System and method where determination of calcification is realized based on the change in the resistance efficiency

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a method wherein the determination of the calcification is realized based on the time elapsing before a resistance, which converts the electrical energy into the thermal energy, brings the water inside a reservoir up to a desired temperature.

Description

[0001] SYSTEM AND METHOD WHERE DETERMINATION OF CALCIFICATION IS REALIZED BASED ON THE CHANGE IN THE RESISTANCE EFFICIENCY

[0002] Subject of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to a system and a method wherein the determination of the calcification is realized based on the change in the efficiency of a resistance that converts the electrical energy into the thermal energy.

[0004] State of the Art

[0005] The resistances, which convert the electrical energy into the thermal energy, have been in use for many years for the purpose of heating the water in diverse fields. Upon the supply of electrical energy to a resistance positioned into a tank, or a reservoir, the resistance converts the electrical energy into the thermal energy and the water inside the reservoir is enabled to be heated by means of the released thermal energy. The water intended to be heated is most of the time supplied to the reservoir from the clean water installation and thus contains varying quantities of lime. Said lime adheres on the resistance in the course of time and causes a decrease in the heating efficiency.

[0006] Various systems are utilized in order to remove the calcification on the resistance and / or inside the reservoir. Using the treatment systems to retain the lime before being delivered into the reservoir is one of the solutions. However, due to the need of said systems for maintenance and also due to the space occupied by the treatment systems, it is not possible to prefer the use of the treatment systems in some applications. Using various chemicals for the purpose of decalcification is one of the most preferred methods at the present. By way of addition of a decalcification agent into the reservoir at certain intervals, the calcification is enabled to be removed and it is aimed in this way to eliminate the problems caused by the calcification. Using a decalcification agent at certain intervals without performing the determination of calcification in said systems leads in some cases to the excessive use of chemical despite not being needed and in some other cases to the delayed realization of the decalcification process and thus to performance decreases.

[0007] Object of the Invention

[0008] An object of the invention is to develop a system and a method wherein the determination of the calcification is realized based on the time elapsing before the temperature of the water that is intended to be heated by means of a resistance reaches a predefined temperature.

[0009] Another object of the invention is to develop a system wherein the determination of the calcification is realized based on the time elapsing until the new water quantity is heated to the desired temperature after said new water quantity is filled into the reservoir following the consumption of the water previously present in said reservoir.

[0010] Another object of the invention is to develop a system wherein the determination of the calcification is realized based on the time elapsing before the current temperature of the water inside the reservoir is increased by a predefined extent.

[0011] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0012] The invention relates to a system and a method wherein the determination of the calcification is realized based on the time elapsing before a resistance, which converts the electrical energy into the thermal energy, brings the water inside a reservoir up to a desired temperature. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and a method wherein the determination of the calcification inside the reservoir and / or on the resistance is realized by way of determination of the time, for which the resistance is required to operate in order to bring up to a predefined temperature the water with a predefined volume newly filled into the reservoir following the consumption of the water that was previously present inside said reservoir, and / or the time, for which the resistance is required to operate in order to increase the temperature of the water inside the reservoir by a predefined extent. The system according to the invention comprises at least one reservoir, inside which the water to be heated is stored; at least one resistance, which enables the water inside the reservoir to be heated and which converts the electrical energy into the thermal energy; at least one thermometer, which enables the temperature of the water inside the reservoir to be measured; and at least one control unit, which enables the operation and / or operation time of the resistance to be controlled and which records the temperature data coming from the thermometer.

[0013] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, said thermometer is a thermometer, which enables to measure the temperature of the water newly filled into the reservoir following the consumption of the water previously present inside the reservoir. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the thermometer is a thermometer, which enables to measure that the temperature of the water heated by the resistance has reached a predefined target temperature. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit is a control unit, which records the temperature, measured by the thermometer, of the water newly filled into the reservoir following the consumption of the water previously present inside the reservoir and the time elapsing before the water inside the reservoir reaches a predefined target temperature. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit is a control unit, in which the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent is recorded. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit is a control unit calculating, based on the difference between the temperature of the water filled into the reservoir and the predefined target temperature, the time for which the resistance is required to operate for the same temperature difference using the data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent and calculating the degree of calcification by making a comparison with the time for which the resistance remains active in order to bring the water to the targeted temperature. More specifically, the control unit is a control unit informing the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the time for which the resistance is required to operate, calculated based on the difference between the temperature of the water filled into the reservoir and the predefined target temperature and using the data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent, is smaller than the time for which the resistance remains active in order to bring the water to the targeted temperature.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit is a control unit, which triggers the resistance in order to increase by a predefined extent the temperature of the water currently standing at a predefined usage temperature inside the reservoir. In said embodiment, said control unit is a control unit, in which the temperature of the water currently standing inside the reservoir and the time elapsing to increase by a predefined extent the temperature of the water after the activation of the resistance are recorded. The control unit is a control unit, which performs the determination of the calcification by comparing the recorded data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent with the temperature of the water currently standing inside the reservoir and with the time elapsing to increase by a predefined extent the temperature of the water after the activation of the resistance. More particularly, the control unit is a control unit, which informs the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case, based on the temperature of the water currently standing inside the reservoir, the time elapsing to increase by a predefined extent the temperature of the water after the activation of the resistance is greater than the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the resistance is activated in such a way that the temperature of the water will be increased by 1°C.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit is a control unit, which enables the resistance to be activated for a predefined time in order to heat the water currently standing inside the reservoir. In said embodiment of the invention, the control unit is a control unit, which records the temperature of the water before the resistance is activated and the temperature of the water after the resistance has remained active for a predefined time. In said embodiment of the invention, the control unit is a control unit, in which the increase in the water temperature that would result from the resistance remaining active for a predefined time in an environment where the calcification is absent is recorded. The control unit is a control unit, which performs the determination of the calcification based on the data about the difference between the temperature of the water before the resistance is activated and the temperature of the water after the resistance has remained active for a predefined time and the data about the increase in the water temperature that would result from the resistance remaining active for a predefined time in an environment where the calcification is absent. More particularly, the control unit is a control unit, which informs the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the difference between the temperature of the water before the resistance is activated and the temperature of the water after the resistance has remained active for a predefined time is smaller than the increase in the water temperature that would result from the resistance remaining active for a predefined time in an environment where the calcification is absent.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, informing the user about the presence of the calcification is realized visually and / or audibly. In the preferred embodiment, the visual information element is a light.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reservoir is a reservoir, in which the water to be offered to the user for the purpose of personal hygiene, more specifically, for the purpose of cleansing, is stored and heated.

[0018] The method of operation of the system according to the invention comprises the process steps of

[0019] • recording the temperature of the water prior to the heating,

[0020] • recording the time that elapses until the target temperature is reached and / or the temperature that the water reaches after a predefined time, and

[0021] • performing the determination of the calcification as a result of the comparison of the recorded data with the reference time and / or reference temperature. A preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention comprises the process steps of

[0022] • measuring the temperature of the water filled into the reservoir following the use,

[0023] • activating the resistance to heat the water,

[0024] • recording the time for which the resistance remains active until the water temperature reaches a predefined target temperature,

[0025] • calculating the required operation time of the resistance for the same temperature difference in a calcification-free environment, from the data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent, and

[0026] • informing the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the time for which the resistance remains active is greater than the calculated time.

[0027] Another preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention comprises the process steps of

[0028] • measuring the temperature of the water currently present inside the reservoir,

[0029] • activating the resistance until the temperature of said water increases by a predefined extent,

[0030] • recording the time for which the resistance remains active until the temperature of the water increases by the predefined extent,

[0031] • calculating the required operation time of the resistance for the same temperature difference in a calcification-free environment, from the data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent, and

[0032] • informing the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the time for which the resistance remains active is greater than the calculated time.

[0033] Another preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention comprises the process steps of • measuring the temperature of the water currently present inside the reservoir,

[0034] • activating the resistance for a predefined time,

[0035] • measuring at the end of this time the temperature of the heated water,

[0036] • calculating the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature of the water, and

[0037] • informing the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the increase in the water temperature that would result from the resistance remaining active for a predefined time in an environment where the calcification is absent is greater than the measured difference.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A system where the determination of the calcification is realized based on the change in the resistance efficiency characterized in that the system comprises at least one reservoir, inside which the water to be heated is stored; at least one resistance, which enables the water inside the reservoir to be heated and which converts the electrical energy into the thermal energy; at least one thermometer, which enables the temperature of the water inside the reservoir to be measured; and at least one control unit, which enables the operation and / or operation time of the resistance to be controlled and which records the temperature data coming from the thermometer.

2. A system according to Claim 1 characterized in that the thermometer is a thermometer, which enables to measure the temperature of the water newly filled into the reservoir following the consumption of the water previously present inside the reservoir.

3. A system according to Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the thermometer is a thermometer, which enables to measure that the temperature of the water heated by the resistance has reached a predefined target temperature.

4. A system according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, which records the temperature of the water newly filled into the reservoir following the consumption of the water previously present inside the reservoir and the time elapsing before the water inside the reservoir reaches a predefined target temperature.

5. A system according to Claim 4 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, in which the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent is recorded.

6. A system according to Claim 5 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit calculating, based on the difference between the temperature of the water filled into the reservoir and the predefined target temperature, the time for which the resistance is required to operate for the same temperature difference using the data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent and calculating the degree of calcification by making a comparison with the time for which the resistance remains active in order to bring the water to the targeted temperature.

7. A system according to any one of Claims 4-6 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit informing the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the time for which the resistance is required to operate, calculated based on the difference between the temperature of the water filled into the reservoir and the predefined target temperature and using the data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent, is smaller than the time for which the resistance remains active in order to bring the water to the targeted temperature.

8. A system according to any one of Claims 1-3 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, which triggers the resistance in order to increase by a predefined extent the temperature of the water currently standing at a predefined usage temperature inside the reservoir.

9. A system according to Claim 8 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, in which the temperature of the water currently standing inside the reservoir and the time elapsing to increase by a predefined extent the temperature of the water after the activation of the resistance are recorded.

10. A system according to Claim 8 or 9 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, which performs the determination of the calcification by comparing the recorded data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for saidresistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent with the temperature of the water currently standing inside the reservoir and with the time elapsing to increase by a predefined extent the temperature of the water after the activation of the resistance.

11. A system according to Claim 10 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, which informs the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case, based on the temperature of the water currently standing inside the reservoir, the time elapsing to increase by a predefined extent the temperature of the water after the activation of the resistance is greater than the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent.

12. A system according to Claim 10 or 11 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, which activates the resistance in such a way that the temperature of the water will be increased by 1°C.

13. A system according to any one of Claims 1-3 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, which enables the resistance to be activated for a predefined time in order to heat the water currently standing inside the reservoir.

14. A system according to Claim 13 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, which records the temperature of the water before the resistance is activated and the temperature of the water after the resistance has remained active for a predefined time.

15. A system according to Claim 13 or 14 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, in which the increase in the water temperature that would result from the resistance remaining active for a predefined time in an environment where the calcification is absent is recorded.

16. A system according to Claim 15 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, which performs the determination of the calcification based on the data about thedifference between the temperature of the water before the resistance is activated and the temperature of the water after the resistance has remained active for a predefined time and the data about the increase in the water temperature that would result from the resistance remaining active for a predefined time in an environment where the calcification is absent.

17. A system according to Claim 16 characterized in that the control unit is a control unit, which informs the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the difference between the temperature of the water before the resistance is activated and the temperature of the water after the resistance has remained active for a predefined time is smaller than the increase in the water temperature that would result from the resistance remaining active for a predefined time in an environment where the calcification is absent.

18. A system according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the reservoir is a reservoir, in which the water to be offered to the user for the purpose of personal hygiene, more specifically, for the purpose of cleansing, is stored and heated.

19. A method of operation for a system where the determination of the calcification is realized based on the change in the resistance efficiency, said system comprising at least one reservoir, inside which the water to be heated is stored; at least one resistance, which enables the water inside the reservoir to be heated and which converts the electrical energy into the thermal energy; at least one thermometer, which enables the temperature of the water inside the reservoir to be measured; and at least one control unit, which enables the operation and / or operation time of the resistance to be controlled and which records the temperature data coming from the thermometer, characterized in that the method comprises the process steps of• recording the temperature of the water prior to the heating,• recording the time that elapses until the target temperature is reached and / or the temperature that the water reaches after a predefined time, and• performing the determination of the calcification as a result of the comparison of the recorded data with the reference time and / or reference temperature.

20. A method according to Claim 19 characterized in that the method comprises the process steps of• measuring the temperature of the water filled into the reservoir following the use,• activating the resistance to heat the water,• recording the time for which the resistance remains active until the water temperature reaches a predefined target temperature,• calculating the required operation time of the resistance for the same temperature difference in a calcification-free environment, from the data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent, and• informing the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the time for which the resistance remains active is greater than the calculated time.

21. A method according to Claim 19 characterized in that the method comprises the process steps of• measuring the temperature of the water currently present inside the reservoir,• activating the resistance until the temperature of said water increases by a predefined extent,• recording the time for which the resistance remains active until the temperature of the water increases by the predefined extent,• calculating the required operation time of the resistance for the same temperature difference in a calcification-free environment, from the data about the operation time of the resistance required in order for said resistance to increase the temperature of the water by one unit in an environment where the calcification is absent, and• informing the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the time for which the resistance remains active is greater than the calculated time.

22. A method according to Claim 19 characterized in that the method comprises the process steps of• measuring the temperature of the water currently present inside the reservoir, • activating the resistance for a predefined time,• measuring at the end of this time the temperature of the heated water,• calculating the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature of the water, and• informing the user about the presence of the calcification in the system in case the increase in the water temperature that would result from the resistance remaining active for a predefined time in an environment where the calcification is absent is greater than the measured difference.