Hot water supply apparatus

Abstract

A hot water supply apparatus includes a housing, a water tank, a master device, a pipeline, a first temperature sensor, an electric heater, and a controller. The pipeline includes a first coil. The first temperature sensor has a first height. The electric heater has a second height. The controller is configured to: determine a heating time of the electric heater or the first coil; calculate a preset temperature according to the heating time, the first height, and the second height; calculate a changing water temperature according to a water temperature in the water tank detected by the first temperature sensor and the heating time; and adjust an operating state of a heat pump or determine an operating state of the electric heater according to the changing water temperature and the preset temperature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hot water supply apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   a water tank disposed in the housing, the water tank including an inner tank;   a master device disposed in the housing and located on an upper side of the water tank, the master device being connected to the water tank and configured to supply water and heat to the water tank;   a pipeline disposed in the master device and the water tank and communicating with the master device and the water tank, the pipeline including a first coil, at least a portion of the first coil being disposed in the inner tank, and the first coil being connected to a heat pump, so as to supply heat to water in the water tank;   a first temperature sensor, at least a portion of the first temperature sensor being disposed in the inner tank, the first temperature sensor having a first height and being configured to detect a water temperature in the water tank;   an electric heater, at least a portion of the electric heater being disposed in the inner tank, the electric heater having a second height and being configured to heat water in the water tank; and   a controller coupled to the first temperature sensor, the controller being configured to:
 determine a heating time of the electric heater or the first coil; 
 calculate a preset temperature according to the heating time, the first height, and the second height; 
 calculate a changing water temperature according to the water temperature detected by the first temperature sensor and the heating time; and 
 adjust an operating state of the heat pump or determine an operating state of the electric heater according to the changing water temperature and the preset temperature. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the preset temperature satisfies a preset function with respect to the heating time, the first height, and a preset distance, and the preset distance is an absolute value of a difference between the first height and the second height. 
     
     
         3 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the heating time includes a first heating time, the first heating time is a heating duration of the first coil; the changing water temperature is equal to a first changing value of the water temperature in the water tank within the first heating time; the preset temperature includes a first preset temperature, the first preset temperature satisfies a first preset function with respect to the first heating time and the first height, and the controller is configured to:
 determine that the water temperature in the water tank is high and control the heat pump to turn off, if the first changing value is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature; and   determine that the water temperature in the water tank is low and control the heat pump to turn on, if the first changing value is less than the first preset temperature.   
     
     
         4 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first coil heats from a first moment to a second moment, the first heating time is an absolute value of a difference between the second moment and the first moment; and
 a water temperature detected by the first temperature sensor at the first moment is a first water temperature, a water temperature detected by the first temperature sensor at the second moment is a second water temperature, and the first changing value is an absolute value of a difference between the second water temperature and the first water temperature.   
     
     
         5 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the heating time includes a second heating time, the second heating time is a heating duration of the electric heater, the changing water temperature is equal to a second changing value of the water temperature in the water tank within the second heating time, the preset temperature includes a second preset temperature, the second preset temperature satisfies a second preset function with respect to the second heating time, the first height, and the preset distance, and the controller is configured to:
 determine that the electric heater operates normally, if the second changing value is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature; and   determine that the electric heater is faulty, if the second changing value is less than the second preset temperature.   
     
     
         6 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the electric heater heats from a third moment to a fourth moment, the second heating time is an absolute value of a difference between the fourth moment and the third moment; and
 a water temperature detected by the first temperature sensor at the third moment is a third water temperature, a water temperature detected by the first temperature sensor at the fourth moment is a fourth water temperature, and the second changing value is an absolute value of a difference between the fourth water temperature and the third water temperature.   
     
     
         7 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a second temperature sensor disposed in the water tank and coupled to the controller, the second temperature sensor having a third height and being configured to detect the water temperature in the water tank; and   a third temperature sensor disposed in the water tank and coupled to the controller, the third temperature sensor having a fourth height and being configured to detect the water temperature in the water tank;   wherein a difference between the third height of the second temperature sensor and the first height of the first temperature sensor is a first distance, a difference between the fourth height of the third temperature sensor and the first height of the first temperature sensor is a second distance, and the first distance is equal to the second distance.   
     
     
         8 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 calculate a first changing temperature of the second temperature sensor within a third heating time and a second changing temperature of the third temperature sensor within the third heating time;   determine that the electric heater is faulty if it is determined that the first changing temperature is less than a third preset temperature, or the second changing temperature is less than a fourth preset temperature; and   determine that the electric heater operates normally if it is determined that the first changing temperature is greater than or equal to the third preset temperature, and the second changing temperature is greater than or equal to the fourth preset temperature;   wherein the first changing temperature is a changing value of the water temperature detected by the second temperature sensor within the third heating time, and the second changing temperature is a changing value of the water temperature detected by the third temperature sensor within the third heating time, the second preset temperature is less than the third preset temperature, and the third preset temperature is less than the fourth preset temperature.   
     
     
         9 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the third preset temperature satisfies a ternary function with respect to the third heating time, the third height, and the first distance, and the fourth preset temperature satisfies a ternary function with respect to the third heating time, the fourth height, and the second distance. 
     
     
         10 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the first distance is less than the preset distance and greater than or equal to a first threshold, and the second distance is less than the preset distance. 
     
     
         11 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 in a case where the first coil or the electric heater supplies heat to the water tank,   control the electric heater or the first coil to supply heat to the water tank to heat the water in the water tank, if a current water temperature in the water tank detected by the first temperature sensor is less than a first preset water temperature; and   control the electric heater or the first coil to stop supplying heat to the water tank, if the current water temperature in the water tank detected by the first temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the first preset water temperature.   
     
     
         12 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a relay disposed in the master device, the relay being configured to control a power supply circuit of the electric heater to turn on or off;   a first thermostat disposed in the master device, the first thermostat being configured to control the power supply circuit of the electric heater to turn on or off;   a second thermostat disposed in the master device, the second thermostat being configured to control the power supply circuit of the electric heater to turn on or off, the relay, the first thermostat, the second thermostat, and the electric heater being sequentially connected in series through a wire, so as to provide the power supply circuit of the electric heater;   a second temperature sensor disposed in the water tank and connected to the first thermostat through a connecting line, the second temperature sensor being coupled to the controller and configured to detect the water temperature in the water tank and transfer heat of the water in the water tank to the first thermostat through the connecting line; and   a third temperature sensor disposed in the water tank and connected to the second thermostat through the connecting line, the third temperature sensor being coupled to the controller and configured to detect the water temperature in the water tank and transfer heat of the water in the water tank to the second thermostat through the connecting line;   wherein the controller is configured to:
 in a case where the first coil and the electric heater together supply heat to the water tank, 
 obtain a current water temperature in the water tank detected by the first temperature sensor; 
 control the relay to turn on the power supply circuit of the electric heater, if the current water temperature is less than a first limited water temperature; and 
 control the relay to turn off the power supply circuit of the electric heater, and control the heat pump to turn off to stop heating water in the water tank, if the current water temperature is greater than or equal to the first limited water temperature. 
   
     
     
         13 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the hot water supply apparatus satisfies at least one of following:
 the first thermostat is configured to:
 in a case where the current water temperature is greater than or equal to the first limited water temperature and the controller determines that the power supply circuit of the electric heater is still turned on, 
 turn on the power supply circuit of the electric heater, if a first current water temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is less than a first set temperature; and 
 turn off the power supply circuit of the electric heater, if the first current water temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the first set temperature; 
   or   the second thermostat is configured to:
 in a case where the current water temperature is greater than or equal to the first limited water temperature and the controller determines that the power supply circuit of the electric heater is still turned on, 
 turn on the power supply circuit of the electric heater, if a second current water temperature detected by the third temperature sensor is less than the first set temperature; and 
 turn off the power supply circuit of the electric heater, if the second current water temperature detected by the third temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the first set temperature. 
   
     
     
         14 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising a temperature control switch, the temperature control switch being disposed in the power supply circuit of the electric heater and configured to turn on or turn off the power supply circuit of the electric heater, wherein the controller is further configured to:
 in a case where the first current water temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is greater than or equal to the first set temperature, and the controller determines that the power supply circuit of the electric heater is still turned on,   control the temperature control switch to turn off to turn off the power supply circuit of the electric heater, if the second current water temperature detected by the third temperature sensor is greater than or equal to a second set temperature; and   control the electric heater to operate normally, if the second current water temperature detected by the third temperature sensor is less than the second set temperature.   
     
     
         15 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the inner tank is provided with a cavity, and the hot water supply apparatus further includes:
 a relief valve located on a side of the water tank proximate to the master device, a portion of the relief valve extending into the cavity and located on a side of the cavity proximate to the master device, the relief valve being configured to release a pressure in the water tank;   a fourth temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of a portion of the cavity proximate to the master device; and   a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in the water tank;   wherein the controller is configured to:
 control the relief valve to turn on to release the pressure in the water tank, if the temperature detected by the fourth temperature sensor is greater than or equal to a fifth preset temperature, or the pressure detected by the pressure sensor is greater than or equal to a preset pressure. 
   
     
     
         16 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the inner tank has a fifth height, the fourth temperature sensor has a sixth height, and a difference between the fifth height and the sixth height is less than or equal to a second threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the first limited water temperature is less than the first set temperature, the first set temperature is less than the second set temperature, and the second set temperature is less than the fifth preset temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein a difference between the fifth preset temperature and the second set temperature is greater than or equal to a third threshold, and the second set temperature and the first set temperature are greater than or equal to a fourth threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the first limited water temperature is less than or equal to a difference between a maximum water temperature in the water tank and a fifth threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The hot water supply apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner tank has a fifth height, the first height is less than or equal to half of the fifth height, and the second height is less than or equal to half of the fifth height.