Electric water heater

Abstract

The application discloses an electric water heater, and relates to the technical field of water heaters. The electric water heater comprises a water tank, a heater, a circulating pipeline assembly and a heat exchanger. The water tank is provided with a water storage cavity, a water inlet and a water outlet which are communicated with the water storage cavity. The heater is arranged in the water storage cavity. The circulating pipeline assembly is arranged outside the water tank and is communicated with the water inlet and the water outlet, and is used for driving the water in the water storage cavity to flow back from the water outlet to the water inlet. The heat exchanger is arranged in the water storage cavity and is configured to exchange heat between the water flowing through the heat exchanger and the water in the water storage cavity. The water inlet end of the heat exchanger is used for being communicated with a cold water inlet pipe, and the water outlet end of the heat exchanger is used for being communicated with a water pipe. The technical scheme of the application can use running water and improve the heat exchange efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water heater technology, and in particular to an electric water heater. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional storage-type water heaters typically heat the water in the inner tank with a heater and then supply it directly to the user. This method results in a large inner tank volume, takes up a lot of space, and is prone to bacterial growth.

[0003] In related technologies, the water in the inner tank of a heat exchange electric water heater is not flowing, and the heat exchange efficiency between the water in the inner tank and the heater and heat exchanger is relatively low. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide an electric water heater that can use running water while improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the electric water heater proposed in this invention includes:

[0006] A water tank is provided with a water storage chamber and an inlet and an outlet connected to the water storage chamber;

[0007] A heater is provided inside the water storage chamber;

[0008] A circulation pipeline assembly, externally mounted to the water tank and connecting the inlet and outlet, is used to drive water in the storage chamber to flow back from the outlet to the inlet; and

[0009] A heat exchanger is disposed in the water storage cavity and configured to allow the water flowing through it to exchange heat with the water in the water storage cavity. The inlet end of the heat exchanger is used to connect to the cold water inlet pipe, and the outlet end of the heat exchanger is used to connect to the water supply pipe.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the water outlet is located at the upper part of the water tank, and the water inlet is located at the lower part of the water tank;

[0011] The heater is located in the lower part of the water storage chamber, and the heat exchanger is located above the heater.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the water tank is provided with a flow-blocking plate, which divides the water storage cavity into a first cavity and a second cavity that can allow water to pass between them.

[0013] The heater and the heat exchanger are both located in the first cavity, the water inlet is connected to the first cavity, and the water outlet is connected to the second cavity.

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, the flow-blocking plate is installed on the bottom wall of the water tank and extends upward, and the top wall of the flow-blocking plate is spaced apart from the top wall of the water tank to form a flow channel connecting the first cavity and the second cavity.

[0015] In one embodiment of this application, the water inlet is located on the bottom wall of the water tank; the heater is located in the lower region of the first cavity and above the water inlet, and the heat exchanger is correspondingly located above the heater.

[0016] In one embodiment of this application, the upper surface of the baffle plate is higher than the upper surface of the heat exchanger.

[0017] In one embodiment of this application, the water outlet is located at the bottom of the second cavity.

[0018] In one embodiment of this application, the flow-blocking plate is provided with a plurality of flow holes.

[0019] In one embodiment of this application, the water tank is an open tank, the top of the water storage chamber is provided with a cavity, and the water tank is also provided with an overflow vent pipe communicating with the cavity.

[0020] In one embodiment of this application, the electric water heater further includes a four-way valve, one end of which is connected to the water inlet, one end of which is connected to the circulation pipeline assembly, one end of which is connected to the cold water inlet pipe, and the other end of which is connected to the sewage pipe.

[0021] The four-way valve is used to connect the circulation pipeline assembly to the water inlet, or to connect the cold water inlet pipe to the water inlet, or to connect the water inlet to the sewage pipe.

[0022] In the electric water heater of this invention, a heater is used to heat the water in the storage chamber, and a heat exchanger is set inside the storage chamber to exchange heat with the water in the storage chamber, thereby realizing the function of heating hot water for use. By setting a circulation pipeline assembly that is connected to the outlet and inlet of the storage chamber, the circulation pipeline assembly can drive the water in the storage chamber to flow back from the outlet to the inlet, so that the water in the storage chamber can form forced convection, which can effectively improve the thermal efficiency of the water in the storage chamber, the heater and the heat exchanger, and speed up the preparation of hot water. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the electric water heater of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the electric water heater of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the flow-blocking plate in this invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the flow-blocking plate in this invention.

[0028] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0029] label name label name 1 water tank 4 Circulation piping assembly 101 Water storage chamber 41 Circulation pipeline 101a First cavity 42 water pump 101b Second cavity 5 baffle plate 102 Inlet 61 Four-way valve 103 water outlet 62 Water supply valve 104 Water inlet 63 drain valve 2 heater 64 Tee pipe 3 heat exchanger 71 Cold water inlet pipe 301 heat exchanger inlet end 72 hot water outlet pipe 302 outlet of the heat exchanger 73 Overflow vent pipe

[0030] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0033] Meanwhile, the meaning of "and / or" or "and / or" appearing throughout the text is that it includes three options. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes option A, option B, or an option that satisfies both A and B.

[0034] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0035] Traditional storage-type water heaters typically heat the water in the inner tank and supply it directly to the user. However, this method suffers from problems such as a large inner tank volume, which takes up a lot of space and is prone to bacterial growth. To solve these problems, related technologies employ heat exchange electric water heaters with heat exchange tubes arranged in the inner tank to achieve running water heating, so that the water supply path does not directly contact the water stored in the inner tank, thus improving water quality. However, in traditional heat exchange electric water heaters, the water in the inner tank is not flowing; the heat exchange between the water and the heater and heat exchange tubes is through natural convection, resulting in low heat exchange efficiency.

[0036] Therefore, this invention proposes an electric water heater that aims to improve heat exchange efficiency while heating running water.

[0037] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the electric water heater includes a water tank 1, a heater 2, a circulation pipeline assembly 4, and a heat exchanger 3.

[0038] Water tank 1 is provided with a water storage chamber 101 and an inlet 102 and an outlet 103 connected to the water storage chamber 101; heater 2 is provided inside the water storage chamber 101; circulation pipeline assembly 4 is externally placed in water tank 1 and connected to the inlet 102 and the outlet 103, used to drive the water in the water storage chamber 101 to flow back from the outlet 103 to the inlet 102; heat exchanger 3 is provided inside the water storage chamber 101 and configured to allow the water flowing through it to exchange heat with the water in the water storage chamber 101, the inlet end 301 of the heat exchanger 3 is used to connect to the cold water inlet pipe 71, and the outlet end 302 of the heat exchanger 3 is used to connect to the hot water outlet pipe 72.

[0039] In this embodiment, the water tank 1 is provided with an inlet 102 and an outlet 103 communicating with the water storage chamber 101. A circulation pipeline assembly 4 is provided outside the water tank 1, connecting the inlet 102 and the outlet 103. The water in the water storage chamber 101 is driven to flow back from the outlet 103 to the inlet 102 via the circulation pipeline assembly 4. Thus, the water storage chamber 101 and the circulation pipeline assembly 4 form a circulation loop for the water in the water storage chamber 101. The water in the water storage chamber 101 is heated by the heater 2. The water in the storage chamber 101 can exchange heat with the heat exchanger 3, heating the cold water in the heat exchanger 3 to the user-set temperature. The water, after exchanging heat with the heat exchanger 3, flows from the outlet 103 through the circulation pipe assembly 4 back to the inlet 102 where it is reheated by the heater 2. This continuous circulation of water within the storage chamber 101 changes the heat exchange method between the water in the storage chamber 101 and the heater 2 and heat exchanger 3 from natural convection to forced convection, increasing the convective heat transfer coefficient and improving thermal efficiency. Furthermore, the inlet 301 of the heat exchanger 3 is connected to the cold water inlet pipe 71, and the outlet 302 is connected to the hot water outlet pipe 72, enabling the use of heated, fresh water. Compared to directly using water that has been heated multiple times in the storage chamber 101, this effectively improves the quality of water usage.

[0040] Understandably, the specific structure of the circulation pipeline assembly 4 can be determined according to the actual situation. For example, the circulation pipeline assembly 4 may include a circulation pipeline 41 externally placed in the water tank 1 and a driving component. The circulation pipeline 41 connects the outlet 103 and the inlet 102, and the driving component is used to drive the water flow from the outlet 103 to the inlet 102. The driving component can be installed on the circulation pipeline 41, or at the inlet 102 or outlet 103 of the water tank 1. Optionally, the driving component can be a water pump 42 structure. In practical applications, the heat exchanger 3 can be a bare tube heat exchanger 3, a tube-fin heat exchanger 3, a vortex heat exchanger 3, or a shell-and-tube heat exchanger 3, etc. In practical applications, the heater 2 can be a heating tube. In practical applications, the water tank 1 can be a closed water tank 1 or an open water tank 1.

[0041] In summary, in the electric water heater of the present invention, the heater 2 is used to heat the water in the water storage chamber 101, and the heat exchanger 3 is set inside the water storage chamber 101 to exchange heat with the water in the water storage chamber 101, thereby realizing the function of heating live water for use; by setting a circulation pipeline assembly 4 that is connected to the outlet 103 and the inlet 102 of the water storage chamber 101, the circulation pipeline assembly 4 can drive the water in the water storage chamber 101 to flow back from the outlet 103 to the inlet 102, so that the water in the water storage chamber 101 can form forced convection, which can effectively improve the thermal efficiency of the water in the water storage chamber 101, the heater 2 and the heat exchanger 3, and accelerate the speed of hot water preparation.

[0042] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2In one embodiment of this application, the water outlet 103 is located at the upper part of the water tank 1, and the water inlet 102 is located at the lower part of the water tank 1; the heater 2 is located in the lower region of the water storage chamber 101, and the heat exchanger 3 is located above the heater 2.

[0043] Understandably, in the water storage chamber 101, warmer water flows upward and cooler water flows downward. In this embodiment, by placing the heater 2 in the lower part of the water storage chamber 101 and the heat exchanger 3 above the heater 2, the heater 2 can effectively heat the cooler water. When the heated water flows upward, it can directly contact the heat exchanger 3 for heat exchange, thus heating the cold water in the heat exchanger 3. After exchanging heat with the heat exchanger 3, the water temperature decreases and can flow out through the outlet 103 at the upper part of the water tank 1 into the circulation pipe 41. Then, it enters the water storage chamber 101 through the inlet 102 at the lower part of the water tank 1 and is reheated by the heater 2. This cycle repeats, resulting in strong convection of water in the water storage chamber 101 and improving heat exchange efficiency. It should be noted that by setting the outlet 103 at the upper position, the water with a lower temperature after heat exchange with the heat exchanger 3 can flow away in time, without mixing with the hot water in the water storage chamber 101 and causing internal heat loss, thus further improving the heating efficiency of the water in the heat exchanger 3.

[0044] Optionally, the heat exchanger 3 can be located in the upper part of the water storage chamber 101, and the lower surface of the outlet 103 is higher than the upper surface of the heat exchanger 3. This ensures that the hot water in the water storage chamber 101 flows out of the outlet 103 only after it has completely exchanged heat with the heat exchanger 3.

[0045] To further improve thermal efficiency, please refer to Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, a baffle plate 5 is provided in the water tank 1. The baffle plate 5 divides the water storage chamber 101 into a first chamber 101a and a second chamber 101b that can pass water between each other. The heater 2 and the heat exchanger 3 are both located in the first chamber 101a. The water inlet 102 is connected to the first chamber 101a, and the water outlet 103 is connected to the second chamber 101b.

[0046] The water storage chamber 101 is divided into a first chamber 101a and a second chamber 101b by the baffle plate 5, so that the water in the water storage chamber 101 is divided into two parts. The inlet 102 is connected to the first chamber 101a and the outlet 103 is connected to the second chamber 101b, so that the circulation pipeline assembly 4 can transport the water in the second chamber 101b to the first chamber 101a. The water in the first chamber 101a can flow from inside the water tank 1 to the second chamber 101b, thereby achieving the purpose of forced convection of water in the water storage chamber 101. By placing both the heater 2 and the heat exchanger 3 inside the first cavity 101a, the hot water heated by the heater 2 can exchange heat with the heat exchanger 3 and then enter the second cavity 101b. This prevents the hot water from mixing with the hot water in the first cavity 101a and causing internal heat loss. The water in the second cavity 101b can flow out from the outlet 103 and return to the first cavity 101a through the circulation pipe 41 to be reheated by the heater 2. This cycle is repeated to improve thermal efficiency.

[0047] Please see Figure 2 In one embodiment, the baffle plate 5 is installed on the bottom wall of the water tank 1 and extends upward. The top wall of the baffle plate 5 is spaced apart from the top wall of the water tank 1 to form a flow channel connecting the first cavity 101a and the second cavity 101b.

[0048] In this embodiment, the baffle plate 5 extends vertically. Therefore, the first cavity 101a and the second cavity 101b are respectively located on the lateral sides of the baffle plate 5. The top wall of the baffle plate 5 and the top wall of the water tank 1 are spaced apart to form a flow channel. Water in the first cavity 101a can flow through this flow channel to the second cavity 101b, thus smoothly achieving water circulation within the water storage chamber 101. With this arrangement, the cooler water in the first cavity 101a, after heat exchange with the heat exchanger 3, can be fed by the hot water flowing from below into the flow channel and then into the second cavity 101b, avoiding mixing and heat loss.

[0049] Please see Figure 2 In one embodiment, the water inlet 102 is located on the bottom wall of the water tank 1; the heater 2 is located in the lower region of the first cavity 101a and above the water inlet 102, and the heat exchanger 3 is located above the heater 2.

[0050] With this design, the cooler water enters the water storage chamber 101 from the bottom and can directly flush the heater 2 located above it. Since the water entering from the inlet 102 has a certain power due to the driving force of the circulation pipe assembly 4, it still has the power to flow upward after being heated by the heater 2. It can continue to flow upward to the heat exchanger 3 for heat exchange. The water whose temperature has decreased after heat exchange with the heat exchanger 3 can be further squeezed upward by the hot water flowing from below until it flows into the second chamber 101b through the flow channel. Thus, the water in contact with the heat exchanger 3 is basically hot water flowing from below, and the heat exchange efficiency is effectively improved.

[0051] Understandably, the baffle plate 5 in this embodiment can play a guiding role, so that the hot water in the first cavity 101a can flow upward to the upper region of the first cavity 101a and fully contact the heat exchanger 3 for heat exchange.

[0052] Optionally, the inlet 301 and outlet 302 of the heat exchanger 3 are located on the bottom wall of the water tank 1, respectively on both sides of the inlet 102. This arrangement allows the heat exchanger 3 to be directly above the heater 2, enabling the heated hot water to flow directly upwards to the heat exchanger 3 for heat exchange. Furthermore, all connecting pipes are located on the bottom wall of the water tank 1, making disassembly and maintenance easier for personnel.

[0053] Please see Figure 2 In one embodiment, the upper surface of the baffle plate 5 is higher than the upper surface of the heat exchanger 3.

[0054] This design ensures that the hot water in the first chamber 101a can fully exchange heat with the heat exchanger 3 before flowing into the second chamber 101b through the flow passage above the baffle plate 5. This avoids the situation where the upper part of the heat exchanger 3 does not exchange heat with the hot water, and also avoids the situation where the hot water flows out of the first chamber 101a before it has a chance to come into contact with the heat exchanger 3.

[0055] Please see Figure 2 In one embodiment, the water outlet 103 is located at the bottom of the second cavity 101b.

[0056] Understandably, the water in the first cavity 101a flows into the second cavity 101b through the flow passage above the baffle plate 5. That is, the water in the second cavity 101b enters from the top. By setting the outlet 103 at the bottom of the second cavity 101b, the water in the second cavity 101b flows from the top to the bottom before flowing out. This ensures the fluidity of the water in the second cavity 101b and avoids the situation where some water in the second cavity 101b does not flow.

[0057] This design allows the water in the water storage chamber 101 to flow fully, resulting in better forced convection and higher convective heat exchange efficiency between the water in the water storage chamber 101 and the heater 2 and heat exchanger 3.

[0058] Please see Figures 2 to 4 In one embodiment, the flow baffle 5 is provided with a plurality of flow holes.

[0059] With this design, multiple flow holes can turbulentize the water in the water storage chamber 101, increasing the turbulence of the water flow and further improving the convective heat transfer efficiency between the water in the water storage chamber 101 and the heating pipe and heat exchanger 3.

[0060] Optionally, the baffle plate 5 can be a filter structure or a grid structure, etc.

[0061] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the water tank 1 is an open tank, the top of the water storage cavity 101 is provided with a cavity, and the water tank 1 is also provided with an overflow vent pipe 73 communicating with the cavity.

[0062] In this embodiment, the water tank 1 is a non-pressurized water tank 1. By setting a cavity at the top of the water storage chamber 101, and by setting an overflow vent pipe 73, the water tank 1 connects the cavity to the outside, providing sufficient space for the water inside the water storage chamber 101 to expand under heating. This prevents the water tank 1 from bearing the expansion pressure of the water inside the water storage chamber 101, effectively extending its service life. Furthermore, based on this, the shape of the water tank 1 can be determined according to the actual situation, such as being rectangular, square, or other shapes, and is not limited to the traditional cylindrical shape.

[0063] Optionally, the overflow vent pipe 73 is installed on the bottom wall of the water tank 1, with the inlet end of the overflow vent pipe 73 extending upward to the cavity and the outlet end extending out of the bottom wall of the water tank 1 to communicate with the outside.

[0064] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, the water heater further includes a four-way valve 61. One end of the four-way valve 61 is connected to the water inlet 102, one end is connected to the circulation pipe assembly 4, one end is connected to the cold water inlet pipe 71, and the other end is connected to the sewage pipe. The four-way valve 61 is used to connect the circulation pipe assembly 4 to the water inlet 102, or to connect the cold water inlet pipe 71 to the water inlet 102, or to connect the water inlet 102 to the sewage pipe.

[0065] Understandably, when the water level in the water storage chamber 101 is low, water replenishment is required. When the water storage chamber 101 needs cleaning, a sewage cleaning operation is required. In this embodiment, a four-way valve 61 is installed at the water inlet 102, which is connected to the circulation pipe 41, the cold water inlet pipe 71, and the sewage pipe, respectively. This allows water replenishment, sewage discharge, and circulation to share the same water inlet 102, enabling the switching of different water paths as needed. This eliminates the need for separate openings for each water path on the water tank 1, thereby improving the structural strength of the water tank 1, reducing the risk of leakage, and simplifying the pipe layout.

[0066] Of course, in some other embodiments, a four-way pipe can be installed at the water inlet 102, and valve structures can be set on the corresponding pipes connected to it. For example, a water supply valve 62 can be set on the pipe connected to the cold water inlet pipe 71, and a drain valve 63 can be set on the pipe connected to the drain pipe.

[0067] In some other embodiments, a water inlet 104 can be provided on the bottom wall of the water tank 1, and a three-way pipe 64 can be provided at the water inlet 104, with one end connected to the water inlet 104, one end connected to the cold water inlet pipe 71, and the other end connected to the sewage pipe.

[0068] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electric water heater, characterized in that, include: A water tank is provided with a water storage chamber and an inlet and an outlet connected to the water storage chamber; A heater is provided inside the water storage chamber; A circulation pipeline assembly, externally placed in the water tank and connected to the inlet and outlet, is used to drive the water in the storage chamber to flow back from the outlet to the inlet; as well as A heat exchanger is disposed in the water storage cavity and configured to allow the water flowing through it to exchange heat with the water in the water storage cavity. The inlet end of the heat exchanger is used to connect to the cold water inlet pipe, and the outlet end of the heat exchanger is used to connect to the hot water outlet pipe.

2. The electric water heater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water outlet is located at the upper part of the water tank, and the water inlet is located at the lower part of the water tank. The heater is located in the lower part of the water storage chamber, and the heat exchanger is located above the heater.

3. The electric water heater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water tank is equipped with a flow-blocking plate, which divides the water storage chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber that allow water to pass between them. The heater and the heat exchanger are both located in the first cavity, the water inlet is connected to the first cavity, and the water outlet is connected to the second cavity.

4. The electric water heater as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The flow-blocking plate is installed on the bottom wall of the water tank and extends upward. The top wall of the flow-blocking plate is spaced apart from the top wall of the water tank to form a flow channel connecting the first cavity and the second cavity.

5. The electric water heater as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The water inlet is located on the bottom wall of the water tank; the heater is located in the lower part of the first cavity and above the water inlet, and the heat exchanger is located above the heater.

6. The electric water heater as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The upper surface of the baffle plate is higher than the upper surface of the heat exchanger.

7. The electric water heater as described in any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, The water outlet is located at the bottom of the second cavity.

8. The electric water heater as described in any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, The flow-blocking plate is provided with multiple flow holes.

9. The electric water heater as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The water tank is an open-type tank, and the top of the water storage chamber is provided with a cavity. The water tank is also provided with an overflow vent pipe that communicates with the cavity.

10. The electric water heater as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The electric water heater also includes a four-way valve, one end of which is connected to the water inlet, one end of which is connected to the circulation pipeline assembly, one end of which is connected to the cold water inlet pipe, and the other end of which is connected to the sewage pipe. The four-way valve is used to connect the circulation pipeline assembly to the water inlet, or to connect the cold water inlet pipe to the water inlet, or to connect the water inlet to the sewage pipe.

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