RU200983U1 - Storage, storage electric water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to household appliances and can be used to heat water in a thermally well-insulated tank, for long-term storage of heated water, equipped with a device for smooth multistage temperature control, used in household premises such as living quarters, offices, country houses, change houses for construction and assembly organizations and other objects.A storage, accumulative electric water heater consists of a housing 1 with communicating water tanks, while in the water tank 2 there is a heating element 3, which is made in the form of two parallel connected tubular heaters (TEN) connected to one neutral wire and mounted on a common sealed flange. The housing 1 contains the lower 6 and upper 7 end caps, in the lower 6 end cap are installed the hot water intake 4 and cold water supply 5, the inlet and outlet of the hot and cold water connections 4 and 5 are located in the same plane, the control unit, which is an electronic power board 10 and electronic control board 11. On the bottom 6 end cover there is a thermostat 8, which is directly connected to the power source by means of a power cord 9 with a plug. Thermostat 8 is placed in the place where the temperature is measured and is connected to a temperature sensor 17 located in a hollow tube mounted on the flange of the heating element 3. The temperature sensor 17 is connected to the electronic power board 10, from which the signal from the thermocouple of the temperature sensor 17 is transmitted to the electronic control board 11 by means of a connecting loop 18, which connects the electronic power supply boards 10 and control 11. On the electronic power board 10, in parallel to the relay 22, a thyristor 19 is installed, which is equipped with a cooling radiator 21, and by means of a connecting loop 18 is electrically connected to the electronic control board 11 containing a programmable processor 20, receiving signals from the thermocouple of the temperature sensor 17. On the casing of the electric water heater there are connected to each other front control panel 12 with controls, display 13, internal plastic panel 14. The technical result is to improve the energy efficiency of the water heater it and a decrease in daily losses while maintaining a compact form and external dimensions, fast preparation of hot water, high reliability.

Description

The claimed utility model relates to household appliances and can be used to heat water in a thermally well-insulated tank, for long-term storage of heated water, equipped with a device for smooth multistage temperature control, used in household premises such as living quarters, offices, country houses, change houses for construction installation organizations and other objects. The device contains an inner container made of stainless steel, and an outer casing with end caps, thermally insulated from each other. In the lower part of the container, an oval-shaped flange is made with a flange installed inside it with heating elements, an electronic anode and a sound-reproducing device - an acoustic system. Water is supplied through the cold water supply pipe located at the bottom of the inner container, and the intake is carried out through the hot water intake pipe from the top of the inner container. In the lower part of the water heater there is a control unit in the form of an electronic thermostat with a color display located in a housing with a cover and electronic boards. On the front flat part of the water heater body there is a control panel with an electronic temperature indicator. The use of this utility model increases its maintainability and allows minimizing the cost of electricity associated with constant daily losses.

Known storage-type water heater (utility model patent RU No. 44373, 2004), which contains two parallel vertical tanks located in parallel, connected at the top and bottom by pipes, an inlet pipe for cold water supply located in the lower part, and an outlet pipe for hot water outlet located in top of the other tank. The tanks are located inside an outer protective casing filled with thermal insulation. Two heating elements are mounted on hermetically sealed flanges of each tank. The water heater is equipped with a remote thermostat. A control panel with a thermostat control knob and switches for power modes of heating elements is installed on the outer casing. The lower part of the housing is equipped with a safety cover.

The disadvantage of this device is its limited operational and functional capabilities.

Known is a household electric water heater for hot decentralized water supply of premises, which contains two vertically located tanks connected by two pipes, while the upper tank is equipped with a cold water supply pipe, the lower one - with a hot water outlet pipe and a heating element located in the lower part of the tank cavity, a hot outlet pipe water is located in the bottom of the lower tank, and its inlet end is brought into the upper part of the cavity of this tank. The outlet end of the connecting pipe is led into the lower part of the cavity of the lower tank in the area of the heating element, and the second connecting pipe is a branch pipe equipped with a valve and located between the bottom of the upper tank and the top of the lower tank (patent for invention RU No. 2116580, 1998).

A known storage-type electric heater is described in a utility model patent RU No. 59782 dated 05/03/2006. A household storage electric water heater contains an internal container covered with porcelain glass enamel, a body and end caps insulated from each other, a hot water intake pipe, a cold water supply pipe, the heating element body, fixed in the lower part of the inner container with six bolts and covered with porcelain glass enamel, in the sealed pipes of which there are two air "dry" heating elements, a magnesium anode mounted on the heating element body. In the lower part of the electric water heater there is a plastic cover, on the front panel of which there is a thermostat knob, a light indication of the operation of heating elements and a button for switching the power modes of heating elements.

Known heaters for water heaters for an electric water heater, shower, washing machine, dishwasher or kettle with power control, which include a vessel for heating a liquid and an electric heating element for heating a portion of the vessel. The heating element includes a thick film resistive heating circuit with a fusible link embedded in a thick film. The document also describes a triac-type power regulator mounted directly on the heating element and acting as a heat sink for this triac. Also described are a thermistor, a temperature sensor formed in a thick film, a fusible link, flow control valves for continuously controlling the flow through the heater, flow control means and temperature control means. These electrical components are connected to a control unit, which can be remote or formed as part of a dielectric layer of a thick film at a location close to the inlet where the metal substrate of the heater is kept cold by the supply of cold water (EP 0485211, DE 10322034, DE 19732414 and DE 19737694).

The closest to the proposed one is a household flow-through storage electric water heater, which contains a series-connected first and second internal containers made of stainless steel, a body with upper and lower end caps, thermally insulated from each other, a cold water supply pipe with a reverse safety valve, made with a bend and a splitter at the end of the pipe, a hot water intake pipe, mounted on the first and second flanges, four "dry" heating elements and magnesium anodes, while two "dry" heating elements, a magnesium anode and a capillary thermal switch are mounted on the first flange, in the lower parts of the first internal tank, and two other "dry" heating elements with a magnesium anode and a contact thermal switch are on the second flange, in the upper part of the second internal tank, an electromagnetic valve installed on the connecting pipe, a pipe for complete drainage of water installed in the lower part of the second internal th capacity, and on the front of the body there is a control panel with an electronic programmer (patent for a useful model RU No. 71735, 2008).

Common features of analogues and prototype are the presence of a water tank, separated from the outer casing by heat-insulating material, the casing is equipped with end caps, the water tank is equipped with fittings for hot water intake and cold water supply, the inlet and outlet of the fittings are located in the same plane on the end cover, the presence of a heating element, controls, the heating element is electrically connected through the controls to the mains. Also common to all water heaters is the location of the electrical components, because all of them are located in the area of one of the end caps, which is due to a similar manufacturing technology and the desire of manufacturers to reduce the production cost of water heaters. The sensing element of thermostats, as a rule, is located in the lower part of the tank with water and measures the temperature at one local point, while the higher the heater power, the higher the heating rate and the higher the temperature unevenness along the height of the tank.

Common disadvantages of the known devices are: energy loss caused by uneven water temperature uneven water heating in different levels of the water heater reservoir and, as a consequence, high operating costs; inconvenience for users associated with a change in water temperature when using water heaters and with a discrepancy between the actual water temperature and the set value on the control panel. In known devices, adjustable thermostats are used, if the temperature turns out to be less than the temperature set by the user, then full electrical power (or partial) is supplied to the heating element, it begins to heat up and transfers heat to water. When the set temperature is reached on the sensitive thermostat probe, the heating element is completely disconnected from the electrical network. In existing water heaters there is no function of smooth regulation of the heating element power, because either a user-provided step-by-step power adjustment is applied, or this function is not available at all. In the absence of smooth power control when using full heating power, the water temperature in the upper part of the water heaters is much higher than the temperature in the lower part of the water heaters, which leads to uneven water heating and when heating is turned off by a signal from an adjustable thermostat, the water temperature in the water heater is not uniform, which can lead to overheating water and increased energy consumption. When using partial heating power, the temperature difference in the water layers decreases, but the time for preparing hot water is significantly increased. When setting full or partial heating power, the water in the upper part of the water heater is significantly hotter than the water in the lower part of the tank, this is due to the nature of convection in liquids. There are several ways to reduce the unevenness of the water temperature in the tank: to reduce the height of the water heater, which will lead to a change in the overall dimensions of the water heater, increasing the depth and width and reducing the heating rate, which will increase the preparation time for hot water and reduce the value for consumers.

The task of the utility model is to increase energy efficiency and reduce daily losses by changing the heating rate when the water temperature approaches the value set by the user to reduce the unevenness of the water temperature along the height of the tank.

The technical result is an improvement in the energy efficiency of water heaters and a decrease in daily losses while maintaining a compact shape and external dimensions, fast preparation of hot water, and high reliability.

The technical problem is solved by the fact that the claimed storage, storage electric water heater contains communicating water tanks located in a housing that is equipped with end caps, water tanks are equipped with hot water intake and cold water supply fittings, the inlet and outlet of the fittings are located in the same plane on end cover, a heating element with a flange is placed in one of the water tanks and is electrically connected to the control unit, which contains an electronic control board with a control element and an electronic power board connected to the power source, the electronic power and control boards are electrically connected to each other, the body has a closed volume with a control panel on which controls are located interacting with the control unit, a thermostat that is installed on the end cover and connected to a power source, while a temperature sensor is additionally installed on the flange of the heating element, which is located in a hollow t the cabin and is connected in parallel to the electronic power board and the thermostat, the electronic power board is equipped with a semiconductor switching element made in the form of a thyristor, connected in parallel with the relay, the thyristor is electrically connected to the control element of the electronic control board, which is programmable with the ability to receive signals from the temperature sensor and transmit control signals to the heating element.

The control unit is designed to be connected to the mains, represented by an electronic power supply board connected to each other, an electronic control board.

The electronic power board converts the AC mains voltage into DC low voltage, which is necessary for the operation of the control unit.

A semiconductor switching element made in the form of a thyristor is located on the electronic power board and is represented mainly, but not limited to, a thyristor of the TYN640RG brand, which is used in switching in AC circuits, and can also be represented by a BTA24-600BW triister or other similar models based on a combination of thyristors. Unlike the classic mechanical relay, thyristors have an unlimited resource, which makes it possible to carry out switching at a high frequency (for example, 20 times per second).

The temperature sensor is equipped with a thermocouple, which is located in a hollow tube mounted on the heating element flange. In order to increase reliability, simplify installation and ensure maintainability, the temperature sensor is connected to the electronic power board. The signal from the thermocouple of the temperature sensor is transmitted to the control element of the electronic control board through a loop that connects the electronic power and control boards. The temperature sensor is connected in parallel to the thermostat. As a temperature sensor, for example, but not limited to, a temperature sensor of the brand WE50220TB638 or temperature sensors of similar models can be used.

The thermostat is electrically connected to the power cord, which can optionally be equipped with a residual current device. The thermostat is connected to the water heater power supply circuit and cuts off the voltage in case of dangerous overheating of water inside the device, it is not connected with the control element of the electronic control board. The thermostat consists of a cylinder with a working fluid, which is placed at the place of temperature measurement, a housing with contacts and a movable membrane that opens the contacts, and a capillary that connects the cylinder and the housing with the thermostat contacts. The thermostat is directly connected to the water heater supply circuit and cuts off the voltage in case of dangerous overheating of the water inside the electric water heater.

The electronic power board is equipped with electrical contacts to ensure the possibility of electrical connection with the power supply network and consumer elements in the water heater, which are understood as the heating element, electronic control board, active anode, power supply of the acoustic system. A circuit with a high current load is mounted on the electronic power board using a relay and a thyristor. The thyristor acts as a switching element. High current and voltage is supplied to a heating element housed in an electric water heater. On the electronic power supply board, the relay is connected in parallel with the thyristor and is used in the circuit at the moment when it is necessary to provide 100% heating. When the heating power decreases to remove the load from the thyristor, the relay is disconnected and the current load is switched by the thyristor.

The electrical part of the control unit contains control components that are compactly fixed inside the control unit housing on the electronic control board. The electrical part is equipped with elements for electrical connection - connectors, blocks and other known similar elements to provide electrical connection. The electrical part of the electronic control board is represented by a printed circuit board and functional electrical control components located on its surface, providing a control function and having an electrical output to the controls located on the control panel. Control components can have a built-in interface for control and service, and are electrically connected to the controls of the control panel. Control components include capacitors, resistors, relays, and other electronic components. As a programmable control element, a programmable processor, microprocessor, microcontroller, controller, for example, but not limited to, can be used.

Automatic smooth power control is achieved in the claimed water heater by smoothly supplying electric power to the heating element, which is carried out by a switching element made in the form of a thyristor, located on the electronic power board. The thyristor of the electronic power board is electrically connected to the control element of the electronic control board, which receives a signal from a temperature sensor that measures the temperature inside the water heater.

Used in the claimed device, the circuit for electrical connection of the control element, switching element, temperature sensor, thermostat and heating element, provides the possibility of automatic smooth adjustment of the electrical power supplied to the heating element depending on ambient temperatures. The thyristor, mounted on the electronic board of the water heater, allows the power of the heating element to be smoothly regulated depending on the volume of the water heater, the nominal power of the heating element, the temperature set by the user on the control unit and the current temperature of the water in the tank of the water heater. This allows flexible adjustment of the water heating function, excluding heat losses that can be caused by uneven water heating along the height of the water heater. Smooth power control in the claimed electric water heater is carried out automatically and allows to regulate the power of the heating element within a wide range, and, consequently, the thermal power of the water heater.

The mechanical relay used in known water heaters, used to change the heating rate, is not advisable due to the frequent switching on and off of the heating element, which leads to inefficiency in energy consumption (the presence of starting currents): inaccurate maintenance of the set water temperature; constant switching on and off of the heating element; a decrease in the service life of the heating element against the possible life; the negative impact of strong voltage surges in the entire electrical network of a residential premises during switching on and off; the appearance of carbon deposits on electrical contacts.

Unlike the known water heaters, the power regulation in the claimed device is performed not only using a relay, but by means of a switching element in the form of a thyristor, which is a semiconductor actuator located on an electronic power board, which is electrically connected to the heating element. The thyristor has an almost unlimited resource, which makes it possible to carry out switching at a high frequency (for example, 20 times per second). In the claimed device, the relay is connected in parallel with the thyristor and is used in the circuit at the moment when it is necessary to provide 100% heating and to remove the load from the thyristor. When the heating power decreases, the relay is disconnected and the current load is switched by the thyristor.

The claimed water heater provides an improvement in the energy efficiency indicator by adjusting the power by eliminating the appearance of carbon deposits on the electrical contacts and the negative impact of strong power surges due to the lack of starting currents, expanding the operational capabilities of the water heater by ensuring more accurate maintenance of the water temperature inside the tank with minimizing the power consumption due to an intelligent algorithm for the operation of the electronic board, which provides smooth power regulation to compensate for constant daily losses.

The control panel is located on the body of the control unit and a display with touch control elements can be placed.

The electronic control board is made with the ability to receive signals, for example, from touch controls, providing a predetermined mode of operation of the electric water heater. The electronic control board can also have a built-in Wi-Fi module to control the claimed electric water heater remotely via a WEB page or a computer program installed on a mobile phone to control all functions of the device.

The water tanks are in communication with each other on the principle of communicating vessels. The cold water connection can be equipped with a splitter.

The claimed storage, storage water heater differs in that:

- a temperature sensor is installed in the water tank, hosted in a hollow tube installed on the heating element flange;

- the temperature sensor is connected to the electronic power supply board;

- temperature sensor is connected in parallel to the thermostat;

- the electronic power board is equipped with a semiconductor switching element made in the form of a thyristor, performing the function of a switching element, which is connected in parallel with the relay;

- the thyristor electrically interacts with the control element located on the electrical control board;

- the control element is programmable with the ability to receive, process signals from the temperature sensor and transmit control signals to the heating element.

Comparison of the proposed device with the known one allows us to conclude that the criterion of "novelty" is met.

The claimed device can be made from known materials using known technologies and known structural elements, which allows us to conclude that the criterion of "industrial applicability" is met.

The claimed device is illustrated by the following drawings and diagrams.

FIG. 1 - shows a general view of a water heater and an inverter-type control unit, in section;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional diagram of a water heater;

FIG. 3 - Shown is an electronic power supply board with a thyristor;

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an electronic control board.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram of the interaction of electronic components from receiving a signal from a temperature sensor to supplying voltage from the power board to the heating element.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram for determining the power of the heating element depending on the volume of the water heater, the nominal power of the heater, the temperature set by the user and the temperature of the water in the water heater.

The claimed electric water heater consists of a body 1, in which water tanks communicating with each other according to the principle of communicating vessels are placed, while a heating element 3 is placed in the water tank 2, which is made in the form of two parallel connected tubular heaters (TEN) connected to one neutral wire and mounted on a common sealed flange. The body 1 contains the lower 6 and upper 7 end caps, in the lower 6 end cap are installed fittings for the intake of hot water 4 and supply of cold water 5, the inlet and outlet of the fittings for hot and cold water 4 and 5 are located in the same plane on the bottom 6 end cover, in a splitter (not shown) is installed at the cold water supply connection 5. Inside the housing 1 on the bottom 6 end cover there is a thermostat 8. The electric water heater contains a control unit, which is an electronic power board 10 and an electronic control board 11. Thermostat 8 is directly connected to a power source represented by a power cord 9 with a plug for connection to the network. Thermostat 8 consists of a cylinder 15 with a working fluid, which is placed at the temperature measurement point, a housing with contacts and a movable membrane that opens the contacts, and a capillary 16 that connects the cylinder 15 and the housing with the thermostat contacts (Fig. 2). The place of temperature measurement is understood as the location of the temperature sensor 17, namely the hollow tube installed on the flange of the heating element 3, the thermostat 8 is connected to the temperature sensor 17. The temperature sensor 17 is also connected to the electronic power board 10, from which the signal from the thermocouple of the temperature sensor 17 is transmitted to the electronic control board 11 by means of a connecting loop 18, connecting the electronic power boards 10 and control 11. On the electronic power board 10, in parallel to the relay 22, a thyristor 19 is installed, which performs the function of a switching element, which is equipped with a cooling radiator 21, and is electrically connected by means of a connecting loop 18 with an electronic control board 11 containing a programmable processor 20 that performs the function of a control element and receives signals from a thermocouple of a temperature sensor 17. On the body of an electric water heater, front control panel 12 with controls are connected to each other display 13, internal plastic panel 14. The control panel electrically interact with the control unit.

The claimed device operates as follows.

An electric water heater is installed in a convenient place and connected to the mains by means of a power cord 9 with a plug, which is connected to an electrical outlet. An electric water heater is connected to the water supply through the cold water supply connection 5, according to the connection diagram specified in the operating instructions. Heating element 3 (TEN) heats the water in the water tank 2 to the temperature set on the front control panel 12, the power of the heating element 3 decreases depending on the temperature difference in the water tank 2 and the one set by the user on the front control panel 12, upon reaching the set temperature, the heating is turned off. Adjusting the power of the heating element (heating element) 3 is carried out using a programmable processor 20 controls the electronic board 11 and electrically by an associated thyristor 19 mounted on the electronic power board 10. The heated water through the hot water intake nozzle 4 is supplied to the consumer. As the water cools down, the signal from the temperature sensor 17 is sent to the programmable processor 20, processed by it, the control signal is fed through the thyristor 19 to the heating element 3 (TEN) and maintains the water temperature at the set value (the value is set from 35 ° C to 75 ° C ) by an algorithm that is embedded in the programmable processor 20, an electronic control board 11. in the case of excess temperature signal from the temperature sensor 17 is supplied to the thermostat 8, which operates to disconnect the power supply.

The change in the heating rate of the claimed water heater is illustrated by the diagram in Fig. 5, which shows how the operation of the programmable processor 20, located on the electronic control board 11 of the water heater control unit, is performed by receiving and processing signals from the temperature sensor 17, and the subsequent generation of a control signal to the heating element 3 through thyristor 19.

A control unit containing an electronic control board 11, a programmable processor 20, which receives signals from a temperature sensor 17 and a thermostat 8, processes them and issues a control signal to the thyristor 19 of the electronic power board 10, setting a non-linear function of power depending on the volume of the water heater, the power of the heating element, the temperature set by the user, and the actual temperature of the water in the water heater. The heating algorithm of the claimed water heater is shown in the diagram (Fig. 6).

The claimed design of an electric water heater allows flexible adjustment of the water heating function, eliminating heat loss, smoothly or stepwise control of the power of the heating element. Increasing the energy efficiency of the water heater and reducing daily heat losses is carried out by measuring the water temperature by a temperature sensor connected to the electronic power board, regulating the power supply with a triode AC regulator, shunted relay, signal processing by a programmable control element of the electronic control board, which receives signals from the temperature sensor and transmits control signals to the heating element. The claimed set of features of a water heater ensures the implementation of the function of changing the heating rate when the water temperature approaches the value set by the user. Also, the claimed set of features allows to reduce the unevenness of the water temperature in the tank in height, to increase the operational reliability, and also to expand the range of water heaters that have important functions for the user: the rate of heating water for use and reducing the temperature difference in height while maintaining compact external dimensions of the water heater.

Claims (7)

1. Accumulative, accumulative electric water heater, containing communicating water tanks, located in a body that is equipped with end caps, water tanks are equipped with hot water intake and cold water supply fittings, the inlet and outlet of the fittings are located in one plane on the end cover, the heating element with a flange is placed in one of the water tanks and is electrically connected to the control unit, which contains an electronic control board with a control element and an electronic power board connected to the power source, the power and control electronic boards are electrically connected to each other, the body has a closed volume with the control panel, which houses the controls interacting with the control unit, a thermostat that is installed on the end cover and connected to a power source, characterized in that a temperature sensor is additionally installed on the flange of the heating element, which is located in a hollow tube and is connected in parallel to the electronic power board and the thermostat, and the electronic power board is equipped with a semiconductor switching element made in the form of a thyristor connected in parallel to the relay, the thyristor is electrically connected to the control element of the electronic control board, which is programmable with the ability to receive signals from the temperature sensor and transmit control signals to a heating element. 2. Accumulative, accumulative electric water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that the control element is represented by a programmable processor. 3. Accumulative, accumulative electric water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that the control element is represented by a microprocessor. 4. Accumulative, accumulative electric water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that the control element is represented by a controller. 5. Storage, storage electric water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that the control element is represented by a microcontroller. 6. Storage, storage electric water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that the thyristor is equipped with a cooling radiator. 7. Storage, storage electric water heater according to claim 1, characterized in that the control panel contains touch controls and a display.

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