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US 9,869,475 B2Granted
Heat pump water heater appliance and a method for operating the same
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsBrett Alan Farris, Michael Lee Alsip
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat pump water heater appliance includes a tank that defines an interior volume. A drain pan is positioned below an evaporator of a sealed system. A liquid monitoring sensor has a voltage divider with a pair of probes. The probes of the pair of probes extend into the drain pan. A related method for operating a heat pump water heater appliance is also provided.
Claims20
A heat pump water heater appliance, comprising:
- a tank defining an interior volume;
- a sealed system configured for heating water within the interior volume of the tank, the sealed system having an evaporator;
- a drain pan positioned below the evaporator of the sealed system, the drain pan positioned for receiving liquid runoff from the evaporator of the sealed system;
- a liquid monitoring sensor having a voltage divider with a pair of probes, the probes of the pair of probes extending into the drain pan;
- and
- a controller in electrical communication with the liquid monitoring sensor such that the controller is configured for receiving an electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor,
- wherein the controller is configured for:
- establishing that liquid within the drain pan is substantially pure liquid water having less than one percent of dust or refrigerant if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within a first voltage range,
- determining that liquid within the drain pan includes contaminated liquid water having at least one percent of dust or refrigerant if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within a second voltage range, and
- disabling a compressor of the sealed system if the electrical signal from the liquid is within the second voltage range.
7 more elements
A heat pump water heater appliance, comprising:
- a tank defining an interior volume;
- a sealed system configured for heating water within the interior volume of the tank, the sealed system having an evaporator;
- a drain pan positioned below the evaporator of the sealed system, the drain pan positioned for receiving liquid runoff from the evaporator of the sealed system;
- a liquid monitoring sensor having a voltage divider with a pair of probes, the probes of the pair of probes extending into the drain pan;
- and
- a controller in electrical communication with the liquid monitoring sensor such that the controller is configured for receiving an electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor,
- wherein the controller is configured for:
- establishing that liquid within the drain pan is substantially pure liquid water having less than one percent of dust or refrigerant if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within a first voltage range,
- determining that liquid within the drain pan includes contaminated liquid water having at least one percent of dust or refrigerant if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within a second voltage range, and
- activating an audible alert speaker or a visual display if the electrical signal from the liquid is within the second voltage range.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.