Water heater and water tank thereof

Abstract

A water heater and a water tank (100) thereof. The water tank (100) comprises: an inner container (1), comprising a cylinder body (11) provided with a weld seam (111); and a heat exchange assembly (2), comprising a first manifold (21), a second manifold (22), and heat exchange tubes (23) that are all arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder body (11); both ends of the first manifold (21), both ends of the second manifold (22) and both ends of the weld seam (111) all extend towards both ends of the cylinder body (11), and two ends of the heat exchange tubes (23) are respectively connected to the first manifold (21) and the second manifold (22); there is a first gap (101) between the joint between the first manifold (21) and the heat exchange tubes (23) and the outer peripheral wall; at least part of the weld seam (111) protruding from the outer peripheral wall is accommodated in the first gap (101); and / or there is a second gap (102) between the joint between the second manifold (22) and the heat exchange tubes (23) and the outer peripheral wall, and at least part of the weld seam (111) protruding from the outer peripheral wall is accommodated in the second gap (102).

Description

Water heater and water tank thereof

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This patent application claims priority to Chinese patent application filed on April 21, 2023, with application number 202320932101.7, entitled "A Water Heater and Its Water Tank." The disclosure of the above Chinese patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of electrical appliances, and in particular to a water heater and a water tank thereof. Background Art

[0004] Air-source water heaters in related art include an inner tank and heat exchange tubes. The inner tank holds water. The heat exchange tubes are mounted on the outer wall of the inner tank. Refrigerant is injected into the heat exchange tubes to heat the inner tank, raising the temperature of the water inside. However, the protruding weld seam on the inner tank can lift the heat exchange tubes, causing them to lose contact with the outer wall.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The following is a summary of the subject matter described in detail herein. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0007] In related technologies, the inner liner is usually welded from plates, and the weld on the inner liner usually protrudes from the outer wall of the inner liner. The heat exchange tube is usually clamped on the inner liner by elastic force. The heat exchange tube rests on the weld, which will cause a gap between a part of the heat exchange tube and the outer wall of the inner liner.

[0008] When the heat exchange tubes and the inner tank are tightly attached, they can conduct heat directly to each other. However, when a gap forms between them, an additional layer of air is created, and the heat exchange method becomes natural convection, which reduces the heat transfer effect. This poor heat transfer can lead to high refrigerant pressure in the system and unstable operation of the entire unit. This gap also increases the time it takes to heat the water in the inner tank, reducing energy efficiency.

[0009] In particular, gaps between the heat exchange tubes and the inner tank at the weld seam result in discontinuous contact between the heat exchange tubes and the inner tank, exacerbating the uneven temperature distribution of the water inside the tank. The more uneven the water temperature distribution inside the tank, the more likely the refrigerant in the heat exchange tubes will condense, leading to the gradual accumulation of liquid refrigerant in the rear heat exchange tubes.

[0010] The technical problem to be solved by the present disclosure is how to prevent the weld from lifting up the heat exchange tube and causing the heat exchange tube to not fit the inner liner.

[0011] The technical solutions disclosed herein for solving the above technical problems are as follows:

[0012] A water tank comprising:

[0013] The inner liner comprises a cylinder with a welded seam; and

[0014] a heat exchange assembly comprising a first header, a second header, and heat exchange tubes, all of which are arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder;

[0015] Wherein, both ends of the first header, the second header and the weld extend to both ends of the cylinder, and both ends of the heat exchange tube are connected to the first header and the second header respectively;

[0016] There is a first gap between the connection between the first header and the heat exchange tube and the outer peripheral wall, and at least the portion of the weld protruding from the outer peripheral wall is accommodated in the first gap; and / or there is a second gap between the connection between the second header and the heat exchange tube and the outer peripheral wall, and at least the portion of the weld protruding from the outer peripheral wall is accommodated in the second gap.

[0017] Based on the above technical solutions, the present disclosure may also be improved as follows.

[0018] In some embodiments, the first header, the second header, and the weld all extend along the axial direction of the cylinder.

[0019] In some embodiments, the heat exchange tube is clamped on the cylinder.

[0020] In some embodiments, the heat exchange tube is a flat tube.

[0021] In some embodiments, a plurality of heat exchange tubes are provided, and all heat exchange tubes extend from a side wall of the first header facing away from the second header to a side wall of the second header facing away from the first header.

[0022] In some embodiments, the cylinder is provided with a water inlet and a water outlet;

[0023] The water inlet and the water outlet are both located on a side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tubes.

[0024] In some embodiments, an electric auxiliary heating component is further included, configured to heat the water in the inner tank;

[0025] The electric auxiliary heating component is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder and is located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tube.

[0026] In some embodiments, the first header is provided with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet;

[0027] The refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are respectively provided at two ends of the first header.

[0028] In some embodiments, the heat exchange assembly further includes a refrigerant interface assembly, an input pipe, and an output pipe;

[0029] The refrigerant interface assembly includes a base and an input connector and an output connector both provided on the base;

[0030] Wherein, the base is arranged on the outer wall of the cylinder and is located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tube, the two ends of the input pipe are respectively connected to the refrigerant inlet and the input joint, and the two ends of the output pipe are respectively connected to the refrigerant outlet and the output joint.

[0031] The present application proposes a water heater, which includes the water tank as described above.

[0032] Still other aspects will become apparent upon reading and understanding the accompanying drawings and detailed description.

[0033] Summary of the Figures

[0034] FIG1 is a front perspective schematic diagram of a water tank disclosed herein;

[0035] FIG2 is a schematic perspective view of the back side of a water tank disclosed herein;

[0036] FIG3 is a schematic front view of a water tank disclosed herein;

[0037] FIG4 is a schematic top view of a water tank disclosed herein;

[0038] FIG5 is a partial enlarged view of the water tank in FIG4 .

[0039] In the accompanying drawings, the list of components represented by each number is as follows: 100, water tank; 101, first gap; 102, second gap; 1, inner liner; 11, cylinder; 111, weld; 12, first end cover; 13, water outlet; 14, water inlet; 2, heat exchange assembly; 21, first header; 211, refrigerant inlet; 212, refrigerant outlet; 22, second header; 23, heat exchange tube; 24, refrigerant interface assembly; 241, base; 242, input connector; 243, output connector; 25, input pipe; 26, output pipe; 3, weld setting area.

[0040] Details

[0041] The principles and features of the present disclosure are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The examples given are only used to explain the present disclosure and are not used to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1-3, the structure of a water tank 100 of a water heater in this embodiment is shown. This water heater can be an air source water heater. The water heater includes a water tank 100 and an external unit. The external unit and water tank 100 are connected via a refrigerant pipeline. The external unit drives refrigerant to circulate between the external unit and water tank 100, absorbing heat from the air to heat the water stored in the water tank 100.

[0043] The water tank 100 includes an inner tank 1 and a heat exchange assembly 2. The inner tank 1 has an inner cavity and is configured to store water. The inner tank 1 includes a cylinder 11, a first end cover 12 and a second end cover (not shown in the figure). The cylinder 11 can be cylindrical. The cylinder 11 is welded with plate materials, and the cylinder 11 usually has at least one weld 111, which extends from one end of the cylinder 11 to the other end of the cylinder 11. The plate material can be a good heat conductor, such as a steel plate or an enameled steel plate. The weld 111 on the cylinder 11 protrudes from the outer circumferential wall of the cylinder 11. The first end cover 12 and the second end cover are constructed as a roughly disc-shaped structure. The first end cover 12 covers one end of the cylinder 11, and the second end cover covers the other end of the cylinder 11 to seal the two ends of the cylinder 11. The first end cover 12 and the second end cover can be welded to the cylinder 11, or can be screwed or riveted to the cylinder 11.

[0044] The heat exchange assembly 2 includes a heat exchange tube 23, a first header 21, and a second header 22. The heat exchange tube 23, the first header 21, and the second header 22 are all arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11. The first header 21 and the second header 22 can both be constructed as straight tubes. The two ends of the first header 21 extend toward the two ends of the cylinder 11. The two ends of the second header 22 extend toward the two ends of the cylinder 11. The first header 21 and the second header 22 are arranged at intervals. The heat exchange tube 23 extends along the circumference of the cylinder 11, closely adhering to the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11. One end of the heat exchange tube 23 is connected to the side wall of the first header 21 on the side facing away from the second header 22, and the other end of the heat exchange tube 23 is connected to the side wall of the second header 22 on the side facing away from the first header 21. The first header 21 is connected to the heat exchange tube 23, and the second header 22 is connected to the heat exchange tube 23.

[0045] The first header 21 can be connected to an external unit of the heat exchanger, which delivers a gaseous refrigerant to the first header 21. The refrigerant has a temperature higher than that of the water in the inner tank 1. The refrigerant flows from the first header 21 to the second header 22 through the heat exchange tubes 23. As the refrigerant flows through the heat exchange tubes 23, it transfers heat to the inner tank 1, thereby heating the water in the inner tank 1.

[0046] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the diameters of the first and second headers 21, 22 are typically larger than those of the heat exchange tubes 23. Due to the different diameters of the first header 21 and the heat exchange tubes 23, a first gap 101 exists between the connection between the first header 21 and the heat exchange tubes 23 and the outer circumferential wall of the barrel 11. The weld 111 of the barrel 11 can be located on the side of the first header 21 where it connects to the heat exchange tubes 23, close to the first header 21. At least the portion of the weld 111 protruding from the barrel 11 can be accommodated within the first gap 101. The connection between the first header 21 and the heat exchange tubes 23 can be a wide pipe section that can include a portion of the first header 21 and / or the heat exchange tubes 23. At the same time, because the second header 22 and the heat exchange tubes 23 have different diameters, a second gap 102 exists between the connection between the second header 22 and the heat exchange tubes 23 and the outer peripheral wall of the barrel 11. The weld 111 of the barrel 11 can also be located on the side where the second header 22 connects to the heat exchange tubes 23, close to the second header 22. At least the portion of the weld 111 of the barrel 11 that protrudes from the barrel 11 can also be accommodated within the second gap 102. As shown in Figures 3 or 5, the weld area 3 is the area of ​​the barrel 11 that is aligned with the first gap 101 and the second gap 102 in the circumferential direction. The weld 111 can be located within the weld area 3.

[0047] Furthermore, because at least a portion of the weld 111 protruding from the outer peripheral wall of the barrel 11 is contained within the first gap 101 or the second gap 102, the weld 111 of the barrel 11 does not lift the heat exchange tube 23 and create an additional gap. The portion between the two ends of the heat exchange tube 23 can continuously and closely adhere to the outer peripheral wall of the barrel 11, thereby increasing the heat exchange efficiency between the heat exchange tube 23 and the barrel 11 when the refrigerant flows through the heat exchange tube 23, shortening the time it takes to heat the water in the inner tank 1, improving energy efficiency, and effectively avoiding the situation where the refrigerant high pressure in the system and the unstable operation of the entire unit are caused by the heat exchange tube 23 not being closely attached to the barrel 11. At the same time, because the heat exchange tube 23 can continuously and closely adhere to the outer peripheral wall of the barrel 11, the water temperature distribution in the inner tank 1 is more uniform when heating the water in the inner tank 1, thereby reducing the risk of liquid refrigerant gradually accumulating in the heat exchange tube 23 at the end. At the same time, the more uniform water temperature distribution in the inner tank 1 can make the water heater's temperature-reaching shutdown time more accurate.

[0048] In some embodiments, the first header 21 extends along the axial direction of the cylinder 11 , the second header 22 extends along the axial direction of the cylinder 11 , and the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 extends along the axial direction of the cylinder 11 .

[0049] The weld seam 111 of the cylinder 11 extends axially, facilitating cutting and welding of the sheet material used to make the cylinder 11. Both the first and second headers 21, 22 extend axially, making them easier to place on the cylinder 11. The first and second headers 21, 22 extend in the same direction as the weld seam 111 of the cylinder 11, allowing them to extend along one side of either the first or second header 21, 22.

[0050] In some embodiments, the heat exchange tube 23 is configured as an arc-shaped tube. The arc of the heat exchange tube 23 is greater than π. The arc of the heat exchange tube 23 is greater than or equal to 300π / 180. The heat exchange tube 23 can be a metal tube. The metal tube is elastic and can be elastically deformed by bending to be clamped around the outer wall of the cylinder 11, making the heat exchange tube 23 tightly attached to the outer wall of the cylinder 11. This eliminates the need for connectors to secure the heat exchange tube 23 to the cylinder 11, making installation of the heat exchange tube 23 more convenient.

[0051] In some embodiments, the heat exchange tube 23 is constructed as a flat tube. The flat tube has a flat cross-section, which facilitates conforming to the outer wall of the inner liner 1. Compared with a round tube, under the same heat exchange capacity, the flat tube is lighter, the effective heat exchange area is increased, and the refrigerant charge can be effectively reduced.

[0052] In some embodiments, a plurality of heat exchange tubes 23 are provided, and the plurality of heat exchange tubes 23 are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the cylinder 11. Adjacent heat exchange tubes 23 are spaced apart. The spacing between adjacent heat exchange tubes 23 can be equal. All heat exchange tubes 23 extend from the sidewall of the first header 21 facing away from the second header 22 to the sidewall of the second header 22 facing away from the first header 21.

[0053] By using multiple heat exchange tubes 23 to heat the cylinder 11 simultaneously, the water in the inner tank 1 can be heated more quickly. The multiple heat exchange tubes 23 are concentrated on the same side of the cylinder 11, and other welded components of the inner tank 1 can be conveniently arranged on the side of the cylinder 11 where the heat exchange tubes 23 are not provided.

[0054] In some embodiments, the water tank 100 further includes an electric auxiliary heating assembly 3. The electric auxiliary heating assembly 3 is configured to directly convert electrical energy into thermal energy to heat the water in the inner tank 1. The electric auxiliary heating assembly 3 is welded to the outer wall of the cylinder 11 and is located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tubes 23 and on the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tubes 23.

[0055] The water heater's heat pump system has poor heating performance when the ambient temperature is too low. In this case, the auxiliary heating provided by the electric auxiliary heating assembly 3 can quickly heat the water in the inner tank 1 to the set temperature. The electric auxiliary heating assembly 3 is located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tubes 23 and on the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tubes 23. The weld 111 of the barrel 11 is located near the end of the heat exchange tubes 23. This avoids stress concentration caused by the close proximity between the connection of the electric auxiliary heating assembly 3 on the barrel 11 and the weld 111 of the barrel 11.

[0056] In some embodiments, a water inlet 14 and a water outlet 13 are provided on the wall surface of the cylinder 11. The water inlet 14 and the water outlet 13 are both connected to the inner cavity of the inner tank 1. The water inlet 14 is configured to inject water into the inner tank 1. The water outlet 13 is configured to discharge the water in the inner tank 1 out of the inner tank 1. The water inlet 14 can be provided at the lower end of the cylinder 11, and the water outlet 13 can be provided at the upper end of the cylinder 11. The water inlet 14 and the water outlet 13 of the cylinder 11 are both located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23 and on the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23.

[0057] Since the water inlet 14 and the water outlet 13 are both located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23 and the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23, and the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 is arranged at a position close to the end of the heat exchange tube 23, stress concentration caused by the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 and the water inlet 14 being too close or the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 and the water outlet 13 being too close is avoided.

[0058] In some embodiments, the first header 21 is provided with a refrigerant inlet 211 and a refrigerant outlet 212. The refrigerant inlet 211 is configured to inject refrigerant into the first header 21, and the refrigerant outlet 212 is configured to discharge the refrigerant within the first header 21. The refrigerant inlet 211 and the refrigerant outlet 212 are respectively disposed at opposite ends of the first header 21. When the first header 21 is disposed vertically, the refrigerant inlet 211 may be disposed at the top end of the first header 21, and the refrigerant outlet 212 may be disposed at the bottom end of the first header 21.

[0059] After the refrigerant is injected into the first header 21 from the refrigerant inlet 211, it enters the second header 22 along the upper heat exchange tube 23. The refrigerant in the second header 22 enters the first header 21 along the lower heat exchange tube 23, and finally discharges from the first header 21 from the refrigerant outlet 212 of the first header 21.

[0060] In some embodiments, the heat exchange assembly 2 further includes an input pipe 25 , an output pipe 26 and a refrigerant interface assembly 24 .

[0061] The refrigerant interface assembly 24 includes a base 241, an input connector 242, and an output connector 243. The base 241 is constructed as a bracket structure. The base 241 can be welded to the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11, located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tubes 23 and the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tubes 23. The input connector 242 and the output connector 243 are both disposed on the base 241. One end of the input connector 242 faces the cylinder 11, and the other end faces away from the cylinder 11. One end of the output connector 243 faces the cylinder 11, and the other end faces away from the cylinder 11. One end of the input pipe 25 is connected to the end of the input connector 242 facing the cylinder 11, and the other end of the input pipe 25 is connected to the refrigerant inlet 211 of the first header 21. One end of the output pipe 26 is connected to the end of the output connector 243 facing the cylinder 11, and the other end of the output pipe 26 is connected to the output connector 243 of the first header 21.

[0062] The input connector 242 and the output connector 243 can be connected to external refrigerant pipelines. Refrigerant is injected into the input connector 242 and then injected into the first header 21 through the input pipe 25. The refrigerant in the first header 21 is also discharged through the output pipe 26 and the output connector 243. Because the base 241 is located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tubes 23 and the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tubes 23, and the weld 111 of the barrel 11 is located near the end of the heat exchange tubes 23, stress concentration caused by the close distance between the weld 111 of the barrel 11 and the base 241 is avoided.

[0063] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation to the present disclosure.

[0064] 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 being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. Throughout the present disclosure, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0065] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, terms such as "installed," "connected," "connect," and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this disclosure based on specific circumstances.

[0066] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0067] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and features of different embodiments or examples, unless they are mutually inconsistent.

[0068] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and are not to be construed as limitations on the present disclosure. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and vary the above embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A water tank, wherein: include: The liner includes a cylinder body provided with a weld; as well as A heat exchange assembly, comprising a first header, a second header and heat exchange tubes, all of which are arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder; Wherein, both ends of the first header, the second header and the weld extend to both ends of the cylinder, and both ends of the heat exchange tube are connected to the first header and the second header respectively; There is a first gap between the connection between the first header and the heat exchange tube and the outer peripheral wall, and at least a portion of the weld protruding from the outer peripheral wall is accommodated in the first gap; And / or, a second gap exists between the connection between the second header and the heat exchange tube and the outer peripheral wall, and at least a portion of the weld protruding from the outer peripheral wall is accommodated in the second gap.

2. The water tank according to claim 1, wherein: The first header, the second header and the weld all extend in the axial direction of the cylinder.

3. The water tank according to claim 1, wherein: The heat exchange tube clamp is on the cylinder.

4. The water tank according to claim 1, wherein: The heat exchange tube is a flat tube.

5. The water tank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: A plurality of heat exchange tubes are provided, and all of the heat exchange tubes extend from a side wall of the first header facing away from the second header to a side wall of the second header facing away from the first header.

6. The water tank according to claim 5, wherein: The cylinder is provided with a water inlet and a water outlet; The water inlet and the water outlet are both located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tubes.

7. The water tank according to claim 5, wherein: It also includes an electric auxiliary heating component configured to heat the water in the inner tank; The electric auxiliary heating component is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder and is located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tube.

8. The water tank according to claim 5, wherein: The first header is provided with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet; The refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are respectively disposed at two ends of the first header.

9. The water tank according to claim 8, wherein: The heat exchange assembly also includes a refrigerant interface assembly, an input pipe and an output pipe; The refrigerant interface assembly includes a base and an input connector and an output connector both disposed on the base; Wherein, the base is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder and is located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tube, the two ends of the input pipe are respectively connected to the refrigerant inlet and the input joint, and the two ends of the output pipe are respectively connected to the refrigerant outlet and the output joint.

10. A water heater, wherein: Comprising a water tank as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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