US 12,276,439 B2
Methods and systems for modulating energy usage
Peter Konowalczyk, London (GB)
Assigned to OCTOPUS ENERGY HEATING LIMITED, London (GB)
Appl. No. 18/276,007
Filed by OCTOPUS ENERGY HEATING LIMITED, London (GB)
PCT Filed Feb. 7, 2022, PCT No. PCT/IB2022/051067
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 4, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/168036, 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. 2111075 (GB), filed on Aug. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0093908 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. F24H 15/174 (2022.01); F24D 19/10 (2006.01); F24H 15/219 (2022.01)
CPC F24H 15/174 (2022.01) [F24D 19/1054 (2013.01); F24H 15/219 (2022.01); F24D 2200/12 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method of modulating energy consumption by a water provision system installed in a building, the water provision system comprising:
a hot water outlet;
a thermal energy storage inside the building, the thermal energy storage containing a thermal energy storage medium;
a heat pump configured to transfer thermal energy from outside the building to the thermal energy storage medium;
a heat exchanger arranged proximal to the thermal energy storage configured to heat water for provision by the water provision system to the hot water outlet using thermal energy stored in the thermal energy storage medium;
a plurality of sensors including temperature sensors, pressure sensors and timers; and
a control module including a processor configured to receive executable instructions from a non-transitory computer readable storage medium which, when executed by the processor, cause the control module to control operation of the water provision system, the method being performed by the control module and comprising:
receiving input from the plurality of sensors;
setting a first temperature for heated water being provided to the hot water outlet;
setting a second temperature for heated water being provided to the hot water outlet, the second temperature being different from the first temperature;
determining that the hot water outlet is turned on; and
in response to determining that the hot water outlet is turned on, alternating a temperature of heated water provided to the hot water outlet between the first temperature and the second temperature,
wherein the control module executes a machine learning algorithm (MLA) which is trained using data from the plurality of sensors to establish a learned water and energy usage pattern, wherein the control module sets the first temperature and/or the second temperature to achieve a predetermined energy consumption target guided by the learned water and energy pattern usage determined by the MLA.