| CPC F24D 18/00 (2022.01) [F24D 3/02 (2013.01); F24D 2101/60 (2022.01)] | 1 Claim |
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1. A cold and hot water supply and power generation system including a graphene-coated ceramic water heater, the cold and hot water supply and power generation system comprising:
a cold water tank configured to accommodate water therein;
a hot water tank configured to accommodate water therein;
a heat pump configured to transfer heat from the cold water tank to the hot water tank;
a thermoelectric element unit configured to generate power based on a temperature difference in the water accommodated in the cold water tank and the hot water tank;
the graphene-coated ceramic water heater configured to heat the water accommodated in the hot water tank; and
an energy storage system (ESS) configured to store the power generated by the thermoelectric element unit,
wherein the heat pump includes:
a compressor configured to compress refrigerant;
a first heat exchanger connected to the compressor and configured to transfer heat between the water supplied from the cold water tank and the refrigerant;
a first water pipe configured to supply the water from the cold water tank to the first heat exchanger;
a second water pipe configured to supply the water passing through the first heat exchanger to the cold water tank;
a first pump connected to one side of the first water pipe or the second water pipe;
a second heat exchanger connected to the compressor and configured to transfer heat between the water supplied from the hot water tank and the refrigerant;
a third water pipe configured to supply the water from the hot water tank to the second heat exchanger;
a fourth water pipe configured to supply the water passing through the second heat exchanger to the graphene-coated heater;
a fifth water pipe configured to supply the water passing through the graphene-coated ceramic water heater to the hot water tank; and
a second pump connected to one side of the third water pipe, the fourth water pipe, or the fifth water pipe,
the thermoelectric element unit includes:
a plurality of thermoelectric element pads, wherein each of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads includes a low-temperature portion on one surface and a high-temperature portion on another surface, wherein the temperature of the low-temperature portion is lower than that of the high-temperature portion;
a first heat-conducting portion attached to the low-temperature portion;
a second heat-conducting portion attached to the high-temperature portion;
a first convection pipe configured to receive the water through a lower portion of the cold water tank, pass through the first heat-conducting portion, and discharge the water to an upper portion of the cold water tank;
a second convection pipe configured to receive the water through an upper portion of the hot water tank, pass through the second heat-conducting portion, and discharge the water to a lower portion of the hot water tank;
a third pump connected to the first convection pipe; and
a fourth pump connected to the second convection pipe, and
the plurality of thermoelectric element pads are disposed in a lattice shape of a m×n size, wherein m indicates the number of rows thereof and n indicates the number of columns thereof,
wherein the first convection pipe includes:
a first convection pipe extending upward from the lower portion of the cold water tank;
a plurality of second convection pipes branched from an end portion of the first convection pipe into pipes, disposed horizontally so that each branched pipe corresponds to any one row of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads, and passing through the first heat-conducting portion; and
a third convection pipe merged from end portions of the plurality of second convection pipes and extending to be connected to the upper portion of the cold water tank,
the second convection pipe includes:
a fourth convection pipe extending downward from the upper portion of the hot water tank;
a plurality of fifth convection pipes branched from an end portion of the fourth convection pipe into pipes, disposed horizontally so that each branched pipe corresponds to any one row of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads, and passing through the second heat-conducting portion; and
a sixth convection pipe merged from end portions of the plurality of fifth convection pipes and extending to be connected to the lower portion of the hot water tank, and
the cold and hot water supply and power generation system includes:
a voltage measurement unit configured to measure a voltage of each of the thermoelectric element pads; and
a controller connected to the voltage measurement unit to monitor the thermoelectric element unit,
wherein the controller is controlled according to a control method including:
measuring the voltage of each of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads corresponding to a unique number specified on each of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads;
verifying failure for each thermoelectric element pad column;
verifying failure for each thermoelectric element pad row;
verifying failure of each of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads based on a neighboring thermoelectric element pad;
monitoring an amount of power generated from the plurality of thermoelectric element pads; and
controlling the graphene-coated ceramic water heater and the first pump, the second pump, the third pump, and the fourth pump based on the amount of power generation,
wherein the verifying of the failure for each thermoelectric element pad column includes:
a first column verifying operation of specifying first thermoelectric element pads disposed in the same column among the plurality of thermoelectric element pads disposed in the lattice shape based on the unique number;
when second thermoelectric element pads disposed at left sides of the first thermoelectric element pads with respect to the first thermoelectric element pads are present, a second column verifying operation of calculating a first ratio by comparing a total voltage of the first thermoelectric element pads with a total voltage of the second thermoelectric element pads;
when third thermoelectric element pads disposed at right sides of the first thermoelectric element pads with respect to the first thermoelectric element pads are present, a third column verifying operation of calculating a second ratio by comparing the total voltage of the first thermoelectric element pads with a total voltage of the third thermoelectric element pads;
when the first ratio and the second ratio exceed a first reference ratio and a second reference ratio, respectively, a fourth column verifying operation of recording unique numbers of the first thermoelectric element pads as defect verification targets; and
a first repetition operation of repeatedly performing the first column verifying operation to the fourth column verifying operation on all columns of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads based on the unique number,
wherein the verifying of the failure for each thermoelectric element pad row includes:
a first row verifying operation of specifying fourth thermoelectric element pads disposed in the same row among the plurality of thermoelectric element pads disposed in the lattice shape based on the unique number;
when fifth thermoelectric element pads disposed above the fourth thermoelectric element pads with respect to the fourth thermoelectric element pads are present, a second row verifying operation of calculating a third ratio by comparing a total voltage of the fourth thermoelectric element pads with a total voltage of the fifth thermoelectric element pads;
when sixth thermoelectric element pads disposed under the fourth thermoelectric element pads with respect to the fourth thermoelectric element pads are present, a third row verifying operation of calculating a fourth ratio by comparing the total voltage of the fourth thermoelectric element pads with a total voltage of the sixth thermoelectric element pads;
when the third ratio and the fourth ratio exceed a predetermined third reference ratio and a fourth reference ratio, respectively, a fourth row verifying operation of recording unique numbers of the fourth thermoelectric element pads as defect verification targets; and
a second repetition operation of repeatedly performing the first row verifying operation to the fourth row verifying operation on all rows of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads based on the unique number,
wherein the verifying of the failure of each of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads includes:
a first adjacency verifying operation of recording thermoelectric element pads disposed at an outermost portion among the plurality of thermoelectric element pads disposed in the lattice shape based on the unique number as defect verification targets;
a second adjacency verifying operation of specifying a seventh thermoelectric element pad that is any one of the plurality of thermoelectric element pads recorded as the defect verification targets based on the unique number;
when an eighth thermoelectric element pad disposed above the seventh thermoelectric element pad with respect to the seventh thermoelectric element pad is present, a third adjacency verifying operation of calculating a fifth ratio by comparing a voltage of the seventh thermoelectric element pad with a voltage of the eighth thermoelectric element pad;
when a ninth thermoelectric element pad disposed under the seventh thermoelectric element pad with respect to the seventh thermoelectric element pad is present, a fourth adjacency verifying operation of calculating a sixth ratio by comparing the voltage of the seventh thermoelectric element pad with a voltage of the ninth thermoelectric element pad;
when a tenth thermoelectric element pad disposed at a left side of the seventh thermoelectric element pad with respect to the seventh thermoelectric element pad is present, a fifth adjacency verifying operation of calculating a seventh ratio by comparing the voltage of the seventh thermoelectric element pad with a voltage of the tenth thermoelectric element pad;
when a eleventh thermoelectric element pad disposed at a right side of the seventh thermoelectric element pad with respect to the seventh thermoelectric element pad is present, a sixth adjacency verifying operation of calculating an eighth ratio by comparing the voltage of the seventh thermoelectric element pad with a voltage of the eighth thermoelectric element pad;
when all of the calculated values of the fifth ratio to the eighth ratio exceed a predetermined fifth reference ratio, a sixth reference ratio, a seventh reference ratio, and an eighth reference ratio, a seventh adjacency verifying operation of recording a unique number of the seventh thermoelectric element pad as defect; and
a third repetition operation of repeatedly performing the first adjacency verifying operation to the seventh adjacency verifying operation on all the plurality of thermoelectric element pads based on the unique number,
wherein the cold water tank and the hot water tank are each provided with a temperature sensor, and
wherein the controlling of the graphene-coated ceramic water heater and the first pump, the second pump, the third pump, and the fourth pump includes:
when the amount of power generation measured from all the plurality of thermoelectric element pads is less than a first reference, adjusting a set temperature of the graphene-coated ceramic water heater to a first temperature;
when the amount of power generation measured from all the plurality of thermoelectric element pads is the first reference or more and less than a second reference, adjusting the set temperature of the graphene-coated ceramic water heater to a second temperature;
when the amount of power generation measured from all the plurality of thermoelectric element pads is the second reference or more and less than a third reference, adjusting the set temperature of the graphene-coated ceramic water heater to a third temperature;
when the amount of power generation measured from all the plurality of thermoelectric element pads is the third reference or more, adjusting the set temperature of the graphene-coated ceramic water heater to a fourth temperature;
when operating times of the third pump and the fourth pump are less than a fourth reference, adjusting output power of each of the third pump and the fourth pump to a first RPM;
when the operating times of the third pump and the fourth pump are the fourth reference or more, adjusting the output power of each of the third pump and the fourth pump to a second RPM;
when a water temperature inside the cold water tank is lower than a fifth reference, adjusting output power of the first pump to a third RPM;
when the water temperature inside the cold water tank is the fifth reference or higher, adjusting the output power of the first pump to a fourth RPM;
when a water temperature inside the hot water tank is lower than a sixth reference, adjusting output power of the second pump to a fifth RPM; and
when the water temperature inside the hot water tank is the sixth reference or higher, adjusting the output power of the second pump to a sixth RPM.
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