Control system methods for networked water heaters

• US 8,175,752 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellihot Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intellihot Green Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Deivasigamani, Sridhar, Akasam, Sivaprasad
• Primary Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US12/699,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 700/275, 700/282, 700/300, 700/19, 700/20, 122/1.C, 122/13.01, 236/21.B, 237/19, 126/615
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/0026 with conventional heating means F24D17/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/0031 with accumulation of the heated water
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/0073 Arrangements for preventing the occurrence or proliferation of microorganisms in the water
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/0078 Recirculation systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/0089 Additional heating means, e.g. electric heated buffer tanks or electric continuous flow heaters, located close to the consumer, e.g. directly before the water taps in bathrooms, in domestic hot water lines
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/124 using fluid fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/202 with resistances
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/52 incorporating heat exchangers for domestic water F24H1/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/144 Measuring or calculating energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/156 Reducing the quantity of energy consumed; Increasing efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/238 Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/31 of valves having only one inlet port and one outlet port, e.g. flow rate regulating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/36 of burners
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2035 using fluid fuel
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1927 using a plurality of sensors G05D23/1902, G05D23/1917, and G05D23/1919 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1244 With freeze waste
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6579 Circulating fluid in heat exchange relationship
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85978 With pump
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer

Abstract

Disclosed is a control system for controlling a plurality of fluidly and operably connected water heaters to meet a hot water demand such that overall efficiency is maximized and usage disparity between water heaters is minimized. There is further disclosed a method for detecting a small system demand in said network by adjusting the setting of each flow limiting valve of each water heater. There is still further disclosed a method for enabling seamless addition or removal of a heater in service and heating load distribution to water heaters.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a plurality of water heaters fluidly and operably connected in a network to meet a hot water demand, wherein each of said plurality of water heaters has a controller which communicates to other water heater controllers within said network via a communication bus and each controller maintains a list of usage planning data, comprising steps of:

supplying power to said each water heater controller;

configuring the controller of said each water heater to broadcast a message to said communication bus, wherein said message comprises an ID and usage planning data;

configuring the controller of said each water heater to listen to and receive messages from other controllers on said communication bus;

reconciling said list of usage planning data by removing expired usage planning data and adding new usage planning data and then sorting said list of usage planning data based on a predetermined key to produce a sort result;

executing a function based on said sort result; and

configuring the controller of said each water heater to update usage planning data,

wherein said usage planning data comprises a relative remaining life component and said predetermined key is relative remaining life.

2. A method for controlling a plurality of water heaters fluidly and operably connected in a network to meet a hot water demand, wherein each of said plurality of water heaters has a controller which communicates to other water heater controllers within said network via a communication bus and each controller maintains a list of usage planning data, comprising steps of:

supplying power to said each water heater controller;

configuring the controller of said each water heater to broadcast a message to said communication bus, wherein said message comprises an ID and usage planning data;

configuring the controller of said each water heater to listen to and receive messages from other controllers on said communication bus;

reconciling said list of usage planning data by removing expired usage planning data and adding new usage planning data and then sorting said list of usage planning data based on a predetermined key to produce a sort result;

executing a function based on said sort result; and

configuring the controller of said each water heater to update usage planning data,

wherein said usage planning data comprises a value corresponding to a maximum output of each of said plurality of water heaters.