Water heating system and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water heating systems with multiple heat pump units face challenges in controlling the operating state of all units simultaneously, leading to inefficiency and energy waste due to the inability to determine the exact number of units needed to meet hot water demand.
Innovation Solution
A water heating system with a master-slave configuration, where a master control unit determines the operative number of heat pump units required based on demand, activates solenoid valves of units with the highest temperature, and sequences unit operation using ranking codes to optimize efficiency and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If all heat pump units are turned on simultaneously to satisfy high hot water demand, then the required quantity of hot water can be supplied, but energy is wasted because it is not possible to determine the exact number of units needed
Solution Approach 1:
The master control unit receives temperature data from all slave heat pump units and uses this feedback to intelligently determine which units to activate. The system continuously monitors tank temperatures and adjusts unit activation accordingly, avoiding unnecessary energy consumption while ensuring sufficient hot water supply capacity is available when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of activating all heat pump units simultaneously (excessive action), the master control unit selectively activates only the necessary number of units based on real-time demand assessment and temperature feedback (partial action). This optimization prevents energy waste from running more units than required while maintaining the capability to supply the required hot water quantity.
2Productivity
If all heat pump units operate simultaneously, then hot water demand can be met, but it is difficult to control the operating state of all units
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into a hierarchical master-slave architecture where the master control unit handles high-level decision-making and unit selection, while individual slave units autonomously execute their specific operations. This segmentation simplifies control by distributing responsibilities rather than requiring centralized management of all units simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The master control unit acts as an intermediary between the hot water demand signal and the slave heat pump units. It receives temperature feedback from slaves, processes this information, and sends selective activation commands back to specific slave units, thereby simplifying the overall control structure while maintaining coordinated operation of multiple units when needed.
3Loss of energy
If heat pump units are activated based on highest temperature tanks, then energy efficiency is improved, but the system requires complex temperature monitoring and selection logic
Solution Approach 1:
Each slave heat pump unit autonomously monitors its own tank temperature and reports this information to the master control unit. The units self-identify their operational status and thermal state without requiring external intervention, enabling the master unit to make efficient activation decisions based on simple temperature comparisons rather than complex system-wide analysis.
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 provides efficient and reliable hot water supply by activating only the necessary units, reducing energy waste and extending the system's lifespan by evenly distributing wear across units.
Implementation Method 1
the heat pumps extract the heat from a source, such as outside air, and then amplify and transfer the heat where required
Implementation Method 2
The heat pump units include a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser and an expansion valve, which form a cycle whereby a refrigerant is moved
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4
AI summary
A water heating system (1) comprises: a plurality of heat pump units (2), each of which includes: a water tank (T); a solenoid valve (V) located at a water outlet (O) (or inlet); a temperature sensor (S); a control unit (C). The control units are interconnected through a bus and are programmed so that one of the heat pump units (2) acts as a master unit (2A) and the remaining units act as slave units (2B). The master unit is configured to derive an operative number responsive to a hot water demand, to turn on one or more heat pump units (2) based on the derived operative number, and to activate the solenoid valve of one or more of the heat pump units, responsive to the hot water demand. The units turned on operate in an ON mode in which the heat pump is active to heat the water in the tank (T).