Load controller
AssigneeVapor Corporation
InventorsJames L. McKenney, Robert H. Stevenson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A load controller, primarily intended for use in systems having geographically distributed, energy utilizing loads, and employing stored energy heating apparatus. The controller (1, 10) disclosed, in conjunction with a stored energy heater (3, 4), when installed on an energy distribution system having a multiplicity of heaters and controllers, adjusts individual heater storage (3), providing adequate energy for varying heat requirements of individual heaters after a mandatory "off" period (46, 47, 49, 51), thereby greatly reducing the overall peak energy or demand requirements on a central energy source.
Claims7
A controller for an off peak electric water heater having thermal storage comprising:
- a thermally actuated switch responsive to ambient temperatures having outputs for a plurality of discrete predetermined temperatures;
- a thermally actuated switch responsive to storage temperatures having discrete outputs for a plurality of predetermined temperatures;
- means, responsive to pre-selected groups of said ambient and storage temperature outputs, generating discrete heater power level signals;
- means responsive to said power signals for energizing the heater at corresponding predetermined power levels;
- means enabling said energizing means during cyclic, predetermined time intervals, wherein;
- said power level signals adjust the thermal storage temperature for estimated heater demand between said time intervals.
A controller for a stored energy heating system used to minimize peak demand on electric utilizes, said system having electrically heated thermal storage utilizing a predetermined range of upper temperature limits for storing heat during a preset, cyclic, electric "power-on" followed by "power-off" periods, while continuously supplying varying system heating demands, comprising;
- means responsive to ambient temperatures providing discrete electrical output signals for a plurality of predetermined temperatures;
- means responsive to storage temperatures having discrete electrical output signals for a plurality of predetermined storage temperatures;
- means selectively determining ambient and storage temperature spans composed of pre-selected groups of said signals;
- means varying said spans, providing increased sensitivity to ambient and storage temperatures;
- means responsive to said signals within said temperature span, generating discrete signals corresponding to heater power levels;
- means responsive to said power signals for energizing the heater at said power levels;
- means enabling said energizing means during each said "power-on" period;
- wherein said temperature spans vary controller response, and heater electrical power inputs to individual system requirements, and heating requirements for each succeeding "power-off" period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.