Water heating system and water heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water heating systems with parallel-connected water heaters fail to appropriately adjust the number of active heaters due to differing maximum flow rates among heaters, leading to potential decreased heating capacity when errors occur.
Innovation Solution
A system with flow rate sensors, valves, and controllers that adjust heating capacity and select active heaters based on flow rates and error signals, excluding heaters with errors from activation, and managing heaters to maintain appropriate flow rates and heating capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the maximum flow rate of water heaters is decreased when heating unit errors occur, then the heating capacity is reduced to prevent damage, but the system's ability to appropriately adjust the number of active heaters is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of maximum flow rates based on error states. When heating unit errors are detected, the controller automatically reduces the maximum flow rate to prevent overheating damage. This dynamic parameter adjustment allows the system to adapt to changing conditions while maintaining safety, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (maximum flow rate) in response to error conditions. By modifying the flow rate parameter dynamically, the system can reduce heating capacity when errors occur to prevent damage, while restoring normal capacity when errors are resolved, thus balancing reliability and productivity requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If water heaters with different maximum flow rates are used in parallel, then individual error handling is improved, but the conventional assumption of uniform flow rates for determining active heater count becomes invalid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the water heating system into individually controllable units, each with its own flow rate characteristics and error handling. This segmentation allows each heater to be managed independently based on its specific parameters, improving adaptability while the central controller manages the overall system to avoid complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where each water heater reports its operational status and flow rate characteristics to the controller. This feedback enables the controller to make informed decisions about which heaters to activate, accounting for individual flow rate differences and error states, thus managing complexity through information feedback.
3Productivity
If the number of active water heaters is increased to meet high flow rate demands, then system productivity is improved, but the risk of overheating increases when heating unit errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The controller continuously monitors the operational status of heating units and adjusts the number of active heaters based on feedback from error detection systems. When errors are detected, the system automatically reduces the number of active heaters or lowers their flow rates, providing feedback-based control that balances productivity with overheating prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary anti-action by preemptively reducing flow rates or shutting down heaters when errors are detected, before overheating can occur. This preventive approach allows the system to maintain high productivity during normal operation while having ready mechanisms to prevent overheating damage when errors occur.
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
Ensures appropriate adjustment of active heaters and heating capacity, preventing damage from overheating and maintaining system efficiency even with varying flow rates and errors.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit configured to heat water
Implementation Method 2
a flow rate sensor configured to detect a flow rate of the water flowing into the water heater
Data Source
AI summary
A water heating system may include: a plurality of water heaters connected in parallel to each other; and a connection controller. The connection controller may be configured to: select one or more of the plurality of water heaters as active water heaters and a remainder of the plurality of water heaters as inactive water heaters; send an activation instruction to the controllers of the active water heaters; and send a stop instruction to the controllers of the inactive water heaters. The connection controller may be configured to: increase or decrease a number of the active water heaters based on a maximum flow rate of a valve and a detected flow rate in each of the active water heaters; and when increasing the number of the active water heaters, select a next active water heater from the inactive water heaters that have not sent an error signal.