Control method of water heater system and water heater system

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of control method and water heater system of water heater system, wherein, water heater system includes gas water heater, gas water heater includes igniter, burner, water inlet pipe and water outlet pipe, water heater system also includes the electric control valve for controlling its being in pipe break and make, water inlet pipe and / or the electric control valve is equipped on the water outlet pipe, the control method of water heater system includes the following steps: obtaining again water signal, control electric control valve closes;Control the igniter of gas water heater and ignite the burner of gas water heater;Determine burner ignition, control electric control valve opens.The control method and water heater system of water heater system of the application make that the temperature fluctuation of gas water heater is re-ignited little, greatly improve the use experience of user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water heater technology, and in particular to a control method for a water heater system and a water heater system. Background Technology

[0002] Water heaters on the market, such as gas water heaters, require users to turn off the water midway through use to perform other activities, such as applying shower gel. Because the gas water heater enters a standby phase after the water is turned off, the burner is off. When the water is turned on again shortly after, the gas water heater needs to be re-ignited. Due to the pre-cleaning and ignition / heating characteristics of gas water heaters, this process takes time. This results in some unheated cold water flowing into the water heater, causing significant temperature fluctuations when the water is turned back on, thus affecting the user experience.

[0003] The above content is only used to help understand the technical solution of the invention and does not represent an admission that the above content is prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to propose a control method for a water heater system, which aims to solve the technical problem of large temperature fluctuations when the water heater is restarted.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a control method for a water heater system, wherein the water heater system includes a gas water heater, the gas water heater includes an igniter, a burner, an inlet pipe, and an outlet pipe, characterized in that the water heater system further includes an electrically controlled valve for controlling the on / off state of its piping, the electrically controlled valve being provided on the inlet pipe and / or the outlet pipe, and the control method for the water heater system includes the following steps:

[0006] Upon receiving a signal indicating that water will be discharged again, the electronically controlled valve is closed.

[0007] Control the igniter of the gas water heater to ignite the burner of the gas water heater;

[0008] Once the burner is confirmed to be ignited, the electronically controlled valve is opened.

[0009] In one embodiment, the specific steps for obtaining the re-outflow signal are as follows:

[0010] After confirming that the gas water heater shut off the previous water supply, a signal for the water to start flowing again is obtained within the first preset time.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first preset time is less than or equal to 3 minutes.

[0012] In one embodiment, the specific steps of obtaining the re-outflow signal and controlling the electronically controlled valve to close are as follows:

[0013] Upon receiving a signal indicating that water is being discharged again, the electronically controlled valve is closed after a second preset time.

[0014] In one embodiment, the gas water heater further includes a fan and an intake valve assembly, and the specific steps for controlling the igniter of the gas water heater to ignite the burner of the gas water heater are as follows:

[0015] The fan is controlled to perform a pre-purge of the burner, the igniter is controlled to ignite, the intake valve assembly is opened, and the burner is ignited.

[0016] In one embodiment, the water heater system further includes a tap water pipe, a hot water pipe, and a return water device. A first interface of the return water device is connected to the tap water pipe, and a second interface of the return water device is connected to the hot water pipe. The first interface of the return water device is unidirectionally connected to the second interface. When the gas water heater's preheating function is activated, the preheated water is circulated in the preheating loop formed by the hot water pipe, the return water device, the tap water pipe, and the water heater for cyclic preheating. Before obtaining a signal for re-discharge of water and controlling the electronically controlled valve to close, the water heater system activates the preheating function. The control method of the water heater system further includes the following steps:

[0017] Acquire the signal indicating that the gas water heater has started its preheating function for the first time, and detect the return water temperature at the inlet end of the gas water heater's inlet pipe;

[0018] Confirm that the return water temperature at the inlet reaches the first preset temperature, control the gas water heater to stop preheating, and obtain the first preheating time of the gas water heater;

[0019] The circulation preheating time of the water heater is determined based on the initial preheating time.

[0020] The system receives a signal indicating that the water heater will restart its preheating function, and controls the water heater to perform cyclic preheating based on the gas water heater's cyclic preheating time.

[0021] In one embodiment, confirming the preheating time of the water heater further includes:

[0022] The preheating time of the water heater is corrected according to the preset cycle compensation time.

[0023] In one embodiment, the preheating time of the water heater is calculated according to the following formula:

[0024] T = T1 / 2 + T0

[0025] Where T is the preheating time of the water heater, T1 is the initial preheating time, and T0 is the preset compensation time.

[0026] The control method of this invention for a water heater system involves installing solenoid valves on the inlet and / or outlet pipes of the gas water heater. When the water heater system previously shut off and then resumes operation, the solenoid valves are closed. Once the igniter of the gas water heater has ignited the burner, the solenoid valves are then opened. This prevents cold water from entering the hot water pipes before the gas water heater reignites, resulting in smaller temperature fluctuations during re-ignition and significantly improving the user experience.

[0027] The present invention also proposes a water heater system, including a gas water heater and a controller;

[0028] A gas water heater includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, and an electrically controlled valve is provided on the inlet pipe and / or the outlet pipe;

[0029] The controller receives a signal indicating that water is being discharged again and controls the electronically controlled valve to close; it controls the igniter of the gas water heater to ignite the burner of the gas water heater; once the burner is confirmed to be ignited, it controls the electronically controlled valve to open.

[0030] In one embodiment, the electrically controlled valve is a water solenoid valve, a water proportional valve, or an electric valve.

[0031] In one embodiment, the water heater system further includes a tap water pipe, a hot water pipe, a return water device, a temperature detector, and a water pump;

[0032] The first interface of the return water device is connected to the tap water pipe, and the second interface of the return water device is connected to the hot water pipe. The first interface is unidirectionally connected to the second interface on the return water device. When the gas water heater is in the preheating function, the controller controls the preheated water of the water heater to circulate in the preheating loop composed of the hot water pipe, the return water device, the tap water pipe and the water heater for circulating preheating. The water pump is located in the preheating loop.

[0033] Confirm that the water heater has started its preheating function for the first time, and the temperature detector detects the return water temperature of the gas water heater;

[0034] The controller is also used to confirm that the return water temperature at the inlet reaches a first preset temperature, control the gas water heater to stop preheating, and obtain the first preheating time of the gas water heater; determine the cycle preheating time of the water heater based on the first preheating time; obtain a signal for the water heater to restart the preheating function, and control the water heater to perform cycle preheating based on the cycle preheating time of the gas water heater.

[0035] In one embodiment, the water return device is an H valve, the first inlet of the H valve is the first interface, and the second inlet of the H valve is the second interface.

[0036] In one embodiment, the water return device includes a water return pipe and a one-way valve disposed on the water return pipe. One end of the water return pipe is connected to the hot water pipe, and the other end of the water return pipe is connected to the tap water pipe.

[0037] In one embodiment, one end of the return water pipe is connected to the end of the hot water pipe furthest from the gas water heater, and the other end of the return water pipe is connected to the end of the tap water pipe furthest from the gas water heater; or,

[0038] One end of the return water pipe is connected to the end of the hot water pipe furthest from the gas water heater, and the other end of the return water pipe is connected to the end of the tap water pipe closest to the gas water heater.

[0039] This invention relates to a water heater system that incorporates solenoid valves on the inlet and / or outlet pipes of a gas water heater. When the water heater system shuts off after a previous outflow, the solenoid valve closes upon restarting the system. The valve then opens again once the igniter has ignited the burner. This prevents cold water from entering the hot water pipes before the water heater reignites, resulting in smaller temperature fluctuations during re-ignition and significantly improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0040] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of an embodiment of the control method for the water heater system of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of another embodiment of the control method for the water heater system of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of yet another embodiment of the control method for the water heater system of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gas water heater according to an embodiment of the water heater system of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the gas water heater system of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the water heater system of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the water heater system of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the water heater system of the present invention.

[0049] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0050] label name label name label name 100 Gas water heater 400 Water return device 600 controller 110 Inlet pipe 410 H valve 700 Electric control valve 120 water outlet pipe 420 one-way valve 800 Temperature detector 200 tap water pipes 430 return water pipe 900 Water inlet detector 300 hot water pipe 500 water pump

[0051] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0052] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0053] Furthermore, if the embodiments of the present invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the meaning of "and / or" throughout the text is to include three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B.

[0054] This invention proposes a control method for a water heater system.

[0055] It should be noted that, as Figures 4 to 8 As shown, the water heater system includes a gas water heater 100, which includes an igniter, a burner, an inlet pipe 110, and an outlet pipe 120. The system also includes an electrically controlled valve 700 for controlling the on / off state of its piping. The inlet pipe 110 and / or the outlet pipe 120 are equipped with the electrically controlled valve 700. The inlet pipe 110 of the gas water heater 100 is connected to a tap water pipe 200, and the outlet pipe 120 is connected to a hot water pipe 300.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, the control method of the water heater system in this embodiment of the invention includes the following steps:

[0057] Step S1: Obtain a signal for water to flow again and control the solenoid valve 700 to close.

[0058] The "re-outflow signal" here refers to the fact that hot water from the water heater system has already reached the user's outlet, meaning the user has already used hot water, or the water heater system has already undergone preheating circulation. Therefore, when the mixing valve at the user's outlet reopens, a re-outflow signal is generated. This re-outflow signal can be sent directly from the sensor at the user's outlet mixing valve to the controller 600, or it can be sent from the inlet water detector 900 of the gas water heater 100, or from the water flow sensor. When the controller 600 receives the re-outflow signal, it controls the electronically controlled valve 700 to close, at which point water supply to the gas water heater 100 stops.

[0059] Step S2: Control the igniter of the gas water heater 100 to ignite the burner of the gas water heater 100.

[0060] When the electronic control valve 700 closes, it controls the igniter of the gas water heater 100 to ignite the burner. Thus, when the user needs hot water again, the water supply is shut off first, waiting for the gas water heater 100 to ignite. During the time between receiving the signal to resume hot water supply and ignition, cold water continuously flows in, causing cold water to reach the outlet pipe 120 or hot water pipe 300 of the gas water heater 100 before ignition. This results in large water temperature fluctuations when the user uses the water again, leading to a poor user experience. By shutting off the water supply before the gas water heater 100 ignites, cold water can be effectively prevented from flowing into the outlet pipe 120 or hot water pipe 300, resulting in smaller water temperature fluctuations when the user turns on the water again, thus improving the user experience.

[0061] Step S3: Confirm that the burner is ignited and control the electronic control valve 700 to open.

[0062] The burner ignition can be confirmed by a temperature sensor or other sensing device. Once the controller 600 receives the burner ignition signal, it controls the electrically controlled valve 700 to open. It can be understood that after the burner ignites, the electrically controlled valve 700 can be opened after a preset time, or it can be opened simultaneously with the burner ignition. To save gas, the electrically controlled valve 700 can be opened simultaneously with the burner ignition.

[0063] The control method of the water heater system of the present invention involves installing solenoid valves on the inlet pipe 110 and / or outlet pipe 120 of the gas water heater 100. When the water heater system previously shut off and then resumes water flow, the solenoid valves are closed. Only after the igniter of the gas water heater 100 ignites the burner is the solenoid valve 700 opened. This prevents cold water from entering the hot water pipe 300 before the gas water heater 100 is reignited, resulting in smaller temperature fluctuations during re-ignition and significantly improving the user experience.

[0064] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 The specific steps to obtain the signal for water to flow again are as follows:

[0065] Step S11: Confirm that the previous water outlet of the gas water heater 100 was closed, and obtain the signal for water outlet to resume within the first preset time.

[0066] Furthermore, the first preset time is less than or equal to 3 minutes.

[0067] The confirmation that the gas water heater 100 previously shut off its outlet can be achieved through a shut-off signal from the mixing valve at the user's end or a preheating completion signal. When the gas water heater 100 shuts off its outlet for the first time, the preheated water experiences a temperature drop in the hot water pipe 300. Within the first preset time, this temperature drop is minimal, allowing the user to still use the hot water from the pipe. Furthermore, the water heated after the gas water heater 100 is ignited mixes with the hot water in the pipe 300 to reach the user's desired temperature. However, after the first preset time, the water temperature drops too low to be suitable for continued use. Therefore, preheating of the gas water heater 100's piping is necessary to ensure zero-cold-water flow at the user's outlet. The first preset time is typically less than or equal to 3 minutes and can be selected and calculated based on the user's needs. For example, the first preset time could be 1 minute, 2 minutes, 2.5 minutes, or 3 minutes. Therefore, by obtaining a re-outflow signal within a first preset time after confirming that the gas water heater 100 has previously shut off its water supply, and then controlling the electronic control valve 700 to close, the electronic control valve 700 will reopen after the gas water heater 100 ignites. This allows for timely control of the electronic control valve 700's closure, effectively utilizing the feature of minimal start-stop temperature fluctuations to achieve minimal re-outflow water temperature fluctuations. This avoids activating the function when it cannot achieve the desired minimal start-stop temperature fluctuations.

[0068] In one embodiment, the specific steps for obtaining a signal indicating that water is being discharged again and controlling the electrically controlled valve 700 to close are as follows:

[0069] Step S12: Obtain a signal for water to flow again, and after a second preset time, control the solenoid valve 700 to close.

[0070] It should be noted that the re-outflow signal can be emitted by the detector. Because the water flow in the pipeline may have slight fluctuations, to ensure that the acquired signal is accurate and not an erroneous signal caused by water flow fluctuations, the electronically controlled valve 700 is closed after a second preset time has elapsed since the re-outflow signal was acquired, thus preventing the emission of erroneous signals. The second preset time can be set according to industry standards; typically, it can be set to 0.5 seconds.

[0071] In practical applications, such as Figure 2 As shown, the gas water heater 100 also includes a fan and an intake valve assembly. The specific steps for controlling the igniter of the gas water heater 100 to ignite the burner of the gas water heater 100 are as follows:

[0072] Step S21: Control the fan to pre-purge the burner, control the igniter to ignite, open the intake valve assembly, and ignite the burner.

[0073] After the user turns off the water, the water heater enters the post-cleaning stage and finally the standby stage. In standby, the fan stops, the burner is extinguished, and the air intake valve assembly is closed. When a signal for water to flow again is received, the controller 600 first controls the electronic control valve 700 to close, cutting off the water circuit. At the same time, the fan starts to perform pre-cleaning of the burner, and then controls the igniter to ignite, opening the valve body of the air intake valve assembly so that the burner is ignited.

[0074] In one embodiment, such as Figures 4 to 8 As shown, the water heater system also includes a tap water pipe 200, a hot water pipe 300, and a return water device 400. The first interface of the return water device 400 is connected to the tap water pipe 200, and the second interface of the return water device 400 is connected to the hot water pipe 300. The first interface of the return water device 400 is unidirectionally connected to the second interface. When the preheating function of the gas water heater 100 is activated, the heating device can be turned on to heat the incoming tap water, and the built-in water pump 500 can be turned on, allowing the heated water to flow into the hot water pipe 300. Since the mixing valve is not open, the water flowing into the hot water pipe 300 can flow back into the tap water pipe 200 through the return water device 400. Thus, the preheated water can be controlled to circulate in the preheating loop composed of the hot water pipe 300, the return water device 400, the tap water pipe 200, and the water heater for circulating preheating.

[0075] like Figure 3 As shown, in S1, before receiving a signal for water to flow again and controlling the electronic control valve 700 to close, the water heater system activates the preheating function. The control method for the water heater system also includes the following steps:

[0076] Step S001: Obtain the signal of the gas water heater 100 starting the preheating function for the first time, and detect the return water temperature at the inlet end of the inlet pipe 110 of the gas water heater 100.

[0077] By detecting the return water temperature at the inlet of the gas water heater 100, it is possible to determine when the heated water reaches the inlet of the water heater. Specifically, the return water temperature can be detected by an inlet water temperature detector 800 installed in the inlet pipe 110 of the gas water heater 100.

[0078] Step S002: Confirm that the return water temperature at the inlet reaches the first preset temperature, control the gas water heater 100 to stop preheating, and obtain the first preheating time of the gas water heater 100.

[0079] When the return water temperature at the inlet end of the inlet pipe 110 of the gas water heater 100 reaches the first preset temperature, it can be determined that the heated water has reached the inlet end of the water heater, and then the gas water heater 100 can be controlled to stop preheating, and the time from the first turn on of the water heater to the stop of preheating can be obtained, that is, the first preheating time of the water heater.

[0080] Step S003: Determine the circulating preheating time of the water heater based on the initial preheating time;

[0081] The preheating cycle time is defined as the time it takes for hot water to be available from the showerhead when the user opens the mixing valve at the water outlet. In other words, if the gas water heater 100 preheats for a shorter time than this preheating cycle time when it restarts, the water at the showerhead will still be cold when the user opens the mixing valve. If the preheating time is longer than this preheating cycle time, excess water will enter the tap water pipe 200. It should be understood that the initial preheating time roughly includes the time it takes for heated water to flow through the hot water pipe 300 and the tap water pipe 200. Therefore, the time it takes for heated water to flow through the hot water pipe 300 can be determined based on the lengths of the hot water pipe 300 and the tap water pipe 200.

[0082] Because the preheated water experiences a temperature drop in the pipes, the preheating time of the water heater can be adjusted based on a preset circulation compensation time when calculating the preheating time, thereby further improving the comfort of water use. The sum of the time it takes for the heated water to flow through the 300 hot water pipes and the preset circulation compensation time can be used as the preheating time of the water heater.

[0083] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lengths of the hot water pipe 300 and the tap water pipe 200 are approximately the same. Therefore, the time it takes for the heated water to flow through the hot water pipe 300 is roughly half the initial preheating time. That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, the circulating preheating time of the water heater can be calculated according to the following formula:

[0084] T = T1 / 2 + T0

[0085] Where T is the water heater's circulation preheating time, T1 is the initial preheating time, and T0 is the preset circulation compensation time.

[0086] In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the preset cycle compensation time T0 can be 0 to 60 seconds.

[0087] In other embodiments of the present invention, when the water heater first turns on the preheating function, the temperature of the water-using end can be detected. By sending the temperature of the water-using end to the water heater, the water heater can be controlled to stop preheating when the temperature of the water-using end reaches the preset temperature. Thus, the first preheating time of the water heater can be directly used as the time taken for the heated water to flow through the hot water pipe 300.

[0088] Step S004: Obtain the signal for the water heater to restart the preheating function, and control the water heater to perform circulating preheating according to the circulating preheating time of the gas water heater 100.

[0089] In this embodiment, when the water heater restarts its preheating function, the heating device and water pump 500 can be turned on simultaneously, and the heating device and water pump 500 can be turned off after the preheating cycle, so that the hot water reaches the end of the water consumption.

[0090] According to the control method of the water heater system of the present invention, when the water heater first activates the preheating function, the initial preheating time of the water heater is obtained based on the return water temperature at the inlet of the gas water heater 100, and the circulating preheating time of the water heater is calculated based on the initial preheating time. When the gas water heater 100 activates the preheating function again, the water heater is controlled to perform circulating preheating based on the circulating preheating time of the gas water heater 100. Therefore, a suitable preheating time can be automatically obtained, and the water heater can be conveniently and quickly controlled based on the obtained preheating time, thereby reducing unnecessary heating of pipes. Compared with zero-cold-water pipes and insulated circulating pipes with full-pipe circulating preheating, the preheating waiting time is reduced, gas is saved, and the user experience is greatly improved. Furthermore, since the half-pipe preheating function does not heat the tap water pipe 200 or only heats a small portion of the cold water in the cold water pipe during heating, the use of zero-cold-water will not significantly affect the user's use of cold water, thus protecting products such as water purifiers and smart toilets that are sensitive to hot water.

[0091] When a user finishes using the half-pipe preheating function, cold water will enter the inlet pipe 110 of the gas water heater 100 when the water heater needs to be turned on. Therefore, by combining this with the aforementioned function that minimizes temperature fluctuations during start-up and shutdown—that is, when the user needs hot water shortly after the preheating function is activated—a signal is received to allow water to flow again. This signals the closing of the electronic control valve 700, the igniter of the gas water heater 100 to ignite the burner, and the opening of the electronic control valve 700 upon confirming burner ignition. This ensures minimal temperature fluctuations upon restarting, achieving instant hot water with minimal cold water usage, significantly improving the user's bathing experience. Furthermore, it makes the zero-cold-water product more energy-efficient, achieving the best zero-cold-water effect with minimal preheating time and optimal preheating gas consumption. In addition, by simply setting the electronically controlled valve 700, it is possible to achieve a small temperature fluctuation during short-term start-stop and a good user experience. Compared with the buffer tank of the water tank model, it greatly reduces the overall cost and makes the system smaller in size, installation and space occupation.

[0092] Please refer to Figures 4 to 8 As shown, the present invention also proposes a water heater system, including a gas water heater 100 and a controller 600;

[0093] The gas water heater 100 includes an inlet pipe 110 and an outlet pipe 120, and an electric control valve 700 is provided on the inlet pipe 110 and / or the outlet pipe 120.

[0094] When the controller 600 receives a signal that water is being discharged again, it controls the electric control valve 700 to close; it controls the igniter of the gas water heater 100 to ignite the burner of the gas water heater 100; once the burner is confirmed to be ignited, it controls the electric control valve 700 to open.

[0095] In this embodiment, the electrically controlled valve 700 is electrically connected to the controller 600. The electrically controlled valve 700 can be a water solenoid valve, a water proportional valve, an electric valve, a switch valve, etc., as long as it can control the on / off state of its corresponding piping via the controller 600. By installing electrically controlled valves 700 on both the inlet pipe 110 and the outlet pipe 120, in actual use, only one of the electrically controlled valves 700 needs to be closed to shut off the water flow. By setting two electrically controlled valves 700, if one of the electrically controlled valves 700 fails, the other electrically controlled valve 700 can be activated, thereby ensuring the operational stability of the water heater system. Typically, only one electrically controlled valve 700 needs to be installed on the inlet pipe 110 or the outlet pipe 120 of the gas water heater 100. Preferably, the electrically controlled valve 700 is installed on the outlet pipe 120 of the gas water heater 100. This utilizes the characteristics of the electrically controlled valve 700 and the inertia of the pipeline to achieve the best water shut-off effect, preventing air from entering the heat exchanger and affecting the operation of the gas water heater 100. The re-outflow signal can be sent directly from the sensor at the mixing valve at the user's outlet to the controller 600, or it can be sent from the inlet water detector 900 of the gas water heater 100, or from the water flow sensor. The inlet water detector 900 can be a water pressure sensor or a water flow sensor.

[0096] After the user turns off the water, the water heater enters the post-cleaning stage and finally the standby stage. In standby, the fan stops, the burner is extinguished, and the air intake valve assembly is closed. When a signal for water to flow again is received, the controller 600 first controls the electronic control valve 700 to close, cutting off the water circuit. At the same time, the fan starts to perform pre-cleaning of the burner, and then controls the igniter to ignite, opening the valve body of the air intake valve assembly so that the burner is ignited.

[0097] The water heater system of this invention incorporates solenoid valves on the inlet pipe 110 and / or outlet pipe 120 of the gas water heater 100. When the water heater system previously shut off and resumes water flow, the solenoid valve closes. Only after the igniter of the gas water heater 100 ignites the burner is the solenoid valve 700 opened. This prevents cold water from entering the hot water pipe 300 before the gas water heater 100 reignites, resulting in smaller temperature fluctuations during re-ignition and significantly improving the user experience.

[0098] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the water heater system also includes a tap water pipe 200, a hot water pipe 300, a return water device 400, a temperature detector 800, and a water pump 500.

[0099] The first interface of the return water device 400 is connected to the tap water pipe 200, and the second interface of the return water device 400 is connected to the hot water pipe 300. On the return water device 400, the first interface is unidirectionally connected to the second interface. When the gas water heater 100 is in the preheating function, the controller 600 controls the water preheated by the water heater to circulate in the preheating circulation loop composed of the hot water pipe 300, the return water device 400, the tap water pipe 200 and the water heater for circulating preheating. The water pump 500 is located in the preheating circulation loop.

[0100] Confirm that the water heater is using the preheating function for the first time, and the temperature detector 800 detects the return water temperature of the gas water heater 100.

[0101] The controller 600 is also used to confirm that the return water temperature at the inlet reaches the first preset temperature, control the gas water heater 100 to stop preheating, and obtain the first preheating time of the gas water heater 100; determine the cycle preheating time of the water heater 100 based on the first preheating time; obtain the signal for the water heater 100 to restart the preheating function, and control the water heater to perform cycle preheating based on the cycle preheating time of the gas water heater 100.

[0102] When the preheating function of the gas water heater 100 is activated, the water pump 500 drives the preheated water to circulate in the preheating loop, thereby achieving the preheating function. Specifically, the water pump 500 can be installed on the inlet pipe 110 of the gas water heater 100. By detecting the return water temperature at the inlet end of the gas water heater 100, it is possible to determine when the heated water reaches the inlet end of the water heater. The return water temperature is detected by a temperature detector 800 installed on the inlet pipe 110 of the gas water heater 100. When the return water temperature at the inlet end of the inlet pipe 110 of the gas water heater 100 reaches the set first preset temperature, it can be determined that the heated water has reached the inlet end of the water heater. Subsequently, the gas water heater 100 can be controlled to stop preheating, and the time from the first activation of the water heater to the cessation of preheating, i.e., the initial preheating time of the water heater, can be obtained.

[0103] The preheating cycle time is defined as the time it takes for hot water to be available from the showerhead when the user opens the mixing valve at the water outlet. In other words, if the gas water heater 100 preheats for a shorter time than this preheating cycle time when it restarts, the water at the showerhead will still be cold when the user opens the mixing valve. If the preheating time is longer than this preheating cycle time, excess water will enter the tap water pipe 200. It should be understood that the initial preheating time roughly includes the time it takes for heated water to flow through the hot water pipe 300 and the tap water pipe 200. Therefore, the time it takes for heated water to flow through the hot water pipe 300 can be determined based on the lengths of the hot water pipe 300 and the tap water pipe 200.

[0104] Because the preheated water experiences a temperature drop in the pipes, the preheating time of the water heater can be adjusted based on a preset circulation compensation time when calculating the preheating time, thereby further improving the comfort of water use. The sum of the time it takes for the heated water to flow through the 300 hot water pipes and the preset circulation compensation time can be used as the preheating time of the water heater.

[0105] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lengths of the hot water pipe 300 and the tap water pipe 200 are approximately the same. Therefore, the time it takes for the heated water to flow through the hot water pipe 300 is roughly half the initial preheating time. That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, the circulating preheating time of the water heater can be calculated according to the following formula:

[0106] T = T1 / 2 + T0

[0107] Where T is the water heater's circulation preheating time, T1 is the initial preheating time, and T0 is the preset circulation compensation time.

[0108] In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the preset cycle compensation time T0 can be 0 to 60 seconds.

[0109] In other embodiments of the present invention, when the water heater first turns on the preheating function, the temperature of the water-using end can be detected. By sending the temperature of the water-using end to the water heater, the water heater can be controlled to stop preheating when the temperature of the water-using end reaches the preset temperature. Thus, the first preheating time of the water heater can be directly used as the time taken for the heated water to flow through the hot water pipe 300.

[0110] When the water heater restarts its preheating function, the heating device and water pump 500 can be turned on simultaneously, and the heating device and water pump 500 can be turned off after the preheating cycle, so that the hot water reaches the end of the water supply.

[0111] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the water heater system, by setting a return water device 400, can achieve instant hot water with zero cold water. When the water heater first activates its preheating function, the initial preheating time is obtained based on the return water temperature at the inlet of the gas water heater 100, and the circulating preheating time is calculated based on this initial preheating time. When the gas water heater 100 activates its preheating function again, the circulating preheating time is used to control the water heater to perform circulating preheating. Therefore, a suitable preheating time can be automatically obtained, and the water heater can be conveniently and quickly controlled based on the obtained preheating time. This reduces unnecessary heating of the pipes. Compared to zero-cold-water pipes and insulated circulating pipes with full-pipe circulating preheating, it reduces preheating waiting time, saves gas, and greatly improves the user experience. In addition, since the half-pipe water preheating function does not heat the tap water pipe 200 or only heats a small portion of the cold water pipe when heating, it will not affect the user's use of cold water after using zero cold water, thus protecting products such as water purifiers and smart toilets that are sensitive to hot water.

[0112] When a user finishes using the half-pipe preheating function, cold water will enter the inlet pipe 110 of the gas water heater 100 when the water heater needs to be turned on. Therefore, by combining this with the aforementioned function that minimizes temperature fluctuations during start-up and shutdown—that is, when the user needs hot water shortly after the preheating function is activated—a signal is received to allow water to flow again. This signals the closing of the electronic control valve 700, the igniter of the gas water heater 100 to ignite the burner, and the opening of the electronic control valve 700 upon confirming burner ignition. This ensures minimal temperature fluctuations upon restarting, achieving instant hot water with minimal cold water usage, significantly improving the user's bathing experience. Furthermore, it makes the zero-cold-water product more energy-efficient, achieving the best zero-cold-water effect with minimal preheating time and optimal preheating gas consumption. In addition, by simply setting the electronically controlled valve 700, it is possible to achieve a small temperature fluctuation during short-term start-stop and a good user experience. Compared with the buffer tank of the water tank model, it greatly reduces the overall cost and makes the system smaller in size, installation and space occupation.

[0113] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 8 The return water device 400 is an H valve 410, with the first inlet of the H valve 410 being the first interface and the second inlet of the H valve 410 being the second interface.

[0114] In this embodiment, the H valve 410 is electrically connected to the controller 600. Specifically, the H valve 410 can be connected to the end of the hot water pipe 300 and the tap water pipe 200 furthest from the gas water heater 100. By setting the H valve 410, its first inlet is a first interface connected to the hot water pipe 300, and its second inlet is a second interface connected to the tap water pipe 200. The controller 600 can control the H valve 410 to unidirectionally flow from the first inlet to the second inlet, and can also control the H valve 410 to cut off the water flow to the user end. Thus, when the half-pipe preheating function is needed, only unidirectional flow from the first inlet to the second inlet is required to achieve half-pipe water preheating. The half-pipe water preheating function can be achieved simply by setting the H valve 410, which is simple in structure, easy to implement, and easy to control.

[0115] In another embodiment, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the water return device 400 includes a water return pipe 430 and a one-way valve 420 installed on the water return pipe 430. One end of the water return pipe 430 is connected to the hot water pipe 300, and the other end of the water return pipe 430 is connected to the tap water pipe 200.

[0116] In this embodiment, the hot water pipe 300 and the tap water pipe 200 are connected via a return water pipe 430, and a one-way valve 420 is connected in series on the return water pipe 430, allowing one-way flow from the hot water pipe 300 to the tap water pipe 200. This return water method using the return water pipe 430 and the one-way valve 420 is simple in structure, low in cost, and easy to implement. It can be understood that when the water heater system is in preheating mode, the mixing valve at the user end can be closed to prevent water from flowing out, thus allowing the airflow from the hot water pipe 300 to circulate in the tap water pipe 200, achieving preheating.

[0117] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 6 One end of the return water pipe 430 is connected to the end of the hot water pipe 300 furthest from the gas water heater 100, and the other end of the return water pipe 430 is connected to the end of the tap water pipe 200 furthest from the gas water heater 100. This significantly shortens the length of the return water pipe 430, makes full use of the tap water pipe 200, simplifies the piping structure, and makes the entire water heater system simpler. Furthermore, to extend the lifespan of the tap water pipe 200, it can be made of the same high-temperature resistant material as the hot water pipe 300.

[0118] In another embodiment, please refer to Figure 7One end of the return pipe 430 is connected to the end of the hot water pipe 300 furthest from the gas water heater 100, and the other end is connected to the end of the tap water pipe 200 closest to the gas water heater 100. Understandably, since the tap water pipe 200 typically only carries cold water, while the hot water pipe 300 carries hot water, the tap water pipe 200 and the hot water pipe 300 are made of different materials. The hot water pipe 300 is made of a high-temperature resistant material, while the tap water pipe 200 is made of a common material. If hot water is constantly passed through the common material tap water pipe 200, it will easily accelerate its aging and damage. Therefore, by separately setting up the return pipe 430 connected to the end of the tap water pipe 200 closest to the gas water heater 100, the preheating circulation avoids extensive use of the tap water pipe 200, thereby increasing the service life of the tap water pipe 200 and improving the system's operational stability. To further improve system stability, the return water pipe 430 can be made of the same high-temperature resistant material as the hot water pipe 300.

[0119] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a water heater system, the water heater system comprising a gas water heater, the gas water heater comprising an igniter, a burner, an inlet pipe, and an outlet pipe, characterized in that, The water heater system also includes an electrically controlled valve for controlling the on / off state of its piping, wherein the electrically controlled valve is installed on the inlet pipe and / or the outlet pipe, and the control method of the water heater system includes the following steps: Upon receiving a signal indicating that water will be discharged again, the electronically controlled valve is closed. Control the igniter of the gas water heater to ignite the burner of the gas water heater; Once the burner is ignited, the electronically controlled valve is opened. The specific steps for obtaining the re-outflow water signal are as follows: confirm that the previous water outflow of the gas water heater has been closed, and obtain the re-outflow water signal within a first preset time period; Specifically, when the previous water outlet shut-off time of the gas water heater exceeds a first preset time, the pipeline of the gas water heater is preheated.

2. The control method for a water heater system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first preset time is less than or equal to 3 minutes.

3. The control method for a water heater system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The specific steps for obtaining the signal for water to flow again and controlling the electronically controlled valve to close are as follows: Upon receiving a signal indicating that water is being discharged again, the electronically controlled valve is closed after a second preset time.

4. The control method for a water heater system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The gas water heater also includes a fan and an intake valve assembly. The specific steps for the igniter controlling the gas water heater to ignite the burner of the gas water heater are as follows: The fan is controlled to perform a pre-purge of the burner, the igniter is controlled to ignite, the intake valve assembly is opened, and the burner is ignited.

5. The control method for a water heater system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The water heater system further includes a tap water pipe, a hot water pipe, and a return water device. The first interface of the return water device is connected to the tap water pipe, and the second interface of the return water device is connected to the hot water pipe. The first interface of the return water device is unidirectionally connected to the second interface. When the gas water heater's preheating function is activated, the preheated water is circulated in the preheating loop formed by the hot water pipe, the return water device, the tap water pipe, and the water heater for cyclic preheating. Before obtaining a signal for re-discharge of water and controlling the electronically controlled valve to close, the water heater system activates the preheating function. The control method for the water heater system further includes the following steps: Acquire the signal indicating that the gas water heater has started its preheating function for the first time, and detect the return water temperature at the inlet end of the gas water heater's inlet pipe; Confirm that the return water temperature at the inlet reaches the first preset temperature, control the gas water heater to stop preheating, and obtain the first preheating time of the gas water heater; The circulation preheating time of the water heater is determined based on the initial preheating time. The system receives a signal indicating that the gas water heater will restart its preheating function, and controls the water heater to perform cyclic preheating based on the gas water heater's cyclic preheating time.

6. The control method for a water heater system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The confirmation of the gas water heater's circulation preheating time also includes: The preheating time of the water heater is corrected according to the preset cycle compensation time.

7. The control method for a water heater system as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The preheating time of the gas water heater can be calculated using the following formula: T = T1 / 2 + T0 Where T is the preheating time of the gas water heater, T1 is the initial preheating time, and T0 is the preset compensation time.

8. The control method for a water heater system as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The water return device includes a water return pipe, one end of which is connected to the end of the hot water pipe furthest from the gas water heater, and the other end of which is connected to the end of the tap water pipe closest to the gas water heater; T0=0.

9. A water heater system, characterized in that, include: A gas water heater, including an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, wherein an electrically controlled valve is provided on the inlet pipe and / or the outlet pipe; The controller receives a signal indicating that water is being dispensed again and controls the electronically controlled valve to close; it controls the igniter of the gas water heater to ignite the burner of the gas water heater; and upon confirming that the burner is ignited, it controls the electronically controlled valve to open. The specific steps for obtaining the re-outflow water signal are as follows: confirm that the previous water outflow of the gas water heater has been closed, and obtain the re-outflow water signal within a first preset time period; Specifically, when the previous water outlet shut-off time of the gas water heater exceeds a first preset time, the pipeline of the gas water heater is preheated.

10. The water heater system as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The electrically controlled valve is a water solenoid valve, a water proportional valve, or an electric valve.

11. The water heater system as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The water heater system also includes a tap water pipe, a hot water pipe, a return water device, a temperature detector, and a water pump; The first interface of the return water device is connected to the tap water pipe, and the second interface of the return water device is connected to the hot water pipe. The first interface is unidirectionally connected to the second interface on the return water device. When the gas water heater is in the preheating function, the controller controls the preheated water of the water heater to circulate in the preheating loop composed of the hot water pipe, the return water device, the tap water pipe and the water heater for circulating preheating. The water pump is located in the preheating loop. Confirm that the water heater has started its preheating function for the first time, and the temperature detector detects the return water temperature of the gas water heater; The controller is also used to confirm that the return water temperature at the inlet end of the inlet pipe reaches a first preset temperature, control the gas water heater to stop preheating, and obtain the first preheating time of the gas water heater; determine the circulating preheating time of the water heater based on the first preheating time; obtain a signal for the water heater to restart the preheating function, and control the water heater to perform circulating preheating based on the circulating preheating time of the gas water heater.

12. The water heater system as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The water return device is an H valve, with the first inlet of the H valve being the first interface and the second inlet of the H valve being the second interface.

13. The water heater system as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The water return device includes a water return pipe and a one-way valve installed on the water return pipe. One end of the water return pipe is connected to the hot water pipe, and the other end of the water return pipe is connected to the tap water pipe.

14. The water heater system as described in claim 13, characterized in that, One end of the return water pipe is connected to the end of the hot water pipe furthest from the gas water heater, and the other end of the return water pipe is connected to the end of the tap water pipe furthest from the gas water heater; or, One end of the return water pipe is connected to the end of the hot water pipe furthest from the gas water heater, and the other end of the return water pipe is connected to the end of the tap water pipe closest to the gas water heater.

Images