Control method of water heater, water heater, electronic equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The invention discloses a control method of a water heater, the water heater, electronic equipment and a storage medium, and relates to the technical field of household appliances. The method comprises the steps that first heating power is determined based on the water inlet flow, the water inlet temperature and the set water outlet temperature of the water heater; according to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be conducted and the energy storage module is controlled to be connected or disconnected; determining whether a to-be-started heat source object exists in the heat source module or not based on the water inlet flow, the first heating power and the internal pressure, wherein the to-be-started heat source object is an electric heating module and / or a gas heating module; if yes, second heating power of the to-be-started heat source object is determined based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature, the to-be-started heat source object is controlled to work at the second heating power, and the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature. According to the method, the starting frequency of the heating component in the water heater can be reduced while the outlet water temperature of the water heater is guaranteed, and the service life of the heating component is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular to a control method for a water heater, a water heater, an electronic device and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Gas water heaters are commonly used household appliances in people's lives. Therefore, the performance of gas water heaters is of great concern to home appliance R&D personnel.

[0003] Gas water heaters usually include a shell, a gas heating component deployed inside the shell, and a water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe arranged on the shell. Cold water flowing in from the water inlet pipe is heated by the gas heating component and becomes hot water and flows out from the water outlet pipe. However, the user's water use is random. If the user frequently uses small amounts of water, the gas heating component will need to be turned on and off repeatedly in a short period of time, which will not only generate a large noise when the equipment is running, but also affect the service life of the gas heating component. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides a control method for a water heater, a water heater, an electronic device and a storage medium, which reduce the start-up frequency of a gas heating component and / or an electric heating component while ensuring the outlet water temperature, thereby extending the service life of the heating component and improving the user experience.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a control method for a water heater is provided. The method is applied to a control module in the water heater. The water heater is also provided with a pipeline and an energy storage module and a heat source module connected in series to the pipeline. The heat source module includes an electric heating module and a gas heating module. The pipeline also includes a bypass pipeline connected in parallel with the energy storage module and in series with the electric heating module. The method specifically includes:

[0006] Obtain the water flow rate and water temperature of the water inlet of the water heater and the set water outlet temperature of the water outlet;

[0007] Determining a first heating power based on an inlet water flow rate, an inlet water temperature, and a set outlet water temperature;

[0008] According to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module is closed, or the pipeline of the energy storage module is controlled to be connected and the bypass pipeline is closed;

[0009] Based on the water inlet flow rate, the first heating power and the internal pressure, determining whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, wherein the heat source object to be started is an electric heating module and / or a gas heating module;

[0010] If there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, the second heating power of the heat source object to be started is determined based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature, and the heat source object to be started is controlled to operate at the second heating power so that the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, a water heater is provided, the water heater comprising a control module, a pipeline, and an energy storage module and a heat source module connected in series to the pipeline, the heat source module comprising an electric heating module and a gas heating module, the pipeline further comprising a bypass pipeline connected in parallel with the energy storage module and in series with the electric heating module, the control module comprising:

[0012] An information acquisition unit, used to acquire the water flow rate and water temperature of the water inlet of the water heater and the set water outlet temperature of the water outlet;

[0013] A heating power determination unit, configured to determine a first heating power based on an inlet water flow rate, an inlet water temperature and a set outlet water temperature;

[0014] A pipeline control unit, used to control the bypass pipeline to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module to be closed according to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, or to control the pipeline of the energy storage module to be connected and the bypass pipeline to be closed;

[0015] a heat source object determination unit, used to determine whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module based on the water inlet flow rate, the first heating power and the internal pressure, wherein the heat source object to be started is an electric heating module and / or a gas heating module;

[0016] The heating work execution unit is used to determine the second heating power of the heat source object to be started based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature if there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, and control the heat source object to be started to operate at the second heating power so that the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

[0018] at least one processor; and a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor;

[0019] The memory stores a computer program that can be executed by at least one processor, and the computer program is executed by at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the control method of the water heater in any embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and the computer instructions are used to enable a processor to implement the water heater control method in any embodiment of the present invention when executed.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the control method of the water heater according to any embodiment of the present invention is implemented.

[0022] The control method of the water heater of the present invention is applied to a control module in the water heater. The water heater is also provided with a pipeline and an energy storage module and a heat source module connected in series to the pipeline. The heat source module includes an electric heating module and a gas heating module. The pipeline also includes a bypass pipeline connected in parallel with the energy storage module and in series with the electric heating module. The method specifically includes: obtaining a water inlet flow rate, a water inlet temperature and a set water outlet temperature at a water inlet of the water heater; determining a first heating power based on the water inlet flow rate, the water inlet temperature and the set water outlet temperature; controlling the bypass pipeline to conduct the heating according to the internal pressure of the energy storage module. The pipeline of the energy storage module is connected and the bypass pipeline is closed, or the pipeline of the energy storage module is connected and the bypass pipeline is closed; based on the water inlet flow rate, the first heating power and the internal pressure, determine whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, wherein the heat source object to be started is an electric heating module and / or a gas heating module; if there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, the second heating power of the heat source object to be started is determined based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature, and the heat source object to be started is controlled to work at the second heating power, so that the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature. The present invention determines the heating method of the water heater according to the water inlet flow rate, water inlet temperature and set water outlet temperature of the water heater. The heating method includes determining the order of starting the gas heating module, energy storage module and electric heating module of the water heater and the working information of the gas heating module, energy storage module and electric heating module, while ensuring the water outlet temperature of the water heater, reducing the starting frequency of the gas heating module and / or electric heating module, extending the service life of each heating module, reducing environmental noise, and improving the user's experience. The problem that the existing water heater uses gas heating components to heat the water in the water pipe, the equipment has high noise, and once the user frequently uses small amounts of water, the gas heating module needs to be repeatedly turned on and off in a short period of time, which will not only generate large equipment operation noise, but also affect the service life of the gas heating module.

[0023] It should be understood that the contents described in this section are not intended to identify the key or important features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Other features of the present invention will become easily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention, the accompanying drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without paying creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a water heater provided by the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 It is a flow chart of a control method of a water heater provided by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 It is a flow chart of another water heater control method provided by the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a combustion power curve provided by the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 It is a flow chart of another water heater control method provided by the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of a circulation loop provided by the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of a control module provided by the present invention;

[0032] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of a water heater provided by the present invention.

[0033] Reference numerals:

[0034] 1-control module, 2-first three-way valve, 3-gas inlet pipe, 4-water heater inlet pipe, 5-water heater outlet pipe, 6-electric heating module, 7-bypass pipeline, 8-energy storage module, 9-second three-way valve, 10-gas heating module, 11-heat exchanger, 12-water pump. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of the present invention, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0037] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a water heater provided by the present invention, from Figure 1As can be seen in the figure, the water heater includes a control module 1, a first three-way valve 2, a gas inlet pipe 3, a water inlet pipe 4, a water outlet pipe 5, an electric heating module 6, a bypass pipeline 7, an energy storage module 8, a second three-way valve 9, a gas heating module 10, a heat exchanger 11 and a water pump 12. The three-way valve is used to adjust the flow direction of water in the pipeline, and the water pump is used to provide power so that the water in the pipeline can circulate and flow. The T-shaped component on the pipeline in the figure can be understood as a temperature sensor, which is used to detect the temperature of water at different positions in the pipeline. The water inlet pipe of the water heater is nested with the water inlet of the water heater, and the water outlet pipe of the water heater is nested with the water outlet of the water heater. The control module is electrically connected or communicated with the gas heating module, the electric heating module and the energy storage module respectively (not shown in the figure) to control the operation of the gas heating module, the electric heating module and the energy storage module. In addition to the gas heating module, the water heater of the present invention is also provided with an auxiliary heating module connected in series with the gas heating module. The auxiliary heating module is an electric heating module and an energy storage module connected in series with each other. The heating device of the water heater can be any combination of the above three heating components. The control module will determine the heating components of the water heater and the working parameters of the heating components according to the water inlet flow rate, water inlet temperature and set water outlet temperature of the water outlet. For example, when the water flow rate is large, the gas heating module, the gas heating module and the energy storage module, the gas heating module and the electric heating module, or the gas heating module, the electric heating module and the energy storage module are controlled to work to heat the water in the pipeline; when the water flow rate is small, the gas heating module is not started, and the electric heating module, the energy storage module, or the electric heating module and the energy storage module are controlled to work to heat the water in the pipeline. The water heater of the present invention can determine a personalized heating plan according to the inlet and outlet water information, reduce the use noise of the water heater and the start-up frequency of each heating component, and improve the service life of each heating component and the user's experience. Secondly, the water heater of the present invention can compensate for the heat loss of the pipeline and realize high-temperature zero cold water through the coordinated work of various heating components, so as to achieve the purpose of real-time availability of zero cold water, and can also realize internal circulation heating without the participation of gas heating module, reduce combustion noise during internal circulation, and enhance the zero cold water experience.

[0038] from Figure 1 It can be seen that the electric heating module and the energy storage module of the present invention are located after the gas heating module. The advantage of such a setting is that it can effectively solve the problem of cold water discharge from the water outlet in the early stage caused by the startup lag of the gas heating module. If the temperature of the water output by the gas heating module does not meet the user's usage requirements, the electric heating module and the energy storage module will also heat it.

[0039] Figure 2This is a flow chart of a control method for a water heater provided by the present invention. The method is applied to a control module in the water heater. The water heater is also provided with a pipeline and an energy storage module and a heat source module connected in series to the pipeline. The heat source module includes an electric heating module and a gas heating module. The pipeline also includes a bypass pipeline connected in parallel with the energy storage module and in series with the electric heating module. This embodiment can be applied to controlling the water in the water pipe of the water heater with low power consumption, energy saving and low noise. The method can be executed by the water heater provided by the present invention. The water heater can be implemented in the form of hardware and / or software. In a specific embodiment, the water heater can be integrated in an electronic device. The following embodiments will be described by taking the water heater integrated in an electronic device as an example. Figure 2 , the method specifically comprises the following steps:

[0040] S101, obtaining the water inlet flow rate and water inlet temperature of the water inlet of the water heater and the set water outlet temperature of the water outlet.

[0041] Among them, the water inlet of the water heater can be understood as the pipe opening in the water heater for connecting to the water source, which is generally tap water, purified soft water or pure water. The water outlet can be understood as the pipe opening in the water heater for connecting to the water pipe, so as to deliver the heated water to the user for use. The water inlet flow rate is also called instantaneous flow rate, which can be understood as the volume of fluid passing through the water inlet or the cross-section of the pipeline of the water heater per unit time. Generally, the unit of the water inlet flow rate is m^3 / s or L / s. The water inlet temperature can be understood as the temperature value of the water flowing into the water inlet. The set water outlet temperature can be understood as the user's water demand temperature, which is equivalent to the heating target of the water heater (that is, the degree of heating of the water flowing through the water heater).

[0042] Specifically, the water heater of the present invention is equipped with a temperature sensor and a water flow sensor at the water inlet, which are used to detect the water flow and water temperature of the water inlet, respectively. The advantage of such an arrangement is that real-time information of the water heater is collected so as to adjust and correct the heating mode of the water heater in a timely manner.

[0043] S102: Determine a first heating power based on the water inlet flow rate, the water inlet temperature and the set water outlet temperature.

[0044] The first heating power can be understood as the power information corresponding to the energy required to heat the water flowing through the water heater to the set water outlet temperature. Specifically, the first heating power is associated with the water inlet flow, water inlet temperature and set water outlet temperature of the water heater, and the first heating power can be calculated through the water inlet flow, water inlet temperature and set water outlet temperature of the water heater.

[0045] Assume that the first heating power W1 = Q0*C*(Ts-T0), where Q0 represents the water inlet flow rate, T0 represents the water inlet temperature, Ts represents the set water outlet temperature, and C represents the specific heat capacity of water. Specifically, after obtaining the water inlet flow rate, the water inlet temperature, and the set water outlet temperature, substitute them into the above formula to obtain the first heating power.

[0046] The advantage of this setting is that the heating power required for the water in the water heater heating pipeline can be calculated based on the actual water inlet information and heating demand.

[0047] S103 . According to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module is controlled to be closed, or the pipeline of the energy storage module is controlled to be connected and the bypass pipeline is controlled to be closed.

[0048] Among them, the internal pressure of the energy storage module can be understood as a parameter that determines the heat stored inside the energy storage module. The internally stored heat is related to the heating power of the energy storage module. The heating power is the energy conversion rate of the energy storage module per unit time. The internal heat of the energy storage module can be converted into heat energy and replaced with water in the pipeline, thereby increasing the water temperature of the pipeline water. Different internal pressures correspond to different internal heat and heating powers. The bypass pipeline can be understood as the protection pipeline of the energy storage module. At the same time, only one of the bypass pipeline and the pipeline of the energy storage module will be connected. For example, when the energy storage module is working, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be closed and the pipeline of the energy storage module is connected. When the energy storage module is not working, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module is closed.

[0049] Specifically, the control module will monitor the internal pressure of the energy storage module in real time. When the control module believes that the internal pressure of the energy storage module is low and the internal heat is low, which is insufficient for heating, the bypass pipeline will be controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module will be closed. When the control module believes that the internal pressure of the energy storage module is high and the internal heat is sufficient for heating, the pipeline of the energy storage module will be controlled to be connected and the bypass pipeline will be closed.

[0050] In one embodiment, P1 is used as a measurement basis, assuming that an internal pressure not less than P1 represents sufficient internal heat, and an internal pressure less than P1 represents insufficient internal heat. When the internal pressure of the energy storage module is not less than P1, the pipeline of the energy storage module is controlled to be connected and the bypass pipeline is closed; when the internal pressure of the energy storage module is less than P1, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module is closed.

[0051] The advantage of this arrangement is that it can specifically conduct the heating pipeline in the water heater, so that when the energy storage module is working, the water in the water heater pipeline flows through the energy storage module. When the energy storage module is not working, the water in the pipeline is transmitted from the bypass pipeline to the electric heating module and does not flow through the energy storage module, thereby reducing the contact between the pipeline water and non-essential components and improving the transmission rate of the pipeline water and the service life of the energy storage module.

[0052] S104: Determine whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module based on the water inlet flow rate, the first heating power and the internal pressure.

[0053] Among them, the heat source object to be started can be understood as a device or component that needs to be activated or started to generate heat to heat the pipeline water. The heat source object to be started in the present invention includes an electric heating module that heats the pipeline water with the help of a power supply and / or a gas heating module that heats the pipeline water with the help of gas.

[0054] The gas heating module is the main heating component of the gas water heater, and the heating effect is significant, but the working noise is relatively large. The present invention will determine the user's water demand, and only start the gas heating module when the user has a large water demand, so as to reduce environmental noise. Specifically, based on the water inlet flow, the first heating power and the internal pressure, determining whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module can be understood as determining whether the electric heating module and the gas heating module of the water heater need to work based on the water inlet flow, the first heating power and the internal pressure. For example, when the water inlet flow of the water heater meets the large water volume water use standard, it is necessary to start the gas heating module to heat the pipeline water, and determine that there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module; when the energy storage module cannot perform the heating work and the temperature of the water flowing out of the gas heating module is less than the set water outlet temperature, or the temperature of the water flowing out of the energy storage module is less than the set water outlet temperature (equivalent to the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module being less than the set water outlet temperature), it is necessary to start the electric heating module to heat the pipeline water, and determine that there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module.

[0055] In a specific example, when the water inlet flow meets the large water demand, it is determined that the heat source object to be started includes the gas heating module, and the working conditions of the electric heating module and the energy storage module are determined according to the outlet water temperature, the set outlet water temperature and the internal pressure of the gas heating module. For example, when the outlet water temperature of the gas heating module is not less than the set outlet water temperature, it is determined that both the energy storage module and the electric heating module do not need to work; when the outlet water temperature of the gas heating module is less than the set outlet water temperature, it is further determined whether the internal pressure of the energy storage module is sufficient. When the internal pressure is insufficient, it is determined that the heat source object to be started includes the electric heating module. When the internal pressure is sufficient, it is further determined whether the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module is not less than the set outlet water temperature. If the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module is less than the set outlet water temperature, it is determined that the heat source object to be started includes the electric heating module. Otherwise, it is determined that the heat source object to be started does not include the electric heating module, that is, the electric heating module does not need to perform heating work.

[0056] It is worth noting that when the water inlet flow rate does not meet the large water demand, there is no need to start the gas heating module, but the working conditions of the electric heating module and the energy storage heating module are the same as the above logic, which will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0057] The advantage of this setting is that the heat source object to be started can be quickly located according to the heating requirements of the water heater and the parameters of the internal heating components.

[0058] S105. If there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, the second heating power of the heat source object to be started is determined based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature, and the heat source object to be started is controlled to operate at the second heating power so that the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature.

[0059] The second heating power is the working parameter of the heat source object to be started, and the second heating power is the electric heating power of the electric heating module and / or the gas heating power of the gas heating module. When the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module, the second heating power is the electric heating power, and when the heat source object to be started is the gas heating power, the second heating power is the gas heating power. When the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module and the gas heating power, the second heating power is the sum of the working powers of the electric heating module and the gas heating power.

[0060] The technical solution of this embodiment determines the heating mode of the water heater according to the water inlet flow, water inlet temperature and set water outlet temperature of the water heater. The heating mode includes the specific heating components of the water heater and the working information of the heating components. While ensuring the water outlet temperature, the startup frequency of the gas heating components and / or electric heating components is reduced, the service life of each heating component is extended, the environmental noise is reduced, and the user's experience is improved. The existing water heater uses a gas heating component to heat the water in the water pipe when using water, and the equipment is noisy. Once the user frequently uses small amounts of water, the gas heating component needs to be repeatedly turned on and off in a short period of time, which will not only generate a large equipment operation noise, but also affect the service life of the gas heating component.

[0061] Figure 3 It is a flow chart of another control method of a water heater provided by the present invention, the method is applied to a control module in a water heater, the water heater is also provided with a pipeline and an energy storage module and a heat source module connected in series to the pipeline, the heat source module includes an electric heating module and a gas heating module, the pipeline also includes a bypass pipeline connected in parallel with the energy storage module and in series with the electric heating module. Along the water flow direction of the pipeline, the gas heating module, the energy storage module and the electric heating module are arranged in sequence.

[0062] This embodiment can be applied to control the water heater to heat water in a water pipe with low power consumption, energy saving and low noise. The method can be executed by the water heater provided by the present invention. The water heater can be implemented in the form of hardware and / or software. In a specific embodiment, the water heater can be integrated into an electronic device. The following embodiments will be described by taking the water heater integrated into an electronic device as an example. Figure 3 , the method specifically comprises the following steps:

[0063] S201, obtaining the water inlet flow rate and water inlet temperature of the water inlet of the water heater and the set water outlet temperature of the water outlet.

[0064] S202: Determine a first heating power based on the water inlet flow rate, the water inlet temperature and the set water outlet temperature.

[0065] In S201 and S202, the water inlet of the water heater can be understood as the pipe opening in the water heater for connecting to the water source, which is generally tap water, purified soft water or pure water. The water outlet can be understood as the pipe opening in the water heater for connecting to the water pipe, so as to deliver the heated water to the user for use. The water inlet flow rate is also called the instantaneous flow rate, which can be understood as the volume of fluid passing through the water inlet or the cross section of the pipe of the water heater per unit time. The water inlet temperature can be understood as the temperature value of the water flowing into the water inlet. The set water outlet temperature can be understood as the user's water demand temperature, which is equivalent to the heating target of the water heater (i.e., the degree of heating of the water flowing through the water heater). The first heating power can be understood as the power information corresponding to the energy required to heat the water flowing through the water heater to the set water outlet temperature. The first heating power is associated with the water inlet flow rate, water inlet temperature and set water outlet temperature of the water heater. The first heating power can be calculated by the water inlet flow rate, water inlet temperature and set water outlet temperature of the water heater.

[0066] Specifically, the first heating power W1=Q0*C*(Ts-T0), wherein Q0 represents the water inlet flow rate, T0 represents the water inlet temperature, Ts represents the set water outlet temperature, and C represents the specific heat capacity of water.

[0067] S203 . According to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module is controlled to be closed, or the pipeline of the energy storage module is controlled to be connected and the bypass pipeline is controlled to be closed.

[0068] In this embodiment, the control module monitors the internal pressure of the energy storage module in real time, and controls the opening and closing of the pipeline and the bypass pipeline of the energy storage module according to the internal pressure of the energy storage module.

[0069] In one embodiment, S203 may specifically include: determining whether the internal pressure is less than a first preset pressure value; when the internal pressure is not less than the first preset pressure value, controlling the pipeline of the energy storage module to be turned on and the bypass pipeline to be closed; when the internal pressure is less than the first preset pressure value, controlling the bypass pipeline to be turned on and the pipeline of the energy storage module to be closed.

[0070] Among them, the first preset pressure value can be understood as a basis for measuring whether the internal pressure is sufficient. When the internal pressure is less than the first preset pressure value, it is considered that the internal pressure is too low to support the heating of the energy storage module. The bypass pipeline will be controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module will be closed, so that the pipeline water is transmitted from the bypass pipeline. On the contrary, it proves that the internal heat is sufficient to support the heating of the energy storage module. The pipeline of the energy storage module will be controlled to be connected and the bypass pipeline will be closed, so that the pipeline water passes through the energy storage module so that the energy storage module can increase the water temperature of the pipeline water. A personalized pipeline water transmission method has been formulated, which can not only reduce the contact between pipeline water and non-essential components, but also improve the transmission rate of pipeline water and the service life of the energy storage module.

[0071] S204: Determine whether the water inlet flow rate is less than a preset flow rate value.

[0072] The preset flow rate value is the start-up flow rate of the gas heating module. The preset flow rate value can be understood as a basis for measuring whether the user's water demand is a large amount of water. When the water inlet flow rate is not less than the preset flow rate value, it is considered that the user's water demand is a large amount of water. Otherwise, it is considered that the user's water demand is a small amount of water. Specifically, if the water inlet flow rate is not less than the preset flow rate value, S205 is executed. If the water inlet flow rate is less than the preset flow rate value, S208 is executed.

[0073] The present invention can also set a water consumption lower limit threshold. When the water inlet flow rate is less than the water consumption lower limit threshold, it is determined that the user has no water demand, and the water heater is controlled to be in standby mode, effectively reducing the power consumption of the water heater.

[0074] S205: Determine whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, and determine whether the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is lower than the set water outlet temperature.

[0075] When the water inlet flow rate is not less than the preset flow rate value, at least the gas heating module needs to be started to increase the temperature of the pipeline water. Therefore, there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module.

[0076] Specifically, when the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is lower than the set water outlet temperature, it is considered that the water demand of the user cannot be met by the heating work performed by the gas heating module alone, and the remaining heating components are required to continue to heat the pipeline water, and S206 is executed. When the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is not lower than the set water outlet temperature, it is considered that the water demand of the user can be met by the heating work performed by the gas heating module, and the remaining heating components are not required to continue to heat the pipeline water, and S207 is executed.

[0077] S206, determining that the heat source objects to be started are a gas heating module and an electric heating module.

[0078] S207, determining that the heat source object to be started is a gas heating module.

[0079] S208. Determine whether the first heating power is less than the third heating power corresponding to the internal pressure.

[0080] The first heating power can heat the water in the pipeline to the set water outlet temperature, and the third heating power can be understood as the maximum heating power of the energy storage module, which is used to represent the maximum heating capacity of the energy storage module. When the first heating power is less than the third heating power, it is considered that the heat provided by the energy storage module is sufficient to heat the pipeline water to the set water outlet temperature, and S209 is executed. When the first heating power is not less than the third heating power, it is considered that the heat provided by the energy storage module is insufficient to heat the pipeline water to the set water outlet temperature, and S210 is executed.

[0081] S209: Determine whether there is no heat source object to be started in the heat source module.

[0082] S210: Determine whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module and the heat source object to be started is an electric heating module.

[0083] The advantage of this setting is that it can quickly locate the heat source module to be started. When the water inlet flow rate is not less than the preset flow rate value, it is determined that there is a heat source module to be started and the heat source module to be started includes at least a gas heating module. When the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is lower than the set water outlet temperature, it is determined that there is a heat source module to be started and the heat source module to be started includes at least an electric heating module.

[0084] Optionally, if the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is not less than the set water outlet temperature, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be connected, the pipeline of the energy storage module is closed, and the electric heating module is turned off, and the water in the pipeline is heated by the gas heating module.

[0085] The purpose of this setting is to dynamically adjust the working parameters of the heating components in real time according to the temperature of the pipe water. When the temperature of the pipe water meets the usage requirements, the working parameters of the heating components can be adaptively reduced, and some heating components can be turned off or stopped to reduce the power consumption of the water heater.

[0086] Secondly, the present invention deploys an electric heating module and an energy storage module, which can avoid the problem of cold water retained in the pipeline not being heated in pure gas heating and reduce water temperature fluctuations. At the same time, it can also effectively utilize the heat stored in the energy storage module to prevent the problem of high power consumption of electric heating.

[0087] S211. If there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, the second heating power of the heat source object to be started is determined based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature, and the heat source object to be started is controlled to operate at the second heating power so that the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature.

[0088] In one embodiment, the second heating power is the electric heating power of the electric heating module and / or the gas heating power of the gas heating module; determining the second heating power of the heat source object to be started based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature includes:

[0089] Determine a first water temperature difference between the outlet water temperature of the gas heating module and the inlet water temperature of the electric heating module; determine the heating power of the energy storage module based on the outlet water temperature of the gas heating module, the first water temperature difference and the inlet water flow rate; determine the difference between the first heating power and the heating power of the energy storage module as the heat source heating power; when the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module or the gas heating module, determine the second heating power as the heat source heating power; when the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module and the gas heating module, control the gas heating module to operate according to a preset combustion power curve, so that the heating power of the gas heating module gradually increases to the heat source heating power, and control the electric heating module to perform auxiliary heating, so that the sum of the heating powers of the electric heating module and the gas heating module is the heat source heating power

[0090] Specifically, the first heating power is the total power required to heat the water flowing through the water heater to the set water outlet temperature. The second heating power can be understood as the power required by the heat source object to be started other than the energy storage module to heat the water to the set water outlet temperature. Therefore, the heating power of the energy storage module can be determined first, and then the difference between the first heating power and the heating power of the energy storage module is used as the second heating power.

[0091] In one implementation, the heating power of the energy storage module can be determined in the following manner: first, the inlet and outlet water temperature difference of the energy storage module, that is, the first water temperature difference, is determined. Figure 1 As shown, since the gas heating module, energy storage module and electric heating module are arranged sequentially along the water flow direction of the pipeline, the inlet and outlet water temperature difference of the energy storage module can be reflected as the water temperature difference between the outlet water temperature of the gas heating module and the inlet water temperature of the electric heating module.

[0092] After determining the inlet and outlet water temperature difference of the energy storage module, combined with the inlet water flow rate, the heating power of the energy storage module can be calculated using the following formula: We = Q0*C*(T2-T1), where T2 represents the inlet water temperature of the electric heating module and T1 represents the outlet water temperature of the gas heating module.

[0093] After the heating power of the energy storage module is obtained, the difference between the first heating power and the heating power of the energy storage module is calculated to obtain the heat source heating power. That is, the heat source heating power W2 = W1 - We.

[0094] If there is only one heat source object to be started, which is either an electric heating module or a gas heating module, the second heating power can be determined as the heat source heating power W2.

[0095] If there are two heat source objects to be started, an electric heating module and a gas heating module, the gas heating module is used as the main heating module, supplemented by the electric heating module, so that the heating power of the two reaches the heat source heating power W2. Specifically, the gas heating module can be controlled to operate according to a preset combustion power curve so that the heating power of the gas heating module gradually increases to the heat source heating power, and the electric heating module is controlled to perform auxiliary heating so that the sum of the heating powers of the electric heating module and the gas heating module is the heat source heating power.

[0096] like Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the combustion power curve is shown, which shows the relationship curve between the heating power W and the time t. When the gas heating module is started, its heating power does not immediately reach its set target heating power, but gradually increases to the target heating power. For example, the target heating power is W0. If the heating power of the water heater increases to the target heating power, it takes t0. This phenomenon is called power ramping. This gradual increase in heating power is to ensure that the water heater can smoothly and safely reach the set working state, while avoiding excessive load pressure on the household circuit.

[0097] Obviously, during the power ramp time t0, the actual heating power of the gas heating module is small and less than its set target heating power W0. If the gas heating module is started alone, the required target heating power W0 cannot be achieved. Therefore, it needs to be used together with the electric heating module to avoid the situation where the water outlet temperature of the water heater is far lower than the target water outlet temperature for a period of time when the gas heating module is started alone, affecting the user's water experience. Of course, when the gas heating module and the electric heating module are turned on at the same time, the heating power of the two modules needs to be adjusted separately so that the sum of the heating power meets the heating demand.

[0098] Further, controlling the electric heating module to perform auxiliary heating includes:

[0099] The difference between the water inlet temperature and the set water outlet temperature of the electric heating module is determined, and the power of the electric heating module is infinitely adjusted according to the difference to obtain the electric heating power.

[0100] Specifically, during the auxiliary heating process, the power regulation of the electric heating module belongs to stepless regulation, which is a kind of regulation method that can be continuously changed without fixed gears or restrictions. Specifically, the electric heating power W electric = Q0*C*(Ts-T2), where Q0 represents the water inlet flow rate, C represents the specific heat capacity, Ts represents the set water outlet temperature, and T2 represents the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module. The advantage of this setting is that the heating power of the electric heating module can be adjusted in real time according to the changes in the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module, thereby reducing the waste of electric energy.

[0101] The technical solution of this embodiment determines the heating mode of the water heater according to the water inlet flow, water inlet temperature and set water outlet temperature of the water heater. The heating mode includes the specific heating components of the water heater and the working information of the heating components. While ensuring the water outlet temperature, the startup frequency of the gas heating components and / or electric heating components is reduced, the service life of each heating component is extended, the environmental noise is reduced, and the user's experience is improved. The existing water heater uses a gas heating component to heat the water in the water pipe when using water, and the equipment is noisy. Once the user frequently uses small amounts of water, the gas heating component needs to be repeatedly turned on and off in a short period of time, which will not only generate a large equipment operation noise, but also affect the service life of the gas heating component.

[0102] Figure 5 It is a flow chart of another water heater control method provided by the present invention. Based on the above-mentioned embodiments, this embodiment illustrates the heat supplement process of the energy storage module.

[0103] In one implementation, the energy storage module is mainly composed of phase change materials, which can be organic materials such as paraffin and sea wave, or inorganic salt hydrates such as sulfates and chlorides. Phase change materials, also known as latent heat storage materials, use the phase change process of materials to absorb / release heat to achieve energy storage, and have the advantages of high energy storage density, stable output temperature and energy. The phase change material in the energy storage module absorbs heat when it changes from solid to liquid to achieve heat storage, and releases heat when it changes from liquid to solid to achieve heating of the water flow in the pipeline. Optionally, in this embodiment, the phase change temperature of the phase change material is generally between 30-60°C.

[0104] The thermal conductivity of phase change materials is usually not high, and the heat exchange rate is low. Optionally, the interior of the energy storage module is a spiral tube structure. The purpose of setting it as a spiral tube structure is to increase the heat exchange area between the water in the pipeline and the energy storage module, extend the heating time, and improve the heat exchange effect.

[0105] In this embodiment, the pipeline also includes an inner circulation pipeline, and the gas heating module and the electric heating module are arranged on the inner circulation pipeline. Figure 6 As shown in the red arrows, the red arrows indicate the inner circulation pipe and the direction of water flow in the pipe. Figure 6 As shown, the inner circulation pipeline also includes a first three-way valve 2, and the valve body includes three channels, namely an inlet channel, an outlet channel and an intermediate channel. The three channels are cross-connected, and the inlet channel of the first three-way valve 2 is connected to the water inlet pipe 4 of the water heater, the outlet channel is connected to the water pump 12, and the intermediate channel is connected to the one-way valve on the left. When the water heater is working, the inlet channel and the outlet channel of the first three-way valve 2 are opened, and when the water heater is on standby and enters the inner circulation state, the intermediate channel and the outlet channel of the first three-way valve 2 are opened, so only one first three-way valve 2 is needed to meet all the use requirements of the pipeline at the same time.

[0106] The method is applied to a control module in a water heater, and the water heater is also provided with a pipeline and an energy storage module and a heat source module connected in series to the pipeline, the heat source module includes an electric heating module and a gas heating module, and the pipeline also includes a bypass pipeline connected in parallel with the energy storage module and in series with the electric heating module. This embodiment can be applied to control the water in the water pipe of the water heater with low power consumption, energy saving, and low noise.

[0107] like Figure 5 As shown, this embodiment may include the following steps:

[0108] Step 301, obtaining the water flow rate and water temperature of the water inlet of the water heater and the set water outlet temperature of the water outlet.

[0109] Step 302, determining a first heating power based on the inlet water flow rate, the inlet water temperature and the set outlet water temperature.

[0110] Step 303 , according to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module is closed, or the pipeline of the energy storage module is controlled to be connected and the bypass pipeline is closed.

[0111] Step 304: determine whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module based on the water inlet flow, the first heating power and the internal pressure, wherein the heat source object to be started is an electric heating module and / or a gas heating module.

[0112] Step 305: If there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, the second heating power of the heat source object to be started is determined based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature, and the heat source object to be started is controlled to operate at the second heating power so that the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature.

[0113] Step 306: When the gas heating module and the electric heating module are not started, a second water temperature difference between the inlet water temperature and the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module is calculated.

[0114] Step 307: If the second water temperature difference is less than the preset temperature difference threshold and the duration exceeds the preset duration, it is determined that the energy storage module is in an overcooling state.

[0115] Specifically, when there is no started heat source module, the water heater is usually in standby mode. The heating power of the energy storage module can be determined according to the second water temperature difference. When the second water temperature difference is less than the preset temperature difference threshold, it means that the heating power of the energy storage module is low or in a heat absorption state. If the second water temperature difference is less than the preset temperature difference threshold and the duration exceeds the preset duration, it is determined that the energy storage module is in an overcooling state, and the energy storage module can be supplemented with heat energy at this time.

[0116] In other embodiments, it is also possible to determine whether the energy storage module is in an overcooled state by monitoring the internal pressure of the energy storage module. If the internal pressure of the energy storage module is less than a set pressure value and lasts for a long time, it can be determined that the energy storage module is in an overcooled state.

[0117] Step 308 , determining whether the current time belongs to the preset electricity price valley stage; if so, executing step 309 ; if not, executing step 311 .

[0118] Step 309, calculating the heating power of the electric heating module required to heat the water in the inner circulation pipeline from the initial heating temperature to the preset inner circulation standard temperature, and obtaining the inner circulation power.

[0119] The initial heating temperature is the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module.

[0120] Step 310, controlling the water pump on the internal circulation pipeline to turn on and controlling the electric heating module to start with the internal circulation power to supplement the energy storage module with heat.

[0121] When the current time is at the preset electricity price bottom stage, the energy storage module is supplemented with heat to save electricity costs. Specifically, the electric heating module is started to heat the water in the inner circulation pipe, and the energy storage module absorbs heat from the water in the inner circulation pipe to achieve heat supplement.

[0122] Specifically, the water pump on the inner circulation pipeline can be controlled to turn on and the electric heating module can be controlled to start with the inner circulation power. In this embodiment, the inner circulation power is: the heating power of the electric heating module required to heat the water in the inner circulation pipeline from the initial heating temperature (i.e., the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module) to the preset inner circulation standard temperature. When calculating, the water flow value in the inner circulation pipeline can be obtained, and then the inner circulation power can be calculated based on the temperature difference between the initial heating temperature (i.e., the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module) and the preset inner circulation standard temperature. For example, the inner circulation power is equal to the product of the water flow value in the inner circulation pipeline, the temperature difference between the initial heating temperature (i.e., the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module) and the preset inner circulation standard temperature, and the specific heat capacity of water.

[0123] In other implementations, the internal cycle power may also be a preset default power.

[0124] In this embodiment, the electric heating module is turned off when the water temperature in the inner circulation pipe reaches the preset inner circulation standard temperature. In other embodiments, the electric heating module can also be turned off when the preset heating time is reached.

[0125] After turning off the electric heating module, the energy storage module can continue to maintain the water temperature in the inner circulation pipe for a period of time. When the user uses water, the temperature difference between the water temperature in the inner circulation pipe and the water temperature can be reduced, and the water can be quickly heated to the water temperature, thereby improving the user's water experience.

[0126] In practice, the valley stage of electricity prices is usually from late night to early morning, such as 0:00-6:00, and the specific time can be set according to the actual situation. The gas heating module makes a lot of noise when running, but the electric heating module makes very little noise when running. Therefore, the electric heating module is used to supplement the energy storage module during the valley stage of electricity prices, which can achieve a silent heating effect and improve the user experience.

[0127] Step 311: if the current time is not a silent time period, the gas heating module is used to supplement the energy storage module with heat, or the energy storage module is not supplemented with heat.

[0128] Specifically, when the current time is not in the preset electricity price valley stage, it means that the electricity cost of using the electric heating module is higher. At this time, it can be further determined whether it is a preset non-quiet time period. If it is a non-quiet time period, the gas heating module is used to supplement the heat of the energy storage module to save electricity costs. Alternatively, the heat supplement of the energy storage module can be stopped during this time period. In implementation, Figure 6 As shown, the inner circulation pipeline (red arrow part) can be first opened through the three-way valve 2, and the gas heating module can be started and the electric heating module can be closed, and the pipeline of the energy storage module can be opened through the three-way valve 9. In this way, the water flow in the inner circulation pipeline is heated by the gas heating module, and when the water in the inner circulation pipeline flows through the energy storage module, the energy storage module replenishes heat by absorbing heat.

[0129] The environmental noise index value of the silent time period is less than the environmental noise index value of the non-silent time period. The silent time period can be understood as a noise-sensitive time period such as night, 22:00 to 6:00 the next morning, and the non-silent time period can be understood as a time period other than the silent time period in a day. In one implementation, a timing unit is provided on the gas water heater for determining the current time.

[0130] When the temperature difference between the inlet water temperature of the energy storage module and the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module is lower than the set temperature difference value, and the internal pressure of the energy storage module is within the maximum allowable pressure range, it is determined that the heat replenishment of the energy storage module is completed. The set temperature difference value is one of the standards for inspecting the energy replenishment work. For example, the standard for the completion of the heat replenishment of the energy storage module can be that the temperature difference between the inlet water temperature of the energy storage module and the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module is less than 0.5°C, and the internal pressure P∈(P2±50)Pa in the energy storage module, where (P2±50)Pa is used to represent the maximum allowable pressure range of the energy storage module. The advantage of this setting is that the energy replenishment measurement standard of the energy storage module can be quantified to accurately judge the progress of the energy storage work.

[0131] In some embodiments, during the energy replenishment process, the water heater may operate at the highest temperature. The advantage of such a setting is that the efficiency of the energy replenishment work may be improved.

[0132] The working noise of the gas water heater is relatively large, and the electricity price is relatively low during quiet time periods such as night, so the present invention chooses to use the gas heating module to supplement the heat of the energy storage module during the non-quiet time period; and use the electric heating module to supplement the heat of the energy storage module during the quiet time period or not to supplement the heat of the energy storage module. The advantage of this setting is that the energy supplement method of the energy storage module can be determined in a targeted manner, reducing the energy supplement cost and environmental noise.

[0133] In some embodiments, during the energy replenishment process, the water heater may operate at the highest temperature. The advantage of such a setting is that the efficiency of the energy replenishment work may be improved.

[0134] The present invention can determine the cost of each energy replenishment method according to the gas price, peak-valley electricity price and the corresponding peak-valley time, and use a low-cost method to replenish the energy storage module, thereby reducing the use cost of the water heater. Secondly, the present invention can also selectively stop the operation of the gas heating module during periods of high ambient temperature such as summer, and use the electric heating module and / or the energy storage module to heat the pipeline water to prevent the water heater from outputting overheated water.

[0135] The technical solution of this embodiment monitors the energy storage module and selects the most energy-saving method to replenish energy for the energy storage module according to the current time period when the energy storage module is in an overcooled state, thereby ensuring the heating function of the water heater while reducing the energy replenishment cost of the water heater energy storage module.

[0136] The water heater of the present invention comprises a control module, a pipeline, and an energy storage module and a heat source module connected in series to the pipeline. The heat source module comprises an electric heating module and a gas heating module. The pipeline also comprises a bypass pipeline connected in parallel with the energy storage module and in series with the electric heating module. Figure 7 is a structural diagram of a control module provided by the present invention, such as Figure 7As shown, the control module includes: an information acquisition unit 401, a heating power determination unit 402, a pipeline control unit 403, a heat source object determination unit 404 and a heating work execution unit 405.

[0137] The information acquisition unit 401 is used to acquire the water inlet flow rate and water inlet temperature of the water inlet of the water heater and the set water outlet temperature of the water outlet.

[0138] The heating power determination unit 402 is used to determine the first heating power based on the inlet water flow rate, the inlet water temperature and the set outlet water temperature.

[0139] The pipeline control unit 403 is used to control the bypass pipeline to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module to be closed according to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, or to control the pipeline of the energy storage module to be connected and the bypass pipeline to be closed.

[0140] The heat source object determination unit 404 is used to determine whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module based on the water inlet flow, the first heating power and the internal pressure, wherein the heat source object to be started is an electric heating module and / or a gas heating module.

[0141] The heating work execution unit 405 is used to determine the second heating power of the heat source object to be started based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature if there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, and control the heat source object to be started to operate at the second heating power so that the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature.

[0142] Optionally, the pipeline control unit 403 is specifically used to determine whether the internal pressure is less than a first preset pressure value; when the internal pressure is not less than the first preset pressure value, the pipeline of the energy storage module is controlled to be connected and the bypass pipeline is closed; when the internal pressure is less than the first preset pressure value, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module is closed.

[0143] Optionally, along the water flow direction of the pipeline, the gas heating module, the energy storage module and the electric heating module are arranged in sequence, and the heat source object determination unit 304 is specifically used to determine whether the water inlet flow rate is less than a preset flow rate value; if the water inlet flow rate is not less than the preset flow rate value, it is determined that there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, and it is determined whether the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is less than the set water outlet temperature; when the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is less than the set water outlet temperature, it is determined that the heat source object to be started is the gas heating module and the electric heating module; when the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is not less than the set water outlet temperature, it is determined that the heat source object to be started is the gas heating module; if the water inlet flow rate is less than the preset flow rate value, it is determined whether the first heating power is less than the third heating power corresponding to the internal pressure; when the first heating power is less than the third heating power, it is determined that there is no heat source object to be started in the heat source module, and when the first heating power is not less than the third heating power, it is determined that there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module and the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module.

[0144] Optionally, the control module further includes an execution unit, which is used to control the bypass pipeline to be turned on and the pipeline of the energy storage module to be turned off when the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is not less than the set water outlet temperature.

[0145] Optionally, the second heating power is the electric heating power of the electric heating module and / or the gas heating power of the gas heating module; the heating work execution unit 305 is specifically used for:

[0146] Determine a first water temperature difference between the outlet water temperature of the gas heating module and the inlet water temperature of the electric heating module;

[0147] Determining the heating power of the energy storage module based on the first water temperature difference and the water inlet flow rate;

[0148] Determine the difference between the first heating power and the heating power of the energy storage module as the heat source heating power;

[0149] When the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module or the gas heating module, determining the second heating power to be the heat source heating power;

[0150] When the heat source objects to be started are the electric heating module and the gas heating module, the gas heating module is controlled to operate according to a preset combustion power curve so that the heating power of the gas heating module gradually increases to the heat source heating power, and the electric heating module is controlled to perform auxiliary heating so that the sum of the heating powers of the electric heating module and the gas heating module is the heat source heating power;

[0151] The controlling the electric heating module to perform auxiliary heating comprises:

[0152] The difference between the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module and the set water outlet temperature is determined, and the power of the electric heating module is infinitely adjusted according to the difference to obtain the electric heating power.

[0153] Optionally, the pipeline further includes an inner circulation pipeline, and the gas heating module and the electric heating module are arranged on the inner circulation pipeline; the control module further includes an energy replenishment unit for:

[0154] When the gas heating module and the electric heating module are not started, calculating a second water temperature difference between the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature of the energy storage module;

[0155] If the second water temperature difference is less than a preset temperature difference threshold and lasts for more than a preset time, it is determined that the energy storage module is in an overcooling state;

[0156] Determine whether the current time belongs to the preset electricity price valley stage;

[0157] If yes, calculate the heating power of the electric heating module required to heat the water in the inner circulation pipeline from the initial heating temperature to the preset inner circulation standard temperature to obtain the inner circulation power, wherein the initial heating temperature is the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module;

[0158] The water pump on the inner circulation pipeline is controlled to be turned on and the electric heating module is controlled to be started with the inner circulation power to supplement the heat for the energy storage module.

[0159] Optionally, the energy replenishment unit is further used for:

[0160] If the current time does not belong to the preset electricity price valley stage, then determine whether the current time is a non-quiet time period;

[0161] If so, a gas heating module is used to supplement the heat of the energy storage module, or the energy storage module is not supplemented with heat.

[0162] The water heater provided in this embodiment can execute the control method of the water heater provided in any embodiment of the present invention, and has the functional modules and beneficial effects corresponding to the execution method.

[0163] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided by the present invention. Figure 8As shown, the electronic device 10 includes at least one processor 11, and a memory connected to the at least one processor 11, such as a read-only memory (ROM) 12, a random access memory (also called random access memory, RAM) 13, etc., wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by at least one processor, and the processor 11 can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to the computer program stored in the read-only memory (ROM) 12 or the computer program loaded from the storage unit 18 to the random access memory (RAM) 13. In the RAM 13, various programs and data required for the operation of the electronic device 10 can also be stored. The processor 11, ROM 12 and RAM 13 are connected to each other through a bus 14. An input / output (I / O) interface 15 is also connected to the bus 14.

[0164] A number of components in the electronic device 10 are connected to the I / O interface 15, including: an input unit 16, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a remote controller, etc.; an output unit 17, such as various types of displays, speakers, etc.; a storage unit 18, such as a disk, an optical disk, etc.; and a communication unit 19, such as a network card, a modem, a wireless communication transceiver, etc. The communication unit 19 allows the electronic device 10 to exchange information / data with other devices through a computer network such as the Internet and / or various telecommunication networks.

[0165] The processor 11 may be a variety of general and / or special processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of the processor 11 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various processors running machine learning model algorithms, a digital signal processor (DSP), and any appropriate processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. The processor 11 executes the various methods and processes described above, such as a control method for a water heater.

[0166] In some embodiments, the control method of the water heater may be implemented as a computer program, which is tangibly contained in a computer-readable storage medium, such as a storage unit 18. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or installed on the electronic device 10 via the ROM 12 and / or the communication unit 19. When the computer program is loaded into the RAM 13 and executed by the processor 11, one or more steps of the control method of the water heater described above may be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the processor 11 may be configured to execute the control method of the water heater in any other appropriate manner (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0167] Various embodiments of the systems and techniques described above herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application specific standard products (ASSPs), systems on chips (SOCs), load programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments may include: being implemented in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which can be a special purpose or general purpose programmable processor that can receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmit data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0168] Computer programs for implementing the methods of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These computer programs may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, so that when the computer program is executed by the processor, the functions / operations specified in the flow chart and / or block diagram are implemented. The computer program may be executed entirely on the machine, partially on the machine, partially on the machine and partially on a remote machine as a stand-alone software package, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0169] In the context of the present invention, a computer readable storage medium may be a tangible medium that may contain or store a computer program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device, or equipment. A computer readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices, or equipment, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Alternatively, a computer readable storage medium may be a machine readable signal medium. A more specific example of a machine readable storage medium may include an electrical connection based on one or more lines, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0170] To provide interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein may be implemented on an electronic device having: a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor) for displaying information to the user; and a keyboard and a pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user can provide input to the electronic device. Other types of devices may also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, the feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user may be received in any form (including acoustic input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0171] The systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in a computing system that includes backend components (e.g., as a data server) or a computing system that includes middleware components (e.g., an application server) or a computing system that includes frontend components (e.g., a user computer with a graphical user interface or a web browser through which a user can interact with implementations of the systems and techniques described herein) or a computing system that includes any combination of such backend components, middleware components, or frontend components. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include: a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a blockchain network, and the Internet.

[0172] A computing system may include a client and a server. The client and the server are generally remote from each other and usually interact through a communication network. The client and server relationship is generated by computer programs running on the corresponding computers and having a client-server relationship with each other. The server may be a cloud server, also known as a cloud computing server or cloud host, which is a host product in the cloud computing service system to solve the defects of difficult management and weak business scalability in traditional physical hosts and VPS services.

[0173] In one embodiment, the present invention further includes a computer program product, the computer program product includes a computer program, and the computer program implements the control method of the water heater of any embodiment of the present invention when executed by a processor.

[0174] In the process of implementation, the computer program product can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof to perform the computer program code of the present invention, including object-oriented programming languages, such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a separate software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or completely on a remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or can be connected to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0175] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to reorder, add or delete steps. For example, the steps described in the present invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially or in different orders, as long as the desired results of the technical solution of the present invention can be achieved, and this document does not limit this.

[0176] The above specific implementations do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modification, equivalent substitution and improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a water heater, characterized in that: A control module applied to the water heater, wherein the water heater is further provided with a pipeline and an energy storage module and a heat source module connected in series to the pipeline, wherein the heat source module includes an electric heating module and a gas heating module, and the pipeline further includes a bypass pipeline connected in parallel with the energy storage module and in series with the electric heating module; The method comprises: Obtaining the water flow rate and water temperature of the water inlet of the water heater and the set water outlet temperature of the water outlet; Determining a first heating power based on the water inlet flow rate, the water inlet temperature and the set water outlet temperature; According to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be connected and the pipeline of the energy storage module is closed, or the pipeline of the energy storage module is controlled to be connected and the bypass pipeline is closed; Based on the water inlet flow rate, the first heating power and the internal pressure, determining whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module, wherein the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module and / or the gas heating module; If the heat source object to be started exists in the heat source module, the second heating power of the heat source object to be started is determined based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature, and the heat source object to be started is controlled to operate at the second heating power so that the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controlling, according to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, to connect the bypass pipeline and close the pipeline of the energy storage module or to connect the pipeline of the energy storage module and close the bypass pipeline comprises: determining whether the internal pressure is less than a first preset pressure value; When the internal pressure is not less than the first preset pressure value, controlling the pipeline of the energy storage module to be open and the bypass pipeline to be closed; When the internal pressure is less than the first preset pressure value, the bypass pipeline is controlled to be open and the pipeline of the energy storage module is closed.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The gas heating module, the energy storage module and the electric heating module are sequentially arranged along the water flow direction of the pipeline, and determining whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module based on the water inlet flow, the first heating power and the internal pressure includes: Determining whether the water inlet flow rate is less than a preset flow rate value; If the water inlet flow rate is not less than the preset flow rate value, it is determined that the heat source object to be started exists in the heat source module, and it is determined whether the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is less than the set water outlet temperature; When the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is lower than the set water outlet temperature, the heat source object to be started is determined to be the gas heating module and the electric heating module; when the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is not lower than the set water outlet temperature, the heat source object to be started is determined to be the gas heating module; If the water inlet flow rate is less than the preset flow rate value, determining whether the first heating power is less than a third heating power corresponding to the internal pressure; When the first heating power is less than the third heating power, it is determined that the heat source object to be started does not exist in the heat source module; when the first heating power is not less than the third heating power, it is determined that the heat source object to be started exists in the heat source module and the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that When the water inlet temperature of the electric heating module is not less than the set water outlet temperature, the method further includes: controlling the bypass pipeline to be turned on and the pipeline of the energy storage module to be turned off.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second heating power is the electric heating power of the electric heating module and / or the gas heating power of the gas heating module; The determining the second heating power of the heat source object to be started based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature includes: Determine a first water temperature difference between the outlet water temperature of the gas heating module and the inlet water temperature of the electric heating module; Determining the heating power of the energy storage module based on the first water temperature difference and the water inlet flow rate; Determine the difference between the first heating power and the heating power of the energy storage module as the heat source heating power; When the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module or the gas heating module, determining the second heating power to be the heat source heating power; When the heat source objects to be started are the electric heating module and the gas heating module, the gas heating module is controlled to operate according to a preset combustion power curve so that the heating power of the gas heating module gradually increases, and the electric heating module is controlled to perform auxiliary heating so that the sum of the heating powers of the electric heating module and the gas heating module is the heat source heating power.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The pipeline further includes an inner circulation pipeline, and the gas heating module and the electric heating module are arranged on the inner circulation pipeline; the method further includes: When the gas heating module and the electric heating module are not started, calculating a second water temperature difference between the water inlet temperature and the water outlet temperature of the energy storage module; If the second water temperature difference is less than a preset temperature difference threshold and lasts for more than a preset time, it is determined that the energy storage module is in an overcooling state; Determine whether the current time belongs to the preset electricity price valley stage; If yes, calculate the heating power of the electric heating module required to heat the water in the inner circulation pipeline from the initial heating temperature to the preset inner circulation standard temperature to obtain the inner circulation power, wherein the initial heating temperature is the outlet water temperature of the energy storage module; The water pump on the inner circulation pipeline is controlled to be turned on and the electric heating module is controlled to be started with the inner circulation power to supplement the heat for the energy storage module.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: If the current time does not belong to the preset electricity price valley stage, then determine whether the current time is a non-quiet time period; If so, a gas heating module is used to supplement the heat of the energy storage module, or the energy storage module is not supplemented with heat.

8. A water heater, characterized in that: It includes a control module, a pipeline, and an energy storage module and a heat source module connected in series to the pipeline, the heat source module includes an electric heating module and a gas heating module, the pipeline also includes a bypass pipeline connected in parallel with the energy storage module and in series with the electric heating module, and the control module includes: An information acquisition unit, used to acquire the water inlet flow rate and water inlet temperature of the water inlet of the water heater and the set water outlet temperature of the water outlet; a heating power determining unit, configured to determine a first heating power based on the inlet water flow rate, the inlet water temperature and the set outlet water temperature; A pipeline control unit, used to control the bypass pipeline to be turned on and the pipeline of the energy storage module to be turned off according to the internal pressure of the energy storage module, or to control the pipeline of the energy storage module to be turned on and the bypass pipeline to be turned off; a heat source object determination unit, configured to determine whether there is a heat source object to be started in the heat source module based on the water inlet flow rate, the first heating power and the internal pressure, wherein the heat source object to be started is the electric heating module and / or the gas heating module; A heating work execution unit is used to determine the second heating power of the heat source object to be started based on the first heating power and the set water outlet temperature if the heat source object to be started exists in the heat source module, and control the heat source object to be started to operate at the second heating power so that the water temperature at the water outlet of the water heater reaches the set water outlet temperature.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device comprises: at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; The memory stores a computer program executable by the at least one processor, and the computer program is executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the control method of the water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and the computer instructions are used to enable a processor to implement the control method of the water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 7 when executed.

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