Electrical water heating appliances
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing domestic water heating and steam generating appliances face challenges in maintaining a consistent water flow rate to the heating means, especially when inlet water pressure varies, leading to inefficient steam production and potential safety issues.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pressure-compensating flow regulating valve with an elastic diaphragm that adjusts resistance to maintain a uniform flow rate, independent of inlet pressure, ensuring consistent steam production and reducing the complexity of pump control systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a control valve is used to regulate water flow rate, then flow rate consistency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow regulating valve means automatically regulates water flow rate based on inlet pressure variations without requiring external control systems. The valve self-adjusts to maintain constant flow rate, eliminating the need for complex pump control mechanisms and achieving flow consistency through autonomous pressure compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow regulating valve means acts as an intermediary component between the pump means and water heating means, isolating the heating means from pressure fluctuations. This mediator absorbs pressure variations and delivers stable flow rate to the heating means, protecting the system from complexity while ensuring flow consistency.
2Stability of the object's composition
If pump control is used to maintain flow rate, then flow rate consistency is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring active pump control systems to maintain flow rate, the invention places a flow regulating valve means that passively self-regulates based on pressure conditions. This eliminates complex control algorithms, sensors, and actuators on the pump side, achieving flow consistency through the valve's inherent pressure-compensating characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical pump control systems with a simpler passive flow regulating valve. The valve uses pressure-driven mechanical principles to automatically adjust flow rate, substituting active control mechanisms with a passive pressure-regulating structure that achieves the same flow consistency goal with reduced complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If narrow flow path is used to regulate flow, then flow rate control is improved, but blockage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow regulating valve means changes flow path parameters dynamically based on pressure conditions. Instead of using a fixed narrow passage that risks blockage, the valve adjusts its effective flow area in response to pressure variations, maintaining flow control while adapting the flow path geometry to prevent clogging from mineral deposits or debris.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve employs dynamic flow path adjustment rather than static narrow passages. The flow regulating mechanism adapts its opening and flow area based on real-time pressure conditions, ensuring consistent flow rate control while minimizing the risk of blockage by avoiding fixed constricted geometries that are prone to clogging.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures a consistent water flow rate to the heating means, enhancing steam generation stability and safety, while allowing for wider component tolerances and reduced costs by absorbing pressure fluctuations, thus improving appliance performance and user safety.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic diaphragm that prevents water that enters the inlet from flowing directly to the outlet... the diaphragm is responsive to pressure of the entering water, and as pressure of the inlet water increases, the diaphragm undergoes increasing distortion
Implementation Method 2
the valve means may comprise a tortuous or turbulent flow path. A tortuous or labyrinth flow path may be provided by a high resistance flow channel along which the pressure drops relatively rapidly with distance
Implementation Method 3
the valve means may comprise a vortex flow path. By arranging for water to swirl around an outlet there is a resulting pressure drop that can act to regulate the flow through the valve means
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
An electrical water heating appliance comprises pump means (4) connected to a water heating means (16) via a water flow path (14). One or more flow-regulating valve means (18,20) are arranged in the flow path (14) to regulate the flow of water to the heating means (16) so as to achieve a substantially uniform flow rate. The flow-regulating valve means may include a pressure-compensating valve means 10 (18) arranged to achieve a substantially uniform flow rate regardless of the water pressure. A suitable pressure-compensating valve (18) means may comprise an elastic diaphragm arranged to regulate the flow by distorting in response to the pressure of water entering the valve means. The water heating means (16) may be a water boiler for steam generation.