Hot water supply system based on solar energy

Abstract

The utility model provides a hot water supply system based on solar energy, which comprises a solar heat collector, a phase change heat storage unit, a water heater heat storage water tank, a first heat exchange unit, a second heat exchange unit and a control unit, the control unit comprises a controller, a first temperature sensor arranged on the solar heat collector, a second temperature sensor arranged on the phase change heat storage unit and a third temperature sensor arranged in a heat storage water tank of the water heater. The controller is in signal connection with the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, the third temperature sensor, the first control switch, the second control switch, the third control switch, the fourth control switch and the fifth control switch. By means of the hot water supply system, a method that solar heating is used as a main mode, phase change heat storage and auxiliary heat supply are used for supplement is formed, the utilization rate of solar energy is improved, heat is stably and continuously provided, and the all-weather hot water requirement of people is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of solar heating, and specifically relates to a solar-based hot water supply system. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing prominence of global energy shortages and environmental pollution, solar energy is being applied more and more widely in many fields. Among them, solar water heaters have achieved good economic and social benefits in the application of domestic hot water supply.

[0003] However, water heater usage is generally low during the day and peaks at night. Therefore, during peak nighttime usage, the stored hot water in the heater often runs out, leading to insufficient hot water supply. To address this, solar water heaters, in addition to using solar energy for heating, often supplement their heating with other methods. For example, the solar heat pump water heater disclosed in CN201715701U includes a solar heat pump circulation unit, a heat storage unit, and an electrical control unit. The electrical control unit controls the solar heat pump circulation unit to heat the heat storage unit. This type of water heater can use solar energy for heating when solar energy is abundant, and when solar energy is scarce or insufficient, it uses the heat pump circulation unit for heating, ensuring sufficient heat supply regardless of solar energy availability.

[0004] While the aforementioned solar heat pump water heaters can guarantee the heat output of the water heater, when solar energy is abundant, the water in the heater is already fully heated. If the user's hot water demand is insufficient, this directly leads to heat loss and low solar energy utilization. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a solar-based hot water supply system.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A solar-based hot water supply system includes: a solar collector, a phase change heat storage unit, a hot water storage tank, a first heat exchange unit, a second heat exchange unit, and a control unit;

[0008] The solar collector is connected to the heat input terminal of the first heat exchange unit via a first control switch, and the solar collector is connected to the heat input terminal of the second heat exchange unit via the first control switch and a first check valve.

[0009] The phase change heat storage unit is connected to the heat output terminal of the first heat exchange unit via a second control switch, and the phase change heat storage unit is connected to the heat input terminal of the second heat exchange unit via a fourth control switch. The phase change heat storage unit is replenished with water via a third control switch.

[0010] The hot water storage tank of the water heater is connected to the heat output terminal of the second heat exchange unit via a fifth control switch;

[0011] The control unit includes a controller, and the control unit also includes a first temperature sensor installed on the solar collector, a second temperature sensor installed on the phase change heat storage unit, and a third temperature sensor installed in the hot water storage tank of the water heater; the controller is connected to the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, the third temperature sensor, the first control switch, the second control switch, the third control switch, the fourth control switch, and the fifth control switch respectively.

[0012] Preferably, the first heat exchange unit includes a first water heater, and the second heat exchange unit includes a second water heater; further comprising:

[0013] The first three-way valve has its inlet connected to the outlet of the solar collector, its first outlet connected to the first inlet of the first heat exchanger, and its second outlet connected to the first inlet of the third three-way valve.

[0014] The second three-way valve has its first inlet connected to the first outlet of the first heat exchanger, its second inlet connected to the first outlet of the fourth three-way valve, and its outlet connected to the inlet of the solar collector.

[0015] The third three-way valve has its second inlet connected to the first outlet of the phase change heat storage unit, and its outlet connected to the first inlet of the second heat exchanger.

[0016] The fourth three-way valve has its inlet connected to the first outlet of the second heat exchanger and its second outlet connected to the first inlet of the phase change heat storage unit.

[0017] The second outlet of the phase change heat storage unit is connected to the second inlet of the first heat exchanger, and the second inlet of the phase change heat storage unit is connected to the second outlet of the first heat exchanger.

[0018] The first outlet of the hot water storage tank of the water heater is connected to the second inlet of the second heat exchanger, and the first inlet of the hot water storage tank of the water heater is connected to the second outlet of the second heat exchanger.

[0019] Preferably, it also includes an auxiliary heating unit and a third heat exchange unit;

[0020] The outlet of the auxiliary heating unit is connected to the second inlet of the third heat exchange unit, and the inlet of the auxiliary heating unit is connected to the second outlet of the third heat exchange unit.

[0021] The second outlet of the water heater's hot water storage tank is connected to the first inlet of the third heat exchange unit, and the second inlet of the water heater's hot water storage tank is connected to the first outlet of the third heat exchange unit.

[0022] Preferably, the phase change heat storage unit is provided with paraffin, fatty acid / alcohol, polyol or polymeric phase change material.

[0023] Preferably, the phase change heat storage unit is provided with three baffles inside.

[0024] Preferably, the solar collector is a heat pipe vacuum tube collector.

[0025] Preferably, the water heater's hot water storage tank is an RV-type volumetric water tank.

[0026] Preferably, the first control switch, the second control switch, the third control switch, the fourth control switch, and the fifth control switch are circulating water pumps.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0028] The hot water supply system provided by this utility model overcomes the problem of existing solar water heaters where, when solar energy is abundant, the hot water in the heater has already been fully heated, and the solar energy cannot be fully utilized. Through a phase change thermal storage unit, excess solar energy is fully stored, maximizing the conversion of solar energy into heat energy. This forms a hot water supply system that primarily uses solar heating, supplemented by phase change thermal storage and auxiliary heating. This improves the utilization rate of solar energy, achieves a stable and continuous output of heat, meets people's hot water needs around the clock, and yields significant economic and social benefits. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] 1. Solar collector; 2. Hot water storage tank for water heater; 3. Phase change heat storage device; 7. Automatic exhaust valve; 8. Ventilation valve; 9. Baffle; 11. Heat pump unit; 41. First heat exchanger; 42. Second heat exchanger; 43. Third heat exchanger; 51. First circulating water pump; 52. Second circulating water pump; 53. Third circulating water pump; 54. Fourth circulating water pump; 55. Fifth circulating water pump; 61. First three-way valve; 62. First valve; 63. First check valve; 64. Second valve; 65. Second three-way valve; 66. Third three-way valve; 67. Fourth three-way valve. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. The following embodiments are implemented based on the technical solution of this utility model, and detailed implementation methods and specific operation processes are given. However, the protection scope of this utility model is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0032] It is important to note that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish between descriptive and positional descriptions, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features specified with "first," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature; similarly, when the quantity of certain features is not limited by words such as "two" or "three," it should be noted that such features also explicitly or implicitly include one or more features.

[0033] Example

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, a solar-based hot water supply system includes a solar collector 1, a phase change heat storage unit, a hot water storage tank 2, a first heat exchange unit, a second heat exchange unit, and a control unit.

[0035] The solar collector is connected to the heat input terminal of the first heat exchange unit via a first control switch, and the solar collector is connected to the heat input terminal of the second heat exchange unit via the first control switch and a first check valve.

[0036] The phase change heat storage unit is connected to the heat output terminal of the first heat exchange unit via a second control switch, and the phase change heat storage unit is connected to the heat input terminal of the second heat exchange unit via a fourth control switch. The phase change heat storage unit is replenished with water via a third control switch.

[0037] The hot water storage tank of the water heater is connected to the heat output terminal of the second heat exchange unit via a fifth control switch;

[0038] The control unit includes a controller, and the control unit also includes a first temperature sensor installed on the solar collector, a second temperature sensor installed on the phase change heat storage unit, and a third temperature sensor installed in the hot water storage tank of the water heater; the controller is connected to the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, the third temperature sensor, the first control switch, the second control switch, the third control switch, the fourth control switch, and the fifth control switch respectively.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment provided in this example, a circulating water pump is used to control the heat exchange medium (such as water) flowing through the solar collector 1, the first heat exchange unit, the second heat exchange unit, the phase change heat storage unit, and the water heater storage tank 2. Specifically, in this application, the control switch is set as the circulating water pump. Correspondingly, the first control switch, the second control switch, the third control switch, and the fourth control switch correspond to the first circulating water pump 51, the second circulating water pump 52, the third circulating water pump 53, and the fourth circulating water pump 54, respectively.

[0040] In this embodiment, the solar collector 1 is a heat pipe evacuated tube collector, which has a lower heat loss efficiency than a flat plate collector, thus improving the solar heat collection efficiency. The solar collector 1 is also equipped with an automatic exhaust valve 7 and a ventilation valve 8. The ventilation valve 8 is located at the bottom of the solar collector 1, and the automatic exhaust valve 7 is located at the top of the solar collector 1. The automatic exhaust valve 7 is used for venting and heat dissipation. Under normal circumstances, the automatic exhaust valve 7 does not remove heat. When the first temperature sensor on the solar collector 1 reaches the set temperature, the ventilation valve 8 opens, and the automatic exhaust valve 7 releases gas and removes heat. The ventilation valve 8 can be opened manually.

[0041] In this embodiment, the phase change heat storage unit uses a phase change heat storage device 3. Inside the phase change heat storage device 3, there are three baffles 9 and they are filled with phase change material. The baffles 9 can be, but are not limited to, paraffin, fatty acid / alcohol, polyol or polymer phase change material. Due to the high calorific value of the phase change material, it can store a large amount of heat, which greatly improves the utilization rate of solar energy. The number of baffles 9 can also be set to 2 or 5, etc. The baffles 9 allow the heat transfer medium to exchange heat with the water in the tank at a lower temperature in the lower part, maintain a large temperature difference, and improve the heat exchange efficiency. It is not limited to this.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment of this application, an auxiliary heating unit and a third heat exchange unit are also included. In this embodiment, the auxiliary heating unit is configured as a heat pump unit 11; however, those skilled in the art may use other auxiliary heating methods, and are not limited to this. In this embodiment, the first heat exchange unit is configured as a first heat exchanger 41, the second heat exchange unit as a second heat exchanger 42, and the third heat exchange unit as a third heat exchanger 43.

[0043] The water heater's hot water storage tank 2 adopts an RV-type flow-guiding volumetric water tank, which can be used for long-term and cross-seasonal heat storage. It also has a flow-guiding device inside the tank, making the heat storage efficiency more efficient.

[0044] A third heat exchanger 43 and a second valve 64 are installed between the water heater storage tank 2 and the heat pump unit 11.

[0045] Between the solar collector 1 and the phase change heat storage device 3, a first heat exchanger 41, a first three-way valve 61, a second three-way valve 65, a first circulating water pump 51, a second circulating water pump 52, and a first valve 62 are installed, and a third circulating water pump 53 is installed at the bottom of the phase change heat storage device 3.

[0046] Between the phase change heat storage device 3 and the hot water storage tank 2 of the water heater, a fourth circulating water pump 54, a third three-way valve 66, a fourth three-way valve 67, a second heat exchanger 42, and a fifth circulating water pump 55 are installed, and a first check valve 63 is installed between the first heat exchanger 41 and the second heat exchanger 42.

[0047] Solar collector 1 collects solar energy, starts the first circulating water pump 51 and the fifth circulating water pump 55, closes the first three-way valve inside the first heat exchanger 41, and stores the heat in the water heater storage tank 2 through the second heat exchanger 42.

[0048] When the third temperature sensor installed on the hot water storage tank 2 of the water heater reaches the set value, the fifth circulating water pump 55 is turned off, the second circulating water pump 52 is started, the first three-way valve inside the first heat exchanger 41 is opened, the first three-way valve inside the second heat exchanger 42 is closed, and the solar collector 1 stores the collected solar energy into the phase change heat storage device 3.

[0049] When the temperature inside the hot water storage tank 2 of the water heater is lower than the set value of the third temperature sensor during hot water use, the fourth circulating water pump 54 and the fifth circulating water pump 55 are turned on, and the remaining circulating water pumps are turned off. The phase change heat storage device 3 provides heat to the hot water storage tank 2 of the water heater.

[0050] When both the second temperature sensor on the phase change heat storage device 3 and the third temperature sensor on the water heater storage tank 2 are below the set value, the first circulating water pump 51 and the second circulating water pump 52 are turned off, and the fifth circulating water pump 55 is turned on. The heat pump unit 11 provides heat to the third heat exchanger 43, and the third heat exchanger 43 provides heat to the water heater storage tank 2.

[0051] The first circulating water pump 51, the second circulating water pump 52, the fourth circulating water pump 54 and the fifth circulating water pump 55 are used to drive the heat transfer medium to circulate and extract heat. The third circulating water pump 53 is used to replenish the water in the water heater's storage tank 2. The type and power of the water pumps are selected according to the system requirements.

[0052] The first heat exchanger 41, the second heat exchanger 42, and the third heat exchanger 43 are heat exchange devices, including coil heat exchangers, plate heat exchangers, and volumetric heat exchangers. Different types of heat exchangers can be selected according to the heat exchange scale and system environment.

[0053] This technical solution, through the orderly combination of solar collector 1, phase change thermal storage device 3, and heat pump unit 11, stores surplus solar energy from sunny days in the phase change thermal storage device 3 for nighttime use. When the temperature in the hot water storage tank 2 of the water heater is lower than the set value, the phase change thermal storage device 3 prioritizes providing heat. When the temperature in the phase change thermal storage device 3 is lower than the set temperature, the heat pump is used as an auxiliary heat source to supply heat, improving the utilization rate of solar energy and providing a stable and continuous supply of heat to meet people's hot water needs throughout the day. In terms of control, it achieves automation and intelligence, controlling the flow direction of the pipeline based on changes in the hot water temperature at the collector outlet and time settings, resulting in a high degree of automation.

[0054] The preferred embodiments of this utility model have been described in detail above. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make numerous modifications and variations based on the concept of this utility model without creative effort. Therefore, all technical solutions that can be obtained by those skilled in the art based on the concept of this utility model through logical analysis, reasoning, or limited experimentation on the basis of existing technology should be within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A solar-powered hot water supply system, characterized in that, include: Solar collector, phase change heat storage unit, hot water tank for water heater, first heat exchange unit, second heat exchange unit and control unit; The solar collector is connected to the heat input terminal of the first heat exchange unit via a first control switch, and the solar collector is connected to the heat input terminal of the second heat exchange unit via the first control switch and a first check valve. The phase change heat storage unit is connected to the heat output terminal of the first heat exchange unit via a second control switch, and the phase change heat storage unit is connected to the heat input terminal of the second heat exchange unit via a fourth control switch. The phase change heat storage unit is replenished with water via a third control switch. The hot water storage tank of the water heater is connected to the heat output terminal of the second heat exchange unit via a fifth control switch; The control unit includes a controller, and the control unit also includes a first temperature sensor installed on the solar collector, a second temperature sensor installed on the phase change heat storage unit, and a third temperature sensor installed in the hot water storage tank of the water heater; the controller is connected to the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, the third temperature sensor, the first control switch, the second control switch, the third control switch, the fourth control switch, and the fifth control switch respectively.

2. The solar-based hot water supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first heat exchange unit includes a first water heater, and the second heat exchange unit includes a second water heater; it also includes: The first three-way valve has its inlet connected to the outlet of the solar collector, its first outlet connected to the first inlet of the first heat exchanger, and its second outlet connected to the first inlet of the third three-way valve. The second three-way valve has its first inlet connected to the first outlet of the first heat exchanger, its second inlet connected to the first outlet of the fourth three-way valve, and its outlet connected to the inlet of the solar collector. The third three-way valve has its second inlet connected to the first outlet of the phase change heat storage unit, and its outlet connected to the first inlet of the second heat exchanger. The fourth three-way valve has its inlet connected to the first outlet of the second heat exchanger and its second outlet connected to the first inlet of the phase change heat storage unit. The second outlet of the phase change heat storage unit is connected to the second inlet of the first heat exchanger, and the second inlet of the phase change heat storage unit is connected to the second outlet of the first heat exchanger. The first outlet of the hot water storage tank of the water heater is connected to the second inlet of the second heat exchanger, and the first inlet of the hot water storage tank of the water heater is connected to the second outlet of the second heat exchanger.

3. The solar-based hot water supply system according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes an auxiliary heating unit and a third heat exchange unit; The outlet of the auxiliary heating unit is connected to the second inlet of the third heat exchange unit, and the inlet of the auxiliary heating unit is connected to the second outlet of the third heat exchange unit. The second outlet of the water heater's hot water storage tank is connected to the first inlet of the third heat exchange unit, and the second inlet of the water heater's hot water storage tank is connected to the first outlet of the third heat exchange unit.

4. The solar-based hot water supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phase change heat storage unit is equipped with a phase change material.

5. A solar-based hot water supply system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The phase change heat storage unit is equipped with three baffles.

6. The solar-based hot water supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The solar collector is a heat pipe vacuum tube collector.

7. The solar-based hot water supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water heater's storage tank is an RV-type volumetric water tank.

8. The solar-based hot water supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first control switch, the second control switch, the third control switch, the fourth control switch, and the fifth control switch are circulating water pumps.

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