Automatic hygienic hot water expediter device

An automatic hygienic hot water expediter device, the device comprising:

• an afferent hot water conduit comprising an afferent hot water conduit temperature sensor disposed therein, the afferent hot water conduit temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of hot water in the afferent hot water conduit;
• a cold water conduit comprising a cold water conduit temperature sensor disposed therein, the cold water conduit configured to supply cold water to one or more plumbing fixtures, the cold water conduit temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of cold water in the cold water conduit;
• an efferent hot water conduit fluidly coupled to the afferent hot water conduit, the efferent hot water conduit configured to supply hot water to the one or more plumbing fixtures;
• a hot water expediter conduit fluidly coupling the afferent hot water conduit to a drain line, the hot water expediter conduit connected to the afferent hot water conduit at a first location upstream of the efferent hot water conduit, the afferent hot water conduit temperature sensor being located in the afferent hot water conduit at a second location upstream of the hot water expediter conduit and upstream of the efferent hot water conduit;
• a hot water control valve disposed in the hot water expediter conduit, the hot water control valve configured to regulate flow through the hot water expediter conduit;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the afferent hot water conduit temperature sensor, the cold water conduit temperature sensor, and the hot water control valve, the controller being programmed to operate in at least a first control mode;
• wherein, when operating in the first control mode, and upon the controller receiving sensor output data from the afferent hot water conduit temperature sensor and the cold water conduit temperature sensor and comparing the hot water temperature sensed by the afferent hot water conduit temperature sensor in the afferent hot water conduit to the cold water temperature sensed by the cold water conduit temperature sensor in the cold water conduit so as to determine that a predetermined temperature differential does not exist between the hot water in the afferent hot water conduit and the cold water in the cold water conduit, the controller is configured to open the hot water control valve so that water from the hot water expediter conduit flows into the drain line;
• and
• wherein, when operating in the first control mode, and upon the controller receiving sensor output data from the afferent hot water conduit temperature sensor and the cold water conduit temperature sensor and comparing the hot water temperature sensed by the afferent hot water conduit temperature sensor in the afferent hot water conduit to the cold water temperature 34 sensed by the cold water conduit temperature sensor in the cold water conduit so as to determine that the predetermined temperature differential does exist between the hot water in the afferent hot water conduit and the cold water in the cold water conduit, the controller is configured to close the hot water control valve so that water from the hot water expediter conduit is not able to flow into the drain line.