WO2024217087A1 - Water heater and water tank thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A water heater and a water tank (100) thereof. The water tank (100) comprises: an inner container (1), comprising a cylinder body (11) provided with a weld seam (111); and a heat exchange assembly (2), comprising a first manifold (21), a second manifold (22), and heat exchange tubes (23) that are all arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder body (11); both ends of the first manifold (21), both ends of the second manifold (22) and both ends of the weld seam (111) all extend towards both ends of the cylinder body (11), and two ends of the heat exchange tubes (23) are respectively connected to the first manifold (21) and the second manifold (22); there is a first gap (101) between the joint between the first manifold (21) and the heat exchange tubes (23) and the outer peripheral wall; at least part of the weld seam (111) protruding from the outer peripheral wall is accommodated in the first gap (101); and/or there is a second gap (102) between the joint between the second manifold (22) and the heat exchange tubes (23) and the outer peripheral wall, and at least part of the weld seam (111) protruding from the outer peripheral wall is accommodated in the second gap (102).

Description

A water heater and a water tank thereof

Cross-references

This patent application claims the priority of the Chinese patent application with application date of April 21, 2023, application number 202320932101.7, and name "A water heater and its water tank". The disclosed content of the above Chinese patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to the field of electrical appliance technology, and in particular to a water heater and a water tank thereof.

Background Art

The air source water heater in the related art includes an inner tank and a heat exchange tube. The inner tank is used to contain water. The heat exchange tube is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the inner tank. Refrigerant is injected into the heat exchange tube to heat the inner tank, so that the temperature of the water in the inner tank rises. Due to the protruding weld on the inner tank, the weld will lift up the heat exchange tube so that the heat exchange tube does not fit the outer peripheral wall of the inner tank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following is a summary of the subject matter described in detail herein. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

In the related art, the inner liner is usually welded from plates, the weld on the inner liner usually protrudes from the outer wall of the inner liner, and the heat exchange tube is usually clamped on the inner liner by elastic force. The heat exchange tube rests on the weld, which will cause a gap between a part of the heat exchange tube and the outer wall of the inner liner.

When the heat exchange tube and the inner tank are close together, they can contact and transfer heat. When there is a gap between the heat exchange tube and the inner tank, there will be an extra air layer between the heat exchange tube and the inner tank, and the heat exchange method will become natural convection heat exchange, which will deteriorate the heat exchange effect, the refrigerant pressure in the system will be too high, and the whole machine will be unstable. The gap will also cause the time to heat the water in the inner tank to be longer, and the energy efficiency will be reduced.

In particular, when there is a gap between the heat exchange tube and the inner tank at the weld, it will cause the heat exchange tube and the inner tank to Discontinuous contact exacerbates the uneven temperature of the water in the inner tank. The more uneven the water temperature distribution in the inner tank is, the easier it is for the refrigerant in the heat exchange tube to condense, which in turn causes the liquid refrigerant to gradually accumulate in the heat exchange tube at the end.

The technical problem to be solved by the present disclosure is how to prevent the weld from lifting up the heat exchange tube so that the heat exchange tube and the inner tank are not in contact.

The technical solution of the present disclosure to solve the above technical problems is as follows:

A water tank, comprising:

An inner liner, comprising a cylinder having a welded seam; and

A heat exchange assembly, comprising a first header, a second header and heat exchange tubes, all of which are arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder;

Wherein, both ends of the first header, the second header and the weld extend to both ends of the cylinder, and both ends of the heat exchange tube are connected to the first header and the second header respectively;

There is a first gap between the connection between the first header and the heat exchange tube and the peripheral wall, and at least a portion of the weld protruding from the peripheral wall is accommodated in the first gap; and/or there is a second gap between the connection between the second header and the heat exchange tube and the peripheral wall, and at least a portion of the weld protruding from the peripheral wall is accommodated in the second gap.

Based on the above technical solution, the present disclosure can also be improved as follows.

In some embodiments, the first header, the second header, and the weld all extend in the axial direction of the cylinder.

In some embodiments, the heat exchange tube is clamped on the cylinder.

In some embodiments, the heat exchange tube is a flat tube.

In some embodiments, a plurality of heat exchange tubes are provided, and all heat exchange tubes extend from a side wall of the first header facing away from the second header to a side wall of the second header facing away from the first header.

In some embodiments, the cylinder is provided with a water inlet and a water outlet;

The water inlet and the water outlet are both located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tubes.

In some embodiments, it also includes an electric auxiliary heating component configured to heat the water in the inner tank;

The electric auxiliary heating component is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder and is located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tube.

In some embodiments, the first header is provided with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet;

The refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are respectively disposed at two ends of the first header.

In some embodiments, the heat exchange assembly further includes a refrigerant interface assembly, an input pipe, and an output pipe;

The refrigerant interface assembly includes a base and an input connector and an output connector both disposed on the base;

Wherein, the base is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder and is located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tube, the two ends of the input pipe are respectively connected to the refrigerant inlet and the input joint, and the two ends of the output pipe are respectively connected to the refrigerant outlet and the output joint.

The present application proposes a water heater, which comprises the water tank as described above.

Other aspects will be apparent upon reading and understanding the drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a front perspective schematic diagram of a water tank disclosed in the present invention;

FIG2 is a perspective schematic diagram of the back side of a water tank disclosed in the present invention;

FIG3 is a front view schematic diagram of a water tank disclosed in the present invention;

FIG4 is a schematic top view of a water tank disclosed in the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged view of the water tank in FIG. 4 .

In the accompanying drawings, the components represented by the reference numerals are listed as follows:
100, water tank; 101, first gap; 102, second gap; 1, liner; 11, cylinder; 111,
Weld; 12. First end cover; 13. Water outlet; 14. Water inlet; 2. Heat exchange component; 21. First header; 211. Refrigerant inlet; 212. Refrigerant outlet; 22. Second header; 23. Heat exchange tube; 24. Refrigerant interface component; 241. Base; 242. Input connector; 243. Output connector; 25. Input pipe; 26. Output pipe; 3. Weld setting area.

Details

The principles and features of the present disclosure are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The examples given are only used to explain the present disclosure but not to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1-3, FIG. 1-3 shows a water tank 100 structure of a water heater in this embodiment. The water heater may be an air source water heater. The water heater includes a water tank 100 and an external unit. The external unit and the water tank 100 are connected by a refrigerant pipeline. The external unit can drive the refrigerant to circulate between the external unit and the water tank 100 to absorb The heat in the air is used to heat the water stored in the water tank 100.

The water tank 100 includes an inner tank 1 and a heat exchange assembly 2. The inner tank 1 has an inner cavity configured to store water. The inner tank 1 includes a cylinder 11, a first end cover 12 and a second end cover (not shown in the figure). The cylinder 11 can be cylindrical. The cylinder 11 is welded by a plate, and the cylinder 11 usually has at least one weld 111, which extends from one end of the cylinder 11 to the other end of the cylinder 11. The plate can be a good conductor of heat, such as a steel plate or an enameled steel plate. The weld 111 on the cylinder 11 protrudes from the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11. The first end cover 12 and the second end cover are constructed as a roughly disc-shaped structure. The first end cover 12 covers one end of the cylinder 11, and the second end cover covers the other end of the cylinder 11 to seal the two ends of the cylinder 11. The first end cover 12 and the second end cover can be welded to the cylinder 11, or can be screwed or riveted to the cylinder 11.

The heat exchange assembly 2 includes a heat exchange tube 23, a first header 21, and a second header 22. The heat exchange tube 23, the first header 21, and the second header 22 are all arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11. The first header 21 and the second header 22 can both be constructed as straight tubes. The two ends of the first header 21 extend to the two ends of the cylinder 11. The two ends of the second header 22 extend to the two ends of the cylinder 11. The first header 21 and the second header 22 are arranged at intervals. The heat exchange tube 23 extends along the circumference of the cylinder 11, close to the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11. One end of the heat exchange tube 23 is connected to the side wall of the first header 21 on the side facing away from the second header 22, and the other end of the heat exchange tube 23 is connected to the side wall of the second header 22 on the side facing away from the first header 21. The first header 21 is connected to the heat exchange tube 23, and the second header 22 is connected to the heat exchange tube 23.

The first header 21 can be connected to the external unit of the heat exchanger, and the external unit delivers a gaseous refrigerant to the first header 21, and the temperature of the refrigerant is higher than the temperature of the water in the inner tank 1. The refrigerant flows from the first header 21 to the second header 22 through the heat exchange tube 23. When the refrigerant flows through the heat exchange tube 23, the heat is transferred to the inner tank 1 to heat the water in the inner tank 1.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the diameters of the first header 21 and the second header 22 are usually larger than the diameter of the heat exchange tube 23. Since the diameters of the first header 21 and the heat exchange tube 23 are different, there is a first gap 101 between the connection between the first header 21 and the heat exchange tube 23 and the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11. The weld 111 of the cylinder 11 may be located on the side where the first header 21 is connected to the heat exchange tube 23 and is close to the first header 21. At least part of the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 protruding from the cylinder 11 can be accommodated in the first gap 101. The connection between the first header 21 and the heat exchange tube 23 may be a pipe section with a width, which may include a part of the first header 21 and/or the heat exchange tube 23. At the same time, since the diameters of the second header 22 and the heat exchange tube 23 are different, there is a second gap 102 between the connection between the second header 22 and the heat exchange tube 23 and the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11. The weld 111 of the cylinder 11 may also be located on the side of the second header 22 connected to the heat exchange tube 23 and close to the second header 22. At least part of the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 protruding from the cylinder 11 may also be accommodated in the second gap 102. As shown in FIG. 3 or 5, the weld setting area 3 is an area of the cylinder 11 that is aligned with the first gap 101 and the second gap 102 in the circumferential direction. The weld 111 may be arranged in the weld setting area 3.

Since at least part of the weld 111 protruding from the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11 is accommodated in the first gap 101 or the second gap 102, the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 will not lift up the heat exchange tube 23 to generate an additional gap, and the part between the two ends of the heat exchange tube 23 can be continuously close to the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11, so that when the refrigerant flows through the heat exchange tube 23, the heat exchange efficiency between the heat exchange tube 23 and the cylinder 11 is higher, the time for heating the water in the inner tank 1 is shortened, and the energy efficiency is improved, which can effectively avoid the situation that the refrigerant high pressure in the system and the unstable operation of the whole machine are caused by the heat exchange tube 23 not being close to the cylinder 11. At the same time, since the heat exchange tube 23 can be continuously close to the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11, the water temperature distribution in the inner tank 1 is more uniform when heating the water in the inner tank 1, thereby reducing the risk of liquid refrigerant gradually accumulating in the heat exchange tube 23 located at the end, and at the same time, the more uniform water temperature distribution in the inner tank 1 can make the temperature-reaching shutdown time of the water heater more accurate.

In some embodiments, the first header 21 extends along the axial direction of the cylinder 11 , the second header 22 extends along the axial direction of the cylinder 11 , and the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 extends along the axial direction of the cylinder 11 .

The weld 111 of the cylinder 11 extends along the axial direction of the cylinder 11, which is convenient for cutting and welding the plate for making the cylinder 11. The first header 21 and the second header 22 both extend along the axial direction of the cylinder 11, which is more convenient for arrangement on the cylinder 11. The extension direction of the first header 21 and the second header 22 is the same as the extension direction of the weld 111 of the cylinder 11, and the weld 111 can extend along one side of the first header 21 or the second header 22.

In some embodiments, the heat exchange tube 23 is constructed as an arc tube. The curvature of the heat exchange tube 23 is greater than π. The curvature of the heat exchange tube 23 is greater than or equal to 300π/180. The heat exchange tube 23 can be a metal tube. The metal tube is elastic and can be elastically deformed by bending to be clamped on the outer wall of the cylinder 11, so that the heat exchange tube 23 is closely attached to the outer wall of the cylinder 11, and the heat exchange tube 23 does not need to be fixed to the cylinder 11 by a connector, and the installation of the heat exchange tube 23 is more convenient.

In some embodiments, the heat exchange tube 23 is constructed as a flat tube. The cross section of the flat tube is flat, which is conducive to fitting the outer wall of the inner tank 1. Compared with a round tube, under the same heat exchange capacity, the flat tube is lighter, the effective heat exchange area is increased, and the refrigerant filling amount can also be effectively reduced.

In some embodiments, a plurality of heat exchange tubes 23 are provided, and the plurality of heat exchange tubes 23 are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the cylinder 11. Two adjacent heat exchange tubes 23 are spaced apart. The spacing between two adjacent heat exchange tubes 23 can be equal. All heat exchange tubes 23 extend from the side wall of the first header 21 facing away from the second header 22 to the side wall of the second header 22 facing away from the first header 21.

By using multiple heat exchange tubes 23 to heat the cylinder 11 at the same time, the water in the inner tank 1 can be heated faster. Multiple heat exchange tubes 23 are concentrated on the same side of the cylinder 11, and other components welded on the inner tank 1 can be conveniently arranged on the side of the cylinder 11 where the heat exchange tubes 23 are not arranged.

In some embodiments, the water tank 100 further includes an electric auxiliary heating component 3. The electric auxiliary heating component 3 is configured to directly convert electrical energy into thermal energy to heat the water in the inner tank 1. The electric auxiliary heating component 3 is welded to the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11 and is located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23 and the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23.

The heating effect of the heat pump system of the water heater is poor when the ambient temperature is too low. At this time, the auxiliary heating by the electric auxiliary heating component 3 can heat the water in the inner tank 1 to the set temperature as soon as possible. The electric auxiliary heating component 3 is arranged on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23 and the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23, and the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 is arranged at a position close to the end of the heat exchange tube 23, avoiding stress concentration caused by the distance between the connection of the electric auxiliary heating component 3 on the cylinder 11 and the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 being too close.

In some embodiments, a water inlet 14 and a water outlet 13 are provided on the wall surface of the cylinder 11. The water inlet 14 and the water outlet 13 are both connected to the inner cavity of the inner tank 1. The water inlet 14 is configured to inject water into the inner tank 1. The water outlet 13 is configured to discharge the water in the inner tank 1 out of the inner tank 1. The water inlet 14 can be provided at the lower end of the cylinder 11, and the water outlet 13 can be provided at the upper end of the cylinder 11. The water inlet 14 and the water outlet 13 of the cylinder 11 are both located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23 and on the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23.

Since the water inlet 14 and the water outlet 13 are both located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23 and the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23, and the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 is arranged at a position close to the end of the heat exchange tube 23, stress concentration caused by the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 being too close to the water inlet 14 or the weld 111 of the cylinder 11 being too close to the water outlet 13 is avoided.

In some embodiments, the first header 21 is provided with a refrigerant inlet 211 and a refrigerant outlet 212. The refrigerant inlet 211 is configured to inject refrigerant into the first header 21, and the refrigerant outlet 212 is configured to discharge the refrigerant in the first header 21. When the first header 21 is vertically arranged, the refrigerant inlet 211 may be arranged at the top end of the first header 21 , and the refrigerant outlet 212 may be arranged at the bottom end of the first header 21 .

After the refrigerant is injected into the first header 21 from the refrigerant inlet 211, it enters the second header 22 along the upper heat exchange tube 23. The refrigerant in the second header 22 enters the first header 21 along the lower heat exchange tube 23, and finally discharges from the first header 21 from the refrigerant outlet 212 of the first header 21.

In some embodiments, the heat exchange component 2 further includes an input pipe 25 , an output pipe 26 and a refrigerant interface component 24 .

The refrigerant interface assembly 24 includes a base 241, an input connector 242 and an output connector 243. The base 241 is constructed as a bracket structure. The base 241 can be welded on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder 11, and is located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23 and the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23. The input connector 242 and the output connector 243 are both arranged on the base 241. One end of the input connector 242 faces the cylinder 11, and the other end faces away from the cylinder 11. One end of the output connector 243 faces the cylinder 11, and the other end faces away from the cylinder 11. One end of the input pipe 25 is connected to one end of the input connector 242 facing the cylinder 11, and the other end of the input pipe 25 is connected to the refrigerant inlet 211 of the first header 21. One end of the output pipe 26 is connected to one end of the output connector 243 facing the cylinder 11, and the other end of the output pipe 26 is connected to the output connector 243 of the first header 21.

The input connector 242 and the output connector 243 can be connected to an external refrigerant pipeline. Refrigerant is injected into the input connector 242, and the refrigerant is injected into the first header 21 through the input pipe 25. The refrigerant in the first header 21 is also discharged through the output pipe 26 and the output connector 243. Since the base 241 is located on the side of the first header 21 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23 and the side of the second header 22 facing away from the heat exchange tube 23, and the weld 111 of the barrel 11 is set at a position close to the end of the heat exchange tube 23, stress concentration caused by the close distance between the weld 111 of the barrel 11 and the base 241 is avoided.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present disclosure.

In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. The features of "one", "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present disclosure, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.

In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations of the present disclosure. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and vary the above embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims (10)

A water tank, comprising: An inner liner, comprising a cylinder having a welded seam; and A heat exchange assembly, comprising a first header, a second header and heat exchange tubes, all of which are arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder; Wherein, both ends of the first header, the second header and the weld extend to both ends of the cylinder, and both ends of the heat exchange tube are connected to the first header and the second header respectively; There is a first gap between the connection between the first header and the heat exchange tube and the peripheral wall, and at least a portion of the weld protruding from the peripheral wall is accommodated in the first gap; and/or there is a second gap between the connection between the second header and the heat exchange tube and the peripheral wall, and at least a portion of the weld protruding from the peripheral wall is accommodated in the second gap. The water tank according to claim 1, wherein the first header, the second header and the weld all extend in the axial direction of the cylinder. The water tank according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange tube is clamped on the cylinder. The water tank according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange tube is a flat tube. The water tank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of the heat exchange tubes are provided, and all of the heat exchange tubes extend from a side wall of the first header facing away from the second header to a side wall of the second header facing away from the first header. The water tank according to claim 5, wherein the cylinder is provided with a water inlet and a water outlet; The water inlet and the water outlet are both located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tubes. The water tank according to claim 5, further comprising an electric auxiliary heating component configured to heat the water in the inner tank; The electric auxiliary heating component is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder and is located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tube. The water tank according to claim 5, wherein the first header is provided with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet; The refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are respectively disposed at two ends of the first header. The water tank according to claim 8, wherein the heat exchange assembly further comprises a refrigerant interface assembly Parts, input pipes and output pipes; The refrigerant interface assembly includes a base and an input connector and an output connector both disposed on the base; Wherein, the base is arranged on the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder and is located on the side of the first header and the second header facing away from the heat exchange tube, the two ends of the input pipe are respectively connected to the refrigerant inlet and the input joint, and the two ends of the output pipe are respectively connected to the refrigerant outlet and the output joint. A water heater, comprising the water tank according to any one of claims 1 to 9.