Control methods, devices, controllers, and gas water heaters

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of hot water supply equipment technology, and discloses a control method, device, controller, and gas water heater for a gas water heater. The method includes: if the first water outage duration between the current time and the previous water shut-off time of the gas water heater is less than a preset water outage threshold, responding to a water demand from the gas water heater, controlling the burner to ignite and heat, and maintaining a bypass ratio; determining a target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule, wherein the preset delay rule indicates the correspondence between multiple water outage duration intervals and multiple delay calculation rules; after the burner is turned on and the target duration is delayed, controlling the bypass valve of the gas water heater to decrease from the current setting to the target setting. This method, through a preset delay rule, queries the delay calculation rule corresponding to the first water outage duration, and adjusts the delay time specifically according to the actual water outage duration, avoiding the problem of water temperature fluctuation caused by inaccurate adjustment of the bypass ratio.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hot water supply equipment technology, and in particular to a control method, device, controller, and gas water heater for a gas water heater. Background Technology

[0002] When a gas water heater is turned off, the water flow stops and the burner shuts off. However, the residual heat from high-temperature components such as the combustion chamber and heat exchanger continues to heat the water inside the heat exchanger, causing this water to be much hotter than the set temperature. When the gas water heater is restarted after a brief shutdown, there is an ignition energy gap between the burner igniting and stabilizing, and between the heat exchanger reaching its rated heating power. During this gap, newly flowing cold water is not fully heated before flowing out, resulting in excessively low outlet water temperature.

[0003] In response to this, related technologies, upon receiving a new water demand and the gas water heater's burner re-ignites, first maintain or increase the bypass ratio to mix the cold water in the bypass pipe with the initially high-temperature water flowing out of the heat exchanger, neutralizing the initial high-temperature water. Subsequently, the opening of the bypass valve is reduced to lower the bypass ratio (i.e., a return valve closure), thereby releasing the heat energy stored during the water outage. This heat energy is used to compensate for the energy shortage during the ignition energy gap, preventing cold water from flowing out. However, precisely controlling the timing of reducing the bypass valve opening is difficult. If the bypass ratio is reduced too early, the high-temperature water generated by residual heat in the heat exchanger may not have completely drained, and the released heat energy will overlap with this high-temperature water, causing the outlet water temperature to rise. If the bypass ratio is adjusted too late, a large amount of cold water will flow through the bypass pipe during the ignition energy gap, making it difficult to compensate for the heat shortage, resulting in a drop in outlet water temperature. Therefore, determining the timing of reducing the bypass valve opening after the gas water heater's second startup is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem solved by this invention is to provide a control method, device, controller and gas water heater for a gas water heater, which effectively solves the problem of water temperature fluctuation after the gas water heater is restarted.

[0005] The above-mentioned technical problems are solved by the following technical solutions:

[0006] A control method for a gas water heater, the gas water heater including an inlet pipe (11), an outlet pipe (12), and a bypass pipe (13), the two ends of the bypass pipe (13) being connected to the inlet pipe (11) and the outlet pipe (12) respectively, and the bypass pipe (13) being provided with a bypass valve (14), the method comprising:

[0007] Get the first water outage duration between the current time and the last time the gas water heater was turned off;

[0008] If the first water outage duration is less than the preset water outage threshold, in response to the water demand of the gas water heater, the burner of the gas water heater is controlled to ignite and heat, and the bypass ratio of the gas water heater is maintained.

[0009] Based on the first water outage duration and the preset delay rule, a target duration is determined. The preset delay rule is used to indicate the correspondence between multiple water outage duration intervals and multiple delay calculation rules.

[0010] After the burner is turned on and a target time is delayed, the bypass valve of the gas water heater is controlled to decrease from the current level to the target level. The level difference between the current level and the target level is determined based on the current heat load.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the control method for gas water heaters described in this invention has the following advantages: The control method for gas water heaters provided in this embodiment includes: obtaining a first water outage duration between the current time and the previous water shut-off time of the gas water heater; if the first water outage duration is less than a preset water outage threshold, responding to the water usage request of the gas water heater, controlling the burner of the gas water heater to ignite and heat, and maintaining the bypass ratio of the gas water heater; determining a target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule, wherein the preset delay rule is used to indicate the correspondence between multiple water outage duration intervals and multiple delay calculation rules; after the burner is turned on and the target duration is delayed, controlling the bypass valve of the gas water heater to decrease from the current position to the target position. This method, through the preset delay rule, queries the delay calculation rule corresponding to the first water outage duration, and adjusts the delay time specifically according to the actual water outage duration, avoiding the problem of water temperature fluctuation caused by inaccurate adjustment of the bypass ratio.

[0012] In one embodiment, the method further sets a first water outage threshold, which is less than a preset water outage threshold. The step of determining the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule includes:

[0013] If the first water outage duration is equal to the first water outage threshold, the first target duration corresponding to the first water outage threshold is determined as the target duration.

[0014] In one embodiment, determining the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule further includes:

[0015] If the first water outage duration is less than the first water outage threshold, then based on the first difference between the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration, a first shortening time corresponding to the first difference is determined;

[0016] The difference between the first target duration and the first shortened time is determined as the target duration.

[0017] In one embodiment, determining the first shortening time corresponding to the first difference between the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration includes:

[0018] Calculate the first ratio of the first difference to the preset time interval, and round down the first ratio to obtain the first coefficient;

[0019] The first shortening time is obtained by multiplying the first coefficient by the first preset interval.

[0020] In one embodiment, the method further sets a second water outage threshold, which is greater than the first water outage threshold and less than a preset water outage threshold. The step of determining the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule further includes:

[0021] If the first water outage duration is greater than the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration is less than the second water outage threshold, then based on the second difference between the second water outage threshold and the first water outage duration, a second shortening time corresponding to the second difference is determined.

[0022] The difference between the first target duration and the second shortened time is determined as the target duration.

[0023] In one embodiment, determining the second shortening time corresponding to the second difference between the second water outage threshold and the first water outage duration includes:

[0024] Calculate the second ratio of the second difference to the preset time interval, and round the second ratio down to obtain the second coefficient;

[0025] Calculate the second product of the second coefficient and the second preset interval to obtain the second shortening time.

[0026] In one embodiment, determining the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule further includes:

[0027] If the first water outage duration is greater than or equal to the second water outage threshold, and the first water outage duration is less than the preset water outage threshold, the second target duration corresponding to the first interval is determined as the target duration, the upper limit of the first interval is the preset water outage threshold, the lower limit of the first interval is the second water outage threshold, and the second target duration is less than the first target duration.

[0028] A control device for a gas water heater, the gas water heater including an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and a bypass pipe, the two ends of the bypass pipe being connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe respectively, and the bypass pipe being equipped with a bypass valve, the device comprising:

[0029] The duration calculation module is used to obtain the first water outage duration between the current time and the previous water shut-off time of the gas water heater;

[0030] The heating module is used to control the burner of the gas water heater to ignite and heat the gas water heater in response to the water demand of the gas water heater if the first water outage duration is less than a preset water outage threshold, and to maintain the bypass ratio of the gas water heater.

[0031] The target duration determination module is used to determine the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule, wherein the preset delay rule is used to indicate the correspondence between multiple water outage duration intervals and multiple delay calculation rules;

[0032] The delay module is used to control the bypass valve of the gas water heater to decrease from the current level to the target level after a target time delay following the start of the burner. The level difference between the current level and the target level is determined based on the current heat load.

[0033] A controller for a gas water heater, the controller comprising:

[0034] The system includes a memory and a processor, which are interconnected. The memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes these computer instructions to perform the aforementioned control method for the gas water heater.

[0035] A gas water heater, the gas water heater including the controller described above. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a gas water heater according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method for a gas water heater according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3This is a flowchart illustrating another control method for a gas water heater according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating another control method for a gas water heater according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the control device for a gas water heater according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0044] 11. Inlet pipe; 12. Outlet pipe; 13. Bypass pipe; 14. Bypass valve; 15. Inlet water temperature sensor; 16. Water flow sensor; 17. Heat exchanger; 18. Heat exchanger temperature sensor; 19. Mixing tank; 20. Outlet water temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0046] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0047] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0048] When a gas water heater is turned off, the water flow stops and the burner shuts off. However, the residual heat from high-temperature components such as the combustion chamber and heat exchanger continues to heat the water inside the heat exchanger, causing this water to be much hotter than the set temperature. When the gas water heater is restarted after a brief shutdown, there is an ignition energy gap between the burner igniting and stabilizing, and between the heat exchanger reaching its rated heating power. During this gap, newly flowing cold water is not fully heated before flowing out, resulting in excessively low outlet water temperature.

[0049] In response, related technologies address this by first maintaining or increasing the bypass ratio after the gas water heater burner reignites upon receiving a new water demand. This allows the cold water in the bypass pipe to mix with the initially high-temperature water flowing out of the heat exchanger, neutralizing the initial high-temperature water. Subsequently, the bypass valve opening is reduced to lower the bypass ratio (i.e., a return valve closure), releasing the heat energy stored during the water outage. This heat energy is used to compensate for the energy shortage during the ignition energy gap, preventing cold water from flowing out. However, precisely controlling the timing of reducing the bypass valve opening is challenging. If the bypass ratio is reduced too early, the high-temperature water generated by residual heat in the heat exchanger may not have completely drained, causing the released heat energy to combine with this high-temperature water, leading to an increase in outlet water temperature. If the bypass ratio is adjusted too late, a large amount of cold water will flow through the bypass pipe during the ignition energy gap, making it difficult to compensate for the heat deficit and causing a decrease in outlet water temperature. After reducing the bypass ratio to compensate for the energy shortage during the ignition energy gap, the bypass ratio is adjusted again once the burner combustion is stable.

[0050] Based on this, the present invention provides a control method for a gas water heater, applicable to gas water heaters. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the gas water heater includes an inlet pipe 11, an outlet pipe 12, and a bypass pipe 13. The two ends of the bypass pipe 13 are connected to the inlet pipe 11 and the outlet pipe 12, respectively, and the bypass pipe 13 is equipped with a bypass valve 14.

[0051] The gas water heater also includes an inlet water temperature sensor 15, a water flow sensor 16, a heat exchanger 17, a heat exchanger temperature sensor 18, a mixing tank 19, and an outlet water temperature sensor 20. The mixing tank 19 is located at the intersection of the bypass pipe 13 and the outlet pipe 12, and is used for energy storage and water mixing. The heat exchanger 17 has an inlet pipe 11 at its inlet end and an outlet pipe 12 at its outlet end, and contains heat exchange tubes. The bypass valve 14 has multiple settings for adjusting the bypass ratio, each setting corresponding to a different bypass ratio. The water flow sensor 16 is located at the inlet end of the inlet pipe 11 and is used to measure the water flow rate. The inlet water temperature sensor 15 is located near the inlet end of the inlet pipe 11 and is used to measure the inlet water temperature. The heat exchanger temperature sensor 18 is located at the outlet of the heat exchanger 17 and is used to measure the water temperature inside the heat exchanger after being heated by the burner. A water outlet temperature sensor 20 is located near the outlet end of the water outlet pipe 12 and is used to measure the water outlet temperature. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a control method for a gas water heater is provided. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a control method for a gas water heater according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0052] Step S101: Obtain the first water outage duration between the current time and the previous water shut-off time of the gas water heater.

[0053] The controller of a gas water heater has a built-in timing module that records the water shut-off time each time water usage ends. Upon receiving a water usage request from the gas water heater, it records the current timestamp and calculates the first water outage duration based on the current time and the previous water shut-off time.

[0054] Step S102: If the first water outage duration is less than the preset water outage threshold, in response to the water demand of the gas water heater, control the burner of the gas water heater to ignite and heat, and maintain the bypass ratio of the gas water heater.

[0055] After determining the first water outage duration, first check whether the first water outage duration is less than the preset water outage threshold. If the first water outage duration is less than the preset water outage threshold, it means that this water request is a secondary water use. Secondary water use means that the gas water heater is turned on again shortly after being turned off.

[0056] When a user initiates a water usage request to the gas water heater by turning on the faucet or operating the control panel, the request includes a target temperature, indicating the desired outlet water temperature. This implementation is for scenarios where the first water outage duration is less than a preset outage threshold, and the target temperature is consistent with the target temperature during the last water usage. Upon receiving the water usage request, the gas water heater controls the burner to ignite and begin heating, while maintaining the bypass ratio at the level it was during the last water usage when the burner was in a stable state.

[0057] Step S103: Determine the target duration based on the first water outage duration and the preset delay rule.

[0058] The preset delay rules are used to indicate the correspondence between multiple water outage duration intervals and multiple delay calculation rules. The preset delay rules are pre-defined based on a lookup table of experimental data, defining different delay calculation rules for different water outage duration intervals.

[0059] The target duration is calculated based on the delay calculation rules corresponding to the water outage duration range.

[0060] Step S104: After a target delay following the burner's activation, control the bypass valve of the gas water heater to decrease from the current setting to the target setting.

[0061] The gear difference between the current gear and the target gear is determined based on the current heat load. By reducing the bypass valve gear and lowering the bypass ratio, the heat energy stored during water outages can be released to compensate for the energy shortage during ignition energy downtime. The controller pre-stores the correspondence between the current heat load and the gear difference. Specifically, it divides the heat load into multiple intervals, each with a corresponding gear difference. Based on the interval in which the current heat load falls, the corresponding gear difference is determined, and the current gear is then reduced according to this difference. The target gear is the gear after reducing the gear difference from the current gear. The current heat load is calculated based on the current outlet water temperature, inlet water temperature, and water flow rate. Specifically, current heat load = (outlet water temperature - inlet water temperature) Water flow rate: This heat load calculation is a simplified calculation method, and there is no need to consider the specific heat capacity coefficient of water. Since this scheme only needs to match the corresponding gear difference through the heat load value, the specific heat capacity is a fixed constant and has no impact on the division of heat load intervals and the matching of gear differences. Therefore, the constant term is omitted to simplify the controller calculation.

[0062] After the burner has been running for the target duration, the water flow rate, inlet water temperature, and outlet water temperature are collected in real time to calculate the current heat load. Then, the corresponding gear difference is matched according to the pre-stored correspondence table.

[0063] If the gear difference corresponding to the current heat load is less than the upper limit of the current gear that can be adjusted downwards, then the target gear is 0, that is, the bypass valve is closed.

[0064] After the bypass valve position is reduced, the bypass valve is maintained at the target position for a certain period of time to make up for the energy shortage during the ignition energy gap period. After the burner combustion is stable, the bypass ratio is adjusted to the theoretical bypass ratio corresponding to the target temperature.

[0065] The control method for a gas water heater provided in this invention includes: obtaining a first water outage duration between the current time and the previous water shut-off time of the gas water heater; if the first water outage duration is less than a preset water outage threshold, responding to a water usage request from the gas water heater, controlling the burner of the gas water heater to ignite and heat, and maintaining the bypass ratio of the gas water heater; determining a target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule, wherein the preset delay rule indicates the correspondence between multiple water outage duration intervals and multiple delay calculation rules; after the burner is turned on and the target duration is delayed, controlling the bypass valve of the gas water heater to decrease from the current setting to the target setting. This method uses a preset delay rule to query the delay calculation rule corresponding to the first water outage duration, and adjusts the delay time specifically according to the actual water outage duration, avoiding the problem of water temperature fluctuation caused by inaccurate adjustment of the bypass ratio.

[0066] In some optional implementations, the method further sets a first water outage threshold, which is less than a preset water outage threshold. Step S103 includes: if the first water outage duration is equal to the first water outage threshold, the first target duration corresponding to the first water outage threshold is determined as the target duration.

[0067] The first water outage threshold is determined based on actual testing duration. In the preset delay rules, the delay duration corresponding to the first water outage threshold is the first target duration. If the first water outage duration is equal to the first water outage threshold, the first target duration corresponding to the first water outage threshold is queried and used as the target duration.

[0068] In some alternative implementations, the first water outage threshold is 60 seconds, and the first target duration is 2 seconds.

[0069] In some alternative implementations, such as Figure 3 As shown, step S103 above further includes:

[0070] Step S201: If the first water outage duration is less than the first water outage threshold, then based on the first difference between the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration, determine the first shortening time corresponding to the first difference.

[0071] Step S202: The difference between the first target duration and the first shortened time is determined as the target duration.

[0072] If the first water outage duration is detected to be less than the first water outage threshold, the difference between the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration is calculated to obtain the first difference (unit: seconds). The first shortening time can be calculated based on the preset delay rule and the first difference, or it can be a value directly corresponding to the first difference specified in the preset delay rule.

[0073] After determining the first reduction time, subtract the first reduction time from the first target duration to obtain the target duration.

[0074] Further, step S201 includes: calculating a first ratio of the first difference to a preset time interval, and rounding the first ratio down to obtain a first coefficient; calculating the product of the first coefficient and the first preset time interval to obtain a first shortening time.

[0075] In some optional implementations, the first water outage threshold is 60 seconds, the first target duration is 2 seconds, the preset time interval is 10 seconds, and the first preset interval is 0.05 seconds.

[0076] If the first water outage duration is less than 60 seconds, and the first water outage duration decreases in increments of 10 seconds, the target duration decreases in increments of 0.05 seconds starting from the first target duration.

[0077] In some optional implementations, the method further sets a second water outage threshold, which is greater than a first water outage threshold and less than a preset water outage threshold, such as... Figure 4 As shown, step S103 above further includes:

[0078] Step S301: If the first water outage duration is greater than the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration is less than the second water outage threshold, then based on the second difference between the second water outage threshold and the first water outage duration, determine the second shortening time corresponding to the second difference.

[0079] Step S302: Determine the difference between the first target duration and the second shortened duration as the target duration.

[0080] If the first water outage duration is greater than the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration is less than the second water outage threshold, then the difference between the second water outage threshold and the first water outage duration is calculated to obtain the second difference (unit: seconds). The second shortening time can be calculated based on the preset delay rule and the first difference, or it can be a value directly corresponding to the second difference specified in the preset delay rule.

[0081] After determining the second shortened time, subtract the second shortened time from the first target duration to reach the target duration.

[0082] Further, step S301 includes: calculating a second ratio of the second difference to the preset time interval, and rounding the second ratio down to obtain a second coefficient; calculating a second product of the second coefficient and the second preset time interval to obtain a second shortening time.

[0083] In some optional implementations, the first water outage threshold is 60 seconds, the second water outage threshold is 180 seconds, the first target duration is 2 seconds, the preset time interval is 10 seconds, and the second preset interval is 0.05 seconds.

[0084] When 60 < first water outage duration < 180, if the first water outage duration decreases in increments of 10 seconds, the target duration decreases in increments of 0.05 seconds starting from the first target duration.

[0085] In some optional implementations, step S103 further includes: if the first water outage duration is greater than or equal to the second water outage threshold, and the first water outage duration is less than the preset water outage threshold, then the second target duration corresponding to the first interval is determined as the target duration. Here, the upper limit of the first interval is the preset water outage threshold, and the lower limit of the first interval is the second water outage threshold.

[0086] The second water outage threshold and the preset water outage threshold are durations determined based on actual testing. In the preset delay rule, the preset water outage threshold and the second water outage threshold constitute the first interval, and the delay duration corresponding to the first interval is the second target duration. If the first water outage duration falls within the first interval, the second target duration corresponding to the first interval is queried and used as the target duration. The second target duration is less than the first target duration.

[0087] In some optional implementations, the second water outage threshold is 180 seconds, the preset water outage threshold is 300 seconds, and if 180 ≤ first water outage duration < 300, the second target duration is 1.4 seconds.

[0088] When the first water outage duration is greater than or equal to the second water outage threshold, but less than the preset water outage threshold, the residual heat in the heat exchanger gradually dissipates due to the longer water outage duration, and the bypass ratio can be reduced without waiting too long.

[0089] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a control device for a gas water heater is provided, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the gas water heater includes an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and a bypass pipe. The two ends of the bypass pipe are connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, respectively. The bypass pipe is equipped with a bypass valve. The device includes:

[0090] The duration calculation module is used to obtain the first water outage duration between the current time and the previous water shut-off time of the gas water heater;

[0091] The heating module is used to control the burner of the gas water heater to ignite and heat the gas water heater in response to the water demand of the gas water heater if the first water outage duration is less than a preset water outage threshold, and to maintain the bypass ratio of the gas water heater.

[0092] The target duration determination module is used to determine the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule, wherein the preset delay rule is used to indicate the correspondence between multiple water outage duration intervals and multiple delay calculation rules;

[0093] The delay module is used to control the bypass valve of the gas water heater to decrease from the current level to the target level after a target time delay following the start of the burner. The level difference between the current level and the target level is determined based on the current heat load.

[0094] In some optional embodiments, the device further includes a first water outage threshold, which is less than a preset water outage threshold, and the target duration determination module further includes:

[0095] The first determining unit is configured to determine the first target duration corresponding to the first water outage threshold as the target duration if the first water outage duration is equal to the first water outage threshold.

[0096] In some optional implementations, the target duration determination module further includes:

[0097] The first shortening time determination unit is used to determine the first shortening time corresponding to the first difference based on the first difference between the first water outage duration and the first water outage duration if the first water outage duration is less than the first water outage threshold.

[0098] The second determining unit is used to determine the difference between the first target duration and the first shortened time as the target duration.

[0099] In some optional implementations, the first shortening time determination unit is used to calculate the first ratio of the first difference to the preset time interval, and to round down the first ratio to obtain the first coefficient; and to calculate the product of the first coefficient and the first preset interval to obtain the first shortening time.

[0100] In some optional embodiments, the device further includes a second water outage threshold, which is greater than the first water outage threshold and less than a preset water outage threshold. The target duration determination module further includes:

[0101] The second shortening time determination unit is used to determine the second shortening time corresponding to the second difference based on the second difference between the second water outage threshold and the first water outage duration if the first water outage duration is greater than the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration is less than the second water outage threshold.

[0102] The third determining unit is used to determine the difference between the first target duration and the second shortened time as the target duration.

[0103] In some optional embodiments, the second shortening time determining unit is further configured to calculate a second ratio of the second difference to a preset time interval, and round down the second ratio to obtain a second coefficient; calculate a second product of the second coefficient and the second preset interval to obtain a second shortening time.

[0104] In some optional implementations, the target duration determination module further includes:

[0105] The fourth determining unit is configured to determine the second target duration corresponding to the first interval as the target duration if the first water outage duration is greater than or equal to the second water outage threshold and the first water outage duration is less than the preset water outage threshold, wherein the upper limit of the first interval is the preset water outage threshold, the lower limit of the first interval is the second water outage threshold, and the second target duration is less than the first target duration.

[0106] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a controller provided in an optional embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the controller includes one or more processors 10, memory 40, and interfaces for connecting the components, including high-speed interfaces and low-speed interfaces. The components communicate with each other via different buses and can be mounted on a common motherboard or otherwise as required. The processors can process instructions executed within the main controller, including instructions stored in or on memory to display graphical information of a GUI on external input / output devices (such as display devices coupled to the interfaces). In some alternative implementations, multiple processors and / or multiple buses can be used with multiple memories and multiple memory modules, if desired. Similarly, multiple main controllers can be connected, each providing some of the necessary operations (e.g., as a server array, a group of blade servers, or a multiprocessor system). Figure 6 Take a processor 10 as an example.

[0107] Processor 10 may be a central processing unit, a network processor, or a combination thereof. Processor 10 may further include a hardware chip. The hardware chip may be an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), or a combination thereof. The programmable logic device may be a complex programmable logic device (CAMP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a general-purpose array logic (GDA), or any combination thereof.

[0108] The memory 40 stores instructions executable by at least one processor 10 to cause the at least one processor 10 to perform the method shown in the above embodiments.

[0109] The memory 40 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system and applications required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the main controller. Furthermore, the memory 40 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some alternative embodiments, the memory 40 may optionally include memory remotely located relative to the processor 10, which can be connected to the main controller via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0110] The memory 40 may include volatile memory, such as random access memory; the memory may also include non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, hard disk or solid-state drive; the memory 40 may also include a combination of the above types of memory.

[0111] The main controller also includes a communication interface 30 for communicating with other devices or communication networks.

[0112] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a gas water heater is provided, including the controller described above, and used to execute the control method of the gas water heater described in the above embodiment.

[0113] In some optional embodiments, the gas water heater includes a heat exchanger, a bypass valve, a water flow sensor, an inlet water temperature sensor, a water tank temperature sensor, an outlet water temperature sensor, and a mixing tank located at the intersection of the bypass pipe and the outlet pipe. The heat exchanger has an inlet pipe at its inlet end and an outlet pipe at its outlet end, and heat exchange tubes are installed inside the heat exchanger. The bypass valve is located on the bypass pipe, which is connected to both the inlet and outlet pipes. The bypass valve can have multiple settings to adjust the bypass ratio, with each setting corresponding to a different bypass ratio. The water flow sensor is located at the inlet end of the inlet pipe to measure the inlet water flow rate. The inlet water temperature sensor is located at the inlet end of the inlet pipe to measure the inlet water temperature. The water tank temperature sensor is located at the outlet end of the heat exchanger to measure the outlet water temperature. The outlet water temperature sensor is located at the outlet end of the outlet pipe to measure the outlet water temperature. The mixing tank is used for energy storage and water mixing.

[0114] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium. The methods described above according to embodiments of the invention can be implemented in hardware or firmware, or implemented as computer code that can be recorded on a storage medium, or implemented as computer code downloaded via a network and originally stored on a remote storage medium or a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and then stored on a local storage medium. Thus, the methods described herein can be processed by software stored on a storage medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory, random access memory, flash memory, hard disk, or solid-state drive, etc.; further, the storage medium can also include combinations of the above types of memory. It is understood that computers, processors, microprocessor controllers, or programmable hardware include storage components capable of storing or receiving software or computer code, which, when accessed and executed by the computer, processor, or hardware, implements the methods shown in the above embodiments.

[0115] In the specific implementation of the above embodiments, the technical features can be combined in any non-contradictory way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the above technical features are described. However, as long as the combination of these technical features is not contradictory, it should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0116] The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a gas water heater, characterized in that, The gas water heater includes an inlet pipe (11), an outlet pipe (12), and a bypass pipe (13). The two ends of the bypass pipe (13) are connected to the inlet pipe (11) and the outlet pipe (12), respectively. The bypass pipe (13) is equipped with a bypass valve (14). The method includes: Get the first water outage duration between the current time and the last time the gas water heater was turned off; If the first water outage duration is less than the preset water outage threshold, in response to the water demand of the gas water heater, the burner of the gas water heater is controlled to ignite and heat, and the bypass ratio of the gas water heater is maintained. Based on the first water outage duration and the preset delay rule, a target duration is determined. The preset delay rule is used to indicate the correspondence between multiple water outage duration intervals and multiple delay calculation rules. After the burner is turned on and the target time is delayed, the bypass valve of the gas water heater is controlled to decrease from the current level to the target level. The level difference between the current level and the target level is determined based on the current heat load. The method further sets a first water outage threshold, which is less than a preset water outage threshold. The step of determining the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule includes: if the first water outage duration is equal to the first water outage threshold, the first target duration corresponding to the first water outage threshold is determined as the target duration. The step of determining the target duration based on the first water outage duration and the preset delay rule further includes: if the first water outage duration is less than the first water outage threshold, then determining a first shortening time corresponding to the first difference between the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration; and determining the difference between the first target duration and the first shortening time as the target duration.

2. The control method for a gas water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the first shortening time corresponding to the first difference between the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration includes: Calculate the first ratio of the first difference to the preset time interval, and round down the first ratio to obtain the first coefficient; The first shortening time is obtained by multiplying the first coefficient by the first preset interval.

3. The control method for a gas water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further sets a second water outage threshold, which is greater than the first water outage threshold and less than a preset water outage threshold. The step of determining the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule also includes: If the first water outage duration is greater than the first water outage threshold and the first water outage duration is less than the second water outage threshold, then based on the second difference between the second water outage threshold and the first water outage duration, a second shortening time corresponding to the second difference is determined. The difference between the first target duration and the second shortened time is determined as the target duration.

4. The control method for a gas water heater according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining the second shortening time corresponding to the second difference between the second water outage threshold and the first water outage duration includes: Calculate the second ratio of the second difference to the preset time interval, and round the second ratio down to obtain the second coefficient; Calculate the second product of the second coefficient and the second preset interval to obtain the second shortening time.

5. The control method for a gas water heater according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule further includes: If the first water outage duration is greater than or equal to the second water outage threshold, and the first water outage duration is less than the preset water outage threshold, the second target duration corresponding to the first interval is determined as the target duration, the upper limit of the first interval is the preset water outage threshold, the lower limit of the first interval is the second water outage threshold, and the second target duration is less than the first target duration.

6. A control device for a gas water heater, characterized in that, The gas water heater includes an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and a bypass pipe. The two ends of the bypass pipe are connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, respectively. The bypass pipe is equipped with a bypass valve. The device includes: The duration calculation module is used to obtain the first water outage duration between the current time and the previous water shut-off time of the gas water heater; The heating module is used to control the burner of the gas water heater to ignite and heat the gas water heater in response to the water demand of the gas water heater if the first water outage duration is less than a preset water outage threshold, and to maintain the bypass ratio of the gas water heater. The target duration determination module is used to determine the target duration based on the first water outage duration and a preset delay rule, wherein the preset delay rule is used to indicate the correspondence between multiple water outage duration intervals and multiple delay calculation rules; The delay module is used to control the bypass valve of the gas water heater to decrease from the current level to the target level after a target time delay following the start of the burner. The level difference between the current level and the target level is determined based on the current heat load. The device also sets a first water outage threshold, which is less than a preset water outage threshold. The target duration determination module further includes: a first determination unit, used to determine the first target duration corresponding to the first water outage threshold as the target duration if the first water outage duration is equal to the first water outage threshold. The target duration determination module further includes: a first shortening time determination unit, used to determine a first shortening time corresponding to the first difference between the first water outage duration and the first water outage duration if the first water outage duration is less than the first water outage threshold; and a second determination unit, used to determine the difference between the first target duration and the first shortening time as the target duration.

7. A controller for a gas water heater, characterized in that, The controller includes: The system includes a memory and a processor, which are communicatively connected to each other. The memory stores computer instructions, and the processor executes the computer instructions to perform the control method for the gas water heater as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. A gas water heater, characterized in that, The gas water heater includes the controller as described in claim 7.

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