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University of Central Florida researchers have invented an insulation system that can reduce a hot water tank's heat loss by as much as 30 percent. Based on testing performed by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a hot water tank can lose a significant amount of heat through its top assembly. This results in loss of heat and in turn, higher electricity costs for the consumer. Properly insulating the upper part of a tank can be challenging, and different methods for covering it can be costly, as well. UCF's new FlexCap Hot Water Tank Insulation System offers a low-cost, simple solution for insulating and covering the tops of a variety of electric hot water tanks.
The invention is a hot water tank insulation system and methods for fabricating the system using a lightweight, flexible material that can fit around different sizes of pipe inlets, outlet and pressure relief valves and a variety of tank top configurations.
Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a heat pump water heater (HPWH) system that enables homes and businesses to maintain a steady supply of hot water while optimizing energy usage from both solar panels and conventional power sources. Cost-efficient and easily implemented, the new Photovoltaic-Assisted Heat Pump Water Heater system operates with standard heat pump water heaters and PV modules. Key to the system is a customizable and programmable controller that allows extended thermal energy storage that can displace, shift and save electricity.
The invention comprises the following:
In one example use of the system, its 1-year averaged coefficient of performance (COP) was 5.4 and a daily average grid-energy consumption of only 1.2-kilowatt hours per day. The system easily provides hot water for a family of four (59 gallons per day) regulating delivery temperatures to 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
University of Central Florida researchers have developed a smart ventilation system that can be used with new or existing residential heating and cooling systems to improve indoor air quality, reduce costs and save energy. Most ventilation control systems are simplistic, using only temperature to try and optimize air quality and system usage. In contrast, the UCF invention has a more comprehensive approach to system optimization. It evaluates not only temperature but also other parameters, such as humidity, occupancy and utility peak conditions.
The invention comprises a smart ventilation control system and methods for optimizing the mechanical ventilation airflow of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A unique weather-adaptive algorithm enables the system to interpret measurements of outdoor temperature and moisture patterns and then vary ventilation conditions to minimize sensible and latent load impacts. The system works to shift ventilation from periods that have large indoor-outdoor temperature and moisture differences to periods when the differences are smaller, and their effects on energy and comfort are expected to be less. The UCF Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) conducted simulations to tune the algorithm with differing flow targets and seasonal adjustment factors to maximize heating and cooling energy savings. The scheme maintained similar indoor relative humidity and relative exposure targets (compared to continuous ventilation) with respect to ASHRAE Standard 62.2. One simulation suggested that compliant annual average and acute RE could be maintained with 73 percent sensible and 9 percent latent load reductions during cooling conditions.
Field and Laboratory Testing of Approaches to Smart Whole-House Mechanical Ventilation Control, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information, 2018. DOI: 10.2172/1416954
Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a software system that provides automatic, centralized control of different space conditioning systems in a home or office buildings. For example, the UCF Integrated HVAC Control for Multiple Space Conditioning Systems(C) can be used to coordinate operations among a building's central heating/air conditioning units and mini-split heat pumps (MSHPs), eliminating the need for frequent adjustments to temperature and humidity distribution. More importantly, the low-cost smart thermostat software can help to minimize the amount of energy used to heat and cool a building while meeting the set comfort levels of different rooms.
Technical Details
The UCF invention is a software system that integrates and automatically controls the following:
The software system can be retrofitted with any existing space conditioning system to minimize overall energy use and to maximize occupant comfort throughout the rooms of a home or building.
In one example application, the automaticcontrol system is in a home with an existing ductless MSHP and a ducted central heating/cooling system. The software links to thermostats to control the space conditioning systems via an open-source application programming interface. It also links to open source weather data available from the U.S. National Weather Service.
When installed, the new system focuses on using the higher efficiency MSHP as much as possible to condition the entire home. The system uses the lower efficiency central system only when comfort targets are not achievable with the MSHP. The control scheme works to automatically adjust the set point temperature of the MSHP to be lower than the central system during cooling and higher than the central system during heating. To maximize comfort in rooms without an MSHP, the UCF system periodically invokes the central system fan to mix air among the rooms.
