CN107940762A - Water heater leakage detection method and water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a water leakage detection method for a water heater, and relates to the technical field of water heaters. The detection method comprises the following steps: respectively detecting the water flow at the water inlet and the water outlet of the water tank by using a water flow sensor; calculating the flow difference between the water inlet and the water outlet, and comparing the flow difference with a threshold A preset by a controller; if the flow difference is larger than the threshold value A, the controller controls the electromagnetic valve on the water inlet pipe to be closed, and meanwhile the alarm gives an alarm. The invention also discloses a water heater using the water leakage detection method of the water heater. The invention can effectively prevent the water heater from large-area water leakage, reduce the waste of water resources and ensure the use safety of users; meanwhile, the method is accurate in detection, and the influence of misjudgment of the water heater on a user is avoided.

Description

Water heater leakage detection method and water heater

technical field

The invention relates to the technical field of water heaters, in particular to a water heater leakage detection method and a water heater using the water heater leakage detection method.

Background technique

The water tanks of existing water heaters have pressure-bearing closed type and open type, etc. Among them, the pressure-bearing closed water tank and the tap water pipeline are connected in series and closed, and the top-water operation is adopted. As long as the user uses hot water, the water inlet pipe at the bottom of the water tank will automatically replenish. cold water. Although the water heater of this structure is easy to use, once water leakage occurs, it will cause greater losses to the user. Moreover, since gas water heaters are generally installed on balconies, which are relatively close to the outdoors, and the exhaust pipes communicate with the outdoor air, in cold winter, if no protective measures are taken, the water heaters may freeze and crack, causing water leakage.

In view of the above problems, the existing water heater products generally add a heating body to the water heater to avoid freezing and cracking through the work of the heating body, but limited by the power of the heating body and the extremely cold weather, the problem of freezing and cracking of the water heater still occurs from time to time . In addition, for water heaters that realize the antifreeze function through the thermostat and heating body alone, it is difficult for outside users to perceive when the antifreeze function is realized. If the temperature continues to drop, the problem of freezing cracks and water leakage will still occur; although some water heaters have adopted sound and light alarms And other measures, but it cannot fundamentally avoid the continuous water leakage of the water heater tank.

Based on the above, there is an urgent need for a water heater leakage detection method and a water heater to solve the problem of loss caused by freezing cracks and water leakage to users in existing water heaters.

Contents of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a water heater leakage detection method, which can effectively prevent water heaters from leaking in a large area, reduce waste of water resources, and ensure user safety; at the same time, the method is accurate in detection and avoids the impact of water heater misjudgment on users .

Another object of the present invention is to provide a water heater using the above water heater leakage detection method.

For reaching this purpose, the present invention adopts following technical scheme:

A water heater leakage detection method, the method comprises: using a water flow sensor to respectively detect the water flow at the water inlet and the water outlet of the water tank; calculating the flow difference between the water inlet and the water outlet, and comparing the flow difference with the preset threshold value of the controller A comparison,

If the flow difference is greater than the threshold A, the controller will control the solenoid valve on the water inlet pipe to close, and the alarm will alarm at the same time.

As a preferred solution of the water heater leakage detection method, before the step of using the water flow sensor to respectively detect the water flow at the water inlet and the water outlet of the water tank, it also includes setting a threshold A for water heater leakage detection.

As a preferred solution of the water heater leakage detection method, after the step of comparing the flow difference with the threshold A preset by the controller, it also includes, if the flow difference is less than or equal to the threshold A, returning to the step of using the water flow sensor to detect Water flow at the tank inlet and outlet.

As a preferred solution of a water heater leakage detection method, the threshold A is 0.5L or 1L.

As a preferred solution of the water heater leakage detection method, the water flow sensor is a Hall flow meter.

As a preferred solution of the water heater leakage detection method, the alarm is an audible and visual alarm, including a buzzer and an indicator light.

As a preferred solution of the water heater leakage detection method, the controller is a single-chip microcomputer.

A water heater using the above water heater leakage detection method, comprising a casing and a water tank, wherein a water flow sensor and a solenoid valve are installed on the water inlet pipe of the water tank, and a water flow sensor is installed on the water outlet pipe of the water tank, and the water flow sensor is installed on the water outlet pipe of the water tank. A controller and an alarm are installed on the shell; the water flow sensors, solenoid valves and alarms are respectively electrically connected to the controller.

As a preferred solution of the water heater, the water tank is provided with an electric heating body.

As a preferred solution of the water heater, a temperature sensor is arranged outside the water tank.

As a preferred solution of the water heater, a display panel is provided on the housing for displaying the detection values of the water flow sensors and the temperature sensors.

As a preferred solution of a water heater, the water heater is a gas water heater.

The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

This application installs water flow sensors on the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe of the water heater tank respectively, and judges whether the water tank leaks by comparing the flow difference between the water inlet and the water outlet with the threshold value A. If the water leakage is confirmed, the water inlet solenoid valve is closed in time , to prevent more tap water from entering the water tank and causing a large amount of water leakage, thus completely avoiding the problem of water heater leakage. At the same time, by setting the threshold A, the present invention makes the detection result more accurate and the control more reliable, avoids misjudgment caused by improper operation by the user or system error, improves the working efficiency of the machine, ensures the safety of the user, and reduces the Economic losses caused by water leakage problems.

Description of drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following will briefly introduce the accompanying drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention , for those skilled in the art, other drawings can also be obtained according to the content of the embodiment of the present invention and these drawings without any creative effort.

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural view of a gas water heater provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a water heater leakage detection method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a water heater leakage detection method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

In the picture:

1. Shell; 2. Water tank; 3. Water flow sensor; 4. Solenoid valve; 5. Controller; 6. Alarm; 7. Temperature sensor; 21. Water inlet pipe; 22. Water outlet pipe; a. Water inlet; b ,Outlet.

Detailed ways

In order to make the technical problems solved by the present invention, the technical solutions adopted and the technical effects achieved clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only the technical solutions of the present invention. Some, but not all, embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

This embodiment provides a method for detecting water heater leakage. The method is to use a water flow sensor to respectively detect the water flow at the water inlet and outlet of the water tank; calculate the flow difference between the water inlet and the water outlet, and compare the flow difference with the controller preset Compared with the threshold A; if the flow difference is greater than the threshold A, the controller will control the solenoid valve on the water inlet pipe to close, and the alarm will alarm at the same time. The method can be used in gas water heaters, solar water heaters, electric water heaters and other equipment. Preferably, this embodiment will be described by taking the application of the method in gas water heaters as an example.

As shown in Figure 1, the gas water heater provided by this embodiment includes a casing 1 and a water tank 2 installed in the casing 1, one end of the water tank 2 is connected to a cold water inlet pipe 21, and the other end is connected to a hot water outlet pipe 22, wherein A water flow sensor 3 is respectively installed on the water pipe 21 and the water outlet pipe 22, which are respectively used for detecting the water inflow of the water inlet pipe 21 and the water outflow of the water outlet pipe 22. When the water heater uses water normally, its water intake is basically equal to the water output; when the water heater freezes and leaks, there is generally no water flow at the water outlet b, and the water flow sensor 3 at the water inlet a will detect the value. 1. When the flow difference of the water outlet exceeds a certain threshold A, it can be judged that the water tank 2 of the water heater has leaked.

Further, a solenoid valve 4 is installed on the water inlet pipe 21 , and a controller 5 and an alarm 6 are installed on the housing 1 . As shown in Figure 2, the controller 5 is electrically connected to the above-mentioned two water flow sensors 3, the solenoid valve 4 and the alarm 6 respectively, wherein the two water flow sensors 3 send detection signals to the controller 5, and the comparison in the controller 5 The module and the calculation module compare and calculate the two detection values to obtain the flow difference between the inlet and outlet, and then compare the flow difference with the threshold A. When the flow difference is greater than the threshold A, the control module in the controller 5 sends an instruction to make The water inlet valve 4 is closed to cut off the water inlet, and the alarm 6 is turned on to report to the police simultaneously.

Furthermore, since the exhaust pipe of the gas water heater communicates with the outdoor atmosphere, in order to prevent the water tank 2 from freezing and cracking due to the continuous drop in the temperature in cold winter, the water tank 2 in this embodiment is also provided with an electric heating body to keep the water tank 2 warm and protected. . At the same time, a temperature sensor 7 is arranged outside the water tank 2 for detecting the temperature of the water tank 2, so that the user can take timely measures according to the temperature change to prevent the water tank 2 from freezing and cracking. Preferably, the housing 1 is further provided with a display panel, capable of displaying the detection values of the water flow sensors 3 and the temperature sensors 7 in real time, so as to be convenient for users to observe.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 , the water heater leakage detection method provided in this embodiment includes the following steps:

S1: power on the water heater;

It should be noted that, when using for the first time after installation, the user first opens the water point, presses the first water supply key on the controller 5, and the solenoid valve 4 opens until the water point flows out (the water tank is full), the user closes the water point, Switch the controller 5 to the normal use state. During the above process, the solenoid valve 4 is always open without being affected by the water flow sensor 3 .

S2: set the threshold A of water heater leakage detection;

In normal use, the water inlet solenoid valve 4 is in the normally open state. Due to user operation differences and system errors, the flow values at the water inlet a and water outlet b will be slightly different. In order to reduce the difference, the water leakage judgment In order to avoid misjudgment and cause the alarm to alarm, the detection method sets the threshold A. The threshold A can be set according to the size of the water tank 2 of the water heater. Preferably, in this example, the capacity of the water tank 2 is 8-10L, and the threshold A is set to 0.5L or 1L.

S3: Use the water flow sensor 3 to respectively detect the water flow at the water inlet a and the water outlet b of the water tank;

In the present invention, the water flow sensor 3 is preferably a Hall flowmeter, which is mainly composed of a copper valve body, a water flow rotor assembly, a steady flow assembly and a Hall element, wherein the Hall element can measure the water frequency signal, and the greater the frequency, the greater the frequency. The greater the water flow.

S4: Comparing the detected values of the water flow at the above two places, calculate the flow difference between the water inlet a and the water outlet b;

S5: Compare the flow difference with the threshold A, if the flow difference > threshold A, the controller 5 controls the solenoid valve 4 on the water inlet pipe 21 to close, and the alarm 6 starts to alarm at the same time, if the flow difference ≤ threshold A, return to the step S3 continues to detect.

In this step, the alarm 6 is preferably an audible and visual alarm, including a buzzer and an indicator light. The sound of the buzzer and the flickering of the indicator light can better remind the user to deal with the water leakage problem in time. In addition, the controller 5 is preferably a single-chip microcomputer, and the single-chip microcomputer receives the pulse signals sent by the two water flow sensors 3, and controls the action of the solenoid valve 4 and the alarm 6 after judgment and analysis.

The present application installs water flow sensors 3 on the water inlet pipe 21 and the water outlet pipe 22 of the water heater tank 2 respectively, and judges whether water leakage occurs in the water tank 2 by comparing the flow difference between the inlet and outlet ports and the threshold value A. If the water leakage is confirmed, timely Close the water inlet solenoid valve 4 to prevent more tap water from entering the water tank 2 and causing a large amount of water to leak, thereby completely avoiding the problem of water heater leakage. At the same time, by setting the threshold A, the present invention makes the detection result more accurate and the control more reliable, avoids misjudgment caused by improper operation by the user or system error, improves the working efficiency of the machine, ensures the safety of the user, and reduces the Economic losses caused by water leakage problems.

Note that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and applied technical principles. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and that various obvious changes, readjustments and substitutions can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can also include more other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, and the present invention The scope is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. a kind of leakage detection method for water heater, it is characterised in that detect water tank inlet respectively using water flow sensor (3) (a) and water outlet (b) place water flow；The difference in flow of water inlet (a) and water outlet (b) is calculated, by the difference in flow and control Device (5) default threshold value A compares,

If difference in flow is more than threshold value A, controller (5) controls the solenoid valve (4) on water inlet pipe (21) to close, while alarm (6) alarm.

2. leakage detection method for water heater according to claim 1, it is characterised in that described to utilize water flow sensor (3) before the step of detecting water tank inlet (a) and the water flow at water outlet (b) place respectively, setting water heater leak is further included The threshold value A of detection.

3. leakage detection method for water heater according to claim 2, it is characterised in that by the difference in flow and controller (5) after the step of default threshold value A compares, further include, if difference in flow is less than or equal to threshold value A, water is utilized back to step Flow sensor (3) detects the water flow of water tank inlet (a) and water outlet (b) place respectively.

4. according to claim 1-3 any one of them leakage detection method for water heater, it is characterised in that the threshold value A is 0.5L or 1L.

5. according to claim 1-3 any one of them leakage detection method for water heater, it is characterised in that the water flow sensing Device (3) is Hall flow meter.

6. a kind of water heater using such as claim 1-5 any one of them leakage detection method for water heater, including shell (1) With water tank (2), it is characterised in that be provided with water flow sensor (3) and solenoid valve on the water inlet pipe (21) of the water tank (2) (4), water flow sensor (3) is installed on the outlet pipe (22) of the water tank (2), controller is installed on the shell (1) (5) and alarm (6)；Each water flow sensor (3), solenoid valve (4) and alarm (6) are electrically connected with controller (5) respectively Connect.

7. water heater according to claim 6, it is characterised in that be provided with electric heating body on the water tank (2).

8. water heater according to claim 7, it is characterised in that the water tank (2) is provided outside temperature sensor (7).

9. water heater according to claim 8, it is characterised in that display panel is provided with the shell (1), for showing Show the detected value of each water flow sensor (3) and temperature sensor (7).

10. water heater according to claim 9, it is characterised in that the water heater is gas heater.