Water purifier and control method therefor

By introducing water quality and water temperature detection and controller-controlled wastewater valve closing time into the water purifier, intelligent and adaptive adjustment of water production rate is achieved, and the problem of fluctuations in the water production rate of existing water purifiers is solved, and the water-saving performance and user experience are improved.

WO2025092984A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-05-08A O SMITH (CHINA) ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS CO LTD +1

Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/CN2024/129402
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-11-03
Filing Date
2024-11-01
Publication Date
2025-05-08

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

When used, the water production rate of existing reverse osmosis water purifiers is easily affected by external factors such as regional water quality differences and seasonal water temperature fluctuations, resulting in large fluctuations and cannot achieve intelligent and adaptive water production rate regulation, affecting user experience and water-saving performance.

Method used

Design a water purifier and its control method. By detecting the water quality and water temperature, the controller is used to accurately control the wastewater valve to be closed within the preset time period, thereby adjusting the water production rate and adapting to the water quality and water temperature conditions in different scenarios.

Benefits of technology

It realizes the adaptive water production rate adjustment of the water purifier in different scenarios, improves water-saving performance and user experience, and takes into account the reliability and service life of the water purifier and filter parts.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention are a water purifier and a control method therefor. The water purifier comprises: a filter member, wherein the filter member comprises a membrane element and the filter member is provided with a water inlet (11), a pure water outlet (12), and a wastewater outlet (13); a water pump (2), wherein the water pump (2) is arranged upstream of the water inlet (11) and used for pressurizing a fluid fed into the water inlet (11); a wastewater valve (3), wherein the wastewater valve (3) is arranged downstream of the wastewater outlet (13) and the wastewater valve (3) has an open state in which wastewater is allowed to flow out and a closed state in which the wastewater is prevented from flowing out; and a controller, wherein the controller is at least electrically connected to the water pump (2) and the wastewater valve (3). The water purifier has a water production mode used for outputting pure water; and in the water production mode, the wastewater valve (3) is in the closed state within a preset period of time. In the present application, the water production rate can be adaptively adjusted according to different scenarios, such that the water-saving performance can be improved while the water purifier meets corresponding water production rate requirements in different scenarios, thereby improving the user experience; in addition, the reliability and the service life of the water purifier can also be ensured.
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Description

Water purifier and control method thereof

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent with patent application number 202311458982.4, application date November 3, 2023, and invention name “Water purifier and its control method”, and patent application number 202322978595.5, application date November 3, 2023, and invention name “Water purifier”. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of water treatment, and in particular to a water purifier and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0004] As people's demands for drinking water quality continue to rise, water purification equipment has become widely used. Currently, a typical water purification device is the reverse osmosis water purifier. This purifier passes tap water through a reverse osmosis filter cartridge, removing microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, as well as most heavy metal ions that are harmful to the human body. Purified water is then ready for direct drinking. The reverse osmosis membrane filter cartridge is the core component of the water purification system.

[0005] However, existing water purifiers equipped with reverse osmosis membrane filters have certain problems when in use. For example, the water production rate of the water purifier is affected by external factors and has large fluctuations.

[0006] After analyzing the above phenomenon, the inventors found that the water production rate of the water purifier is affected by a variety of interference factors, including: water quality differences caused by regional differences, and water temperature fluctuations caused by seasonal changes.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] At present, due to the influence of various external interference factors, the water production rate of the water purifier cannot be adjusted intelligently and adaptively, resulting in the need for further optimization of the water purifier's reliability, user experience, water-saving performance and other aspects.

[0009] In response to the defects of the prior art, an embodiment of the present invention provides a water purifier and a control method thereof, which can adaptively adjust the water production rate according to different scenarios, so that the water purifier can improve water-saving performance and enhance user experience while meeting the corresponding water production rate requirements in different scenarios; in addition, the water purifier and the control method thereof provided in this application can also take into account the reliability and service life of the water purifier (especially the filter element).

[0010] The specific technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention are:

[0011] A water purifier, comprising: a filter element, the filter element comprising a membrane element, the filter element being provided with a water inlet, a pure water outlet and a wastewater outlet; a water pump, the water pump being arranged upstream of the water inlet and being used to pressurize the fluid supplied to the water inlet; a wastewater valve, the wastewater valve being arranged downstream of the wastewater outlet, the wastewater valve having an open state allowing wastewater to flow out and a closed state preventing wastewater from flowing out; a controller, the controller being electrically connected to at least the water pump and the wastewater valve; the water purifier having a water production mode, the water production mode being used to output pure water; in the water production mode, the wastewater valve is in a closed state within a preset time period.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier further comprises: a detection unit for detecting the water temperature and / or water quality in the water purifier, and the detection unit is electrically connected to the controller.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the detection unit is arranged at the water inlet or in a pipeline upstream of the water inlet.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the detection unit includes any one of the following: a TDS temperature sensor, a TDS sensor, a temperature sensor, and a combination of a TDS sensor and a temperature sensor.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the opening of the wastewater valve is not adjustable.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the water pump has at least a first working mode and a second working mode. When the wastewater valve is in a closed state within a preset time period, the water pump is in the first working mode, and the operating parameters in the first working mode are lower than the operating parameters in the second working mode.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the operating parameter includes any one of the following: duty cycle, voltage, current and speed.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier further comprises: a water inlet valve, which is used to control raw water to enter the water purifier.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier further comprises: a reflux valve electrically connected to the controller, wherein the reflux valve is located downstream of the wastewater outlet and upstream of the water pump.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, when the wastewater valve is in a closed state within a preset time period, the reflux valve is in an open state.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, a wastewater circuit is provided between the wastewater outlet and the upstream of the water pump, and the reflux valve is provided in the wastewater circuit.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier is provided with a water channel module connecting the wastewater outlet to the upstream of the water pump, and the reflux valve is provided in the water channel module.

[0023] A control method for a water purifier, the water purifier comprising: a filter element provided with a water inlet, a pure water outlet, and a wastewater outlet; a water pump connected upstream of the water inlet; and a wastewater valve connected downstream of the wastewater outlet, the wastewater valve having an open state for allowing wastewater to flow out and a closed state for preventing wastewater from flowing out; the control method for the water purifier comprising:

[0024] Obtain water quality and / or water temperature;

[0025] Determine whether the obtained water quality meets the preset water quality conditions, and / or determine whether the obtained water temperature meets the preset water temperature conditions. When the water quality and / or water temperature meet the preset water quality conditions and / or preset water temperature conditions, and the water purifier is in water production mode, control the wastewater valve to be in a closed state for at least a preset time period.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier further comprises: a detection unit for detecting the water temperature and / or water quality in the water purifier, and the water quality and / or water temperature are obtained through the detection unit.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the water pump has at least a first working mode and a second working mode. When the wastewater valve is in a closed state within a preset time period, the water pump is controlled to operate in the first working mode, and the operating parameters in the first working mode are lower than the operating parameters in the second working mode.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier further comprises: a reflux valve arranged downstream of the wastewater outlet and upstream of the water pump, and when the wastewater valve is in a closed state, the reflux valve is controlled to be in an open state.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the control method of the water purifier further includes: when the wastewater valve is in a closed state and the reflux valve is in an open state, reducing the operating parameters of the water pump to target operating parameters.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier stores the corresponding relationship between the operating parameters of the water pump and the water quality and water temperature.

[0031] Adjusting the operating parameters of the water pump to target operating parameters includes:

[0032] According to the acquired water quality and water temperature, target operating parameters of the water pump are determined based on the corresponding relationship between the operating parameters of the water pump and the water quality and water temperature.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, when the water quality and / or water temperature meet the preset water quality conditions and / or preset water temperature conditions, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the waste water valve is controlled to be closed first and then opened.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the wastewater valve operates in a predetermined cycle. In a single cycle, the wastewater valve is first closed for a first time period and then opened for a second time period. The first time period is not greater than the second time period.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the single cycle is no longer than 30 seconds.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, when the obtained water quality is below a preset TDS, and / or the obtained water temperature is below a first temperature, and the water purifier is in water production mode, the wastewater valve is controlled to be in a closed state for at least a preset time period.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, when the obtained water quality is below a preset TDS, and / or the obtained water temperature is below a first temperature, the duration for which the wastewater valve is closed is inversely proportional to the obtained water temperature.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, when the water quality obtained is below a preset TDS and the water purifier is in a water production mode, the wastewater valve is closed for a corresponding period of time according to the currently obtained water temperature, so that the water purifier reaches a first water production rate;

[0039] When the obtained water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the obtained water temperature is below the first temperature, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the corresponding closing time of the wastewater valve is controlled according to the currently obtained water temperature, so that the water purifier reaches the second water production rate, and the first water production rate is greater than the second water production rate.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier stores: a first correspondence between the duration of the wastewater valve closure and the water temperature when the water quality is below a preset TDS; and a second correspondence between the duration of the wastewater valve closure and the water temperature when the water quality is greater than the preset TDS.

[0041] When the obtained water quality is below a preset TDS, controlling the corresponding closing time of the wastewater valve according to the currently obtained water temperature includes: determining a first closing time of the wastewater valve according to the currently obtained water temperature and the first corresponding relationship; and controlling the closing time of the wastewater valve;

[0042] When the water quality obtained is greater than the preset TDS, controlling the corresponding closing time of the wastewater valve according to the currently obtained water temperature includes: determining the second closing time of the wastewater valve according to the currently obtained water temperature and the second corresponding relationship; and controlling the closing time of the wastewater valve.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, when the obtained water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the obtained water temperature is greater than the second temperature, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the wastewater valve is in an open state, and the water pump is controlled to operate with operating parameters matching the currently obtained water temperature, so that the water purifier reaches a second water production rate, and the second temperature is not less than the first temperature.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier stores: when the water quality is greater than a preset TDS and the water temperature is greater than a second temperature, a third correspondence between the operating parameters of the water pump and the water temperature;

[0045] When the acquired water quality is greater than a preset TDS and the acquired water temperature is greater than a second temperature, controlling the water pump to operate with operating parameters matching the currently acquired water temperature includes:

[0046] The current operating parameters of the water pump are determined according to the currently acquired water temperature and the third corresponding relationship, and the water pump is controlled to operate according to the determined current operating parameters.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the operating parameters of the water pump include any one of the following: duty cycle, voltage, current and speed.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment, the duty cycle and voltage of the water pump are inversely proportional to the acquired water temperature.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, the water purifier further comprises: a water inlet valve, which is used to control raw water to enter the water purifier; when the water purifier is in water production mode, the water inlet valve is controlled to be in an open state.

[0050] First, the wastewater valve is controlled to be closed for a first time period, the water pump operates at a target operating parameter lower than the initial operating parameter, and the reflux valve is in an open state;

[0051] When the wastewater valve is controlled to be open for a second time period, the water pump returns to the initial operating parameters and the reflux valve is in a closed state.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, the first duration and the target operating parameters are determined according to the acquired water quality and water temperature.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment, determining the first duration and the target operating parameters according to the acquired water quality and water temperature includes:

[0054] Comparing the obtained water quality with a preset TDS, and determining a target water production rate of the water purifier according to the comparison result;

[0055] The first duration of closing of the wastewater valve and the target operating parameters of the water pump corresponding to the current target water production rate are determined according to the acquired water temperature.

[0056] The technical solution of the present invention has the following significant beneficial effects:

[0057] The water purifier provided in the embodiment of the present application can selectively control the wastewater valve to be in a closed state for a predetermined time period based on the water quality and / or water temperature conditions currently supplied to the water purifier when the water purification is in the water production mode. Since the time period when the wastewater valve is in the closed state can reduce the amount of concentrated water produced, the water production rate of the water purifier can be improved, the water-saving performance of the water purifier can be improved, and the user experience can be improved. Among them, for conditions with poor water quality and low water temperature, the water purifier can meet the set water production rate requirements. When the water quality conditions are good, the water purifier can further intelligently improve the water production rate, thereby better improving the water-saving performance.

[0058] During use, the water purifier provided in the embodiment of the present application can adaptively adjust the water production rate according to different scenarios. For scenarios with poor water quality and low temperature, the water production rate of the water purifier can at least reach the set requirements; for scenarios with better water quality, the water production rate of the water purifier can be further improved. While regulating the water production rate, the reliability and service life of the water purifier (especially the filter element) are also taken into account, so that the operating parameters of the water pump inside the water purifier match the boost requirements of the filter element.

[0059] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0060] The water-cut assembly provided in the embodiment of the present application solves the problems of the existing luminous water-cut structure mold, such as the large number of molding mechanisms, difficulty in processing, and poor mass production, by improving the structure of the water-cut body (exterior decorative panel and back cover). It can simplify the structure of the mold, greatly improve the mass production of the product, and realize the universal arrangement of the optoelectronic module in the space of the plastic water-cut assembly while maintaining good optoelectronic performance.

[0061] In addition, the luminous water-cut assembly provided in the embodiment of the present application changes the fixing process between the outer trim panel and the back cover from pasting and gluing to a structural fixed installation. Specifically, by fixing the outer trim panel and the back cover with a welding structure (especially welding with ultrasonic welding technology), it overcomes a series of disadvantages brought about by the existing pasting and gluing methods, and can solve various technical problems caused by the double-sided tape / PU glue fixing method between the outer trim panel and the back cover in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] The following drawings are intended only to illustrate and explain the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0063] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the layout of a water purifier provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0064] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the layout of another water purifier provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0065] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the layout of another water purifier provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0066] FIG4 is a flowchart of the steps of a control method for a water purifier provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0067] The accompanying drawings of this application are as follows: 1. Reverse osmosis filter element; 11. Water inlet; 12. Pure water outlet; 13. Wastewater outlet; 2. Water pump; 3. Wastewater valve; 4. Detection unit; 5. Backflow valve; 7. Water inlet valve; 8. Pre-filter element; 9. Post-filter element; 10. Flush valve; 14. Pure water circuit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0068] In order to have a clearer understanding of the technical features, purposes and effects of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0069] The present invention provides a water purifier and a control method thereof, which can adaptively adjust the water production rate according to different scenarios, so that the water purifier can improve water-saving performance and enhance user experience while meeting the corresponding water production rate requirements in different scenarios; in addition, the water purifier and the control method thereof provided by the present application can also take into account the reliability and service life of the water purifier (especially the filter element).

[0070] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 as a whole. A water purifier is provided in the embodiment of the present application specification. The water purifier may include: a filter element, a water pump 2, a wastewater valve 3, and a controller that can be electrically connected to at least the water pump 2 and the wastewater valve 3.

[0071] Specifically, the filter element may be a filter element required to discharge wastewater during the water production process, and the filter element includes a membrane element. Specifically, the membrane element may include, but is not limited to, a reverse osmosis membrane, a nanofiltration membrane, an ultrafiltration membrane, a fiber membrane, and the like. Any membrane element type that meets the required filtration accuracy may be used.

[0072] In the embodiments of this application, the filter element is described using a reverse osmosis filter element 1 as an example. When the filter element is in other forms, the description of the reverse osmosis filter element 1 can be referred to by analogy, and this application will not further describe each one. When the filter element is a reverse osmosis filter element 1, its membrane element is a reverse osmosis membrane.

[0073] The filter element may be provided with a water inlet 11, a pure water outlet 12, and a wastewater outlet 13. The water inlet 11 is used to supply raw water to the filter element. Specifically, the raw water may be tap water, and the water inlet 11 may be connected to the user's home tap water. Of course, in the embodiments of the present application, when the water purifier is used in other scenarios, it is not ruled out that the raw water may be in other forms.

[0074] Furthermore, the water purifier may also include an inlet valve 7 for controlling the flow of raw water into the water purifier. The inlet valve 7 may be located upstream of the water inlet 11 and is used to control the flow of raw water (tap water is used as an example in this embodiment) between the water purifier and the water purifier. When the inlet valve 7 is open, tap water can be supplied to the water purifier.

[0075] The water pump 2 can be positioned upstream of the filter element's water inlet 11 to increase the pressure of the fluid supplied to the water inlet 11, allowing the filter element to filter the fluid entering the filter element under sufficient pressure. Specifically, the water pump 2 is a pressurizing device with adjustable operating parameters. The operating parameters of the water pump 2 can include any of the following: duty cycle, voltage, current, and speed.

[0076] Of course, the specific form of the operating parameters may also be other forms, for example, it may also include other forms that are positively correlated or negatively correlated with the operating parameters listed above. It is not limited to the above description. 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 scope of protection of this application.

[0077] The wastewater valve 3 can be located downstream of the wastewater outlet 13. The wastewater valve 3 has an open state, allowing wastewater to flow out, and a closed state, preventing wastewater from flowing out. In the embodiment of the present application, the opening of the wastewater valve 3 is not adjustable. When the water purifier is in water production mode, the controller can accurately control the opening and closing state of the wastewater valve 3 based on the current water temperature and / or water quality information, thereby achieving intelligent regulation of the water purifier's water production rate.

[0078] Specifically, the wastewater valve 3 may have an unadjustable opening, such as a wastewater ratio valve, a concentrated water combination valve, etc. Of course, the wastewater valve 3 may have other specific forms and is not limited to the above description. Persons skilled in the art may make other changes based on the technical essence of this application. However, as long as the functions and effects achieved are the same or similar to those of this application, they shall be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

[0079] In some embodiments, the water purifier may also be equipped with a pre-filter element 8 and a post-filter element 9. The pre-filter element 8 may be located upstream of the water inlet 11 of the reverse osmosis filter element 1, and the post-filter element 9 may be located downstream of the pure water outlet 12 of the reverse osmosis filter element 1. The pre-filter element 8 can intercept precipitated impurities, rust, and particulate impurities such as sand and mud generated in the pipeline, thereby pre-filtering the water before it enters the reverse osmosis filter element 1. The post-filter element 9 can absorb discoloration and odor in the water, improving the taste of the water.

[0080] The controller is electrically connected to at least the water pump 2 and the wastewater valve 3, and can accurately control the opening and closing state of the wastewater valve 3 based on the current water temperature and / or water quality information, thereby realizing adaptive adjustment of the water production rate of the water purifier, so that the water production rate of the water purifier at least reaches the set requirements.

[0081] The current water temperature and / or water quality information can be obtained by a detection unit 4 electrically connected to the controller. For example, the water purifier may further include a detection unit 4 for detecting the water temperature and / or water quality in the water purifier, wherein the detection unit 4 is electrically connected to the controller.

[0082] The detection unit 4 may include any one of the following: a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) temperature sensor, a TDS sensor, a temperature sensor, and a combination of a TDS sensor and a temperature sensor.

[0083] Of course, the specific form of the detection unit 4 can also be other forms and is not limited to the above description. Technical personnel in the relevant field may make other changes based on 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.

[0084] When the water purifier is provided with a detection unit 4, the detection unit 4 is provided at the water inlet 11 or in a pipeline upstream of the water inlet 11. When the detection unit 4 is provided at the water inlet 11 of the filter element or in a pipeline upstream of the water inlet 11, the water quality and temperature of the raw water entering the filter element can be accurately obtained, thereby facilitating the controller to accurately control the opening and closing state of the wastewater valve 3 based on the water temperature and water quality conditions. In addition, the specific location of the detection unit 4 can also be set at other locations of the water purifier, as long as it can reflect the water quality and temperature of the raw water entering the filter element.

[0085] It should be noted that in addition to utilizing the detection unit 4 provided within the water purifier itself, the controller can also obtain the current raw water quality and / or water temperature through other means. For example, the water purifier can also be provided with a communication module, which can be used to connect the water purifier to the network and obtain the current tap water temperature and / or water quality of the user's home through the cloud. Alternatively, the water purifier can also communicate with other detection devices in the user's home that can detect water temperature and / or water quality, thereby obtaining the current tap water temperature and / or water quality of the user's home.

[0086] Of course, the specific method of obtaining the current raw water quality and water temperature can also be other methods, not limited to the above description. 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 scope of protection of this application.

[0087] The water purifier has a water production mode, which is used to output pure water; in the water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is in a closed state within a preset time period. The preset time period can be set accordingly according to different factors such as the water use mode and usage scenario of the water purifier. For example, when the acquired water quality and / or water temperature information indicates that it is currently necessary to increase the water production rate of the water purifier by closing the wastewater valve 3, the wastewater valve 3 can be closed for a predetermined time and then opened. When the wastewater valve 3 is closed for a predetermined time, it can be ensured that when the water extraction time is short, the wastewater valve 3 also experiences a closed state, thereby achieving the purpose of reliably improving the water production rate of the water purifier.

[0088] Among them, the predetermined duration can be a preset duration, for example, a duration that can be stored in the controller before the water purifier leaves the factory. In addition, the preset duration can also be adjusted according to the user's usage habits. For example, the water purifier can be provided with a module for interacting with the user, for example, the closing duration of the wastewater valve 3 can be adjusted on the panel of the water purifier or on the user terminal APP that is connected to the water purifier, so that the water purifier can flexibly adapt to the water production rate requirements under different water quality conditions in different regions.

[0089] Alternatively, the controller of the water purifier further stores an operating mode of the wastewater valve 3 corresponding to the water quality and / or water temperature conditions. When the current water quality and / or water temperature is obtained, the operating mode of the wastewater valve 3 that matches the current water quality and / or water temperature is retrieved based on the obtained water quality and / or water temperature. The operating mode of the wastewater valve 3 may also store the operating duration of the wastewater valve 3 being closed and opened.

[0090] In one embodiment, the working mode of the wastewater valve 3 may include: the wastewater valve 3 operates in a predetermined cycle. When the wastewater valve 3 operates in the predetermined cycle, the wastewater valve 3 may be closed for a first duration and opened for a second duration in a single cycle.

[0091] The duration of the single cycle can be preset to a fixed length, such as 10 seconds. Within a fixed single cycle, the closing and opening time of the wastewater valve 3 can be flexibly allocated according to the current water quality, water temperature and other conditions.

[0092] Alternatively, the duration of the single cycle can also be preset as a variable duration. For example, within a single cycle, the first duration of the wastewater valve 3 closing can be adaptively adjusted according to different water quality, temperature and other conditions, and the second duration can be set as a timed duration.

[0093] Of course, the duration of this single cycle is not limited to the above example. In some cases, the water purifier can also self-learn based on the user's water usage, thereby continuously adjusting the duration of a single cycle. Overall, the duration of this single cycle matches the minimum duration of a user's single water collection. For example, if the minimum duration of a user's single water collection is generally around 10 seconds, the duration of this single cycle can be set to be slightly longer than or close to the minimum duration of the user's single water collection.

[0094] The water purifier provided in the embodiment of the present application can selectively control the wastewater valve 3 to be in a closed state for a predetermined time period based on the water quality and / or water temperature conditions currently supplied to the water purifier when the water purification is in the water production mode. Since the time period when the wastewater valve 3 is in the closed state can reduce the amount of concentrated water produced, the water production rate of the water purifier can be improved, the water-saving performance of the water purifier can be improved, and the user experience can be improved. Among them, for the case of poor water quality conditions and low water temperature, the water purifier can meet the set water production rate requirements. When the water quality conditions are good, the water purifier can further intelligently improve the water production rate, thereby better improving the water-saving performance.

[0095] The following will illustrate the working process of the wastewater valve 3 under different water quality and / or water temperature conditions.

[0096] In the first case, when the water quality obtained is below the preset TDS, for example, below 400, it means that the current water quality conditions are relatively good. For the water purifier, during the water production process, even if the wastewater valve 3 is not closed, the set water production rate requirement can generally be achieved. The set water production rate can be the declared value of the water purifier, such as 65%. At this time, in order to further improve the water production rate of the water purifier, so that it can further increase the pure water production rate, reduce the wastewater discharge, and achieve the purpose of saving water resources, the wastewater valve 3 can be closed for a corresponding period of time according to the currently obtained water temperature. At this time, the water purifier can obtain a higher first water production rate, such as 75%.

[0097] Because the water purifier also stores: when the water quality is below the preset TDS, the first correspondence between the duration of the closure of the wastewater valve 3 and the water temperature. Among them, the corresponding duration of the closure of the wastewater valve 3 is associated with the water temperature. The lower the water temperature, the longer the duration of the closure of the wastewater valve 3. When the obtained water quality is below the preset TDS, the first duration of the closure of the wastewater valve 3 can be determined based on the currently obtained water temperature and the first correspondence. When the user has a water demand, the water purifier enters the water production mode, and the wastewater valve 3 can be controlled to be closed for the first duration.

[0098] In the second case, when the water quality obtained is greater than the preset TDS, for example, greater than 400, it indicates that the current water quality conditions are poor. For the water purifier, especially when the temperature is low, below the first temperature, there may be a situation where the water production rate cannot meet the set water production rate requirement. The set water production rate can be the declared value of the water purifier, for example, 65%. At this time, in order to ensure that the water production rate of the water purifier can reach the preset water production rate, the wastewater valve 3 can be selectively closed for a corresponding period of time based on the currently obtained water temperature.

[0099] Specifically, since the water purifier also stores: when the water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the second correspondence between the duration of the wastewater valve 3 closing and the water temperature. Among them, the corresponding duration of the wastewater valve 3 required to be closed is associated with the water temperature. The lower the water temperature, the longer the duration of the wastewater valve 3 required to be closed. When the obtained water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the second duration of the wastewater valve 3 closing can be determined based on the currently obtained water temperature and the second correspondence; and the wastewater valve 3 can be controlled to be closed for the second duration. When the user has a water demand, the water purifier enters the water production mode, and the wastewater valve 3 can be controlled to be closed for the second duration.

[0100] The first temperature may specifically be a standard temperature, such as 25 degrees Celsius.

[0101] In the first operating condition of the second category, when the acquired water temperature is below the first temperature and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is controlled to be closed for a corresponding period of time based on the currently acquired water temperature, so that the water purifier reaches a second water production rate, where the first water production rate is greater than the second water production rate. The second water production rate may be the aforementioned preset water production rate, i.e., the declared value of the water purifier.

[0102] Under the second working condition of the second category: when the obtained water temperature is within a certain temperature range, such as 23-27 degrees Celsius, for the case where the above-mentioned water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the water production rate of the water purifier may eventually reach the preset water production rate requirement, and the wastewater valve 3 does not need to be closed at this time.

[0103] Under the third working condition of the second category: Specifically, when the water quality is poor, if the water temperature obtained exceeds the above temperature range, for example, greater than 27 degrees Celsius, the actual water production rate of the current water purifier is too high, and the load of the membrane element in the filter element is large. At this time, in order to take into account the service life of the membrane element, the water production rate of the current water purifier can be appropriately lowered to control the wastewater to be discharged as much as possible. Since the wastewater valve 3 used in this application is a wastewater valve with an adjustable opening, when the wastewater valve 3 is currently controlled to be in an open state, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 can be further lowered. When the operating parameters of the water pump 2 decrease, the boosting capacity of the water pump 2 decreases. After the boosting capacity of the water pump 2 as the power source of the membrane element decreases, the membrane element works at a lower load, and the amount of pure water of the membrane element will be reduced to a certain extent. The water production rate of the water purifier is effectively controlled, which is conducive to ensuring the reliability of the use of the membrane element and extending the service life of the membrane element. In addition, when the water pump 2 operates at lower operating parameters, it is also beneficial to reduce the overall energy consumption of the water purifier and achieve the purpose of energy saving. In this way, the user experience of the water purifier can be improved in many aspects.

[0104] Generally, for a filter element equipped with a membrane element, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 are matched to the filter element's pressure increase requirements. When the wastewater valve 3 is closed, the membrane element's front pressure increases. If this pressure is not adjusted promptly, it may directly affect the membrane element's service life.

[0105] In some embodiments of the present application, when the wastewater valve 3 is closed, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 can be reduced to stabilize the membrane front pressure of the membrane element so that it is maintained as close as possible to the state before the wastewater valve 3 is closed.

[0106] Specifically, the water pump 2 has at least a first working mode and a second working mode. When the wastewater valve 3 is in a closed state within a preset time period, the water pump 2 is in the first working mode, and the operating parameters in the first working mode are lower than the operating parameters in the second working mode.

[0107] In this embodiment, the water pump 2 may be a water pump 2 with adjustable operating parameters. The water pump 2 may have at least two operating modes, a first operating mode and a second operating mode, wherein the operating parameters in the first operating mode are lower than those in the second operating mode.

[0108] Among them, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 are mainly explained using the duty cycle as an example. Other forms of operating parameters (for example, voltage, current and speed) have a corresponding relationship with the duty cycle (for example, voltage, current and speed are positively correlated with the duty cycle) and can be compared based on the duty cycle. This application will not describe them one by one here.

[0109] When the wastewater valve 3 is in the open state, the water pump 2 is in the second working mode, at which time the water pump 2 can operate with a normal duty cycle; when the wastewater valve 3 is in the closed state, the water pump 2 is in the first working mode, at which time the water pump 2 can operate with a reduced duty cycle.

[0110] The water purifier may store the correspondence between the operating parameters of the water pump 2 and the water quality and water temperature. Subsequently, the target operating parameters of the water pump 2 may be determined based on the acquired water quality and water temperature and the correspondence between the operating parameters of the water pump 2 and the water quality and water temperature. In particular, when the wastewater valve 3 is closed, the water pump 2 operates at reasonable operating parameters, which can stabilize the membrane front pressure of the filter element, ensure the reliability of the filter element during operation, and extend the service life of the filter element.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the water purifier may further include: a reflux valve 5 electrically connected to the controller, wherein the reflux valve 5 is located downstream of the wastewater outlet 13 and upstream of the water pump 2 .

[0112] In this embodiment, the problem of increased membrane front pressure of the filter element when the wastewater valve 3 is closed can be alleviated by setting a reflux valve 5. Specifically, when the wastewater valve 3 is in a closed state within a preset time period, the reflux valve 5 is in an open state. By setting a reflux valve 5 between the downstream of the wastewater outlet 13 and the upstream of the water pump 2, when the wastewater valve 3 is closed, the reflux valve 5 can be in an open state. At this time, the wastewater flowing out of the wastewater outlet 13 can flow back to the water inlet 11 of the filter element through the reflux valve 5. There is no pressure buildup at the wastewater outlet 13, and the corresponding membrane front pressure of the filter element will also be maintained within a stable range.

[0113] In one embodiment, a wastewater circuit is provided between the wastewater outlet 13 and the upstream of the water pump 2 , and the reflux valve 5 is provided in the wastewater circuit.

[0114] Alternatively, in another embodiment, the water purifier is provided with a water channel module connecting the wastewater outlet 13 to the upstream of the water pump 2 , and the reflux valve 5 is provided in the water channel module.

[0115] The reflux valve 5 provided in the embodiments of the present application can be provided by a wastewater circuit provided between the wastewater outlet 13 and the upstream of the water pump 2, or can be integrated into a waterway module that connects the wastewater outlet 13 and the upstream of the water pump 2 (e.g., the water inlet 11 of the water pump 2). Of course, the reflux valve 5 can also be provided in other ways, as long as it can functionally divert the wastewater flowing through the wastewater outlet 13 and relieve the pressure buildup at the wastewater outlet 13.

[0116] Please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of the layout of another water purifier provided in this application. Based on the water purifier provided in Figure 2, this water purifier can also be provided with a flushing valve 10, a flushing circuit and a pure water circuit 14.

[0117] The pure water circuit 14 can be provided upstream of the post-filter element 9 to the pre-filter element 8. Before the filter element needs to be flushed, the prepared pure water can be first passed through the pure water circuit 14 and stored in the pre-filter element 8.

[0118] The flushing circuit can be connected upstream of the wastewater outlet 13 to the pre-filter 8. Specifically, the flushing circuit and the wastewater circuit can share a portion of the circuit near the wastewater outlet 13, thereby simplifying the piping structure and reducing costs. The flushing valve 10 is located in the flushing circuit.

[0119] When the water purifier is in water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is first closed for a first period of time. At this time, the water inlet valve 7 is open, and the water pump 2 can operate with a reduced duty cycle. The return valve 5 is open, and the flush valve 10 is closed. When the wastewater valve 3 is switched to the open state, the water pump 2 can be increased to the initial duty cycle, the return valve 5 is closed, and the flush valve 10 remains closed.

[0120] When the water purifier is in flushing mode, the flushing valve 10 is in an open state, the reflux valve 5 is in a closed state, and the waste water valve 3 is in a closed state. After the water pump 2 is running, the pure water stored in the pre-filter element 8 is supplied to the filter element, thereby flushing the membrane element of the filter element.

[0121] Please refer to Figure 4. An embodiment of the present application also provides a control method for a water purifier, which may include: a filter element provided with a water inlet 11, a pure water outlet 12, and a wastewater outlet 13, a water pump 2 connected upstream of the water inlet 11, and a wastewater valve 3 connected downstream of the wastewater outlet 13. The wastewater valve 3 has an open state for allowing wastewater to flow out and a closed state for preventing wastewater from flowing out.

[0122] Among them, the specific composition and connection relationship of the water purifier can refer to the specific description of the above-mentioned water purifier implementation method, and this application will not go into details here.

[0123] The control method of the water purifier may include the following steps:

[0124] S11: obtaining water quality and / or water temperature;

[0125] S12: Determine whether the obtained water quality meets the preset water quality conditions, and / or determine whether the obtained water temperature meets the preset water temperature conditions. When the water quality and / or water temperature meet the preset water quality conditions and / or preset water temperature conditions, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, control the wastewater valve 3 to be in a closed state for at least a preset time period.

[0126] In this embodiment, the control method of the water purifier needs to obtain at least one of the water quality and water temperature, compare the obtained water quality and / or water temperature information with the preset water quality and / or water temperature conditions, and control the opening and closing state of the wastewater valve 3 based on the comparison result.

[0127] The current water temperature and / or water quality information can be obtained by a detection unit 4 electrically connected to the controller. For example, the water purifier may further include a detection unit 4 for detecting the water temperature and / or water quality in the water purifier, wherein the detection unit 4 is electrically connected to the controller.

[0128] The detection unit 4 may include any one of the following: a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) temperature sensor, a TDS sensor, a temperature sensor, and a combination of a TDS sensor and a temperature sensor.

[0129] Of course, the specific form of the detection unit 4 can also be other forms and is not limited to the above description. Technical personnel in the relevant field may make other changes based on 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.

[0130] When the water purifier is provided with a detection unit 4, the detection unit 4 is provided at the water inlet 11 or in a pipeline upstream of the water inlet 11. When the detection unit 4 is provided at the water inlet 11 of the filter element or in a pipeline upstream of the water inlet 11, the water quality and temperature of the raw water entering the filter element can be accurately obtained, thereby facilitating the controller to accurately control the opening and closing state of the wastewater valve 3 based on the water temperature and water quality conditions. In addition, the specific location of the detection unit 4 can also be set at other locations of the water purifier, as long as it can reflect the water quality and temperature of the raw water entering the filter element.

[0131] It should be noted that in addition to utilizing the detection unit 4 provided within the water purifier itself, the controller can also obtain the current raw water quality and / or water temperature through other means. For example, the water purifier can also be provided with a communication module, which can be used to connect the water purifier to the network and obtain the current tap water temperature and / or water quality of the user's home through the cloud. Alternatively, the water purifier can also communicate with other detection devices in the user's home that can detect water temperature and / or water quality, thereby obtaining the current tap water temperature and / or water quality of the user's home.

[0132] Of course, the specific method of obtaining the current raw water quality and water temperature can also be other methods, not limited to the above description. 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 scope of protection of this application.

[0133] The water purifier has a water production mode for outputting pure water. Preset water quality conditions and preset water temperature conditions are stored within the water purifier. When the acquired water quality meets the preset water quality conditions and / or the acquired water temperature meets the preset water temperature conditions, the wastewater valve 3 can be controlled to be closed for at least a preset time period. This allows the water purifier to accurately control the opening and closing states of the wastewater valve 3 based on the current water temperature and / or water quality information, thereby achieving adaptive adjustment of the water purifier's water production rate, so that the water purifier's water production rate at least meets the set requirements.

[0134] In the water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is in a closed state within a preset time period, wherein the preset time period can be set accordingly according to different factors such as the water use mode and usage scenario of the water purifier.

[0135] Among them, the preset time period can be a preset duration, for example, the duration that can be stored in the controller before the water purifier leaves the factory. In addition, the preset duration can also be adjusted according to the user's usage habits. For example, the water purifier can be provided with a module for interacting with the user, for example, the closing duration of the wastewater valve 3 can be adjusted on the panel of the water purifier or on the user terminal APP that is connected to the water purifier, so that the water purifier can flexibly adapt to the water production rate requirements under different water quality conditions in different regions.

[0136] Alternatively, the controller of the water purifier further stores an operating mode of the wastewater valve 3 corresponding to the water quality and / or water temperature conditions. When the current water quality and / or water temperature is obtained, the operating mode of the wastewater valve 3 that matches the current water quality and / or water temperature is retrieved based on the obtained water quality and / or water temperature. The operating mode of the wastewater valve 3 may also store the operating duration of the wastewater valve 3 being closed and opened.

[0137] In some embodiments, when the water quality and / or water temperature meet the preset water quality conditions and / or preset water temperature conditions, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is controlled to be closed first and then opened.

[0138] For example, when the acquired water quality and / or water temperature information satisfies a preset water quality condition and / or preset water temperature condition, indicating that it is currently necessary to increase the water production rate of the water purifier by closing the wastewater valve 3, the wastewater valve 3 can be closed for a predetermined period of time and then opened. When the wastewater valve 3 is closed for a predetermined period of time, it can be ensured that the wastewater valve 3 has also been closed when the water extraction time is short, thereby reliably increasing the water production rate of the water purifier.

[0139] In one embodiment, the working mode of the wastewater valve 3 may include: the wastewater valve 3 operates in a predetermined cycle, and in a single cycle the wastewater valve 3 is first closed for a first time length and then opened for a second time length, and the first time length is not greater than the second time length.

[0140] When the wastewater valve 3 operates in a predetermined cycle, the wastewater valve 3 can be closed for a first time and opened for a second time within a single cycle. The duration of the single cycle can be preset to a timer length, and the single cycle is no more than 30 seconds. For example, a single cycle can be 10 seconds. The determination of the duration of the single cycle takes into account many factors, such as the user's water use habits, the reliability of the water purifier's operation, and especially the reliability of the use of the membrane elements in the filter element. When the single cycle is too short, the wastewater valve 3 may experience multiple switching of the open and closed states during the user's water intake process; when the single cycle is too long, the first closing time will also be adaptively increased, and the long-term pressure holding of the wastewater outlet 13 of the filter element may affect the service life of the membrane elements in the filter element. Within a fixed single cycle, the time for closing and opening the wastewater valve 3 can be flexibly allocated according to the current water quality, water temperature, and other conditions.

[0141] Alternatively, the duration of the single cycle can also be preset as a variable duration. For example, within a single cycle, the first duration of the wastewater valve 3 being closed can be adaptively adjusted according to different conditions such as water quality and temperature, and the second duration of the opening can be set as a fixed duration.

[0142] Of course, the duration of the single cycle is not limited to the above example. In some cases, the water purifier can also self-learn based on the user's water usage, thereby continuously adjusting the duration of the single cycle. Generally, the duration of the single cycle matches the minimum duration of the user's single water collection. For example, if the minimum duration of a user's single water collection is generally around 10 seconds, the duration of the single cycle can be set to be slightly longer than or close to the minimum duration of the user's single water collection.

[0143] The control method of the water purifier provided in the embodiment of the present application compares the water quality and / or water temperature conditions currently supplied to the water purifier with the preset water quality conditions and / or preset water temperature conditions when the water purification mode is in the water production mode. According to the comparison result, the wastewater valve 3 can be selectively controlled to be in a closed state during a preset time period. Since the time period when the wastewater valve 3 is in a closed state can reduce the amount of concentrated water generated, the water production rate of the water purifier can be improved, so that the water production rate requirement can be achieved even when the water quality conditions are poor and the water temperature is low.

[0144] The following will illustrate the working process of the wastewater valve 3 under different water quality and / or water temperature conditions.

[0145] Overall, when the obtained water quality is below the preset TDS, and / or the obtained water temperature is below the first temperature, and the water purifier is in water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is controlled to be in a closed state for at least a preset time period.

[0146] In short, for scenarios with good water quality where the water production rate needs to be further improved, and for scenarios with poor water quality and low temperature where the water production rate needs to meet set requirements, the wastewater valve 3 can be controlled to be closed for a preset period of time. The duration of the wastewater valve 3 being closed is inversely proportional to the obtained water temperature.

[0147] In some embodiments, when the obtained water quality is below a preset TDS and the water purifier is in water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is controlled to be closed for a corresponding period of time according to the currently obtained water temperature so that the water purifier reaches a first water production rate.

[0148] When the obtained water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the obtained water temperature is below the first temperature, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is controlled to be closed for a corresponding period of time according to the currently obtained water temperature, so that the water purifier reaches the second water production rate, and the first water production rate is greater than the second water production rate.

[0149] Among them, the water purifier stores: when the water quality is below the preset TDS, the first corresponding relationship between the length of time the wastewater valve 3 is closed and the water temperature; when the water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the second corresponding relationship between the length of time the wastewater valve 3 is closed and the water temperature.

[0150] When the obtained water quality is below the preset TDS, controlling the corresponding closing time of the wastewater valve 3 according to the currently obtained water temperature includes: determining the first closing time of the wastewater valve 3 according to the currently obtained water temperature and the first corresponding relationship; and controlling the closing of the wastewater valve 3 for the first time.

[0151] When the water quality obtained is greater than the preset TDS, controlling the corresponding closing time of the wastewater valve 3 according to the currently obtained water temperature includes: determining the second closing time of the wastewater valve 3 according to the currently obtained water temperature and the second corresponding relationship; and controlling the wastewater valve 3 to close for the second time.

[0152] When the obtained water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the obtained water temperature is greater than the second temperature, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is in the open state, and the water pump 2 is controlled to operate with operating parameters matching the currently obtained water temperature, so that the water purifier reaches the second water production rate, and the second temperature is not less than the first temperature.

[0153] Among them, the water purifier stores: when the water quality is greater than the preset TDS and the water temperature is greater than the second temperature, the third correspondence between the operating parameters of the water pump 2 and the water temperature; when the obtained water quality is greater than the preset TDS and the obtained water temperature is greater than the second temperature, the control of the water pump 2 to operate with operating parameters matching the currently obtained water temperature includes: determining the current operating parameters of the water pump 2 according to the currently obtained water temperature and the third correspondence, and controlling the water pump 2 to operate according to the determined current operating parameters.

[0154] In the first case, when the water quality obtained is below the preset TDS, for example, below 400, it means that the current water quality conditions are relatively good. For the water purifier, during the water production process, even if the wastewater valve 3 is not closed, the set water production rate requirement can generally be achieved. Among them, the set water production rate can be the declared value of the water purifier, such as 65%. At this time, in order to further improve the water production rate of the water purifier, so that it can further increase the pure water production rate, reduce the wastewater discharge, and achieve the purpose of saving water resources, the wastewater valve 3 can be closed for a corresponding period of time according to the currently obtained water temperature. At this time, the water purifier can obtain a higher first water production rate, such as 75%.

[0155] Because the water purifier also stores: when the water quality is below the preset TDS, the first correspondence between the duration of the closure of the wastewater valve 3 and the water temperature. Among them, the corresponding duration of the closure of the wastewater valve 3 is associated with the water temperature. The lower the water temperature, the longer the duration of the closure of the wastewater valve 3. When the obtained water quality is below the preset TDS, the first duration of the closure of the wastewater valve 3 can be determined based on the currently obtained water temperature and the first correspondence. When the user has a water demand, the water purifier enters the water production mode, and the wastewater valve 3 can be controlled to be closed for the first duration.

[0156] In the second case, when the water quality obtained is greater than the preset TDS, for example, greater than 400, it indicates that the current water quality conditions are poor. For the water purifier, especially when the temperature is low, below the first temperature, there may be a situation where the water production rate cannot meet the set water production rate requirement. The set water production rate can be the declared value of the water purifier, for example, 65%. At this time, in order to ensure that the water production rate of the water purifier can reach the preset water production rate, the wastewater valve 3 can be selectively closed for a corresponding period of time based on the currently obtained water temperature.

[0157] Specifically, since the water purifier also stores: when the water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the second correspondence between the duration of the wastewater valve 3 closing and the water temperature. The corresponding duration of the wastewater valve 3 required to be closed is associated with the water temperature. The lower the water temperature, the longer the duration of the wastewater valve 3 required to be closed. When the obtained water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the second duration of the wastewater valve 3 closing can be determined based on the currently obtained water temperature and the second correspondence; and the wastewater valve 3 can be controlled to close for the second duration. When the user has a water demand, the water purifier enters the water production mode, and the wastewater valve 3 can be controlled to close for the second duration. The first temperature can specifically be a standard temperature, such as 25 degrees Celsius.

[0158] In the first operating condition of the second category, when the acquired water temperature is below the first temperature and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the wastewater valve 3 is controlled to be closed for a corresponding period of time based on the currently acquired water temperature, so that the water purifier reaches a second water production rate, where the first water production rate is greater than the second water production rate. The second water production rate may be the aforementioned preset water production rate, i.e., the declared value of the water purifier.

[0159] Under the second working condition of the second category: when the obtained water temperature is within a certain temperature range, around the first temperature, for example 23-27 degrees Celsius, for the case where the above-mentioned water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the water production rate of the water purifier may eventually reach the preset water production rate requirement, and the wastewater valve 3 does not need to be closed at this time.

[0160] Under the third operating condition of the second category: Specifically, when the water quality is poor, if the water temperature obtained exceeds the above temperature range, for example, greater than 27 degrees Celsius, the actual water production rate of the current water purifier is too high, and the load of the membrane element in the filter element is large. At this time, in order to take into account the service life of the membrane element, the water production rate of the current water purifier can be appropriately lowered to control the discharge of wastewater as much as possible. Since the wastewater valve 3 used in this application is a wastewater valve with an adjustable opening, when the wastewater valve 3 is currently controlled to be in an open state, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 can be further lowered. When the operating parameters of the water pump 2 decrease, the boosting capacity of the water pump 2 decreases. When the boosting capacity of the water pump 2, which is the power source of the membrane element, decreases, the membrane element works at a lower load, and the amount of pure water of the membrane element will be reduced to a certain extent. The water production rate of the water purifier is effectively controlled, which is conducive to ensuring the reliability of the use of the membrane element and extending the service life of the membrane element. In addition, when the water pump 2 operates at lower operating parameters, it is also beneficial to reduce the overall energy consumption of the water purifier and achieve the purpose of energy saving. In this way, the user experience of the water purifier can be improved in many aspects.

[0161] Generally, for a filter element equipped with a membrane element, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 are matched to the filter element's pressure increase requirements. When the wastewater valve 3 is closed, the membrane element's front pressure increases. If this pressure is not adjusted promptly, it may directly affect the membrane element's service life.

[0162] In some embodiments of the present application, when the wastewater valve 3 is closed, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 can be reduced to stabilize the membrane front pressure of the membrane element so that it is maintained as close as possible to the state before the wastewater valve 3 is closed.

[0163] Specifically, the water pump 2 has at least a first working mode and a second working mode. When the wastewater valve 3 is in a closed state within a preset time period, the water pump 2 is in the first working mode, and the operating parameters in the first working mode are lower than the operating parameters in the second working mode.

[0164] In this embodiment, the water pump 2 may be a water pump 2 with adjustable operating parameters. The operating parameters of the water pump 2 include any one of the following: duty cycle, voltage, current, and speed. The duty cycle and voltage of the water pump 2 are inversely proportional to the acquired water temperature.

[0165] The water pump 2 can have at least two working modes, a first working mode and a second working mode, and the operating parameters in the first working mode are lower than the operating parameters in the second working mode.

[0166] Among them, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 are mainly explained using the duty cycle as an example. Other forms of operating parameters (for example, voltage, current and speed) have a corresponding relationship with the duty cycle (for example, voltage, current and speed are positively correlated with the duty cycle) and can be compared based on the duty cycle. This application will not describe them one by one here.

[0167] When the wastewater valve 3 is in the open state, the water pump 2 is in the second working mode, at which time the water pump 2 can operate with a normal duty cycle; when the wastewater valve 3 is in the closed state, the water pump 2 is in the first working mode, at which time the water pump 2 can operate with a reduced duty cycle.

[0168] The water purifier may store the correspondence between the operating parameters of the water pump 2 and the water quality and water temperature. Subsequently, the target operating parameters of the water pump 2 may be determined based on the acquired water quality and water temperature and the correspondence between the operating parameters of the water pump 2 and the water quality and water temperature. In particular, when the wastewater valve 3 is closed, the water pump 2 operates at reasonable operating parameters, which can stabilize the membrane front pressure of the filter element, ensure the reliability of the filter element during operation, and extend the service life of the filter element.

[0169] Please refer to Figure 2. In some embodiments, the water purifier may further include: a reflux valve 5 arranged downstream of the wastewater outlet 13 and upstream of the water pump 2. When the wastewater valve 3 is in a closed state, the reflux valve 5 is controlled to be in an open state.

[0170] In this embodiment, the problem of increased membrane front pressure of the filter element when the wastewater valve 3 is closed can be alleviated by setting a reflux valve 5. Specifically, when the wastewater valve 3 is in a closed state within a preset time period, the reflux valve 5 is in an open state. By setting a reflux valve 5 between the downstream of the wastewater outlet 13 and the upstream of the water pump 2, when the wastewater valve 3 is closed, the reflux valve 5 can be in an open state. At this time, the wastewater flowing out of the wastewater outlet 13 can flow back to the water inlet 11 of the filter element through the reflux valve 5. There is no pressure buildup at the wastewater outlet 13, and the corresponding membrane front pressure of the filter element will also be maintained within a stable range.

[0171] Furthermore, the control method of the water purifier may further include: when the wastewater valve 3 is in a closed state and the reflux valve 5 is in an open state, reducing the operating parameters of the water pump 2 to target operating parameters.

[0172] Among them, the water purifier stores the correspondence between the operating parameters of the water pump 2 and the water quality and water temperature, and adjusting the operating parameters of the water pump 2 to the target operating parameters includes: determining the target operating parameters of the water pump 2 based on the acquired water quality and the water temperature and the correspondence between the operating parameters of the water pump 2 and the water quality and water temperature.

[0173] In this embodiment, when the wastewater valve 3 is closed and the return valve 5 is open, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 can be lower than the target operating parameters of the initial operating parameters. The initial operating parameters can be the operating parameters of the water pump 2 when the wastewater valve 3 is open, the return valve 5 is closed, and the water purifier is in normal water production mode.

[0174] When the wastewater valve 3 is closed, in most cases, even if the return valve 5 is open, the return valve 5 alone can only alleviate a portion of the filter element's stable membrane front pressure to a certain extent. In order to efficiently and reliably alleviate the filter element's membrane front pressure, the operating parameters of the water pump 2 can be reduced while the return valve 5 is opened. Of course, in certain special scenarios, it is not ruled out that the filter element's membrane front pressure can be alleviated by simply opening the return valve 5, or by simply reducing the operating parameters of the water pump 2.

[0175] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 . The water purifier may further include: an inlet valve 7 for controlling the flow of raw water into the water purifier; when the water purifier is in water production mode, the inlet valve 7 is controlled to be open, the wastewater valve 3 is first controlled to be closed for a first time period, the water pump 2 operates at target operating parameters lower than the initial operating parameters, and the return valve 5 is opened; after the wastewater valve 3 is controlled to be open for a second time period, the water pump 2 returns to the initial operating parameters, and the return valve 5 is closed. The first time period and the target operating parameters are determined based on the acquired water quality and water temperature.

[0176] Among them, determining the first duration and the target operating parameters based on the obtained water quality and water temperature includes: comparing the obtained water quality with the preset TDS, and determining the target water production rate of the water purifier based on the comparison result; determining the first duration of closing of the wastewater valve 3 and the target operating parameters of the water pump 2 under the current target water production rate conditions based on the obtained water temperature.

[0177] Specifically, the water purifier may store the correspondence between the target water production rate, water temperature, first duration, second duration, and target operating parameters of the water pump 2 under different water quality conditions. When making a judgment, the target water production rate corresponding to the current water purifier can be determined based on the currently obtained water quality. If the current water quality conditions are good and below the preset TDS, the current target water production rate conditions (for example, 75%) can be further judged based on the current water temperature. Specifically, the first duration of the wastewater valve 3 closing and the target operating parameters of the water pump 2 can be matched based on the current water temperature. If the current water quality conditions are poor and greater than the preset TDS, the current target water production rate conditions (for example, 65%) can be further judged based on the current water temperature. Specifically, whether the current wastewater valve 3 needs to be closed can be determined based on the current water temperature. If the current water temperature is low and the wastewater valve 3 needs to be closed, the first duration of the wastewater valve 3 closing and the target operating parameters of the water pump 2 can be further matched based on the current water temperature.

[0178] On the whole, the water purifier provided in the embodiment of the present application can adaptively adjust the water production rate according to different scenarios during use. For scenarios with poor water quality and low temperature, the water production rate of the water purifier can at least reach the set requirements; for scenarios with better water quality, the water production rate of the water purifier can be further improved, and while regulating the water production rate, the reliability and service life of the water purifier (especially the filter element) are also taken into account, so that the operating parameters of the water pump 2 inside the water purifier match the boosting requirements of the filter element.

[0179] The above description is only an illustrative embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the concept and principle of the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water purifier, characterized in that: include: A filter element, the filter element comprising a membrane element, the filter element being provided with a water inlet, a pure water outlet and a waste water outlet; a water pump, the water pump being arranged upstream of the water inlet and being used for pressurizing the fluid supplied into the water inlet; a wastewater valve, the wastewater valve being arranged downstream of the wastewater outlet, the wastewater valve having an open state to allow wastewater to flow out and a closed state to prevent wastewater from flowing out; A controller, the controller being electrically connected to at least the water pump and the wastewater valve; The water purifier has a water production mode, and the water production mode is used to output pure water; In the water production mode, the wastewater valve is in a closed state within a preset time period.

2. The water purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water purifier further comprises: a detection unit for detecting water temperature and / or water quality in the water purifier, and the detection unit is electrically connected to the controller.

3. The water purifier according to claim 2, characterized in that: The detection unit is arranged at the water inlet or in a pipeline upstream of the water inlet.

4. The water purifier according to claim 2, characterized in that: The detection unit includes any one of the following: a TDS temperature sensor, a TDS sensor, a temperature sensor, and a combination of a TDS sensor and a temperature sensor.

5. The water purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening of the wastewater valve cannot be adjusted.

6. The water purifier according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water pump has at least a first working mode and a second working mode. When the wastewater valve is in a closed state within a preset time period, the water pump is in the first working mode, and the operating parameters in the first working mode are lower than the operating parameters in the second working mode.

7. The water purifier according to claim 6, characterized in that: The operating parameters include any one of the following: duty cycle, voltage, current and rotation speed.

8. The water purifier according to claim 2, characterized in that: The water purifier further comprises: a water inlet valve, and the water inlet valve is used to control raw water to enter the water purifier.

9. The water purifier according to claim 8, characterized in that: The water purifier further includes: a reflux valve electrically connected to the controller, wherein the reflux valve is located downstream of the wastewater outlet and upstream of the water pump.

10. The water purifier according to claim 9, characterized in that: When the wastewater valve is in a closed state within a preset time period, the reflux valve is in an open state.

11. The water purifier according to claim 9, characterized in that: A wastewater loop is provided between the wastewater outlet and the upstream of the water pump, and the reflux valve is provided in the wastewater loop.

12. The water purifier according to claim 9, characterized in that: The water purifier is provided with a water channel module connecting the wastewater outlet to the upstream of the water pump, and the reflux valve is arranged in the water channel module.

13. A method for controlling a water purifier, characterized in that: The water purifier comprises: a filter element provided with a water inlet, a pure water outlet, and a wastewater outlet, a water pump connected upstream of the water inlet, and a wastewater valve connected downstream of the wastewater outlet, wherein the wastewater valve has an open state for allowing wastewater to flow out and a closed state for preventing wastewater from flowing out; the control method of the water purifier comprises: Obtain water quality and / or water temperature; Determine whether the obtained water quality meets the preset water quality conditions, and / or determine whether the obtained water temperature meets the preset water temperature conditions. When the water quality and / or water temperature meet the preset water quality conditions and / or preset water temperature conditions, and the water purifier is in the water making mode, control the waste water valve to be in a closed state for at least a preset time period.

14. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 13, characterized in that: The water purifier further comprises: a detection unit for detecting the water temperature and / or water quality in the water purifier, and the water quality and / or water temperature is obtained through the detection unit.

15. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 13, characterized in that: The water pump has at least a first working mode and a second working mode. When the wastewater valve is in a closed state within a preset time period, the water pump is controlled to operate in the first working mode, and the operating parameters in the first working mode are lower than the operating parameters in the second working mode.

16. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 14, characterized in that: The water purifier further comprises: a reflux valve arranged downstream of the wastewater outlet and upstream of the water pump, and when the wastewater valve is in a closed state, the reflux valve is controlled to be in an open state.

17. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 16, characterized in that: The control method of the water purifier further includes: when the wastewater valve is in a closed state and the reflux valve is in an open state, reducing the operating parameters of the water pump to target operating parameters.

18. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 17, characterized in that: The water purifier stores the corresponding relationship between the operating parameters of the water pump and the water quality and water temperature. Adjusting the operating parameters of the water pump to target operating parameters includes: According to the acquired water quality and water temperature, target operating parameters of the water pump are determined based on the corresponding relationship between the operating parameters of the water pump and the water quality and water temperature.

19. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 13, characterized in that: When the water quality and / or water temperature meets the preset water quality conditions and / or preset water temperature conditions, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the waste water valve is controlled to be closed first and then opened.

20. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 19, characterized in that: The wastewater valve operates in a predetermined cycle. In a single cycle, the wastewater valve is first closed for a first time period and then opened for a second time period. The first time period is not greater than the second time period.

21. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 20, characterized in that: The single cycle is no longer than 30 seconds.

22. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 16, characterized in that: When the obtained water quality is below a preset TDS, and / or the obtained water temperature is below a first temperature, and the water purifier is in a water production mode, the waste water valve is controlled to be in a closed state for at least a preset time period.

23. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 22, characterized in that: When the obtained water quality is below a preset TDS, and / or the obtained water temperature is below a first temperature, the duration for which the wastewater valve is closed is inversely proportional to the obtained water temperature.

24. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 23, characterized in that: When the water quality obtained is below the preset TDS and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the wastewater valve is closed for a corresponding period of time according to the currently obtained water temperature, so that the water purifier reaches the first water production rate; When the acquired water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the acquired water temperature is below the first temperature, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the wastewater valve is closed for a corresponding period of time according to the currently acquired water temperature, so that the water purifier reaches the second water production rate, and the first water production rate is greater than the second water production rate.

25. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 24, characterized in that: The water purifier stores: when the water quality is below the preset TDS, the first corresponding relationship between the duration of the wastewater valve closing and the water temperature; when the water quality is greater than the preset TDS, the second corresponding relationship between the duration of the wastewater valve closing and the water temperature; When the water quality obtained is below the preset TDS, controlling the corresponding closing time of the wastewater valve according to the currently obtained water temperature includes: determining a first closing time of the wastewater valve according to the currently obtained water temperature and the first corresponding relationship; and controlling the closing time of the wastewater valve; When the acquired water quality is greater than the preset TDS, controlling the corresponding closing time of the wastewater valve according to the currently acquired water temperature includes: determining the second closing time of the wastewater valve according to the currently acquired water temperature and the second corresponding relationship; and controlling the closing time of the wastewater valve.

26. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 24, characterized in that: When the water quality obtained is greater than the preset TDS, the water temperature obtained is greater than the second temperature, and the water purifier is in the water production mode, the waste water valve is in the open state, and the water pump is controlled to operate in a manner matching the currently obtained water temperature. The parameters are set to operate so that the water purifier reaches a second water production rate and the second temperature is not less than the first temperature.

27. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 26, characterized in that: The water purifier stores: when the water quality is greater than a preset TDS and the water temperature is greater than a second temperature, a third corresponding relationship between the operating parameters of the water pump and the water temperature; When the acquired water quality is greater than a preset TDS, and the acquired water temperature is greater than a second temperature, controlling the water pump to operate with operating parameters matching the currently acquired water temperature includes: The current operating parameters of the water pump are determined according to the currently acquired water temperature and the third corresponding relationship, and the water pump is controlled to operate according to the determined current operating parameters.

28. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 15 or 17, characterized in that: The operating parameters of the water pump include any one of the following: duty cycle, voltage, current and rotation speed.

29. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 28, characterized in that: The duty cycle and voltage of the water pump are inversely proportional to the acquired water temperature.

30. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 16, characterized in that: The water purifier further comprises: a water inlet valve, which is used to control raw water to enter the water purifier; when the water purifier is in a water production mode, the water inlet valve is controlled to be in an open state. First, the wastewater valve is controlled to be closed for a first time period, the water pump operates at a target operating parameter lower than the initial operating parameter, and the reflux valve is in an open state; When the wastewater valve is controlled to be open for a second time period, the water pump returns to the initial operating parameters and the reflux valve is in a closed state.

31. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 30, characterized in that: The first duration and the target operating parameters are determined according to the acquired water quality and water temperature.

32. The control method of a water purifier according to claim 31, characterized in that: Determining the first duration and the target operating parameter according to the acquired water quality and water temperature includes: Compare the acquired water quality with the preset TDS, and determine the target water production rate of the water purifier according to the comparison result; The first duration of closing of the wastewater valve and the target operating parameters of the water pump corresponding to the current target water production rate are determined according to the acquired water temperature.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Filter membrane flushing method

    CN109395587A

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    CN112142214A

  • Water purifier and control method thereof

    CN115475519A

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    CN115991517A

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    CN115991518A

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