US 12,222,112 B2
Methods of configuring and controlling hot water supply installations
Peter Konowalczyk, London (GB)
Assigned to Octopus Energy Heating Limited, London (GB)
Appl. No. 18/275,518
Filed by OCTOPUS ENERGY HEATING LIMITED, London (GB)
PCT Filed Feb. 7, 2022, PCT No. PCT/IB2022/051057
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 2, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/168029, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 11, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2101678 (GB), filed on Feb. 7, 2021; application No. 2109593 (GB), filed on Jul. 2, 2021; application No. 2109594 (GB), filed on Jul. 2, 2021; application No. 2109596 (GB), filed on Jul. 2, 2021; application No. 2109597 (GB), filed on Jul. 2, 2021; application No. 2109598 (GB), filed on Jul. 2, 2021; application No. 2109599 (GB), filed on Jul. 2, 2021; application No. 2109600 (GB), filed on Jul. 2, 2021; and application No. 2111085 (GB), filed on Aug. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0310057 A1, Sep. 19, 2024
Int. Cl. F24D 19/10 (2006.01); F24D 17/00 (2022.01)
CPC F24D 17/0073 (2013.01) [F24D 17/0068 (2013.01); F24D 19/1054 (2013.01); F24D 19/1057 (2013.01); F24D 2200/08 (2013.01); F24D 2200/12 (2013.01); F24D 2200/14 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-controlled method of disinfecting a hot water supply system having a plurality of controllable hot water outlets, a water heating arrangement including an energy storage comprising an energy storage medium to store thermal energy, and a system controller comprising a processor, the method being performed by the processor and comprising:
providing to an operator a signal indicative of a future disinfection event;
receiving a response from the operator confirming that the future disinfection event is to be performed; and
in response to receiving the response from the operator:
increasing a hot water supply temperature from a pre-event temperature of less than 60 Celsius to a disinfection temperature;
providing a signal to the operator to cause the operator to open a first controllable hot water outlet of the plurality of controllable hot water outlets;
providing a signal to the operator to close the first controllable hot water outlet after a first disinfection period;
providing a signal to the operator to open a second controllable hot water outlet of the plurality of controllable hot water outlets;
providing a signal to the operator to close the second controllable hot water outlet after a second disinfection period;
repeating each of the steps of providing a signal to the operator to open and then, after a third disinfection period, to close all of the plurality of controllable hot water outlets other than the first and second controllable hot water outlets;
reducing the hot water supply temperature to the pre-event temperature of less than 60 Celsius from the disinfection temperature; and
indicating to the operator the completion of the disinfection event.