Water heater controlled by frequency regulation of inverter
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsJonghyug LEE, Kyungtae Kim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A water heater may operate according to different modes. The water heater may include a storage tank configured to store water, at least one sensor configured to sense a temperature of the water and a temperature related to an outside of the water heater, a first heater assembly (comprising a heating element) configured to heat the water, a first controller configured to control the first heater assembly, a second heater assembly (comprising a heat pump system) configured to heat the water, an inverter connected with the heat pump system, and a second controller configured to control the heat pump system by adjusting an output frequency of the inverter.
Claims13
A water heater, comprising:
- a storage tank configured to store water;
- at least one sensor configured to sense a temperature of the water and to sense a temperature outside of the water heater;
- a first heater assembly comprising a heating element configured to heat the water;
- a first controller configured to control the first heater assembly ;
- a second heater assembly comprising a heat pump system configured to heat the water;
- an inverter connected to the heat pump system;
- and
- a second controller configured to control the heat pump system by adjusting an output frequency of the inverter.
A method for controlling a water heater, the method comprising:
- determining an operating mode of the water heater;
- determining a set temperature of the water heater;
- sensing a temperature outside of the water heater;
- sensing a temperature of water in the water heater;
- and
- controlling a heat pump system by adjusting an output frequency of an inverter based on at least one of:
- the mode of the water heater,
- the set temperature,
- the sensed temperature outside of the water heater, or
- the sensed temperature of the water in the water heater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.