Multi-energy intelligent water heater

Abstract

This invention discloses a multi-energy intelligent water heater comprising: a shell; an inner tank; a plate heat exchanger, the primary side of which is connected to a heat source, and the secondary side of which is connected to the inner tank; a hot water circulation module, one end of which is connected to the hot water outlet, and the other end of which is connected to the inner tank; a water tank temperature detection module, comprising a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor being located at the top of the inner tank for collecting water temperature Ts1, and the second temperature sensor being located at the bottom of the inner tank for collecting water temperature Ts2; and a control module for setting a heating temperature T0 and switching the sensing temperature of the heat source based on a comparison of the heating temperature T0 with the water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2. This invention, by incorporating multiple temperature sensors within the inner tank and utilizing a control module to switch between these sensors based on the heating temperature and the water usage environment, significantly reduces the frequent start-up and shutdown of the heat source, thereby improving the utilization rate of hot water in the water tank, reducing energy consumption, and promoting energy conservation and environmental protection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of water heaters, and specifically to a multi-energy intelligent water heater. Background Technology

[0002] Heat exchange water heaters are one of the most widely used pressurized water tanks in the water heater industry. They can be connected to multiple heat sources to exchange energy, store hot water, and then provide domestic hot water to users. They can also be connected to solar collectors, gas boilers, oil boilers, heat pumps, etc., for combined use to obtain domestic hot water.

[0003] However, existing heat exchange water heaters are prone to bacterial growth due to the long-term storage of domestic water, making them unable to kill bacteria and resulting in unhealthy water quality. Furthermore, the heat exchange coils have low heat exchange efficiency and long heating times. They also lack IoT smart module control functions, hindering smart home control. They do not come with a built-in hot water circulation module, requiring subsequent modifications to achieve instant hot water. Generally, they only have one temperature sensor, leading to inaccurate water tank heating temperatures and insufficient hot water supply.

[0004] In summary, there is a need to design a multi-energy intelligent water heater to solve the aforementioned problems in the existing technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a multi-energy intelligent water heater that solves the problems of low heat exchange efficiency and frequent start-up and shutdown of heat source in existing heat exchange water heaters.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A multi-energy smart water heater, comprising:

[0008] The outer casing forms an installation space within it;

[0009] The inner tank is located within the installation space, and both ends of the inner tank are respectively provided with a cold water inlet and a hot water outlet;

[0010] A plate heat exchanger, wherein its primary side is connected to a heat source and its secondary side is connected to the inner tank;

[0011] A hot water circulation module, one end of which is connected to the hot water outlet, and the other end of which is connected to the inner tank;

[0012] The water tank temperature detection module includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor. The first temperature sensor is located at the top of the inner tank to collect the water temperature Ts1, and the second temperature sensor is located at the bottom of the inner tank to collect the water temperature Ts2.

[0013] The control module is used to set the heating temperature T0 and switch the sensing temperature of the heat source according to the comparison result of the heating temperature T0 with the water temperature Ts1 and the water temperature Ts2.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the water temperature Ts1 is less than the heating temperature T0, the control module is used to switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts2 collected by the second temperature sensor.

[0015] When the water temperature Ts2 is not less than the heating temperature T0, the control module is used to switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts1 collected by the first temperature sensor.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the primary side of the plate heat exchanger includes a heat source inlet and a heat source return outlet, and the secondary side of the plate heat exchanger includes a hot water circulation inlet and a hot water circulation return outlet; a heat source temperature sensor is provided at the heat source inlet to collect the temperature Tr of the heat source, and a heat loading pump is provided at the hot water circulation return outlet; when the temperature Tr is not less than the heating temperature T0, the control module controls the heat loading pump to start.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control module is further configured to calculate the display temperature T of the water heater, wherein the formula for calculating the display temperature T is: T = Ts1*A + Ts2*B, where A and B are constants.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the water temperature Ts1 and the water temperature Ts2 are both within the range of [10℃-65℃], and when the water temperature Ts1 and the water temperature Ts2 gradually increase, the constant A gradually decreases and the constant B gradually increases.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, the hot water circulation module is further provided with a return water temperature sensor and a heat circulation pump. The return water temperature sensor is used to collect the return water temperature Th in the inner tank. The control module is used to control the heat circulation pump to start when the return water temperature Th does not reach the set return water temperature Th0. The set return water temperature Th0 is a set value in the control module.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water heater further includes a third temperature sensor and a fourth temperature sensor. The third temperature sensor is located at the top of the inner tank and is used to collect the water temperature Ts1'. The fourth temperature sensor is located at the bottom of the inner tank and is used to collect the water temperature Ts2'.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present invention, the third temperature sensor is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the top of the inner liner, and the fourth temperature sensor is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the bottom of the inner liner, and the second temperature sensor is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the bottom of the inner liner.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the water temperature Ts1 is less than the heating temperature T0, the control module is used to switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts2' collected by the fourth temperature sensor.

[0023] When the water temperature Ts2 is not less than the heating temperature T0, the control module is used to switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts1' collected by the third temperature sensor.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present invention, the inner tank is further provided with an electric heating module for sterilizing the water heater.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control module is also used to set the sterilization temperature range (65℃-75℃) of the electric heating module. When the water temperature Ts1 is greater than 65℃, the control module turns on the heat circulation pump to sterilize the pipeline.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present invention, the inner liner is further provided with a heat exchange coil for supplementing heating of the inner liner.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present invention, a water flow sensor is also provided at the heat source return port of the plate heat exchanger.

[0028] The technical solution of the present invention has the following technical effects compared with the prior art:

[0029] I. This invention, by setting multiple temperature sensors in the inner tank and using a control module to switch between temperature sensors according to the heating temperature and water environment, greatly reduces the frequent start-up and shutdown of the heat source, improves the utilization rate of hot water in the water tank, reduces energy consumption, and is energy-saving and environmentally friendly.

[0030] Second, the present invention significantly improves heat exchange efficiency by adopting a highly efficient plate heat exchange structure.

[0031] Third, the present invention can achieve automatic sterilization through the electric heating module, ensuring safe and healthy water use. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments 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 these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-energy intelligent water heater shown in the embodiment.

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the plate heat exchanger shown in the embodiment.

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the hot water circulation module shown in the embodiment.

[0036] Figure 4 The control flowchart of the water tank temperature detection module and the heat loading pump shown in the embodiment is shown.

[0037] Figure 5 The control flowchart of the heat cycle pump shown in the embodiment is shown.

[0038] Reference numerals: 110-Outer shell; 120-Inner tank; 130-Cold water inlet; 140-Hot water outlet; 200-Plate heat exchanger; 210-Heat source inlet; 220-Hot water circulation inlet; 230-Heat exchange unit; 240-Heat source return inlet; 250-Heat loading pump; 260-Hot water circulation return inlet; 270-Water flow sensor; 280-Heat source temperature sensor; 300-Hot water circulation module; 310-Return water temperature sensor; 320-Heat circulation pump; 330-Return water pipe; 410-First temperature sensor; 420-Second temperature sensor; 510-Third temperature sensor; 520-Fourth temperature sensor; 600-Electric heating module; 700-Heat exchange coil. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances. In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0041] Example 1

[0042] A multi-energy smart water heater, comprising:

[0043] The outer casing 110 forms an installation space therein;

[0044] The inner tank 120 is located within the installation space, and the two ends of the inner tank 120 are respectively provided with a cold water inlet 130 and a hot water outlet 140;

[0045] The plate heat exchanger 200 has its primary side connected to a heat source and its secondary side connected to the inner tank 120.

[0046] A hot water circulation module 300 has one end connected to the hot water outlet 140 and the other end connected to the inner tank 120;

[0047] The water tank temperature detection module includes a first temperature sensor 410 and a second temperature sensor 420. The first temperature sensor 410 is located at the top of the inner tank 120 to collect water temperature Ts1, and the second temperature sensor 420 is located at the bottom of the inner tank 120 to collect water temperature Ts2.

[0048] The control module is used to set the heating temperature T0 and switch the sensing temperature of the heat source according to the comparison result of the heating temperature T0 with the water temperature Ts1 and the water temperature Ts2.

[0049] Specifically, in this embodiment, the cold water inlet 130 is located at the bottom of the inner tank 120, and the hot water inlet 140 is located at the top of the inner tank 120.

[0050] The heat source is a gas-fired boiler, that is, the plate heat exchanger 200 is connected to the hot water outlet of the heat source, that is, the plate heat exchanger 200 transfers the heat generated by the gas-fired boiler to the inner tank 120.

[0051] During use, the hot water outlet 140 is connected to the remote water-using equipment to meet the user's hot water needs. In addition, the other end of the remote water-using equipment is connected to the inner tank 120 through the hot water circulation module 300 to realize the circulation of hot water.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present invention, for the plate heat exchanger 200, refer to Figure 2 As shown, its primary side is used to connect the gas boiler to provide a heat source for heat exchange to the water heater, including a heat source inlet 210 and a heat source return port 240. The heat source inlet 210 is connected to the hot water outlet of the gas boiler, and the heat source return port 240 is connected to the hot water return port of the gas boiler to form a circulation loop.

[0053] The secondary side of the plate heat exchanger 200 is used to connect to the inner tank 120 of the water heater, including a hot water circulation inlet 220 and a hot water circulation outlet 260, both of which are inserted into the inner tank 120. The position of the hot water circulation outlet 260 in the inner tank 120 is lower than the position of the hot water circulation inlet 220 in the inner tank 120.

[0054] A heat loading pump 250 is installed at the hot water circulation return port 240. When the heat loading pump 250 is turned on, the plate heat exchanger 200 starts to work, that is, to exchange heat with the inner tank 120.

[0055] Specifically, a heat source temperature sensor 280 is installed at the heat source inlet 210 to collect the temperature Tr of the heat source, which is the real-time heating temperature of the gas boiler. When the temperature Tr is not less than the heating temperature T0, the control module controls the heat loading pump 250 to start.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present invention, a water flow sensor 270 is also provided at the heat source return port 240 of the plate heat exchanger 200 to measure the water flow in the plate heat exchanger 200 in order to balance the pressure between the gas boiler and the plate heat exchanger 200.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to... Figure 3 As shown, the hot water circulation module 300 is also equipped with a return water temperature sensor 310 and a heat circulation pump 320. The return water temperature sensor 310 is used to measure the temperature of the hot water that returns to the inner tank 120 after flowing through the remote water-using equipment, i.e., the return water temperature Th. If the return water temperature Th does not reach the set return water temperature Th0, the heat circulation pump 320 is turned on, so that the hot water in the inner tank 120 enters the remote water-using equipment through the hot water outlet 140.

[0058] Specifically, the hot water circulation module also includes a return pipe 330, which is inserted into the inner tank 120. The remote water-using equipment returns to the inner tank 120 through the return pipe 330. By turning on the heat circulation pump 320, the hot water in the inner tank 120 enters the remote water-using equipment through the hot water outlet 140 and then returns to the inner tank 120 through the return pipe 330, thereby increasing the temperature of the remote water.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present invention, the inner tank 120 is further provided with a heat exchange coil 700 for supplemental heating of the inner tank 120. Because the cold water inlet 130 is located at the bottom of the inner tank 120 in this water heater, the water temperature at the bottom of the inner tank 120 is relatively lower than the water temperature at the top. In this embodiment, the heat exchange coil 700 is located below the inner tank 120, and it works in conjunction with the plate heat exchanger 200 to heat the inner tank 120, thereby making the water temperature in the inner tank 120 more uniform, i.e., with a smaller temperature difference.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to... Figure 4 As shown, the working principle of the plate heat exchanger 200 and the heat source is as follows:

[0061] First, the control module sets the heating temperature of the heat source, denoted as T0. The first temperature sensor 410 and the second temperature sensor 420 collect the top and bottom temperatures of the inner liner 120 in real time and send them to the control module.

[0062] Then the control module determines whether the water temperature Ts1 is lower than the heating temperature T0. If so, the control module starts the heat source, i.e., the gas boiler, to heat the water and uses the water temperature Ts2 collected by the second temperature sensor 420 as the sensing temperature of the gas boiler. That is, the water temperature at the bottom of the inner tank 120 is used as the sensing temperature to avoid uneven water temperature in the inner tank 120.

[0063] Simultaneously, the temperature Tr collected by the heat source temperature sensor 280 in the plate heat exchanger 200 is received. When the temperature Tr is not less than the heating temperature T0, the heat exchange temperature standard is reached. The control module then turns on the heat loading pump 250 to exchange heat with the hot water in the inner tank 120.

[0064] Finally, the control module determines whether the water temperature Ts2 is not less than the heating temperature T0. If so, the control module shuts down the heat loading pump 250 and stops heat exchange with the hot water in the inner tank 120. In other words, the water temperature in the inner tank 120 has reached the set temperature, and the gas boiler stops heating and uses the water temperature Ts1 collected by the first temperature sensor 410 as the sensing temperature of the gas boiler. Since the cold water inlet 130 is located at the bottom of the inner tank 120, the water temperature at the top of the inner tank 120 is used as the sensing temperature of the gas boiler, which can effectively avoid frequent start-up and shutdown of the gas boiler.

[0065] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water heater is further provided with a temperature display module. Specifically, the control module is also used to calculate the displayed temperature T of the water heater. The calculation formula for the displayed temperature T is: T = Ts1*A + Ts2*B, where A and B are constants.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 are both within the range of [10℃-65℃], and as the water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 gradually increase, the constant A gradually decreases, and the constant B gradually increases. See the table below:

[0067] Serial Number Ts1(℃) A Ts2(℃) B 1 <10 100% <10 0% 2 20 55%±3% 27 45%±2% 3 30 45%±3% 38 55%±2% 4 40 40%±3% 48 60%±2% 5 50 30%±3% 56 70%±2% 6 60 25%±3% 65 75%±2% 7 >65 50% >65 50%

[0068] When both water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 are less than 10℃, the control module records water temperature Ts1 as the displayed temperature T; when both water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 are greater than 65℃, the control module records the average value of water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 as the displayed temperature T.

[0069] The method for calculating the displayed temperature T in this embodiment can accurately reflect the water temperature in the inner tank 120.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control process of the heat circulation pump is described in reference to... Figure 5 As shown, the control module first determines whether the heat pump 250 is turned on. If the heat pump 250 is turned on, it means that the water heater is in the heating state and the water temperature in the inner tank 120 has not reached the heating temperature T0. Therefore, the heat pump 250 is turned off, and the control module clears the register and resets the timer.

[0071] When the heat loading pump 250 is in the off state, the control module continues to determine whether the mobile control terminal is turned on once. If so, that is, the user actively turns on the heat circulation pump 320 through the mobile control terminal during a non-timed period, the control module turns on the heat circulation pump 320 and starts a countdown. After the countdown ends, the control module actively turns off the heat circulation pump 320.

[0072] If the user does not actively turn on the heat circulation pump 320 outside of the scheduled period, and it is not in the scheduled period or in the timeout shutdown interval, or if the return water temperature Th reaches the set return water temperature Th0, then the heat circulation pump 250 will be turned off, and the control module will clear the register and reset the timer.

[0073] If the user does not actively turn on the heat circulation pump 320 outside of the scheduled period, and it is within the scheduled period and not in the timeout shutdown interval, and the return water temperature Th has not reached the set return water temperature Th0, then the control module turns on the heat circulation pump 320.

[0074] In some embodiments of the present invention, the inner tank 120 is further provided with an electric heating module 600 for sterilizing the water heater.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control module is also used to set the sterilization temperature range (65℃-75℃) of the electric heating module 600. When the water temperature Ts1 is greater than 65℃, the control module turns on the heat circulation pump 320 to sterilize the pipeline and keep the pipeline healthy and safe.

[0076] Example 2

[0077] Continue to refer to Figure 1As shown, the water heater also includes a third temperature sensor 510 and a fourth temperature sensor 520. The third temperature sensor 510 is located at the top of the inner tank 120 and is used to collect the water temperature Ts1'. The fourth temperature sensor 520 is located at the bottom of the inner tank 120 and is used to collect the water temperature Ts2'.

[0078] The third temperature sensor 510 is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the top of the inner liner 120 with the first temperature sensor 410; the fourth temperature sensor 520 is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bottom of the inner liner 120 with the second temperature sensor 420. Therefore, the water temperature Ts1' and the water temperature Ts1 are approximately equal, and the water temperature Ts2' and the water temperature Ts2 are approximately equal.

[0079] Therefore, when the water temperature Ts1 is less than the heating temperature T0, the control module can switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts2' collected by the fourth temperature sensor 520.

[0080] When the water temperature Ts2 is not less than the heating temperature T0, the control module can switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts1' collected by the third temperature sensor 510.

[0081] The technical solution of the present invention has the following technical effects compared with the prior art:

[0082] I. This invention, by setting multiple temperature sensors in the inner tank 120, and using the control module to switch the temperature sensors according to the heating temperature and water environment, greatly reduces the frequent start and stop of the heat source, improves the utilization rate of hot water in the water tank, reduces energy consumption, and is energy-saving and environmentally friendly.

[0083] Second, the present invention significantly improves heat exchange efficiency by adopting a highly efficient plate heat exchange structure 200.

[0084] Third, the electric heating module 600 of this invention can achieve automatic sterilization, ensuring safe and healthy water use.

[0085] In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0086] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A multi-energy intelligent water heater, characterized in that, include: The outer casing forms an installation space within it; The inner tank is located within the installation space, and both ends of the inner tank are respectively provided with a cold water inlet and a hot water outlet; A plate heat exchanger, wherein its primary side is connected to a heat source and its secondary side is connected to the inner tank; A hot water circulation module, one end of which is connected to the hot water outlet, and the other end of which is connected to the inner tank; The water tank temperature detection module includes a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor. The first temperature sensor is located at the top of the inner tank to collect the water temperature Ts1, and the second temperature sensor is located at the bottom of the inner tank to collect the water temperature Ts2. The control module is used to set the heating temperature T0 and switch the sensing temperature of the heat source according to the comparison results of the heating temperature T0 with the water temperature Ts1 and the water temperature Ts2. When the water temperature Ts1 is less than the heating temperature T0, the control module is used to switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts2 collected by the second temperature sensor. When the water temperature Ts2 is not less than the heating temperature T0, the control module is used to switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts1 collected by the first temperature sensor. The control module is also used to calculate the displayed temperature T of the water heater. The formula for calculating the displayed temperature T is: T = Ts1 * A + Ts2 * B, where A and B are constants. When the water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 are both within the range of [10℃-65℃], and as the water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 gradually increase, the constant A gradually decreases, and the constant B gradually increases. When both water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 are less than 10℃, the control module records the water temperature Ts1 as the displayed temperature T. When both water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 are greater than 65℃, the control module records the average value of the water temperatures Ts1 and Ts2 as the displayed temperature T.

2. The multi-energy intelligent water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The primary side of the plate heat exchanger includes a heat source inlet and a heat source return outlet, and the secondary side of the plate heat exchanger includes a hot water circulation inlet and a hot water circulation return outlet. A heat source temperature sensor is installed at the heat source inlet to collect the temperature Tr of the heat source. A heat loading pump is installed at the hot water circulation return outlet. When the temperature Tr is not less than the heating temperature T0, the control module controls the heat loading pump to start.

3. A multi-energy intelligent water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hot water circulation module is also equipped with a return water temperature sensor and a heat circulation pump. The return water temperature sensor is used to collect the return water temperature Th in the inner tank. The control module is used to control the heat circulation pump to start when the return water temperature Th does not reach the set return water temperature Th0. The set return water temperature Th0 is a set value in the control module.

4. A multi-energy intelligent water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water heater also includes a third temperature sensor and a fourth temperature sensor. The third temperature sensor is located at the top of the inner tank and is used to collect the water temperature Ts1'. The fourth temperature sensor is located at the bottom of the inner tank and is used to collect the water temperature Ts2'.

5. A multi-energy intelligent water heater according to claim 4, characterized in that, The third temperature sensor is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the top of the inner liner, and the fourth temperature sensor is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the bottom of the inner liner, and the second temperature sensor is symmetrically disposed on both sides of the bottom of the inner liner.

6. A multi-energy intelligent water heater according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the water temperature Ts1 is less than the heating temperature T0, the control module is used to switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts2' collected by the fourth temperature sensor; When the water temperature Ts2 is not less than the heating temperature T0, the control module is used to switch the sensing temperature of the heat source to the water temperature Ts1' collected by the third temperature sensor.

7. A multi-energy intelligent water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner liner is also equipped with a heat exchange coil for supplemental heating of the inner liner.

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