An electric water heater and a pressure boost control method thereof
By combining a flow sensor and a controller, the system intelligently controls the start-up of the booster pump and the motor speed, solving the problem that the booster pump of an electric water heater cannot automatically adjust, thus achieving safe operation of the booster pump and comfortable bathing for users.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VATTI CORP LTD
- Filing Date
- 2023-12-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-19
AI Technical Summary
The existing electric water heater booster pump cannot automatically start and stop according to the user's water usage, causing the motor to run dry and be damaged.
By using a flow sensor and controller in conjunction with a booster pump, the system can intelligently control the start-up of the booster pump and the motor speed by detecting the flow rate and duration of the inlet water pipe, thus preventing idling.
This effectively prevents the booster pump motor from running dry, protects the equipment, and improves user bathing comfort and equipment lifespan.
Smart Images

Figure CN117537495B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of electric water heater technology, and in particular to an electric water heater and its pressure boosting control method. Background Technology
[0002] Currently, to ensure the comfort of bathing with an electric water heater, the total water flow rate cannot be too low. For some households with low water pressure, users need to install a booster pump on the electric water heater to increase the water flow rate.
[0003] In existing technologies, once the booster mode is activated, the booster pump can only run at a fixed high power continuously and cannot automatically start and stop according to the user's water usage. As a result, after the user finishes using the water, the booster pump motor continues to run at a fixed high power, making the booster pump motor prone to burnout and damaging the booster pump. Summary of the Invention
[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an electric water heater and its pressure boosting control method to address the aforementioned technical problems.
[0005] In a first aspect, a method for pressurizing an electric water heater is provided. The electric water heater includes a booster pump, a flow sensor, and a controller. The booster pump is installed on the inlet pipe of the electric water heater, and the flow sensor is installed on the inlet pipe of the electric water heater. The controller is connected to both the booster pump and the flow sensor. The method includes:
[0006] The controller receives the user's booster activation command;
[0007] According to the pressurization start command, the controller obtains the first flow value of the water inlet pipe of the electric water heater detected by the flow sensor;
[0008] If the first flow rate value is less than the first preset flow rate threshold, the controller controls the motor of the booster pump to stop running;
[0009] If the first flow rate value is greater than or equal to the first preset flow rate threshold and less than the second preset flow rate threshold, then the controller accumulates the duration.
[0010] If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, the controller controls the motor of the booster pump to run according to the pre-stored first motor speed.
[0011] As an optional implementation, if the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, and the controller controls the booster pump motor to operate according to a pre-stored first motor speed, the method further includes:
[0012] The controller acquires the second flow value of the water inlet pipe detected by the flow sensor;
[0013] If the second flow rate value is greater than the third preset flow rate threshold, the controller controls the speed of the booster pump motor to decrease from the first motor speed to the pre-stored second motor speed, and controls the motor to run at the second motor speed.
[0014] As an optional implementation, the method further includes:
[0015] The controller acquires the third flow value of the water inlet pipe of the electric water heater detected by the flow sensor;
[0016] If the third flow rate value is less than the fourth preset flow rate threshold, the controller controls the motor speed to increase from the second motor speed to the first motor speed, and controls the motor to run at the first motor speed, wherein the fourth preset flow rate threshold is less than the third preset flow rate threshold.
[0017] As an optional implementation, the method further includes:
[0018] The controller receives the user's pressurization shutdown command;
[0019] According to the pressurization shutdown command, the controller controls the motor of the booster pump to stop running.
[0020] In a second aspect, an electric water heater is provided, the electric water heater including a booster pump, a flow sensor, a controller and an inlet pipe, the booster pump and the flow sensor are installed on the inlet pipe, and the controller is provided with a booster button;
[0021] The boost button is used to switch between boost mode and non-boost mode;
[0022] The booster pump is used to boost pressure in the booster mode;
[0023] The flow sensor is used to detect the water flow rate on the inlet pipe;
[0024] The controller is connected to the booster pump and the flow sensor respectively, and controls the booster pump and the flow sensor to perform the booster control method for electric water heaters as described in the first aspect.
[0025] As an optional implementation, the electric water heater further includes an outer shell, an internal cold water pipe, a mixing valve, an internal hot water pipe, a temperature sensor, a heating element, an inner tank, and a water outlet. The internal cold water pipe is connected to the inlet pipe and the mixing valve, and the mixing valve is connected to the internal hot water pipe and the internal cold water pipe. The temperature sensor is mounted on the heating element, which is installed inside the inner tank. The water outlet is the outlet port of the mixing valve, and both the heating element and the temperature sensor are connected to the controller.
[0026] The inner tank is used to store water from the electric water heater;
[0027] The heating element is used to heat the water inside the inner tank;
[0028] The temperature sensor is used to detect the water temperature inside the inner tank and send the water temperature to the controller;
[0029] The mixing valve is used to mix the hot water from the internal hot water pipe and the cold water from the internal cold water pipe, and then the mixture flows out through the outlet for the user to use for bathing.
[0030] As an optional implementation, the water inlet pipe and the internal cold water pipe are connected by a T-junction.
[0031] As an optional implementation, the booster pump is powered by low-voltage electricity.
[0032] Thirdly, a pressure boosting control system for an electric water heater is provided, the pressure boosting control system comprising: the pressure boosting control method for the electric water heater as described in the first aspect and the electric water heater as described in the second aspect.
[0033] This application provides an electric water heater and its pressurization control method. The technical solution provided by the embodiments of this application brings at least the following beneficial effects: The controller receives a user's pressurization start command; according to the pressurization start command, the controller obtains a first flow value of the water inlet pipe of the electric water heater detected by the flow sensor; if the first flow value is less than a first preset flow threshold, the controller controls the motor of the pressurization pump to stop running; if the first flow value is greater than or equal to the first preset flow threshold and less than a second preset flow threshold, the controller accumulates a duration; if the duration is greater than a preset duration threshold, the controller controls the motor of the pressurization pump to run according to a pre-stored first motor speed. Thus, after receiving the pressurization start command, the system enters a pressurization mode, and then determines whether to start the pressurization pump by judging the flow value of the water flow detected by the flow sensor. When the detected water flow value is less than the first preset flow threshold, it indicates that the user is not using a large amount of water. To avoid damage caused by the motor running idle, the controller controls the motor of the pressurization pump to stop running. When the detected water flow rate is greater than or equal to the first preset flow rate threshold and less than the second preset flow rate threshold, it indicates that the user is currently using water. It is also necessary to determine the duration of the current state. If the duration is longer than the preset duration threshold, it indicates that the user is using water and the current water pressure is low. In this case, the booster pump motor is controlled to boost the pressure.
[0034] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description
[0035] 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 these drawings without creative effort.
[0036] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a booster control system for an electric water heater.
[0037] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a pressure boosting control method for an electric water heater provided in this application embodiment;
[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electric water heater provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.
[0040] The pressure boosting control method for electric water heaters provided in this application can be applied to the pressure boosting control system of electric water heaters. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the booster control system of the electric water heater includes a controller 101, a flow sensor 102 and a booster pump 103. The controller 101 is connected to the booster pump 103 and the flow sensor 102 respectively.
[0041] The controller 101 receives a booster activation command from the user. Based on the booster activation command, it acquires the first flow rate value detected by the flow sensor 102 at the inlet pipe of the electric water heater. If the first flow rate value is less than a first preset flow rate threshold, the controller stops the motor of the booster pump 103. If the first flow rate value is greater than or equal to the first preset flow rate threshold and less than a second preset flow rate threshold, the controller accumulates the duration. If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, the controller controls the motor of the booster pump 103 to run according to a pre-stored first motor speed.
[0042] The flow sensor 102 is used to detect the water flow in the inlet pipe of the electric water heater and send the detected first flow value to the controller 101.
[0043] The booster pump 103 is used to receive the motor running command issued by the controller 101, and run according to the speed of the first motor, and to receive the motor shutdown command issued by the controller 101 to stop running.
[0044] The following will describe in detail, with reference to specific embodiments, a pressure boosting control method for an electric water heater provided in this application. Figure 2 A flowchart of a pressure boosting control method for an electric water heater provided in this application embodiment is shown below. Figure 2 As shown, the specific steps are as follows:
[0045] Step 201: The controller receives the user's boost start command.
[0046] In practice, to ensure the comfort of bathing with an electric water heater, the total water flow rate cannot be too low. For some households with low water pressure, users need to install a booster pump to increase the water flow rate. In existing technologies, once the booster mode is activated, the booster pump can only run at a fixed high power continuously, unable to automatically start and stop according to the user's water usage. This results in the booster pump motor continuing to run at a fixed high power after the user finishes using the water, making the motor prone to burnout and damaging the booster pump. This application sets a booster button on the controller, allowing the user to decide whether to put the water heater in booster mode. After the water heater is powered on, the booster pump's power is off by default, and the controller checks for a booster activation command. When the user presses the booster button, the controller receives the booster activation command and enters booster mode. Then, in subsequent steps, while in booster mode, the flow sensor detects the water flow rate, and the controller determines whether to start the booster pump for pressurization based on the water flow rate. In this way, the booster pump can be started or stopped according to the user's water usage, avoiding the booster pump running dry.
[0047] Step 202: According to the pressurization start command, the controller obtains the first flow value of the water inlet pipe of the electric water heater detected by the flow sensor.
[0048] In implementation, upon receiving the user's input command to activate the booster, the water heater enters booster mode. The controller immediately enters water flow signal monitoring mode, i.e., real-time flow change monitoring mode, receiving the water flow rate detected by the flow sensor in the water heater's inlet pipe. The flow sensor detects the water flow rate in the inlet pipe, and the controller determines the user's water usage based on this data, deciding whether to activate the booster pump to increase pressure. When the flow sensor detects a high water flow rate in the inlet pipe, it indicates that the user is actively using water, and the booster pump needs to be activated to ensure the user's bathing comfort. When the flow sensor detects a low water flow rate in the inlet pipe, it indicates that the user is not using water significantly, and the booster pump does not need to operate. Therefore, based on the booster activation command, the controller obtains the first flow rate value of the water heater's inlet pipe detected by the flow sensor. This first flow rate value can be 1L / min.
[0049] Step 203: If the first flow rate value is less than the first preset flow rate threshold, the controller controls the motor of the booster pump to stop running.
[0050] In implementation, after the controller obtains the first flow rate value detected by the flow sensor, it compares this value with a first preset flow rate threshold. If the first flow rate value is less than the first preset flow rate threshold, it indicates that the user is not using a significant amount of water. To prevent the motor from running idle, the controller stops the booster pump motor, putting it in a stopped state. If the booster pump continues to operate at high power at this time, meaning the motor is running idle without water, it will burn out and damage the booster pump. Thus, by comparing the first flow rate value with the first preset flow rate threshold, the controller ensures that when there is no water or very little water in the water heater's pipes, the booster pump motor is controlled to run idle, preventing damage from this method.
[0051] Step 204: If the first flow rate value is greater than or equal to the first preset flow rate threshold and less than the second preset flow rate threshold, then the controller accumulates the duration.
[0052] In implementation, after the controller obtains the first flow rate value detected by the flow sensor, it compares the first flow rate value with a first preset flow rate threshold. If the first flow rate value is greater than or equal to the first preset flow rate threshold and less than a second preset flow rate threshold, it indicates that the user is currently using water. To ensure continuous water usage and avoid situations where the user has not fully opened the mixing valve, the water flow rate can be continuously accumulated for a duration greater than or equal to the first preset flow rate threshold and less than the second preset flow rate threshold. If a longer duration is subsequently detected, it indicates that the user is continuously using water, and the current low water pressure is not due to the user not fully opening the mixing valve. In this case, the booster pump can be activated to pressurize the water, meeting the user's water needs and improving the user's bathing comfort. The second preset flow rate threshold can be between 4 L / min and 5 L / min.
[0053] Step 205: If the duration exceeds the preset duration threshold, the controller controls the booster pump motor to run according to the pre-stored first motor speed.
[0054] In implementation, if a prolonged low water pressure is detected, it indicates continuous water usage by the user, and the low water pressure is not due to the mixing valve not being fully open. In this case, the booster pump can be activated to increase water pressure. Therefore, the controller compares the accumulated duration with a preset duration threshold in real time. If the duration exceeds the preset threshold, the controller controls the booster pump to operate at a pre-stored first motor speed. The first motor speed can be the maximum preset speed of the booster pump. The preset duration threshold can be between 2 and 4 seconds. By comparing the second preset flow rate threshold and the preset duration threshold, various random factors are filtered out, improving the accuracy of low water pressure detection.
[0055] Furthermore, after the booster pump starts operating, to prevent excessive water pressure in the water heater's pipes from damaging the piping system and to extend its lifespan, it's necessary to monitor the water flow rate in the inlet pipe after pressurization. Therefore, to avoid excessive water pressure in the piping system after boosting, the motor speed of the booster pump also needs to be adjusted. The specific process is as follows:
[0056] Step 1: The controller acquires the second flow rate value of the inlet pipe detected by the flow sensor.
[0057] During implementation, to avoid excessive water pressure in the pressurized pipeline system that could damage the booster pump's pipeline system, it is necessary to monitor the water pressure in the pressurized pipeline system. Since higher water flow results in higher water pressure, the need to adjust the booster pump's motor speed can be determined based on the water flow rate detected by the flow sensor. Therefore, initially, the controller needs to acquire the second flow rate value of the inlet pipe detected by the flow sensor.
[0058] Step 2: If the second flow rate value is greater than the third preset flow rate threshold, the controller controls the speed of the booster pump motor to decrease from the first motor speed to the pre-stored second motor speed, and controls the motor to run at the second motor speed.
[0059] In implementation, the controller receives a second flow rate value from the flow sensor and compares it with a third preset flow rate threshold. If the second flow rate value is greater than the third preset flow rate threshold, it indicates that the water pressure in the water heater's piping system is too high. To prevent damage to the piping system, the motor speed of the booster pump needs to be reduced. The controller can then control the booster pump motor speed to decrease from a first motor speed to a pre-stored second motor speed, and control the motor to operate at the second motor speed. The third preset flow rate threshold can be between 8L / min and 10L / min, determined based on actual application conditions and not limited here. This prevents excessive water pressure from damaging the piping system and protects the lifespan of the water heater's piping system.
[0060] Furthermore, during the pressurization process, it's crucial to ensure both the safety of the electric water heater's piping system and the comfort of the user's bathing water. Therefore, it's necessary to continuously monitor the flow sensor to detect the water flow in the inlet pipe in real time. When the water flow is high, the motor speed of the booster pump is reduced; when the water flow is low, the motor speed is increased. The specific process is as follows:
[0061] Step A: The controller acquires the third flow value of the water inlet pipe of the electric water heater detected by the flow sensor.
[0062] During implementation, while avoiding excessive water pressure that could damage the electric water heater's piping system, it's also crucial to ensure user comfort during bathing. This means the water pressure in the piping system cannot be too low. Since lower water flow results in lower water pressure, the controller can determine whether to adjust the speed of the booster pump motor based on the water flow detected by the flow sensor. Therefore, the controller acquires the third flow value from the electric water heater's inlet pipe detected by the flow sensor.
[0063] Step B: If the third flow rate value is less than the fourth preset flow rate threshold, the controller controls the motor speed to increase from the second motor speed to the first motor speed, and controls the motor to run at the first motor speed, where the fourth preset flow rate threshold is less than the third preset flow rate threshold.
[0064] In implementation, after receiving the third flow value from the flow sensor, the controller compares it with a fourth preset flow threshold. If the third flow value is less than the fourth preset flow threshold, the water pressure in the water heater's piping system is low. To ensure the user's water demand, the motor speed of the booster pump needs to be increased. Therefore, the controller can control the motor speed to increase from the second motor speed to the first motor speed and control the motor to operate at the first motor speed. Since the fourth preset flow threshold is less than the third preset flow threshold, increasing the booster pump motor speed will not damage the piping system. Thus, by judging the third and fourth preset flow thresholds and then controlling the duty cycle or motor speed of the booster pump, the water pressure can be stabilized within a certain range. Simultaneously, the appropriate water pressure range can be adjusted according to the user's actual needs. This protects the water heater's piping system while ensuring the user's bathing comfort.
[0065] Furthermore, after the user has finished showering, the booster pump is no longer needed to pressurize the water; the booster mode of the electric water heater can be turned off. Otherwise, the booster pump motor will run dry, potentially burning out the motor. The specific process is as follows:
[0066] Step C: The controller receives the user's pressurization shutdown command.
[0067] In practice, after the user finishes using the water, the mixing valve of the electric water heater will be closed. This stops the flow of hot water from the water heater's outlet, and also prevents cold water from entering the water heater's tank from the tap water pipe connected to the inlet pipe. If the booster pump continues to operate at high power at this time—meaning the motor is running without water—it will burn out the motor and damage the booster pump. Therefore, after the user finishes using the water, pressing the booster button again will trigger the controller to receive the booster shutdown command, and subsequent steps will shut down the booster pump.
[0068] Step D: According to the pressurization shutdown command, the controller controls the motor of the booster water pump to stop running.
[0069] During implementation, after receiving the booster shutdown command, the controller controls the booster pump motor to stop running.
[0070] This application provides a pressure boosting control method for an electric water heater. Upon receiving a pressure boosting activation command, the system enters a pressure boosting mode. Then, it determines whether to activate the booster pump to increase pressure by analyzing the water flow rate detected by a flow sensor. When the detected water flow rate is less than a first preset flow rate threshold, it indicates that the user is not using water significantly. To prevent damage from motor idling, the controller stops the booster pump motor. When the detected water flow rate is greater than or equal to the first preset flow rate threshold and less than a second preset flow rate threshold, it indicates that the user is using water. The duration of this state is then determined. If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, it indicates that the user is using water and the current water pressure is low. In this case, the booster pump motor is activated to increase the pressure.
[0071] It should be understood that, although Figure 2 The steps in the flowchart are shown sequentially as indicated by the arrows, but these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless otherwise specified herein, there is no strict order in which these steps are executed, and they can be performed in other orders. Figure 2 At least some of the steps in the process may include multiple steps or multiple stages. These steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but may be executed at different times. The execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but may be executed in turn or alternately with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages in other steps.
[0072] It is understood that the same / similar parts between the various embodiments of the methods described above in this specification can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and relevant parts can be referred to the description of other method embodiments.
[0073] This application also provides an electric water heater, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the electric water heater includes a booster pump 7, a flow sensor 8, a controller 5, and an inlet pipe 6. The booster pump 7 and the flow sensor 8 are installed on the inlet pipe 6, and the controller 5 is equipped with a booster button.
[0074] The boost button is used to switch between boost and non-boost modes. This allows users to easily choose whether boosting is needed based on their requirements. After the water heater is powered on, the boost pump 7 is powered off by default. The controller 5 will detect whether it receives a signal to switch between boost and non-boost modes. This switching signal can be a boost on command or a boost off command.
[0075] The booster pump 7 is used to increase the pressure in booster mode. The booster pump 7 is located inside the outer casing 1 of the electric water heater.
[0076] Flow sensor 8 is used to detect the water flow rate on the inlet pipe 6.
[0077] The controller 5 is connected to the booster pump 7 and the flow sensor 8 respectively, and controls the booster pump 7 and the flow sensor 8 to perform actions such as... Figure 2 The pressure boosting control method for the electric water heater is shown.
[0078] As an optional implementation, the electric water heater also includes an outer shell 1, an internal cold water pipe 9, a mixing valve 10, an internal hot water pipe 12, a temperature sensor 4, a heating element 3, an inner tank 2, and a water outlet 11. The internal cold water pipe 9 is connected to the inlet pipe 6 and the mixing valve 10, respectively. The mixing valve 10 is connected to the internal hot water pipe 12 and the internal cold water pipe 9, respectively. The temperature sensor 4 is mounted on the heating element 3, which is installed inside the inner tank 2. The water outlet 11 is the outlet port of the mixing valve 10. Both the heating element 3 and the temperature sensor 4 are connected to the controller 5.
[0079] Inner tank 2 is used to store water for the electric water heater.
[0080] The heating element 3 is used to heat the water inside the inner tank 2.
[0081] Temperature sensor 4 is used to detect the water temperature inside the inner tank 2 and send the water temperature to the controller 5.
[0082] The mixing valve 10 is used to mix the hot water from the internal hot water pipe 12 and the cold water from the internal cold water pipe 9, and then the mixture flows out through the outlet 11 for the user to use for bathing.
[0083] As an optional implementation, the inlet pipe 6 is connected to the internal cold water pipe 9 via a T-junction. In this way, the electric water heater has a built-in mixing valve 10, and the connection between the inlet pipe 6 and the internal cold water pipe 9 via the T-junction ensures balanced pressure at the hot and cold water inlets of the mixing valve 10, better guaranteeing the pressurization effect at the outlet 11 of the mixing valve 10. The mixing valve 10 can also be a mechanical thermostatic valve.
[0084] As an optional implementation, the booster pump 7 is powered by low-voltage electricity. The booster pump 7 is installed on the water inlet pipe 6 of the electric water heater, located inside the outer casing 1 of the electric water heater, and is directly powered by the controller 5. Because it is driven by low-voltage electricity, the risk of electric shock can be eliminated.
[0085] This application provides an electric water heater that, upon receiving a pressurization activation command, enters a pressurization mode. It then determines whether to activate the booster pump to increase water pressure by analyzing the water flow rate detected by a flow sensor. When the detected water flow rate is less than a first preset flow rate threshold, it indicates that the user is not using water significantly. To prevent damage from motor idling, the controller stops the booster pump motor. When the detected water flow rate is greater than or equal to the first preset flow rate threshold and less than a second preset flow rate threshold, it indicates that the user is using water. The duration of this state is then assessed. If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, it indicates that the user is using water and the current water pressure is low. In this case, the booster pump motor is activated to increase the water pressure.
[0086] Specific limitations regarding electric water heaters can be found in the above section on the limitations of the pressure boosting control method for electric water heaters, and will not be repeated here. The various modules in the aforementioned electric water heater can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. These modules can be embedded in hardware or independently of the processor in a computer device, or stored in software in the memory of a computer device, so that the processor can call and execute the corresponding operations of each module.
[0087] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.
[0088] It should also be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for display, data used for analysis, etc.) involved in this application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties.
[0089] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a related manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of the method embodiments.
[0090] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0091] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method of pressure boost control of an electric water heater, characterized by, The electric water heater includes a booster pump, a flow sensor, and a controller. The booster pump is installed on the inlet pipe of the electric water heater, and the flow sensor is installed on the inlet pipe of the electric water heater. The controller is connected to both the booster pump and the flow sensor. The method includes: The controller receives the user's booster activation command; According to the pressurization start command, the controller obtains the first flow value of the water inlet pipe of the electric water heater detected by the flow sensor; If the first flow rate value is less than the first preset flow rate threshold, the controller controls the motor of the booster pump to stop running; If the first flow rate value is greater than or equal to the first preset flow rate threshold and less than the second preset flow rate threshold, then the controller accumulates the duration. If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, the controller controls the motor of the booster pump to run according to the pre-stored first motor speed.
2. The supercharging control method according to claim 1, characterized by, If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, and the controller controls the booster pump motor to run according to a pre-stored first motor speed, the method further includes: The controller acquires the second flow value of the water inlet pipe detected by the flow sensor; If the second flow rate value is greater than the third preset flow rate threshold, the controller controls the speed of the booster pump motor to decrease from the first motor speed to the pre-stored second motor speed, and controls the motor to run at the second motor speed.
3. The supercharging control method according to claim 2, characterized by, The method further includes: The controller acquires the third flow value of the water inlet pipe of the electric water heater detected by the flow sensor; If the third flow rate value is less than the fourth preset flow rate threshold, the controller controls the motor speed to increase from the second motor speed to the first motor speed, and controls the motor to run at the first motor speed, wherein the fourth preset flow rate threshold is less than the third preset flow rate threshold.
4. The boost control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The controller receives the user's pressurization shutdown command; According to the pressurization shutdown command, the controller controls the motor of the booster pump to stop running.
5. An electric water heater, characterised in that, The electric water heater includes a booster pump, a flow sensor, a controller, and an inlet pipe. The booster pump and the flow sensor are installed on the inlet pipe, and the controller is equipped with a booster button. The boost button is used to switch between boost mode and non-boost mode; The booster pump is used to boost pressure in the booster mode; The flow sensor is used to detect the water flow rate on the inlet pipe; The controller is connected to the booster pump and the flow sensor respectively, and controls the booster pump and the flow sensor to perform the booster control method for the electric water heater as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.
6. The electric water heater according to claim 5, wherein The electric water heater also includes an outer shell, an internal cold water pipe, a mixing valve, an internal hot water pipe, a temperature sensor, a heating element, an inner tank, and a water outlet. The internal cold water pipe is connected to the inlet pipe and the mixing valve, and the mixing valve is connected to the internal hot water pipe and the internal cold water pipe. The temperature sensor is mounted on the heating element, which is installed inside the inner tank. The water outlet is the outlet port of the mixing valve. Both the heating element and the temperature sensor are connected to the controller. The inner tank is used to store water from the electric water heater; The heating element is used to heat the water inside the inner tank; The temperature sensor is used to detect the water temperature inside the inner tank and send the water temperature to the controller; The mixing valve is used to mix the hot water from the internal hot water pipe and the cold water from the internal cold water pipe, and then the mixture flows out through the outlet for the user to use for bathing.
7. The electric water heater according to claim 6, wherein The inlet pipe and the internal cold water pipe are connected by a T-junction.
8. The electric water heater according to claim 5, characterized in that, The booster pump is powered by low-voltage electricity.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Modulation systems and methods for instantaneous hot water applications
CA3159476A1
Method for controlling water pump of gas water heater
CN115654749A