| 主权项 |
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. |
