Variable speed domestic appliance and method of managing power supplied to the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing monitoring systems for circuit breakers with multiple devices attached only measure current draw at individual devices and lack comprehensive power management across all connected devices, limiting their effectiveness in managing total current pull through the circuit breaker.
Innovation Solution
A domestic appliance, such as a heat pump water heater, equipped with a power inverter and controller, communicates with a current monitor to determine instantaneous and total current inputs, compares these against a circuit breaker limit, and adjusts its current input accordingly to manage power distribution efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If current monitoring systems only measure current draw at individual devices, then device-level monitoring is simple and straightforward, but comprehensive power management across all connected devices cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
A communication module serves as an intermediary between the controller and remote terminals, enabling the controller to receive total current input signals from remote terminals and exchange information without requiring direct complex integration of all monitoring components
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is designed to perform multiple functions: determining instantaneous current input, receiving total current input signals from remote terminals, comparing current inputs against limits, and adjusting current input. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate specialized devices
2Productivity
If each device is limited to a maximum current draw through the circuit breaker, then individual device protection is ensured, but efficient power management and optimization across multiple devices cannot be implemented
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the current input of the heat pump based on real-time comparisons between total current input and circuit breaker limits. The controller can modify operational parameters such as compressor speed via the power inverter to adapt current draw to available capacity, enabling efficient power management while maintaining flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The controller receives feedback about total current input from remote terminals and uses this information to adjust its own current consumption. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to respond to changing load conditions and optimize power distribution across multiple devices
3Loss of information
If only devices with communication ability provide information to the monitoring system, then data collection is limited to smart devices, but comprehensive monitoring of all devices cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
Remote terminals act as intermediaries that can measure total current input at the circuit breaker level and communicate this information to the controller. This approach enables automatic collection of comprehensive current data without requiring every individual device to have communication capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
A domestic appliance includes a heat pump including a compressor; a power inverter electrically connected with the heat pump; and a controller operably connected with the heat pump and the power inverter, wherein the controller is configured to perform an operation. The operation includes determining an instantaneous current input at the domestic appliance; receiving a signal from a remote terminal, the signal including a total current input at the remote terminal, the instantaneous current input being at least a portion of the total current input; comparing the total current input against a current input limit at the circuit breaker after receiving the signal; and adjusting a current input at the domestic appliance from the instantaneous current input according to the comparison of the total current input and the current input limit at the circuit breaker.