Patent ID: 11906174
Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  G | IPC F  G

Claim 20:
21. A hot water delivery system comprising:
a load identification sensor installed in one of a hot water distribution pipe and a cold water distribution pipe of a water supply system, the hot water distribution pipe being configured to deliver hot water to a load and the cold water distribution pipe being configured to deliver cold water to the load;
a mixing valve comprising a first inlet that is coupled to an outlet of a water heater, a second inlet that is coupled to the cold water distribution pipe, and a valve outlet that is coupled to the hot water distribution pipe;
a temperature sensor that is coupled to the hot water distribution pipe at the valve outlet of the mixing valve; and
a controller associated with the water heater and configured to:
determine, based on monitoring data received from the load identification sensor, that the load is switched on in association with a demand for the hot water;
responsive to determining that the load is switched on, determine a first load set point temperature associated with the load,
wherein the first load set point temperature is representative of a maximum temperature of the hot water that is to be delivered to the load, the first load set point temperature being set by an end user;
determine whether the water heater is providing hot water to another load that is coupled thereto via the hot water distribution pipe, the another load having been switched on prior to the load and having a second load set point temperature associated therewith,
wherein the second load set point temperature is representative of a maximum temperature of the hot water that is to be delivered to the another load, the second load set point temperature being different from the first load set point temperature at which the hot water is maintained at the water heater;
responsive to determining that the another load is switched on, determine the second load set point temperature associated with the another load;
determine whether the second load set point temperature is different from the first load set point temperature;
provide a notification to a user device of a user associated with the load or the another load that the second load set point temperature is different from the first load set point temperature;
receive an approval from the user device to modify the maximum temperature of the hot water that is being delivered from the water heater to the load and the another load to a value between the first load set point temperature and the second load set point temperature; and
responsive to determining the second load set point temperature is different from the first load set point temperature and receiving the approval, control, based on feedback from the temperature sensor, the mixing valve to modify the maximum temperature of the hot water that is being delivered from the water heater to the load and the another load to the value.