Water heater

Abstract

The present invention discloses a water heater, which includes a heat exchanger, a condensate drain pipe, and a one-way flow guiding device. The heat exchanger includes a condensation heat exchanger and a sensible heat exchanger that are sequentially connected in series along the water flow direction. The condensate drain pipe is used to discharge the condensate generated by the condensation heat exchanger. The condensate drain pipe has a condensate inlet and a condensate drain outlet that communicates with the heat exchanger. The condensate drain outlet is located upstream of the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger in the water flow direction. The one-way flow guiding device is arranged in the condensate drain pipe and is located between the condensate inlet and the heat exchanger, and is used to unidirectionally conduct the condensate drain pipe along the direction from the condensate inlet to the condensate drain outlet. In the present invention, the acidic condensate is introduced into the heat exchanger, so as to discharge the condensate and achieve the effect of removing scale in the heat exchanger pipeline. The one-way flow guiding device prevents the hot water in the heat exchanger from flowing back and overflowing into the condensate drain pipe, and prolongs the service life of the water heater.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of gas heating, and particularly to a water heater. Background Art

[0002] In a gas water heater, the water flow in the heat exchanger pipeline is heated for a long time, and scale is easily generated, which has an adverse effect on the heat exchange efficiency and service life of the water heater. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main object of the present invention is to provide a water heater that can reduce the scale in the heat exchange pipeline of the water heater and extend the service life of the water heater.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a water heater, including:

[0005] A heat exchanger, including a condensing heat exchanger and a sensible heat exchanger connected in series in the water flow direction. The water inlet end of the condensing heat exchanger is connected to a cold water inlet pipe, the water outlet end of the condensing heat exchanger communicates with the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger, and the water outlet end of the sensible heat exchanger is connected to a hot water outlet pipe;

[0006] A condensate drain pipe for discharging the condensate generated by the condensing heat exchanger. The condensate drain pipe has a condensate water inlet and a condensate water drain outlet communicating with the heat exchanger. The condensate water drain outlet is located upstream of the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger in the water flow direction; and,

[0007] A one-way flow guiding device is provided in the condensate drain pipe and is located between the condensate water inlet and the heat exchanger for unidirectionally guiding the condensate drain pipe in the direction from the condensate water inlet to the condensate water drain outlet.

[0008] In one embodiment, the condensate water drain outlet is located upstream of the water inlet end of the condensing heat exchanger in the water flow direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, the condensate water drain outlet is located between the condensing heat exchanger and the sensible heat exchanger in the water flow direction.

[0010] In one embodiment, the one-way flow guiding device includes a power device and a one-way valve connected in series. The power device is used to drive the condensate to flow from the condensate water inlet to the condensate water drain outlet.

[0011] In one embodiment, the power device is a water pump provided in the condensate drain pipe, and the one-way valve is provided in the condensate drain pipe and is located downstream of the water pump.

[0012] In one embodiment, it further includes a water storage device. The water storage device is provided on the heat exchanger and communicates with the water outlet end of the one-way valve.

[0013] In one embodiment, the water heater further includes a controller and a water level detector. The water level detector is configured to detect the condensate water level. The controller is electrically connected to the water level detector and the water pump, and is configured to control the water pump to operate when the condensate water level is greater than a preset lower water level value, and to control the water pump to stop operating when the condensate water level is less than the preset lower water level value.

[0014] In one embodiment, the one-way valve is disposed in the condensate drain pipe. The heat exchanger has an ejector pipe section connected to the condensate drain pipe. The power device is a negative pressure ejector disposed in the ejector pipe section. The negative pressure ejector has a negative pressure chamber. The water outlet end of the one-way valve communicates with the negative pressure chamber through the condensate drain port. The negative pressure chamber is configured to generate a negative pressure when water flows through the negative pressure ejector, so as to introduce the condensate water at the condensate drain port into the ejector pipe section.

[0015] In one embodiment, the heat exchanger further has a main pipe section arranged in parallel with the ejector pipe section. The water heater further includes a control valve, and the control valve is configured to adjust the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section.

[0016] In one embodiment, the water heater further includes a controller and a water level detector. The water level detector is configured to detect the condensate water level. The controller is electrically connected to the water level detector and the control valve, and is configured to control the control valve to operate according to the condensate water level, so that when the condensate water level is greater than or equal to the preset lower water level value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section is greater than or equal to a preset flow threshold value, and the one-way valve is opened; when the condensate water level is lower than the lower water level value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section is less than the flow threshold value, and the one-way valve is closed.

[0017] In one embodiment, the control valve includes a proportional valve disposed at the connection between the water inlet end of the ejector pipe section and the main pipe section.

[0018] In one embodiment, the controller is configured to control the proportional valve to operate according to the condensate water level, so that when the condensate water level rises, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section is controlled to increase, and when the condensate water level drops, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section is controlled to decrease.

[0019] In one embodiment, the control valve includes an electromagnetic valve disposed in the ejector pipe section.

[0020] In one embodiment, the controller is configured to control the electromagnetic valve to operate according to the condensate water level, so that when the condensate water level is greater than the lower water level value, the electromagnetic valve is controlled to be turned on, and when the condensate water level is less than the preset lower water level value, the electromagnetic valve is controlled to be turned off.

[0021] In the present invention, the water heater includes a heat exchanger, a condensate drain pipe, and a one-way flow guiding device. The heat exchanger includes a condensation heat exchanger and a sensible heat exchanger that are sequentially connected in series along the water flow direction. The condensate drain pipe is used to discharge the condensate generated by the condensation heat exchanger. The condensate drain pipe has a condensate inlet and a condensate drain outlet that communicates with the heat exchanger. The condensate drain outlet is located upstream of the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger in the water flow direction. The one-way flow guiding device is arranged in the condensate drain pipe and is located between the condensate inlet and the heat exchanger, and is used to unidirectionally conduct the condensate drain pipe along the direction from the condensate inlet to the condensate drain outlet. In the embodiment provided by the present invention, the acidic condensate is introduced into the heat exchanger, so that the condensate can be discharged through the hot water outlet pipe, without the need to provide a separate condensate discharge pipeline, and the effect of removing scale in the heat exchanger pipeline can also be achieved, avoiding the influence of long-term accumulation of scale in the heat exchanger on the use of the water heater. The one-way flow guiding device prevents the hot water in the heat exchanger from flowing back and overflowing into the condensate drain pipe, protecting other components of the water heater, and thus extending the service life of the water heater. Description of the Drawings

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the first embodiment of the water heater provided by the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the second embodiment of the water heater provided by the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the third embodiment of the water heater provided by the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the fourth embodiment of the water heater provided by the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of the fourth embodiment of the water heater provided by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of the fifth embodiment of the water heater provided by the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 is a schematic structural diagram of the sixth embodiment of the water heater provided by the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 is a schematic structural diagram of the seventh embodiment of the water heater provided by the present invention;

[0030] Figure 9 is a schematic structural diagram of the eighth embodiment of the water heater provided by the present invention.

[0031] Description of the Reference Numerals in the Drawings:

[0032]

[0033]

[0034] The realization, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further described in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed implementation manners

[0035] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0036] It should be noted that if there are directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back,...) involved in the embodiments of the present invention, the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship and movement conditions between components in a specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0037] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In addition, the technical solutions between various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the fact that those of ordinary skill in the art can implement them. When the combination of technical solutions results in contradictions or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the protection scope required by the present invention.

[0038] The heat exchanger of the condensing gas water heater 100 includes two heat exchangers. In addition to the sensible heat exchanger 103 of the ordinary gas water heater 100, a condensing heat exchanger 104 or latent heat exchanger is additionally provided. During operation, the high-temperature flue gas passes through the sensible heat exchanger 103 and the condensing heat exchanger 104 in sequence, while the water flow direction is opposite. The cold water first passes through the condensing heat exchanger 104, absorbs the waste heat of the high-temperature flue gas and is heated up, and then enters the sensible heat exchanger 103 to absorb the sensible heat generated by the combustion of the burner 101. The heat of the two heat exchangers is superimposed, making the thermal efficiency of the condensing gas water heater 100 higher than that of the ordinary water heater 100, energy-saving and environmentally friendly. However, condensed water is generated during the heat exchange process of the condensing heat exchanger 104. Since natural gas contains a certain amount of H2S and will generate SO3 and NO2 after mixing with air and burning, the condensed water is acidic with a pH of about 3. Therefore, in the prior art, an independent dedicated condensed water drainage pipe is generally equipped. The condensed water is directly discharged without a reasonable recovery system for recycling, which not only causes waste of water resources, but also requires the user to reserve the position of the drainage pipe during decoration, bringing many inconveniences to the user. At the same time, in the pipelines of the two heat exchangers, especially in the pipeline of the sensible heat exchanger 103, scale accumulates due to the long-term flow of high-temperature water, affecting the heat exchange efficiency and service life of the water heater 100.

[0039] To solve the above technical problems, please refer to Figures 1 to 4, the present invention provides a water heater 100, and the water heater 100 is a condensing gas water heater 100. Specifically, the water heater 100 includes a heat exchanger, a condensate drain pipe 13, and a one-way flow guiding device. The heat exchanger includes a condensing heat exchanger 104 and a sensible heat exchanger 103 that are sequentially connected in series along the water flow direction. The water heater 100 has a housing, the housing forms a combustion chamber, a burner 101 and a sensible heat exchanger 103 are provided in the combustion chamber, and the sensible heat exchanger 103 absorbs the sensible heat generated by the combustion of the burner 101. In addition, the housing also forms a condensing chamber, a condensing heat exchanger 104 is provided in the condensing chamber, the condensing chamber is communicated with the combustion chamber, and the high-temperature flue gas generated by the combustion of the burner 101 flows from the combustion chamber to the condensing chamber, so that the condensing heat exchanger 104 absorbs the waste heat of the high-temperature flue gas. The water heater 100 may include a blower 102 provided on the housing, and the blower 102 is used to drive the high-temperature flue gas in the combustion chamber to flow to the condensing chamber. The water heater 100 further includes a pipeline system, the pipeline system includes a cold water inlet pipe 11 and a hot water outlet pipe 12, the hot water outlet pipe 12 has a hot water outlet 120, the cold water inlet pipe 11 is communicated with the water inlet end of the condensing heat exchanger 104, the water outlet end of the condensing heat exchanger 104 is communicated with the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger 103, and the water outlet end of the sensible heat exchanger 103 is communicated with the hot water outlet pipe 12, so that the water flowing in from the cold water inlet pipe 11 sequentially flows through the condensing heat exchanger 104 and the sensible heat exchanger 103, is heated up after two-stage heat exchange, and is discharged from the hot water outlet 120 of the hot water outlet pipe 12. Preferably, please refer to Figures 1 to 9 , in an embodiment, the pipeline system further includes a coil 10, the coil 10 is provided between the cold water inlet pipe 11 and the condensing heat exchanger 104 and is arranged around the combustion chamber, and functions to cool down and keep warm the combustion chamber.

[0040] In this embodiment, the condensing heat exchanger 104 generates condensate during the heat exchange process. In order to discharge the condensate generated by the condensing heat exchanger 104 and avoid setting a separate drainage pipe, please continue to refer to Figures 1 to 9, in the water heater 100 provided in this embodiment, a condensate drain pipe 13 communicating with the condensation heat exchange chamber is provided. The condensate drain pipe 13 is used to discharge the condensate generated by the condensation heat exchanger 104. The condensate drain pipe 13 has a condensate water inlet 131 and a condensate water drain outlet 132 communicating with the heat exchanger. The condensate water drain outlet 132 is located upstream of the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger 103 in the water flow direction. When the gas water heater 100 is operating, the condensate water flows through at least part of the pipeline of the heat exchanger towards the hot water outlet pipe 12 and finally is discharged from the hot water outlet 120 along with the hot water. Specifically, the condensate water drain outlet 132 is located upstream of the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger 103 in the water flow direction. Therefore, the condensate water at least flows through the pipeline of the sensible heat exchanger 103, so as to achieve the effect of long-term removal of scale in the sensible heat exchanger 103. It can be understood that in this embodiment, the condensate water drain outlet 132 can be located upstream of the condensation heat exchanger 104, or can be located in the condensation heat exchanger 104, or can also be located between the condensation heat exchanger 104 and the sensible heat exchanger 103.

[0041] The one-way diversion device is arranged in the condensate drain pipe 13 and is located between the condensate water inlet 131 and the heat exchanger, and is used to unidirectionally conduct the condensate drain pipe 13 in the direction from the condensate water inlet 131 to the condensate water drain outlet 132. The specific structure of the one-way diversion device is not limited. In one embodiment, the one-way diversion device includes a one-way valve 40, or the one-way diversion device may further include a power device 20 such as a water pump 21 with a check function. In this way, the water flow in the condensate drain pipe 13 can only flow from the condensate water inlet 131 to the condensate water drain outlet 132, so that the condensate water can flow from the condensation chamber to the heat exchanger, while the hot water in the heat exchanger cannot be discharged along the condensate drain pipe 13 to the condensation chamber, thus avoiding backflow of hot water, reducing the accumulation and even overflow of the condensate water or even hot water, and even reducing the risk of backflow into the fan 102 or other positions of the gas water heater 100 system.

[0042] In this embodiment, by connecting the condensate water drain outlet 132 of the condensate drain pipe 13 to the heat exchanger, the condensate water at least flows through the sensible heat exchanger 103 before being discharged from the hot water outlet pipe 12, so as to remove the scale in the sensible heat exchanger 103 for a long time and reduce the scale accumulation speed in the sensible heat exchanger 103. Avoid the influence of scale on the heat exchange efficiency and service life of the water heater 100. And, through the setting of the one-way diversion device, the safety of condensate water drainage is improved, the occurrence of backflow phenomenon is avoided, the backflow and overflow of hot water in the heat exchanger to the condensate drain pipe 13 are avoided, and other components of the water heater 100 are protected.

[0043] Based on the previous embodiment, please continue to refer to Figure 1 , in the first embodiment of the water heater 100 provided by the present invention, the condensate drain port 132 is located upstream of the water inlet end of the condensation heat exchanger 104 in the water flow direction. In this way, the acidic condensate generated by the condensation heat exchanger 104 flows through the pipelines of the condensation heat exchanger 104 and the sensible heat exchanger 103 in sequence, so that the scale in the heat exchanger pipelines can be affected by the condensate and removed for a long time, slowing down the scale accumulation speed in the heat exchanger pipelines, and reducing the adverse effects of scale on the heat exchange efficiency and service life of the water heater 100.

[0044] It can be understood that the water temperature in the condensation heat exchanger 104 is relatively low, and the water temperature in the sensible heat exchanger 103 is relatively high. Therefore, the scale accumulation speed in the sensible heat exchanger 103 is faster than that in the condensation heat exchanger 104. Therefore, in the second embodiment of the water heater 100 provided by the present invention, please refer to Figure 2 , the condensate drain port 132 is located between the condensation heat exchanger 104 and the sensible heat exchanger 103 in the water flow direction. In this way, the condensate only flows through the sensible heat exchanger 103 and is discharged with the hot water, without flowing through the condensation heat exchanger 104. In this way, the scale accumulation speed in the sensible heat exchanger 103 can be significantly slowed down, and compared with the first embodiment, the adverse effects of scale on the heat exchange efficiency and service life of the water heater 100 can be more effectively reduced.

[0045] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , in this embodiment, the one-way diversion device includes a power device 20 and a one-way valve 40 arranged in series. The power device 20 is used to drive the condensate to flow from the condensate inlet 131 to the condensate drain port 132. The one-way valve 40 unidirectionally conducts the condensate drain pipe 13 in the direction from the condensate inlet 131 to the condensate drain port 132. In this way, the power device 20 drives the condensate to flow from the condensate chamber to the heat exchanger and is discharged with the hot water from the hot water outlet pipe 12. The one-way valve 40 plays a role in improving the safety of condensate drainage. The one-way valve 40 prevents the occurrence of backflow, avoids the backflow and overflow of hot water in the heat exchanger to the condensate drain pipe 13, and protects other components of the water heater 100.

[0046] It can be understood that the specific form of the power device 20 can be various, as long as it can drive the condensate to flow in the direction of the condensate drain port 132. In the third embodiment provided by the present invention, please refer to Figure 3, the power device 20 is a water pump 21 provided on the condensate drain pipe 13, and the one-way valve 40 is provided on the condensate drain pipe 13 and is located downstream of the water pump 21. In this way, when the water pump 21 works, it can actively discharge the condensate accumulated in the condensation chamber to the heat exchanger, achieving the purpose of discharging the condensate. And by utilizing the acidic characteristics of the condensate, the scale generated in the heat exchanger can be removed for a long time, the speed of scale accumulation in the heat exchanger can be slowed down, and the service life of the water heater 100 can be extended. The one-way valve 40 can prevent the occurrence of backflow, prevent the hot water in the heat exchanger from flowing back and overflowing into the condensate drain pipe 13, and protect other components of the water heater 100.

[0047] Preferably, on the basis of the previous embodiment, a fourth embodiment provided by the present invention is proposed. Specifically, please refer to Figure 4 , the water heater 100 further includes a water storage device 30, the water storage device 30 is provided on the hot water exchanger and communicates with the water outlet end of the one-way valve 40. Specifically, the water storage device 30 may have two water inlet ends and one water outlet end. One of the water inlet ends and the water outlet end conduct the heat exchanger along the water conveyance direction, and the other water inlet end communicates with the condensate drain pipe 13, so that the condensate discharged from the condensate drain pipe 13 is first diluted by the stored water in the water storage device 30 and then flows to the hot water outlet pipe 12. It can be understood that the temperature of the condensate is lower than that of the hot water, and it is more acidic than tap water. If a large amount of condensate is directly poured into the hot water, it may cause the water temperature discharged from the hot water outlet 120 to be cold and hot, or the water discharged during a certain period to be acidic, affecting the user experience. To avoid the above situation, in this embodiment, by providing the water storage device 30, the condensate is diluted by the hot water in the water storage device 30 before flowing into the hot water in the hot water outlet pipe 12 and then discharged with the hot water, which can effectively make the water temperature fluctuation at the hot water outlet 120 smaller and the pH fluctuation of the water smaller, improving the user experience.

[0048] Based on the above third embodiment, a fifth embodiment provided by the present invention is proposed. Specifically, please refer to Figure 5, the water heater 100 further includes a controller 50 and a water level detector 60. The water level detector 60 is used to detect the condensate water level. The controller 50 is electrically connected to the water level detector 60 and the water pump 21, and is configured to control the water pump 21 to operate when the condensate water level is greater than a preset lower water level value, and control the water pump 21 to stop operating when the condensate water level is less than the preset lower water level value. Specifically, the water level detector 60 can be disposed in the condensate chamber or in the condensate water drain pipe 13, as long as it can feedback the accumulation situation of the condensate water. In this embodiment, the controller 50 is electrically connected to the water level detector 60 and the control valve, and is configured to control the water pump 21 to operate according to the condensate water level.

[0049] It can be understood that the generation rate of the condensate water is different at different inlet water temperatures. For example, when the inlet water temperature is high, the generation speed of the condensate water is slow, which results in a slow accumulation of the condensate water. When the inlet water temperature is low, the generation speed of the condensate water is fast, which results in a fast accumulation of the condensate water. If the water pump 21 operates continuously and the pumping speed is fast, it may cause the discharge speed of the condensate water to be greater than the generation speed of the condensate water. At this time, it may cause high-temperature flue gas to enter the heat exchanger, resulting in accelerated corrosion of the water pipe and noise problems. In another case, if the water pump 21 stops operating continuously or the pumping speed is slow, it may cause the discharge speed of the condensate water to be less than the generation speed of the condensate water, thereby causing excessive condensate water to accumulate and overflow, and even backflow into the fan 102 or other positions of the gas water heater 100 system, resulting in the gas water heater 100 stopping working or even being damaged.

[0050] Therefore, in this embodiment, the controller 50 obtains the condensate water level. When the condensate water level is greater than the preset lower water level value, it indicates that too much condensate water has accumulated. At this time, the water pump 21 is controlled to operate to discharge the condensate water, avoiding the phenomenon of condensate water backflow and protecting the water heater 100. When the condensate water level is less than the preset lower water level value, the condensate water has accumulated too little. At this time, the water pump 21 is controlled to stop operating, thereby avoiding high-temperature flue gas being drawn into the heat exchanger, resulting in accelerated corrosion of the water pipe and noise problems.

[0051] Based on the above first or second embodiment, the sixth embodiment provided by the present invention is proposed. Please refer to Figure 6, in this embodiment, the power device 20 is a negative pressure ejector 22. Specifically, the one-way valve 40 is provided in the condensate drain pipe 13. The heat exchanger has an ejector pipe section 142 connected to the condensate drain pipe 13. The negative pressure ejector 22 is provided in the ejector pipe section 142. The negative pressure ejector 22 has a negative pressure chamber. The water outlet end of the one-way valve 40 communicates with the negative pressure chamber through the condensate drain port 132. The negative pressure chamber is used to generate negative pressure when water flows through the negative pressure ejector 22, so as to introduce the condensate at the condensate drain port 132 into the ejector pipe section 142.

[0052] The specific structure of the negative pressure ejector 22 is not limited as long as it can generate negative pressure in the negative pressure chamber when hot water flows through the ejector pipe section 142 and direct the condensate to the heat exchanger. Specifically, the negative pressure ejector 22 may have the following structure. The negative pressure ejector 22 has a first cavity and a second cavity that are connected in sequence along the water flow direction of the ejector pipe section 142. The cross-sectional area of the second cavity increases along the water flow direction, and the cross-sectional area of the first cavity decreases along the water flow direction. The negative pressure chamber is formed at the junction of the first cavity and the second cavity and communicates with the condensate drain port 132. When water flows through the ejector pipe section 142, negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure chamber, so as to introduce the condensate in the condensate drain pipe 13 into the negative pressure chamber and flow along the ejector pipe section 142 from the second cavity to the hot water pipeline. It can be understood that in this embodiment, the discharge speed of the condensate also changes with the water flow rate of the ejector pipeline. Specifically, when the water flow rate of the ejector pipeline is relatively large, the discharge speed of the condensate increases accordingly, and when the water flow rate of the ejector pipeline is relatively small, the discharge speed of the condensate slows down accordingly. In this embodiment, the negative pressure ejector 22 is used to drive the condensate to be discharged from the condensate drain pipe 13 to the heat exchanger, so that when hot water is discharged, the condensate is discharged accordingly, and it can also slow down the accumulation speed of scale in the heat exchanger and extend the service life of the water heater 100. The one-way valve 40 can prevent the occurrence of backflow, prevent the hot water in the heat exchanger from flowing back and overflowing into the condensate drain pipe 13, and protect other components of the water heater 100.

[0053] Based on the above embodiments, it can be understood that there are two problems that are likely to occur in the above discharge method of introducing condensate into the hot water outlet pipe 12 by using the negative pressure ejector 22: one is that in some working conditions, the speed of drawing out the condensate is greater than the speed of condensate generation. At this time, it may cause high-temperature flue gas to enter the hot water outlet pipe 12, resulting in accelerated corrosion of the water pipe and noise problems. The other is that in some working conditions, the speed of drawing out the condensate is less than the speed of condensate generation, which may cause excessive condensate to accumulate and overflow, and even backflow into the fan 102 or other positions of the gas water heater 100 system, resulting in the gas water heater 100 stopping working or even being damaged.

[0054] To avoid the above situation, the seventh to ninth embodiments of the water heater 100 of the present invention are proposed. Specifically, please refer to Figures 7 to 9 , a part of the heat exchanger is arranged in parallel in two paths. Specifically, the heat exchanger further has a main pipe section 141 arranged in parallel with the ejector pipe section 142. The water heater 100 further includes a control valve for adjusting the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142. Specifically, the main pipe section 141 and the ejector pipe section 142 are located upstream of the sensible heat exchanger 103, and the water outlets of both are respectively connected to the sensible heat exchanger 103. The drain port of the condensate drain pipe 13 is connected to the ejector pipe section 142 through the negative pressure ejector 22, and when there is water flowing through the ejector pipe section 142, the condensate at the condensate drain port 132 is introduced into the ejector pipe section 142. Due to the structural arrangement of the negative pressure ejector 22, the ejection flow rate of the negative pressure ejector 22 is positively correlated with the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142, that is, it increases with the increase of the water flow rate in the ejector pipe section 142 and decreases with the decrease of the water flow rate in the ejector pipe section 142. When the water flow rate in the ejector pipe section 142 is zero, the ejection flow rate is zero.

[0055] In this embodiment, please continue to refer to Figures 7 to 9 , the water heater 100 further includes a control valve for adjusting the water flow rate in the ejector pipe section 142. In this way, the control valve can make the water flow rate in the ejector pipe section 142 change according to the change of the condensate level, so as to adjust the ejection flow rate of the negative pressure ejector 22. It should be noted that in the present invention, the condensate level refers to the water level of the condensate in the condensate heat exchanger 104 or the condensate drain pipe 13, which can reflect the accumulation situation of the condensate. It can be understood that when the condensate discharge speed is too fast, the condensate level will decrease, and when the condensate discharge speed is too slow, the condensate level will increase. In this embodiment, through the arrangement of the ejector pipe section 142 and the control valve, the ejection flow rate of the negative pressure ejector 22 can be controlled by adjusting the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142, so that the discharge speed of the condensate is adjustable. Specifically, the discharge speed of the condensate is adapted to its generation speed, so that the condensate level is relatively stable, avoiding the backflow of high-temperature flue gas into the hot water outlet pipe 12 and / or the excessive accumulation and overflow of condensate. It can be understood that there can be various specific types of the control valve. In the seventh embodiment provided by the present invention, please refer to Figure 7 , the control valve is a proportional valve 61 for adjusting the water flow rate ratio between the main pipe section 141 and the ejector pipe section 142. In the eighth embodiment provided by the present invention, please refer to Figure 8, the control valve is a solenoid valve 62, and the solenoid valve 62 is used to control the on-off of the ejector pipe section 142, so as to control the water flow rate in the ejector pipe section 142.

[0056] In this embodiment, by improving the structure of part of the pipeline of the heat exchanger, a parallel-connected ejector pipe section 142 and a main pipe section 141 are provided, and by adjusting the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142, the control of the condensate discharge speed can be achieved. With such a setting, on the one hand, when the water flow rate in the ejector pipe section 142 changes, the water flow rate in the main pipe section 141 can be adjusted accordingly, so that the water output at the hot water outlet 120 is constant, so that the hot water discharge at the hot water outlet 120 is no longer necessarily related to the suction flow rate of the negative pressure ejector 22, and it is not necessary to affect the normal discharge of hot water in consideration of the condensate discharge speed, improving the user experience. On the other hand, by controlling the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142, the adjustment of the condensate discharge speed can be achieved, with a simple structure, easy to implement, and reliable regulation.

[0057] Based on the previous embodiment, please continue to refer to Figure 9 , in the ninth embodiment provided by the present invention, the water heater 100 further includes a controller 50 and a water level detector 60. The water level detector 60 is used to detect the condensate water level. The controller 50 is electrically connected to the water level detector 60 and the control valve to control the operation of the control valve according to the condensate water level, so that when the condensate water level is greater than or equal to a preset water level lower limit value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is greater than or equal to a preset flow threshold value, and the one-way valve 40 is turned on. When the condensate water level is lower than the water level lower limit value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is less than the flow threshold value, and the one-way valve 40 is closed.

[0058] In this embodiment, the controller 50 is electrically connected to the water level detector 60 and the control valve, and is configured to adjust the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 according to the condensation water level. Since the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is positively correlated with the water flow rate of the negative pressure ejector 22, in this embodiment, the controller 50 is configured to implement the following control logic: when the condensation water level is greater than or equal to a preset water level limit value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is greater than or equal to a preset flow rate threshold value; when the condensation water level is less than the water level limit value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is less than the flow rate threshold value. In this embodiment, the preset water level limit value can be preset by the manufacturer. Specifically, when the condensation water level is higher than this water level limit value, it indicates that the condensation water accumulation is normal and can continue to be discharged. When the condensation water level is lower than this water level limit value, the generation speed of the condensation water cannot keep up with the discharge speed, and continuing to discharge the condensation water at this speed may cause high-temperature flue gas to be sucked into the heat exchanger. The flow rate threshold value reflects the influence of the water flow rate in the ejector pipe section 142 on the water flow rate of the ejector assembly, and the flow rate threshold value can also be set by the manufacturer. Specifically, the flow rate threshold value can be set such that when the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is greater than the flow rate threshold value, the water flow rate is greater than zero, and the one-way valve 40 is opened, that is, the condensation water can be discharged. When the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is less than the flow rate threshold value, the one-way valve 40 is closed, and the water flow rate is zero, that is, the condensation water is no longer discharged continuously.

[0059] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the condensation water level is greater than or equal to the preset water level limit value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is greater than or equal to the preset flow rate threshold value, so that the water level of the condensation water continues to decrease, reducing the risk of excessive accumulation and overflow of the condensation water. When the condensation water level is less than the water level limit value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is less than the flow rate threshold value, so that the condensation water level rises, avoiding the condensation water being emptied and causing high-temperature flue gas to be sucked into the heat exchanger, thereby avoiding the water heater 100 generating noise and the heat exchanger and the hot water outlet pipe 12 being acceleratedly corroded.

[0060] Based on the seventh embodiment, in one embodiment, please continue to refer to Figure 9, the control valve includes a proportional valve 61 disposed at the connection between the water inlet end of the ejector pipe section 142 and the main pipe section 141. The controller 50 is configured to control the proportional valve 61 to operate according to the condensate water level, so that when the condensate water level rises, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is controlled to increase, and when the condensate water level drops, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is controlled to decrease. Thus, in this embodiment, the regulation of the proportional valve 61 on the ejector pipe section 142 is dynamically related to the condensate water level, so that the condensate water level is always maintained in a relatively stable state, and adapts to the changes in different inlet water temperatures and water output volumes. The generation and discharge of condensate water are maintained in a dynamic balance state, and the condensate water level will not fluctuate greatly. Then, a large water accumulation container does not need to be provided to accumulate condensate water, so that the structure of the water heater 100 is compact and the volume is small.

[0061] Based on the eighth embodiment, in one embodiment, the control valve includes a solenoid valve 62 disposed on the ejector pipe section 142. The controller 50 is configured to control the solenoid valve 62 to operate according to the condensate water level, so that when the condensate water level is greater than the lower water level value, the solenoid valve 62 is controlled to be turned on, and when the condensate water level is less than the preset lower water level value, the solenoid valve 62 is controlled to be turned off. In this embodiment, the control valve includes a solenoid valve 62 disposed on the ejector pipe section 142. The controller 50 is electrically connected to the solenoid valve 62 and is configured to control the solenoid valve 62 to be turned on when the condensate water level is greater than or equal to the water level limit value, and control the solenoid valve 62 to be turned off when the condensate water level is lower than the lower water level value, so that the suction flow rate of the negative pressure ejector 22 is zero. In this embodiment, the controller 50 is configured to control the solenoid valve 62 to close when the condensate water is less than the water level limit value, and the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section 142 is zero, so that the suction flow rate of the negative pressure ejector 22 is zero. Thus, when there is a sign that the condensate water is emptied, which may cause high-temperature flue gas to be sucked back into the hot water outlet pipe 12, the negative pressure ejector 22 stops sucking, avoiding the noise and pipeline corrosion caused by the flue gas backflow. The control is simple and reliable and is easy to implement.

[0062] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformation made by using the specification and drawings of the present invention under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields, is included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water heater, characterized in that, Comprising: A heat exchanger, comprising a condensation heat exchanger and a sensible heat exchanger connected in series in sequence along the water conveyance direction. The water inlet end of the condensation heat exchanger is connected to a cold water inlet pipe, the water outlet end of the condensation heat exchanger communicates with the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger, and the water outlet end of the sensible heat exchanger is connected to a hot water outlet pipe; A condensate drain pipe for discharging the condensate generated by the condensation heat exchanger. The condensate drain pipe has a condensate water inlet and a condensate water drain outlet communicating with the heat exchanger. The condensate water drain outlet is upstream of the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger in the water conveyance direction; And,[[]]END]] A one-way flow guiding device is provided in the condensate drain pipe and is located between the condensate water inlet and the heat exchanger for unidirectionally conducting the condensate drain pipe in the direction from the condensate water inlet to the condensate water drain outlet; The one-way flow guiding device comprises a power device and a one-way valve connected in series. The power device is used to drive the condensate to flow from the condensate water inlet to the condensate water drain outlet; The power device is a water pump provided in the condensate drain pipe, and the one-way valve is provided in the condensate drain pipe and is located downstream of the water pump; The water heater further comprises a water storage device provided in the heat exchanger and communicating with the water outlet end of the one-way valve; The water storage device has two water inlet ends and one water outlet end. One of the water inlet ends and the water outlet end conduct the heat exchanger in the water conveyance direction, and the other water inlet end communicates with the condensate drain pipe.

2. A water heater, characterized in that, Comprising: A heat exchanger, comprising a condensation heat exchanger and a sensible heat exchanger connected in series in sequence along the water conveyance direction. The water inlet end of the condensation heat exchanger is connected to a cold water inlet pipe, the water outlet end of the condensation heat exchanger communicates with the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger, and the water outlet end of the sensible heat exchanger is connected to a hot water outlet pipe; A condensate drain pipe for discharging the condensate generated by the condensation heat exchanger. The condensate drain pipe has a condensate water inlet and a condensate water drain outlet communicating with the heat exchanger. The condensate water drain outlet is upstream of the water inlet end of the sensible heat exchanger in the water conveyance direction; And,[[]]END]] A one-way flow guiding device is provided in the condensate drain pipe and is located between the condensate water inlet and the heat exchanger for unidirectionally conducting the condensate drain pipe in the direction from the condensate water inlet to the condensate water drain outlet; The one-way flow guiding device comprises a power device and a one-way valve connected in series. The power device is used to drive the condensate to flow from the condensate water inlet to the condensate water drain outlet; The one-way valve is provided in the condensate drain pipe. The heat exchanger has an ejector pipe section connected to the condensate drain pipe. The power device is a negative pressure ejector provided in the ejector pipe section. The negative pressure ejector has a negative pressure chamber. The water outlet end of the one-way valve communicates with the negative pressure chamber through the condensate water drain outlet. The negative pressure chamber is used to generate a negative pressure when water flows through the negative pressure ejector to introduce the condensate at the condensate water drain outlet into the ejector pipe section; The heat exchanger further has a main pipe section arranged in parallel with the ejector pipe section, and the water heater further includes a control valve for regulating the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section; The water heater further includes a controller and a water level detector for detecting the condensate water level. The controller is electrically connected to the water level detector and the control valve to control the operation of the control valve according to the condensate water level, such that when the condensate water level is greater than or equal to a preset lower water level value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section is greater than or equal to a preset flow rate threshold and the one-way valve is opened, and when the condensate water level is lower than the lower water level value, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section is less than the flow rate threshold and the one-way valve is closed; A coil pipe is connected between the cold water inlet pipe and the condensate heat exchanger, and the coil pipe is arranged around the combustion chamber of the water heater.

3. The water heater according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The condensate water drain port is located between the condensate heat exchanger and the sensible heat exchanger in the water flow direction.

4. The water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control valve includes a proportional valve provided at the connection of the inlet end of the ejector pipe section and the main pipe section.

5. The water heater according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controller is used to control the operation of the proportional valve according to the condensate water level, such that when the condensate water level rises, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section is controlled to increase, and when the condensate water level drops, the water flow rate of the ejector pipe section is controlled to decrease.

6. The water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control valve includes an electromagnetic valve provided in the ejector pipe section.

7. The water heater according to claim 6, wherein, The controller is used to control the operation of the electromagnetic valve according to the condensate water level, such that when the condensate water level is greater than the lower water level value, the electromagnetic valve is controlled to be turned on, and when the condensate water level is less than a preset lower water level value, the electromagnetic valve is controlled to be turned off.

Images