Water heater control method, device and equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of electric appliances, and particularly relates to a water heater control method, device and equipment and a storage medium. According to the water heater control method provided by the invention, selection of a candidate operation mode by a user is obtained to serve as a target operation mode, and the set temperature selected by the user is obtained; the candidate operation mode comprises a high-performance operation mode and an energy-saving operation mode; acquiring water temperature information in an inner container of the water heater, wherein the water temperature information comprises water temperatures of a plurality of areas in the inner container from top to bottom; according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode and the set temperature, heating pipes in all areas in the inner container of the water heater are controlled to be opened or closed from top to bottom; new water temperature information in the inner container of the water heater continues to be obtained, and control over the heating pipe in each area is adjusted according to the new water temperature information; the heating mode of the electric water heater can be flexibly adjusted according to user requirements and water temperature changes, hot water supply of the electric water heater can meet the user requirements, and meanwhile power consumption of the electric water heater is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of electrical appliances, and particularly relates to a water heater control method, device, equipment, and storage medium. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous improvement of production technology levels and the continuous growth of user needs, electric water heaters are applied in various domestic and commercial scenarios. As users' requirements for the quality of life and usage experience gradually increase, the demand for hot water and the supply duration in each scenario are also growing continuously. How to ensure that the product can stably supply sufficient and temperature-reached hot water to users is a problem that electric water heater manufacturers need to solve.

[0003] When facing the above problems, the prior art usually adopts a large-capacity inner tank and is equipped with high-power heating pipes in the inner tank to increase the hot water storage capacity and heating speed of the water heater and meet the large hot water demand of users.

[0004] However, due to the large capacity of the inner tank in the above method, even when heating with a relatively high power, the water in the inner tank still needs a long time to reach the set temperature, resulting in poor user experience; and the energy consumption is large, the energy efficiency ratio is low, causing serious energy waste. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, this application provides a water heater control method, device, equipment, and storage medium.

[0006] In a first aspect, a water heater control method of this application is applied to an electric water heater. The inner tank of the electric water heater is divided into multiple regions from top to bottom, and each region is provided with a heating pipe. The method includes:

[0007] Obtain the user's selection of a candidate operation mode as the target operation mode, and obtain the set temperature selected by the user, where the candidate operation modes include a high-performance operation mode and an energy-saving operation mode;

[0008] Obtain the water temperature information inside the inner tank of the water heater, where the water temperature information includes the water temperatures of multiple regions from top to bottom inside the inner tank;

[0009] According to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature, control the heating pipes in each region of the inner tank of the water heater to be turned on or off from top to bottom;

[0010] Continue to obtain new water temperature information inside the inner tank of the water heater, and adjust the control of the heating pipes in each region according to the new water temperature information.

[0011] Optionally, controlling the on / off of the heating pipes in each area from top to bottom in the water heater inner tank according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature includes:

[0012] According to the water temperature information, obtain the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank, where the reference temperature is used to indicate the hot water temperature that the water heater can currently provide;

[0013] Judge whether the reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature;

[0014] If so, control the heating pipes in each area from top to bottom in the water heater inner tank to be turned off;

[0015] If not, determine the initial target heating area to be turned on according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature, and control the heating pipes corresponding to the initial target heating area to be turned on.

[0016] Optionally, determining the initial target heating area to be turned on according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature includes:

[0017] If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than the set temperature, when the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, determine that all areas of the water heater inner tank are the initial target heating areas; when the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, determine that the upper area of the water heater inner tank is the initial target heating area;

[0018] If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature and the water temperature in the lower part of the inner tank is less than the set temperature, then determine that the lower area of the water heater inner tank is the initial target heating area.

[0019] Optionally, after controlling the heating pipes corresponding to the initial target heating area to be turned on, adjusting the control of the heating pipes in each area according to the new water temperature information includes:

[0020] According to the new water temperature information, obtain the new reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank, and judge whether the new reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature;

[0021] If so, control the heating pipes in each area from top to bottom in the water heater inner tank to be turned off;

[0022] If not, obtain the heating temperature according to the set temperature and the first heat preservation margin;

[0023] If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature, when the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, determine that the entire area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating area; when the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, determine that the upper area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating area;

[0024] If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature, determine that the lower area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating area;

[0025] Control the heating pipes corresponding to the second target heating area to turn on.

[0026] Optionally, after controlling the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom to turn off, the control of adjusting the heating pipes in each area according to the new water temperature information includes:

[0027] According to the new water temperature information, obtain the new reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank;

[0028] According to the set temperature and the second heat preservation margin, obtain the heat preservation temperature;

[0029] Judge whether the new reference temperature is less than or equal to the heat preservation temperature;

[0030] If not, keep the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom turned off;

[0031] If so, determine the third target heating area to be turned on according to the new water temperature information, the target operation mode, the set temperature and the heating temperature, and control the heating pipes corresponding to the third target heating area to turn on.

[0032] Optionally, the determining the third target heating area to be turned on according to the new water temperature information, the target operation mode, the set temperature and the heating temperature, and controlling the heating pipes corresponding to the third target heating area to turn on includes:

[0033] According to the set temperature and the first heat preservation margin, obtain the heating temperature;

[0034] If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature, when the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, determine that the entire area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area; when the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, determine that the upper area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area;

[0035] If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature and the water temperature in the lower part of the inner tank is less than the heating temperature, it is determined that the lower area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area.

[0036] Optionally, obtaining the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank according to the water temperature information includes:

[0037] Performing weighted summation processing on the water temperatures of multiple areas from top to bottom in the inner tank, and using the weighted summation result as the first reference parameter, where the weighting coefficient of the upper area is greater than that of the lower area;

[0038] Obtaining a second reference parameter according to the difference between the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank and the preset water temperature difference;

[0039] Comparing the numerical values of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter, and using the larger parameter of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter as the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank.

[0040] In a second aspect, the present application provides a water heater control device, and the device includes:

[0041] A communication module, configured to obtain the user's selection of a candidate operation mode as the target operation mode, and obtain the set temperature selected by the user, where the candidate operation modes include a high-performance operation mode and an energy-saving operation mode;

[0042] An acquisition module, configured to acquire the water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater, where the water temperature information includes the water temperatures of multiple areas from top to bottom in the inner tank;

[0043] A control module, configured to control the on or off of the heating pipes in each area from top to bottom in the inner tank of the water heater according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature; continue to acquire new water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater, and adjust the control of the heating pipes in each area according to the new water temperature information.

[0044] In a third aspect, the present application provides an electric water heater, and the electric water heater includes: an inner tank for containing water to be heated;

[0045] The inner tank is divided into multiple areas from top to bottom, and each area is provided with a heating pipe and a temperature sensor;

[0046] The electric water heater further includes: a memory and at least one processor;

[0047] The memory is used to store computer programs;

[0048] The at least one processor is configured to run a computer program stored in the memory to implement the method described in the first aspect.

[0049] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored;

[0050] When the computer program is executed by a processor, the method described in the first aspect is implemented.

[0051] The water heater control method provided by the present application obtains the user's selection of a candidate operation mode as the target operation mode, and obtains the set temperature selected by the user, where the candidate operation modes include a high-performance operation mode and an energy-saving operation mode; obtains the water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater, where the water temperature information includes the water temperatures of multiple regions from top to bottom in the inner tank; controls the on / off of the heating tubes in each region from top to bottom in the inner tank of the water heater according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature; continues to obtain new water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater, and adjusts the control of the heating tubes in each region according to the new water temperature information; flexibly adjusts the heating mode and heating power of the electric water heater according to user needs and water temperature changes, realizing that the hot water supply of the electric water heater can fully meet user needs while minimizing the power consumption of the electric water heater as much as possible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] The drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and form a part of the specification, showing embodiments consistent with the present application, and are used together with the specification to explain the principles of the present application.

[0053] Figure 1 It is a schematic flow chart of the water heater control method provided by the present application Figure 1 ;

[0054] Figures 2a to 2b It is the second schematic flow chart of the water heater control method provided by the present application;

[0055] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of an electric water heater control device provided by the present application;

[0056] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of an electric water heater provided by the present application.

[0057] Through the above drawings, the clear embodiments of the present application have been shown, and there will be more detailed descriptions later. These drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept of the present application in any way, but to illustrate the concept of the present application to those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0058] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in this application with reference to the accompanying drawings in this application. Apparently, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of this application. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0059] In the description and claims of this invention and the above accompanying drawings, the terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. (if any) 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 under appropriate circumstances so that the embodiments of this invention described herein can be implemented, for example, in an order different from those illustrated or described herein.

[0060] In the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to represent examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design solution described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or having more advantages than other embodiments or design solutions. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0061] With the continuous improvement of production technology levels and the continuous growth of user needs, electric water heaters are applied in various domestic and commercial scenarios. And as users' requirements for the quality of life and usage experience gradually increase, the demand for hot water and the supply duration in each scenario are also continuously growing. How to ensure that the product can stably supply sufficient and up-to-temperature hot water to users is a problem that electric water heater manufacturers need to solve.

[0062] When faced with the above problems, the prior art usually adopts a large-capacity inner tank and is equipped with a high-power heating pipe in the inner tank to increase the hot water storage capacity and heating speed of the water heater and meet the large hot water demand of users.

[0063] However, due to the large capacity of the inner tank in the above method, even when heated at a high power, the water in the inner tank still needs a long time to reach the set temperature, resulting in poor user experience; and the energy consumption is large, the energy efficiency ratio is low, causing serious energy waste.

[0064] In view of the above problems, the present invention proposes the following technical concept: in the inner tank of a large-capacity electric water heater, such as a floor-standing electric water heater, a plurality of heating tubes are arranged vertically from top to bottom. Since the density of water is affected by water temperature, hot water tends to gather in the upper region of the inner tank, while water with a lower temperature tends to deposit at the bottom of the inner tank. The control part of the water heater heats the water in the inner tank by heating tubes in some areas, giving priority to ensuring that the water temperature in the upper region reaches the set temperature, and the heating tubes in some areas can be in a closed state. When the user uses hot water, the water heater can preferentially provide the hot water that has reached the set temperature in the upper region to the user, achieving the satisfaction of the user's hot water demand under the premise of lower energy consumption; if the user has a large or urgent demand for hot water, the heating tubes in all areas of the electric water heater can be controlled to be turned on to ensure that sufficient and temperature-reached hot water can be provided to the user at a faster speed; the electric water heater monitors the water temperature in each area in real time, accurately determines the hot water temperature that the current water heater can provide, and selectively controls the heating tubes in each area to be turned on or off according to the hot water temperature that the current water heater can provide; that is, the heating mode and heating power of the electric water heater are flexibly adjusted according to user needs and water temperature changes, realizing that the hot water supply of the electric water heater can fully meet the user's needs while minimizing the power consumption of the electric water heater as much as possible.

[0065] Figure 1 Flow schematic of the water heater control method provided by the embodiment of the present application Figure 1 ; As Figure 1 shown, the water heater control method provided by the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0066] S101: Obtain the user's selection of a candidate operation mode as the target operation mode, and obtain the set temperature selected by the user.

[0067] Among them, the candidate operation modes include a high-performance operation mode and an energy-saving operation mode; the high-performance mode can be, for example, an operation mode that allows all heating tubes to be turned on simultaneously; the energy-saving mode can be, for example, an operation mode that only allows some heating tubes to be turned on simultaneously; the rated power of the energy-saving mode is less than the rated power of the high-performance mode.

[0068] Specifically, the electric water heater obtains the target operation mode and set temperature selected by the user according to the control instructions sent by the user through a user terminal such as a mobile phone, a remote control, or the operation panel of the electric water heater.

[0069] S102: Obtain the water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater.

[0070] Among them, the water temperature information includes the water temperatures of multiple regions from top to bottom in the inner tank.

[0071] Specifically, the electric water heater obtains the water temperature in each area through the temperature sensors arranged in each area of ​​the inner tank.

[0072] S103: According to the water temperature information, the target operation mode and the set temperature, the heating pipes in each area from top to bottom in the water heater tank are controlled to be turned on or off.

[0073] Specifically, the electric water heater determines whether the heating pipe needs to be turned on according to the preset algorithm based on the water temperature in each area and the set temperature; and determines the heating pipe control logic corresponding to the target operation mode according to the correspondence between different operation modes and the heating pipe control logic, and controls the heating pipe of each area from top to bottom in the inner tank of the water heater to be turned on or off according to the control logic. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific content of the preset algorithm and control logic.

[0074] S104: Continue to obtain new water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater, and adjust the control of the heating pipe in each area according to the new water temperature information.

[0075] Specifically, the electric water heater continuously obtains new water temperature information through temperature sensors arranged in each area of ​​the inner tank, and continuously determines whether the heating pipe needs to be turned on according to the preset algorithm based on the new water temperature information and the set temperature; and determines the heating pipe control logic corresponding to the target operating mode according to the correspondence between different operating modes and the heating pipe control logic, and controls the heating pipe of each area from top to bottom in the inner tank of the water heater to be turned on or off according to the control logic. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific content of the preset algorithm and control logic.

[0076] The water heater control method provided in the embodiment of the present application allows the user to select a high-performance operating mode and an energy-saving operating mode, and controls the opening or closing of the heating pipes in each area from top to bottom in the water heater tank according to the water temperature information, the target operating mode and the set temperature, and adjusts the opening and closing of the heating pipes in time according to the water temperature changes in the tank in the subsequent process, thereby achieving the goal of meeting the user's requirements for hot water temperature and quantity while minimizing the energy consumption of the electric water heater.

[0077] Figures 2a to 2b Schematic diagram 2 of the flow chart of the water heater control method provided in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 2a and Figure 2b As shown, the water heater control method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes:

[0078] S201: Obtain the user's selection of a candidate operating mode as a target operating mode, and obtain the set temperature selected by the user.

[0079] Among them, the candidate operating modes include a high-performance operating mode and an energy-saving operating mode.

[0080] The implementation manner of step S201 is similar to that of step S101, and will not be elaborated herein in this embodiment.

[0081] S202: Obtain the water temperature information inside the water tank of the water heater.

[0082] Among them, the water temperature information includes the water temperatures of multiple regions from top to bottom inside the water tank.

[0083] The implementation manner of step S202 is similar to that of step S102, and will not be elaborated herein in this embodiment.

[0084] S203: According to the water temperature information, obtain the reference temperature of the hot water inside the water tank.

[0085] Among them, the reference temperature is used to indicate the hot water temperature that the water heater can currently provide.

[0086] It can be understood that when the user uses the water heater, the hot water temperature flowing out of the water heater may be different from the hot water temperature in a specific area inside the water tank, and the hot water temperatures in each area of the water tank are also different. Therefore, to ensure that the hot water temperature obtained by the user meets the expectation, it is necessary to determine the hot water temperature that the water heater can currently provide as the basis for determining the subsequent heating mode; according to the results of a large number of pre-experiments, a correspondence relationship between the water temperatures in each area inside the water tank of the water heater and the hot water temperature that the water heater can currently provide can be established to obtain a more accurate reference temperature.

[0087] Optionally, the specific method for obtaining the reference temperature can be as follows:

[0088] Step 1: Perform a weighted summation process on the water temperatures of multiple regions from top to bottom inside the water tank, and use the weighted summation result as the first reference parameter.

[0089] Among them, the weighting coefficient of the upper region is greater than that of the lower region, and the weighting coefficients of each region can be determined through a large number of pre-experiments.

[0090] It can be understood that since the higher the water temperature, the smaller the density of water, and water is a poor conductor of heat, the electric water heater preferentially provides the water in the upper part of the water tank to the user. Based on the flow characteristics of water, the first reference parameter can be obtained by performing a weighted summation on the water temperatures of multiple regions from top to bottom inside the water tank, and the weighting coefficient of the upper region is greater than that of the lower region.

[0091] Step 2: Obtain the second reference parameter according to the difference between the water temperature of the upper part of the water tank and the preset water temperature difference.

[0092] Among them, the preset water temperature difference can be determined through a large number of pre - conducted experiments.

[0093] It can be understood that since the higher the water temperature, the smaller the density of water, and water is a poor conductor of heat, the electric water heater preferentially provides water from the upper part of the inner tank to the user. Based on the flow characteristics of water, the second reference parameter can be the difference between the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank and the preset water temperature difference.

[0094] Step 3: Compare the numerical values of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter, and use the larger of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter as the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank.

[0095] It can be understood that since the density of water is related to temperature and water is a poor conductor of heat, the electric water heater preferentially provides water from the upper part of the inner tank to the user. The results of a large number of pre - conducted experiments show that when the user's water consumption is small and the temperature difference between the upper and lower regions of the inner tank is large, the second reference parameter is higher than the first reference parameter and the degree of coincidence between the reference temperature curve and the second reference parameter curve is relatively high; when the user's water consumption is small and the temperature difference between the upper and lower regions of the inner tank is small, the first reference parameter is higher than the second reference parameter and the degree of coincidence between the reference temperature curve and the first reference parameter curve is relatively high; therefore, the numerical values of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter can be compared, and the larger of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter can be used as the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank, so as to obtain a reference temperature that conforms to the actual situation.

[0096] Optionally, the reference temperature can also be used as the display temperature of the electric water heater to accurately prompt the user of the outlet water temperature of the electric water heater and improve the user experience. From the statistics of experimental results and prior expert knowledge, when obtaining the reference temperature according to the above - mentioned corresponding relationship, a dead zone can be introduced in the process of calculating the reference temperature to make the reference temperature curve stable, conform to the actual outlet water temperature, and avoid frequent fluctuations of the reference temperature caused by different temperature change trends in different regions of each inner tank.

[0097] S204: Determine whether the reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature.

[0098] S205: If the reference temperature is less than the set temperature, determine the initial target heating area to be turned on according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature, and control the heating pipes corresponding to the initial target heating area to turn on.

[0099] It can be understood that when the reference temperature is lower than the set temperature, it can be considered that the water temperature in the current water heater may not meet the user's needs. At this time, the target heating area can be determined according to a preset algorithm, and the heating pipes in the target area can be turned on to heat the water in the corresponding area. That is, steps S201 to S204 are the initial judgments for determining whether the water heater needs to heat the water after it is started, based on the reference temperature in the inner tank; and the subsequent steps S205 to S208 are the specific methods for determining the specific heating method after the initial judgment requires starting to heat the water.

[0100] S206: If the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature, when the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, determine that the entire area of the inner tank of the water heater is the initial target heating area.

[0101] S207: If the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature, when the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, determine that the upper part area of the inner tank of the water heater is the initial target heating area.

[0102] It can be understood that when the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature, to make the supply water temperature reach the set temperature, the upper part area needs to be heated. If it is the high-performance mode, all the heating pipes can be turned on to obtain a higher hot water supply volume and a faster heating speed; if it is the energy-saving mode, the heating pipes in the upper part area can be turned on to provide hot water reaching the temperature under the premise of lower energy consumption.

[0103] For example, four heating pipes are arranged at certain intervals from top to bottom in the inner tank of the water heater. When the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature and the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, all four heating pipes can be turned on; when the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, the upper two heating pipes can be turned on.

[0104] S208: If the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature and the water temperature at the lower part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature, determine that the lower part area of the inner tank of the water heater is the initial target heating area.

[0105] It can be understood that when the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is greater than the set temperature, the supply water temperature reaches the set temperature at this time. If the water temperature at the lower part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature, only the heating pipes in the lower part area can be turned on to heat the water with a lower temperature at the lower part to ensure the stability of the supply water temperature.

[0106] Continuing to refer to the above example, when the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature and the water temperature at the lower part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature, the lower two heating pipes can be turned on.

[0107] The subsequent steps S209 to S216 are specific methods for determining whether subsequent heating or insulation is required and the specific heating method after the electric water heater heats the water.

[0108] S209: Continuously obtain new water temperature information inside the inner tank of the water heater, and based on the new water temperature information, obtain a new reference temperature of the hot water inside the inner tank.

[0109] It can be understood that as the heating time progresses and the user uses the water heater, the water temperature in each area of the inner tank will also change accordingly. Therefore, it is possible to continuously obtain new water temperature information inside the inner tank of the water heater, and based on the new water temperature information, obtain a new reference temperature of the hot water inside the inner tank, and adjust the heating mode in a timely manner according to the reference temperature to reduce energy consumption while ensuring the hot water temperature.

[0110] S210: Determine whether the new reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature.

[0111] S211: If so, control the heating tubes in each area from top to bottom inside the inner tank of the water heater to turn off.

[0112] It can be understood that after heating for a period of time, if the new reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature, the water heater can enter the insulation mode and turn off the heating tubes to reduce energy consumption.

[0113] S212: If not, obtain the heating temperature according to the set temperature and the first insulation margin.

[0114] Among them, the heating temperature can be the difference between the set temperature and the first insulation margin. The insulation margin can be preset. It can be understood that when entering the insulation mode or only heating the lower tubes, the corresponding scenario is usually that the user uses hot water at a relatively slow rate. At this time, the upper area starts to cool down. If the heating tubes in the upper area are directly controlled to turn on according to the magnitude relationship between the water temperature in the upper area and the set temperature, it will cause the heating tubes in the upper area to frequently switch from the off state to the start state, aggravating the loss of related components and unnecessary energy waste. Therefore, the heating temperature can be determined according to the difference between the set temperature and the first insulation margin, and the turning-on timing of the heating tubes in the upper area can be determined according to the magnitude relationship between the heating temperature and the water temperature in the upper area.

[0115] Optionally, when the set temperature is in different temperature ranges, different first insulation margin values can be used, and the higher the range where the set temperature is located, the larger the corresponding first insulation margin, in order to reduce energy consumption and avoid waste of excess heat energy and electrical energy. For example, when the set temperature is 60 degrees, the corresponding first insulation margin is 10 degrees, and the corresponding heating temperature is 45 degrees; when the set temperature is 40 degrees, the corresponding first insulation margin is 5 degrees, and the heating temperature is 45 degrees.

[0116] S213: Determine the second target heating zone to be turned on based on the new water temperature information, the target operating mode, the set temperature, and the heating temperature, and control the heating pipes corresponding to the second target heating zone to turn on, while turning off the remaining heating pipes.

[0117] S214: If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature, when the target operating mode is the high-performance operating mode, determine that the entire area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating zone.

[0118] S215: If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature, when the target operating mode is the energy-saving operating mode, determine that the upper part area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating zone.

[0119] It can be understood that in the state where only the heating pipes in the lower area are turned on, with the use of hot water, the replenishment of cold water, and heat dissipation losses, the water temperature in the upper area may gradually decrease. At this time, it is possible to determine whether it is necessary to adjust the heating zone based on the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank and the heating temperature to ensure the water supply temperature.

[0120] S216: If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature, determine that the lower part area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating zone.

[0121] It can be understood that in the state where the heating pipes in the upper area are turned on, the water temperature in the upper area may gradually increase. At this time, it is possible to determine whether it is necessary to adjust the heating zone based on the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank and the set temperature to reduce energy waste.

[0122] The subsequent steps from S217 to S226 are methods for determining to keep the water in the inner tank warm after initially determining that heating of the water does not need to start, and for determining when to start heating and the specific heating mode after insulation.

[0123] S217: If the reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature, control the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom to turn off.

[0124] It can be understood that when the reference temperature is greater than the set temperature, at this time the water temperature in the electric water heater can temporarily meet the user's needs, and it can enter the insulation state.

[0125] S218: Obtain the new reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank according to the new water temperature information.

[0126] S219: Obtain the insulation temperature according to the set temperature and the second insulation margin.

[0127] Wherein, the second heat preservation margin may be smaller than the first heat preservation margin.

[0128] S220: Determine whether the new reference temperature is less than or equal to the heat preservation temperature.

[0129] S221: If not, keep the heating tubes in each area from top to bottom in the water heater inner tank closed.

[0130] If so, determine the third target heating area to be turned on according to the new water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature, and control the heating tubes corresponding to the third target heating area to be turned on, and the rest of the heating tubes to be closed.

[0131] Optionally, the determining the third target heating area to be turned on according to the new water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature may be implemented, for example, through the following steps:

[0132] S222: Obtain the heating temperature according to the set temperature and the first heat preservation margin.

[0133] S223: Determine the third target heating area to be turned on according to the new water temperature information, the target operation mode, the set temperature, and the heating temperature.

[0134] S224: If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature, when the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, determine that the entire area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area.

[0135] S225: If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature, when the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, determine that the upper area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area.

[0136] S226: If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is greater than the heating temperature and the water temperature in the lower part of the inner tank is less than the heating temperature, then determine that the lower area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area.

[0137] Specifically, during the operation of the electric water heater, the control device of the electric water heater will obtain the water temperature in each area of the inner tank in real time through the temperature sensor, and selectively repeat and execute the above steps in a loop according to the current heating mode. When there is a heating tube turned on currently, execute steps S209 to S216. When there is no heating tube turned on currently, that is, when the current heating mode is the heat preservation mode, execute steps S218 to S226.

[0138] The water heater control method provided by the embodiments of the present application determines the current reference temperature according to the water temperatures in each area of the inner tank, and determines the current heating mode according to the reference temperature; during the subsequent heating process, continuously obtains the changes in the water temperatures in each area of the inner tank, and adjusts the subsequent heating mode according to the preset heating margin and the current reference temperature; this not only improves the utilization rate of energy, but also ensures sufficient and constant hot water supply of the electric water heater, enhancing the user satisfaction.

[0139] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an electric water heater control device provided by the embodiments of the present application, as Figure 3 shown. The electric water heater control device 300 includes:

[0140] A communication module 301, configured to obtain the user's selection of a candidate operation mode as the target operation mode, and obtain the set temperature selected by the user, where the candidate operation modes include a high-performance operation mode and an energy-saving operation mode;

[0141] An acquisition module 302, configured to obtain the water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater, where the water temperature information includes the water temperatures of multiple areas from top to bottom in the inner tank;

[0142] A control module 303, configured to control the on or off of the heating tubes in each area from top to bottom in the inner tank of the water heater according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature; continue to obtain the new water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater, and adjust the control of the heating tubes in each area according to the new water temperature information.

[0143] Optionally, the control module 303 is specifically configured to obtain the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank according to the water temperature information, where the reference temperature is used to indicate the hot water temperature that the water heater can currently provide; determine whether the reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature; when the reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature, control the heating tubes in each area from top to bottom in the inner tank of the water heater to be turned off; when the reference temperature is less than the set temperature, determine the initial target heating area to be turned on according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature, and control the heating tube corresponding to the initial target heating area to be turned on.

[0144] Optionally, the control module 303 is specifically configured to determine that the entire area of the water heater inner tank is the initial target heating area when the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature and the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode; determine that the upper area of the water heater inner tank is the initial target heating area when the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature and the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode; and determine that the lower area of the water heater inner tank is the initial target heating area when the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature and the water temperature in the lower part of the inner tank is lower than the set temperature.

[0145] Optionally, after the heating pipes corresponding to the initial target heating area are controlled to be turned on, the control module 303 is specifically configured to obtain a new reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank according to the new water temperature information, and determine whether the new reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature; when the new reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature, control the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom to be turned off; otherwise, when the new reference temperature is lower than the set temperature, obtain a heating temperature according to the set temperature and the first heat preservation margin; determine that the entire area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating area when the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature and the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode; determine that the upper area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating area when the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature and the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode; determine that the lower area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating area when the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature; and control the heating pipes corresponding to the second target heating area to be turned on. Optionally, after the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom are controlled to be turned off, the control module 303 is specifically configured to obtain a new reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank according to the new water temperature information; obtain a heat preservation temperature according to the set temperature and the second heat preservation margin; determine whether the new reference temperature is less than or equal to the heat preservation temperature; when the new reference temperature is greater than the heat preservation temperature, keep the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom turned off; when the new reference temperature is less than or equal to the heat preservation temperature, determine the third target heating area to be turned on according to the new water temperature information, the target operation mode, the heating temperature, and the heating temperature, and control the heating pipes corresponding to the third target heating area to be turned on.

[0146] Optionally, the control module 303 is specifically configured to obtain a heating temperature according to the set temperature and the first heat preservation margin; when the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature and the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, determine that the entire area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area; when the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature and the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, determine that the upper area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area; when the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature and the water temperature in the lower part of the inner tank is less than the heating temperature, determine that the lower area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area.

[0147] Optionally, the control module 303 is specifically configured to perform a weighted summation process on the water temperatures of multiple areas from top to bottom in the inner tank, and use the weighted summation result as a first reference parameter, where the weighting coefficient of the upper area is greater than that of the lower area; obtain a second reference parameter according to the difference between the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank and the preset water temperature difference; compare the numerical values of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter, and use the larger parameter of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter as the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank.

[0148] Figure 4 The figure is a schematic structural diagram of an electric water heater provided by an embodiment of the present application. The electric water heater includes: an inner tank for containing water to be heated; the inner tank is divided into multiple areas from top to bottom, and each area is provided with a heating pipe and a temperature sensor; as Figure 4 shown, the electric water heater 400 further includes: at least one processor 401 and a memory 402; in addition, the washing effect multi-index evaluation device 400 may further have a communication interface 404 for receiving and sending instructions.

[0149] Among them, the processor 401, the memory 402, and the communication interface 404 are connected through a bus 403;

[0150] Among them, the computer program is stored in the memory 402 and is configured to be executed by the processor 401 to implement the water heater control method provided by any embodiment corresponding to the present application Figures 1 - 2b ;

[0151] Figure 4 The electric water heater shown in the embodiment can be used to execute the technical solutions of the above method embodiments, and its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, which will not be elaborated here.

[0152] In addition, this embodiment further provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, and the computer program is executed by a processor to implement the water heater control method of the above embodiment.

[0153] In several embodiments provided by the present invention, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of units is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the displayed or discussed couplings or direct couplings or communication connections between each other can be through some interfaces. The indirect couplings or communication connections of devices or units can be in electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0154] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated. The components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they can be located in one place or distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0155] In addition, in each embodiment of the present invention, the functional units can be integrated in a processing unit, or each unit can exist physically alone, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit. The above-mentioned integrated units can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a combination of hardware and software functional units.

[0156] The above-mentioned integrated units implemented in the form of software functional units can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The above-mentioned software functional units stored in a storage medium include several instructions to enable a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) or a processor to execute some steps of the methods in each embodiment of the present invention. The foregoing storage medium includes: various media such as USB flash drives, mobile hard disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), magnetic disks, or optical discs that can store program codes.

[0157] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, only the above division of each functional module is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be allocated to different functional modules according to needs, that is, the internal structure of the device is divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The specific working process of the device described above can refer to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiment and will not be elaborated here.

[0158] So far, the technical solutions of the present application have been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art can easily understand that the protection scope of the present application is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements on some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A water heater control method, characterized in that, applied to an electric water heater, the inner tank of the electric water heater is divided into multiple areas from top to bottom, and each area is provided with a heating pipe, and the method includes: Obtaining the user's selection of a candidate operation mode as the target operation mode, and obtaining the set temperature selected by the user, wherein the candidate operation modes include a high-performance operation mode and an energy-saving operation mode; Obtaining the water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater, wherein the water temperature information includes the water temperatures of multiple areas from top to bottom in the inner tank; According to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature, controlling the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom to be turned on or off; Continuing to obtain the new water temperature information in the inner tank of the water heater, and adjusting the control of the heating pipes in each area according to the new water temperature information.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controlling the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom to be turned on or off according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature includes: According to the water temperature information, obtaining the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank, wherein the reference temperature is used to indicate the hot water temperature that the water heater can currently provide; Judging whether the reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature; If so, controlling the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom to be turned off; If not, determining the initial target heating area to be turned on according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature, and controlling the heating pipe corresponding to the initial target heating area to be turned on.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The determining the initial target heating area to be turned on according to the water temperature information, the target operation mode, and the set temperature includes: If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is less than the set temperature, when the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, determining all areas of the water heater inner tank as the initial target heating area; when the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, determining the upper area of the water heater inner tank as the initial target heating area; If the water temperature in the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature and the water temperature in the lower part of the inner tank is less than the set temperature, then determining the lower area of the water heater inner tank as the initial target heating area.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, After controlling the heating pipe corresponding to the initial target heating area to be turned on, the adjusting the control of the heating pipes in each area according to the new water temperature information includes: According to the new water temperature information, obtaining the new reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank, and judging whether the new reference temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature; If so, controlling the heating pipes in each area of the water heater inner tank from top to bottom to be turned off; If not, obtaining the heating temperature according to the set temperature and the first heat preservation margin. If the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature, when the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, determine that the entire area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating area; when the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, determine that the upper area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating area; If the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature, then determine that the lower area of the water heater inner tank is the second target heating area; Control the heating pipes corresponding to the second target heating area to turn on.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein, after controlling the heating pipes of each area in the water heater inner tank from top to bottom to turn off, the control of adjusting the heating pipes of each area according to the new water temperature information includes: According to the new water temperature information, obtain the new reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank; According to the set temperature and the second heat preservation margin, obtain the heat preservation temperature; Judge whether the new reference temperature is less than or equal to the heat preservation temperature; If not, keep the heating pipes of each area in the water heater inner tank from top to bottom turned off; If so, determine the third target heating area to be turned on according to the new water temperature information, the target operation mode, the set temperature and the heating temperature, and control the heating pipes corresponding to the third target heating area to turn on.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, the determining the third target heating area to be turned on according to the new water temperature information, the target operation mode, the set temperature and the heating temperature, and controlling the heating pipes corresponding to the third target heating area to turn on includes: According to the set temperature and the first heat preservation margin, obtain the heating temperature; If the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is less than or equal to the heating temperature, when the target operation mode is the high-performance operation mode, determine that the entire area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area; when the target operation mode is the energy-saving operation mode, determine that the upper area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area; If the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank is greater than or equal to the set temperature and the water temperature at the lower part of the inner tank is less than the heating temperature, then determine that the lower area of the water heater inner tank is the third target heating area.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein, the obtaining the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank according to the water temperature information includes: Perform weighted summation processing on the water temperatures of multiple areas in the inner tank from top to bottom, and use the weighted summation result as the first reference parameter, wherein the weighting coefficient of the upper area is greater than that of the lower area; According to the difference between the water temperature at the upper part of the inner tank and the preset water temperature difference, obtain the second reference parameter; Compare the numerical magnitudes of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter, and use the larger parameter of the first reference parameter and the second reference parameter as the reference temperature of the hot water in the inner tank.

8. A water heater control device, wherein, the device includes: A communication module, configured to obtain the user's selection of a candidate operating mode as the target operating mode, and obtain the set temperature selected by the user, wherein the candidate operating modes include a high-performance operating mode and an energy-saving operating mode; An acquisition module, configured to obtain the water temperature information inside the water tank of the water heater, wherein the water temperature information includes the water temperatures of multiple regions from top to bottom inside the water tank; A control module, configured to control the on or off of the heating pipes in each region from top to bottom inside the water tank of the water heater according to the water temperature information, the target operating mode, and the set temperature; continuously obtain new water temperature information inside the water tank of the water heater, and adjust the control of the heating pipes in each region according to the new water temperature information.

9. An electric water heater, characterized in that, the electric water heater includes: a water tank for containing water to be heated; the water tank is divided into multiple regions from top to bottom, and each region is provided with a heating pipe and a temperature sensor; the electric water heater further includes: a memory and at least one processor; the memory is used for storing computer programs; the at least one processor is used for running the computer programs stored in the memory to implement the method according to any one of claims 1-7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, a computer program is stored thereon; when the computer program is executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1-7 is implemented.

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