Patent Application
20240410620
Water heaters operate by transferring thermal energy between one or more heating elements and water, thereby heating the water to a desired setpoint. Traditional water heaters, also referred to as storage tank water heaters, can include a storage tank that holds a set amount of water (e.g., 40 gallons) and either gas or electric heating elements that heat the water in the storage tank to a setpoint temperature (e.g., 135° F.). Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, operate by heating smaller quantities of water on-demand, e.g., via a heat exchanger. Limescale or “scale” is a deposit of minerals—mainly calcium carbonate—that can build up on heating elements, the internal surfaces of heat exchangers, and other components of water heaters. For tankless water heaters in particular, the internal surface of a heat exchanger and/or outer surfaces of heating elements may be in direct contact with water which can lead to scale buildup. Scale buildup is known to reduce heat transfer between the heat exchanger surface and water, thereby reducing the effectiveness and efficiency of the water heater. Left uncorrected, scale buildup can cause significant damage to a water heater.
One implementation of the present disclosure is a controller for a tankless water heater, the tankless water heater including a fluid pathway defined by an inlet valve, a heat exchanger, a bypass valve for selectively bypassing the heat exchanger, and an outlet valve, the controller including: a processor; and memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to execute a water heater descaling procedure, including by: causing the bypass valve to prevent fluid from bypassing the heat exchanger; activating a pump to cause a descaling solution to circulate through the fluid pathway; monitoring a flow rate of the descaling solution through the fluid pathway; and deactivating the pump responsive to one of: i) an amount of time that the pump is active exceeding a time limit, ii) the flow rate exceeding a first threshold, or iii) a change in the flow rate exceeding a second threshold.
Another implementation of the present disclosure is a method for descaling a heat exchanger of a tankless water heater, the tankless water heater including an electronically actuated bypass valve for selectively bypassing the tankless water heater, the method including: initiating a descaling procedure by transmitting, to the electronically actuated bypass valve, a first control signal to cause the electronically actuated bypass valve to close, thereby preventing fluid from bypassing the tankless water heater; transmitting, to a pump, a second control signal to activate the pump, wherein the pump circulates a descaling solution through the electronically actuated bypass valve and the heat exchanger when active; monitoring, using a sensor, a flow rate of the descaling solution; and transmitting, to the pump, a third control signal to cause the pump to deactivate responsive to at least one of: i) the flow rate exceeding a first threshold, or ii) a change in the flow rate exceeding a second threshold.
Yet another implementation of the present disclosure is method for descaling a heat exchanger of a tankless water heater, the method including: receiving, via a user interface, a first user input to initiate a descaling procedure; presenting, via the user interface, a first notification indicating that the tankless water heater is in a first mode of operation associated with the descaling procedure and prompting a user to activate an external pump; initiating a timer responsive to detecting, using a flow rate sensor, that a fluid is being circulated through the heat exchanger of the tankless water heater by the external pump; monitoring, using the flow rate sensor, a flow rate of the fluid; and presenting, via the user interface, a second notification indicating that the descaling procedure is complete and prompting the user to deactivate the external pump responsive to determining that at least one of: i) an amount of time that the external pump is active exceeds a time limit, ii) the flow rate exceeds a first threshold, or iii) a change in the flow rate exceeds a second threshold.
Additional features will be set forth in part in the description which follows or may be learned by practice. The features will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive. The above summary does not represent every embodiment or every aspect of this disclosure. The above-noted features and advantages of the present disclosure, as well as other possible features and advantages, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and best modes for carrying out the disclosure when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and appended claims. Moreover, this disclosure expressly includes combinations and sub-combinations of the elements and features presented above and below.
Various objects, aspects, and features of the disclosure will become more apparent and better understood by referring to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters identify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements.
Referring generally to the figures, tankless water heaters and methods for descaling tankless water heaters are shown, according to various implementations. “Descaling” a tankless water heater—also sometimes referred to as “flushing”—generally refers to circulating a descaling solution, such as distilled vinegar, through the tankless water heater to dissolve scale buildup. Regular descaling of tankless water heaters is generally recommended to maintain high heat transfer between the heat exchanger/heating elements and water. However, descaling procedures for most currently available tankless water heaters are generally difficult, time-consuming, and ineffective. For example, some manufacturers require users to circulate hot water (e.g., upwards of 140° F.) through the water heater for a length of time (e.g., upwards of 10 minutes), in order to close a bypass valve such that fluid is prevented from bypassing the heat exchanger during the descaling process. Not only is this energy inefficient and time-consuming, but there is generally no way for the user to confirm that the bypass valve is, indeed, closed.
Other descaling solutions may require significant modifications to a water heater and/or additional, specialized equipment and components, which adds to the cost and complexity to the water heater itself. For example, a dedicated descaling system could easily add hundreds of dollars to the cost of a tankless water heater and includes many additional parts that may need servicing and/or replacing. In addition, many tankless water heaters do not include a way for users to monitor or determine the effectiveness of descaling and do not track how often descaling is performed, when the water heater was last flushed, etc.
The method described herein can address these and other deficiencies, for example, by utilizing existing components of a tankless water heater—or minimal additional components—to perform quick and efficient descaling. At a high level, a controller for a tankless water heater is configured to initiate a descaling procedure by first closing a bypass valve to prevent fluid (e.g., a descaling solution) from bypassing the heat exchanger and/or heating elements. In this manner, the controller ensures that the bypass valve is closed without wasting energy heating water to thermally actuate the bypass valve. Once the bypass valve is closed, a pump can be activated to circulate a descaling solution (e.g., vinegar) through the tankless water heater. Notably, while the descaling solution is being circulated, the controller can monitor both an elapsed time of the descaling procedure and a flow rate of the descaling solution through the system. One or both of these parameters can be displayed to a user/operator of the tankless water heater through a user interface to indicate to the user an effectiveness of the descaling procedure. For example, the flow rate of fluid through the tankless water heater may increase as scale deposits are dissolved and removed, indicating an effectiveness of the descaling procedure to the user. In addition, the controller can be configured to deactivate the pump once either a time limit has elapsed or once the flow rate exceeds a threshold. When complete, the controller may store an indication that the descaling procedure was performed.
Referring generally to
As described herein, inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 generally provide means for isolating tankless water heater 100 from external plumbing, e.g., for servicing. In particular, inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 can be operated to selectively connect/disconnect primary fluid pathway 102 from building plumbing (e.g., a cold water supply line 122 and a hot water supply line 124). Notably, inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 can also be selectively placed in a “servicing” position which connects primary fluid pathway 102 to a serving inlet/outlet of each valve for connecting external plumbing (e.g., a hose) to introduce fluids into primary fluid pathway 102 from a source other than cold water supply line 122 and/or to allow fluids to be released from primary fluid pathway 102 without being output into hot water supply line 124. Accordingly, inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 can include both isolation valves (e.g., a cold water isolation valve and a hot water isolation valve, respectively) and servicing valve, which can be individually manipulated.
In this regard, inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 generally include at least three ports: a first port configured to be coupled to building plumbing (e.g., cold water supply line 122 or hot water supply line 124); a second port configured to be coupled to primary fluid pathway 102; and a third “open” port which can be used for servicing the tankless water heater and/or connecting other external plumbing. Likewise, inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 can generally be manipulated into at least three different configurations: an “open” configuration in which the isolation valve is open and the service value is closed to allow fluid to flow between the first port and the second port (e.g., from cold water supply line 122 into primary fluid pathway 102); a “closed” configuration in which the isolation valve is closed and the service value is closed to prevent fluid flow between the first port and the second port; and a “service” configuration in which the isolation valve is closed and the service value is opened, to allow fluid flow between the third port and the second port while preventing fluid from entering primary fluid pathway 102 via the first port (e.g., from a building supply).
Bypass valve 106 is shown to be positioned on primary fluid pathway 102 prior to/downstream of heat exchanger 108 and is generally operable to selectively bypass heat exchanger 108. In other words, bypass valve 106 can be manipulated to either permit fluid flow to heat exchanger 108 or to divert fluid through a bypass fluid pathway 112, thereby “bypassing” heat exchanger 108. In some implementations, bypass valve 106 can be configured to divert only a portion of fluid through bypass fluid pathway 112. In some implementations, bypass valve 106 is configured to divert fluid through bypass fluid pathway 112 as a safety mechanism. For example, if a temperature of fluid exceeds a threshold (e.g., 140° F.), bypass valve 106 may be configured to close to divert fluid through bypass fluid pathway 112 rather than through heat exchanger 108, to prevent overheating and/or pressure buildup in heat exchanger 108. In some implementations, bypass valve 106 can be operated to divert fluid—typically cold supply water—through bypass fluid pathway 112, in order to mix the cold supply water with heated water from heat exchanger 108, e.g., to ensure the hot water output by tankless water heater 100 matches a setpoint.
In some implementations, bypass valve 106 is an electronically controlled or
electronically actuated valve. In some such implementations, bypass valve 106 can include an electric motor for actuating the valve between the “open” and “bypass” positions. Accordingly, in some implementations, bypass valve 106 can be electronically controlled by a controller 400, as described in greater detail below. In other implementations, bypass valve 106 can be a passively controlled valve. For example, bypass valve 106 may be actuated based on pressure or temperature, such that if the pressure within primary fluid pathway 102 or a temperature of fluid in primary fluid pathway 102 exceeds a threshold, bypass valve 106 closes to bypass heat exchanger 108. In some such implementations, bypass valve 106 may include a sensor for detecting a position of the valve (e.g., “open” or “closed”/“bypass”). In some implementations, bypass valve 106 can be manually controlled between an “open” or “closed” configuration. It should also be appreciated that bypass valve 106 can be positioned between “opened” and “closed” positions, e.g., in a “partially open” configuration.
As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, heat exchanger 108 is generally configured to transfer heat between a source and a fluid that flows therethrough. With respect to tankless water heater 100, heat exchanger 108 is configured to transfer heat from a heat source or heating element (e.g., a gas burner or electric heating element) into water which passes through heat exchanger 108 during operations. In a gas-powered configuration, heat exchanger 108 can transfer heat from a gas burner to water. For example, the gas burner may heat the outer surface of heat exchanger 108. In an electrically-powered configuration, heat exchanger 108 may include one or more electric heating elements that convert electricity to heat, which is used to heat the water. In some such implementations, the one or more electric heating elements may be internal to heat exchanger 108 or the one or more electric heating elements may be external to heat exchanger 108 and may heat the outside surface of heat exchanger 108. In some implementations, heat exchanger 108 includes one or more electrical heating elements that extend into a fluid pathway or channels within heat exchanger 108 to heat the water. In such implementations, the heating elements themselves may be in direct contact with the water. While not shown, tankless water heater 100 may include two or more heat exchangers in other implementations. However, it should be appreciated that the descaling technique described herein is equally applicable to tankless water heaters that have more than one heat exchanger.
As mentioned above, tankless water heater 100 can further include controller 400 for controlling the heating of water and various other operations of tankless water heater 100. In some implementations, controller 400 is configured to operate tankless water heater 100 in one or more operating modes, including at least a “normal” mode and a “descaling” mode. In the “descaling” mode, bypass valve 106 is generally closed or otherwise manipulated to prevent at least a majority of the fluid flowing through primary fluid pathway 102 from bypassing heat exchanger 108. Additionally, in the “descaling” mode, heat exchanger 108 and/or the heating elements that heat the fluid in primary fluid pathway 102 are turned off and are prevented from turning on. In this manner, controller 400 prevents a descaling solution from being heated during the descaling procedure, as described in greater detail below. In the “normal” mode, bypass valve 106 is opened and/or permitted to operate freely (e.g., without being forced closed) and heat exchanger 108 and/or the heating elements that heat the fluid in primary fluid pathway 102 are turned on/allowed to be turned on.
Generally, controller 400 is capable of receiving data/signals from, and/or transmitting control signals to, various electronic components of tankless water heater 100. In some implementations, as shown, controller 400 is electrically connected to bypass valve 106, such that controller 400 can send control signals to bypass valve 106, e.g., to control bypass valve 106. Optionally, controller 400 may also receive feedback (e.g., signals, data, etc.) from bypass valve 106, e.g., to verify operation of bypass valve 106. In some implementations, controller 400 is electrically connected to a flow sensor 114 for measuring a flow rate of fluid through primary fluid pathway 102. As described herein, flow sensor 114 can be any suitable flow rate sensor. For example, flow sensor 114 may be positioned in series with primary fluid pathway 102 such that fluid flows through flow sensor 114 or flow sensor 114 may extend into primary fluid pathway 102 to measure a flow rate of passing fluid.
In some implementations, tankless water heater 100 also includes a user interface 410 that allows a user to interact with tankless water heater 100. In some implementations, such as in the configurations shown in
In some implementations, tankless water heater 100 includes a housing 120 which encloses most of primary fluid pathway 102. For example, as shown, inlet valve 104 and/or outlet valve 110 may be external to housing 120 while the other components of primary fluid pathway 102 described herein are internal to housing 120. In some implementations, controller 400 and/or user interface 410 are also internal to housing 120; however, in other implementations, one or both of controller 400 and user interface 410 may be external to housing 120. For example, controller 400 and/or user interface 410 may be contained within a separate housing that is mounted on an exterior surface of housing 120. In another example, controller 400 may be positioned within housing 120 while user interface 410 is positioned at least partially externally to housing 120. As described herein, housing 120 may generally be formed of any suitable material, such as metal(s), plastic(s), and the like.
To facilitate the descaling of primary fluid pathway 102, e.g., with a descaling solution, a pump 116 may be utilized to transfer fluid from a reservoir 118. Reservoir 118, as described herein, is generally any reservoir that can be used to contain a descaling solution, such as distilled vinegar, or other fluids. Reservoir 118 may be an external reservoir, that is, external to tankless water heater 100. For descaling, hoses, tubing, or the like—shown as input hose 126 and output hose 128—may be attached on a first end to the third “service” port of inlet valve 104 and/or outlet valve 110 and can extend, on a second end, into reservoir 118. In some implementations, input hose 126 and output hose 128 are separate from reservoir 118. For example, reservoir 118 may simply be a bucket into which input hose 126 and output hose 128 are placed, after being connected to inlet valve 104 and/or outlet valve 110. In other implementations, reservoir 118 may include integrated hoses/tubing to facilitate the transfer of fluid into/out of reservoir 118. However, it should be appreciated that the description of reservoir 118 and the means for fluidically coupling reservoir 118 to inlet valve 104 and/or outlet valve 110 as provided herein is not intended to be limiting.
Pump 116 is generally any suitable type of pump for transferring a descaling solution. For example, pump 116 may be a centrifugal pump, a rotary pump, a peristaltic pump, a gear pump, a lobe pump, etc. Generally, pump 116 is an electric pump. In some implementations, as shown in
In some implementations, pump 116 can be controlled by controller 400. In some such implementations, as shown in
For added clarity, consider the following example use-case of a descaling procedure for tankless water heater 100. Prior to initiating the descaling procedure, a user or operator of tankless water heater 100 connects input hose 126 to inlet valve 104 and output hose 128 to outlet valve 110 and places the free ends of input hose 126 and output hose 128 into reservoir 118. In addition, the user may place inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 into a “service” position and/or may disconnect inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 from supply lines 122, 124. The user can then initiate the descaling procedure through controller 400, such as by providing an input to user interface 410. For example, the user may select a “descaling” mode from a menu on user interface 410. Responsive to the user input, controller 400 places tankless water heater 100 into the “descaling” mode by closing bypass valve 106, e.g., by sending a control signal and/or power to bypass valve 106. As used herein, “closing” bypass valve 106 refers to preventing fluid from bypassing heat exchanger 108 via bypass fluid pathway 112.
Once bypass valve 106 is closed, controller 400 may activate pump 116, e.g., by providing power to pump 116, to initiate the flow of descaling solution from reservoir 118, through input hose 126 and inlet valve 104, and into primary fluid pathway 102. Because bypass valve 106 is closed, the descaling solution is forced to pass through heat exchanger 108 before it exits primary fluid pathway 102 via outlet valve 110 and is returned to reservoir 118 via output hose 128. For effective descaling, pump 116 may continuously circulate the descaling solution until controller 400 determines that a set amount of time has elapsed (e.g., 60 minutes), at which point controller 400 may deactivate pump 116. Additionally, or alternatively, controller 400 can monitor a flow rate of the descaling solution through primary fluid pathway 102 via flow sensor 114. In some cases, controller 400 can end the descaling process early (e.g., prior to the end of the set amount of time) if the flow rate of the descaling solution meets or exceeds a threshold or if a change in flow rate meets or exceeds a second threshold, which can indicate that heat exchanger 108 has been sufficiently descaled (e.g., as the flow rate of fluid primary fluid pathway 102 will increase as scale is removed).
Referring now to
In some implementations, memory 406 includes tangible, computer-readable media that stores code or instructions executable by processor 404. Tangible, computer-readable media refers to any media that is capable of providing data that causes controller 400 to operate in a particular fashion. Example tangible, computer-readable media may include, but is not limited to, volatile media, non-volatile media, removable media and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Accordingly, memory 406 can include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), hard drive storage, temporary storage, non-volatile memory, flash memory, optical memory, or any other suitable memory for storing software objects and/or computer instructions. Memory 406 can include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in the present disclosure.
While shown as individual components, it will be appreciated that processor 404 and/or memory 406 can be implemented using a variety of different types and quantities of processors and memory. For example, processor 404 may represent a single processing device or multiple processing devices. Similarly, memory 406 may represent a single memory device or multiple memory devices. Additionally, in some implementations, controller 400 may be implemented within a single computing device (e.g., one server, one housing, etc.). In other implementations controller 400 may be distributed across multiple servers or computers (e.g., that can exist in distributed locations). For example, controller 400 may include multiple distributed computing devices (e.g., multiple processors and/or memory devices) in communication with each other that collaborate to perform operations. In another example, but not by way of limitation, an application may be partitioned in such a way as to permit concurrent and/or parallel processing of the instructions of the application.
In some implementations, memory 406 is configured to stored instructions for performing the various processes described below with respect to
As mentioned above, controller 400 is generally configured to present information to a user and/or receive user inputs via user interface 410. Generally, user interface 410 is any device that is operable by a user to interact with controller 400. In some implementations, user interface 410 includes a screen (e.g., an LED or LCD display) for displaying images, text, and/or other graphical elements. For example, user interface 410 may be positioned on an exterior surface of tankless water heater 100 (e.g., on housing 120) and may display data such as a flow rate, time, error codes, temperature readings, etc. In some implementations, user interface 410 can include lights (e.g., LEDs), a speaker, or other components to provide audio/visual feedback to a user. For example, user interface 410 may include a plurality of indictor LEDs, rather than a screen, to indicate information to a user. In some implementations, user interface 410 includes at least one input device (e.g., a mouse, a keyboard, a keypad, a touchscreen, buttons, etc.) for receiving user inputs. For example, user interface 410 may include one or more buttons that allow a user to select items (e.g., commands) from a menu, clear alarms/alerts, initiate a descaling procedure, etc.
In
Controller 400 is further shown to include an input/output (I/O) interface 412, which facilitates communications between controller 400 and various other components of tankless water heater 100. In some implementations, I/O interface 412 can facilitate the transmission of control signals to bypass valve 106, pump 116, and other components such as heating element(s) 130, an exhaust fan 132, and the like. Additionally, in some implementations, I/O interface 412 can facilitate the receipt of data and signals from any of these components. In particular, controller 400 may receive flow rate measurements (e.g., data) from flow sensor 114 via I/O interface 412. Accordingly, I/O interface 412 can be, or can include, a wired or wireless communications interface (e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wire terminals, etc.) or can be/include any combination of different wired and/or wireless interfaces. In some implementations, I/O interface 412 can provide power to various external components (e.g., pump 116). For example, I/O interface 412 may be configured to send PWM signals to pump 116 and/or may selectively apply power to pump 116 to control pump 116.
In some implantations, controller 400 further includes a communications interface 414 to facilitate data communications with other external devices. Generally, communications via I/O interface 412 may be direct (e.g., local wired or wireless communications) and/or via a network (e.g., a WAN, the Internet, a cellular network, etc). For example, a first remote device (e.g., user interface 410) may communicate with controller 400 via a wired connection while a second remote device (e.g., a user's smartphone) may communicate with controller 400 via the Internet or a short-range wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth®). Thus, communications interface 414 can include any combination of suitable interfaces (e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wire terminals, etc.) to facilitate wired and/or wireless communications. For example, I/O interface 412 can include a Wi-Fi transceiver for communicating via a wireless communications network. In another example, I/O interface 412 may include cellular or mobile phone communications transceivers. In yet another example, I/O interface 412 may include a low-power or short-range wireless transceiver (e.g., Bluetooth®).
As mentioned above, in some implementations, controller 400 can communicate (e.g., via communications interface 414) with one or more remote computing devices 420. Remote computing device(s) 420 can generally include any computing device that is not part of tankless water heater 100 and that can communicate with controller 400. Example remote computing device(s) 420 include desktop/laptop computers, servers, smartphones, smart watches, and the like. In some implementations, remote computing device(s) 420 include at least a smartphone owned/operated by a user of tankless water heater 100. In this manner, the user may be able to control, monitor, and/or otherwise interact with tankless water heater 100 remotely. For example, as described in greater detail below, the user may be able to initiate the descaling procedure described herein remotely via their smartphone. In some implementations, a user may interact with controller 400 through a software application, such as a smartphone application. In some implementations, remote computing device(s) 420 interact with controller 400 through a web interface.
Referring now to
At step 502, a command to begin a descaling procedure is received. In some implementations, the command is received by controller 400 responsive to a user input to a user interface (e.g., user interface 410). For example, the user may select an “Initiate Descaling Procedure” command from a menu on user interface 410 or may initiate the descaling procedure by selecting an icon on a user interface displayed on their smartphone. In another example, the user may press a preset button or sequence of buttons on user interface 410 (e.g., one or more buttons positioned on a PCB of controller 400) to cause controller 400 to initiate descaling. Thus, in various implementations, the command to begin the descaling procedure can be received directly (e.g., from a user input to user interface 410) or wirelessly (e.g., from remote computing device 420).
In some implementations, responsive to receiving the command, controller 400 enters a “descaling” mode of operation and optionally indicates, via user interface 410, that the descaling mode is active. For example, controller 400 may display a notification on user interface 410 and/or may cause an indicator light on user interface 410 to illuminate. In addition, as part of entering a “descaling” mode (e.g., from another mode of operation, such as “normal”), controller 400 may “lock” or disable operations of tankless water heater 100 while in the descaling mode. In other words, controller 400 may prevent tankless water heater 100 from being placed into a different operating mode (e.g., “normal”) until the descaling procedure is complete and/or is terminated by a user. To this point, controller 400 may turn off heat exchanger 108 and/or heating elements 130, and/or may prevent heat exchanger 108 and/or heating elements 130 from being activated, in order to prevent the descaling solution from being heated during process 500.
Generally, prior to initiating the descaling procedure, the user isolates tankless water heater 100 from building supply lines using inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110. In addition, the user may connect input hose 126 and/or output hose 128 to inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110, respectively, and may place the free ends of input hose 126 and/or output hose 128 into reservoir 118. Alternatively, the user may connect reservoir 118 to tankless water heater 100 by another method. In any case, reservoir 118 is generally filled with a descaling solution intended to be circulated through tankless water heater 100 to dissolve and remove scale. The descaling solution may be, for example, undiluted and/or distilled vinegar (e.g., about four gallons) or any other suitable descaling solution. Additionally, or alternatively, tankless water heater 100 may simply be flushed with clean water; however, water alone is generally not sufficient to treat limescale buildup.
At step 504, a bypass valve (e.g., bypass valve 106) is closed to prevent fluid (e.g., the descaling solution) from bypassing the heat exchanger (e.g., heat exchanger 108). In some implementations, bypass valve 106 is an electronically actuated valve. Accordingly, controller 400 may close bypass valve 106 by sending a control signal to bypass valve 106 to cause bypass valve 106 to close (e.g., actuate). In some implementations, controller 400 closes bypass valve 106 by providing power to bypass valve 106 to cause it to close. For example, controller 400 may power bypass valve 106 for a predetermined amount of time, sufficient to cause bypass valve 106 to close, or controller 400 may monitor feedback from an electric motor of bypass valve 106 to determine that the valve has closed. In some implementations, bypass valve 106 is not electrically powered and therefore may be manually closed. In some such implementations, controller 400 may receive data from a sensor positioned on bypass valve 106 which indicates the position (e.g., open/partially open/closed) of bypass valve 106. In some implementations, controller 400 can monitor a flow rate sensor positioned on a bypass leg of primary fluid pathway 102 (e.g., bypass fluid pathway 112) to determine whether fluid is bypassing heat exchanger 108, thereby indicating whether bypass valve 106 is closed.
At step 506, a pump (e.g., pump 116) is activated to cause the descaling solution to circulate through the water heater once the bypass valve is closed. In some implementations, as discussed above, pump 116 is activated by a control signal from controller 400. For example, if pump 116 is internal to tankless water heater 100, controller 400 may send a control signal directly to pump 116 to cause pump 116 to activate. In some implementations, controller 400 provides power to pump 116 to activate pump 116. For example, controller 400 may apply power directly to pump 116 or may transmit a PWM signal to pump 116. In implementations where pump 116 is not part of tankless water heater 100 (e.g., is an external pump), controller 400 may send wireless or wired control signals to pump 116. Alternatively, in implementations where pump 116 is external to tankless water heater 100, controller 400 may display a notification, e.g., via user interface 410, that prompts a user to activate pump 116 or may otherwise prompt the user to manually active pump 116.
At step 508, the flow rate of the descaling solution is monitored while the pump is active. In particular, controller 400 may continuously or periodically measure the flow rate of the descaling solution (e.g., through primary fluid pathway 102) using flow sensor 114. In addition, controller 400 may record an amount of time that has elapsed since pump 116 was activated. In some implementations, one or both of the flow rate measurement and the elapsed time are presented to a user via user interface 410 or via a remote computing device. For example, the flow rate and elapsed time can be displayed on a screen of user interface 410 and/or wirelessly transmitted to the user's smartphone. In some implementations, the flow rate and elapsed time are displayed almost instantaneously, e.g., in real-time or near-real-time. In this manner, the user is provided with feedback indicating the effectiveness of the descaling procedure. In addition to or instead of elapsed time, remaining time for the water heater descaling procedure may be presented to the user.
In some implementations, where process 500 is implemented on a tankless water heater that does not include an internal pump and/or where an external pump is used to transfer the descaling solution, the flow rate can also be used to detect that the external pump is activated. For example, pump 116 may be manually activated (e.g., by a user) at step 506 once controller 400 is placed into a descaling mode/initiates the descaling procedure. Controller 400 may then monitor flow sensor 114 to detect the flow of fluid through primary fluid pathway 102, which indicates that the external pump is active and descaling solution is being circulated through the system. In some implementations, controller 400 is configured to start a timer once it is determined that an external pump has been activated in order to track an elapsed time of the descaling procedure. That is, in response to detection of a flow rate from the flow sensor 114 above a threshold flow rate, the controller 400 may start the timer.
Additionally, in some implementations, controller 400 can detect abnormal
conditions in primary fluid pathway 102 based on the flow rate. In particular, controller 400 can detect that pump 116 is drawing air from reservoir 118—rather than descaling solution—if a sudden change in the flow rate is detected. In some implementations, controller 400 can generate an alert if an abnormal condition (e.g., pump drawing air) is detected, and the alert can be presented to a user via user interface 410 and/or by being transmitted to the user's device. For example, controller 400 can cause an indicator LED on user interface 410 to illuminate or blink, indicating that there is an error and/or the alert can be transmitted to the user's device as an email, a text message, a push notification, or the like. In some implementations, controller 400 is also configured to deactivate pump 116 if an error is detected to prevent damage to pump 116 or other components.
At step 510, the pump is deactivated once a time limit for the descaling procedure is reached, once the flow rate of the descaling solution meets or exceeds a threshold, or once a change in flow rate of the descaling solution (e.g., difference between starting and current flow rate) meets or exceeds a threshold. (As a variation, the pump can be deactivated based on any subset or combination of one or more of the foregoing conditions.) To this point, in some implementations, controller 400 can initiate a timer (e.g., a “pump timer”) at step 506 and can stop the pump timer at step 510 once pump 116 is deactivated. In other words, controller 400 activates the timer in conjunction with activating pump 116 and deactivates or stops the timer when pump 116 is stopped or deactivated. In some implementations, pump 116 is deactivated by controller 400. For example, controller 400 may send a control signal to pump 116 or may disconnect/remove power from pump 116. In some implementations, where an external pump is used, controller 400 may display a notification to a user via user interface 410 and/or may transmit a notification to the user's device, which indicates that the descaling procedure is complete. In this manner, the user may be prompted to deactivate the pump manually.
Generally, the time limit for the descaling procedure, the (first) threshold relating to the flow rate, and/or the (second) threshold relating to the change in flow rate are predetermined. For example, the time limit for the descaling procedure may be 60 minutes, or another set amount of time. In some implementations, the flow rate threshold (e.g., the first threshold) is an absolute value (e.g., n gallons per minute (GPM)). In this manner, if the flow rate meets or exceeds n GPM (or another unit of measure), the descaling procedure is ended by deactivating the pump. In other implementations, the flow rate threshold (e.g., the second threshold) is a relative value, e.g., a measure of improvement over an initial flow rate. For example, controller 400 may deactivate pump 116 if the flow rate improves by 50% or n GPM over the initial flow rate. As mentioned above, flow rate can be a useful indicator for the successfulness of a descaling as flow rates in primary fluid pathway 102 are known to generally improve as scale is dissolved and “flushed” out. In some implementations, controller 400 can display beginning/ending flow rates, or an indication of flow rate improvement, via user interface 410. In some implementations, the descaling procedure is ended if a flow rate of the descaling solution fails to meet a minimum flow threshold.
Alternatively, in some implementations, the descaling procedure may be ended manually by a user (e.g., via an input to user interface 410). Thus, in some such implementations, pump 116 may be deactivated responsive to a user input. Occasionally, power may be disconnected from tankless water heater 100 before the descaling procedure is complete (e.g., due to a power outage). In some such implementations, when power is restored, tankless water heater 100 is returned to its last known state by controller 400. For example, if tankless water heater 100 was in the middle of a descaling procedure, controller 400 may resume the descaling procedure and/or may prompt the user for a decision to restart the procedure. In this manner, tankless water heater 100 is not simply returned to normal operation while set up for descaling.
At step 512, an indication that the descaling procedure was completed is stored. Specifically, the indication can be stored in memory 406 or a database of memory 406. In some implementations, “storing” the indication simply includes increasing a “descaling” counter by one (e.g., flush count=i++). In some implementations, the indication includes additional data related to the descaling procedure. For example, the indication can include a date and/or time the descaling procedure was completed, a begin/ending flow rate, an elapsed time, and the like. To this point, in some implementations, controller 400 may be configured to track an amount time between descaling procedures and can alert a user when descaling is recommended or needed. In some such implementations, controller 400 can determine that an amount of time since a last descaling procedure has exceeded a threshold or a predetermined limit (e.g., a recommended time period), such as based on a number of days or combustion hours that have elapsed and can generate an alert. The alert may be transmitted to the user's device (e.g., smartphone) and/or displayed via user interface 410. For example, controller 400 can cause an indicator LED on user interface 410 to illuminate or blink, indicating that descaling is recommended. As another example, the alert can be transmitted to the user's device as an email, a text message, a push notification, or the like, and can prompt the user to flush tankless water heater 100. However transmitted or provided, the alert prompts the user to reinitiate the water heater descaling procedure.
At step 514, the water heater is returned to its normal operating configuration. In other words, controller 400 may enter and/or place tankless water heater 100 backing to a “normal” operating mode. In some implementations, this includes resetting the position of bypass valve 106 and/or removing restrictions on the operation of tankless water heater 100. In some implementations, controller 400 can change the data displayed on user interface 410 when tankless water heater 100 is placed back into normal operation. For example, during descaling, user interface 410 may display flow rate and elapsed time, as mentioned above. However, once descaling is complete, user interface 410 may instead display temperature setpoints and measurements. In some implementations, controller 400 can also transmit (e.g., to the user's device) and/or display instructions for returning tankless water heater 100 to normal operations. For example, controller 400 may prompt the user to remove input hose 126 and output hose 128 from inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 and/or to open inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110 such that tankless water heater 100 is reconnected to the building supply.
Referring now to
At step 602, the descaling procedure begins with a user closing the hot and cold isolation valves on tankless water heater 100 (e.g., inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110). At step 604, the user connects hoses (e.g., input hose 126 and output hose 128) to the hot and cold isolation valves. At step 606, the user fills reservoir 118 (e.g., a bucket) with a descaling solution, such as white vinegar and then, at step 608, places the free ends of input hose 126 and output hose 128 into reservoir 118. At step 610, the user opens both service valves on the isolation valves. At step 612, the user initiates the flush procedure with controller 400 via user interface 410 or a wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth®, which may be in the form of Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE)) to controller 400.
If using user interface 410, at step 614a, the user may optionally remove a cover from controller 400 (e.g., on housing 120), e.g., by removing one or more screws or latches. At step 616a, the user presses a preset button on user interface 410 (e.g., a ‘B’ button on a PCB of controller 400) to select a “descaling mode,” which, at step 618a, is indicated on user interface 410 as “dES.” Then, at step 620a, the user may press a second preset button (e.g., an ‘A’ button on a PCB of controller 400) to confirm their selection. Alternatively, if using a wireless connection, at step 614b, the user may link/pair their computing device (e.g., smartphone) to controller 400. For example, the user may pair their smartphone to controller 400 using Bluetooth® or another type of short-range wireless transmission protocol. At step 616b, the user may then select a “descaling mode” from a menu on their device (e.g., through a smartphone application). In either case, at step 622, user interface 410 displays a notification indicating that the unit is in “descaling mode,” e.g., by displaying a blinking “dES” indicator or otherwise providing a visual indication of descaling mode activation (e.g., illuminate a corresponding indicator light).
At step 624, controller 400 commands bypass valve 106 to close and can disable all other operations of tankless water heater 100 to prevent tankless water heater 100 from being used during the descaling procedure. In some implementations, rather than commanding bypass valve 106 to close, controller 400 can prompt a user to close bypass valve 106. At step 626, the user can select “pump” or “start pump” from user interface 410 or their linked device (e.g., smartphone) to activate pump 116. At step 628, pump 116 is activated and begins circulating descaling solution through tankless water heater 100 (e.g., specifically, through heat exchanger 108). At step 630, an elapsed time that the pump is activated is monitored. In other words, a pump timer can be started to monitor the amount of time pump 116 is operating. Optionally, flow rate can also be monitored. At step 632, one or both, the elapsed time and flow rate are displayed via user interface 410 or the user's linked device. For example, user interface 410 may cycle between displaying an elapsed time and a flow rate.
At step 634, once the elapsed time exceeds a time limit (e.g., 60 minutes) or once the flow rate exceeds a threshold, pump 116 is deactivated and user interface 410 optionally displays “rnS” (e.g., “rinsing”) or otherwise displays a notifier to indicate that descaling is complete. Optionally, user interface 410 may also emit a noise (e.g., a beep) to indicate that the pump has been deactivated. At step 636, a descaling counter is incremented by one and/or an indication of the descaling procedure is recorded. At step 638, the user removes the free ends of input hose 126 and output hose 128 from reservoir 118 (optionally placing the free ends in a sink, bucket, or drain) and, at step 640, closes the service valve of inlet valve 104 (e.g., the cold isolation valve). At step 642, the user may then open inlet valve 104 to allow clean water, supplied by building plumbing, to flush through primary fluid pathway 102 for a set amount of time (e.g., five minutes). Because the service valve of outlet valve 110 is still open, however, this water does not enter the building's hot supply line; rather, the water simply exits primary fluid pathway 102 via outlet valve 110 (e.g., into the sink, bucket, or drain). At step 644, the user may then close inlet valve 104.
At step 646, the user closes the service value of outlet valve 110 and opens outlet valve 110 to reconnect tankless water heater 100 to the building's hot water supply. At step 648, the user can begin placing tankless water heater 100 back into a normal operating mode by pressing a power button. Subsequently, at step 650, user interface 410 may be blank. At step 652, the user can press the power button a second time which causes controller 400 to display, at step 654, temperature setpoint and/or current temperature readings (e.g., via user interface 410), per normal operations. At step 656, the user may then completely remove input hose 126 and/or output hose 128 from inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110, respectively, and may reinstall a front cover over controller 400 and/or user interface 410, if necessary.
Referring now to
At step 702, the descaling procedure begins with the user closing the hot and cold isolation valves on tankless water heater 100 (e.g., inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110). At step 704, the user connects hoses (e.g., input hose 126 and output hose 128) to the hot and cold isolation valves. At step 706, the user then connects a first end of input hose 126 to an output of an external pump (e.g., pump 116) and, at step 708, connects a first end of output hose 128 to an input of the external pump. At step 710, reservoir 118 is filled with a descaling solution, such as white vinegar and, at step 712, the user places the free ends of input hose 126 and output hose 128 into reservoir 118. Alternatively, the user may place the external pump into reservoir 118 (e.g., a bucket). At step 714, the user opens both service valves on the isolation valves. At step 716, the user initiates the flush procedure with controller 400 via user interface 410 or a wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth®, which may be in the form of Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE)) to controller 400.
If using user interface 410, at step 718a, the user may optionally remove a cover from controller 400 (e.g., on housing 120), e.g., by removing one or more screws or latches. At step 720a, the user presses a preset button (e.g., a ‘B’ button on a printed circuit board (PCB) of controller 400) to select a “descaling mode,” which, at step 722a, is indicated on user interface 410 as “dES.” Then, at step 724a, the user may press a second preset button (e.g., an ‘A’ button on a PCB of controller 400) to confirm their selection. Alternatively, if using a wireless connection, at step 718b, the user may link/pair their computing device (e.g., smartphone) to controller 400. For example, the user may pair their smartphone to controller 400 using Bluetooth® or another type of short-range wireless transmission protocol. At step 720b, the user may then select a “descaling mode” from a menu on their device (e.g., through a smartphone application). In either case, at step 726, user interface 410 displays a notification indicating that the unit is in “descaling mode,” e.g., by displaying a blinking “dES” indicator or otherwise providing a visual indication of descaling mode activation (e.g., illuminate a corresponding indicator light).
At step 728, controller 400 commands bypass valve 106 to close and can disable all other operations of tankless water heater 100 to prevent tankless water heater 100 from being used during the descaling procedure. In some implementations, rather than commanding bypass valve 106 to close, controller 400 can prompt a user to close bypass valve 106. At step 730, the external pump is activated (e.g., by the user) and begins circulating descaling solution through tankless water heater 100 (e.g., specifically, through heat exchanger 108). At step 732, controller 400 determines that scaling solution is flowing through primary fluid pathway 102 (e.g., based on readings from flow sensor 114) and starts a “descaling timer.” At step 734, controller 400 monitors the descaling timer to determine when a time limit is exceeded (e.g., 60 minutes). Optionally, flow rate can also be monitored. Concurrently, at step 736, one or both of the elapsed time and flow rate are displayed via user interface 410 or the user's linked device. For example, user interface 410 may cycle between displaying an elapsed time and a flow rate.
At step 738, once the elapsed time exceeds a time limit (e.g., 60 minutes) or once the flow rate exceeds a threshold, user interface 410 optionally displays “rnS” (e.g., “rinsing”) or otherwise displays a notifier to indicate that descaling is complete. Optionally, user interface 410 may also emit a noise (e.g., a beep). At step 740, a descaling counter is incremented by one and/or an indication of the descaling procedure is recorded. At step 744, the user turns off/deactivates the external pump. At step 746, the user removes the free ends of input hose 126 and output hose 128 from reservoir 118 (optionally placing the free ends in a sink, bucket, or drain) and, at step 748, closes the service valve of inlet valve 104 (e.g., the cold isolation valve). At step 750, the user may then open inlet valve 104 to allow clean water, supplied by building plumbing, to flush through primary fluid pathway 102 for a set amount of time (e.g., five minutes). Because the service valve of outlet valve 110 is still open, however, this water does not enter the building's hot supply line; rather, the water simply exits primary fluid pathway 102 via outlet valve 110 (e.g., into the sink, bucket, or drain). At step 752, the user may then close inlet valve 104.
At step 754, the user closes the service value of outlet valve 110 and opens outlet valve 110 to reconnect tankless water heater 100 to the building's hot water supply. At step 756, the user can begin placing tankless water heater 100 back into a normal operating mode by pressing a power button. Subsequently, at step 758, user interface 410 may be blank. At step 760, the user can press the power button a second time which causes controller 400 to display, at step 762, temperature setpoint and/or current temperature readings (e.g., via user interface 410), per normal operations. At step 764, the user may then completely remove input hose 126 and/or output hose 128 from inlet valve 104 and outlet valve 110, respectively, and may reinstall a front cover over controller 400 and/or user interface 410, if necessary.
The construction and arrangement of the systems and methods as shown in the various exemplary implementations are illustrative only. Although only a few implementations have been described in detail in this disclosure, many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.). For example, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative implementations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the exemplary implementations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems, and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing various operations. Various implementations of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system. Implementations within the scope of the present disclosure include program products including machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures, and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor.
When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a machine, the machine properly views the connection as a machine-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a machine-readable medium. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.
Although the figures show a specific order of method steps, the order of the steps may differ from what is depicted. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Such variation will depend on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps and decision steps. Further, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.
Additionally, the embodiments shown in the drawings or the characteristics of various embodiments mentioned in the present description are not necessarily to be understood as embodiments independent of each other. Rather, it is possible that each of the characteristics described in one of the examples of an embodiment can be combined with one or a plurality of other desired characteristics from other embodiments, resulting in other embodiments not described in words or by reference to the drawings. Accordingly, such other embodiments fall within the framework of the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, this disclosure expressly includes combinations and sub-combinations of the elements and features presented above and below.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/507,594, filed Jun. 12, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63507594 | Jun 2023 | US |
