Hot water generator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hot water generators face challenges in maintaining optimal temperature control, as reduced cold water flow rates lead to decreased heat transfer efficiency, causing hot water to fall below preset temperatures, while increased extraction rates result in excessive heating above preset temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A hot water generator with a valve system that dynamically controls the communication between the cold water intake pipe and multiple spiral tubes, allowing or blocking fluid flow based on pressure differences to optimize cold water distribution and prevent excessive heat transfer areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cold water flow rate from the cold water intake pipe falls, then the cold water flow velocity in the multiple spiral tubes falls, but it becomes difficult to generate turbulence in cold water within the multiple spiral tubes, causing heat transfer efficiency to fall and hot water temperature to drop below preset temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the multiple spiral tubes into different groups with selective communication paths. When cold water flow rate decreases, the valve blocks communication to some spiral tubes and directs flow only to others, ensuring sufficient flow velocity and turbulence generation in the active tubes to maintain heat transfer efficiency and hot water temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic valve mechanism that automatically adjusts communication paths based on cold water flow rate conditions. The valve responds to pressure differences caused by varying flow rates, dynamically reconfiguring which spiral tubes receive cold water to maintain optimal flow velocity and turbulence for heat transfer.
2Temperature
If the amount of hot water extraction from the hot water extraction pipe is reduced, then the heat transfer area of the overall spiral tubes becomes excessive, causing heat exchange between cold water and steam to become excessive and hot water temperature to rise above preset temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spiral tube system into multiple groups with selective communication paths. When hot water extraction amount decreases, the valve blocks communication to some spiral tubes, effectively reducing the active heat transfer area to match the reduced demand and prevent excessive heating that would cause temperature to rise above preset levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter of heat transfer area by dynamically controlling which spiral tubes are active through the valve mechanism. This allows the system to adjust the effective heat transfer area according to hot water extraction demand, maintaining temperature within preset ranges.
3Temperature
If a valve system is introduced to dynamically control communication between the cold water intake pipe and multiple spiral tubes, then cold water supply can be optimized to prevent temperature deviations, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a self-regulating valve mechanism that automatically responds to pressure differences caused by varying cold water flow rates and hot water extraction amounts. The valve system self-adjusts communication paths without external control signals, using the inherent pressure variations in the system to maintain optimal temperature control while avoiding complex control systems.
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
This solution ensures that hot water is maintained within the preset temperature range by adjusting cold water supply to only some spiral tubes, preventing temperature deviations and optimizing heat transfer efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a valve to allow communication between the cold water intake pipe and the others of the multiple spiral tubes when the force acting from the cold water intake pipe is greater than the force acting from the others of the multiple spiral tubes and to block the cold water intake pipe from the others of the multiple spiral tubes when the force acting from the cold water intake pipe is smaller than the force acting from the others of the multiple spiral tubes
Implementation Method 2
a corrugated spiral tube type heat exchanger... heating cold water with steam heat
Implementation Method 3
heat exchange between cold water and steam
Data Source
AI summary
A cold water intake pipe 4 and a hot water extraction pipe 5 that communicate with multiple spiral tubes 101 and a steam supplying pipe 2 and a condensate discharge pipe 3 that communicate with a shell are connected to a corrugated spiral tube type heat exchanger 1. Between the cold water intake pipe 4 and multiple spiral tubes 101, communication paths 46 that communicate between the cold water intake pipe 4 and some multiple spiral tubes 101a are provided, and a valve 44 is provided to communicate between the cold water intake pipe 4 and the other multiple spiral tubes 101b when the force acting from the cold water intake pipe 4 becomes larger than the force acting from the other multiple spiral tubes 101b and to block the cold water intake pipe 4 from the other multiple spiral tubes 101b when the force acting from the cold water intake pipe 4 becomes smaller than the force acting from the other multiple spiral tubes 101b.