Bypass flow control unit and water heater

Abstract

The invention discloses a bypass flow control unit and a water heater, the bypass flow control unit is used for the water heater, the water heater is provided with a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe, and the bypass flow control unit comprises a first bypass channel used for communicating the water inlet pipe with the water outlet pipe; the second bypass channel is used for communicating the water inlet pipe with the water outlet pipe; and the bypass control valve is arranged on the first bypass channel, and the bypass control valve is used for regulating and controlling the water flow passing through the first bypass channel. According to the technical scheme, the constant-temperature performance of the water heater can be improved, and the service life is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of hot water equipment, and in particular to a bypass flow control unit and a water heater. Background Art

[0002] At present, water heaters on the market are divided into models without bypass pipes and models with bypass pipes. Among them, for water heaters without bypass pipes, the temperature difference between the cold water pipe and the hot water pipe of the heat exchanger is large, and condensation water is easy to generate at the hot water pipe. In the long run, the surrounding area of ​​the hot water pipe will produce thermal fatigue and spread, affecting the overall service life of the heat exchanger. For water heaters with bypass pipes, most of them simply add cold water to the hot water outlet. When the water use environment (such as water temperature, water pressure, etc.) changes, it will affect the constant temperature effect of the water outlet to a certain extent; and some water heaters will have a large temperature rise or drop when they are started and stopped for the second time, and the constant temperature performance is poor, affecting the user experience. Summary of the invention

[0003] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a bypass flow control unit, which is intended to improve the constant temperature performance and service life of a water heater when applied to the water heater.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the bypass flow control unit proposed in the present invention is used for a water heater, wherein the water heater has a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe, and the bypass flow control unit comprises:

[0005] A first bypass channel, used for connecting the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe;

[0006] A second bypass channel, used for connecting the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe; and

[0007] A bypass control valve is provided in the first bypass channel, and the bypass control valve is used to regulate the water flow through the first bypass channel.

[0008] In one embodiment, the bypass control valve is used to open or close the first bypass channel to achieve water flow control; and / or, the bypass control valve is also used to adjust the flow cross-sectional opening of the first bypass channel in the conducting state to achieve water flow control.

[0009] In one embodiment, the bypass flow control unit also includes a bypass valve body, the bypass valve body is provided with a bypass water inlet and a bypass water outlet, the first bypass channel and the second bypass channel are constructed inside the bypass valve body, the first bypass channel and the second bypass channel are arranged in parallel between the bypass water inlet and the bypass water outlet, and the bypass control valve is installed on the bypass valve body.

[0010] In one embodiment, the bypass valve body is provided with a first water outlet and a second water outlet, the bypass water inlet, the first water outlet, and the bypass water outlet are connected to form the first bypass channel, the bypass water inlet, the second water outlet, and the bypass water outlet are connected to form the second bypass channel, and the bypass control valve is used to open or close the first water outlet.

[0011] In one embodiment, the bypass control valve includes a driving member, a push rod and a sealing member, the driving member is drivingly connected to the push rod, the push rod is extended toward the first water outlet, the sealing member is connected to one end of the push rod close to the first water outlet, and the driving member is used to drive the push rod to perform telescopic movement to drive the sealing member to open or close the first water outlet.

[0012] In one embodiment, a cross-sectional area of ​​the second water outlet is smaller than a cross-sectional area of ​​the first water outlet.

[0013] In one embodiment, the bypass control valve is a solenoid valve.

[0014] The present invention also provides a water heater, comprising:

[0015] Controller;

[0016] Heat exchangers;

[0017] a water inlet pipe, connected to the water inlet end of the heat exchanger;

[0018] a water outlet pipe connected to the water outlet end of the heat exchanger; and

[0019] In the bypass flow control unit as described above, the first bypass channel and the second bypass channel are connected in parallel between the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe, and the bypass control valve is electrically connected to the controller.

[0020] In one of the embodiments, the water inlet pipe is provided with a main flow control unit, the main flow control unit is electrically connected to the controller, and the main flow control unit is used to regulate the water flow delivered by the water inlet pipe toward the heat exchanger.

[0021] In one embodiment, the main flow control unit includes:

[0022] A main water channel, including a first main channel and a second main channel arranged in parallel, both of which are connected to the water inlet end of the heat exchanger; and

[0023] A main control valve is provided in the first main channel, and the main control valve is used to open or close the first main channel.

[0024] In one embodiment, the main flow control unit also includes a flow stabilizing device electrically connected to the controller, and the flow stabilizing device is arranged in the second main channel, or the flow stabilizing device is arranged upstream of the intersection of the water inlet end of the first main channel and the water inlet end of the second main channel.

[0025] In one embodiment, the main flow control unit also includes a temperature sensor and a flow sensor electrically connected to the controller respectively, the temperature sensor is used to detect the water inlet temperature of the main water channel, and the flow sensor is used to detect the water inlet flow of the main water channel.

[0026] In one embodiment, the main flow control unit also includes a main valve body, the main valve body is provided with a water inlet port, and a water outlet port and a bypass port respectively connected to the water inlet port, the first main channel and the second main channel are constructed inside the main valve body, the first main channel and the second main channel are arranged in parallel between the water inlet port and the water outlet port, the water outlet port is connected to the heat exchanger via the water inlet pipe, the water inlet end of the first bypass channel and the water inlet end of the second bypass channel are both connected to the bypass port, and the main control valve is installed on the main valve body.

[0027] In one embodiment, the water inlet end of the first bypass channel and the water inlet end of the second bypass channel meet and are connected to the bypass port through a connecting pipe; and / or, the water outlet end of the first bypass channel and the water outlet end of the second bypass channel meet and are connected to the water outlet pipe through a connecting pipe.

[0028] The bypass flow control unit of the technical solution of the present invention has a first bypass channel and a second bypass channel, wherein the first bypass channel is a flow-adjustable channel controlled by a bypass control valve, and the second bypass channel is a normally open channel, so that the flow control of the entire bypass channel formed by the combination of the first bypass channel and the second bypass channel can be achieved by only controlling the flow of the first bypass channel through the bypass control valve. When the bypass flow control unit is applied to a water heater, the water heater can have a bypass water mixing function, and at the same time, the bypass water mixing flow can be adjusted, so that the constant temperature effect of the water outlet of the water heater in application scenarios such as fluctuations in the water use environment and secondary start and stop of the water heater can be effectively improved, and the constant temperature performance of the water heater can be improved; and the bypass flow control unit can also effectively reduce the temperature difference between the cold water pipe and the hot water pipe of the heat exchanger, reduce the generation of condensed water, and thus improve the service life of the heat exchanger and the water heater. In addition, since the second bypass channel inside the bypass flow control unit always remains in a normally open state, it can ensure that the water heater has a certain bypass water mixing function in any usage scenario. At the same time, it can also avoid the bypass water mixing function from failing when the bypass control valve cannot open the first bypass channel due to a malfunction. In this way, the constant temperature performance of the water heater can be made more stable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a bypass flow control unit of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the bypass flow control unit;

[0032] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A further decomposed structural diagram of the bypass flow control unit;

[0033] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle bypass valve body;

[0034] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the middle bypass valve body;

[0035] Figure 6 for Figure 5A partial enlarged structural diagram of the middle bypass valve body;

[0036] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of the main road flow control unit;

[0037] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of a water heater of the present invention;

[0038] Fig. 9 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the water circuit structure of the water heater;

[0039] Fig.10 Schematic diagram of heat exchange between the water heater's heat exchanger and combustion flue gas.

[0040] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0041]

[0042]

[0043] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0046] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features limited to "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears in the full text, its meaning includes three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes solution A, solution B, or solutions that satisfy both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0047] The present invention proposes a bypass flow control unit 100. The bypass flow control unit 100 can be used in a water heater 1000, wherein the water heater 1000 includes but is not limited to a gas water heater, an electric water heater, a solar water heater, etc. Of course, the bypass flow control unit 100 can also be applied to other hot water systems that need to realize a bypass water mixing function. The following mainly takes the application of the bypass flow control unit 100 in the water heater 1000 as an example for description.

[0048] like Figure 8 As shown, the water heater 1000 generally includes a heater (not shown), a heat exchanger 200, a water inlet pipe 300 and a water outlet pipe 400. The water inlet pipe 300 is connected to the water inlet end of the heat exchanger 200, and the water outlet pipe 400 is connected to the water outlet end of the heat exchanger 200. The heater is used to generate heat to exchange heat with the water flowing through the heat exchanger 200. When the water heater 1000 is working, cold water can be transported to the heat exchanger 200 through the water inlet pipe 300, and hot water is generated after heat exchange in the heat exchanger 200 and output from the water outlet pipe 400. Fig.10 As shown, taking a gas water heater as an example, the heater is specifically a burner. The gas is burned by the burner to generate high-temperature flue gas, which diffuses to the surface of the heat exchanger 200 to achieve heat exchange with the water flow inside the heat exchanger 200.

[0049] Please refer to Fig. 9In one embodiment of the present invention, the bypass flow control unit 100 is used for a water heater 1000, the water heater 1000 has a water inlet pipe 300 and a water outlet pipe 400, and the bypass flow control unit 100 includes a first bypass channel 11, a second bypass channel 12 and a bypass control valve 20. The first bypass channel 11 is used to connect the water inlet pipe 300 and the water outlet pipe 400; the second bypass channel 12 is used to connect the water inlet pipe 300 and the water outlet pipe 400; the bypass control valve 20 is provided in the first bypass channel 11, and the bypass control valve 20 is used to regulate the water flow through the first bypass channel 11.

[0050] Specifically, when the bypass flow control unit 100 is applied to the above-mentioned water heater 1000, the bypass flow control unit 100 can be connected between the water inlet pipe 300 and the water outlet pipe 400 of the water heater 1000, and the bypass control valve 20 can be electrically connected to the controller (such as the main control board) of the water heater 1000, and the working state of the bypass control valve 20 is controlled by the controller. The bypass flow control unit 100 includes a first bypass channel 11 and a second bypass channel 12 arranged in parallel between the water inlet pipe 300 and the water outlet pipe 400, wherein the first bypass channel 11 is an adjustable channel (such as a bypass control valve 20) controlled by the bypass control valve 20. Fig. 9 b to d channels shown in FIG), the second bypass channel 12 is a normally open channel (such as Fig. 9 In this way, the flow rate of the entire bypass channel formed by the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 can be controlled by only controlling the flow rate of the first bypass channel 11 through the bypass control valve 20.

[0051] There are many specific construction methods for the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12, for example, Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the bypass flow control unit 100 may include a bypass valve body 10, and a first bypass channel 11 and a second bypass channel 12 are constructed inside the bypass valve body 10; for another example, the bypass flow control unit 100 may include a first pipe body and a second pipe body that are independent of each other, and the first pipe body has a first bypass channel 11 and the second pipe body has a second bypass channel 12. When applied to a water heater 1000, the two ends of the first pipe body are connected to the water inlet pipe 300 and the water outlet pipe 400 respectively, and the two ends of the second pipe body are connected to the water inlet pipe 300 and the water outlet pipe 400 respectively, and the bypass control valve 20 is provided in the second pipe body. Of course, the two ends of one of the first pipe body and the second pipe body may also be connected to the other pipe body to realize the parallel connection of the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12, which is not specifically limited here.

[0052] It should be noted that the bypass control valve 20 regulates the water flow through the first bypass channel 11, which should be understood as enabling the water flow through the first bypass channel 11 to undergo a certain change under the control of the bypass control valve 20. The change in water flow here can be a change between no flow and flow, or a change between a large flow and a small flow when there is flow. For example, in this embodiment, the bypass control valve 20 can be used to open or close the first bypass channel 11 to achieve water flow regulation. When the bypass control valve 20 opens the first bypass channel 11, the water in the water inlet pipe 300 can be transported to the water outlet pipe 400 via the first bypass channel 11; when the bypass control valve 20 closes the first bypass channel 11, the water in the water inlet pipe 300 cannot be transported to the water outlet pipe 400 via the first bypass channel 11. Of course, in some embodiments, the bypass control valve 20 can also be used to adjust the opening of the flow section of the first bypass channel 11 in an open state to achieve water flow control. When the flow of the first bypass channel 11 needs to be increased, the bypass control valve 20 can be used to control the opening of the flow section of the first bypass channel 11 to increase, thereby achieving the adjustment of the water flow in the first bypass channel 11.

[0053] Several application scenarios of the water heater 1000 having the bypass flow control unit 100 are described below by way of example.

[0054] In the application scenario where the water use environment fluctuates. For example, during the use of the water heater 1000, due to the fluctuation of the user's water inlet pressure and water inlet temperature, the hot water temperature output by the water heater 1000 also fluctuates to a certain extent, affecting the user's water use experience. Based on this bad water use scenario, the bypass flow control unit 100 can compensate for the fluctuation of its outlet water temperature. Taking the gas water heater 1000 as an example, when the water inlet pressure and water inlet temperature fluctuate, the water inlet pressure can be stabilized by the flow stabilizing device 53 of the water heater 1000, and the parameters such as the water inlet temperature and water inlet flow rate are collected by the controller as basic parameters, and the gas proportional valve opening of the water heater 1000 is adjusted through logical calculation, so as to achieve the effect of constant temperature of the outlet water temperature. On this basis, when the gas proportional valve opening adjustment reaches the adjustment limit, the water flow through the first bypass channel 11 can also be regulated by the bypass control valve 20 (for example, the bypass control valve 20 controls the first bypass channel 11 to open or close), so as to achieve the adjustment of the water flow of the entire bypass channel formed by the combination of the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12. In this way, the bypass flow control unit 100 can make up for the limitation of the opening adjustment of the gas proportional valve. This two-pronged approach can effectively improve the conventional water outlet constant temperature performance of the water heater 1000.

[0055] In the application scenario of the water heater 1000 being started and stopped twice. Taking the gas water heater 1000 as an example, when the user turns off the water after using the water heater 1000 and turns on the water again in a short time, the outlet water temperature will rise first because the system has just been ignited and heated, and the heat exchanger 200 has thermal inertia. Later, the controller participates in the calculation and performs certain logic control and adjustment. After the outlet water temperature rises to a certain temperature, it will drop, and then it will tend to a constant temperature (different machines have different degrees of temperature rise and temperature drop). Based on the water use scenario of starting and stopping twice, the bypass flow control unit 100 can compensate for the fluctuations of temperature rise and temperature drop, so as to improve the user's poor water use experience during the second start and stop period. For example, during the secondary start and stop, the controller of the water heater 1000 collects relevant parameters (including but not limited to water inlet temperature, heat exchanger temperature, water outlet temperature, water inlet flow rate, set temperature, etc.), and the controller controls the bypass control valve 20 through a certain control logic, and regulates the water flow rate through the first bypass channel 11 through the bypass control valve 20. For example, during the short-term temperature rise process of the water outlet pipe 400 of the water heater 1000, the bypass control valve 20 can be used to control the first bypass channel 11 to open, so that the water inlet pipe 30 0 can be simultaneously delivered to the water outlet pipe 400 via the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 to achieve large-flow water mixing, thereby avoiding excessive temperature rise; when the temperature of the water outlet pipe 400 of the water heater 1000 decreases, the first bypass channel 11 can be controlled to be closed by the bypass control valve 20, so that the cold water in the water inlet pipe 300 can only be delivered to the water outlet pipe 400 via the second bypass channel 12 to achieve small-flow water mixing, thereby avoiding excessive temperature drop; in this way, the temperature rise and temperature drop of the hot water can be effectively reduced, and the start-stop constant temperature effect can be achieved.

[0056] In addition, for a conventional gas water heater 1000, as Fig.10 As shown, the heat exchanger 200 includes a heat exchange tube and a heat exchange plate 210 sleeved on the outer periphery of the heat exchange tube. The heat exchange tube includes a cold water pipe 230 and a hot water pipe 220. Due to the large temperature difference between the cold water pipe 230 and the hot water pipe 220 (relatively speaking), condensed water will be generated at the hot water pipe 220 under the action of the high-temperature flue gas generated by combustion. In the long run, the surrounding area of ​​the hot water pipe 220 will produce thermal fatigue and spread, affecting the overall service life of the heat exchanger 200. Based on the mechanism that the large temperature difference between the cold and hot pipes causes condensed water, the water heater 1000 can mix water in the hot water pipe 220 through the bypass channel of the bypass flow control unit 100 during use, reduce the temperature difference between the cold and hot pipes, and then reduce the generation of condensed water, thereby improving the service life of the heat exchanger 200. For example, in the cold winter, due to the low inlet water temperature, the control valve of the bypass flow control unit 100 can be used to control the first bypass channel 11 to open, thereby increasing the mixed water flow rate and further reducing the risk of condensation water in the heat exchanger 210 and pipelines, thereby further improving the service life of the heat exchanger 200.

[0057] The bypass flow control unit 100 of the technical solution of the present invention has a first bypass channel 11 and a second bypass channel 12, wherein the first bypass channel 11 is a flow-adjustable channel controlled by a bypass control valve 20, and the second bypass channel 12 is a normally open channel. In this way, the flow control of the entire bypass channel formed by the combination of the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 can be achieved by only controlling the flow of the first bypass channel 11 through the bypass control valve 20. When the bypass flow control unit 100 is applied to the water heater 1000, the water heater 1000 can have a bypass water mixing function, and can also adjust the bypass water mixing flow, so as to effectively improve the constant temperature effect of the water outlet of the water heater 1000 in the application scenarios such as the fluctuation of the water use environment and the secondary start and stop of the water heater 1000, and improve the constant temperature performance of the water heater 1000; and the bypass flow control unit 100 can also effectively reduce the temperature difference between the cold water pipe 230 and the hot water pipe 220 of the heat exchanger 200, reduce the generation of condensed water, and thus improve the service life of the heat exchanger 200 and the water heater 1000. In addition, since the second bypass channel 12 inside the bypass flow control unit 100 is always kept in a normally open state, it can be ensured that the water heater 1000 has a certain bypass water mixing function in any use scenario, and can also avoid the failure of the bypass water mixing function when the bypass control valve 20 fails to open the first bypass channel 11, so that the constant temperature performance of the water heater 1000 can be made more stable.

[0058] Considering the convenience of practical application, please combine Figures 1 to 6 In one embodiment, the bypass flow control unit 100 further includes a bypass valve body 10, the bypass valve body 10 is provided with a bypass water inlet 101 and a bypass water outlet 102, the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 are constructed inside the bypass valve body 10, the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 are arranged in parallel between the bypass water inlet 101 and the bypass water outlet 102, and the bypass control valve 20 is installed on the bypass valve body 10. In this embodiment, by simultaneously constructing the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 inside the bypass valve body 10, the overall structure is more compact and occupies less space. When assembling, the bypass valve body 10 can be directly connected between the water inlet pipe 300 and the water outlet pipe 400, and the assembly is simple and convenient.

[0059] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in one embodiment, the bypass valve body 10 is provided with a first water outlet 103 and a second water outlet 105, and the bypass water inlet 101, the first water outlet 103, and the bypass water outlet 102 are connected to form the first bypass channel 11 (as shown in FIG. Figure 5 The bypass water inlet 101, the second water outlet 105, and the bypass water outlet 102 are connected to form the second bypass channel 12 (as shown in the c~d channel in FIG. Figure 5 The bypass control valve 20 is used to open or close the first water outlet 103 .

[0060] like Fig. 9 As shown, in this embodiment, when the inlet flow rate remains unchanged, when the bypass mixed water volume needs to be increased, the bypass control valve 20 controls the opening of the first water port 103, and the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 simultaneously carry out water flow transportation, and at this time the overall bypass mixed water volume is large; when the bypass mixed water volume needs to be reduced, the bypass control valve 20 controls the closing of the first water port 103, and only the second bypass channel 12 carries out water flow transportation, and at this time the overall bypass mixed water volume is small. The bypass flow control unit 100 has a simple structure and is easy to control. Optionally, the bypass control valve 20 adopts a solenoid valve. For example, the bypass control valve 20 can adopt a normally closed solenoid valve, and the first water port 103 remains closed when the solenoid valve is powered off, and the first water port 103 is opened when the solenoid valve is powered on.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, the bypass control valve 20 includes a driving member 21, a push rod 22 and a sealing member 24. The driving member 21 is drivingly connected to the push rod 22. The push rod 22 is extended toward the first water outlet 103. The sealing member 24 is connected to one end of the push rod 22 close to the first water outlet 103. The driving member 21 is used to drive the push rod 22 to perform telescopic movement to drive the sealing member 24 to open or close the first water outlet 103.

[0062] In this embodiment, the bypass valve body 10 is provided with an installation opening 104 opposite to the first water outlet 103, the driving member 21 is fixed at the installation opening 104, and an installation cavity for the movement of the sealing member 24 is formed between the first water outlet 103 and the installation opening 104. The driving member 21 drives the push rod 22 to perform telescopic movement, and then the push rod 22 drives the sealing member 24 to approach or move away from the first water outlet 103, so that the sealing member 24 can block or open the first water outlet 103. When the sealing member 24 blocks the first water outlet 103, the first bypass channel 11 is in a closed state, and when the sealing member 24 opens the first water outlet 103, the first bypass channel 11 is in an open state. The use of the sealing member 24 to block the first water outlet 103 can achieve good sealing performance. Among them, the sealing member 24 includes but is not limited to being made of flexible materials with good sealing performance such as rubber and silicone. In order to facilitate the connection between the sealing member 24 and the push rod 22, optionally, a support 23 is provided at one end of the push rod 22 close to the first water outlet 103, and the sealing member 24 is connected and fixed to the support 23. There are many ways for the driving member 21 to drive the push rod 22 to achieve telescopic movement. For example, in this embodiment, the bypass control valve 20 can adopt a solenoid valve. Accordingly, the driving member 21 can be an electromagnetic coil of the electromagnetic valve, and the push rod 22 is an iron core arranged in the electromagnetic coil. When the electromagnetic coil is energized, the iron core is driven to move. Of course, in other embodiments, the driving member 21 can also adopt other mechanical structures to drive the push rod 22 to perform telescopic movement.

[0063] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second water outlet 105 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first water outlet 103. With such a design, when the first water outlet 103 is closed, the second bypass channel 12 can always maintain a relatively small bypass flow, and a certain bypass water mixing function can be achieved in any scenario. When the first water outlet 103 is opened, the bypass water mixing volume can be greatly increased to meet the application scenario that requires large-volume water mixing. In this way, through the cooperation of a normally open channel (the second bypass channel 12) and an adjustable channel (the first bypass channel 11), the bypass water mixing volume can be adjusted within a larger range by simply controlling the opening and closing of the first bypass channel 11 through the bypass control valve 20. The control method is simple and can well meet different application scenarios. Among them, the cross-sectional shape of the first water outlet 103 and the second water outlet 105 can be designed as a circular, square or other special-shaped cross-section, which is not specifically limited here.

[0064] Please refer to Figure 8 and Fig. 9The present invention also proposes a water heater 1000, comprising a controller, a heat exchanger 200, a water inlet pipe 300, a water outlet pipe 400 and a bypass flow control unit 100. The water inlet pipe 300 is connected to the water inlet end of the heat exchanger 200; the water outlet pipe 400 is connected to the water outlet end of the heat exchanger 200; the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 of the bypass flow control unit 100 are connected in parallel between the water inlet pipe 300 and the water outlet pipe 400, and the bypass control valve 20 is electrically connected to the controller. The specific structure of the bypass flow control unit 100 refers to the above embodiment. Since the water heater 1000 adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0065] The water heater 1000 includes but is not limited to a gas water heater, an electric water heater, a solar water heater, etc. For several application scenarios of the water heater 1000 with the bypass flow control unit 100 (such as application scenarios where the water use environment fluctuates, application scenarios where the water heater is started and stopped twice, and application scenarios where condensation water in the heat exchanger is weakened), please refer to the description of the bypass flow control unit 100 embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0066] The water heater 1000 of the technical solution of the present invention has a bypass flow control unit 100 connected between the water inlet pipe 300 and the water outlet pipe 400, so that the water heater 1000 has a bypass water mixing function. At the same time, the bypass flow control unit 100 can also realize the adjustment of the bypass mixed water flow, thereby effectively improving the constant temperature effect of the water outlet of the water heater 1000 in application scenarios such as fluctuations in the water use environment and secondary start and stop of the water heater 1000, thereby improving the constant temperature performance of the water heater 1000; and the bypass flow control unit 100 can also effectively reduce the temperature difference between the cold water pipe 230 and the hot water pipe 220 of the heat exchanger 200, reduce the generation of condensed water, and thus improve the service life of the heat exchanger 200 and the water heater 1000. In addition, since the second bypass channel 12 of the bypass flow control unit 100 is always kept in a normally open state, it can be ensured that the water heater 1000 has a certain bypass water mixing function in any usage scenario. At the same time, it can also avoid the bypass water mixing function from failing when the bypass control valve 20 cannot open the first bypass channel 11 due to a malfunction. In this way, the constant temperature performance of the water heater 1000 can be made more stable.

[0067] like Figure 8As shown, in one embodiment, the water heater 1000 further includes a main flow control unit 500 disposed on the water inlet pipe 300, the main flow control unit 500 is electrically connected to the controller, and the main flow control unit 500 is used to regulate the water flow delivered from the water inlet pipe 300 toward the heat exchanger 200. The main control valve 52 component can regulate the water flow delivered to the heat exchanger 200 according to the instructions of the controller, thereby realizing the regulation of the main water flow to meet different usage scenarios.

[0068] Please combine Fig. 9 In one embodiment, the main flow control unit 500 includes a main water channel and a main control valve 52. The main water channel includes a first main channel 511 and a second main channel 512 arranged in parallel, both of which are connected to the water inlet end of the heat exchanger 200; the main control valve 52 is arranged in the first main channel 511, and the main control valve 52 is used to open or close the first main channel 511.

[0069] In this embodiment, the main water channel for conveying water to the heat exchanger 200 includes a first main channel 511 (eg, Fig. 9 a~f~e channels shown in ), and the normally open channel formed by the second main channel 512 (such as Fig. 9 In this way, the flow rate of the entire main water channel formed by the combination of the first main channel 511 and the second main channel 512 can be controlled by only controlling the opening and closing of the first main channel 511 through the main control valve 52. For example, when it is necessary to increase the flow rate of the main water channel, the main control valve 52 controls the first main channel 511 to open, and at this time, the first main channel 511 and the second main channel 512 simultaneously carry out water flow transportation; when it is necessary to reduce the flow rate of the main water channel, the main control valve 52 controls the first main channel 511 to close, and at this time, only the second main channel 512 carries out water flow transportation. In addition, in this embodiment, the main water channel includes an adjustable channel (i.e., the first main channel 511) controlled by the main control valve 52, and a normally open channel (i.e., the second main channel 512), and the bypass channel includes an adjustable channel (i.e., the first bypass channel 11) controlled by the bypass control valve 20, and a normally open channel (i.e., the second bypass channel 12), so that the water flow rates of the main water channel and the bypass channel can be adjusted. By coordinating the control of the main water channel and the bypass channel, the water heater 1000 can meet more application scenarios and further improve the constant temperature performance of the water heater 1000.

[0070] There are many specific construction methods for the first main road channel 511 and the second main road channel 512. For example, the main road flow control unit 500 may include a main road valve body 51, and the first main road channel 511 and the second main road channel 512 are constructed inside the main road valve body 51; for another example, the main road flow control unit 500 may include a first tube body and a second tube body that are independent of each other, the first tube body has the first main road channel 511 constructed inside, and the second tube body has the second main road channel 512 constructed inside, and the main road control valve 52 is arranged on the second tube body. Of course, the two ends of one of the first tube body and the second tube body can also be connected and conducted with the other tube body respectively to realize the parallel connection of the first main road channel 511 and the second main road channel 512, which is not specifically limited here.

[0071] Optionally, the structure of the main control valve 52 is similar to that of the bypass control valve 20. For example, both the main control valve 52 and the bypass control valve 20 use solenoid valves, which may specifically include a drive 21, a push rod 22, a support 23, and a seal 24. Optionally, the main control valve 52 uses a normally open solenoid valve. When the main control valve 52 is energized, the push rod 22 of the main control valve 52 together with the support 23 drives the seal 24 to move to the extreme position to close the first main channel 511, that is, to meet the hot water temperature requirement. The bypass control valve 20 uses a normally closed solenoid valve. When the bypass control valve 20 is energized, the push rod 22 of the bypass control valve 20 together with the support 23 drives the seal 24 to move to the extreme position to open the first bypass channel 11, that is, to meet the requirement of reducing the secondary start-stop temperature rise.

[0072] like Fig. 9 As shown, in one embodiment, the main flow control unit 500 further includes a flow stabilizing device 53 electrically connected to the controller, and the flow stabilizing device 53 is disposed in the second main channel 512, or the flow stabilizing device 53 is disposed upstream of the intersection of the water inlet end of the first main channel 511 and the water inlet end of the second main channel 512. Fig. 9 As shown, the flow stabilizing device 53 can be set between a and e, or the flow stabilizing device 53 can be set between the cold water inlet end and point a. When the inlet flow rate and inlet temperature fluctuate, the flow stabilizing device 53 first acts to stabilize the pressure, which can play a certain role in stabilizing the flow.

[0073] like Fig. 9 As shown, in one embodiment, the main flow control unit 500 also includes a temperature sensor 54 and a flow sensor 55 electrically connected to the controller respectively, the temperature sensor 54 is used to detect the inlet water temperature of the main water channel, and the flow sensor 55 is used to detect the inlet water flow of the main water channel.

[0074] In this embodiment, when the water heater 1000 is working, the temperature sensor 54 detects the water inlet temperature of the main water channel and feeds back to the controller, and the flow sensor 55 detects the water inlet flow of the main water channel and feeds back to the controller. The controller uses the collected water inlet temperature and water inlet flow as basic parameters, and can control the working state of each control valve of the water heater 1000 through logical calculation to ensure constant temperature performance. Taking the gas water heater 1000 as an example, the controller adjusts the gas proportional valve opening through logical calculation according to the basic parameters to ensure constant water outlet temperature. On this basis, when the gas proportional valve opening adjustment reaches the adjustment limit, the controller controls the bypass control valve 20 to control the flow of the first bypass channel 11, so as to achieve a better water outlet constant temperature effect in two ways. Among them, the flow sensor 55 can specifically use a rotor and a Hall element to realize flow detection, or it can also realize flow detection through other forms of sensors; the temperature sensor 54 can specifically use a thermocouple temperature sensor 54, or a thermistor temperature sensor 54, etc., which are not specifically limited here.

[0075] Considering the convenience of practical application, Figure 7 and Fig. 9 As shown, in one embodiment, the main flow control unit 500 also includes a main valve body 51, and the main valve body 51 is provided with a water inlet port 501, and a water outlet port 502 and a bypass port 503 respectively connected to the water inlet port 501, the main valve body 51 is internally constructed with the first main channel 511 and the second main channel 512, the first main channel 511 and the second main channel 512 are arranged in parallel between the water inlet port 501 and the water outlet port 502, the water outlet port 502 is connected to the heat exchanger 200 via the water inlet pipe 300, the water inlet end of the first bypass channel 11 and the water inlet end of the second bypass channel 12 are both connected to the bypass port 503, and the main control valve 52 is installed on the main valve body 51.

[0076] In this embodiment, when the water heater 1000 is working, cold water enters the main valve body 51 through the water inlet port 501, a part of the cold water is delivered to the heat exchanger 200 through the water outlet port 502 to achieve heat exchange, and the other part of the cold water is delivered to the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 of the bypass valve body 10 through the bypass port 503 and then delivered to the outlet pipe 400 to achieve bypass water mixing. And the water flow through the main water channel is regulated by the main control valve 52, so as to achieve the regulation of the water flow delivered to the heat exchanger 200. In addition, by adjusting the flow of the bypass channel in combination with the bypass control valve 20, the water heater 1000 can meet different application scenarios, and at the same time, the constant temperature performance and service life of the water heater 1000 can be improved.

[0077] like Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, in one embodiment, the water inlet end of the first bypass channel 11 and the water inlet end of the second bypass channel 12 intersect and are connected to the bypass port 503 through a connecting pipe 600; and / or, the water outlet end of the first bypass channel 11 and the water outlet end of the second bypass channel 12 intersect and are connected to the water outlet pipe 400 through a connecting pipe 600.

[0078] In this embodiment, the first bypass channel 11 and the second bypass channel 12 can be integrated into the bypass valve body 10, the water inlet end of the first bypass channel 11 and the water inlet end of the second bypass channel 12 meet to form a bypass water inlet 101, the water outlet end of the first bypass channel 11 and the water outlet end of the second bypass channel 12 meet to form a bypass water outlet 102, the bypass water inlet 101 is connected and conducted with the bypass port 503 through the connecting pipe 600, and the bypass water outlet 102 is connected and conducted with the outlet pipe 400 through the connecting pipe 600. Among them, the specific material and connection method of the connecting pipe 600 can be selected according to actual needs. The connecting pipe 600 can be a hard pipe or a hose, and its material can be metal or plastic. In addition, the connecting pipe 600 and the corresponding port are connected and fixed by means of, but not limited to, a latch, a buckle, a retaining ring, a screw fastening, etc. In this embodiment, the bypass flow control unit 100 and the main flow control unit 500 are separately set, and the two are connected by a connecting pipe 600. In other embodiments, the bypass flow control unit 100 and the main flow control unit 500 may also be integrated into one.

[0079] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural changes made by using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bypass flow control unit for a water heater, the water heater having a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe, characterized in that: The bypass flow control unit comprises: A first bypass channel, used for connecting the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe; A second bypass channel, used for connecting the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe; and A bypass control valve is provided in the first bypass channel, and the bypass control valve is used to regulate the water flow through the first bypass channel.

2. The bypass flow control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bypass control valve is used to open or close the first bypass channel to achieve water flow control; and / or, the bypass control valve is also used to adjust the flow cross-sectional opening of the first bypass channel in the conducting state to achieve water flow control.

3. The bypass flow control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bypass flow control unit also includes a bypass valve body, which is provided with a bypass water inlet and a bypass water outlet. The first bypass channel and the second bypass channel are constructed inside the bypass valve body. The first bypass channel and the second bypass channel are arranged in parallel between the bypass water inlet and the bypass water outlet. The bypass control valve is installed on the bypass valve body.

4. The bypass flow control unit according to claim 3, characterized in that: The bypass valve body is provided with a first water outlet and a second water outlet, the bypass water inlet, the first water outlet and the bypass water outlet are connected to form the first bypass channel, the bypass water inlet, the second water outlet and the bypass water outlet are connected to form the second bypass channel, and the bypass control valve is used to open or close the first water outlet.

5. The bypass flow control unit according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bypass control valve includes a driving member, a push rod and a sealing member. The driving member is drivingly connected to the push rod. The push rod is extended toward the first water outlet. The sealing member is connected to one end of the push rod close to the first water outlet. The driving member is used to drive the push rod to perform telescopic movement to drive the sealing member to open or close the first water outlet.

6. The bypass flow control unit according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cross-sectional area of ​​the second water outlet is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first water outlet.

7. The bypass flow control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The bypass control valve adopts a solenoid valve.

8. A water heater, characterized in that: include: Controller; Heat exchangers; a water inlet pipe, connected to the water inlet end of the heat exchanger; A water outlet pipe, connected to the water outlet end of the heat exchanger; as well as According to the bypass flow control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the first bypass channel and the second bypass channel are connected in parallel between the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe, and the bypass control valve is electrically connected to the controller.

9. The water heater according to claim 8, characterized in that The water inlet pipe is provided with a main flow control unit, which is electrically connected to the controller and is used to regulate the water flow delivered by the water inlet pipe toward the heat exchanger.

10. The water heater according to claim 9, characterized in that The main road flow control unit comprises: A main water channel, including a first main channel and a second main channel arranged in parallel, both of which are connected to the water inlet end of the heat exchanger; and A main control valve is provided in the first main channel, and the main control valve is used to open or close the first main channel.

11. The water heater according to claim 10, characterized in that The main flow control unit also includes a flow stabilizing device electrically connected to the controller, and the flow stabilizing device is arranged in the second main channel, or the flow stabilizing device is arranged upstream of the intersection of the water inlet end of the first main channel and the water inlet end of the second main channel.

12. The water heater according to claim 10, characterized in that The main flow control unit also includes a temperature sensor and a flow sensor electrically connected to the controller respectively, the temperature sensor is used to detect the water inlet temperature of the main water channel, and the flow sensor is used to detect the water inlet flow of the main water channel.

13. The water heater according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that: The main flow control unit also includes a main valve body, which is provided with a water inlet port, and a water outlet port and a bypass port respectively connected to the water inlet port, the first main channel and the second main channel are constructed inside the main valve body, the first main channel and the second main channel are arranged in parallel between the water inlet port and the water outlet port, the water outlet port is connected to the heat exchanger via the water inlet pipe, the water inlet end of the first bypass channel and the water inlet end of the second bypass channel are both connected to the bypass port, and the main control valve is installed on the main valve body.

14. The water heater according to claim 13, characterized in that The water inlet end of the first bypass channel and the water inlet end of the second bypass channel meet and are connected to the bypass port through a connecting pipe; and / or the water outlet end of the first bypass channel and the water outlet end of the second bypass channel meet and are connected to the water outlet pipe through a connecting pipe.

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