Dual-function water heating and cooling system and method thereof

Abstract

A dual-function water conditioning system and method thereof are disclosed that heat or cool water on demand to overcome seasonal discomfort. The system includes a thermally insulated water conditioning chamber coupled to a heating mechanism and a refrigeration-based cooling mechanism, governed by an electronic controller. A user interface or remote application allows selection of a target temperature, and the controller regulates conditioning to deliver water through outlet while being integrable with existing pipelines without loss of pressure. The invention further relates to intelligent water mixing and control systems that adapt faucet operation to seasonal variations in supply temperature, thereby preventing user confusion and ensuring year-round comfort. Additional features include a detachable phase change material (PCM) cooling attachment (130), IoT connectivity, adaptive learning, and safety measures such as thermostatic mixing, leak detection, and pressure/vacuum relief for efficient and hygienic operation.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A dual-function water heating and cooling system comprising:
 a water conditioning chamber to receive water from a water supply;   a heating mechanism arranged to heat the water in the chamber when activated;   a cooling mechanism arranged to cool the water in the chamber when activated;   one or more temperature sensors for detecting water temperature;   at least one user interface element for receiving a pre-defined water temperature; and   an electronic controller operatively connected to the sensors, power supply, and with the user interface, the heating mechanism, and the cooling mechanism,   wherein the controller activates the heating mechanism or the cooling mechanism in response to the user-selected temperature so as to output water at the desired temperature;   wherein the system is directly integrable into a water pipeline network without loss of pressure; and   wherein the controller is adapted to automatically manage activation of the heating mechanism and cooling mechanism in a seasonally consistent manner so as to avoid user confusion at the faucet or mixing tap.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the water conditioning chamber comprising a single coil subjected to undergo either heating mechanism or cooling mechanism in response to the user-selected temperature so as to output water at the pre-defined temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the water conditioning chamber comprising two coils in parallel, one of which subjected to heating mechanism and another coil subjected to cooling mechanism in response to the user-selected temperature so as to output water at the desired temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller comprises a microprocessor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions in a memory, the microprocessor being operative to execute the instructions and thereby control a plurality of modules comprising:
 a user input module that receives a user-selected predefined temperature through at least one user interface element;   a temperature sensing module for detecting the temperature of inlet water, water within the conditioning chamber, and outlet water,   a pressure sensing module for detecting water pressure within the system, the pressure sensing module in cooperating with the controller to maintain integration with a pipeline network without loss of pressure;   a weather monitoring module for acquiring ambient or seasonal information and enabling the controller to automatically determine a suitable dispensing temperature when the user does not provide a specific input;   a decision-making module that activates a heating mechanism or a cooling mechanism in response to the sensed parameters and user input or automatically determined dispensing temperature;   a communication module that enables remote user control and monitoring of the system through at least one of wired or wireless interfaces;   an adaptive learning module employing computational techniques to analyze patterns of hot and cold water demand and to anticipate future use by initiating pre-heating or pre-cooling of water;   a mode selection module enabling operation of the system in multiple modes comprising at least a heating mode, a cooling mode, and an energy-saving or vacation mode, and permitting execution of user-defined schedules or adjustment based on external signals;   a pump control module that activates a pump to deliver conditioned water rapidly to outlets for reducing wait time and water wastage, or to periodically circulate water within the chamber for maintaining uniform temperature and preventing stagnation;   a safety and protection module for monitoring overheating, overcooling, or abnormal pressure and for deactivating the heating or cooling mechanism upon unsafe conditions;   a water quality monitoring module for detecting at least one of: turbidity, hardness, or total dissolved solids (TDS), and selectively routing water through a filtration unit prior to conditioning;   an energy optimization module that monitors energy consumption of the heating and cooling mechanisms and schedules or modulates operation to improve energy efficiency;   a flow control module for regulating water flow rate to maintain consistent temperature output under variable demand conditions;   a self-diagnostic module for detecting system faults, performing periodic health checks, monitoring maintenance needs, and issuing alerts via the user interface element or the communication module, including: Target temperature reached; Filter replacement needed; Maintenance required; Fault conditions; System status indicators; and   a sanitization module operative to periodically execute a hygiene cycle by heating water in the conditioning chamber to a predetermined temperature for a set duration, and/or by flushing water through the system at predetermined temperature or with a cleaning agent, to inhibit bacterial growth and maintain hygiene.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface element is selected from: a touchscreen display, physical buttons, a rotatable control knob, a rotatable tap actuated towards left or right, or a remote client device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprising a straight through passway running between the inlet and the outlet, the straight through passway selectively dispensing unconditioned water directly to the outlet without passing through the conditioning chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the straight through passway is operatively controlled by a valve actuated by the electronic controller or by a manual selection mechanism, thereby enabling user selection between dispensing conditioned water and unconditioned water. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet comprising at least one of the following forms:
 a single outlet for dispensing either conditioned or unconditioned water,   a dual-outlet arrangement comprising a first outlet for conditioned water and a second outlet for unconditioned water, or   a single outlet provided with a rotatable knob or actuator that selectively directs dispensing of conditioned or unconditioned water.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heating mechanism comprises at least one of an electric resistive heating element, an induction coil, a gas burner, or a heat pump cycle. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling mechanism comprises at least one of a vapor-compression refrigeration circuit, a thermoelectric module, or a phase change cooling chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a detachable shower arm fluidly connected to the outlet or a detachable therapeutic pad thermally or fluidly coupled to the conditioning chamber, the shower arm including a plurality of nozzles operative to selectively dispense steam or chilled water/ice mist, and the therapeutic pad being configured to provide localized heating or cooling to a user's body for muscular recovery or therapeutic treatment. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a detachable cooling attachment removably connected at the outlet, the attachment containing a phase change material (PCM) or thermal storage medium, wherein when water flows through the attachment, heat is absorbed by the PCM to provide additional cooling of the water before it is dispensed, thereby delivering supplemental cold water for a limited duration. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the detachable cooling attachment is further configured to be operatively linked to the system for regaining its original cooled state, such that the PCM or thermal storage medium is reconditioned for redeployable use in subsequent cooling cycles. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises an inbuilt rechargeable power source selected from a battery or a supercapacitor, configured to provide backup power for controlling inlet and outlet valve operations, user-selected settings, and pre-conditioning logic during random power cuts or unintended hard resets, to prevent unconditioned or unsafe water discharge. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the detachable cooling attachment comprises:
 a coupling mechanism with magnetic and mechanical locking features to attach to a shower head or faucet;   an internal coiled water conduit passing through a PCM-filled chamber; and   an outlet perforated to emit water in a spray pattern, such that hot water entering the detachable cooling attachment is cooled by the PCM before exiting, and wherein the detachable cooling attachment can be recharged by docking it into the main system for cooling the PCM once depleted.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a motorized mixing valve or blending mechanism controlled by the controller, wherein the controller regulates mixing of water from the heating mechanism and the cooling mechanism to achieve a user-selected output temperature, without requiring multiple sub-chambers while preventing output of water above a pre-determined safety threshold temperature for anti-scald protection. 
     
     
         17 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration circuit is a reversible heat pump cycle with a reversing valve, such that the heat exchanger selectively operates as an evaporator to cool the water or as a condenser to heat the water, allowing the same circuit to perform both water-heating and water-cooling functions. 
     
     
         18 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises an electric pump operative to recirculate water through at least a portion of the system or connected plumbing, wherein the controller activates the pump to ensure that conditioned water is rapidly delivered to outlets for reducing wait time and water wastage or to periodically circulate water within the tank to maintain uniform temperature and prevent stagnation. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat recovery mechanism in which water conditioning chamber includes a heat exchanger is thermally coupled to a wastewater drain or another heat source, wherein the heat exchanger pre-heating incoming water using waste heat from warm drain water (during heating operation) or pre-cooling incoming water using a thermal sink during cooling operation, thereby improving overall energy efficiency of the system. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the water conditioning chamber is thermally insulated with a high-performance insulation material selected from vacuum-insulated panels and aerogel insulation, to minimize heat loss and heat gain. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least the interior surfaces of the water conditioning chamber and water flow pathways are composed of or coated with antimicrobial and scale-resistant materials, and the system comprises a sacrificial anode or an active anti-corrosion anode to protect against corrosion of the tank. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a UV-C light sterilizer to irradiate water flowing through the system, for inactivation of microorganisms in the water prior to discharge. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a water filtration and softening module at the inlet, the module including one or more replaceable filter cartridges to remove sediment, chlorine, and hardness from the incoming water, thereby providing treated water for use and reducing mineral buildup inside the system. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprising at least one leak detection sensor positioned to sense water leakage within the unit or at plumbing connections, wherein the controller is operative to automatically shut off a water inlet valve and disable the heating and cooling mechanisms upon detection of a leak condition, and optionally to send an alert to a user. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure relief valve for releasing excess pressure from the tank and a vacuum relief mechanism for admitting air if a vacuum is formed, thereby protecting the water conditioning chamber during both heating expansion and cooling contraction of water. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the components of the system are in a modular architecture, such that one or more thereof are user-removable or interchangeable, thereby allowing customization of the system for heating-only, cooling-only, or combined operation, and simplifying upgrades or maintenance. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the reversible heat pump cycle further comprises a four-way reversing valve arranged to switch the heat exchanger between heating and cooling modes, such that the same refrigeration circuit is operable to heat or cool water in the conditioning chamber under control of the electronic controller. 
     
     
         28 . An electronic controller for controlling a dual-function water heating and cooling system comprising a water conditioning chamber, a heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism, at least one user interface element, and at least one outlet, the controller comprising:
 a microprocessor operatively connected to a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions in a memory;   a user input module for receiving a predefined water temperature via the user interface element;   a temperature sensing module for detecting the temperature of inlet water, water within the water conditioning chamber, and water at the outlet;   a decision-making module for selectively activating the heating mechanism or cooling mechanism to output water at the user-selected temperature;   a flow control module for regulating water flow to maintain consistent temperature output; and   a safety and protection module for preventing dispensing of water above a predetermined safety threshold;   
       wherein the controller regulates activation of the heating mechanism or cooling mechanism to output water at a user-selected temperature, maintains integration with a water pipeline network without loss of pressure, and automatically adjusts heating or cooling based on seasonal or ambient conditions. 
     
     
         29 . The controller of  claim 28 , comprising a communication module for remote control or monitoring of the system via wired or wireless interfaces. 
     
     
         30 . The controller of  claim 29 , comprising an adaptive learning module for analyzing water usage patterns and initiating pre-heating or pre-cooling of water in anticipation of demand. 
     
     
         31 . The controller of  claim 29 , comprising a sanitization module to periodically heat water in the conditioning chamber or flush water through the system to maintain hygiene. 
     
     
         32 . The controller of  claim 29 , comprising a mode selection module for enabling heating-only, cooling-only, or energy-saving operation of the system. 
     
     
         33 . A method of operating a dual-function water heating and cooling system comprising a water conditioning chamber, a heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism, at least one user interface element, and at least one outlet, the method comprising:
 receiving, via the user interface element, a user-selected water temperature;   sensing, via a temperature sensor, the temperature of inlet water, water within the water conditioning chamber, and water at the outlet;   activating, via a controller, the heating mechanism or the cooling mechanism in response to the sensed temperature and the user-selected temperature; and   dispensing water at the outlet at the desired temperature;   
       wherein the method automatically regulates the heating or cooling operation to maintain the desired output temperature, optionally bypasses the conditioning chamber to deliver unconditioned water, and adapts the water conditioning based on ambient or seasonal conditions. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising selectively bypassing the water conditioning chamber ( 102 ) via a straight through passway ( 114 ) to dispense unconditioned water. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising mixing water from a hot source and a cold source via a motorized blending or mixing valve to achieve the user-selected temperature while preventing anti-scald conditions. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising recirculating water through at least a portion of the system using a pump to reduce wait time, maintain uniform temperature, and prevent stagnation. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising providing adaptive temperature control using historical usage data to pre-heat or pre-cool water in anticipation of user demand. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising executing a hygiene cycle by heating water in the water conditioning chamber ( 102 ) to a predetermined temperature or flushing water through the system ( 100 ) to inhibit bacterial growth.