastructure complexity while maintaining power supply reliability.
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 reduces peak demand by utilizing stored hot water, allowing power plants to operate more efficiently and minimizing the need for new power generation capacity, while also providing financial incentives to customers by shifting energy usage to off-peak times.
Implementation Method 1
storage water heaters at customer locations to store excess electrical power generated during off-peak hours
Data Source
AI summary
Two water heaters may be installed in series at a customer location, such that an output of a first (or storage) water heater is coupled to the input of a second (or primary) water heater, the output of which provides hot water to the customer location. During normal operation, only the primary water heater may actually heat water for use at the customer location. However, during periods of excess capacity, the electrical service provider may enable the storage water heater to store the excess electrical power that is generated by operating the power plant at higher output (which may be more efficient). Later, during hours of greater demand, the electrical service provider may disable the storage water heater used to store the excess capacity, whereas the primary water heater may operate normally. However, during the time of greater demand, the storage water heaters may provide pre-heated water to the primary water heater, which in-turn, may need to heat the water less or perhaps not at all.