System and method for heating water

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional water heaters consume resources like electric power, natural gas, and oil to maintain water temperature, as they rely on heating elements, whereas buildings often generate waste heat from systems like air-conditioning units, industrial processes, and power plants, which is typically dissipated without being utilized.

Innovation Solution

A water-heating system that utilizes a refrigerant-water heat exchanger to transfer waste heat from nearby systems, such as air-conditioning units, to heat water in a water heater, reducing the need for continuous operation of heating elements by activating the heat transfer when the water temperature falls below a set threshold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a heating element is used to heat water in a water heater, then the water temperature can be maintained at a set minimum temperature, but resources such as electric power, natural gas, oil, or coal are continuously consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater temperatureVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent captures waste heat from air-conditioning systems that would otherwise be dissipated to the environment and uses it to heat water in the water heater. The waste heat from the air-conditioning condenser is redirected through a heat exchanger to warm the water, converting a harmful waste product into a useful heating resource, thereby reducing consumption of primary energy resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the air-conditioning system and water heater into an integrated system where the waste heat from the air-conditioning condenser is captured and utilized by the water heater. This merging allows simultaneous operation of both systems with the water heater benefiting from the air-conditioning waste heat, reducing overall resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Temperature

If waste heat from air-conditioning systems is dissipated to outside air, then the air-conditioning system can cool the building, but the waste heat is not utilized for any useful purpose

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuilding coolingVSAvoidwaste heat loss

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent captures waste heat from air-conditioning systems that would otherwise be dissipated to the environment and uses it to heat water in the water heater. The waste heat from the air-conditioning condenser is redirected through a heat exchanger to warm the water, converting a harmful waste product into a useful heating resource, thereby reducing consumption of primary energy resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Ease of operation

If the heating element operates periodically to maintain water temperature, then the water heater can function with simple controls, but resource consumption increases with operating time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol simplicityVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent captures waste heat from air-conditioning systems that would otherwise be dissipated to the environment and uses it to heat water in the water heater. The waste heat from the air-conditioning condenser is redirected through a heat exchanger to warm the water, converting a harmful waste product into a useful heating resource, thereby reducing consumption of primary energy resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 the consumption of resources like electric power and fuel by leveraging waste heat, thereby lowering operational costs and environmental impact while maintaining consistent water temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

a refrigerant-water heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between refrigerant and water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentUS11149985B2System and method for heating water

Publication Date: 2021.10.19 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC US

AI summary

A water-heating system, including: a controller; a refrigerant-water heat exchanger for exchanging heat between refrigerant and water; a sensor circuit for measuring a current water temperature of water in a water heater and providing the current water temperature to the controller; a first refrigerant pipe for passing the refrigerant from a refrigerant source to the refrigerant-water heat exchanger; a second refrigerant pipe for passing the refrigerant from the refrigerant-water heat exchanger to the refrigerant source; a first water pipe for passing the water from the water heater to the refrigerant-water heat exchanger; a second water pipe for passing the water from the refrigerant-water heat exchanger to the water heater; and a water pump for pumping water from the water heater to the refrigerant-water heat exchanger via the first water pipe and from the refrigerant-water heat exchanger to the water heater via the second water pipe based on a control signal.