Phase change water heater

Abstract

The application relates to a phase change water heater, at least comprising a first phase change material and a second phase change material, comprising a water flow channel provided in a water heater body; a first phase change bin is arranged in the water heater body; the first phase change bin is filled with the first phase change material, and the first phase change material has a first phase change temperature; a second phase change bin is arranged at intervals with the first phase change bin; the second phase change bin is filled with the second phase change material, and the second phase change material has a second phase change temperature which is higher than the first phase change temperature; a plurality of heating elements are arranged in the first phase change bin and the second phase change bin respectively, and the plurality of heating elements are arranged at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel; wherein the first phase change bin and the second phase change bin are respectively thermally coupled with the water flow channel. Through the stage-by-stage heat exchange between the two phase change materials with different phase change temperatures and the water flow channel, and in combination with the heating elements arranged at intervals along the water flow direction, the water flow is subjected to heat exchange with the two phase change materials in the water flow channel, so that efficient and stable hot water supply is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of water heater technology, and more particularly to a phase change water heater. Background Technology

[0002] Energy storage heat exchange water heaters have become a focus of industry research in recent years. Currently, the energy storage medium for energy storage heat exchange water heaters is mainly water or phase change materials. Water has high heat exchange efficiency, but it can store low amounts of energy. Conversely, phase change materials have high energy storage capacity, but low heat exchange efficiency, and the enthalpy heat (latent heat) takes a long time to be completely exchanged and released.

[0003] Currently, most energy storage and heat exchange water heaters on the market that use phase change materials (PCMs) as the energy storage medium typically employ a single PCM. Because a single PCM has a fixed phase change temperature, during the release of latent heat, when the inlet water temperature is low or the water flow rate is high, the heat exchange between the water flow and the PCM is often insufficient. Especially in the initial stage of heat exchange, the latent heat of the PCM is difficult to transfer quickly to the water flow, easily resulting in the output hot water temperature not meeting expectations. Furthermore, during continuous water supply, as the latent heat of the PCM is continuously released, its temperature drops rapidly, failing to continuously provide sufficient heat to the water flow, leading to a shortened hot water supply time and making it difficult to meet users' needs for stable and continuous hot water temperature. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a phase change water heater that achieves efficient and stable hot water supply by using two phase change materials with different phase change temperatures to exchange heat with the water flow in stages. Combined with heating elements spaced apart along the water flow direction, the water flow exchanges heat with the two phase change materials in the water flow channel, and can continuously replenish heat, extend the hot water supply time, and alleviate the problems of low heat exchange efficiency of single phase change materials, insufficient output hot water temperature, and difficulty in continuously supplying hot water.

[0005] Therefore, this application provides a phase change water heater, comprising at least a first phase change material and a second phase change material, including:

[0006] The main body of the water heater is equipped with a water flow channel;

[0007] A first phase change chamber is disposed inside the main body of the water heater; the first phase change chamber contains the first phase change material, and the first phase change material has a first phase change temperature;

[0008] The second phase change chamber is arranged at an interval from the first phase change chamber; the second phase change chamber contains the second phase change material, and the second phase change material has a second phase change temperature that is higher than the first phase change temperature.

[0009] Multiple heating elements are respectively disposed in the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber, and the multiple heating elements are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel;

[0010] The first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber are thermally coupled to the water flow channel.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first phase change chamber includes:

[0012] The first compartment is located inside the main body of the water heater, and the first compartment is filled with the first phase change material;

[0013] Multiple second compartments are located inside the main body of the water heater and are respectively connected to the first compartment; the multiple second compartments are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, each second compartment is filled with the first phase change material and is thermally coupled to the water flow channel.

[0014] In some embodiments, the second phase change chamber includes:

[0015] The third compartment is located inside the main body of the water heater, and the third compartment is filled with the second phase change material.

[0016] Multiple fourth compartments are located inside the main body of the water heater and are respectively connected to the third compartment; the multiple fourth compartments are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, each of the fourth compartments is filled with the second phase change material and is thermally coupled to the water flow channel.

[0017] In some embodiments, the first compartment is disposed opposite to the third compartment; a fourth compartment is disposed between every two adjacent second compartments along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, and the second compartments and the fourth compartment are disposed at intervals.

[0018] In some embodiments, the heating element is a heating film, which is respectively covered on the outer or inner wall of the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber to heat the first phase change material and the second phase change material respectively.

[0019] In some embodiments, the surface temperature of the heating film does not exceed the failure temperature of the first phase change material.

[0020] In some embodiments, the surface temperature of the heating film does not exceed the failure temperature of the second phase change material.

[0021] In some embodiments, a heat exchange tube disposed within the main body of the water heater is further included. The heat exchange tube has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet and the outlet are connected through the lumen of the heat exchange tube to form the water flow channel and cover the distribution area of ​​the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber.

[0022] In some embodiments, the heat exchange tube includes:

[0023] Multiple first heat exchange tube sections are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel and are all thermally coupled to the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber.

[0024] Multiple second heat exchange tube sections are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel and are all thermally coupled to the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber.

[0025] In this configuration, multiple first heat exchange tube segments and multiple second heat exchange tube segments are sequentially connected to form an S-shaped water flow channel.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this application are:

[0027] The phase change water heater includes at least a first phase change material and a second phase change material, and includes a water heater body, a first phase change chamber, a second phase change chamber, and multiple heating elements. The water heater body has a water flow channel. The first phase change chamber is located inside the water heater body. The first phase change chamber contains the first phase change material, which has a first phase change temperature. The second phase change chamber is spaced apart from the first phase change chamber. The second phase change chamber contains the second phase change material, which has a second phase change temperature higher than the first phase change temperature. Multiple heating elements are respectively located in the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber, and the multiple heating elements are spaced apart along the water flow direction of the water flow channel. The first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber are thermally coupled to the water flow channel.

[0028] The system employs two or more phase change materials with different phase change temperatures as energy storage media. During operation, as the temperature decreases, one phase change material releases latent heat while the other releases sensible heat, which is beneficial for heat release and effectively improves the stability of the hot water output of the phase change water heater. Specifically, the first and second phase change chambers store the first and second phase change materials respectively, utilizing the characteristic of phase change materials to absorb or release a large amount of latent heat during phase change. Heating elements are distributed in the two phase change chambers and arranged at intervals along the water flow direction to charge the phase change materials for heat storage or to directly supplement heat when heat storage is insufficient. The water flow channel is the path for cold water to absorb heat. Its thermal coupling design with the two phase change chambers (such as the channel wall being tightly attached to the phase change chambers or using a spiral structure to extend the contact time) ensures that the cold water can fully absorb the heat released by the phase change materials. That is, after the cold water enters from the inlet, it flows along the channel and contacts the phase change chambers that release sensible / latent heat in sequence, gradually increasing the temperature to achieve a stable and continuous hot water output temperature.

[0029] In other words, this phase change water heater uses two phase change materials with different phase change temperatures to exchange heat with the water flow in stages. Combined with heating elements distributed at intervals along the water flow direction, the water flow exchanges heat with the two phase change materials in the water flow channel, achieving efficient and stable hot water supply. It can also continuously replenish heat, extend the hot water supply time, and alleviate the problems of low heat exchange efficiency of single phase change materials, insufficient output hot water temperature, and difficulty in continuously supplying hot water. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a system schematic diagram of a phase change water heater according to this application.

[0032] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0033] 1. First phase change chamber; 11. First chamber section; 12. Second chamber section; 13. First phase change material; 2. Second phase change chamber; 21. Third chamber section; 22. Fourth chamber section; 23. Second phase change material; 31. Water inlet; 32. Water outlet; 4. Heating element. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0035] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of this application. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed.

[0036] like Figure 1 As shown, this application provides a phase change water heater, including at least a first phase change material 13 and a second phase change material 23, comprising a water heater body, a first phase change chamber 1, a second phase change chamber 2, and multiple heating elements 4; the water heater body is provided with a water flow channel; the first phase change chamber 1 is disposed within the water heater body; the first phase change chamber 1 contains the first phase change material 13, and the first phase change material 13 has a first phase change temperature; the second phase change chamber 2 is spaced apart from the first phase change chamber 1; the second phase change chamber 2 contains the second phase change material 23, and the second phase change material 23... The phase change material 23 has a second phase change temperature higher than the first phase change temperature; it is known that the phase change temperatures of the first phase change material 13 and the second phase change material 23 should be lower than the highest temperature reached by the phase change material when the phase change water heater is working normally; multiple heating elements 4 are respectively disposed in the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2, and the multiple heating elements 4 are spaced apart along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, laying the foundation for the phase change material to store energy; wherein, the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2 are thermally coupled to the water flow channel.

[0037] In this system, two or more phase change materials with different phase change temperatures are selected as energy storage media. During operation, as the temperature decreases, one phase change material releases latent heat while the other releases sensible heat, which is beneficial for heat release and can effectively improve the stability of the hot water output of the phase change water heater. Specifically, the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2 store the first phase change material 13 and the second phase change material 23 respectively, utilizing the characteristic of phase change materials to absorb or release a large amount of latent heat during phase change. Heating elements 4 are distributed in the two phase change chambers and arranged at intervals along the water flow direction to charge the phase change materials for heat storage, or to directly supplement heat when the heat storage is insufficient. The water flow channel is the path for cold water to absorb heat, and its thermal coupling design with the two phase change chambers is optimized. (For example, the channel wall is close to the phase change chamber, or a spiral structure is used to extend the contact time), ensuring that the cold water can fully absorb the heat released by the phase change material. That is, after the cold water enters from the inlet 31, it flows along the channel and contacts the phase change chamber that releases sensible heat / latent heat in sequence, gradually raising the temperature to achieve a stable and continuous hot water output temperature. In other words, this phase change water heater uses two phase change materials with different phase change temperatures to exchange heat with the water flow in stages. Combined with the heating elements 4 distributed at intervals along the water flow direction, the water flow exchanges heat with the two phase change materials in the water flow channel, achieving efficient and stable hot water supply, and continuously replenishing heat to extend the hot water supply time. This alleviates the problems of low heat exchange efficiency of a single phase change material, insufficient output hot water temperature, and difficulty in continuously supplying hot water.

[0038] The phase transition temperatures of the first phase change material 13 and the second phase change material 23 are different. In this embodiment, the second phase change temperature is higher than the second phase change temperature. The working process is as follows:

[0039] During operation, when the specified temperature of the phase change water heater drops to the second phase change temperature, the second phase change material 23 undergoes a phase change and releases latent heat before the first phase change material 13. When the specified temperature continues to drop to the first phase change temperature, the first phase change material 13 undergoes a phase change and releases latent heat. Specifically, the heating element 4 (such as a heating film) heats both the first phase change material 13 (whose phase change temperature is 50°C) and the second phase change material 23 (whose phase change temperature is 70°C) to a programmed specified temperature (such as 80°C). During this process, both phase change materials absorb heat: before the temperature rises from room temperature to their respective phase change temperatures, they store sensible heat (the heat generated by the temperature increase); after reaching the phase change temperature and continuing to heat to 80°C, they store latent heat (such as the large amount of heat absorbed during the phase change process when melting from a solid to a liquid, while the temperature remains constant). Finally, both materials are in a high-temperature state (80°C), simultaneously storing sensible heat (the heat generated by the temperature difference from 80°C to their respective phase change temperatures) and latent heat (the energy generated during the phase change). The first phase change chamber 1 (containing phase change material with a phase change temperature of 50°C) and the second phase change chamber 2 (containing phase change material with a phase change temperature of 70°C) are spaced apart and are both thermally coupled to the water flow channel. That is, they are in direct contact with the water flow channel through heat-conducting structures such as metal walls or heat exchange tubes, or indirectly transferred through heat-conducting media, to ensure that the heat of the phase change material can be efficiently transferred to the water flow.

[0040] Thus, it is clear that the core of this phase change water heater lies in the staggered phase change temperatures of the two phase change materials, allowing heat to be released in stages and in a relay manner. That is, layered heat release is achieved through temperature differences, specifically:

[0041] First stage (80℃→70℃): Neither phase change material undergoes a phase change, releasing sensible heat.

[0042] When the water absorbs heat, the temperature of both phase change materials drops from 80°C, releasing sensible heat (the heat generated by the temperature drop). Since the second phase change material 23 has a higher initial temperature (and a higher phase change temperature), its sensible heat release is more significant during this stage, providing initial heat for the water flow.

[0043] Second stage (70℃→50℃): The second phase change material 23 releases latent heat, and the first phase change material 13 releases sensible heat.

[0044] When the temperature drops to 70℃, the second phase change material 23 reaches the phase change point and begins to release a large amount of latent heat (the temperature stabilizes at around 70℃ when the latent heat is released, and the heat output is stable); at this time, the temperature of the first phase change material 13 is still above 50℃, and it continues to release sensible heat (the heat from the temperature difference between 70℃ and 50℃) to supplement the heat output.

[0045] The third stage (below 50℃): the first phase change material 13 releases latent heat, and the second phase change material 23 releases sensible heat.

[0046] When the temperature drops to 50℃, the first phase change material 13 reaches the phase change point and releases latent heat (the temperature stabilizes at around 50℃); while the second phase change material 23 has completed the phase change and continues to release sensible heat (heat from the temperature difference between 70℃ and below 50℃), continuously replenishing heat and achieving stable hot water output.

[0047] It is clear that because the phase change material has a stable heat output at different temperature stages (80→70→50℃) (sensible heat is continuously replenished, latent heat is released in stages and the temperature is stable), the water flow can continuously obtain heat, avoiding the problem of insufficient sensible heat before phase change and sudden temperature drop after phase change of a single phase change material, and finally stable hot water is output from outlet 32.

[0048] In this embodiment, the first phase change chamber 1 includes a first chamber 11 and a plurality of second chambers 12; the first chamber 11 is disposed inside the water heater body and is filled with the first phase change material 13; the plurality of second chambers 12 are disposed inside the water heater body and are respectively connected to the first chamber 11; the plurality of second chambers 12 are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, each of the second chambers 12 is filled with the first phase change material 13 and is thermally coupled to the water flow channel.

[0049] The first compartment 11 serves as the core heat storage unit, filled with a large amount of first phase change material 13, and undertakes the main heat storage function. Specifically, the heating element 4 corresponding to the first phase change compartment 1 heats the first phase change material 13 in the first compartment 11 to 80°C, allowing it to store sensible heat (the heat from the temperature difference from room temperature to 50°C) and latent heat (the energy absorbed during the phase change at 50°C, and the sensible heat from 50°C to 80°C). The first compartment 11, through its interconnected structure with multiple second compartments 12, ensures that the distributed second compartments 12 have a sufficient heat source, preventing local material heat depletion. The multiple second compartments 12 are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, and each second compartment 12 is filled with first phase change material 13 and is thermally coupled to the water flow channel, such as by closely adhering to the channel wall or wrapping a part of the channel; that is, after the water enters from the inlet 31, it needs to flow through the channel areas corresponding to multiple second compartments 12 in sequence. Each second compartment 12 acts as an independent heat release node, continuously providing heat at different stages of water flow, thus avoiding the problems of overheating at the front end and insufficient heat at the back end caused by a single heat exchange area.

[0050] Since the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 13 is 50°C, during the heat release process (from 80°C to 50°C to room temperature), each second chamber 12 will gradually cool down as the water flows. Specifically, the upstream second chamber 12 (close to the inlet 31) has a larger contact area with the heating element 4 and water flow channel corresponding to the first phase change chamber 1, and will preferentially release sensible heat from 80°C to 50°C. When the temperature drops to 50°C, the first phase change material 13 of the upstream second chamber 12 begins to release latent heat (the temperature stabilizes at 50°C). The downstream second chamber 12 (close to the outlet 32) will then take over the release of sensible and latent heat in the subsequent stages, ensuring that the water can stably absorb heat throughout the entire flow process.

[0051] That is, the first compartment 11 of the first phase change chamber 1 is combined with multiple second compartments 12. Through the coordinated mode of centralized heat storage and distributed heat release, the heat release efficiency of the first phase change material 13 is further optimized. In conjunction with components such as water flow channels and second phase change chambers 2, the stability of hot water output is enhanced.

[0052] It is understood that the connection design between the first compartment 11 and the multiple second compartments 12 may be through pipe connections, cavity connections, etc., to achieve efficient coordination. That is, if the first phase change material 13 is a fluid material (such as a phase change emulsion or molten salt), when a second compartment 12 experiences a reduction in material due to heat release (or shrinkage due to phase change volume), the first compartment 11 can replenish the material through the connecting channels, ensuring that each second compartment 12 always has sufficient phase change material to participate in heat exchange. Even if the material has poor fluidity, the connecting structure can still transfer heat from the first compartment 11 to each second compartment 12 through heat conduction, preventing a sudden drop in temperature in a local second compartment 12 due to rapid heat release and maintaining the overall heat uniformity of the first phase change material 13.

[0053] Furthermore, when used in conjunction with the second phase change chamber 2 (containing 70°C phase change material), the heat release gradient can be further refined. Specifically, while the second phase change chamber 2 releases 70°C latent heat, multiple second chambers 12 of the first phase change chamber 1 are releasing sensible heat from 80°C to 70°C, creating a complementary relationship between high-temperature latent heat and medium-temperature sensible heat. When the second phase change chamber 2 enters the sensible heat release stage below 70°C, the second chambers 12 of the first phase change chamber 1 begin releasing 50°C latent heat, creating a relay between medium-temperature sensible heat and low-temperature latent heat. Ultimately, through the centralized heat storage of the first chamber 11 and the distributed, tiered heat release of the second chamber 12, combined with the temperature staggered design of the second phase change chamber 2, stable heat absorption is achieved throughout the entire water flow path, significantly improving the temperature stability and duration of hot water output.

[0054] It is clear that the phase change temperature of the first phase change material 13 and the second phase change material 23 are different. The specific phase change temperature is relative. In some other embodiments, the second phase change temperature is lower than the first phase change temperature, but the working process is the same, so they will not be described in detail.

[0055] In this embodiment, the second phase change chamber 2 includes a third chamber 21 and a plurality of fourth chambers 22; the third chamber 21 is disposed inside the water heater body and is filled with the second phase change material 23; the plurality of fourth chambers 22 are disposed inside the water heater body and are respectively connected to the third chamber 21; the plurality of fourth chambers 22 are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, each of the fourth chambers 22 is filled with the second phase change material 23 and is thermally coupled to the water flow channel respectively.

[0056] The third compartment 21, serving as the core heat storage unit of the second phase change compartment 2, is filled with a large amount of second phase change material 23 (with a phase change temperature of 70°C). It primarily stores heat in the high-temperature range. The heating element 4 of the second phase change compartment 2 heats the material in the third compartment 21 to 80°C, storing three layers of heat: sensible heat from room temperature to 70°C, latent heat absorbed during the phase change at 70°C, and sensible heat from 70°C to 80°C. This heat forms the energy base for the initial high-temperature phase of hot water output. The third compartment 21, through its connection with multiple fourth compartments 22, continuously replenishes each fourth compartment 22 with heat or fluid materials, ensuring that the heat in the high-temperature range (around 70°C) is stably transferred to each node in the water flow path, preventing heat interruption in the high-temperature range due to rapid heat release in some fourth compartments 22. Multiple fourth compartments 22 are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, for example, alternating with the second compartment 12 of the first phase change compartment 1. Each fourth compartment 22 is filled with a second phase change material 23 and is thermally coupled to the water flow channel. That is, after the water flows in from the inlet 31, it first contacts the upstream fourth compartment 22 (temperature 80℃) and absorbs its sensible heat from 80℃ to 70℃. As the water flows, it passes through the midstream and downstream fourth compartments 22 in sequence. At this time, the material temperature of these compartments gradually drops to 70℃ and begins to release latent heat (the temperature stabilizes at 70℃). In this way, the sensible heat from the upstream and the latent heat from the midstream / downstream are released in a stepwise manner to ensure that the water can obtain sufficient high-temperature heat in the early stage of heating and avoid the cold water section being too long.

[0057] It is known that, since the phase change temperature of the second phase change material 23 (70°C) is higher than that of the first phase change material 13 (50°C), the heat release of the fourth compartment 22 mainly covers the critical heating stage from cold water to medium-temperature water (such as from room temperature to above 50°C). Furthermore, the distributed design of multiple fourth compartments 22 allows the water to absorb heat in segments during the flow process, avoiding sudden increases in local water temperature caused by a single high-temperature area, while ensuring a stable heating rate.

[0058] Furthermore, the interconnection design between the third compartment 21 and multiple fourth compartments 22, such as pipe connections and cavity interconnections, maintains a stable heat output in the high-temperature section. That is, if the second phase change material 23 is a fluid medium (such as high-temperature phase change oil), when a fourth compartment 22 experiences a reduction in material due to heat release (or shrinkage due to phase change), the third compartment 21 can quickly replenish it through the connecting channels, ensuring that each fourth compartment 22 always has enough material to participate in heat exchange. Even if the material has poor fluidity, the connecting structure can still transfer the high-temperature heat from the third compartment 21 to each fourth compartment 22 through heat conduction, preventing the temperature of a local fourth compartment 22 from dropping sharply below 70°C due to rapid heat release, and ensuring the continuity of latent heat release.

[0059] It is clear that the structure of the third compartment 21 and multiple fourth compartments 22 in the second phase change compartment 2 echoes the design logic of the first phase change compartment 1, but with different functional focuses. Because the phase change temperature of the second phase change material 23 is higher, specifically: the fourth compartments 22 and the second compartment 12 are staggered, forming spatial complementarity; when the fourth compartment 22 drops from 80℃ to 70℃ (releasing sensible heat), the second compartment 12 simultaneously releases sensible heat from 80℃ to 70℃; when the fourth compartment 22 releases latent heat at 70℃, the second compartment 12 releases sensible heat from 70℃ to 50℃; when the fourth compartment 22 enters the sensible heat release stage below 70℃, the second compartment 12 begins to release latent heat at 50℃. In this way, a heat relay in time is formed with almost no gap, ensuring that the water flow can obtain stable heat throughout the entire process. Ultimately, the centralized heat storage and distributed cascade heat release design of the second phase change chamber 2, together with the first phase change chamber 1, forms a high-low temperature complementary heat release system. Combined with the efficient heat absorption path of the water flow channel, it significantly improves the temperature stability, duration, and safety of hot water output.

[0060] In this embodiment, the first compartment 11 and the third compartment 21 are arranged opposite to each other; a fourth compartment 22 is provided between every two adjacent second compartments 12 along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, and the second compartments 12 and the fourth compartment 22 are arranged at intervals. Through the deep coupling of spatial layout and function, the heat release of the first phase change material 13 and the second phase change material 23 forms a seamless relay, so as to further optimize the heat release rhythm, space utilization and heat exchange efficiency of the phase change water heater.

[0061] Furthermore, the opposing arrangement of the first compartment 11 and the third compartment 21 can be either symmetrically distributed within the main body of the water heater or arranged face-to-face along both sides of the water flow channel. This allows the two high-temperature phase change materials to be evenly distributed within the water heater, avoiding thermal stress concentration caused by excessive local heat storage, while simultaneously increasing the overall heat storage capacity of the water heater. For example, if the first compartment 11 and the third compartment 21 are located on opposite sides of the water flow channel, the second compartment 12 and the fourth compartment 22 can obtain replenishment from nearby sides, reducing heat loss during transmission and ensuring that the distributed compartments can quickly obtain energy support from the main compartment.

[0062] A fourth compartment 22 is arranged between two adjacent second compartments 12 along the water flow channel, meaning the second compartments 12 and the fourth compartment 22 are alternately distributed. This alternating structure allows the water flow to contact phase change materials with different phase change temperatures at each node, achieving continuous heat replenishment and thus creating a tiered heat release chain. Furthermore, because the second compartments 12 and the fourth compartment 22 have different phase change temperatures, their alternating distribution allows for a complementary time and spatial difference in latent heat release. This staggered release is further amplified through the alternating spatial layout, ensuring that the heat output of the entire water flow channel is always in a state of sensible heat replenishment and latent heat backup, maintaining stable heat output. In other words, as the water flow alternately contacts the two compartments, it gradually and steadily absorbs sensible and latent heat, ultimately achieving a steady rise in water temperature and continuous output from the inlet 31 to the outlet 32.

[0063] The separation between the second compartment 12 and the fourth compartment 22, meaning they do not directly contact each other but are kept in a certain space, serves several purposes. Specifically, if they were in direct contact, the higher temperature of the fourth compartment 22 would transfer heat to the lower temperature of the second compartment 12, causing the second compartment 12 to heat up prematurely and the fourth compartment 22 to cool down prematurely, disrupting the originally designed phase change rhythm. This separation prevents unnecessary heat conduction, ensuring that the two materials release heat independently according to their own temperature curves. This space also provides a buffer zone for the water flow, allowing the water to mix evenly after absorbing heat, preventing localized excessively high or low temperatures. This ensures that the water can exchange heat at a more stable temperature when entering the next compartment, improving the overall uniformity of hot water output.

[0064] In this embodiment, the heating element 4 is a heating film, which is respectively covered on the outer or inner wall of the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2 to heat the first phase change material 13 and the second phase change material 23 respectively.

[0065] Among them, the heating film, as the heating element 4, is designed to fit the structure of the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2 through close-fitting coverage and precise zone heating. This provides an energy basis for the efficient heat storage of the phase change materials, enabling the two phase change materials to store sufficient sensible heat (the heat difference between 80°C and their respective phase change temperatures) and latent heat (the energy during phase change). This ensures that the user can continuously release heat when using water, and at the same time forms a complete closed loop of heating, heat storage and heat release with components such as the water flow channel.

[0066] In this embodiment, the surface temperature of the heating film does not exceed the failure temperature of the first phase change material 13. The surface temperature of the heating film also does not exceed the failure temperature of the second phase change material 23. By limiting the heat source temperature, the first phase change material 13 maintains its phase change function and heat storage capacity over a long period, providing a fundamental guarantee for its temperature-staggered heat release with the second phase change material 23 and for the cascaded heat release of the distributed storage compartments, ultimately maintaining the long-term stable hot water output performance of the water heater.

[0067] In this embodiment, a heat exchange tube is also provided in the main body of the water heater. The heat exchange tube has an inlet 31 and an outlet 32. The inlet 31 and the outlet 32 ​​are connected through the tube cavity of the heat exchange tube to form the water flow channel and cover the distribution area of ​​the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2.

[0068] In this embodiment, the heat exchange tube includes multiple first heat exchange tube segments and multiple second heat exchange tube segments; the multiple first heat exchange tube segments are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel and are all thermally coupled to the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2; the multiple second heat exchange tube segments are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel and are all thermally coupled to the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2; wherein, the multiple first heat exchange tube segments and the multiple second heat exchange tube segments are sequentially connected to form the S-shaped water flow channel, which further enhances the heat exchange efficiency between the water flow and the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2.

[0069] In this system, multiple first heat exchange tube sections and second heat exchange tube sections are connected in sequence to form an S-shaped, meandering, and folded path. The core function is to maximize the extension of the water flow path within the limited space of the water heater body. That is, after the water enters from the inlet 31, it needs to pass through all the first heat exchange tube sections and second heat exchange tube sections in sequence along the S-shaped path before reaching the outlet 32. This provides sufficient time for the water flow to gradually absorb the sensible heat and latent heat released by the first phase change material 13 and the second phase change material 23, and finally output hot water with a stable temperature from the outlet 32.

[0070] That is, the S-shaped water flow channel formed by the first heat exchange tube section and the second heat exchange tube section ensures sufficient heat absorption by extending the path and matching the phase change rhythm by segmented coupling. This further amplifies the advantages of temperature staggering and distributed heat release in the first phase change chamber 1 and the second phase change chamber 2, and ultimately achieves high stability, high thermal efficiency and wide operating condition adaptability of hot water output.

[0071] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0072] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0073] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. The illustrative expressions of the above terms in this specification should not be construed as necessarily referring 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. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0074] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Since these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, this application also intends to include these modifications and variations.

[0075] The above description describes specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A phase change water heater, comprising at least a first phase change material and a second phase change material, characterized in that, include: The main body of the water heater is equipped with a water flow channel; The first phase change chamber is located inside the main body of the water heater; The first phase change chamber contains the first phase change material, and the first phase change material has a first phase change temperature; The second phase change chamber is arranged at an interval from the first phase change chamber; the second phase change chamber contains the second phase change material, and the second phase change material has a second phase change temperature that is higher than the first phase change temperature. Multiple heating elements are respectively disposed in the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber, and the multiple heating elements are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel; The first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber are thermally coupled to the water flow channel.

2. The phase change water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first phase change chamber includes: The first compartment is located inside the main body of the water heater, and the first compartment is filled with the first phase change material; Multiple second compartments are located inside the main body of the water heater and are respectively connected to the first compartment; the multiple second compartments are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, each second compartment is filled with the first phase change material and is thermally coupled to the water flow channel.

3. The phase change water heater according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second phase change chamber includes: The third compartment is located inside the main body of the water heater, and the third compartment is filled with the second phase change material. Multiple fourth compartments are located inside the main body of the water heater and are respectively connected to the third compartment; the multiple fourth compartments are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, each of the fourth compartments is filled with the second phase change material and is thermally coupled to the water flow channel.

4. The phase change water heater according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first compartment is disposed opposite to the third compartment; a fourth compartment is disposed between every two adjacent second compartments along the water flow direction of the water flow channel, and the second compartments and the fourth compartments are disposed at intervals.

5. The phase change water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating element is a heating film, which is respectively covered on the outer or inner wall of the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber to heat the first phase change material and the second phase change material respectively.

6. The phase change water heater according to claim 5, characterized in that, The surface temperature of the heating film does not exceed the failure temperature of the first phase change material.

7. The phase change water heater according to claim 5, characterized in that, The surface temperature of the heating film does not exceed the failure temperature of the second phase change material.

8. The phase change water heater according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a heat exchange tube disposed inside the main body of the water heater. The heat exchange tube has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet and the outlet are connected through the tube cavity of the heat exchange tube to form the water flow channel and cover the distribution area of ​​the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber.

9. The phase change water heater according to claim 8, characterized in that, The heat exchange tube includes: Multiple first heat exchange tube sections are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel and are all thermally coupled to the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber. Multiple second heat exchange tube sections are distributed at intervals along the water flow direction of the water flow channel and are all thermally coupled to the first phase change chamber and the second phase change chamber. In this configuration, multiple first heat exchange tube segments and multiple second heat exchange tube segments are sequentially connected to form an S-shaped water flow channel.

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