Water heater and inner container thereof

Abstract

The utility model discloses a water heater and an inner container of the water heater. The inner container of the water heater comprises a container body, the liner body is filled with a phase change medium dispersed with nucleating agent particles, and the particle size of the nucleating agent particles is a predetermined size; the water heater inner container further comprises a heat exchange assembly. The heat exchange assembly comprises a plurality of fins and heat exchange tubes, the plurality of fins are fixed in the liner body at preset intervals, mounting holes are formed in the fins, and the heat exchange tubes are arranged in the fins in a penetrating manner through the mounting holes; the preset distance between the multiple fins is 1.5 times to 5 times of the preset size. According to the water heater and the inner container thereof, the preset distance between every two adjacent fins in the inner container is improved, the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater can be improved, and therefore the hot water supply capacity of the water heater is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of water heaters, in particular to a water heater and an inner tank thereof. Background Art

[0002] Existing water heaters mainly include: gas water heaters, solar water heaters, air energy heat pump water heaters and electric water heaters. Among them, electric water heaters are water heaters that use electricity as energy for heating. Most electric water heaters use water storage heating, which mainly includes: a water storage tank, an anode rod for preventing corrosion of the tank, an electric heating component for heating the water in the tank, and other supporting equipment. Affected by the size of the user's bathroom and the installation environment, the volume of the commonly used electric water heater tank is generally not more than 100L. For example, the more common household electric water heaters on the market are electric water heaters with a capacity of 60L. This type of electric water heater has a limited duration of continuous hot water supply, and users generally report that there is not enough hot water.

[0003] In order to improve the heat storage capacity of water heaters, the industry has begun to use phase change materials to replace part of the water to store heat, and proposed a double-tank water heater, that is, the water heater includes both a water storage tank and a tank filled with phase change materials.

[0004] Furthermore, in some inner tanks filled with phase change materials, nucleating agent particles are added to the phase change medium to induce crystallization of the phase change medium to improve heat exchange efficiency. The material formed by adding nucleating agent particles to the phase change medium (or phase change material) can still be called phase change medium (or phase change material); or, it can also be called composite phase change medium (or composite phase change material).

[0005] However, the applicant has found that the phase change medium with dispersed nucleating agent particles cannot be dispersed stably and evenly in the phase change medium. The nucleating agent particles tend to gradually settle downward during use, which results in the upper phase change material not having enough nucleating agent particles for effective crystallization.

[0006] How to further optimize the inner tank of water heaters filled with phase change materials and improve heat exchange efficiency is one of the long-term directions that need to be tackled in the field of water heaters. Utility Model Content

[0007] The utility model provides a water heater and an inner tank thereof, which can improve the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater by improving the predetermined distance between two adjacent fins in the inner tank, thereby improving the ability of the water heater to supply hot water.

[0008] The specific technical solution of the implementation mode of the utility model is:

[0009] A water heater inner tank, the water heater inner tank comprising: a tank body; a phase change medium in which nucleating agent particles are dispersed, the particle size of the nucleating agent particles being a predetermined size; the water heater inner tank further comprising: a heat exchange component; the heat exchange component comprising fins and heat exchange tubes, the number of the fins being multiple, the multiple fins being fixed to the tank body at predetermined intervals, the fins being provided with mounting holes, the heat exchange tubes being passed through the mounting holes and being arranged in the fins; the predetermined interval between the multiple fins is 1.5 to 5 times the predetermined size.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the nucleating agent particles are non-metallic particles.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the nucleating agent particles are cellulose particles.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, when the particle size of the nucleating agent particles is between 1 mm and 2 mm, the predetermined spacing is between 2 mm and 10 mm.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined spacing is 2-3 times the particle size of the nucleating agent particles.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, when the predetermined size of the nucleating agent particles is between 1.5 mm and 2 mm, the predetermined spacing is between 4 mm and 8 mm.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the fins are discontinuously connected to the inner surface of the bladder body.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, an opening is formed between the inner surface of the bladder body and the edge of the fin.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, a notch is provided at the edge of the fin, and the notch is used to form the opening with the inner surface of the bladder body.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, there are multiple notches, and the edge of the fin between two adjacent notches is connected to the inner surface of the bladder body.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the edge of the fin is fixedly connected to the inner surface of the bladder body by welding.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, a gap and a connecting portion are provided between the edge of the fin and the inner surface of the bladder body, the connecting portions are distributed in the gap at intervals, and the gap between the connecting portions forms the opening.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the connection portion and the fin are integrally formed or the connection portion and the edge of the fin are fixedly connected by welding.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the connection portion and the gallbladder body are integrally formed or the connection portion and the inner surface of the gallbladder body are fixedly connected by welding.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the fin is perpendicular to the end plate of the gallbladder body; or, the fin is parallel to the end plate of the gallbladder body; or, the fin is arranged at a certain angle to the end plate of the gallbladder body.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the angle between the fin and the end plate of the bladder body is 0-90 degrees.

[0025] A water heater comprises any of the above-mentioned water heater inner tanks.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the water heater further comprises: a water tank for containing water, wherein a heating element for heating water is arranged in the water tank, and a connecting pipeline is arranged between the water tank and the water heater tank, wherein the connecting pipeline connects the water tank and the water heater tank in series and / or in parallel.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, when the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater inner tank is between 40% and 90%, the mass ratio of the phase change medium in the water heater inner tank to the water in the water tank is between 2.8 and 0.9, and the heat exchange efficiency is inversely proportional to the mass ratio.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, when the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater inner tank is between 80% and 90%, the mass ratio of the phase change medium in the water heater inner tank to the water in the water tank is between 1.5 and 0.9.

[0029] The technical solution of the utility model has the following significant beneficial effects:

[0030] The phase change medium in the embodiment of the present application has nucleating agent particles dispersed therein, which can induce crystallization, improve the supercooling problem of the phase change medium, increase the nucleation rate, effectively improve the crystallization efficiency, and solve the problem that the heat stored in the material after the phase change cannot be released in time.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present application, by controlling the fin spacing so that the fin spacing is 1.5 to 5 times the particle size of the nucleating agent particles, the van der Waals force is cleverly used to allow the nucleating agent particles to be uniformly and stably suspended in the phase change medium between the fins, and will not accumulate at the bottom of the inner tank during use. When the nucleating agent particles can be uniformly and stably dispersed in the phase change medium in a suspended state, the thermal resistance problem between the phase change material and the heat exchanger is better solved, and the heat transfer inside the phase change material is improved, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater.

[0032] With reference to the following description and drawings, specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in detail, indicating the manner in which the principles of the present invention can be adopted. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited in scope. Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the embodiments of the present invention include many changes, modifications and equivalents. Features described and / or shown for one embodiment can be used in one or more other embodiments in the same or similar manner, combined with features in other embodiments, or replace features in other embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The drawings described herein are only for explanation purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. In addition, the shapes and proportional dimensions of the components in the drawings are only for illustration purposes to help understand the present invention, and are not intended to specifically limit the shapes and proportional dimensions of the components of the present invention. Under the guidance of the present invention, those skilled in the art can select various possible shapes and proportional dimensions to implement the present invention according to specific circumstances.

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a water heater tank provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A front view of a water heater tank provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A BB cross-sectional view of a water heater tank provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the cooperation between the fins and the tank body of a water heater provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a fin in a water heater tank provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 6A schematic diagram of the structure of a water heater provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the water connection between a water tank and a phase change tank of a water heater provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0041] Reference numerals of the present application:

[0042] 100. Phase change gall;

[0043] 1. Gallbladder body; 11. End plate;

[0044] 2. fin; 20. notch; 21. mounting hole; 22. flow hole; 23. connection part;

[0045] 3. Heat exchange tube;

[0046] 4. Nucleating agent particles;

[0047] 200, water gall;

[0048] 5. Waterway switching device;

[0049] 6. Connect the pipeline. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention and are not used to limit the scope of the present invention. After reading the present invention, various equivalent forms of modifications to the present invention by those skilled in the art fall within the scope defined by the claims attached to this application.

[0051] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be the only implementation method.

[0052] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used herein in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0053] The utility model provides a water heater and an inner tank thereof. By improving the predetermined distance between two adjacent fins in the inner tank, the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater can be improved, thereby improving the ability of the water heater to supply hot water.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the embodiment of the specification of the present application, a water heater inner tank is provided, and the water heater inner tank may mainly include: a tank body 1 and a heat exchange component. The tank body 1 is filled with a phase change medium in which nucleating agent particles 4 are dispersed, and the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4 is a predetermined size. The heat exchange component includes fins 2 and heat exchange tubes 3. There are multiple fins 2, and the multiple fins 2 are fixed in the tank body 1 at predetermined intervals. A mounting hole 21 is provided on the fin 2, and the heat exchange tube 3 is inserted into the fin 2 through the mounting hole 21. At least part of the nucleating agent particles 4 are dispersed between the fins 2.

[0055] In this embodiment, the inner tank of the water heater mainly refers to a phase change tank 100, which has a tank body 1 for filling a phase change material. A phase change material refers to a substance that changes shape with temperature and provides latent heat. The phase change material described in the embodiment of this specification refers to a substance that can store more heat per unit volume than water. By using a phase change material to store heat in a part of the space in the water heater, the water heater can store more heat in advance without changing its volume, so that the water heater can provide a larger amount of hot water to the user and provide hot water for a longer time.

[0056] The inner tank of the water heater may include a hollow tank body 1, which may extend longitudinally along a first direction, and end plates 11 are provided at both ends of the tank body 1 in the extending direction of the tank body 1 (i.e., the first direction). Specifically, the end plates 11 may be sealed and fixed to both ends of the tank body 1 by welding or the like.

[0057] The end plate 11 as a whole can be a plate-like body with a certain thickness, and its outer contour shape can match the cross section of the water heater inner tank perpendicular to the first direction. For example, the cross section of the water heater inner tank perpendicular to the first direction is saddle-shaped, and the outer contour shape of the end plate 11 can also be saddle-shaped. Of course, the cross section of the water heater inner tank perpendicular to the first direction can also be other shapes and structures, and is not limited to the above description. Technicians in the relevant field may make other changes inspired by the technical essence of this application, but as long as the functions and effects achieved are the same or similar to those of this application, they should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

[0058] The interior of the gallbladder body 1 may be provided with a heat exchange component. The heat exchange component may include fins 2 and heat exchange tubes 3. Water to be heated may flow inside the heat exchange tubes 3. The fins 2 may include a plate-like body having a certain thickness. The body of the fins 2 is provided with mounting holes 21, and the heat exchange tubes 3 are inserted into the fins 2 through the mounting holes 21. The number of the mounting holes 21 may be determined according to the number of the heat exchange tubes 3, and specifically, the present application does not make any special limitation here. By providing the fins 2, support force can be provided for the heat exchange tubes 3 to prevent them from being deformed during use; in addition, the contact area between the heat exchange tubes 3 and the phase change material can be increased by using the fins 2, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0059] The fins 2 may be fixed on the inner wall of the gallbladder body 1. Specifically, the number of the fins 2 may be multiple, and the multiple fins 2 may be arranged at intervals along a predetermined direction. The multiple fins 2 may be fixed in the gallbladder body 1 at intervals along the predetermined direction at a predetermined spacing.

[0060] In one embodiment, the fin 2 is perpendicular to the end plate 11 of the gallbladder body 1; or, the fin 2 is parallel to the end plate 11 of the gallbladder body 1; or, the fin 2 is arranged at a certain angle to the end plate 11 of the gallbladder body 1.

[0061] like Figure 3 As shown, the surface where the end plate 11 of the body 1 is located can be perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the longitudinal extension direction of the body 1. At this time, the surface where the fin 2 is located can be parallel or nearly parallel to the surface where the end plate 11 of the body 1 is located, that is, perpendicular to the longitudinal extension direction of the body 1. The outer contour shape of the fin 2 can match the cross-section of the body 1 perpendicular to the first direction. For example, the cross-section of the water heater inner tank perpendicular to the first direction is saddle-shaped, and the outer contour shape of the fin 2 can also be saddle-shaped. Of course, the cross-section of the water heater inner tank perpendicular to the first direction can also be other shapes, and is not limited to the above description. Technicians in the relevant field may make other changes inspired by the technical essence of this application, but as long as the functions and effects achieved are the same or similar to those of this application, they should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

[0062] When the fins 2 are perpendicular to the end plate 11 of the body 1 , the direction in which the fins 2 are arranged can be consistent with the extending direction of the heat exchange tube 3 , that is, the direction in which the fins 2 are arranged can be the first direction.

[0063] The concepts of verticality and parallelism described in the above embodiments are all relatively verticality and parallelism defined within the range allowed by the manufacturing tolerance. Taking the fin 2 as a flat plate as an example, the surface where the fin 2 is located can be any surface along the thickness direction. Taking the end plate 11 as a flat plate as an example, the surface where the end plate 11 is located can be any surface along the thickness direction.

[0064] The fin 2 is parallel to the end plate 11 of the gallbladder body 1, specifically, the surface where the fin 2 is located can be parallel to the surface where the end plate 11 of the gallbladder body 1 is located. The fin 2 and the end plate 11 of the gallbladder body 1 are arranged at a certain angle, specifically, the surface where the fin 2 is located and the surface where the end plate 11 of the gallbladder body 1 are located form a certain angle. Specifically, the angle between the fin 2 and the end plate 11 of the gallbladder body 1 can be selected between 0-90 degrees, and the specific value of the angle is not specifically limited in this application. In the embodiment of the present application, the angle between the fin 2 and the end plate 11 of the gallbladder body 1 is mainly Figure 3 The parallel or nearly parallel relationship shown is for illustration purposes only.

[0065] The number of the fins 2 can be multiple, and the multiple fins 2 can be fixed at a certain distance in the bladder body 1. The specific number of the fins 2 can vary according to actual installation requirements, heat exchange requirements, etc., and this application does not make a specific limitation here.

[0066] When the fins 2 are arranged in the gallbladder body 1, they can be evenly distributed along the first direction. In addition, a group of fins 2 can be arranged at one or several positions along the first direction. A group of fins 2 can include a plurality of fins 2 arranged at intervals along the first direction.

[0067] The fin 2 is also provided with a plurality of flow holes 22 for flowing the phase change medium. Specifically, there may be a plurality of flow holes 22, and two adjacent flow holes 22 may be distributed on the fin 2 at a certain distance.

[0068] In this embodiment, the phase change medium can be dispersed in a cavity formed between the gallbladder body 1 and the components (including heat exchange components, etc.) in the gallbladder body 1.

[0069] The phenomenon that a liquid temperature is lower than the freezing point but still does not solidify or crystallize is called supercooling.

[0070] The data disclosed in the prior art show that some phase change materials, such as inorganic hydrated salts, have a strong degree of supercooling. This will affect the discharge performance of the heat stored in such media. If the supercooling is serious, the stored heat will not be released in time. Specifically, the supercooling of the phase change material can be reduced to zero by adding a nucleating agent.

[0071] In the embodiment of the present application, nucleating agent particles 4 are dispersed in the phase change medium. The main functions of the nucleating agent particles 4 are known, specifically: by changing the crystallization behavior of the phase change medium, the crystallization rate is accelerated, the crystallization density is increased, and the grain size is miniaturized.

[0072] By adding a certain amount of nucleating agent particles 4 to the phase change medium, the nucleating agent particles 4 can be used to induce the crystallization of the phase change medium, so that the temperature of the liquid supercooled phase change medium returns to the freezing point, thereby solving the problem that the phase change medium cannot crystallize when reaching a certain temperature due to supercooling, and improving the energy storage and heat exchange efficiency of the water heater tank.

[0073] That is to say, since the nucleating agent particles 4 are uniformly and stably dispersed in the phase change medium in the embodiment of the present application, crystallization can be induced, the supercooling problem of the phase change medium can be improved, the nucleation rate can be increased, the crystallization efficiency can be effectively improved, and the problem that the heat stored in the material after the phase change cannot be released in time can be solved.

[0074] According to the main material, phase change materials (medium) can be divided into inorganic phase change materials and organic phase change materials. Among them, inorganic hydrated salt system, as a kind of inorganic phase change material, has a wide range of application prospects due to its advantages such as high phase change latent heat and low cost.

[0075] However, inorganic hydrated salts have disadvantages such as phase separation, supercooling, corrosiveness and low thermal conductivity, which seriously restrict their practical application. Therefore, how to inhibit phase separation, reduce supercooling, reduce corrosiveness and improve the thermal conductivity of materials is crucial for the practical application of phase change materials.

[0076] At present, one way is to introduce a thickener to capture water molecules, prevent water molecules from escaping from the inorganic salt, increase the viscosity of the system, and reduce the degree of phase separation. In addition, as mentioned above, the introduction of nucleating agent particles 4 can be used to reduce the crystallization activation energy of the inorganic hydrated salt and induce the crystallization of the hydrated salt. A good nucleating agent can effectively inhibit the supercooling degree.

[0077] However, as the phase change material is used for a long time, phase separation will inevitably occur. The nucleating agent particles 4 will gradually settle in the solid phase and continue to sink. This results in the upper phase change material not having enough nucleating agent particles 4 for effective crystallization, further increasing the degree of phase separation and aggravating the failure of the material.

[0078] Whether it is an organic or inorganic phase change material, a more complex heat exchanger structure is required during use due to the lower thermal conductivity. In order for the energy of the material to reach the demand end effectively, it needs to go through four steps: heat transfer inside the phase change material, heat exchange between the material and the surface of the heat exchanger, heat transfer in the heat exchanger, and heat exchange between the heat exchanger and the heat exchange medium. The heat transfer between the heat exchanger and the heat exchange medium is generally much greater than the phase change material itself, so the greatest resistance to heat transfer comes from heat transfer inside the phase change material and at the interface between the phase change material and the heat exchanger.

[0079] The heat transfer inside the material can be improved by designing a heat conduction mechanism (such as fins 2) or increasing the heat exchange unit of the heat exchanger (such as the number and surface area of ​​the heat exchange tubes 3). However, there is currently no good solution to the thermal resistance between the phase change material and the heat exchanger.

[0080] In this embodiment, at least part of the nucleating agent particles 4 in the phase change medium are dispersed between the fins 2. By reasonably controlling the spacing between the fins 2 and the size of the nucleating agent particles 4, the nucleating agent particles 4 can be uniformly and stably dispersed between two adjacent fins 2 in a suspended state. When the nucleating agent particles 4 with a predetermined size are dispersed between the fins 2 with a predetermined spacing, the nucleating agent particles 4 can be uniformly suspended in the gallbladder body 1 in a stable state without being easily deposited.

[0081] Specifically, the nucleating agent particles 4 are non-metallic particles. Generally, the density of non-metallic particles is lower than that of metal particles, and the cost is also lower. Non-metallic particles with lower density can be more evenly and stably dispersed in the phase change medium in a suspended state, and are not easy to deposit.

[0082] Furthermore, the nucleating agent particles 4 are cellulose particles. When the nucleating agent particles 4 are cellulose particles, the cellulose particles float in the phase change medium in a filamentous form, and the filamentous structure can form a mesh support for its own gravity, so that the nucleating agent particles 4 can be evenly and stably dispersed in the phase change medium in a suspended state, and are not easy to settle.

[0083] When the nucleating agent particles 4 can be stably dispersed in the phase change medium in a suspended state, the thermal resistance problem between the phase change material and the heat exchanger is better solved, and the heat transfer inside the phase change material is improved, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater.

[0084] In one embodiment, the fins 2 are fixed in the gallbladder body 1 at a predetermined interval, and the predetermined interval is 1.5-5 times the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4.

[0085] When the distance between two adjacent fins 2 is 1.5 to 5 times the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4 , it can be ensured that the nucleating agent particles 4 are evenly and stably dispersed between the fins 2 without settling.

[0086] Among them, for the nucleating agent particles 4, their particle size is a predetermined size. Specifically, the predetermined size can be a known numerical range. The present application does not make a unique numerical limitation here. As for the nucleating agent particles 4 themselves, they are irregular in shape. Generally, the aspect ratio of the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4 does not exceed 1.5. In order to ensure that the nucleating agent particles 4 can smoothly enter between the two fins 2 and are not easily stuck between the two fins 2, the predetermined spacing between the fins 2 can be set to be greater than 1.5 times the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4. In addition, the spacing between two adjacent fins 2 needs to be controlled within 5 times the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4. Specifically, when the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4 is between 1 mm and 2 mm; the predetermined spacing is between 2 mm and 10 mm. For example, when the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4 is 1 mm, the maximum distance between two adjacent fins 4 can be 5 mm; when the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4 is 2 mm, the minimum distance between two adjacent fins 4 can be 3 mm and the maximum distance can be 10 mm.

[0087] When the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4 is between 1 mm and 2 mm, in order to maintain the nucleating agent particles 4 in a stable suspended state, the distance between two adjacent fins 2 is preferably between 4 mm and 8 mm.

[0088] In a specific embodiment, the predetermined spacing is 2-3 times the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4 .

[0089] As a further optimization of the above embodiment, the predetermined spacing between two adjacent fins 2 may be 2-4 times the particle size of the nucleating agent particles 4 , so that the nucleating agent particles 4 maintain a stable suspension state.

[0090] Specifically, the predetermined size of the nucleating agent particles 4 may be between 1.5 mm and 2 mm; when the predetermined size of the nucleating agent particles 4 may be between 1.5 mm and 2 mm, the predetermined spacing between two adjacent fins 2 may be between 4 mm and 8 mm. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the fin 2 is discontinuously connected to the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1.

[0091] In this embodiment, the edge of the fin 2 can be intermittently connected to the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1. The intermittent connection can ensure that the fin 2 maintains a fixed state in the gallbladder body 1; in addition, the unconnected position between the fin 2 and the gallbladder body 1 can form a flow port for circulating the phase change medium.

[0092] Specifically, an opening is formed between the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1 and the edge of the fin 2, and the opening can be used as a flow port for circulating the phase change medium. The phase change medium can flow through the flow port, which can improve the efficiency of the phase change material canning and improve the uniformity of the temperature of the heat exchange medium in the gallbladder body 1. Among them, the shape, structure, size, etc. of the flow port can be different according to the structure, size, parameters, etc. of the gallbladder body 1, and this application does not make specific limitations here.

[0093] In a specific embodiment, a notch 20 is provided on the edge of the fin 2 , and the notch 20 is used to form the opening with the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1 .

[0094] In this embodiment, the edge of the fin 2 may be intermittently provided with a plurality of notches 20 along the direction of the outer contour. Specifically, the notch 20 may be in the form of a rectangular or quasi-rectangular groove, and an arc transition may be provided at the intersection of two adjacent edges. Of course, the specific structure of the notch 20 may also be in other forms, and is not limited to the above description. A person skilled in the art may make other changes under the guidance of the technical essence of this application, but as long as the functions and effects achieved are the same or similar to those of this application, they shall be included in the protection scope of this application.

[0095] There are multiple notches 20, and the edge of the fin 2 between two adjacent notches 20 is connected to the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1. Figure 5 As shown, overall, the notches 20 can be evenly spaced along the edge of the fin 2, and the edge of the fin 2 between two adjacent notches 20 can be connected to the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1, so as to achieve reliable fixation of the fin 2 on the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1. Specifically, the edge of the fin 2 is fixedly connected to the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1 by welding. The specific method of welding can be local spot welding, such as Figure 4 As shown, the edge of the fin 2 can be coated with solder between the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1 at the non-notch 20 position to achieve welding. The fin 2 and the gallbladder body 1 are fixed by welding, so that the fin 2 and the gallbladder body 1 form a whole, which can improve the strength of the gallbladder body 1 to a certain extent. In particular, the strength of the gallbladder body 1 can be maintained when the wall thickness of the fin 2 and the gallbladder body 1 is relatively thin, preventing the gallbladder body 1 from deforming.

[0096] In one embodiment, a gap and a connecting portion 23 are provided between the edge of the fin 2 and the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1 , the connecting portions 23 are distributed at intervals in the gap, and the gaps between the connecting portions 23 form the opening.

[0097] In this embodiment, the edge of the fin 2 and the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1 may be connected via spaced connection parts 23 , and the opening is formed by the gaps between the connection parts 23 .

[0098] The connection part 23 can be integrally formed with the fin 2, or the connection part 23 can be fixedly connected to the edge of the fin 2 by welding. Alternatively, the connection part 23 can be integrally formed with the gallbladder body 1, or the connection part 23 can be fixedly connected to the inner surface of the gallbladder body 1 by welding.

[0099] The specific shape and structure of the connection part 23 are not specifically limited in this application. In addition, the connection part 23 can be a welding part with a certain size. When the edge of the fin 2 is intermittently welded to the gallbladder body 1, the connection part 23 can be formed at the welding position, and a gap can be formed at the non-welding position.

[0100] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 In an embodiment of the present application, a water heater is also provided, and the water heater includes the above-mentioned water heater inner tank. The water heater can achieve the technical effect achieved by the water heater inner tank embodiment by setting the water heater inner tank. For details, please refer to the specific description of the above-mentioned embodiment, and the present application will not repeat them here.

[0101] In one embodiment, the water heater may further include: a water container 200 for containing water, a heating element for heating water is arranged in the water container 200, a connecting pipe 6 is arranged between the water container 200 and the water heater inner container, and the connecting pipe 6 connects the water container 200 and the water heater inner container in series and / or in parallel.

[0102] In this embodiment, the water heater may further include a water container 200 for containing water, and a heating element for heating water is disposed in the water container 200. The form of the heating element may vary according to different actual usage scenarios. For example, when the water heater is an electric water heater, the heating element may be an electric heating element, for example, in the form of an electric heating rod.

[0103] Part of the outer wall surface of the water heater inner tank (hereinafter referred to as phase change tank 100) described in the above embodiment wraps part of the water tank 200. The outer wall of the phase change tank 100 facing the water tank 200 can wrap the water tank 200, so that the gap space between the phase change tank 100 and the water tank 200 can be fully utilized, for example, the gap space between the two can be converted into the volume of the phase change tank 100 accommodating the phase change medium.

[0104] like Figure 6 As shown, the cross section of the water bladder 200 may be circular, the cross section of the phase change bladder 100 may be saddle-shaped, and a portion of the surface of the phase change bladder 100 may be consistent with the outer arc shape of the phase change bladder 100, thereby partially wrapping the water bladder 200.

[0105] In one embodiment, a connecting pipe 6 is provided between the water container 200 and the inner container of the water heater, and the connecting pipe 6 connects the water container 200 and the inner container of the water heater in series and / or in parallel.

[0106] like Figure 7 As shown, the connecting pipeline 6 may be provided with a water circuit switching device 5, through which a plurality of interfaces may be included, for example, the water circuit switching device 5 may include: a first interface for communicating with the water supply pipeline, a second interface for communicating with the outlet of the heat exchange tube 3, a third interface for communicating with the water inlet of the water liner 200, and a fourth interface for communicating with the inlet of the temperature control valve, etc. By switching the connection relationship between the plurality of interfaces, the series / parallel relationship between the water liner 200 and the phase change liner 100 may be realized.

[0107] Specifically, the water circuit switching device 5 may include any one of the following: a four-way valve, a combination of multiple solenoid valves and pipelines. The specific form of the water circuit switching device 5 is not specifically limited in this application. Technical personnel in the relevant field may make other changes inspired by the technical essence of this application, but as long as the functions and effects achieved are the same or similar to those of this application, they should be covered within the protection scope of this application.

[0108] When studying how to improve the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater tank, the applicant found that there is a certain correlation between the heat exchange efficiency and the mass ratio of the phase change medium in the water heater tank to the water in the water tank 200 (or equivalently, a parameter associated with the mass ratio, such as the volume ratio of the phase change medium in the water heater tank to the volume ratio of the water tank 200). The heat exchange efficiency and the mass ratio are approximately in a quadratic function relationship, and the higher the heat exchange efficiency, the less the amount of the phase change material used.

[0109] Specifically, when the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater inner tank is between 40% and 90%, the mass ratio of the phase change medium in the water heater inner tank to the water in the water tank 200 is between 2.8 and 0.9, and the heat exchange efficiency is inversely proportional to the mass ratio.

[0110] In the embodiment of the present application, the water bladder 200 and the phase change bladder 100 can realize capacity relay by being connected in series and / or in parallel, ensuring that the energy in the water bladder 200 and the phase change bladder 100 is fully utilized, thereby ensuring that the whole machine has a high energy utilization rate.

[0111] The following is a more vivid example to illustrate this.

[0112] For example, for the water tank 200, it has a fixed volume (for example, 26L), and the target hot water supply of the entire water heater can be a certain value (for example, 220L); for the phase change tank 100, its outer contour size is basically determined, and at this time it is necessary to determine how much phase change medium needs to be filled inside it so that the water heater tank has a higher heat exchange efficiency.

[0113] The applicant found that as the volume of the phase change medium gradually approaches the volume of the water tank 200, the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater tank is gradually improved.

[0114] Furthermore, when the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater inner tank is between 80% and 90%, the mass ratio of the phase change medium in the water heater inner tank to the water in the water tank 200 is between 1.5 and 0.9.

[0115] On the whole, when the volume of the phase change medium of the phase change tank 100 is relatively close to the volume of the water tank 200, the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater tank can reach more than 80%, which can better ensure that the energy in the water tank 200 and the phase change tank 100 is fully utilized, thereby ensuring that the whole machine has a high energy utilization rate.

[0116] In the embodiment of the present application, by reasonably controlling the amount of phase change medium in the phase change tank 100, the water heater tank can achieve a higher heat exchange efficiency, thereby improving the ability of the water heater to supply hot water while keeping the overall volume of the water heater unchanged or maintaining a smaller volume.

[0117] It should be noted that, in the description of this application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and to distinguish similar objects. There is no order of precedence between the two, and they cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. In addition, in the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more.

[0118] The above-mentioned various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments.

[0119] The above are only a few embodiments of the present invention. Although the embodiments disclosed by the present invention are as above, the contents are only embodiments adopted for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention. Any technician in the technical field to which the present invention belongs can make any modification and change in the form and details of the implementation without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed by the present invention, but the scope of patent protection of the present invention shall still be subject to the scope defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1. A water heater tank, characterized in that: The water heater tank comprises: The gallbladder body is filled with a phase change medium in which nucleating agent particles are dispersed, and the particle size of the nucleating agent particles is a predetermined size; A heat exchange component, comprising a fin and a heat exchange tube, wherein the number of the fins is multiple, and the multiple fins are fixed in the gallbladder body at predetermined intervals, and the fins are provided with mounting holes, and the heat exchange tubes are passed through the fins through the mounting holes; The predetermined interval between the plurality of fins is 1.5 to 5 times the predetermined size.

2. The water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The nucleating agent particles are non-metallic particles.

3. The water heater inner tank according to claim 2, characterized in that: The nucleating agent particles are cellulose particles.

4. The water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the particle size of the nucleating agent particles is between 1 mm and 2 mm, the predetermined spacing is between 2 mm and 10 mm.

5. The water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The predetermined spacing is 2-4 times the particle size of the nucleating agent particles.

6. The water heater inner tank according to claim 5, characterized in that: When the predetermined size of the nucleating agent particles is between 1.5 mm and 2 mm; the predetermined spacing is between 4 mm and 8 mm.

7. The water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fins are discontinuously connected to the inner surface of the gallbladder body.

8. The water heater inner tank according to claim 7, characterized in that: An opening is formed between the inner surface of the bladder body and the edge of the fin.

9. The water heater inner tank according to claim 8, characterized in that: The edge of the fin is provided with a notch, and the notch is used to form the opening with the inner surface of the gallbladder body.

10. The water heater inner tank according to claim 9, characterized in that: There are multiple notches, and the edge of the fin between two adjacent notches is connected to the inner surface of the bladder body.

11. The water heater inner tank according to claim 10, characterized in that: The edge of the fin is fixedly connected to the inner surface of the bladder body by welding.

12. The water heater inner tank according to claim 8, characterized in that: A gap and a connecting portion are provided between the edge of the fin and the inner surface of the bladder body. The connecting portions are distributed in the gap at intervals, and the gaps between the connecting portions form the opening.

13. The water heater inner tank according to claim 12, characterized in that: The connecting portion and the fin are integrally formed or the connecting portion and the edge of the fin are fixedly connected by welding.

14. The water heater inner tank according to claim 12, characterized in that: The connecting portion is integrally formed with the gallbladder body or the connecting portion is fixedly connected to the inner surface of the gallbladder body by welding.

15. The water heater inner tank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fins are perpendicular to the end plates of the gallbladder body; Or, the fins are parallel to the end plates of the gallbladder body; Alternatively, the fins are arranged at a certain angle to the end plate of the gallbladder body.

16. The water heater inner tank according to claim 15, characterized in that: The angle between the fin and the end plate of the gallbladder body is 0-90 degrees.

17. A water heater, characterized in that: It comprises the water heater inner tank as described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. The water heater according to claim 17, characterized in that The water heater further comprises: a water container for containing water, wherein a heating element for heating water is arranged in the water container, and a connecting pipeline is arranged between the water container and the inner container of the water heater, wherein the connecting pipeline connects the water container and the inner container of the water heater in series and / or in parallel.

19. The water heater according to claim 18, characterized in that When the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater inner tank is between 40% and 90%, the mass ratio of the phase change medium in the water heater inner tank to the water in the water tank is between 2.8 and 0.9, and the heat exchange efficiency is inversely proportional to the mass ratio.

20. The water heater according to claim 19, characterized in that When the heat exchange efficiency of the water heater inner tank is between 80% and 90%, the mass ratio of the phase change medium in the water heater inner tank to the water in the water tank is between 1.5 and 0.9.

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