A method of descaling a heater for steam care and a laundry treatment apparatus

Abstract

The present application belongs to the field of clothes treatment equipment, and particularly relates to a descaling method of a heater for steam care and clothes treatment equipment. The descaling method comprises: in a single heating cycle of the heater, performing phased scale amount calculation according to temperature change, wherein different phases correspond to different temperature intervals, and in each phase, scale amount of the phase is calculated based on scale condensation parameters, scale amount of each phase is summarized to obtain scale amount of the single heating cycle, total scale amount of at least one heating cycle is calculated according to cumulative calculation of the scale amount of the single heating cycle, and whether the descaling condition is met is determined based on comparison of the total scale amount and a scale amount threshold. If the descaling condition is met, a descaling device is started, and after being powered on, a cathode rod and an anode rod generate a high-frequency electric field in a steam box, so that scale attached to the heater falls off, and a descaling effect is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of clothing treatment equipment, and particularly relates to a descaling method for a heater used in steam care and clothing treatment equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In Northwest China and stone mining areas, the hardness of tap water used by most residents is high, sometimes reaching 400 mg / L, severely impacting daily life. Long-term use of hard water for laundry not only causes clothes to fade, stiffen, and lose their luster, but also leads to excessive scale buildup in the heaters of laundry equipment, causing malfunctions. Currently, the common descaling method involves recording water consumption and hardness levels and periodically removing scale from the heaters. However, this method is based on estimates of these data and lacks accuracy. Descaling too frequently wastes resources, while descaling too infrequently fails to remove scale effectively, affecting heating efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment, the method comprising:

[0004] In a single heating cycle of the heater, the amount of scale is calculated in stages based on temperature changes. Different stages correspond to different temperature ranges, and the amount of scale in each stage is calculated based on scale condensation parameters.

[0005] The amount of scale in each stage is summed to obtain the amount of scale in a single heating cycle.

[0006] The total scale amount for at least one heating cycle is calculated based on the cumulative scale amount in a single heating cycle, and whether the descaling conditions are met is determined based on the comparison between the total scale amount and the scale amount threshold.

[0007] Further optionally, the scale coagulation parameters include: water volume, water hardness, heating time, and scale coagulation coefficient;

[0008] In the single heating cycle, the higher temperature phase has a higher scale formation coefficient compared to the lower temperature phase.

[0009] Further optionally, the single heating cycle includes: a first heating stage corresponding to a first temperature range, a second heating stage corresponding to a second temperature range, and a third heating stage corresponding to a third temperature range.

[0010] Further optionally, in the first heating stage and the second heating stage, the water volume is the sum of the reference water volume of the heater and the water volume required for a single humidification; and / or,

[0011] In the third heating stage, the water volume is half the water volume required for a single humidification and the base water volume of the heater.

[0012] Further, optionally, the method further includes:

[0013] After the first, second, and third heating stages are completed, the moisture content of the clothing is obtained;

[0014] If the moisture content of the clothing does not exceed the moisture content threshold, the required amount of water is determined based on the moisture content of the clothing, and the third heating stage is repeated for humidification again.

[0015] If the moisture content of the clothing exceeds the moisture content threshold, the heater will stop heating.

[0016] Further optionally, the summarization of scale amount at each stage to obtain scale amount for the single heating cycle includes:

[0017] The amount of scale in a single heating cycle is calculated using the following formula:

[0018] n=m*{(L2+L1)*(k1*t1+k2*t2)+(L2 / 2+L1)*k3*t3}*10^ (-3) ;

[0019] Wherein, n is the amount of scale in a single heating cycle, m is the water hardness, L2 is the amount of water required for a single humidification, L1 is the reference water volume of the heater, k1, k2, and k3 are the scale condensation coefficients in the first, second, and third heating stages, respectively, t1 and t2 are the durations of the first and second heating stages, respectively, and t3 is the cumulative duration of the third heating stage.

[0020] Further optionally, the scale coagulation coefficient in the first heating stage is 0.1-0.25; the scale coagulation coefficient in the second heating stage is 0.6-0.8; and the scale coagulation coefficient in the third heating stage is 0.8-0.95.

[0021] This invention provides an electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

[0022] Memory, used to store one or more computer instructions;

[0023] A processor is used to call and execute computer instructions in the memory to implement the descaling method as described in the above embodiments.

[0024] This invention provides a descaling device for a heater used in steam treatment. A cathode rod and an anode rod are respectively arranged on both sides of a steam box. Each cathode rod has a cathode terminal, and each anode rod has an anode terminal. The cathode terminals and anode terminals are connected by wiring, the end of which serves as the access point for the steam box and is connected to a controller. The heater is positioned below the cathode and anode rods.

[0025] The descaling device uses the method described in the above embodiments to determine whether descaling is required, and triggers the cathode rod and anode rod to work when descaling is required.

[0026] This invention provides a garment processing device, which employs the descaling method described in the above embodiments, or has the electronic equipment described in the above embodiments, or has the descaling device described in the above embodiments.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the main advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0028] This invention provides a descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment. The descaling method includes: calculating the amount of scale in stages based on temperature changes during a single heating cycle of the heater, wherein different stages correspond to different temperature ranges, and the amount of scale in each stage is calculated based on scale condensation parameters. The scale amount in each stage is summed to obtain the scale amount for a single heating cycle. The total scale amount for at least one heating cycle is calculated based on the cumulative scale amount in the single heating cycle, and the descaling condition is determined by comparing the total scale amount with a scale amount threshold. If the descaling condition is met, the descaling device is activated. After being energized, the cathode rod and anode rod generate a high-frequency electric field in the steam box, thereby causing the scale adhering to the heater to detach, achieving the descaling effect. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art can derive other embodiments based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0030] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in this specification are only for the purpose of assisting those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed herein, and are not intended to limit the conditions under which the present invention can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives that the present invention can produce, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention.

[0031] Figure 1 The process of the descaling method according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure I ;

[0032] Figure 2 The process of the descaling method according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure II ;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the steam box according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure I ;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the steam box according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure II ;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the electric field distribution of the steam box according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clothing processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. 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.

[0038] The terminology used in the embodiments of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this invention and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. “Multiple” generally includes at least two, but does not exclude the inclusion of at least one.

[0039] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0040] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a product or system comprising a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a product or system. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the product or system that includes said element.

[0041] Common descaling methods involve periodically removing scale from heaters by recording water consumption and water hardness values. However, these methods are only estimates based on the aforementioned data and are not very accurate. Descaling too frequently leads to wasted resources, while descaling too infrequently fails to remove scale in time, affecting heating efficiency. Therefore, this invention provides a descaling method for heaters used in steam treatment to address the problem that the estimated amount of scale differs significantly from the actual amount of scale produced.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] Embodiment 1 of the present invention provides a descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the descaling method includes: calculating the scale volume in stages based on temperature changes during a single heating cycle of the heater. Different stages correspond to different temperature ranges, and the scale volume in each stage is calculated based on scale condensation parameters. The scale volume in each stage is then summed to obtain the scale volume *n* for a single heating cycle. The total scale volume for at least one heating cycle is calculated cumulatively based on the scale volume in each single heating cycle, denoted as *N*. The system determines whether the descaling conditions are met by comparing the total scale amount with the scale amount threshold. When N ≥ the scale amount threshold, it means that the heater is covered with scale after a period of steam treatment. At this time, for example, the electric field descaling can be turned on to remove the scale condensed on the heater, and the above cumulative value is reset to zero and the calculation starts again.

[0044] Optionally, in one implementation of this embodiment, according to studies by the inventor, the formation of scale is not only affected by water volume and water hardness, but also closely related to water temperature, heating time, etc. With the turn-on of the heater, the water temperature keeps rising, and the condensation rate of scale on the heater also accelerates continuously. When the water temperature T is lower than 55°C, the scale condensation rate is slow; when T exceeds 55°C, the scale condensation rate grows exponentially; when T reaches 100°C and generates steam, the scale condensation rate is already very high. This is because the scale condensation coefficient k varies at different water temperatures. In a single heating cycle, the high-temperature stage has a higher scale condensation coefficient than the low-temperature stage. A single heating cycle can be divided into a first heating stage, a second heating stage and a third heating stage, which respectively correspond to a first temperature interval (T≤55°C), a second temperature interval (55°C<T≤100°C) and a third temperature interval (T>100°C), and the scale condensation coefficients are denoted as k1, k2 and k3 respectively, so that k1<k2<k3, and said single heating cycle includes at least one said third heating stage.

[0045] Optionally, in one implementation of this embodiment, as Figure 2 shown, when the steam care program starts to run, the weight of the laundry and laundry information including laundry material, care requirement and the like are firstly determined and identified through the weighing and identification unit, then the water volume required for a single humidification is determined based on the above information, denoted as L2, the reference water volume of the heater (i.e., the water volume corresponding to the safe water level) is denoted as L1, and then water is fed into the steam box until the water level reaches L2+L1. After water feeding is completed, the heater is turned on to heat the inlet water, and the water temperature is monitored in real time. When the water temperature T reaches 55°C, the time required for the water temperature to rise from the initial temperature to 55°C is recorded, denoted as t1, this is the first heating stage, and the water level in the steam box is maintained at L2+L1; heating is continued until T reaches 100°C, the time required for the water temperature to rise from 55°C to 100°C is recorded, denoted as t2, this is the second heating stage, and the water level in the steam box is still maintained at L2+L1; heating is continued further, at this time, the steam box continuously generates steam and sprays the steam onto the laundry for humidifying the laundry, this is the third heating stage, the water level in the steam box gradually drops from L2+L1 to L1, the average water level in the steam box is L2 / 2+L1, and the duration of this stage is denoted as t3.

[0046] Optionally, in one implementation of this embodiment, the descaling method further comprises: after the first, second and third heating stages are finished, obtaining the moisture content Q of the laundry; if the moisture content Q of the laundry does not exceed the moisture content threshold, determining the required water volume L2' based on the moisture content of the laundry, and repeating the third heating stage for secondary humidification; conversely, if the moisture content Q of the laundry exceeds the moisture content threshold, turning off the heater and ending the heating. In order to prevent water remaining at the safe water level from causing scale formation on the heater, all residual water in the steam box needs to be completely drained after heating is finished.

[0047] Optionally, in one implementation of this embodiment, the amount of scale in each stage is summarized to obtain the amount of scale in a single heating cycle, including: calculating the amount of scale in a single heating cycle according to the following formula:

[0048] n=m*{(L2+L1)*(k1*t1+k2*t2)+(L2 / 2+L1)*k3*t3}*10^ (-3) ,

[0049] Where n is the amount of scale in a single heating cycle, m is the water hardness, L2 is the water volume required for a single humidification cycle, L1 is the reference water volume for the heater, k1, k2, and k3 are the scale coagulation coefficients for the first, second, and third heating stages, respectively, t1 and t2 are the durations of the first and second heating stages, respectively, and t3 is the cumulative duration of the third heating stage. Based on the influencing factors of scale formation, the scale amount n = water hardness m * water volume L * scale coagulation coefficient k * heating time t. Depending on the differences in water hardness, water volume, scale coagulation coefficient, and heating time in the three heating stages, the scale amount generated in a single heating cycle is calculated using this formula. When the accumulated scale reaches the scale amount threshold, the electric field descaling is activated, the accumulated value is reset to zero, and the calculation restarts.

[0050] Optionally, in one implementation of this embodiment, the scale coagulation coefficient k1 in the first heating stage can be 0.1-0.25, the scale coagulation coefficient k2 in the second heating stage can be 0.6-0.8, the scale coagulation coefficient k3 in the third heating stage can be 0.8-0.95, the water hardness m can be 0-450 mg / L, and the scale threshold can be set to 7.2 g.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] Embodiment 2 of the present invention provides an electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

[0053] Memory, used to store one or more computer instructions;

[0054] The processor is used to call and execute computer instructions in memory to implement the descaling method as described in Example 1. For a detailed description of the steps performed by the processor and their effects, please refer to the description in Example 1, which will not be repeated here.

[0055] Example 3

[0056] This embodiment provides a descaling device for a steam-treated heater capable of implementing the above-described descaling method, such as... Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5As shown, cathode rods 3 and anode rods 4 are respectively arranged on both sides of the steam box 2. Cathode rod 3 is provided with cathode terminal 5, and anode rod 4 is provided with anode terminal 6. Cathode terminal 5 and anode terminal 6 are connected by wiring 7. The end of wiring 7 is the access end 8 of the steam box 2. The access end 8 is connected to the controller. The heater 1 is arranged below the cathode rods 3 and anode rods 4. The descaling device uses the method described in Example 1 to determine whether descaling is required, and triggers the cathode rods 3 and anode rods 4 to work when descaling is required. After being energized, the cathode rods 3 and anode rods 4 generate a high-frequency electric field in the steam box 2, thereby causing the scale attached to the heater 1 to fall off, thus achieving the purpose of descaling.

[0057] Optionally, in one implementation of this embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the garment processing equipment also includes a water supply pipeline, in which a flow meter 9 is installed to record the amount of water flowing through the steam box 2. The water supply pipeline is also equipped with a water hardness sensor 10 to detect the hardness value of the water entering the steam box 2.

[0058] Example 4

[0059] Embodiment 4 of the present invention provides a garment processing device, which employs the descaling method described in Embodiment 1, or has the electronic equipment described in Embodiment 2, or has the descaling device described in Embodiment 3.

[0060] In summary, this invention provides a descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment. The descaling method includes: calculating the amount of scale in stages based on temperature changes during a single heating cycle of the heater, wherein different stages correspond to different temperature ranges, and the amount of scale in each stage is calculated based on scale condensation parameters. The scale amount in each stage is summed to obtain the scale amount for a single heating cycle. The total scale amount for at least one heating cycle is calculated based on the cumulative scale amount in the single heating cycle, and the descaling condition is determined by comparing the total scale amount with a scale amount threshold. If the descaling condition is met, the descaling device is activated. After being energized, the cathode rod and anode rod generate a high-frequency electric field in the steam box, thereby causing the scale adhering to the heater to detach, achieving the descaling effect.

[0061] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been specifically shown and described above. It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the detailed structures, arrangements, or implementations described herein; rather, this disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements contained within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for descaling a heater used in steam treatment, characterized in that, The method includes: In a single heating cycle of the heater, the amount of scale is calculated in stages based on temperature changes. Different stages correspond to different temperature ranges, and the amount of scale in each stage is calculated based on scale condensation parameters. The amount of scale in each stage is summed to obtain the amount of scale in a single heating cycle. The total amount of scale for at least one heating cycle is calculated based on the cumulative amount of scale in a single heating cycle, and whether the descaling conditions are met is determined based on the comparison between the total amount of scale and the scale threshold.

2. The descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scale coagulation parameters include: water volume, water hardness, heating time, and scale coagulation coefficient. In the single heating cycle, the higher temperature phase has a higher scale formation coefficient compared to the lower temperature phase.

3. The descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The single heating cycle includes: a first heating stage corresponding to a first temperature range, a second heating stage corresponding to a second temperature range, and a third heating stage corresponding to a third temperature range.

4. The descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment according to claim 3, characterized in that, In the first heating stage and the second heating stage, the water volume is the sum of the reference water volume of the heater and the water volume required for a single humidification; and / or, In the third heating stage, the water volume is half the water volume required for a single humidification and the base water volume of the heater.

5. The descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: After the first heating stage, the second heating stage, and the third heating stage are completed, the moisture content of the clothing is obtained; If the moisture content of the clothing does not exceed the moisture content threshold, the required amount of water is determined based on the moisture content of the clothing, and the third heating stage is repeated for humidification again. If the moisture content of the clothing exceeds the moisture content threshold, the heater will stop heating.

6. The descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The total scale amount for each stage is used to obtain the scale amount for a single heating cycle, including: The amount of scale in a single heating cycle is calculated using the following formula: n = m*{(L2+L1)*(k1*t1+k2*t2)+(L2 / 2+L1)*k3*t3}*10^ (-3) ; Wherein, n is the amount of scale in a single heating cycle, m is the water hardness, L2 is the amount of water required for a single humidification, L1 is the reference water volume of the heater, k1, k2, and k3 are the scale condensation coefficients of the first heating stage, the second heating stage, and the third heating stage, respectively, t1 and t2 are the durations of the first heating stage and the second heating stage, respectively, and t3 is the cumulative duration of the third heating stage.

7. The descaling method for a heater used in steam treatment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The scale coagulation coefficient in the first heating stage is 0.1-0.25; the scale coagulation coefficient in the second heating stage is 0.6-0.8; and the scale coagulation coefficient in the third heating stage is 0.8-0.

95.

8. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes: Memory, used to store one or more computer instructions; A processor for calling and executing computer instructions in the memory to implement the descaling method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

9. A descaling device for a heater used in steam treatment, characterized in that, A cathode rod (3) and an anode rod (4) are respectively arranged on both sides of the steam box (2). The cathode rod (3) is provided with a cathode terminal (5), and the anode rod (4) is provided with an anode terminal (6). The cathode terminal (5) and the anode terminal (6) are connected by wiring (7). The end of the wiring (7) is the access end (8) of the steam box (2). The access end (8) is connected to the controller. The heater (1) is located below the cathode rod (3) and the anode rod (4). The descaling device uses the electronic equipment described in claim 8 to determine whether descaling is required, and triggers the cathode rod (3) and anode rod (4) to work when descaling is required.

10. A garment processing device, characterized in that, It has an electronic device as described in claim 8, or a descaling device as described in claim 9.

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