Water Heater Controller Parameter Lock for Safe Temperature Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tank-type water heating systems face challenges in maintaining optimal water temperatures within a desirable range, leading to suboptimal or unsafe conditions when users attempt to set temperatures below a lower bound or above an upper bound, which can result in uncomfortable or dangerous water outputs.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that communicates with user devices to receive requests to change set point temperatures, identifies irregular attempts to set temperatures outside the desired range, and either maintains or disables the ability to change the temperature settings, ensuring the water temperature remains within a safe and comfortable range by regulating the main burner's ignition time and heat intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the controller allows users to freely change the set point temperature, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates when temperatures are set outside the safe range
Solution Approach 1:
The controller pre-establishes safe temperature boundaries (lower and upper bounds) before user input is processed. When a user attempts to set a temperature, the controller proactively checks whether the requested temperature falls within the predetermined safe range, and prevents unsafe settings before they can cause harm. This preliminary validation ensures safety without interfering with normal operation within bounds.
2Reliability
If the controller disables the ability to change set point temperature for safety, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The controller dynamically adjusts its level of restriction based on the specific temperature value requested. When a user attempts to set a temperature within the safe range, the controller allows free adjustment with no restrictions. When an unsafe temperature is detected, the controller dynamically switches to a restricted mode, presenting safety options only in that specific case. This dynamic response maintains ease of operation for normal use while ensuring safety when needed.
3Reliability
If the controller provides multiple safety options for temperature settings, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller extracts the safety management functionality from the main user interface flow. Instead of embedding multiple safety checks, warnings, and confirmation dialogs within the normal temperature adjustment process, the controller isolates safety interventions to occur only when unsafe temperatures are detected. This extraction keeps the regular temperature control simple and intuitive, while maintaining comprehensive safety checks in the background.
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
Prevents the water temperature from being set to suboptimal or dangerous levels by locking the temperature settings when an irregular attempt is detected, ensuring the water remains within a comfortable and safe range for household use.
Implementation Method 1
Some systems use a pilot light which ignites a main burner configured to heat water within the water tank
Implementation Method 2
The water tank may generate 'hot' water and output the hot water to the piping system
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure is related to devices, systems, and techniques for controlling a temperature of water contained by a water tank. A controller includes a user interface configured to receive one or more user inputs indicative of a request to set a control parameter of the controller and communication circuitry configured to receive, from a user device, an electronic signal. Additionally, the controller includes processing circuitry configured to identify, from the electronic signal, one or more first data packets that include a request to disable an ability to change, based on the one or more user inputs received by the user interface, the control parameter of the controller and in response to receiving the one or more first data packets, disable the ability to change the control parameter of the controller.