Water heater device

Abstract

The application relates to a water heater device, which comprises a water heater body provided with a condensate water outlet; a condensate water evaporation module, which comprises a shell and a condensate water evaporation body; the shell is provided with a containing space, a water inlet and an evaporation port; the condensate water evaporation body is located in the containing space; the water inlet is communicated with the condensate water outlet and the containing space; and the evaporation port is communicated with the containing space. The application can evaporate the condensate water and discharge the condensate water in a gaseous form, without connecting a special drain pipe or reserving a drain channel, so that the appearance and installation convenience of the whole machine are improved.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] With increasingly stringent requirements for energy conservation and environmental protection, the energy efficiency standards for gas water heaters are constantly being upgraded. Condensing gas water heaters, equipped with a condensing heat exchanger, can recover the latent heat released by the condensation of water vapor in high-temperature flue gas to reheat the water flow, thus significantly improving the overall thermal efficiency and reducing gas consumption. Therefore, condensing gas water heaters have a higher energy efficiency rating.

[0003] However, condensing gas water heaters produce condensate during operation, which needs to be drained through a drainage system. Existing condensing gas water heaters typically use a drain pipe to directly discharge the condensate into the sewer, or they atomize the condensate and discharge it through a flue.

[0004] However, condensing gas water heaters require a drain outlet to discharge condensate. Most water heaters are installed in the kitchen, where there is no dedicated drain outlet, which restricts installation. Furthermore, the drain pipe is usually exposed to the external environment, affecting the overall appearance of the unit and making installation difficult. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application provides a water heater device to solve the technical problems such as the difficulty in installation caused by the need to install a drain pipe in traditional condensing gas water heaters.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a water heater device, the water heater device comprising:

[0007] The main body of the water heater is provided with a condensate outlet;

[0008] A condensate evaporation module includes a shell and a condensate evaporation body. The shell has a receiving space, a water inlet, and an evaporation outlet. The condensate evaporation body is located in the receiving space. The water inlet is connected to the condensate outlet and the receiving space, and the evaporation outlet is connected to the receiving space.

[0009] A further technical solution is that the condensate evaporation body includes a water storage tank, a water pump, and a wet curtain, wherein the wet curtain is located on top of the water storage tank, the water storage tank is used to collect the condensate flowing in from the water inlet, and the water pump is used to pump the condensate from the water storage tank to the wet curtain.

[0010] A further technical solution is that the condensate evaporation body also includes a fan module, which is located on top of the wet curtain. The housing also has an air inlet, which is located at the bottom of the housing, and the evaporation port is located at the top of the housing.

[0011] A further technical solution is that the fan module has an air inlet side and an air outlet side, with the air inlet side facing the wet curtain and the air outlet side facing the evaporation port.

[0012] A further technical solution is that the condensate evaporator body also includes a filter assembly, which is connected to the water inlet of the water storage tank to collect the condensate flowing in from the water inlet and transport the condensate to the water storage tank.

[0013] A further technical solution is that the water heater device further includes a first pipe, and the water inlet is connected to the condensate outlet through the first pipe.

[0014] A further technical solution is that the water heater device further includes a second pipe, a third pipe, and a fourth pipe. The filter assembly is connected to the water storage tank through the second pipe, the water storage tank is connected to the water pump through the third pipe, and the water pump is connected to the wet curtain through the fourth pipe.

[0015] A further technical solution is that the condensate evaporator body also includes a water level control switch, which is located in the water storage tank and electrically connected to the water pump and the fan module.

[0016] A further technical solution is that the outer contour of the cross-section of the shell is rectangular or circular.

[0017] A further technical solution is that the fan module is equipped with a motor, and the water heater device is also equipped with a sensor. The sensor is electrically connected to the motor and is used to detect the amount of condensate produced, so as to adjust the speed of the motor according to the amount of condensate produced.

[0018] The water heater device provided in this application embodiment includes a water heater body, which has a condensate outlet; and a condensate evaporation module, which includes a shell and a condensate evaporation body. The shell has a receiving space, a water inlet and an evaporation outlet. The condensate evaporation body is located in the receiving space. The water inlet is connected to the condensate outlet and the receiving space, and the evaporation outlet is connected to the receiving space.

[0019] The technical solutions provided in this application have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0020] The water heater device provided in this application embodiment can evaporate condensate and discharge it in gaseous form by setting a condensate evaporation module at the condensate outlet. It does not require an external dedicated drain pipe or a reserved drain channel, which not only improves the aesthetics and installation convenience of the whole machine and enhances the user experience, but also effectively avoids the problem of water droplets forming due to the recondensation of water vapor in low-temperature environments, which is a problem of traditional atomization emission methods. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0022] 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.

[0023] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a water heater device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0026] Water heater body 01, condensate evaporation module 02, air inlet 03, evaporation outlet 04, housing space 05, main heat exchanger 10, condenser heat exchanger 20, condensate outlet 21, filter assembly 30, water level control switch 40, water storage tank 50, water pump 60, wet curtain 70, fan module 80, shell 90. Detailed Implementation

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relative position or movement of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "front," "back," etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure undergoes a positional flip, orientation change, or change of motion, these directional indications will change accordingly. For instance, an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" will subsequently be oriented "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used in the text will be interpreted accordingly.

[0030] With increasingly stringent requirements for energy conservation and environmental protection, the energy efficiency standards for gas water heaters are constantly being upgraded. Condensing gas water heaters, equipped with a condensing heat exchanger, can recover the latent heat released by the condensation of water vapor in high-temperature flue gas to reheat the water flow, thus significantly improving the overall thermal efficiency and reducing gas consumption. Therefore, condensing gas water heaters have a higher energy efficiency rating.

[0031] However, condensing gas water heaters produce condensate during operation, which needs to be drained through a drainage system. Existing condensing gas water heaters typically use a drain pipe to directly discharge the condensate into the sewer, or they atomize the condensate and discharge it through a flue.

[0032] However, condensing gas water heaters require a drain outlet to discharge condensate. Most water heaters are installed in the kitchen, where there is no dedicated drain outlet, which restricts installation. Furthermore, the drain pipe is usually exposed to the external environment, affecting the overall appearance of the unit and making installation difficult.

[0033] To address the technical challenges of installation difficulties caused by the need for drain pipes in traditional condensing gas water heaters, this application provides a water heater device that can evaporate condensate and discharge it in gaseous form, eliminating the need for external drain pipes or pre-reserved drainage channels, thus improving the overall aesthetics and ease of installation.

[0034] See Figure 1 This application provides a water heater device, which includes a water heater body 01 and a condensate evaporation module 02.

[0035] The water heater body 01 includes a main heat exchanger 10 and a condensing heat exchanger 20. The condensing heat exchanger is provided with a condensate outlet 21. Specifically, cold water first enters the condensing heat exchanger 20 to absorb the waste heat in the low-temperature section of the flue gas; then it enters the main heat exchanger and is directly heated by the combustion flame; finally, it outputs hot water at a set temperature (such as 42℃, 50℃, etc.). During this process, the condensate generated by the condensing heat exchanger 20 is discharged to the condensate evaporation module 02 through the condensate outlet 21.

[0036] The condensate evaporation module 02 includes a housing 90 and a condensate evaporation body. The housing 90 is provided with a receiving space 05, a water inlet and an evaporation port 04. The condensate evaporation body is located in the receiving space 05. The water inlet is connected to the condensate outlet 21 and the receiving space 05. The evaporation port 04 is connected to the receiving space 05.

[0037] The water heater device provided in this embodiment, by setting a condensate evaporation module 02 at the condensate outlet 21, can evaporate the condensate and discharge it in gaseous form, without the need for an external dedicated drain pipe or a reserved drain channel. This not only improves the aesthetics and ease of installation of the whole machine and enhances the user experience, but also effectively avoids the problem of water droplets forming due to the recondensation of water vapor in low-temperature environments, which is a problem with traditional atomization emission methods.

[0038] In some possible implementations, the condensate evaporation body includes a water storage tank 50, a water pump 60, and a wet curtain 70, wherein the wet curtain 70 is located on top of the water storage tank 50, the water storage tank 50 is used to collect condensate flowing in from the water inlet, and the water pump 60 is used to pump the condensate from the water storage tank 50 to the wet curtain 70.

[0039] In some possible implementations, the condensate evaporator body further includes a fan module 80, which is located on top of the wet curtain 70. The housing 90 is also provided with an air inlet 03, which is located at the bottom of the housing 90. The evaporation port 04 is located at the top of the housing 90.

[0040] Thus, by setting up the fan module 80, it can play a driving role, enabling the rapid removal of airflow and effective diffusion of humid air, thereby improving the evaporation rate and discharge efficiency of condensate.

[0041] In some possible implementations, the wet curtain 70 can adopt a porous evaporation filter design, combined with the driving action of the fan module 80, to achieve rapid airflow removal and effective diffusion of humid air, thereby improving the evaporation rate and discharge efficiency of condensate.

[0042] In some possible implementations, the fan module 80 has an air inlet side and an air outlet side, the air inlet side facing the wet curtain 70 and the air outlet side facing the evaporation port 04.

[0043] In some possible implementations, the condensate evaporator further includes a filter assembly 30 connected to the inlet of the water storage tank 50, for collecting the condensate flowing in from the inlet and transporting the condensate to the water storage tank 50.

[0044] In some possible implementations, the water heater device further includes a first pipe, through which the water inlet is connected to the condensate outlet 21.

[0045] In some possible implementations, the water heater device further includes a second pipe, a third pipe, and a fourth pipe. The filter assembly 30 is connected to the water storage tank 50 through the second pipe, the water storage tank 50 is connected to the water pump 60 through the third pipe, and the water pump 60 is connected to the wet curtain 70 through the fourth pipe.

[0046] In some possible implementations, the condensate evaporator body further includes a water level control switch 40, which is disposed in the water storage tank 50 and electrically connected to the water pump 60 and the fan module 80.

[0047] For example, when the water heater is working, the condensate produced by the water heater is first filtered by the neutralization device (i.e., the filter assembly 30) and then flows into the water storage tank 50. The water level control switch 40 on the water storage tank 50 detects the water level. When the set water level is reached, the water pump 60 starts to work, pumping the condensate to the top of the wet curtain 70 to fully wet it. At the same time, the fan module 80 starts to work, pushing air through the wet curtain 70. The airflow carries away the moisture to form humid air, which accelerates the evaporation of the condensate.

[0048] The airflow path in the above embodiment is as follows: external air → air inlet 03 at the bottom of the housing 90 → through the wet curtain 70 (from bottom to top) → enters the air inlet side of the fan → pressurized by the fan → discharged from the air outlet side of the fan → discharged into the atmosphere through the evaporation port 04 at the top of the housing 90.

[0049] The entire evaporation process is relatively quiet and generates no liquid water mist. It only releases humidified natural air to the outside, thus avoiding the risk of secondary condensation and icing.

[0050] In some possible implementations, the outer contour of the cross-section of the housing 90 is rectangular or circular.

[0051] In some possible implementations, the cross-sectional outer contour of the housing 90 can be designed as rectangular, circular, or other shapes adapted to the overall layout of the machine, such as a square or cylindrical structure. Correspondingly, the shape of the evaporative cooling pad 70 can also be adapted to the internal space of the housing 90, for example, using a flat, annular, or cylindrical structure. By optimizing the geometric matching relationship between the housing 90 and the evaporative cooling pad 70, the effective evaporation area of ​​the evaporative cooling pad 70 can be maximized within a limited installation space, thereby significantly improving the evaporation rate of condensate.

[0052] In some possible implementations, the fan module 80 is equipped with a motor, and the water heater device is also equipped with a sensor electrically connected to the motor. The sensor is used to detect the amount of condensate produced in order to adjust the motor speed according to the amount of condensate produced.

[0053] In this way, the fan module 80 can intelligently adjust the air volume according to the actual condensate load, realize on-demand evaporation, reduce energy consumption and operating noise while ensuring evaporation efficiency, and improve the intelligence level of the system.

[0054] 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.

[0055] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0056] 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.

[0057] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0058] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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 water heater device, characterized in that, The water heater device includes: The main body of the water heater is provided with a condensate outlet; A condensate evaporation module includes a shell and a condensate evaporation body. The shell has a receiving space, a water inlet, and an evaporation outlet. The condensate evaporation body is located in the receiving space. The water inlet is connected to the condensate outlet and the receiving space, and the evaporation outlet is connected to the receiving space.

2. The water heater device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The condensate evaporation body includes a water storage tank, a water pump, and a wet curtain. The wet curtain is located on top of the water storage tank. The water storage tank is used to collect the condensate flowing in from the water inlet. The water pump is used to pump the condensate from the water storage tank to the wet curtain.

3. The water heater device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The condensate evaporator also includes a fan module located at the top of the wet curtain. The housing also has an air inlet located at the bottom of the housing, and the evaporation outlet located at the top of the housing.

4. The water heater device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fan module has an air inlet side and an air outlet side, with the air inlet side facing the wet curtain and the air outlet side facing the evaporation port.

5. The water heater device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The condensate evaporator also includes a filter assembly connected to the inlet of the water storage tank. The filter assembly is used to collect the condensate flowing in from the inlet and to transport the condensate to the water storage tank.

6. The water heater device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The water heater device also includes a first pipe, and the water inlet is connected to the condensate outlet through the first pipe.

7. The water heater device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The water heater device further includes a second pipe, a third pipe, and a fourth pipe. The filter assembly is connected to the water storage tank through the second pipe. The water storage tank is connected to the water pump through the third pipe. The water pump is connected to the wet curtain through the fourth pipe.

8. The water heater device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The condensate evaporator also includes a water level control switch, which is located in the water storage tank and electrically connected to the water pump and the fan module.

9. The water heater device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer contour of the cross-section of the shell is rectangular or circular.

10. The water heater device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fan module is equipped with a motor, and the water heater device is also equipped with a sensor. The sensor is electrically connected to the motor and is used to detect the amount of condensate produced in order to adjust the motor speed according to the amount of condensate produced.

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