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A system and a method for controlling a pump in a recirculating hot water system is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for controlling a temperature of water in a recirculating hot water system including a storage tank for storing heated water, a recirculation conduit inc

A system and a method for controlling a pump in a recirculating hot water system is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for controlling a temperature of water in a recirculating hot water system including a storage tank for storing heated water, a recirculation conduit including a supply conduit for supplying the heated water to users via a plurality of outlets having a first outlet and a last outlet and a return conduit for returning an unused portion the heated water to the storage tank, a pump for circulating the heated water, the pump disposed along the return conduit, the method including measuring, at a point along the recirculation conduit, a temperature of the heated water provided from the storage tank, and controlling a speed of the pump, disposed along the return conduit, based on the measured temperature.

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1. A recirculating hot water system comprising: a storage tank for storing heated water;a recirculation conduit comprising: a supply conduit for supplying the heated water to users via a plurality of outlets having a first outlet and a last outlet; anda return conduit for returning an unused portion

1. A recirculating hot water system comprising: a storage tank for storing heated water;a recirculation conduit comprising: a supply conduit for supplying the heated water to users via a plurality of outlets having a first outlet and a last outlet; anda return conduit for returning an unused portion of the heated water to the storage tank;a pump for circulating the heated water, the pump disposed along the return conduit;a temperature sensor, disposed along the recirculation conduit, for generating a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the heated water; anda control unit, coupled to the pump, for changing a speed of the pump based on the temperature signal, wherein the control unit is configured to: store a first temperature value of the temperature signal at a first time;increase the speed of the pump to raise the temperature of the heated water to a preselected second temperature value;measure a time elapsed as the measured temperature increases from the first temperature to the preselected second temperature; andoperate the pump for a period of time based at least in part on the time elapsed. 2. The recirculating hot water heating system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed along the return conduit. 3. The recirculating hot water heating system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed along the return conduit proximate the pump. 4. The recirculating hot water heating system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed proximate the last outlet. 5. The recirculating hot water heating system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor communicates with the control unit using wireless communication. 6. The recirculating hot water heating system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor communicates with the control unit using a wired connection. 7. A recirculating hot water system comprising: a storage tank for storing heated water;a recirculation conduit comprising: a supply conduit for supplying the heated water to users via a plurality of outlets having a first outlet and a last outlet; anda return conduit for returning an unused portion of the heated water to the storage tank;a pump for circulating the heated water, the pump disposed along the return conduit;a temperature sensor, disposed along the recirculation conduit, for generating a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the heated water; anda control unit, coupled to the pump, for changing a speed of the pump based on the temperature signal, wherein the control unit is configured to:operate the pump at a first speed when the temperature signal is indicative of a value within a first temperature range, wherein the first range is lower than a preselected setpoint temperature;operate the pump at a second speed when the temperature signal is indicative of a value within a second temperature range, wherein the second range is lower than the first range; andincrease the first speed when the temperature signal falls to the second range. 8. A method for controlling a temperature of water in a recirculating hot water system including a storage tank for storing heated water, a recirculation conduit comprising a supply conduit for supplying the heated water to users via a plurality of outlets having a first outlet and a last outlet and a return conduit for returning an unused portion the heated water to the storage tank, a pump for circulating the heated water, the pump disposed along the return conduit, the method comprising: measuring, at a point along the recirculation conduit, a temperature of the heated water provided from the storage tank;controlling a speed of the pump, disposed along the return conduit, based on the measured temperature;storing a first temperature based on the measured temperature;increasing the speed of the pump to raise the heated water to a preselected second temperature;measuring a time elapsed as the measured temperature increases from the first temperature to the preselected second temperature; andoperating the pump for a period of time based at least in part on the time elapsed. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the measuring, at a point along the recirculation conduit, a temperature of the heated water provided from the storage tank comprises: measuring, at a point along the return conduit, a temperature of the heated water provided from the storage tank. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the measuring, at a point along the recirculation conduit, a temperature of the heated water provided from the storage tank comprises: measuring, at a point along the return conduit proximate the pump, a temperature of the heated water provided from the storage tank. 11. The method of claim 8: wherein the measuring, at a point along the recirculation conduit, a temperature of the heated water provided from the storage tank comprises: measuring, at a point proximate the last outlet, a temperature of the heated water provided from the storage tank; andwherein the last outlet is farther from the storage tank than other outlets of the plurality of outlets. 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising: transmitting, using wireless communication, information indicative of the measured temperature; andreceiving, using wireless communication, the information indicative of the measured temperature. 13. A method for controlling a temperature of water in a recirculating hot water system including a storage tank for storing heated water, a recirculation conduit comprising a supply conduit for supplying the heated water to users via a plurality of outlets having a first outlet and a last outlet and a return conduit for returning an unused portion the heated water to the storage tank, a pump for circulating the heated water, the pump disposed along the return conduit, the method comprising: measuring, at a point along the recirculation conduit, a temperature of the heated water provided from the storage tank;controlling a speed of the pump, disposed along the return conduit, based on the measured temperature;operating the pump at a first speed when the measured temperature is within a first temperature range, wherein the first temperature range is lower than a preselected setpoint temperature;operating the pump at a second speed when the measured temperature is within a second temperature range, wherein the second range is lower than the first range; andincreasing the first speed when the measured temperature falls to the second range. 14. A method for controlling a pump in a recirculating hot water heating system, the method comprising: measuring, repeatedly, a temperature of water in the hot water heating system;storing a first temperature based on the measured temperature at a first time;increasing a speed of the pump to raise the first temperature to a preselected second temperature;measuring a time elapsed as the measured temperature increases from the first temperature to the preselected second temperature; andoperating the pump for a period of time based at least in part on the time elapsed. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the storing a first temperature based on the measured temperature at a first time comprises: detecting an inflection point indicative of a transition from a decreasing trend in the measured temperature to an increase in the measured temperature; andstoring the measured temperature at the inflection point as the first temperature. 16. The method of claim 14, further comprising: storing a setpoint temperature for water in the hot water heating system;wherein the first temperature is less than the setpoint temperature; andwherein the preselected second temperature is greater than the setpoint temperature. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: storing a lower temperature range that is lower than the setpoint temperature; andstoring a time period for pump operation associated with the lower temperature range;wherein the operating the pump for a period of time based at least in part on the time elapsed comprises: changing the time period for pump operation to a percentage of the time elapsed; andoperating the pump for the time period for pump operation while the measured temperature is within the lower temperature range. 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising: storing a lower temperature range that is lower than the setpoint temperature; andstoring a time period for pump operation associated with the lower temperature range;storing an upper temperature range that is higher than the setpoint temperature; andwherein the operating the pump for a period of time based at least in part on the time elapsed comprises: changing the time period for pump operation to a percentage of the time elapsed when the measured temperature increases to a level within the upper temperature range; andoperating the pump for the time period for pump operation while the measured temperature is within the lower temperature range. 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the operating the pump for a period of time based at least in part on the time elapsed comprises operating the pump, at a preselected speed, for a period of time based at least in part on the time elapsed. 20. The method of claim 14: wherein the measuring, repeatedly, a temperature of water in the hot water heating system comprises measuring, repeatedly, a temperature of water in the hot water heating system at a point along a portion of a return conduit, the portion extending from a last tap along a supply conduit to the pump;wherein the return conduit is coupled to a supply conduit and to a storage tank;wherein the supply conduit supplies heated water from the storage tank to a plurality of taps including the last tap;wherein the return conduit returns an unused portion of heated water to the storage tank. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the point along the portion of the return conduit is proximate the pump. 22. The method of claim 14, further comprising: storing a setpoint temperature for water in the hot water heating system;operating the pump at a first speed when the measured temperature is within a first temperature range, wherein the first range is lower than the setpoint;operating the pump at a second speed when the measured temperature is within a second temperature range, wherein the second range is lower than the first range; andincreasing the first speed when the measured temperature falls to the second temperature range. 23. A method for controlling a pump in a recirculating hot water heating system, the method comprising: storing a setpoint temperature for water in the hot water heating system;measuring a temperature of water in the hot water heating system;operating the pump at a first speed when the measured temperature is within a first temperature range, wherein the first range is lower than the setpoint;operating the pump at a second speed when the measured temperature is within a second temperature range, wherein the second range is lower than the first range; andincreasing the first speed when the measured temperature falls to the second temperature range. 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising: operating the pump at a third speed when the measured temperature is within a third temperature range, wherein the third range is lower than the second range; andincreasing the second speed when the measured temperature falls to the third temperature range. 25. The method of claim 23: wherein the measuring a temperature of water in the hot water heating system comprises measuring the temperature of water in the hot water heating system at a point along a portion of a return conduit, the portion extending from a last tap along a supply conduit to the pump;wherein the return conduit is coupled to a supply conduit and to a storage tank;wherein the supply conduit supplies heated water from the storage tank to a plurality of taps including the last tap;wherein the return conduit returns an unused portion of heated water to the storage tank. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the point along the portion of the return conduit is proximate the pump. 27. The method of claim 23, further comprising: storing a first temperature based on the measured temperature at a first time;increasing a speed of the pump to raise the first temperature to a preselected second temperature;measuring a time elapsed as the measured temperature increases from the first temperature to the preselected second temperature; andoperating the pump for a period of time based at least in part on the time elapsed.