US20160178221A1

Estimation of unknown states for an electric water heater with thermal stratification and use of same in demand response and condition-based maintenance

Claim Score by NHIP

Read claim 20, the broadest

Abstract

A water heater that includes a cylindrical storage tank, at least one heating element, and at least one temperature sensor is modeled using a one-dimensional model that includes: a vertical stack of disks representing the water volume in the cylindrical storage tank, and a stack of annular segments surrounding the vertical stack of disks. The stack of annular segments represents the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical storage tank. The one-dimensional model may be used by a condition-based maintenance system comprising an electronic data processing device configured to detect a failure mode present in the water heater based on an output of the water heating model component. Some illustrative failure modes include insulation disturbance, heating element failure, excessive sediment buildup, or a drip tube rupture.

US20160178221A1, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 6

Term

10.7 yearsto projected expiry

Projected expiry 19 June 2037, counted from filing; an application has no term until it is granted.

  1. Priority
  2. Filed
  3. Published
  4. Today
  5. Projected expiry

22 claims: 3 independent, 19 dependent

  1. 1
    A water heater control system for controlling a water heater including a vertically oriented cylindrical water storage tank having a cylindrical wall, at least one heating element arranged to heat water in the water storage tank, and at least one temperature sensor arranged to measure water temperature in the water storage tank, the electric water heater control system comprising:a load controller comprising an electronic data processing device configured to operate the water heater including operating the at least one heating element based on temperature readings provided by the at least one temperature sensor to control water temperature of water in the water storage tank;and a water heater modeling component comprising an electronic data processing device configured to model the water heater using a one-dimensional model that includes: a vertical stack of disks representing the water volume in the cylindrical water storage tank, and a stack of annular segments surrounding the vertical stack of disks wherein the stack of annular segments represents the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical water storage tank.
  2. 12
    A system comprising:a water heater including a water storage tank, at least one heating element arranged to heat water in the water storage tank, and at least one temperature sensor arranged to measure water temperature in the water storage tank;a load controller comprising an electronic data processing device configured to operate the water heater including operating the at least one heating element based on temperature readings provided by the at least one temperature sensor to control water temperature of water in the water storage tank;an aggregation demand response dispatch engine comprising an electronic data processing device configured to send demand response commands to load controllers of an aggregation of loads including the load controller configured to operate the water heater wherein the load controller is further configured to operate the water heater in accord with demand response commands received from the aggregation demand response dispatch engine;and a condition-based maintenance system comprising an electronic data processing device configured to detect a failure mode present in the water heater based on information including the temperature readings provided by the at least one temperature sensor and power input to the water heater.
  3. 20
    Broadest claimClaim Score 55, average(NHIP)A system comprising:an electrical load;a load controller comprising an electronic data processing device configured to operate the electrical load;an aggregation demand response dispatch engine comprising an electronic data processing device configured to send demand response commands to a loads aggregation including sending demand response commands to the load controller configured to operate the electrical load, wherein the load controller is further configured to operate the electrical load in accord with demand response commands received from the aggregation demand response dispatch engine;and a condition-based maintenance system comprising an electronic data processing device configured to detect a failure mode present in the electrical load based on information also input to the load controller.