Phase-change water heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water heaters with large inner containers require long heating times, leading to high energy consumption and potential lime scale formation, and fail to provide immediate hot water demands, while also risking bacterial growth and pollution.
Innovation Solution
A phase-change water heater with a housing containing a phase-change material and a heat exchanger, allowing for rapid hot water production through heat storage and transfer, featuring a water control system that switches between discharging and circulation modes to minimize energy use and prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the inner container volume is increased to meet water demand of many people, then the water storage capacity is improved, but the heating time becomes excessively long and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water heater is divided into two functional parts: a storage tank for holding large volumes of water and a separate rapid heating device for quickly heating water. This segmentation allows the system to maintain large water storage capacity while providing fast heating capability through the dedicated heating device that uses a heating element and thermal insulation structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-heats water to a predetermined temperature and stores it in the storage tank during off-peak hours or when demand is low. When hot water is needed, the pre-heated water is quickly dispensed, eliminating the need for long heating times during actual use. The control unit manages this preliminary heating action to ensure hot water availability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the water in the inner container is heated repeatedly to maintain stable temperature, then the water temperature stability is improved, but energy consumption increases and lime scale forms
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal insulation structure enables the stored hot water to maintain its temperature for extended periods without requiring continuous heating. The insulation material reduces heat loss to the environment, allowing the water to serve itself by maintaining stable temperature passively. The control unit monitors temperature and only activates heating when necessary, preventing unnecessary energy consumption and lime scale formation from repeated heating cycles.
3Quantity of substance
If the water storage capacity is increased, then the water demand of many people is met, but the heating efficiency decreases and energy is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the storage function (large tank) from the heating function (compact heating device with high-power element). This allows the storage capacity to be large while the heating component remains efficient and compact, with the heating element capable of rapidly heating water regardless of the total storage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit enables preliminary heating of water batches, storing them at optimal temperatures in the tank. When hot water is demanded, pre-heated water is immediately available, and additional heating occurs only for the specific amount needed, maintaining high heating efficiency while supporting large storage capacity.
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 phase-change water heater achieves rapid hot water supply with reduced energy consumption, preventing bacterial growth and pollution, and maintaining water quality by utilizing the phase-change material's heat storage capacity without repeated heating.
Implementation Method 1
an inner container (20) disposed in the chamber (11) and having a phase-change material filled therein
Implementation Method 2
uses a heat storage capacity of the phase-change material to realize rapid hot water production
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchanger buried in the phase-change material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A phase-change water heater (100) is provided, the phase-change water heater (100) includes: a housing (10) defining a chamber (11); an inner container (20) disposed in the chamber (11) and having a phase-change material filled therein; a heat exchanger (47) buried in the phase-change material; and a water control system (40) connected to a water inlet (471) and a water outlet (472) of the heat exchanger (47), and a circulation heating mode and a water discharging mode are switchable by the water control system (40).