Energy storage arrangement and installations
There is provided a hot water supply system including: a controllable hot water supply outlet having when fully opened a given flowrate; a thermal energy store, containing an energy storage medium comprising a phase change material to store energy as latent heat, that is configured to receive energy from a source of renewable energy; a renewable energy source; the hot water supply system being operable, under the control of the processor, to heat water that is to be supplied to the hot water outlet to a target system supply temperature using a selection of one or more of the renewable energy source, energy from the thermal energy store, and optionally an auxiliary water heater intermediate the thermal energy store and the hot water supply outlet; wherein the thermal energy store has an energy storage capacity, when fully charged, that is sufficient to provide hot water to the hot water outlet, at the given flowrate, and at the target system supply temperature for a period of at least 8 minutes, and preferably at least 10 minutes; wherein the renewable energy source is also configured to provide building heating under control of the processor; the processor being configured to: monitor actual demand for hot water from the hot water supply system; predict future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system based on the monitored actual demand; pre-charge the thermal energy store so that sufficient energy will be stored in the thermal energy store to satisfy the predicted demand; and to temporarily divert heat from the renewable energy source to charge the phase change material rather than to provide building heating. A corresponding method is also provided.
1 . A hot water supply system including:
a processor;
a controllable hot water supply outlet having when fully opened a given flowrate, the controllable hot water supply outlet being configured to receive hot water from a hot water supply line having a valve therein;
a renewable energy source comprising a solar water heating arrangement or a heat pump, the renewable energy source being configured to be able to receive water and to heat the received water to be supplied to the controllable hot water supply outlet via the valve in the hot water supply line;
a thermal energy store, containing a thermal storage medium to store thermal energy, that is configured to receive energy from the renewable energy source and to be able to receive water and to heat the received water to be supplied to the controllable hot water supply outlet via the valve in the hot water supply line;
an auxiliary water heater intermediate the valve in the hot water supply line and the controllable hot water supply outlet;
the hot water supply system being operable, under the control of the processor, to heat water that is to be supplied to the hot water outlet to a target system supply temperature using a selection of one or more of the renewable energy source, the thermal energy store, and the auxiliary water heater;
wherein the thermal energy store has an energy storage capacity, when fully charged, that is sufficient to provide hot water to the controllable hot water supply outlet, at the given flowrate, and at the target system supply temperature for a period of at least 8 minutes;
wherein the renewable energy source is also configured to provide building heating under control of the processor,
the processor being configured to:
monitor actual demand for hot water from the hot water supply system;
predict future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system based on the monitored actual demand;
pre-charge the thermal energy store so that sufficient energy will be stored in the thermal energy store to satisfy the predicted demand; and
temporarily divert heat from the renewable energy source to charge the thermal storage medium rather than to provide building heating.
2 . The hot water supply system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal energy store includes an electrical heating element to enable the thermal storage medium to be charged using heat from the electrical heating element.
3 . The hot water supply system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to decide when and how much to charge the thermal storage medium based on the predicted future demand and taking account of the cost of the energy to be used.
4 . The hot water supply system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to use data from one or more occupancy sensors in predicting future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system.
5 . The hot water supply system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to use forecast weather information in predicting future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system.
6 . The hot water supply system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to use data from one or more ambient temperature sensors in predicting future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system.
7 . The hot water supply system of claim 1 , wherein the hot water supply system serves a single household, and the processor is configured to use calendar and schedule information of occupants of the household in predicting future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system.
8 . A method of controlling a heating appliance in a hot water supply system, the hot water supply system having a controllable hot water supply outlet having when fully opened a given flowrate, the controllable hot water supply outlet being configured to receive hot water from a hot water supply line having a valve therein, and the heating appliance including:
a processor;
a renewable energy source comprising a solar water heating arrangement or a heat pump, the renewable energy source being configured to be able to receive cold water and to heat it to be supplied to the controllable hot water supply outlet via the valve in the hot water supply line;
a thermal energy store, containing a thermal storage medium to store thermal energy, that is configured to receive energy from the renewable energy source and to be able to receive water and to heat it to be supplied to the controllable hot water supply outlet via the valve in the hot water supply line;
an auxiliary water heater intermediate the valve in the hot water supply line and the controllable hot water supply outlet;
the hot water supply system being operable, under the control of the processor, to heat water that is to be supplied to the controllable hot water supply outlet to a target system supply temperature using a selection of one or more of the renewable energy source, the thermal energy store, and the auxiliary water heater;
wherein the thermal energy store has an energy storage capacity, when fully charged, that is sufficient to provide hot water to the controllable hot water supply outlet, at the given flowrate, and at the target system supply temperature for a period of at least 8 minutes; and
wherein the renewable energy source is also configured to provide building heating under control of the processor, the method comprising:
monitoring actual demand for hot water from the hot water supply system;
predicting future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system based on the monitored actual demand;
pre-charging the thermal energy store so that sufficient energy will be stored in the thermal energy store to satisfy the predicted demand; and
temporarily diverting heat from the renewable energy source to charge the thermal storage medium rather than to provide building heating.
9 . The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising using an electrical heating element within the thermal energy store to charge the thermal storage medium using heat from the electrical heating element.
10 . The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising deciding when and how much to charge the thermal storage medium based on the predicted future demand, and taking account of the cost of the energy to be used.
11 . The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising using data from one or more occupancy sensors in predicting future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system.
12 . The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising using forecast weather information in predicting future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system.
13 . The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising using data from one or more ambient temperature sensors in predicting future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system.
14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the hot water supply system serves a single household, the method further comprising using calendar and schedule information of occupants of the household in predicting future demand for hot water from the hot water supply system.