Heat pump water heater appliance and a method for operating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201929-A1
Application number	US-201514594374-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 12, 2015
Priority date	Jan 12, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . 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.

2 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein a first probe of the pair of probes is grounded.

3 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 2 , wherein a second probe of the pair of probes is electrically coupled to a first electrical impedance element and a second electrical impedance element of the voltage divider, the first and second electrical impedance elements each being one of a resistor, a capacitor and an inductor.

4 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 3 , wherein the first electrical impedance element is a resistor and the second electrical impedance element is a capacitor.

5 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 3 , wherein the first electrical impedance element extends between an input voltage pin and a connection conductor of the voltage divider, the connection conductor of the voltage divider extending between and electrically coupling the first electrical impedance element, the second electrical impedance element and the second probe of the pair of probes, the second electrical impedance element extending between an analog or digital input pin of the controller and the connection conductor.

6 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 5 , wherein the first electrical impedance element is a resistor and the second electrical impedance element is a capacitor.

7 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the probes of the pair of probes are spaced apart from each other by a gap within the drain pan.

8 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured for disabling a compressor of the sealed system if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor exceeds a threshold voltage.

9 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured for alerting a user of the water heater appliance if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor exceeds a threshold voltage.

10 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured for:
establishing that liquid within the drain pan is substantially pure liquid water if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within a first voltage range; and determining that liquid within the drain pan includes contaminated liquid water if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within a second voltage range.

11 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a casing, the tank disposed within the casing, the evaporator of the sealed system and the drain pan also disposed within the casing.

12 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 11 , wherein the casing extends between a top portion and a bottom portion, the evaporator of the sealed system and the drain pan disposed within the casing adjacent the top portion of the casing.

13 . The heat pump water heater appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a drain line extending from the drain pan, the drain line configured for directing liquids out of the drain pan.

14 . A method for operating a heat pump water heater appliance, comprising:
operating a sealed system of the heat pump water heater appliance in order to heat water within a tank of the heat pump water heater appliance; receiving liquid runoff from an evaporator of the sealed system within a drain pan of the heat pump water heater appliance; receiving an electrical signal from a liquid monitoring sensor of the heat pump water heater appliance at a controller of the heat pump water heater appliance; and establishing that liquid within the drain pan is substantially pure liquid water if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within a first range or that liquid within the drain pan includes contaminated liquid water if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within a second range.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising alerting a user of the heat pump water heater appliance that the drain pan is clogged after said step of establishing.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising alerting a user of the heat pump water heater appliance that the drain pan is clogged and an air filter of the heat pump water heater appliance is saturated after said step of establishing if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within the second range.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising alerting a user of the heat pump water heater appliance that the drain pan is clogged and the sealed system is leaking after said step of establishing if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within the second range.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising requesting a service call for the heat pump water heater appliance after said step of establishing if the electrical signal from the liquid monitoring sensor is within the second range.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the liquid monitoring sensor includes a voltage divider with a pair of probes, the probes of the pair of probes extending into the drain pan.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the tank, the drain pan and the evaporator are disposed within a casing of the heat pump water heater appliance.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Farris Brett Alan
• Alsip Michael Lee

Classifications

• F25D21/14

  Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays · CPC title

• F24D19/1054 Primary

  the system uses a heat pump · CPC title

• F24D19/088

  Draining arrangements · CPC title

• F24D15/04

  using heat pumps · CPC title

• F24H15/136

  Defrosting or de-icing; Preventing freezing · CPC title