System and method for adjusting anode rod galvanic corrosion
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBrett Alan Farris, Michelle Diana Gross
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for adjusting anode rod galvanic corrosion are provided. An exemplary water heater includes a tank for holding a volume of water. The water heater also includes an anode rod extending into the water and electrically connected to an electrical ground such that a galvanic current flows from the anode rod to the electrical ground. The water heater includes at least one heating element configured to heat the water when energized. The water heater also includes a resistor configuration connected between the anode rod and the electrical ground such that the galvanic current flows through the resistor configuration. The resistor configuration provides a variable resistance.
Claims18
A method for operating a water heater, the method comprising:
- connecting one or more resistors between an anode rod extending into a volume of water stored by the water heater and an electrical ground such that a galvanic current flows from the anode rod through the one or more resistors to the electrical ground;
- receiving a feedback signal describing one or more electrical attributes of the volume of water stored in the water heater;
- after receiving the feedback signal determining a difference between the feedback signal and a target value;
- and
- after determining the difference, adjusting a resistance provided by the one or more resistors based on the feedback signal such that the galvanic current is either increased or decreased;
- wherein adjusting the resistance provided by the one or more resistors comprises adjusting the resistance provided by the one or more resistors when the difference is greater than threshold difference.
A method of operating a water heater that includes a tank for holding a volume of water, an anode rod that extends into the volume of water, and a resistor configuration connected in a path of galvanic current flow between the anode rod and an electrical ground, the resistor configuration providing a variable resistance, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a controller, a feedback signal from a probe positioned within the tank of the water heater, the feedback signal descriptive of one or more electrical attributes of the volume of water held in the tank;
- adjusting, by the controller based at least in part on the feedback signal, the variable resistance provided by the resistor configuration to adjust a magnitude of the galvanic current flow between the anode rod and the electrical ground;
- wherein adjusting, by the controller, the variable resistance provided by the resistor configuration comprises providing by the controller, one or more control signals to a resistance adjusting mechanism to adjust the variable resistance provided by the resistor configuration;
- and
- wherein providing, by the control the one or more control sign is comprise causing, by the controller, actuation of at least one of a plurality of jumpers respectively associated with a plurality of resistors, the plurality of resistors in parallel, each of the plurality of jumpers selectively allowing or disallowing flow of the galvanic current though the associated resistor.
A method of operating a water heater that includes a tank for holding a volume of water, an anode rod that extends into the volume of water, and a resistor configuration connected in a path of galvanic current flow between the anode rod and an electrical ground, the resistor configuration providing a variable resistance, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a controller, a feedback signal from a probe positioned within the tank of the water heater, the feedback signal descriptive of one or more electrical attributes of the volume of water held in the tank;
- adjusting, by the controller based at least in part on the feedback signal, the variable resistance provided by the resistor configuration to adjust a magnitude of the galvanic current flow between the anode rod and the electrical ground;
- wherein adjusting, by the controller based at least in part on the feedback signal, the variable resistance provided by the resistor configuration comprises:
- calculating, by the controller based on the feedback signal, an anticipated value of the one or more electrical attributes for a candidate resistance;
- determining, by the controller, a variance between the anticipated value and a target value;
- and
- adjusting, by the controller, the variable resistance provided by the resistor configuration to the candidate resistance when the variance is less than a threshold variance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.