Direct current electric on-demand water heater
AssigneeRheem Manufacturing Company
InventorsChristopher M. Hayden, Sergiu G. Mihu, Eric Jurczyszak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosed technology includes an on-demand water heater which uses an electric heat source to heat the water. The on-demand water heater can have a low fluid capacity heating chamber which has an inlet and an outlet, an electric heat source for heating the water, and a controller to control the electric heat source and maintain the temperature of the water at a predetermined temperature setting. The on-demand water heater can be powered by a direct current power source. The on-demand water heater can also utilize a solar thermal system to provide additional heat to the water.
Claims20
A direct current (DC) electric fluid heating system comprising:
- a DC electric fluid heating device comprising:
- a heating chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the heating chamber being configured to hold a fluid and having a low fluid capacity;
- an electric heat source for heating the fluid;
- a flow sensor configured to detect a fluid flow;
- a temperature sensor configured to detect a fluid temperature;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- receive flow data from the flow sensor, the flow data indicative of the fluid flow;
- receive temperature data from the temperature sensor, the temperature data indicative of the fluid temperature;
- determine whether a heat output of the electric heat source should be adjusted based on at least two of the flow data, the temperature data, and a temperature setting;
- and
- output instructions for modulating an amount of DC power supplied to the electric heat source from a DC power source in response to determining that the heat output of the electric heat source should be adjusted.
A method for controlling a fluid heating system, the method comprising:
- receiving flow data from a flow sensor, the flow data being indicative of a flow of a fluid in relation to a fluid heating system that is powered by a direct current (DC) power source;
- receiving temperature data from a temperature sensor, the temperature data being indicative of a temperature of the fluid;
- responsive to determining that the flow data indicates a positive flow, outputting instructions for an electric heat source to heat the fluid in a low fluid capacity heating chamber by modulating an amount of DC power supplied to the electric heat source from the DC power source;
- responsive to determining the temperature data indicates the temperature of the fluid should be adjusted, outputting instructions to modulate the amount of DC power supplied to the electric heat source to adjust a heat output of the electric heat source.
A direct current (DC) electric fluid heating system comprising:
- a low fluid capacity heating chamber;
- an electric heat source configured to receive DC power from a DC power source;
- a controller comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, directs the controller to:
- receive flow data from a flow sensor, the flow data being indicative of a flow of a fluid in relation to the DC electric fluid heating system;
- receive temperature data from a temperature sensor, the temperature data being indicative of a temperature of the fluid;
- responsive to determining that the flow data indicates a positive flow, output instructions for an electric heat source to heat the fluid in a low fluid capacity heating chamber by modulating an amount of DC power supplied to the electric heat source from the DC power source;
- and
- responsive to determining the temperature data indicates the temperature of the fluid should be adjusted, output instructions to modulate the amount of DC power supplied to the electric heat source to adjust a heat output of the electric heat source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.