The concepts relate to reducing energy loss associated with hot water systems. One example can monitor hot water use in a system. Upon completion of the hot water use, the example can recover some of the hot water from hot water lines into a water heater that heated the hot water. The method can also deliver the recovered hot water to the water heater in a manner that affects operation of a heating element of the water heater.

A system and method for providing hot water to a point of use such as a shower. Waste warm water from said point of use passes through a heat exchanger, where it initially warms incoming mains water, typically to about 34 C. The initially warmed water is heated to its final temperature, typically about 42 C., in a smart boiler. The smart boiler, which typically has a volume of about 40 liters, comprises two chambers with a flexible barrier therebetween. Each chamber is separately heated as needed. Hot water is drawn from one of the two chambers; simultaneously, the other chamber fills with initially warmed water and is heated to its final temperature. When the volume of water in the chamber from which water is being drawn reaches a minimum, the system begins to fill that chamber and to draw water from the other one.

A settings data storage stores unique serial numbers and information regarding a plurality of patterns for alternately switching between normal operation for operating at high capacity and suppressed operation for operating at low capacity each unit time. A pattern specifier determines information for a pattern set in accordance with even and odd serial numbers. A water-heating heat amount determiner determines a heat amount necessary for water heating. A water heating scheduler establishes a water heating plan based on information regarding the pattern determined by the pattern determiner and the water-heating heat amount as determined by the water-heating heat amount determiner. A water heating controller alternately switches between normal operating and suppressed operation to heat water in accordance with the water heating plan established by the water heating scheduler.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for metering water are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, from a first meter that is connected to a first pipe, first audio data collected during a time period and first temperature data collected during the time period. The actions further include receiving, from a second meter that is connected to a second pipe, second audio data collected during the time period and second temperature data collected during the time period. The actions further include, based on the first audio data, the first temperature data, the second audio data, and the second temperature data, determining a first amount of material that has flowed through the first pipe during the time period relative to a second amount of material that has flowed through the second pipe.

Methods and compositions for controlling and monitoring residential and commercial pumping systems. Preferably, the controlling and monitoring functions include a remotely located controller component capable of displaying alerts and/or from which a user may input commands regulating the functioning of the plumbing system. In particularly preferred examples, the plumbing system is an on command hot water system in which hot water availability, use and energy efficiencies and conservation are monitored and maximized.

Disclosed is a method for detecting domestic hot water use by a sanitary fitting during an observation period by analysing data relative to volumes of water passing through a water meter, the method including: receiving a first item of data, noted V1, representing the maximum volume of fluid measured over a predetermined period, preferably equal to 5 minutes; receiving a second item of data, noted V2, representing the maximum volume of fluid measured by the meter during another predetermined period, preferably equal to 15 minutes; and detecting that domestic hot water has been used when V1>15 litres and V220 litres.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for metering water are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, from a first meter that is connected to a first pipe, first audio data collected during a time period and first temperature data collected during the time period. The actions further include receiving, from a second meter that is connected to a second pipe, second audio data collected during the time period and second temperature data collected during the time period. The actions further include, based on the first audio data, the first temperature data, the second audio data, and the second temperature data, determining a first amount of material that has flowed through the first pipe during the time period relative to a second amount of material that has flowed through the second pipe.

This invention relates in general to a renewable energy water heating system and method for residential and commercial applications. The heating system has a renewable energy source providing a DC electric current and a controller connected to the renewable energy source. The water heater is connected to the controller, the water heater having a water storage tank and at least one heating element for heating water in the tank responsive to an electric current supplied thereto. The controller modulates and switches the DC electric current to produce a converted output to provide the electric current to the at least one heating element to heat the water.

A water heating system can include a water heater having a tank, and a first temperature sensor disposed toward a top end of the tank to measure a first temperature and a second temperature sensor disposed toward a bottom end of the tank to measure a second temperature. The water heating system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, where the controller determines an amount of heated water in the tank based on a plurality of algorithms and measurements made by the first and second temperature sensors. The plurality of algorithms solves for at least one calculated temperature for at least one point between a first location of the first temperature sensor and a second location of the second temperature sensor, where the at least one calculated temperature is used to determine the amount of heated water in the tank.

A computer-implemented method acquires a user consumption pattern of domestic hot water. The method includes acquiring data representing an amount of equivalent energy tapped from a heat storage tank within a first time period, generating a first history or data collection of data representing an amount of cumulative heat tapped from the heat storage tank over a number of first time periods, and acquiring a user consumption pattern of domestic hot water by applying a user-consumption-pattern-determination-algorithm to the generated first history or data collection of data representing amount of cumulative heat tapped from the heat storage tank. The heat storage tank is a pressurized tank. The user-consumption-pattern-determination-algorithm is a time-series-forecast-algorithm trained on history or data collection representing amount of cumulative heat tapped from the heat storage tank or equivalent heat storage tanks, and defining user consumption patterns in one or more machine-learning-algorithms.