Water quality monitoring method for water supply system, water supply system, and refrigeration apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12540935-B2
Application number	US-201917604348-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2019
Priority date	Apr 17, 2019
Publication date	Feb 3, 2026
Grant date	Feb 3, 2026

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of water quality monitoring for water supply systems, and provides a water quality monitoring method for a water supply system, a water supply system, and a refrigeration apparatus. The water quality monitoring method for a water supply system includes: controlling to convey water to a water outlet pipe of the water supply system; obtaining a water quality parameter in the water outlet pipe; judging whether the water quality parameter meets a standard; if the water quality parameter meets the standard, ending the monitoring; if the water quality parameter does not meet the standard, proceeding to a next operation; controlling to drain the water in the water supply system; and repeating the above obtaining operation, judging operation, and draining operation, until the water quality parameter meets the standard. Through this method, the water quality parameter in the water outlet pipe may be monitored in real time, and it is controlled to drain the water in the water supply system when the water quality parameter exceeds the standard, thereby avoiding the breeding and deposition of organic matter. Moreover, this method may avoid drainage and flushing of the water supply system after a long period of inactivity, reduce operational difficulties and improve user convenience.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A water quality monitoring method for a water supply system, wherein the water supply system comprises:
a water container, a water inlet pipe connected to the water container and a water outlet pipe connected to the water container, wherein a water inlet valve is disposed on the water inlet pipe, a drain valve and a water quality detection device are disposed on the water outlet pipe, the water quality detection device is connected to a controller, and the controller is configured to control the water inlet valve and the drain valve according to a water quality parameter detected by the water quality detection device; the water quality monitoring method comprises: a water conveying operation of controlling to convey water from the water container of the water supply system to the water outlet pipe of the water supply system; and an iterative procedure of repeating the following actions of: detecting that a water level of the water container is maintained at a preset water level; an obtaining operation of obtaining the water quality parameter in the water outlet pipe in response to the detecting that the water level of the water container is maintained at the preset water level; a judging operation of judging whether the water quality parameter meets a standard; and a draining operation of controlling to drain the water in the water supply system in response to the water quality parameter does not meet the standard.

2 . The monitoring method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before the water conveying operation, obtaining a using water signal, a cleaning signal or a detection signal.

3 . The monitoring method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before the water conveying operation, counting an actual idle time of the water supply system, and performing the water conveying operation when the actual idle time reaches a preset idle time.

4 . The monitoring method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining operation comprises:
detecting the water quality parameter in the water outlet pipe by the water quality detection device disposed in the water outlet pipe.

5 . The monitoring method of claim 4 , wherein the water quality parameter comprises electric ion concentration;
wherein the judging operation comprises: comparing an obtained actual electric ion concentration with a preset ion concentration, in response to the actual electric ion concentration being greater than a preset electric ion concentration, judging that the water quality parameter exceeds the standard; and in response to the actual electric ion concentration being less than or equal to the preset electric ion concentration, judging that the water quality parameter meets the standard.

6 . The monitoring method of claim 1 , further comprising:
between the draining operation of an iteration of the iterative procedure and the obtaining operation of a subsequent iteration of the iterative procedure, detecting the water level of the water container in the water supply system; and in response to the water level of the water container being zero, controlling to inject water into the water supply system and convey the water to the water outlet pipe of the water supply system.

7 . The monitoring method of claim 1 , further comprising:
between the draining operation of an iteration of the iterative procedure and the obtaining operation of a subsequent iteration of the iterative procedure, controlling to inject water into the water supply system so that the water level of the water container of the water supply system is maintained at the preset water level.

8 . The monitoring method of claim 1 , wherein the draining operation comprises:
controlling to drain the water in the water supply system until the water in the water supply system is drained completely, wherein the iterative procedure is terminated in response to the water quality parameter meeting the standard before the water in the water supply system is drained completely.

9 . The monitoring method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after the iterative procedure, controlling to inject water into the water supply system until an actual water level of a water container in the water supply system reaches the preset water level.

10 . The monitoring method of claim 9 , wherein the controlling to inject water into the water supply system until the actual water level of the water container in the water supply system reaches the preset water level comprises:
detecting the actual water level of the water container in the water supply system, and calculating a water level difference between the actual water level and the preset water level; calculating a water injection time based on the water level difference; and opening the water inlet valve of the water supply system to inject water into the water supply system until a duration reaches the water injection time.

11 . A water supply system, comprising:
a water container, a water inlet pipe connected to the water container and a water outlet pipe connected to the water container, wherein a water inlet valve is disposed on the water inlet pipe, a drain valve and a water quality detection device are disposed on the water outlet pipe, the water quality detection device is connected to a controller, and the controller is configured to control the water inlet valve and the drain valve according to a water quality parameter detected by the water quality detection device through actions including: controlling the drain valve to convey water from the water container to the water outlet pipe of the water container; detecting that a water level of the water container is maintained at a preset water level; obtaining, through the water quality detection device, a water quality parameter in the water outlet pipe in response to the detecting that the water level of the water container is maintained at the preset water level; determining whether the water quality parameter meets a standard; and controlling the drain valve to drain the water in the water container in response to the water quality parameter does not meet the standard.

12 . A refrigeration apparatus, comprising a water supply system, the water supply system including a water container, a water inlet pipe connected to the water container and a water outlet pipe connected to the water container, wherein a water inlet valve is disposed on the water inlet pipe, a drain valve and a water quality detection device are disposed on the water outlet pipe, the water quality detection device is connected to a controller, and the controller is configured to control the water inlet valve and the drain valve according to a water quality parameter detected by the water quality detection device through actions including:
controlling the drain valve to convey water from the water container to the water outlet pipe of the water container; detecting that a water level of the water container is maintained at a preset water level; obtaining, through the water quality detection device, a water quality parameter in the water outlet pipe in response to the detecting that the water level of the water container is maintained at the preset water level; determining whether the water quality parameter meets a standard; and controlling the drain valve to drain the water in the water container in response to the water quality parameter does not meet the standard.

13 . The refrigeration apparatus of claim 12 , comprising one or more of a water intake switch, a cleaning switch, and the one or more of the detection device, the water intake switch, the cleaning switch, and the detection switch is configur

Assignees

• Hefei Midea Refrigerator Co
• Hefei Hualing Co Ltd
• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liu Zanxi
• Shao Yang
• Chen Xing
• Sun Mingxing
• Wang Jincai
• Si Zengqiang

Classifications

• G05D7/0688

  by combined action on throttling means and flow sources (G05D7/0694 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D2323/121

  the refrigerator is characterised by a water filter for the water/ice dispenser · CPC title

• F25C2400/14

  Water supply · CPC title

• G05D7/0635

  by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01N33/18

  Water · CPC title