Water heater system and control method therefor

Abstract

A water heater comprising: an inner container ( 2 ) capable of storing fluid; a mixture device used for gas-liquid mixing of a gas and a liquid, the mixture device being provided with a mixing space ( 1 ) used for gas-liquid mixture, the mixing space ( 1 ) being arranged within the inner container ( 2 ); and a driver device ( 3 ) capable of being in communication with the inner container ( 2 ) and the mixture device, the driver device ( 3 ) being capable of guiding the fluid in the inner container ( 2 ) into the mixing space ( 1 ) for gas-liquid mixture and returning same into the inner container ( 2 ). Also provided is a control method for the water heater. This allows the implementation of gas-liquid mixture so as to produce micro-bubbled water available to a user, is not only energy-saving, water-saving, and environmentally friendly, provides water supply with strong cleaning performance, but also prepares in advance, before being used by the user, the micro-bubbled water in the inner container, thus better satisfying use demands of the user.

1 . A water heater comprising:
 an inner container capable of storing fluid;   a mixture device for gas-liquid mixing of a gas and a liquid, the mixture device being provided with a mixing space for gas-liquid mixing, the mixing space being located in the inner container; and   a driver device capable of communicating with the inner container and the mixture device, the driver device being capable of importing the fluid in the inner container into the mixing space for gas-liquid mixing and returning to the inner container.   
     
     
         2 . The water heater according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the mixing space comprises a region in which gas is stored in an upper portion of the inner container, the driver device having opposite output and input ends, the output end of the driver device being connected with a first tube, the first tube being capable of importing the fluid into the region of the inner container where the gas is stored under the drive of the driver device for gas-liquid mixing. 
     
     
         3 . The water heater according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the first tube has a first port remote from the driver device, the first port being located at or near the region where gas is stored in the inner container. 
     
     
         4 . The water heater according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the driver device is located outside the inner container, and the first tube is disposed on the inner container, the input end of the driver device is connected with a second tube capable of communicating the driver device and the inner container, and the inner container, the second tube, the driver device, and the first tube can communicate to form a circulation passage. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The water heater according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the first tube comprises a first port communicating with the inner container, wherein the first port is provided with a jet structure. 
     
     
         7 . The water heater according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the jet structure is a variable cross-sectional area portion formed near the first port of the first tube. 
     
     
         8 . The water heater according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the water heater further comprises a water supply path capable of communicating with the inner container, and a first switch device capable of controlling the opening and closing of the water supply path. 
     
     
         9 . The water heater according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the water heater further comprises a gas intake path and a liquid discharge path capable of communicating with the inner container, and a second switch device capable of controlling the opening and closing of the gas intake path and the liquid discharge path. 
     
     
         10 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The water heater according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the water heater further comprises a pressure regulation device arranged downstream of the water heater near the water consumption terminal. 
     
     
         22 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A water heater comprising:
 an inner container capable of storing fluid at a predetermined pressure; and   a mixture device capable of communicating with the inner container; the mixture device is capable of inputting the fluid in the inner container into the mixture device for gas-liquid mixing to form a gas-liquid mixture and to return to the inner container.   
     
     
         25 . The water heater according to  claim 24 , characterized in that the mixture device is provided with a mixing space; and the mixture device comprises a driver device capable of importing the fluid into the mixing space for gas-liquid mixing. 
     
     
         26 . The water heater according to  claim 25 , characterized in that the mixing space is located inside the inner container, the mixture device further comprising an importing mechanism connected to an output end of the driver device and the inner container, the importing mechanism is capable of importing the fluid in the inner container into the mixing space to perform gas-liquid mixing to form a gas-liquid mixture. 
     
     
         27 . The water heater according to  claim 25 , characterized in that the mixing space is located outside the inner container, the mixture device comprises a tank connected to the driver device, the mixing space being located in the tank, and the driver device, the tank and the inner container can be connected in series to form a circulation passage. 
     
     
         28 . The water heater according to  claim 25 , characterized in that the mixing space is located outside the inner container, the driver device is a gas-liquid mixing pump, and the mixing space is located in the gas-liquid mixing pump, an input end and an output end of the gas-liquid mixing pump are respectively connected to the inner container to form a circulation passage. 
     
     
         29 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A water heater comprising:
 an inner container capable of containing water and gas, in which gas-liquid mixing can be performed;   a heating member for heating water in the inner container; and   a pressurizing source capable of providing a predetermined pressure for gas-liquid mixing of gas and water in the inner container.   
     
     
         42 . The water heater according to  claim 41 , characterized in that the pressurizing source comprises at least one of: a pressurizing device connected to the inner container and capable of providing a predetermined pressure to water flowing into the inner container, water having the predetermined pressure,
 when the pressurizing source is the pressurizing device, the pressurizing device is in communication with the inner container, and the pressurizing device applies the predetermined pressure to at least one of water and gas injected into the inner container.   
     
     
         43 . The water heater according to  claim 41 , wherein the upper portion of the inner container stores a predetermined volume of gas, and the inner container is provided with a first tube capable of communicating with the pressurizing source, water pressurized by the pressurizing source can be imported into the region where the gas is stored in the inner container through the first tube, and mixed with the gas. 
     
     
         44 . The water heater according to  claim 43 , characterized in that the first tube has a first port extending into the inner container, the first port of the first tube being located at or near a region where gas is stored in the inner container. 
     
     
         45 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . The water heater according to  claim 42 , characterized in that the pressurizing device is a water pump, the water pump comprising a first water pump and a second water pump, the first water pump and the second water pump being connected in series or in parallel. 
     
     
         62 . The water heater of  claim 42 , characterized in that the water heater further comprises a pressure regulation device disposed downstream of the inner container. 
     
     
         63 - 78 . (canceled)