Water Heater Sensor Conduit for Removable Thermistor Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water heaters face challenges in accessing and maintaining temperature sensors due to insulation, which complicates troubleshooting and repair, and increases costs, as thermistors need to be permanently mounted and sealed within the tank wall, making replacement difficult.
Innovation Solution
A removably mounted access passage made of thermally conductive material, such as a stainless steel tube, is positioned next to the water tank wall, allowing for the placement of temperature sensors and their wiring at distinct locations, providing accurate temperature readings while allowing for easy access and replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If thermistors are permanently mounted and sealed within the tank wall, then temperature monitoring accuracy is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensing system is segmented into modular components: the thermistor remains permanently mounted against the tank wall for accurate measurement, while the support structure and wiring are made removable through the access passage. This allows the sensing element to stay fixed for precision while the accessible portions can be replaced for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
An access passage serves as an intermediary channel between the external environment and the internally mounted thermistor. This passage allows technicians to access and replace wiring and support structures without disturbing the permanently mounted sensing element, resolving the contradiction between permanent mounting for accuracy and accessibility for repair.
2Ease of repair
If access doors are formed in the outer casing for access to thermistors, then ease of repair is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access passage serves multiple functions: it provides access for sensor wiring, allows insertion of support structures, maintains thermal insulation integrity, and enables maintenance operations. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate access doors, reducing structural complexity while maintaining repairability.
Solution Approach 2:
The access passage is extracted as a separate, pre-formed component that can be integrated into the casing structure. This extraction allows the passage to be designed independently for optimal accessibility while the main casing structure remains simple and intact, avoiding the complexity of integrated access doors.
3Loss of energy
If foam dams are formed about thermistors and access doors, then thermal insulation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access passage is pre-formed and positioned before the foam insulation is applied. This preliminary placement allows the foam to be poured or injected in a simple, uninterrupted process, forming natural insulation around the passage without requiring complex pre-formed dams or barriers. The passage itself acts as the boundary, eliminating the need for additional manufacturing steps.
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 enables accurate temperature monitoring of the water tank without disrupting the insulation, simplifies maintenance, and reduces costs by allowing for easy replacement of defective sensors and wiring, thereby improving operational efficiency and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
an elongated access passage for removably mounting temperature sensors adjacent a water tank of a water heater... formed of thermally conductive material... whereby the temperature inside the passage is substantially the same as the adjacent tank wall and adjacent water inside the tank
Data Source
AI summary
A passage is provided in a water heater and mounted against the outer surface of the water tank side wall to removably mount thermistors secured to a support at distinct locations along the tank side wall to provide temperature value signal representative of the water temperature in the tank adjacent the thermistors. The passage may be formed by a metal tube held next to the side wall of the tank or a U-shaped channel held against the outer surface of the tank wall with the through thereof facing the tank side wall outer surface. The thermistors are mounted spaced-apart on a support inserted in the passage. The method is also described.