Systems and Methods for Operating a Valve Installed at an Inlet of a Water Heating System

Abstract

A water heating system including an inlet, a water tank, a mixer and a valve is disclosed. The inlet may be configured to receive a supply of cold water, and the water tank may be configured to store hot water. The mixer may be configured to receive hot water from the water tank. The valve may be attached to the inlet and be in fluid communication with the water tank and the mixer. The valve may be configured to receive the cold water from the inlet and control a flow of cold water into the water tank and the mixer based on an operating state of the valve.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and the benefit of US provisional application No. 63/746,084, filed Jan. 16, 2025, which is hereby incorporated by referenced herein in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for operating a mixing and shut-off combinational valve installed at an inlet of a water heating system.

BACKGROUND

Water heaters are generally used to provide a supply of heated water in a variety of applications, including residential, commercial, and industrial applications. A tank based water heater typically includes a storage tank that stores water that is heated by a heating source. The hot water stored in the storage tank is output via an outlet port of the water heater. A conventional water heater may also include a mixing valve that mixes / blends cold water with the hot water output from the storage tank to increase the capacity of the water heating system and ensure that the outlet water is at an optimal water temperature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and/or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and/or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably.

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an example water heating system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D depict example operating states of a mixing and shut-off combinational valve of a water heating system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of a controller configured to operate a water heating system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of a method to operate a water heating system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed to a water heating system (“system”) that may include an inlet, an outlet, a water tank, a mixer and a valve. The inlet may be configured to receive a supply of cold water, e.g., from a utility water source. The inlet may be connected to the valve and may be configured to transfer the supply of cold water to the valve. The valve may be a mixing and shut-off combination valve and may be connected to the “cold side” of the system (i.e., to the inlet that supplies cold water to the valve). The valve may be configured to enable the flow of cold water received from the inlet to the water tank and/or the mixer or completely shut-off the flow of cold water to both the water tank and the mixer based on an operating state in which the valve may be operating.

The water tank may be configured to receive the supply of cold water from the valve and heat the received water (via a heating source of the system). The water tank may not directly receive the supply of cold water from the inlet and may instead receive the cold water via the valve. The water tank may be configured to supply the hot water stored in the water tank to the mixer.

The mixer may be in fluid communication with the water tank and the valve. The mixer may be configured to receive the hot water from the water tank and the cold water from the valve. The mixer may not receive the supply of cold water directly from the inlet but may instead receive the cold water via the valve. Since the mixer receives the hot water from the water tank, the mixer is connected to the “hot side” of the system. The mixer may be configured to mix/blend the hot water received from the water tank and the cold water received from the valve and output the “blended” water to the outlet. A system user may use the water output from the outlet for various residential, commercial, or industrial applications.

The valve may be configured to operate in a plurality of operating states based on a plurality of parameters, including, but not limited to, a temperature of hot water (e.g., a “first water temperature”) stored in the water tank, a temperature of water (e.g., a “second water temperature”) output by the mixer, a desired water temperature set by the system user, the presence of a water leak in the water tank, and/or the like. Based on an operating state in which the valve may be operating, the valve may either shut-off the supply of cold water to both the mixer and the water tank or enable the flow of cold water to the mixer and/or the water tank.

For example, the valve may transfer the cold water received from the inlet fully (or entirely) to the water tank (and not supply any cold water to the mixer) when the valve may be operating in a first operating state. In some instances, the valve may operate in the first operating state when the first water temperature (i.e., the water temperature of the hot water stored in the water tank) may be equivalent to or lower than the desired water temperature and water may be drawn from the outlet.

Further, the valve may transfer the cold water received from the inlet partially to the water tank and transfer the remaining cold water to the mixer when the valve may be operating in a second operating state. Any percentage of water may be split between the water tank and the mixing valve in the second operating state. In some instances, the valve may operate in the second operating state when the first water temperature may be greater than the desired water temperature.

Furthermore, the valve may transfer the cold water received from the inlet fully (or entirely) to the mixer (and not supply any cold water to the water tank) when the valve may be operating in a third operating state. In some instances, the valve may operate in the third operating state when the first water temperature may be substantially greater than the desired water temperature, and water may be drawn from the outlet.

Additionally, the valve may fully shut off a transfer of the cold water received from the inlet to both the mixer and the water tank when the valve operates in a fourth operating state. In some instances, the valve may operate in the fourth operating state when there may be a water leak in the water tank (or any other system component) or when a system operator requires to service the valve (or any other system component).

In some aspects, the valve operates in the fourth operating state whenever a water leak is detected in the water tank, irrespective of the values of the first water temperature, the second water temperature, and the desired water temperature. Stated another way, the valve operates in the first, second, or third operating states described above only when no water leak is detected in the system. In this manner, the valve may completely shut off the supply of cold water to the mixer and the water tank in the fourth operating state to prevent any damage to the system components or surroundings because of the water leakage.

It may appreciated that since a mixing valve is typically disposed at the “hot side” of a conventional water heating system (e.g., at a point where the hot water from the water tank mixes with the cold water from the inlet), the mixing valve of a conventional water heating system is not equipped to completely shut-off the supply of cold water from the inlet into the water tank in the event of a water leakage. Therefore, in some cases, a conventional water heating system may require two separate valves to operate optimally. For example, one valve may be used for mixing hot and cold water and a second valve may be used for shutting off the supply of cold water in the event of a water leakage. On the other hand, in accordance with the present disclosure, since the valve is disposed at the “cold side” of the system and controls the flow of cold water towards the mixer and the water tank simultaneously, the valve, according to the present disclosure, enables the operations of water mixing and shutting off the water supply within a single valve thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the system.

Further, since the valve of the present disclosure is disposed on the “cold side” of the system (i.e., at the inlet that transfers the cold water to the valve) and not on the “hot side” of the system (i.e., at a point where the hot water from the water tank is received), the valve may experience considerably less scaling and structural degradation over time as compared to conventional valve placements.

In some aspects, the system may include one or more additional components, including, but not limited to, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a leak detector, a controller, and/or the like. The first temperature sensor may be configured to determine the first water temperature, and the second temperature sensor may be configured to determine the second water temperature described above. The leak detector may be configured to detect a water leak in the water tank. The controller may be communicatively coupled with the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the leak detector and may be configured to control the operation of the valve based on the inputs obtained from these components.

For example, the controller may cause the valve to operate in the fourth operating state when the inputs from the leak detector indicate a water leak in the water tank. Further, the controller may cause the valve to operate in the first, second, or third operating state based on the first water temperature, the second water temperature, and the desired water temperature when there is no water leak in the water tank.

The present disclosure discloses a water heating system in which a mixing and shut-off combination valve is disposed at the “cold side” of the system. Since the valve is disposed on the system's cold side, the valve may experience considerably less scaling and structural degradation over time as compared to a mixing valve in a conventional heating system which is installed at the “hot side” of the system. Further, since the valve is disposed on the system's cold side, the valve can effectively function as a mixing valve as well as a shut-off valve, and the system is not required to have two separate valves for mixing and shutting-off operations.

Although certain examples of the disclosed technology are explained in detail herein, it is to be understood that other examples, embodiments, and implementations of the disclosed technology are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the disclosed technology is limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components expressly set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed technology can be implemented in a variety of examples and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. In particular, the presently disclosed subject matter is described in the context of a mixing and shut-off combinational valve installed at an inlet of a water heating system. The present disclosure, however, is not so limited, and can be applicable in other contexts. Accordingly, when the present disclosure is described in the context of a mixing and shut-off combinational valve installed at an inlet of a water heating system, it will be understood that other implementations can take the place of those referred to.

Although the term “water” is used throughout this specification, it is to be understood that other fluids may take the place of the term “water” as used herein. Therefore, although described as a mixing and shut-off combinational valve installed at an inlet of a water heating system, it is to be understood that the system and method described herein can apply to fluids other than water. Further, it is also to be understood that the term “water” can replace the term “fluid” as used herein unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. More so, the terms “cold” and “hot” are relative and may mean different degrees of varying temperatures and ranges based on the context. Thus, the terms “cold” and “hot” should not be limited to any temperature or temperature range.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an example water heating system 100 (or water heater 100 or system 100) in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. While describing FIG. 1, references will be made to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D.

The system 100 may include a plurality of components including, but not limited to, a storage tank 102 (or a water tank), an inlet 104, an outlet 106, a mixing and shut-off combination valve 108 (or valve 108), a mixing chamber or a mixer 110, one or more first temperature sensors 112 (or first temperature sensor 112), a second temperature sensor 114, a leak detector 116, a controller 118, and/or the like. The system 100 may include a plurality of additional components which are not shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity and conciseness (e.g., a housing in which one or more system components described above may be housed, one or more heating sources configured to heat the water stored in the storage tank 102, one or more actuators, heat exchangers or coils, and/or the like). The example depiction of the system 100 in FIG. 1 should not be construed as limiting.

The storage tank 102 may be configured to store water, which may be heated by the heating source(s) described above. The heating source(s) may be, for example, a gas burner, an electrical heating element, a heat pump, solar, and/or the like. The heating source(s) may heat the water stored in the storage tank 102 via one or more heating elements (e.g., heat exchanger coils, not shown) that may be disposed in an interior portion of the storage tank 102, wrapped around an exterior surface of the storage tank 102, or external to the storage tank 102 with a water circulation path extending between the one or more heating elements and the storage tank 102. Alternatively, the heating source(s) may heat the water stored in the storage tank 102 via any other known means, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The storage tank 102 may be of any size, shape, or configuration based on the water heating system application. For example, the storage tank 102 may be sized for common residential use or for commercial or industrial use that may require greater amounts of heated water. Furthermore, the storage tank 102 may be made of any suitable material for storing and heating water, including copper, carbon steel, stainless steel, ceramics, polymers, composites, or any other suitable material. The storage tank 102 may also be treated or lined with a coating to prevent corrosion and leakage. A suitable treating or coating will be capable of withstanding the temperature and pressure of the system 100 and may include, as non-limiting examples, glass enameling, galvanizing, thermosetting resin-bonded lining materials, thermoplastic coating materials, cement coating, or any other suitable treating or coating for the application.

In an exemplary aspect, the first temperature sensors 112 may be disposed along a length of the interior surface of the storage tank 102. Although FIG. 1 depicts two first temperature sensors 112, the system 100 may include more or less than two first temperature sensors 112. The first temperature sensor 112 may be configured to determine a water temperature (or a “first water temperature”) of the hot water stored in the storage tank 102. The first temperature sensor 112 may be communicatively coupled with the controller 118 and may share inputs associated with the first water temperature with the controller 118 continuously or at a predefined frequency.

In certain embodiments, the leak detector 116 may be disposed on the storage tank 102 (e.g., at the interior surface or an exterior surface of the storage tank 102) or spaced apart from the storage tank 102 and may be configured to detect a water leak in the storage tank 102. Although FIG. 1 depicts that the leak detector 116 is disposed at a bottom portion of the storage tank 102, the present disclosure is not limited to such an arrangement. The leak detector 116 may be located anywhere on or in proximity to the storage tank 102, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In further aspects, in addition to detecting the water leak in the storage tank 102, in certain instances, the leak detector 116 may also be configured to detect water leak in other components of the system 100 (e.g., the mixer 110). Similar to the first temperature sensor 112, the leak detector 116 may also be communicatively coupled with the controller 118 and may share inputs associated with the water leak in the storage tank 102 (or other components of the system 100) with the controller 118 continuously or at a predefined frequency.

The inlet 104 may be configured to receive a supply of cold water 120, e.g., from a utility water source. Although FIG. 1 depicts the inlet 104 being disposed in proximity to a top portion of the storage tank 102, the present disclosure is not limited to such an arrangement. In some aspects, the inlet 104 may be disposed in proximity to a bottom portion or a side portion of the storage tank 102, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The inlet 104 may be configured to transfer the supply of cold water 120 to the valve 108. Specifically, the valve 108 may be attached to the inlet 104 (or the “cold side” of the system 100) and configured to receive the supply of cold water 120 from the inlet 104. The inlet 104 may transfer the supply of cold water 120 only to the valve 108 and may not directly transfer the cold water to other system components, e.g., the storage tank 102 and/or the mixer 110.

The valve 108 may be in fluid communication with the storage tank 102 and the mixer 110 and may be configured to control a flow of cold water received from the inlet 104 to the storage tank 102 and the mixer 110 based on an operating state of the valve 108. In some aspects, the valve 108 may be “combination valve” that may act as a mixing valve in a one operational mode and act as a shut-off valve in another operational mode. Examples of the valve 108 include, but are not limited to, ball valves, gate valves, valves with linear and/or rotating spools, etc. The operation of the valve 108 is described in detail later below.

The mixer 110 may be in fluid communication with the valve 108 and the storage tank 102 and may be configured to receive the hot water from the storage tank 102 and the cold water from the valve 108. In accordance with the present disclosure, the mixer 110 does not receive the cold water directly from the inlet 104, but instead receives the cold water via the valve 108 (which controls the flow of cold water to the mixer 110). In some aspects, the mixer 110 may be configured to output hot water received from the storage tank 102 when the mixer 110 does not receive any cold water from the valve 108. In further aspects, the mixer 110 may be configured to mix or blend the hot water received from the storage tank 102 with the cold water received from the valve 108 and output “blended water”, when the mixer 110 receives the cold water from the valve 108 in addition to receiving the hot water from the storage tank 102. In some aspects, the mixer 110 may include a mixing chamber that may be a compartment in which the cold water may be blended with the hot water. In an exemplary aspect, such a mixer includes a chamber with a circuitous flow path. In additional aspects, the mixer 110 may be a static mixer, an active mixer, etc.

The outlet 106 may be attached to the mixer 110 and configured to output the hot water or blended water 122 received from the mixer 110. Stated another way, the mixer 110 may transfer the hot water or the blended water to the outlet 106, which may output the blended water 122, as shown in FIG. 1. In some aspects, a system user may use the blended water 122 (or the hot water) for various residential or commercial applications. In certain embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 1, the outlet 106 receives the blended water or hot water only from the mixer 110 and does not receive water directly from the valve 108 and/or the storage tank 102.

Although the outlet 106 is depicted in FIG. 1 as being disposed in proximity to the top portion of the storage tank 102, the present disclosure is not limited to such an arrangement. In some aspects, the outlet 106 may be disposed on the side portion of the storage tank 102, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, although the valve 108 and the mixer 110 are depicted in FIG. 1 as being disposed in proximity to the top portion of the storage tank 102, the present disclosure is not limited to such an aspect. In some aspects, the valve 108 and the mixer 110 may be disposed anywhere in the system 100 based on the location of the inlet 104 and the outlet 106 relative to the storage tank 102, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The second temperature sensor 114 may be disposed at or in proximity to the mixer 110 and may be configured to determine a water temperature (or a “second water temperature”) of the water output from the mixer 110. The second temperature sensor 114 may be communicatively coupled with the controller 118 and may share inputs associated with the second water temperature with the controller 118 continuously or at a predefined frequency.

In certain embodiments, the valve 108 may include one or more components (not shown) including, but not limited to, one or more moving parts (e.g., a spool, a rotating disc, and/or the like), one or more actuators (e.g., servo motors), etc. The valve 108 may be configured to operate in a plurality of operating states or modes, based on the position of the moving parts within the valve 108. The position of the moving parts may be controlled by the controller 118 (and hence the controller 118 may change the operating state of the valve 108) via the actuators. Since the valve 108 is disposed on the “cold side” of the system 100 (i.e., at the inlet 104 that transfers the cold water 120 to the valve 108) and not on the “hot side” of the system 100 (i.e., at a point where the hot water from the storage tank 102 is received), the valve 108 experiences considerably less scaling and structural degradation over time. A person ordinarily skilled in the art may appreciate if the valve 108, including the moving parts, would have been disposed at the “hot side” of the system 100, the valve 108 would have experienced considerable scaling over time, and the hot water received from the storage tank 102 would have degraded the structural integrity of the valve 108. The system 100 alleviates this issue by having the valve 108 disposed at the “cold side” of the system 100, thus considerably increasing the life of the valve 108.

As described above, the valve 108 may be configured to operate in a plurality of different operating states or modes, based on the position of the moving parts within the valve 108. Depending on the operating state of the valve 108, the valve 108 may either transfer the cold water received from the inlet 104 fully to the storage tank 102, partially to the storage tank 102 and partially to the mixer 110, fully to the mixer 110, or completely shut-off the supply/flow of cold water to both the storage tank 102 and the mixer 110. In any operating state, the valve 108 does not receive the hot water from the storage tank 102 and/or the mixer 110. The valve 108 is only configured to transfer the cold water to the storage tank 102 and/or the mixer 110 or completely shut-off the supply of cold water to both the storage tank 102 and the mixer 110. The different operating states of the valve 108 are described below.

In certain embodiments, the valve 108 may be configured to transfer the cold water received from the inlet 104 fully (or entirely) to the storage tank 102 when the valve 108 operates in a first operating state. An example view of the valve 108 operating in the first operating state is depicted in FIG. 2A. As shown in FIG. 2A, the valve 108 transfers the cold water (shown as an arrow 202) from the inlet 104 fully to the storage tank 102, and shuts-off the supply of cold water (shown as a cross 204) to the mixer 110, when the valve 108 operates in the first operating state. In some aspects, the valve 108 may operate in the first operate state when the system 100 is operating in a “full hot” mode or condition. Specifically, when the first water temperature (i.e., the water temperature of the hot water stored in the storage tank 102) may be equivalent to a “desired water temperature” that the system user requires from the outlet 106 and water may be getting drawn from the outlet 106, the valve 108 may not transfer any cold water towards the mixer 110 (so as not to reduce the temperature of the hot water being received by the mixer 110 from the storage tank 102 and being dispensed from the outlet 106). In this case, the valve 108 may instead transfer the cold water entirely to the storage tank 102 to replenish the hot water that may be getting dispensed via the mixer 110 and the outlet 106.

In further aspects, the valve 108 may be configured to transfer the cold water received from the inlet 104 partially to the storage tank 102 and transfer the remaining cold water to the mixer 110 when the valve 108 operates in a second operating state. An example view of the valve 108 operating in the second operating state is depicted in FIG. 2B. As shown in FIG. 2B, the valve 108 transfers the cold water partially (shown as an arrow 206) to the storage tank 102 and transfers the remaining cold water (shown as an arrow 208) to the mixer 110, when the valve 108 operates in the second operating state. In some aspects, the valve 108 may operate in the second operating state when the first water temperature (i.e., the water temperature of the hot water stored in the storage tank 102) may be greater than the desired water temperature, and hence some amount of cold water may be required to be blended/mixed with the hot water being received from the storage tank 102 to make the water temperature at the mixer 110 equivalent to the desired water temperature. In some aspects, the valve 108 may transfer an “optimal” amount of cold water to the mixer 110, such that the second temperature (i.e., the temperature of the water output from the mixer 110 to the outlet 106) becomes equivalent to the desired water temperature. The optimal amount of cold water may be based on the first water temperature, the real-time second water temperature, and the desired water temperature (and also the temperature of the cold water being received by the valve 108).

In further aspects, the valve 108 may be configured to transfer the cold water received from the inlet 104 fully (or entirely) to the mixer 110 when the valve 108 operates in a third operating state. An example view of the valve 108 operating in the third operating state is depicted in FIG. 2C. As shown in FIG. 2C, the valve 108 transfers the cold water (shown as an arrow 210) from the inlet 104 fully to the mixer 110, and shuts-off the supply of cold water (shown as a cross 212) to the storage tank 102, when the valve 108 operates in the third operating state. In some aspects, the valve 108 may operate in the third operating state when the first water temperature (i.e., the water temperature of the hot water stored in the storage tank 102) may be substantially greater than the desired water temperature, and hence the mixer 110 may require substantial (or all the) cold water from the valve 108 to blend with the hot water received from the storage tank 102 to make the water temperature at the mixer 110 (i.e., the second water temperature) equivalent to the desired water temperature.

In further aspects, the valve 108 may be configured to fully shut off a transfer of the cold water received from the inlet 104 to both the mixer 110 and the storage tank 102 when the valve 108 operates in a fourth operating state. An example view of the valve 108 operating in the fourth operating state is depicted in FIG. 2D. As shown in FIG. 2D, the valve 108 shuts off the transfer of cold water (shown as a cross 214) received from the inlet 104 fully to the mixer 110 and also shuts-off the supply of cold water (shown as a cross 216) to the storage tank 102 when the valve 108 operates in the fourth operating state. In some aspects, the valve 108 may operate in the fourth operating state when there may be a water leak in the storage tank 102 (or other system components), as detected by the leak detector 116.

In some aspects, the valve 108 operates in the fourth operating state whenever a water leak is detected in the storage tank 102 by the leak detector 116, irrespective of the values of the first water temperature, the second water temperature and the desired water temperature. Stated another way, the valve 108 operates in the first, second or third operating states only when no water leak is detected by the leak detector 116. The valve 108 completely shuts off the supply of cold water to the mixer 110 and the storage tank 102 in the fourth operating state to prevent any damage to the system components because of the water leakage.

Since a mixing valve is typically disposed at the “hot side” of a conventional water heating system (e.g., at a point where the hot water from the storage tank mixes with the cold water from the inlet), the mixing valve of a conventional water heating system is not equipped to completely shut-off the supply of cold water from the inlet into the storage tank in the event of a water leakage. Therefore, in some cases, a conventional water heating system may require two separate valves to operate optimally: one valve for mixing hot and cold water and a second valve for shutting off the supply of cold water in the event of a water leakage. On the other hand, in the case of the system 100, since the valve 108 is disposed at the “cold side” of the system 100 and controls the flow of cold water towards the mixer 110 and the storage tank 102 simultaneously, the valve 108 enables the operations of water mixing and shutting off the water supply within a single valve.

As described above, the controller 118 may be configured to control the position of the moving parts of the valve 108 via the actuator, and hence configured to change the operating state of the valve 108. Since the controller 118 is communicatively coupled with the first temperature sensor 112, the second temperature sensor 114, and the leak detector 116 (as described above), the controller 118 is configured to change the operating state of the valve 108 based on the inputs obtained from these components. Specifically, the controller 118 may be configured to change the operating state of the valve 108 based on the first water temperature, the second water temperature, the desired water temperature (which may be preset by a system user), and the inputs obtained from the leak detector 116, as described below.

In some aspects, the controller 118 may be configured to determine the presence of water leak in the storage tank 102 (or other system components) based on the inputs obtained from the leak detector 116. Responsive to determining the presence of water leak, the controller 118 may cause, via the actuator, the valve 108 to operate in the fourth operating state. Stated another way, responsive to determining the presence of water leak, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to completely shut off the supply of cold water to both the mixer 110 and the storage tank 102.

On the other hand, responsive to determining that there is no water leak in the storage tank 102 (or other system components) based on the inputs obtained from the leak detector 116, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to enable a flow of cold water into the storage tank 102 and/or the mixer 110. Stated another way, responsive to determining that there is no water leak in the storage tank 102 (or other system components) based on the inputs obtained from the leak detector 116, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to operate in the first, second or third operating state. In some aspects, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to operate in the first, second or third operating state based on the first water temperature, the second water temperature and the desired water temperature from the outlet 106.

In an exemplary aspect, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to operate in the first operating state when the first water temperature (i.e., the water temperature of the hot water stored in the storage tank 102) may be equivalent to the desired water temperature that the system user requires from the outlet 106. Further, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to operate in the third operating state when the first water temperature may be substantially greater than the desired water temperature.

Furthermore, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to operate in the second operating state when the first water temperature may be greater (but not substantially greater) than the desired water temperature. In some aspects, when the valve 108 operates in the second operating state, the controller 118 may be further configured to determine an “optimal” portion of the cold water received from the inlet 104 to be transferred to the mixer 110 based on the first water temperature, the second water temperature and the desired water temperature (and also the temperature of the cold water). The controller 118 may determine the optimal portion of the cold water such that the second water temperature (i.e., the temperature of the blended water at the mixer 110) becomes equivalent to the desired water temperature. For example, the controller 118 may determine that 60% of the cold water received from the inlet 104 should be transferred to the mixer 110 (and remaining 40% to the storage tank 108) based on the first water temperature, the second water temperature and the desired water temperature, to cause the second water temperature to become equivalent to the desired water temperature.

In some aspects, the controller 118 may be a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) or proportional-integral (PI) controller that may utilize a closed-loop feedback control mechanism that continuously adjusts outputs (e.g., the optimal portion of the cold water received from the inlet 104 to be transferred to the mixer 110) based on the real-time measured first and second temperatures. For example, if the real-time measured first water temperature indicates that the temperature of the water stored in the storage tank 102 is gradually decreasing, the controller 118 may reduce the amount of cold water to be transferred to the mixer 110 so that the second water temperature stays equivalent to the desired water temperature. It may be appreciated that during a hot water demand event when hot water is being drawn from the storage tank 102, the first water temperature may change over time. Based on the real-time feedback from the first temperature sensor 112, the controller 118 may adjust the portion of water to be transferred to the mixer 110 to continue to discharge water at the desired water temperature.

Responsive to determining the optimal portion of the cold water, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to transfer the determined optimal portion of the cold water to the mixer 110.

FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of the controller 118 configured to operate the system 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

The controller 118 may include a plurality of components including, but not limited to, a processor 302, a memory 304, and a communication interface 306. The controller 118 may be a computing device configured to receive data, determine actions based on the received data, and output a control or command signal instructing one or more water heating system components (e.g., the valve 108) to perform one or more actions. In some aspects, the controller 118 may be configured to receive the inputs from the first and second temperature sensors 112, 114, the leak detector 116, etc., as described above.

In some aspects, the controller 118 may be configured to send and receive wireless or wired signals, and the signals may be analog or digital signals. The wireless signals may include Bluetooth™, BLE, WiFi™, ZigBee™, infrared, microwave radio, or any other type of wireless communication signals as may be suitable for a particular water heating system application. The hard-wired signals can include communication signals between any directly wired connections between the controller 118 and other water heating system components. For example, the controller 118 can have a hard-wired 24 Volts Direct Current (VDC) connection to the first and second temperature sensors 112, 114, and the leak detector 116.

Alternatively, the controller 118 may communicate with the first and second temperature sensors 112, 114, and the leak detector 116 via a digital connection. The digital connection can include a connection such as an Ethernet or a serial connection and can utilize any suitable communication protocol for the water heating system application, such as Modbus, fieldbus, PROFIBUS, SafetyBus, Ethernet/IP, and/or the like. Furthermore, the controller 118 can utilize a combination of wireless, hard-wired, and analog or digital communication signals to communicate with and control the various water heating system components. A person ordinarily skilled in the art may appreciate that the above configurations are given merely as non-limiting examples, and the actual configuration can vary depending on the particular water heating system application.

The memory 304 may be configured to store a program and/or instructions associated with the functions and methods described herein. The processor 302 may be configured to execute the program and/or instructions stored in the memory 304. The memory 304 can include one or more suitable types of memory (e.g., volatile or non-volatile memory, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash memory, a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), and the like) for storing files including the operating system, application programs (including, for example, a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine, and or other applications, as necessary), executable instructions and data. One, some, or all of the processing techniques or methods described herein can be implemented as a combination of executable instructions and data within the memory 304.

The communication interface 306 may be configured to send or receive communication signals between the various water heating system components (e.g., the first and second temperature sensors 112, 114, and the leak detector 116). The communication interface 306 can include hardware, firmware, and/or software that allows the processor 302 to communicate with the other components via wired or wireless networks, whether local or wide area, private or public, as known in the art. The communication interface 306 can also provide access to a cellular network, the Internet, a local area network, or another wide-area network as suitable for the particular water heating system application.

Additionally, the controller 118 may have or be in communication with a user interface (not shown) for receiving inputs from the user (e.g., the desired water temperature described above). The user interface may be installed locally on the system 100.

The operation of the controller 118 is described above in conjunction with FIG. 1, and hence not described again here for the sake of simplicity and conciseness.

FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of a method 400 to operate the system 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 may be described with continued reference to prior figures. The following process is exemplary and not confined to the steps described hereafter. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include more or less steps than are shown or described herein and may include these steps in a different order than the order described in the following example embodiments.

The method 400 starts at step 402. At step 404, the method 400 may include obtaining, by the controller 118, the inputs from the leak detector 116. At step 406, the method 400 may include determining, by the controller 118, whether there is a water leak in the storage tank 102 (or any other system component) based on the inputs obtained from the leak detector 116. Responsive to determining that there is a water leak, at step 408, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to shut-off the supply of cold water to both the storage tank 102 and the mixer 110, as described above.

On the other hand, responsive to determining that there is no water leak, at step 410, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to enable the supply of cold water to the storage tank 102 and/or the mixer 110. Specifically, in this case, the controller 118 may cause the valve 108 to operate in the first operating state, the second operating state or the third operating state, based on the first water temperature, the second water temperature and the desired water temperature, as described above.

The method 400 stops at step 412.

In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, one skilled in the art will recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

It should also be understood that the word “example” as used herein is intended to be non-exclusionary and non-limiting in nature. More particularly, the word “example” as used herein indicates one among several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is being directed to the particular example being described.

With regard to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed so as to limit the claims.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the application is capable of modification and variation.

All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by those knowledgeable in the technologies described herein unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc., should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments.

Claims

1. A water heating system comprising:

an inlet configured to receive a supply of cold water;

a water tank configured to store hot water;

a mixer configured to receive hot water from the water tank; and

a valve attached to the inlet and in fluid communication with the water tank and the mixer, wherein the valve is configured to: receive the cold water from the inlet; and control a flow of cold water into the water tank and/or the mixer based on an operating state of the valve.

2. The water heating system of claim 1 further comprising an outlet attached to the mixer, wherein the outlet is configured to output water received from the mixer.

3. The water heating system of claim 2, wherein the mixer is further configured to blend the hot water received from the water tank and the cold water received from the valve to supply a blended water to the outlet.

4. The water heating system of claim 1, wherein the valve is configured to transfer the cold water received from the inlet fully to the water tank when the valve operates in a first operating state.

5. The water heating system of claim 4, wherein the valve is configured to transfer the cold water received from the inlet partially to the water tank and transfer remaining cold water to the mixer when the valve operates in a second operating state.

6. The water heating system of claim 5, wherein the valve is configured to transfer the cold water received from the inlet fully to the mixer when the valve operates in a third operating state.

7. The water heating system of claim 6, wherein the valve is configured to fully shut off a transfer of the cold water received from the inlet to both the mixer and the water tank when the valve operates in a fourth operating state.

8. The water heating system of claim 7 further comprising a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a leak detector and a controller, wherein:

the first temperature sensor is configured to determine a first water temperature of the hot water stored in the water tank;

the second temperature sensor is configured to determine a second water temperature of the water output from the mixer;

the leak detector is configured to detect a water leak in the water tank; and

the controller is communicatively coupled with the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor and the leak detector.

9. The water heating system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to cause the valve to operate in the first operating state, the second operating state or the third operating state based on the first water temperature, the second water temperature and a desired water temperature from the mixer.

10. The water heating system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine an optimal portion of the cold water to be transferred to the mixer based on the first water temperature, the second water temperature and the desired water temperature when the valve operates in the second operating state, wherein the controller determines the optimal portion such that the second water temperature becomes equivalent to the desired water temperature; and

cause the valve to transfer the optimal portion to the mixer.

11. The water heating system of claim 9, wherein the desired water temperature is set by a system user.

12. The water heating system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a presence of the water leak in the water tank based on inputs obtained from the leak detector; and

cause the valve to operate in the fourth operating state responsive to determining the presence of the water leak.

13. A water heating system comprising:

an inlet configured to receive a supply of cold water;

a water tank configured to store hot water;

a mixer configured to receive hot water from the water tank; and

a valve attached to the inlet and in fluid communication with the water tank and the mixer, wherein the valve is configured to: receive the cold water from the inlet; and enable a flow of cold water into at least one of the water tank or the mixer when the valve is operating in a first operating state; and shut-off the flow of cold water into both the water tank and the mixer when the valve is operating in a second operating state.

14. The water heating system of claim 13 further comprising an outlet attached to the mixer, wherein the outlet is configured to output water received from the mixer.

15. The water heating system of claim 14, wherein the mixer is further configured to blend the hot water received from the water tank and the cold water received from the valve to supply a blended water to the outlet.

16. The water heating system of claim 14 further comprising a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a leak detector and a controller, wherein:

the first temperature sensor is configured to determine a first water temperature of the hot water stored in the water tank;

the second temperature sensor is configured to determine a second water temperature of the water output from the mixer;

the leak detector is configured to detect a water leak in the water tank; and

the controller is communicatively coupled with the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor and the leak detector.

17. The water heating system of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a presence of the water leak in the water tank based on inputs obtained from the leak detector; and

cause the valve to operate in the second operating state responsive to determining the presence of the water leak.

18. The water heating system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to cause the valve to transfer the cold water fully to the water tank, transfer the cold water fully to the mixer, or transfer the cold water received from the inlet partially to the water tank and transfer remaining cold water to the mixer based on the first water temperature, the second water temperature, and a desired water temperature from the outlet, when the valve operates in the first operating state.

19. The water heating system of claim 18, wherein the desired water temperature is set by a system user.

20. A method for operating a water heating system, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a controller, inputs from a leak detector, wherein the water heating system comprises: an inlet configured to receive a supply of cold water; a water tank configured to store hot water; the leak detector configured to detect a water leak in the water tank; a mixer configured to receive hot water from the water tank; and a valve attached to the inlet and configured to receive the cold water from the inlet; and

causing, by the controller, the valve to shut-off a flow of cold water into both the water tank and the mixer when the inputs from the leak detector indicate the water leak, and enable the flow of cold water into at least one of the water tank or the mixer when the inputs from the leak detector do not indicate the water leak.