Inner container assembly applied to phase change water heater and phase change water heater

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an inner container assembly applied to a phase change water heater and the phase change water heater, and the inner container assembly comprises a box body with a containing cavity filled with a phase change material; the heat exchanger is arranged in the containing cavity and comprises a heat conducting fin set, a water inlet pipe, a water outlet pipe and a plurality of heat conducting pipelines, the heat conducting pipelines penetrate through the heat conducting fin set, the heat conducting fin set is in heat transfer contact with the phase change material, and the heat conducting fin set is provided with a middle area and an edge area surrounding the middle area; the heat conduction pipelines extend from the middle area to the edge area and communicate with the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe so as to form a plurality of water paths flowing in from the middle area and flowing out from the edge area. According to the arrangement, the multiple streams of water flow and the middle area and the edge area of the heat-conducting fin set sequentially exchange heat, the heat exchange efficiency is improved, the requirement for the size of the heat-conducting fin set is lowered, and miniaturization design of the phase change water heater can be achieved easily.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water heater technology, and in particular to an inner tank assembly for a phase change water heater and a phase change water heater. Background Technology

[0002] A water heater is a device that uses various physical principles to raise the temperature of cold water to produce hot water within a certain time. Among them, phase change water heaters are a relatively new type of water heater. They store heat by using a phase change inner tank with phase change material. In the water usage mode, the phase change inner tank can obtain hot water by exchanging heat with cold water. In the heat circulation mode, the phase change inner tank can store heat in its internal phase change material by exchanging heat with hot water, so that it can heat cold water in the water usage mode.

[0003] In related technologies, phase change inner tanks achieve heat exchange between water flow in the pipes and phase change materials through contact between pipes and heat-conducting fins. However, due to the low utilization rate of heat-conducting fins, large-sized heat-conducting fins are usually required to improve heat exchange efficiency, which results in an excessively large volume of the phase change inner tank, which is not conducive to the miniaturization design of phase change water heaters. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes an inner tank assembly and a phase change water heater, which features a high utilization rate of the heat-conducting fin assembly and high heat exchange efficiency, thus facilitating the miniaturization design of the phase change water heater.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an inner tank assembly for a phase change water heater. The inner tank assembly includes: a housing having a cavity filled with a phase change material; a heat exchanger disposed in the cavity; the heat exchanger includes a heat-conducting fin assembly, an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and multiple heat-conducting pipes, the multiple heat-conducting pipes passing through the heat-conducting fin assembly; the heat-conducting fin assembly having a central region and an edge region surrounding the central region; the heat-conducting pipes extending from the central region to the edge region; and the multiple heat-conducting pipes communicating with the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe to form multiple water paths flowing in from the central region and flowing out from the edge region.

[0006] The inner tank assembly for a phase change water heater provided in the first aspect of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0007] By setting up multiple parallel heat-conducting pipes, all of which extend from the middle area to the edge area, multiple water channels are formed, flowing in from the middle area and out from the edge area. Multiple water flows exchange heat with the middle and edge areas of the heat-conducting fin assembly in sequence. The contact area between the heat-conducting fin assembly and the multiple heat-conducting pipes is large, the utilization rate of the heat-conducting fin assembly is high, the heat exchange efficiency is improved, the size requirements of the heat-conducting fin assembly are reduced, and it is conducive to realizing the miniaturization design of phase change water heaters.

[0008] In one embodiment of this implementation, the heat-conducting pipe extends in a circuitous manner along the arrangement direction of the heat-conducting fin group, so as to extend from the middle region to the edge region.

[0009] In one embodiment of this implementation, the heat-conducting sheet group includes a plurality of heat-conducting sheets. In a plane perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the plurality of heat-conducting sheets, the heat-conducting pipe first extends along the length direction of the heat-conducting sheet, then extends along the width direction of the heat-conducting sheet, and then extends along the length direction of the heat-conducting sheet to the middle part of the heat-conducting sheet in the length direction.

[0010] In one embodiment of this implementation, multiple heat-conducting pipes are connected in parallel.

[0011] In one embodiment of this implementation, the heat-conducting pipeline includes a first heat-conducting pipe and a second heat-conducting pipe, the intermediate region includes a plurality of first sub-regions, each of which is provided with the first heat-conducting pipe, the edge region includes a plurality of second sub-regions, each of which is provided with the second heat-conducting pipe, and the second heat-conducting pipe of each second sub-region is connected to the first heat-conducting pipe of the corresponding first sub-region.

[0012] In one embodiment of this implementation, the heat exchanger includes a first water distribution pipe and a second water distribution pipe. The first water distribution pipe is connected to the inlet pipe and a plurality of first heat-conducting pipes in the first sub-region, and the second water distribution pipe is connected to the outlet pipe and a plurality of second heat-conducting pipes in the second sub-region.

[0013] In one embodiment of this implementation, the first water distribution pipe, the second water distribution pipe, the inlet pipe, and the outlet pipe are located on the same side of the heat-conducting plate assembly.

[0014] In one embodiment of this implementation, the first water distribution pipe has a first main water inlet and a plurality of first branch water inlets that are connected to each other. The first main water inlet is connected to the water inlet pipe, and the plurality of first branch water inlets are respectively connected to the corresponding first heat-conducting pipes; and / or, the second water distribution pipe has a second main water inlet and a plurality of second branch water inlets that are connected to each other. The second main water inlet is connected to the water outlet pipe, and the plurality of second branch water inlets are respectively connected to the corresponding second heat-conducting pipes.

[0015] In one embodiment of this implementation, a plurality of first water outlets are arranged opposite to the first main water outlet; and / or, a plurality of second water outlets are arranged opposite to the second main water outlet.

[0016] In one embodiment of this implementation, the total number of the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe is the same in multiple corresponding first sub-regions and second sub-regions.

[0017] In one embodiment of this implementation, a plurality of first heat pipes and a plurality of second heat pipes are arranged in an array in the heat-conducting sheet group.

[0018] In one embodiment of this implementation, in the corresponding first and second sub-regions, in the direction of water flow in the water channel, a plurality of first heat-conducting pipes are arranged along the length direction of the heat-conducting plate group, and a plurality of second heat-conducting pipes are arranged sequentially along the width and length directions of the heat-conducting plate group, with the last second heat-conducting pipe located at the middle of the edge region in the vertical direction.

[0019] In one embodiment of this implementation, the distance range between adjacent first heat pipes, the distance range between two adjacent second heat pipes, and the distance range between two adjacent first heat pipes and second heat pipes are all 20mm-45mm.

[0020] In one embodiment of this implementation, the outer diameter of the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe ranges from 5mm to 9.5mm.

[0021] In one embodiment of this implementation, the heat-conducting sheet group includes a plurality of heat-conducting sheets arranged sequentially at intervals along the horizontal direction, the distance between two adjacent heat-conducting sheets is in the range of 1mm-5mm, and the viscosity of the phase change material in the liquid state is in the range of 1000Pa·s-5000Pa·s.

[0022] In one embodiment of this implementation, when the phase change material is in a solid state, there is a gap between the phase change material and the top wall of the cavity, and the ratio of the gap to the volume of the cavity is 5%-20%.

[0023] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a phase change water heater, which includes the inner tank assembly described in any embodiment of the first aspect of the embodiments.

[0024] The phase change water heater provided by the second aspect of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0025] By incorporating the inner tank assembly provided in the first aspect of this invention into a phase change water heater, the phase change water heater can achieve both miniaturization and high heat exchange efficiency, thereby improving the user experience.

[0026] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0028] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a phase change water heater according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the phase change water heater in its disassembled state;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a cast aluminum electric heater;

[0031] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A partial structural diagram of a cast aluminum electric heater;

[0032] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the water pump and shock-absorbing pad in a phase change water heater;

[0033] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the heating element and support frame in a phase change water heater;

[0034] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the heating element and support in a phase change water heater from another perspective;

[0035] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the inner tank assembly in a phase change water heater in its disassembled state;

[0036] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the water circuit observed from one side of the heat exchanger under the tank cover;

[0037] Figure 10 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the water circuit of the heat exchanger as viewed from the side facing away from the tank cover;

[0038] Figure 11 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the heat exchanger structure;

[0039] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A magnified structural diagram of region I;

[0040] Figure 13 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the inner tank assembly in a phase change water heater;

[0041] Figure 14 yes Figure 8 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the heat-conducting plate in the inner liner assembly;

[0042] Figure 15 yes Figure 13 A magnified structural diagram of region II;

[0043] Figure 16 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the heat exchanger and part of the casing of the inner liner assembly;

[0044] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the heat exchanger and part of the housing of the inner liner assembly in another embodiment.

[0045] Figure label:

[0046] Phase change water heater 1000; Inner tank assembly 100; Tank body 10; Main tank 11; Tank cover 12; Cavity 101; Gap 102; Top wall 1011; Bottom wall 1012; First side wall 1013; Second side wall 1014; Heat exchanger 20; Heat-conducting fin assembly 23; Heat-conducting fin 21; Middle area 2101; Edge area 2102; First sub-area 2103; Second sub-area 2104; Protruding ring 211; Through hole 212; Perforation 213; Piping structure 22; Inlet pipe 221; Outlet pipe 222; First heat-conducting pipe 223; Second heat-conducting pipe 224; First branch pipe 225; First main water inlet 2251; First branch water inlet 2252; 226; Second main water inlet 2261; Second branch water inlet 2262; Heating component 200; First heater 210; Second heater 220; Water pump 230; Base 2310; Shock absorber 2320; Connecting hole 23201; Annular groove 23202; Thermostatic valve 240; First inlet valve 2410; Second inlet valve 2420; Outlet valve 2430; Water inlet pipe 250; Water outlet pipe 260; Wiring board 310; Cast aluminum electric heater 270; Aluminum body 2710; Coiled pipe 2720; Heating element 2730; First corrugated pipe 2810; Second corrugated pipe 2820; Support 300; Arrangement direction 91. Detailed Implementation

[0047] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0048] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention 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 limiting this invention.

[0049] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0050] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0051] In the description of this invention, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0052] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a phase change water heater 1000 provided in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1A schematic diagram of the phase change water heater 1000 in its disassembled state is shown below. This invention provides a phase change water heater 1000, which includes an inner tank assembly 100. Specifically, the phase change water heater 1000 also includes a heating assembly 200 and a support frame 300. The inner tank assembly 100 and the heating assembly 200 are respectively installed on both sides of the support frame 300 in the horizontal direction to reduce assembly difficulty and facilitate miniaturization. By incorporating the inner tank assembly 100 provided in this invention into the phase change water heater 1000, the phase change water heater 1000 can achieve both miniaturization and high heat exchange efficiency, improving the user experience.

[0053] The heating component 200 in the phase change water heater 1000 provided in the embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[0054] In this embodiment, the heating assembly 200 includes a first heater 210, a second heater 220, a water pump 230, a thermostatic valve 240, a water inlet pipe 250, and a water outlet pipe 260. The first heater 210 is connected to the water inlet of the inner tank assembly 100, and the second heater 220 is connected to the water outlet of the inner tank assembly 100. The water pump 230 is connected to the water inlet of the first heater 210 and is used to provide power for the water flow, so that in the internal circulation mode, the water flow can circulate along the first heater 210, the inner tank assembly 100, the second heater 220, and the thermostatic valve 240. The thermostatic valve 240 has a first water inlet valve port 2410, a second water inlet valve port 2420, a water outlet valve port 2430, and a mixing chamber. The first water inlet valve port 2410, the second water inlet valve port 2420, and the water outlet valve port 2430 are all connected to the mixing chamber. The first inlet valve 2410 is connected to the water inlet pipe 250, which is used to connect to an external water source. The second inlet valve 2420 is connected to the outlet of the second heater 220. The outlet valve 2430 is connected to the drain pipe 260, which is used to connect to water-using equipment such as shower heads. The thermostatic valve 240 contains a valve core and a driving component. The valve core is located in the mixing chamber, and the driving component is connected to the valve core. The driving component is used to drive the valve core to move in the mixing chamber to adjust the amount of cold water entering through the first inlet valve 2410 and the amount of hot water entering through the second inlet valve 2420, thereby adjusting the temperature of the mixed water.

[0055] The bracket 300 is provided with a wiring board 310. The wiring board 310 is located on the side of the first heater 210 and the second heater 220 facing away from the bracket 300. The wiring board 310 is used to install cables and circuit boards that are electrically connected to the first heater 210, the second heater 220 and other components.

[0056] In the internal circulation mode, the first heater 210 and the second heater 220 heat the circulating water flow. The heated water flow can exchange heat with the inner tank assembly 100. The phase change material in the inner tank assembly 100 absorbs heat during the conversion process.

[0057] In the water discharge mode, the water inlet pipe 250 connects to the external water source. A portion of the cold water can enter the mixing chamber through the first water inlet valve 2410, while another portion of the cold water flows through the first heater 210, the inner tank assembly 100, and the second heater 220, and absorbs heat to form hot water. Then, it enters the mixing chamber through the second water inlet valve 2420. The cold water and hot water mix to form a mixed water at a suitable temperature, and then flow out from the water outlet valve 2430 and the water discharge pipe 260.

[0058] In this embodiment, both the first heater 210 and the second heater 220 are constructed as cast aluminum electric heaters 270. Please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figures 2 to 4 , Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cast aluminum electric heater 270; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of the cast aluminum electric heater 270 is shown. The cast aluminum electric heater 270 includes an aluminum body 2710, a coiled pipe 2720, and a heating element 2730. The aluminum body 2710 covers the coiled pipe 2720 and the heating element 2730. The heating element 2730 can be energized to generate heat, which is conducted through the aluminum body 2710 to the water flow in the coiled pipe 2720, thereby heating the water. In this process, the heating element 2730 does not need to be in direct contact with the water flow, which improves electrical safety, eliminates the need for an additional anti-electric shock wall, and reduces costs. At the same time, the cast aluminum electric heater 270 is smaller in size than other traditional heaters, which is beneficial for realizing the miniaturized design of the phase change water heater 1000.

[0059] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5 , Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the water pump 230 and vibration damping pad 2320 of the phase change water heater 1000 is shown. The water pump 230 is mounted on the bracket 300 via the vibration damping pad 2320. Specifically, a base 2310 is mounted on the bracket 300. The vibration damping pad 2320 has a connecting hole 23201 for screws to pass through and connect to the base 2310, thus completing the installation of the vibration damping pad 2320 on the base 2310. The vibration damping pad 2320 also has an annular groove 23202, in which the water pump 230 is engaged, thereby completing the installation of the water pump 230 on the base 2310. By placing the vibration damping pad 2320 between the water pump 230 and the bracket 300, the noise emitted by the water pump 230 during operation can be effectively reduced.

[0060] In this embodiment, the mounting direction of the damping pad 2320 on the base 2310 (i.e., the axial direction of the connecting hole 23201) is parallel to the axial direction of the output shaft of the water pump 230, so as to buffer the radial vibration of the water pump 230 through the damping pad 2320 and improve the noise reduction effect. Furthermore, the mounting direction of the damping pad 2320 on the base 2310 is parallel to the plane of the bracket 300 mounting base 2310, so as to allow the bracket 300 to bear the load generated during the operation of the water pump 230.

[0061] In this embodiment, the shock-absorbing pad 2320 is constructed as an elastic silicone gasket. In other embodiments, the shock-absorbing pad 2320 may also be other devices that can absorb vibrations.

[0062] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 , Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the heating element 200 and the bracket 300 of the phase change water heater 1000; Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the heating element 200 and support 300 of the phase change water heater 1000 from another perspective. The first heater 210 and the second heater 220 are arranged side-by-side. The water pump 230 and the thermostatic valve 240 are located on the same side of the first heater 210 and the second heater 220, with the water pump 230 facing the first heater 210 and the thermostatic valve 240 facing the second heater 220. This arrangement reduces the heat generated by the first heater 210 and the second heater 220 from escaping into the air, and shortens the length of the pipes between the components, thereby reducing water resistance and improving flow efficiency.

[0063] Specifically, the inlet of the first heater 210 is closer to the support 300 than the outlet, and is connected to the water pump 230 via the first corrugated pipe 2810. The outlet of the second heater 220 is closer to the support 300 than the inlet, and is connected to the thermostatic valve 240 via the second corrugated pipe 2820. Gaskets are provided between the first corrugated pipe 2810 and the water pump 230, and between the second corrugated pipe 2820 and the thermostatic valve 240. This arrangement ensures even stress distribution on the gaskets, improves their service life, and reduces the risk of leakage.

[0064] The inner tank assembly 100 in the phase change water heater provided in the embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[0065] Please see Figures 8 to 10 , Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the inner tank assembly 100 in the disassembled state of the phase change water heater 1000; Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the water circuit observed from one side of the tank cover 12 for the heat exchanger 20; Figure 10 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the water path of the heat exchanger 20 as viewed from the side opposite to the tank cover 12. This embodiment of the invention provides an inner tank assembly 100 for a phase change water heater 1000, the inner tank assembly 100 including a tank body 10 and a heat exchanger 20. The tank body 10 has a cavity 101 filled with a phase change material. The heat exchanger 20 is disposed in the cavity 101. The heat exchanger 20 includes a heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and a pipeline structure 22. The pipeline structure 22 includes an inlet pipe 221, an outlet pipe 222 and multiple heat-conducting pipes. The multiple heat-conducting pipes pass through the heat-conducting fin assembly 23. The heat-conducting fin assembly 23 is in heat transfer contact with the phase change material. The heat-conducting fin assembly 23 has a central region 2101 and an edge region 2102 surrounding the central region 2101. The heat-conducting pipes extend from the central region 2101 to the edge region 2102. The multiple heat-conducting pipes are all connected to the inlet pipe 221 and the outlet pipe 222 to form multiple water channels that flow into the central region 2101 and out of the edge region 2102.

[0066] Specifically, the housing 10 includes a main housing 11 and a lid 12. The main housing 11 has a cavity 101, and the lid 12 covers the opening of the main housing 11 to close the cavity 101. In this embodiment, the main housing 11 and the lid 12 are fixedly connected by welding. In other embodiments, the main housing 11 and the lid 12 can also be connected by other methods, such as by screws.

[0067] Specifically, the heat-conducting pipeline includes a first heat-conducting pipe 223 and a second heat-conducting pipe 224. The first heat-conducting pipe 223 passes through the middle region 2101, and the second heat-conducting pipe 224 passes through the edge region 2102. The first heat-conducting pipe 223, the second heat-conducting pipe 224, and the heat-conducting plate assembly 23 can be an integral structure or a separate structure. The first heat-conducting pipe 223 and the second heat-conducting pipe 224 can be constructed as square pipes or as round pipes. When water flows through the first heat-conducting pipe 223 and the second heat-conducting pipe 224, it can exchange heat with the heat-conducting plate assembly 23, thereby transferring heat to the phase change material for storage, or absorbing heat from the phase change material to achieve a temperature increase. In this embodiment, please refer to the following: Figure 7 The two ends of the inlet pipe 221 are connected to the outlet of the first heater 210 and the inlet of the first heat-conducting pipe 223, respectively. The two ends of the outlet pipe 222 are connected to the inlet of the second heater 220 and the outlet of the second heat-conducting pipe 224, respectively.

[0068] By setting up multiple heat-conducting pipes, all of which extend from the middle region 2101 to the edge region 2102, multiple water channels are formed, flowing into the middle region 2101 and out of the edge region 2102. The multiple water flows exchange heat with the middle region 2101 and the edge region 2102 of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 in sequence. The contact area between the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and the multiple heat-conducting pipes is large, and the utilization rate of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 is high, which improves the heat exchange efficiency, reduces the size requirements of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, and is conducive to realizing the miniaturization design of the phase change water heater 1000.

[0069] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 and Figure 13 The heat-conducting pipes extend in a meandering manner along the arrangement direction of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, extending from the central region 2101 to the edge region 2102. Specifically, the heat-conducting pipes enter the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 from one side of the cover 12, exit from the side of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 away from the cover 12, then enter the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 again, and exit from the side of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 facing the cover 12, repeatedly shuttling through the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 to form a meandering structure. On the same plane perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 (the arrangement direction of the multiple heat-conducting fins in the heat-conducting fin assembly 23), the heat-conducting pipes extend from the central region 2101 to the edge region 2102. This arrangement provides a larger contact area between the heat-conducting pipes and the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, and improves the utilization rate of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, which is beneficial to further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and the heat-conducting pipes.

[0070] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 and Figure 13 Multiple heat-conducting pipes are connected in parallel. Specifically, the multiple heat-conducting pipes are of the same length. This configuration allows water to flow in and out of multiple water channels formed by the multiple heat-conducting pipes simultaneously, resulting in uniform heat exchange in all areas of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and making full use of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23.

[0071] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the heat-conducting sheets in the heat-conducting sheet assembly 23 are rectangular sheets with a length direction and a width direction. The length direction is vertical, and the width direction is horizontal. In other embodiments, the length direction of the heat-conducting sheet assembly 23 may also be horizontal, and the width direction of the heat-conducting sheet assembly 23 may also be vertical.

[0072] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 and Figure 13The heat-conducting fin assembly 23 includes multiple heat-conducting fins 21. In a plane perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple heat-conducting fins 21, the heat-conducting pipes first extend along the length direction of the heat-conducting fins 21, then extend along the width direction of the heat-conducting fins 21, and then extend along the length direction of the heat-conducting fins 21 to the middle of the length direction. With this arrangement, the heat-conducting pipes of each water path can fully contact the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, which is beneficial to improving the utilization rate of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and thus improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0073] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 The intermediate region 2101 includes multiple first sub-regions 2103, each of which is equipped with a first heat-conducting pipe 223. The edge region 2102 includes multiple second sub-regions 2104, each of which is equipped with a second heat-conducting pipe 224. The second heat-conducting pipe 224 of each second sub-region 2104 is connected to the first heat-conducting pipe 223 of the corresponding first sub-region 2103. Specifically, the multiple first sub-regions 2103 and multiple second sub-regions 2104 correspond one-to-one, and the corresponding first sub-regions 2103 and second sub-regions 2104 are arranged adjacent to each other to facilitate the connection between the corresponding first heat-conducting pipes 223 and second heat-conducting pipes 224. The first heat-conducting pipes 223 of the multiple first sub-regions 2103 are all connected to the inlet pipe 221, and the second heat-conducting pipes 224 of the multiple second sub-regions 2104 are all connected to the outlet pipe 222. For ease of description, the corresponding first sub-regions 2103 and second sub-regions 2104 are defined as heat exchange regions. Understandably, the water flow introduced through the inlet pipe 221 can enter multiple heat exchange zones. Multiple water flows can exchange heat with multiple heat exchange zones of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 at the same time, which improves the flow efficiency of the water in the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency. At the same time, it shortens the path of the water flow in each heat exchange zone and reduces water resistance.

[0074] Specifically, the number of first heat pipes 223 set in the first sub-region 2103 can be one or more, and the number of first heat pipes 223 set in different first sub-regions 2103 can be the same or different. The number of second heat pipes 224 set in the second sub-region 2104 can be one or more, and the number of second heat pipes 224 set in different second sub-regions 2104 can be the same or different.

[0075] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 In the multiple corresponding first sub-regions 2103 and second sub-regions 2104, the total number of first heat pipes 223 and second heat pipes 224 is the same. With this configuration, the heat exchange in each heat exchange region of the heat-conducting plate group 23 is relatively uniform, and the utilization rate of the heat-conducting plate group 23 is high.

[0076] In this embodiment, the total number of the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 in the heat exchange region is 10. In other embodiments, the total number of the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 in the heat exchange region can also be other numbers, such as 15, 20, etc.

[0077] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 Multiple first heat pipes 223 and multiple second heat pipes 224 are arranged in an array within the heat-conducting plate group 23. It is understood that the heat exchange between the arrayed multiple first heat pipes 223 and multiple second heat pipes 224 and various positions of the heat-conducting plate group 23 is relatively uniform, which is beneficial to improving the utilization rate of the heat-conducting plate group 23.

[0078] In this embodiment, multiple first heat-conducting pipes 223 and multiple second heat-conducting pipes 224 are arranged in a 10-row x 4-column configuration. Along the water flow direction, adjacent first heat-conducting pipes 223, adjacent first heat-conducting pipes 223 and second heat-conducting pipes 224, and adjacent second heat-conducting pipes 224 are all connected by U-shaped pipes. Multiple U-shaped pipes, water inlet pipes 221, and water outlet pipes 222 are located on the same side of the heat-conducting plate group 23 to reduce the assembly difficulty of the pipe structure 22.

[0079] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 In the corresponding first sub-region 2103 and second sub-region 2104, in the direction of water flow, multiple first heat-conducting pipes 223 are arranged along the length of the heat-conducting fin group 23, and multiple second heat-conducting pipes 224 are arranged sequentially along the width and length of the heat-conducting fin group 23, with the last second heat-conducting pipe 224 located in the middle of the edge region 2102 in the vertical direction. Specifically, in the corresponding first sub-region 2103 and second sub-region 2104, when viewed along the arrangement direction of the heat-conducting fin group 23, the multiple first heat-conducting pipes 223 and multiple second heat-conducting pipes 224 form an overall "U"-shaped extension. This improves the utilization rate of the heat-conducting fin group 23 and is beneficial for miniaturization design. At the same time, the last second heat-conducting pipe 224 is located in the middle of the edge region 2102 in the vertical direction, so that the lengths of the multiple heat-conducting pipes are set to be equal, thereby realizing that the water flows in and out of multiple water channels at the same time.

[0080] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 In the plurality of first heat pipes 223 and the plurality of second heat pipes 224, the distance range between two adjacent first heat pipes 223, the distance range between two adjacent second heat pipes 224, and the distance range between two adjacent first heat pipes 223 and second heat pipes 224 are all 20mm-45mm.

[0081] Specifically, multiple first heat pipes 223 and multiple second heat pipes 224 are arranged longitudinally and laterally, with the longitudinal spacing DA1 and the lateral spacing DA2 both satisfying 20mm-45mm. In this embodiment, the lateral spacing DA2 is greater than the longitudinal spacing DA1. In other embodiments, the lateral spacing DA2 may be less than or equal to the longitudinal spacing DA1. The longitudinal spacing DA1 and the lateral spacing DA2 can be 20mm, 25mm, 31mm, 37mm, 40mm, 45mm, etc., respectively.

[0082] Understandably, when the longitudinal spacing DA1 and the transverse spacing DA2 are less than 20mm, the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 are too densely distributed, resulting in a small contact area between the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and the phase change material, a small number of phase change materials, low heat exchange efficiency between the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and the phase change material, and weak heat storage capacity of the phase change material. When the longitudinal spacing DA1 and the transverse spacing DA2 are greater than 45mm, the number of the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 is too small, resulting in a small contact area between the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 and the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, low heat exchange efficiency between the pipe structure 22 and the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, and insufficient heat exchange of the water flow. By setting the longitudinal spacing DA1 and the transverse spacing DA2 between 20mm and 45mm, the pipeline structure 22 and the heat-conducting fin group 23, as well as the phase change material and the heat-conducting fin group 23, have good heat exchange efficiency. At the same time, the amount of phase change material is appropriate, resulting in better heat storage capacity.

[0083] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figure 8 , Figure 9 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 , Figure 11 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of heat exchanger 20; Figure 12 yes Figure 11 An enlarged structural diagram of region I is shown. The outer diameter of the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 ranges from 5mm to 9.5mm. Specifically, the outer diameter OD of the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 is equal, and can be selected as 5mm, 6.1mm, 7.5mm, 8mm, 9.2mm, 9.5mm, etc.

[0084] Understandably, when the outer diameter (OD) of the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 is less than 5 mm, the contact area between the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 and the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 is too small, resulting in low heat exchange efficiency of the pipe structure 22 and the heat-conducting fin assembly 23. When the outer diameter (OD) of the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 is greater than 9.5 mm, the area of ​​the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 is excessively compressed, resulting in a small contact area between the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and the phase change material, leading to low heat exchange efficiency between the phase change material and the heat-conducting fin assembly 23. Low heat exchange efficiency between the heat pipes and the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, or between the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and the phase change material, will affect the heat transfer of water flow and the phase change material. By setting the outer diameter OD of the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 to be between 5mm and 9.5mm, the pipe structure 22 and the heat-conducting fin group 23, as well as the phase change material and the heat-conducting fin group 23, have matching heat exchange efficiencies.

[0085] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 The heat exchanger 20 includes a first water distribution pipe 225 and a second water distribution pipe 226. The first water distribution pipe 225 connects to the inlet pipe 221 and the first heat-conducting pipes 223 of multiple first sub-regions 2103, and the second water distribution pipe 226 connects to the outlet pipe 222 and the second heat-conducting pipes 224 of multiple second sub-regions 2104. This arrangement allows the inlet pipe 221 to be simultaneously connected to the first heat-conducting pipes 223 of multiple first sub-regions 2103, and the outlet pipe 222 to be simultaneously connected to the second heat-conducting pipes 224 of multiple second sub-regions 2104, thus achieving both water diversion and convergence.

[0086] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 The first water distribution pipe 225, the second water distribution pipe 226, the inlet pipe 221, and the outlet pipe 222 are located on the same side of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23. This arrangement is to reduce the assembly difficulty of the pipe structure 22.

[0087] Specifically, the first water distribution pipe 225 and the water inlet pipe 221 can be connected by welding or threading, or they can be a single integrated structure. The second water distribution pipe 226 and the water outlet pipe 222 can be connected by welding or threading, or they can be a single integrated structure. Multiple first heat-conducting pipes 223 and the first water distribution pipe 225 can be connected by welding or threading, or they can be a single integrated structure. Multiple second heat-conducting pipes 224 and the second water distribution pipe 226 can be connected by welding or threading, or they can be a single integrated structure.

[0088] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10The first water distribution pipe 225 has a first main water inlet 2251 and multiple first branch water inlets 2252. The first main water inlet 2251 is connected to the water inlet pipe 221, and the multiple first branch water inlets 2252 are respectively connected to the corresponding first heat conduction pipes 223. In this way, the water inlet pipe 221 can divide the water flow into multiple water streams corresponding to the multiple first heat conduction pipes 223 through the first water distribution pipe 225, so that the multiple water streams can exchange heat with multiple first sub-regions 2103 of the heat conduction plate group 23 at the same time.

[0089] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 The second water distribution pipe 226 has a connected second main water inlet 2261 and multiple second branch water inlets 2262. The second main water inlet 2261 is connected to the outlet pipe 222, and the multiple second branch water inlets 2262 are respectively connected to the corresponding second heat-conducting pipes 224. In this way, the outlet pipe 222 can merge the multiple water streams of the multiple second heat-conducting pipes 224 through the second water distribution pipe 226, so that the multiple water streams can leave after exchanging heat with the multiple second sub-regions 2104 of the heat-conducting plate group 23.

[0090] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 Multiple first branch inlets 2252 are positioned opposite to the first main inlet 2251. Specifically, the multiple first branch inlets 2252 are located on the side of the first branch pipe 225 facing the second branch pipe 226, while the first main inlet 2251 is located on the side of the first branch pipe 225 facing away from the second branch pipe 226. This arrangement ensures that the direction of water flow from the first main inlet 2251 and the direction of water flow from the multiple first branch inlets 2252 are approximately the same, which helps reduce water resistance. Furthermore, the layout of the pipe structure 22 is more rational, saving space.

[0091] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 8 to 10 Multiple second branch inlets 2262 are arranged opposite to the second main inlet 2261. Specifically, the multiple second branch inlets 2262 are located on the side of the second branch pipe 226 facing the first branch pipe 225, while the second main inlet 2261 is located on the side of the second branch pipe 226 facing away from the first branch pipe 225. This arrangement ensures that the direction of water flow from the multiple second branch inlets 2262 and the direction of water flow from the second main inlet 2261 are approximately the same, which helps reduce water resistance. Furthermore, the layout of the pipe structure 22 is more rational, saving space.

[0092] In this embodiment, multiple second sub-regions 2104 include sub-regions A1, B1, C1, and D1 distributed at the four corners of the central region 2101. Multiple first sub-regions 2103 include sub-regions A2, B2, C2, and D2, respectively corresponding to sub-regions A1, B1, C1, and D1. The first heat pipes 223 of sub-regions A2, B2, C2, and D2 are respectively connected to the second heat pipes 224 of sub-regions A1, B1, C1, and D1. The first water distribution pipe 225 has four first water outlets 2252, all of which are connected to the first main water outlet 2251 and are respectively connected to the first heat pipes 223 of sub-regions A2, B2, C2, and D2. The second water distribution pipe 226 has four second water distribution ports 2262, all of which are connected to the second main water inlet 2261. The four second water distribution ports 2262 are also connected to the second heat-conducting pipes 224 in sub-regions A1, B1, C1, and D1, respectively. This configuration divides the water flow into four streams, which exchange heat with the heat exchange areas A (sub-regions A1 and A2), B (sub-regions B1 and B2), C (sub-regions C1 and C2), and D (sub-regions D1 and D2) of the heat-conducting fin assembly 23. This allows the water to simultaneously and fully exchange heat with each heat exchange area of ​​the heat-conducting fin assembly 23, improving heat exchange efficiency. The heat exchange in the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 is relatively uniform, resulting in a high utilization rate.

[0093] In other embodiments, the number of subdivisions of the middle region 2101 and the edge region 2102 may also be other numbers, such as 3 and 5.

[0094] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figure 8 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 The heat-conducting plate assembly 23 includes multiple heat-conducting plates 21 arranged sequentially and spaced apart along a horizontal direction. The distance between two adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 ranges from 1 mm to 5 mm, and the viscosity range of the phase change material in the liquid state is 1000 Pa·s to 5000 Pa·s. Specifically, the distance D between two adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 can be selected as 1.0 mm, 1.3 mm, 1.7 mm, 2.1 mm, 2.4 mm, 2.7 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, etc. The viscosity range of the phase change material in the liquid state can be selected as 1000 Pa·s, 1390 Pa·s, 1950 Pa·s, 2200 Pa·s, 2650 Pa·s, 3200 Pa·s, 3870 Pa·s, 4570 Pa·s, 5000 Pa·s, etc.

[0095] Understandably, given a fixed volume of cavity 101, when the distance D between two adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 is greater than 5 mm, the number of heat-conducting plates 21 will be too small, resulting in a small contact area between the heat exchanger 20 and the phase change material, and thus low heat exchange efficiency. When the distance D between two adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 is less than 1 mm, the liquid phase change material will have difficulty flowing among the multiple heat-conducting plates 21, making it difficult for the phase change material to make sufficient contact with the multiple heat-conducting plates 21 and making it difficult to complete the filling of the phase change material. Furthermore, when the viscosity of the phase change material in its liquid state exceeds 5000 Pa·s, the liquid phase change material has poor fluidity, making it difficult to complete the filling. When the viscosity of the phase change material in its liquid state is less than 1000 Pa·s, the phase change material is prone to stratification after multiple solid-liquid conversions due to insufficient viscosity, leading to a decrease in energy storage efficiency. Moreover, the convective heat transfer coefficient between the phase change material with excessively low viscosity and the multiple heat-conducting plates 21 is also not ideal, resulting in low heat exchange efficiency between the phase change material and the heat exchanger 20.

[0096] It should be noted that if the heat transfer coefficient of the phase change material is too low, the heat released by the phase change material cannot be transferred to the water in a timely manner through the heat exchanger. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the heat transfer coefficient between the phase change material and the heat exchanger to improve the heat exchange efficiency of both, so that the phase change material can quickly transfer energy to the water in the water mode, and the heat in the water can be quickly transferred to the phase change material in the internal circulation mode.

[0097] By setting the distance D between two adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 to a range of 1mm-5mm, and setting the viscosity range of the phase change material in liquid state to 1000Pa·s-5000Pa·s, the heat-conducting plates 21 have suitable gaps, ensuring the number of heat-conducting plates 21, and the contact area between the phase change material and multiple heat-conducting plates 21 is large, resulting in high heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 20. At the same time, the phase change material has suitable viscosity, and the phase change material and multiple heat-conducting plates 21 have high convective heat transfer coefficients, further improving the heat exchange efficiency between the phase change material and the heat exchanger 20. The phase change material can flow in the gaps between the heat-conducting plates 21 to complete the filling process, and the risk of energy storage decay of the phase change material after multiple solid-liquid conversions is reduced, thus ensuring the energy storage efficiency of the phase change material.

[0098] The inner tank assembly 100 provided in this embodiment of the invention, through reasonable design of the gap between the heat-conducting plates 21 and the viscosity of the phase change material when it is in a liquid state, has a high heat transfer coefficient between the phase change material and the heat exchanger 20, which improves the heat exchange efficiency. This enables the phase change material to quickly transfer energy to the water in the water mode, and the heat in the water to be quickly transferred to the phase change material in the internal circulation mode, thereby improving the user experience.

[0099] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 13 to 15 , Figure 13 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the inner tank assembly 100 in the phase change water heater 1000. Figure 14 yes Figure 8 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the heat-conducting sheet 21 in the inner liner assembly 100; Figure 15 yes Figure 13 An enlarged structural diagram of region II is shown. At least one heat-conducting plate 21 has a raised ring 211, which abuts against another adjacent heat-conducting plate 21. Specifically, the raised ring 211 and the heat-conducting plate 21 can be an integral structure, for example, the raised ring 211 and the heat-conducting plate 21 are integrally formed, or the raised ring 211 is formed on the heat-conducting plate 21 by a flanging process. The raised ring 211 and the heat-conducting plate 21 can also be a separate structure, with the raised ring 211 fixed to the heat-conducting plate 21 by screws or welding. It is understood that the presence of the raised ring 211 can ensure the distance D between the heat-conducting plates 21, so as to achieve a distance D between two adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 between 1mm and 5mm.

[0100] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 13 to 15 The convex ring 211 has a through hole 212, and at least a portion of the pipe structure 22 is located in the through hole 212 and abuts against the inner wall of the through hole 212. Specifically, the pipe structure 22 is constructed as a circular tube, the outer surface of the pipe structure 22 is a cylindrical surface, the through hole 212 is a corresponding circular hole, and the outer surface of the pipe structure 22 fits against the inner wall of the through hole 212. In this embodiment, please refer to the following: Figure 9 The pipe structure 22 can be either a first heat pipe 223 or a second heat pipe 224. In this embodiment, the first heat pipe 223 and the second heat pipe 224 have the same structure. Optionally, the pipe structure 22 and the through hole 212 can be transition-fitted or interference-fitted. This configuration provides a larger heat transfer area between the pipe structure 22 and the heat-conducting plate 21, which is beneficial for improving the heat transfer efficiency between the pipe structure 22 and the heat-conducting plate 21. At the same time, the outer surface of the convex ring 211 facing away from the pipe structure 22 can also contact the phase change material, thereby also improving the heat transfer efficiency between the heat-conducting plate 21 and the phase change material.

[0101] In some embodiments, thermally conductive cotton is provided between the inner walls of the pipe structure 22 and the through hole 212 to improve the thermal conductivity of the pipe structure 22 and the thermally conductive sheet 21.

[0102] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 13 to 15Each heat-conducting plate 21 has multiple protruding rings 211, with each pair of adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 having a one-to-one correspondence between the protruding rings 211, and the through holes 212 formed by the corresponding protruding rings 211 are coaxial. Specifically, the multiple protruding rings 211 on the heat-conducting plate 21 are arranged in an array. The axial directions of the through holes 212 on the multiple protruding rings 211 are parallel to each other and are all perpendicular to the plane on which the heat-conducting plate 21 is located. This arrangement allows the pipe structure 22 to pass through the multiple protruding rings 211 in sequence to simultaneously contact the multiple heat-conducting plates 21.

[0103] In this embodiment, each heat-conducting plate 21 has 4 rows * 10 columns of protruding rings 211, totaling 40 protruding rings 211. The forty protruding rings 211 of two adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 correspond one-to-one, and the axes of the through holes 212 formed by the corresponding two protruding rings 211 coincide. In other embodiments, the multiple protruding rings 211 on the heat-conducting plate 21 can also be arranged in other ways, and the number of protruding rings 211 on the heat-conducting plate 21 can also be other. The present invention does not limit the number of protruding rings 211.

[0104] In this embodiment, the heat-conducting sheet 21 is also provided with multiple perforations 213, and the phase change material can flow along the perforations 213, which improves the flowability of the phase change material between multiple heat-conducting sheets 21, thereby reducing the difficulty of filling the phase change material.

[0105] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 13 to 15 Multiple protruding rings 211 on different heat-conducting sheets 21 protrude in the same direction. In this embodiment, all the protruding rings 211 extend in a direction away from the cover 12 and abut against the heat-conducting sheets 21 adjacent in that direction. With this arrangement, the assembly of the heat-conducting sheet group 23 is easier, and it is convenient to form the heat-conducting sheets 21 using the same mold, thereby reducing costs.

[0106] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figures 13 to 15 The height A of the protrusion of the convex ring 211 relative to the heat-conducting plate 21 ranges from 1mm to 5mm. Specifically, the height A of the convex ring 211 can be selected as 1.0mm, 1.2mm, 1.6mm, 2.2mm, 2.5mm, 2.7mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, etc. It can be understood that by setting the height A of the convex ring 211 to between 1.1mm and 3mm, the distance between two adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 can be kept between 1mm and 5mm, which helps to reduce the design difficulty of the heat exchanger 20.

[0107] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 11The plane where the heat-conducting plate 21 is located is parallel to the vertical plane. With this arrangement, during the solid-liquid conversion process of the phase change material, the phase change material in the gap between two adjacent heat-conducting plates 21 can deform in the vertical direction. The extrusion pressure of the phase change material on the heat-conducting plate 21 is small, which can reduce the risk of the heat-conducting plate 21 being damaged by the phase change material. At the same time, the resistance experienced by the phase change material is small, which facilitates the complete solidification or liquefaction of the phase change material, and also facilitates the filling of the phase change material.

[0108] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 13 Multiple heat-conducting plates 21 abut against the bottom wall 1012 of the cavity 101 and are spaced apart from the top wall 1011 of the cavity 101. Specifically, the heat-conducting plates 21 can be made of metals or alloys with excellent thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper. It is understood that when the liquid phase change material solidifies exothermically, it will deposit at the bottom of the cavity 101 under its own gravity. By setting multiple heat-conducting plates 21 to abut against the bottom wall 1012 of the cavity 101, the solid phase change material has a larger contact area with the multiple heat-conducting plates 21, improving the heat exchange efficiency between the heat-conducting plate assembly 23 and the solid phase change material. In other words, with the amount of phase change material remaining constant, the heat-conducting plates 21 can be designed to be larger to obtain a larger contact area with the phase change material.

[0109] In this embodiment, the sidewalls of the cavity 101 include a first sidewall 1013 and a second sidewall 1014, with two of each. The two first sidewalls 1013 are arranged opposite each other in a horizontal direction parallel to the heat-conducting sheet 21, and the two second sidewalls 1014 are arranged opposite each other in the arrangement direction 91 of the plurality of heat-conducting sheets 21. The two first sidewalls 1013, the two second sidewalls 1014, the top wall 1011, and the bottom wall 1012 enclose the cavity 101. The plurality of heat-conducting sheets 21 abut against the two first sidewalls 1013 to further increase the contact area between the solid phase change material and the heat-conducting sheet assembly 23.

[0110] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 13 The inner liner assembly 100 includes a filler block disposed between the corresponding sidewall of the cavity 101 and the heat-conducting plates 21 in the arrangement direction 91 of the plurality of heat-conducting plates 21. Specifically, one side of the filler block is attached to the heat-conducting plate 21, and the other side of the filler block is attached to the second sidewall 1014. It is understood that the space between the heat-conducting plate group 23 and the second sidewall 1014 cannot perform effective heat exchange due to the absence of heat-conducting devices. By providing a filler block between the heat-conducting plate group 23 and the second sidewall 1014, the filler block can fill the space between the heat-conducting plate group 23 and the second sidewall 1014, thereby saving phase change material and reducing costs.

[0111] In this embodiment, two filler blocks are used, each disposed between one of the two second sidewalls 1014 and the corresponding heat-conducting plate 21. In other embodiments, only one filler block may be used, disposed between one of the second sidewalls 1014 and the corresponding heat-conducting plate 21, to save phase change material and reduce costs. In other embodiments, the filler block may also be disposed between the heat-conducting plate group 23 and the bottom wall 1012 to further save phase change material.

[0112] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 13 The pipe structure 22 protrudes from at least one side relative to the heat-conducting fin assembly 23. The filler block has a hollow structure that avoids the protruding part of the pipe structure 22. By setting the hollow structure in the filler block, the protruding part of the pipe structure 22 relative to the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 (a U-shaped tube in this embodiment) can be housed in the hollow structure, so that the filler block can better fill the space between the heat-conducting fin assembly 23 and the second side wall 1014, thereby saving phase change material.

[0113] In this embodiment, the pipe structure 22 protrudes from both opposite sides of the plurality of heat-conducting plates 21 in the arrangement direction 91. The filling blocks on both sides are provided with corresponding hollow structures to accommodate the protrusions of the pipe structure 22 on both sides respectively. In other embodiments, the pipe structure 22 may also protrude from only one side of the plurality of heat-conducting plates 21, and the filling block on that side is provided with a corresponding hollow structure to accommodate the protruding part of the pipe structure 22 on that side.

[0114] In this embodiment, the filler block is constructed as deformable foam to better fill the space between the heat-conducting sheet assembly 23 and the second sidewall 1014. In other embodiments, the filler block may also be made of other materials.

[0115] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figure 8 , Figure 13 and Figure 16 , Figure 16 yes Figure 8 The diagram shows the structure of the heat exchanger 20 and part of the housing 10 of the inner liner assembly 100. When the phase change material is in a solid state, there is a gap 102 between the phase change material and the top wall 1011 of the cavity 101, and the ratio of the volume of the gap 102 to the volume of the cavity 101 is 5%-20%. Specifically, the ratio of the volume of the gap 102 to the volume of the cavity 101 can be selected as 5%, 6.5%, 7%, 8.5%, 9.5%, 15%, 20%, etc.

[0116] Understandably, the solid phase change material will melt into a liquid state after absorbing sufficient heat through the heat exchanger 20, during which its volume increases. Conversely, the liquefied phase change material will solidify after transferring sufficient heat to the heat exchanger 20, during which its volume decreases. When the ratio of the volume of the void 102 to the volume of the cavity 101 is less than 5%, the phase change material does not have enough space to fully liquefy. When the ratio of the volume of the void 102 to the volume of the cavity 101 is greater than 20%, there is too little phase change material in the cavity 101, making it difficult to store a large amount of heat, resulting in a low upper limit for heat storage and failing to meet energy storage requirements.

[0117] By setting the gap 102 between the phase change material in its solid state and the top wall 1011 of the cavity 101 to be 5%-20% of the volume of the cavity 101, the phase change material has enough space to completely liquefy, and the phase change material can fully absorb heat. At the same time, the cavity 101 contains enough phase change material to increase the upper limit of heat storage and meet the energy storage requirements.

[0118] In this embodiment, when the phase change material is in a liquid state, it fills the voids 102. This configuration allows for the storage of a large amount of phase change material within the cavity 101, achieving a higher heat storage limit while maintaining the same volume of the cavity 101. Simultaneously, the phase change material has sufficient space to completely liquefy after absorbing heat, which facilitates the miniaturization of the phase change water heater 1000 while meeting energy storage requirements.

[0119] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figure 16 When the phase change material is in a solid state, it covers the heat-conducting sheet assembly 23. In this embodiment, the solid phase change material is higher than the multiple heat-conducting sheets 21 by a certain height. For ease of understanding, Figure 16 The shaded area 90 represents the phase change material in its solid state. It can be understood that during the solidification process, the volume of the phase change material gradually decreases until it is completely solidified. By covering multiple heat-conducting plates 21 with solid phase change material, it is ensured that the phase change material and the multiple heat-conducting plates 21 are always in complete contact, maintaining a high heat exchange efficiency.

[0120] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 17 , Figure 17This is a schematic diagram of the heat exchanger 20 and part of the housing 10 of the inner liner assembly 100 in another embodiment. The solid phase change material is flush with the heat-conducting fin group 23, that is, the solid phase change material has the same height as the multiple heat-conducting fins 21 (the top side of the solid phase change material is flush with the top side of the multiple heat-conducting fins 21), and the distance between the solid phase change material and the top wall 1011 of the cavity 101 is equal to the distance between the multiple heat-conducting fins 21 and the top wall 1011 of the cavity 101. This arrangement can reduce the amount of phase change material used while ensuring the contact area between the multiple heat-conducting fins 21 and the phase change material, which helps to reduce the volume of the inner liner assembly 100.

[0121] In one embodiment of this implementation, please refer to Figure 16 and Figure 17 When the phase change material is in a solid state, the ratio of the distance H1 between the phase change material and the top wall 1011 of the cavity 101 to the height H2 of the cavity 101 is in the range of 5%-20%. In this embodiment, the cavity 101 of the box 10 is constructed as a rectangular cavity. When the phase change material is in a solid state, the ratio of the distance H1 between the phase change material and the top wall 1011 of the cavity 101 to the height H2 of the cavity 101 is also in the range of 5%-20%, so as to achieve a ratio of 5%-20% between the volume of the gap 102 and the volume of the cavity 101, which can reduce the design difficulty of the inner liner assembly 100.

[0122] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.

Claims

1. An inner tank assembly for a phase change water heater, characterized in that, include: The housing has a cavity filled with a phase change material; A heat exchanger is disposed in the cavity. The heat exchanger includes a heat-conducting fin assembly, an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, and multiple heat-conducting pipes. The multiple heat-conducting pipes pass through the heat-conducting fin assembly. The heat-conducting fin assembly is in heat transfer contact with the phase change material. The heat-conducting fin assembly has a central region and an edge region surrounding the central region. The heat-conducting pipes extend from the central region to the edge region. The multiple heat-conducting pipes are all connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe to form multiple water channels that flow into the central region and out of the edge region.

2. The inner liner assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat-conducting pipes are arranged in a meandering manner along the arrangement direction of the heat-conducting fins, so as to extend from the middle region to the edge region.

3. The inner liner assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heat-conducting sheet assembly includes multiple heat-conducting sheets. In a plane perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple heat-conducting sheets, the heat-conducting pipe first extends along the length direction of the heat-conducting sheet, then extends along the width direction of the heat-conducting sheet, and then extends along the length direction of the heat-conducting sheet to the middle of the heat-conducting sheet in the length direction.

4. The inner liner assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple heat-conducting pipes are connected in parallel.

5. The inner liner assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The heat-conducting pipeline includes a first heat-conducting pipe and a second heat-conducting pipe. The middle region includes multiple first sub-regions, each of which is provided with the first heat-conducting pipe. The edge region includes multiple second sub-regions, each of which is provided with the second heat-conducting pipe. The second heat-conducting pipe of each second sub-region is connected to the first heat-conducting pipe of the corresponding first sub-region.

6. The inner liner assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The heat exchanger includes a first water distribution pipe and a second water distribution pipe. The first water distribution pipe is connected to the inlet pipe and the first heat-conducting pipes of multiple first sub-regions. The second water distribution pipe is connected to the outlet pipe and the second heat-conducting pipes of multiple second sub-regions.

7. The inner liner assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first water distribution pipe, the second water distribution pipe, the inlet pipe, and the outlet pipe are located on the same side of the heat-conducting fin assembly.

8. The inner liner assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first water distribution pipe has a first main water inlet and multiple first branch water inlets. The first main water inlet is connected to the water inlet pipe, and the multiple first branch water inlets are respectively connected to corresponding first heat-conducting pipes; and / or, The second water distribution pipe has a connected second main water inlet and multiple second water distribution outlets. The second main water inlet is connected to the water outlet pipe, and the multiple second water distribution outlets are respectively connected to the corresponding second heat conduction pipes.

9. The inner liner assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, Multiple first water outlets are arranged opposite to the first main water outlet; and / or multiple second water outlets are arranged opposite to the second main water outlet.

10. The inner liner assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, Multiple first heat pipes and multiple second heat pipes are arranged in an array in the heat-conducting plate group.

11. The inner liner assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that, In the plurality of first heat pipes and the plurality of second heat pipes, the distance range between two adjacent first heat pipes, the distance range between two adjacent second heat pipes, and the distance range between adjacent first heat pipes and second heat pipes are all 20mm-45mm.

12. The inner liner assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outer diameter of the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe ranges from 5mm to 9.5mm.

13. The inner liner assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat-conducting sheet assembly includes multiple heat-conducting sheets arranged sequentially at intervals along the horizontal direction. The distance between two adjacent heat-conducting sheets ranges from 1 mm to 5 mm, and the viscosity of the phase change material in the liquid state ranges from 1000 Pa·s to 5000 Pa·s.

14. The inner liner assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the phase change material is in a solid state, there is a gap between the phase change material and the top wall of the cavity, and the ratio of the gap to the volume of the cavity is 5%-20%.

15. A phase change water heater, characterized in that, Includes the inner liner assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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