Energy management system and method for water heater system

• US 9,195,242 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Derek Zobrist, Gabriel Ayala, Larry K. Acker, Robert Jones
• Original Assignee: Derek Zobrist, Gabriel Ayala, Larry K. Acker, Robert Jones
• Inventors: Zobrist, Derek, Ayala, Gabriel, Jones, Robert, Acker, Larry K
• Primary Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/066,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1051 for domestic hot water
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

An energy management system and method for water heater system is arranged for control of the water heater system based on user demand, and control the hot water distribution base on demand and water temperature of the recirculation loop. The energy management system includes a control center collecting operational parameter of the water heater system and real time information of hot water usage at each of user points, and a management center for managing operational parameter of the water heater system and real time information of hot water usage, wherein the management center is preset for automatically turning each of a motorized unit and a water heater unit of the water heater system in an on and off manner in responsive to hot water demand at user point so as to optimize energy saving of the water heater system.

Claims

1. An energy management system for a water heater system for delivering hot water to a plurality of user points fed from a recirculation pipe loop, the water heater system including a water heater unit and a motorized unit circulating said hot water in the recirculation pipe loop which connects from an outlet of the water heater unit to a return inlet of the water heater unit, to deliver hot water to the user points, the recirculation pipe loop including a delivery line to deliver hot water to the user points and a return line connected to the return inlet, wherein said energy management system comprises:

a sensor system for collecting operational parameters of said water heater system and for collecting real time information of hot water usage at one or more of the user points, said sensor system comprising a plurality of temperature sensors, including a first temperature sensor for collecting return water temperature data of water in the return line or at the return inlet, and a second temperature sensor for collecting water heater unit temperature data, and a supply water flow sensor for detecting supply water flow into the water heater unit; and

a programmable management center controller operatively linked to said sensor system for managing said operational parameters of said water heater system and said real time information of said hot water usage, wherein said management center controller is structured to automatically turn each of said motorized unit and said water heater unit on and off in response to hot water demand at said one or more user points so as to optimize energy saving of said water heater system, wherein said management center controller is configured to turn said motorized unit on in response to said supply water sensor indicating that hot water is being demanded at one or more of the user points and if the water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop is below a first predetermined temperature, and to subsequently turn the motorized unit off when supply water flow has stopped and either the temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop has risen by a predetermined temperature differential from the temperature sensed when supply water flow was detected, or when a rate of temperature increase in hot water sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeds a predetermined temperature differential rate.

2. The energy management system, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a user interface operatively linked to said sensor system and to said management center controller for monitoring said operational parameters of said water heater system and said real time information of hot water usage at said one or more of the user points in a digitalized manner.

3. The energy management system, as recited in claim 2, wherein said user interface comprises a communication unit communicatively linking to said management center controller to enable remote control of said management center controller through said communication unit, said communication unit configured for two-way communication with an off-site user terminal.

4. The energy management system, as recited in claim 3, wherein said communication unit comprises a remote web-server for dissemination and storage of said operational parameters of said water heater system and said real time information of hot water usage, and a graphical converter for converting said operational parameters of said water heater system and said real time information of hot water usage into a customizable and viewable graph display to be monitored through said web-server.

5. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein said management center controller is further configured to turn the motorized unit off if the supply flow has stopped and the return temperature has risen by a temperature differential.

6. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein:

the management center controller is further configured to respond to an overriding command from a user terminal linked to the management center controller to electrically control the water heater unit, and the motorized unit to switch between an on or off status respectively.

7. The energy management system of claim 1, wherein the sensor system further includes a sensor for monitoring an open/close status of a vent damper for the water heater unit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said management center controller is further configured to automatically lower the water temperature of said water heater unit during periods of low or no demand of hot water thereof, and to modulate back to a normal preset water temperature during high usage periods of hot water.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the management center controller is further configured to turn said motorized unit off while supply water flow continues and the water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeds said first predetermined temperature, or the rate of rise of the water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeds a predetermine rate of rise.

10. The energy management system of claim 9, wherein said management center controller is further configured to turn the motorized unit on after it has been turned off due to the return water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeding said first predetermined temperature only if the water supply flow data indicates that no supply flow has been detected following said turning off of the motorized unit.

11. A method of energy management for a water heater system for delivering hot water to a plurality of user points fed from a recirculation pipe loop, the system a water heater unit and a motorized unit circulating hot water through the recirculation pipe loop which connects from an outlet of the water heater unit to a return inlet of the water heater, the recirculation pipe loop including a deliver line to deliver hot water to the user points and a return line connected to the return inlet, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting operational parameters of said water heater system and collecting real time information of hot water usage at one or more of the user points of said water heater system, said collecting comprising collecting temperature data of water in the water heater unit, supply water temperature data, and return temperature data of water in the return line or at the return inlet, and collecting water supply flow data indicating supply water is flowing into the water heater unit in response to hot water demand at one or more of the user points; and

(b) managing said operational parameters of said water heater system and processing said real time information of said hot water usage to automatically turn said motorized unit and said water heater unit in an on and off manner in response to hot water demand at said user points so as to optimize energy saving of said water heater system, comprising turning said motorized unit on when hot water is being demanded at one or more of the user points and a sensed water temperature at the return inlet or return loop is below a first predetermined temperature, and for subsequently turning the motorized unit off when supply water flow has stopped and the temperature at the return inlet or return loop has risen by a predetermined temperature differential from said sensed water temperature, or when a rate of temperature increase at the return inlet or return loop exceeds a predetermined temperature differential rate.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein, in the step (b), said water heater unit is controlled for automatically lowering down the water temperature of said water heater unit during periods of low or no demand of hot water thereof, and is modulated back to a normal preset water temperature during high usage periods of hot water.

13. The method, as recited in claim 11, further comprising a step of diagnosing said operational parameters of said water heater system for promptly and accurately optimizing an operation of said water heater system in a real time basis.

14. The method, as recited in claim 11, further comprising a step of selectively configuring said operational parameters of said water heater system and said real time information of hot water usage at said one or more user points in a digitalized manner.

15. The method, as recited in claim 14, wherein the configuring step comprises the steps of:

converting said operational parameter of said water heater system and said real time information of hot water usage into customizable and viewable graph display; and

remotely configuring said operational parameter of said water heater system and said real time information of hot water usage via a web-server.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said subsequently turning the motorized unit off of step (b) further comprises turning the motorized unit off if the supply flow has stopped and the return temperature has risen by a temperature differential.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating an overriding command through a user terminal to electrically control the water heater unit, and the motorized unit to switch between an on or off status respectively.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said managing said operational parameters of said water heater system and processing said real time information for turning said motorized unit on and for subsequently turning the motorized unit off further comprises turning the motorized unit off while supply water flow continues and the water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeds said first predetermined temperature, or the rate of rise of the water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeds a predetermine rate of rise.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step (b) further comprises turning the motorized unit on after it has been turned off due to the return water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeding said first predetermined temperature only if the water supply flow data indicates that no supply flow has been detected following said turning off of the motorized unit.

20. A method of energy management for a water heater system which comprises a water heater unit and a motorized unit circulating hot water through a recirculation loop, comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting operational parameters of said water heater system and collecting real time information of hot water usage at one or more user points of said water heater system;

(b) managing said operational parameter of said water heater system and said real time information of said hot water usage for automatically turning said motorized unit and said water heater unit in an on and off manner in responsive to hot water demand at said one or more user points so as to optimize energy saving of said water heater system;

(c) diagnosing said operational parameters of said water heater system for promptly and accurately optimizing an operation of said water heater system in a real time basis,

wherein the diagnosing step comprises the steps of;

tracking the water heater runtime by means of water temperature throughout said water heater system to determine whether said water heater system is working properly;

tracking an on-off status of said motorized unit of said water heater system by means of electrical energy consumption to determine whether said motorized unit is working properly;

detecting water flow along said recirculation loop to track hot water being demanded at said one or more user points and to provide water leak detection; and

tracking data from a source meter of said water heater system.

21. A central water heater arrangement, comprising:

one or more water heater systems for delivering hot water to one or more user points fed from a recirculation pipe loop which connects from an outlet of the water heater unit to a return inlet of the water heater unit, each water heater system comprising a water heater unit for heating up water, a motorized unit circulating said hot water in the recirculation loop to the one or more user points, the recirculation pipe loop including a delivery line to deliver hot water to the user points and a return line connected to the return inlet; and

an energy management system which comprises;

a sensor system for collecting operational parameters of said water heater system and for collecting real time information of hot water usage by the said one or more user points;

a programmable management center controller operatively linked to said sensor system for managing said operational parameters of said water heater system and monitoring said real time information of said hot water usage, wherein the management center controller is programmed to automatically turn on and off said motorized unit and said water heater unit to conserve energy usage by the water heater system, wherein said management center controller is configured to turn said motorized unit on in response to said supply water sensor indicating that hot water is being demanded at one or more of the user points and if the water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop is below a first predetermined temperature, and to subsequently turn the motorized unit off when supply water flow has stopped and the temperature at the return inlet or return loop has risen by a predetermined temperature differential above said sensed water temperature or when a rate of temperature increase sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeds a predetermined temperature differential rate; and

a user interface operatively linked to said sensor system and said management center controller for configuring said operational parameters of said water heater system and said real time information of hot water usage in a digitalized manner.

22. The central water heater arrangement, as recited in claim 21, wherein said user interface comprises a communication unit communicatively linking to said management center controller to enable remote control of said management center controller through said communication unit, said communication unit configured for two-way communication with an off-site user terminal.

23. The central water heater arrangement, as recited in claim 22, wherein said communication unit comprises a remote web-server for dissemination and storage of said operational parameters of said water heater system and said real time information of hot water usage, and a graphical converter for converting said operational parameters of said water heater system and said real time information of hot water usage into a customizable and viewable graph display to be monitored through said web-server.

24. The water heater arrangement, as recited in claim 21, wherein the water heater system is installed in a multi-family unit or in a multi-unit building structure.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the management center controller is further configured to turn said motorized unit off while supply water flow continues and the water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeds said first predetermined temperature, or the rate of rise of the water temperature sensed at the return inlet or return loop exceeds a predetermine rate of rise.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said management center controller is further configured to automatically lower the water temperature of said water heater unit during periods of low or no demand of hot water thereof, and to modulate back to a normal preset water temperature during high usage periods of hot water.