System for heating water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water heating systems using flammable refrigerants pose a risk of fire or explosion due to their global warming impact, necessitating the need for enhanced safety measures to prevent refrigerant leaks from reaching ignition sources.
Innovation Solution
A water heating system design featuring a compartmentalized structure with a box positioned under the heat pump compartment to collect and vent refrigerant leaks, ensuring ignition sources are protected by creating a buffer zone and using vents to evacuate refrigerant safely, thereby preventing contact and ignition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ignition sources are positioned to optimize heating performance, then heating efficiency is improved, but safety risk increases due to potential contact with leaked refrigerant
Solution Approach 1:
Ignition sources such as heating elements and electronic controls are relocated to the water heater compartment, separated from the heat pump compartment where refrigerant leaks occur. This spatial segmentation allows ignition sources to be positioned for optimal heating performance while physically preventing contact with leaked refrigerant
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer zone serves as an intermediary barrier that protects ignition sources in the water heater compartment from refrigerant in the heat pump compartment, enabling safe operation of heating elements and electronic controls without ignition risk
2Device complexity
If a compact single-unit design is used to reduce system complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but safety risk increases due to closer proximity of refrigerant and ignition sources
Solution Approach 1:
The compact unit is segmented into distinct compartments with clear functional separation: the heat pump compartment for refrigerant circulation and the water heater compartment for water heating and ignition sources. This segmentation maintains the compact single-unit design while internally separating hazardous elements to eliminate ignition risk
3Object-affected harmful factors
If strict sealing requirements are imposed to prevent refrigerant leaks, then safety is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful element (ignition sources) is extracted from the heat pump compartment and relocated to the water heater compartment. This extraction eliminates the need for complex sealing between compartments, as the ignition sources are now separated from the refrigerant environment, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer zone acts as an intermediary that provides safety without requiring stringent sealing. By creating a protective barrier zone, the system achieves refrigerant containment and ignition prevention through design rather than relying on complex sealing mechanisms, reducing manufacturing complexity
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 effectively manages refrigerant leaks, preventing ignition and explosion risks while allowing for flexible ignition source placement, reducing system complexity and costs through compact design and low-sealing requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant fluid circulates which is set in motion and compressed in the compressor
Implementation Method 2
undergoes condensation in the condenser
Implementation Method 3
undergoes evaporation in the evaporator
Implementation Method 4
The evaporator and condenser are heat exchangers, in each of which the refrigerant partially exchanges its thermal energy with another fluid
Implementation Method 5
the box is sized to collect a predetermined quantity of refrigerant in the event of a leak, and in that the casing includes vents for the refrigerant to exit the casing
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a water heating system, comprising a water heater equipped (3) with a water tank (4), and a heat pump device (2) equipped with a condenser, an evaporator, a compressor fluidly connected to each other so as to circulate a refrigerant, the system (1) comprising at least one ignition source (21), and a housing (20) for said at least one ignition source (21), characterized in that an internal volume of the housing (20) is sized to collect a predetermined quantity of refrigerant in the event of a leak thereof and in that the housing (20) includes vents (29) for the outlet of the refrigerant from the housing (20).