HOT WATER TANK ENERGY CONTROLLER

CONTROLEUR D'ENERGIE POUR RESERVOIR A EAU CHAUDE

English Abstract

Form 24
(ss 21. 31. 34 and 142)

ABSTRACT
The idea of saving energy by turning off electric or gas water
heaters during low- or no-demand periods is not new. However, the
concept of automatically controlling the times on a fixed schedule
is revolutionary. The new invention, Energy Saving Device, is a
computerized hot-water tank energy-use manager that can enable
users to save a significant amount of money on their monthly water
heating bills through efficient and comprehensive control of the
heating unit.

Energy Saving Device is a programmable, computer-controlled
device that controls water heater duty cycles over a period of
hours, days and weeks. A control panel is provided for the user to
change the shut-down schedule, manually over-ride the system and
monitor current system settings. The device works with both
electric and gas water heaters. An additional solenoid controlled
valve is required for gas units.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property
or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A device that can be programmed to control the flow of energy
supplied to a water pressure vessel heating device.
2. A device as defined in claim 1. in which the flow of the
heating medium energy source supplied to a water pressure vessel
heating device, can be turned on or off by a remote switching unit.
3. A device as defined in claim 1. or claim 2. in which a person
can program the time or times of day that the energy is supplied
to a water pressure vessel heating device.
4. A device as defined in claim 1. 2. or 3. that can calculate
the time required to reheat water to the value set by the water
pressure vessels temperature control system.

Description

2~7~8~



SPECIFICATION
Thls Invention relates to a device that can control the flow of
energy, electrical or hydrocarbon~ ~upplied to a hot water tank.
At present, a hot water tank malntains a supply GY hot water 29
hours a day, regardless of demand. This practice is very
lnefflcient slnce energy ls con~umed malntalnln~ this supply of
hot water, even though it may not be needed for several hours lnto
the future.
I have found that enerqy can be saved by lnterruptln~ the flow
of ~uel~(electrical or hydrocarbon) supplied to a hot water heater
durlng the tlme(s) of a no load demand. An example o~ this could be
at night time when hot water ls beinq maintalned at a preset
temperature, but not consumed. To achleve thls, a programable
machine is used to turn "ON" or "OFF" a remote switchlng apparatus,
ie:relay or valve located on the energy supply line fed to the
heatln~ element, dependant on user deflned demand times. Thls
inventlon will therefore ellmlnate the overall consumption of
energy needed to op~ate the water heatlng devlce~
. .
In drawings whlch lllustrate embodlment~ of the lnvention.
Flgure 1 ls the overall view of the control system.
Flgure 2 ls the ma~or component outllne of the computing devlce.
rhe device illustrated com~rlse~ of a maln control unlt that
contalns the calculating dev ce, and remote swltching device
th.3t contain3 the ap~aratus required to turn "ON" or "OFF" the flow
~,~ cner(3y fe(3 to the heatinc~ element.
The main control unlt contains a computing device that ls used
to perform calculatlons on the data stored ln lts memory, or to
~ta entered lnto It by Its programmer. Whel) the user enter~ the
requlred "ON" or "OFI~" tlme(3) of day vla a keyboard, the
calculatlng devlce will then store this lnformation lnto lts memory
for future use. By u~lng thl~ informatlon ln con~unctlon wlth
~reprogrammed data, the unlt wlll be capable of determlnlng when
t~e output ~Ignal fed to the swltchlng apparatu~ 3hould be changed.
The computlng device is al30 capable of calculatlng the lead tlme
re~ulred to roturn the water to the temperature o~ thc hot water
he.1ters temperature 3et-point.
On command from the computlng device, a ~lgnal 1~ sent to an
ellergy control swltch,ie:relay or valve,whlch ln tllrn controls
the energy flow to the heating unlt, turnlng lt "ON" or "OFk".

Representative Drawing