Patent classifications
G05D23/1393
Water heater appliances and methods for controlling a mixing valve with a park period
A water heater appliance and methods for operating the same, as provided herein, may include a casing, a tank, an inlet conduit, an electric heating system, a mixing valve, and a controller. The electric heating system may be in thermal communication with the tank. The mixing valve may be mounted to the casing downstream from the tank. The controller may be operably coupled to the electric heating system and the mixing valve. The controller may be configured to initiate a mixing cycle. The mixing cycle may include detecting a flow demand at the water heater appliance, directing the mixing valve to a programmed park position in response to detecting the flow demand, determining expiration of a park period following directing the mixing valve to the programmed park position, and releasing the mixing valve from the programmed park position in response to determining expiration of the park period.
MIXING VALVE AND HEATING OR COOLING SYSTEM
A mixing valve having a first inlet port (4), a second inlet port (6) extending transverse to said first inlet port (4) and an outlet port (8). The inlet ports (4, 6) open out into a valve chamber (10) and the outlet port (8) branches off this valve chamber (10), inside which a movable valve element (12) is arranged, having an obstruction (32) inside the second inlet port (6), which protrudes from an inner circumference (36) of the second port (6) into an interior thereof. The obstruction (32) extends at least along a portion of the inner circumference (36), which portion of the circumference (36) is located on an inner side of the second inlet port (6) being distant from the first inlet port (4). A heating or cooling device includes such a mixing valve.
MIXING VALVE
A mixing valve includes a mixing chamber, a first flow control valve having a first flow control opening, and a second flow control valve having a second flow control opening. The first and second flow control openings each have a diameter of approximately six millimeters and the mixing valve has a flow coefficient of approximately 2.5 when both flow control valves are in a mid-open position.
High efficiency electrochemical power supply source for an underwater vehicle
An electrochemical-type power supply source for use in marine environment, is provided with: an electrochemical stack, which generates electric power in the presence, internally, of an electrolytic fluid; a first tank, designed to contain electrolytic fluid at a first temperature; a second tank, designed to contain electrolytic fluid at a second temperature, lower than the first temperature; a thermostatic valve, that mixes electrolytic fluid at a lower temperature with electrolytic fluid at a higher temperature, for generating a mixed electrolytic fluid to be introduced into the electrochemical stack at a controlled temperature for generating a desired electric power. The electrochemical power supply is further provided with an auxiliary tank, adapted to contain electrolytic fluid at a third temperature, higher than the first temperature; and the thermostatic valve is connected to the auxiliary tank and receives, at an input, the electrolytic fluid at the third temperature.
CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ONE OR MORE ABLUTIONARY DEVICES
A control system for one or more ablutionary devices includes a mixer valve having a first inlet and a second inlet configured to receive a supply of hot and cold water, and an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water or a mixture thereof as an output stream for suppling water to the one or more ablutionary devices downstream of the mixer valve; and a controller. The controller is configured obtain one or more current operating signals related to the flow rate of the output stream produced by the mixer valve and compare each of the one or more current operating signals to a corresponding historical operating signal, the historical operating signal being an operating signal previously obtained by the controller, and to generate a diagnostic signal based on the comparison.
CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ONE OR MORE ABLUTIONARY DEVICES
A control system for one or more ablutionary devices includes a valve having one or valve members each arranged to receive a respective water supply via one or more supply inlets, and an output for suppling output water to the one or more ablutionary devices downstream of the valve, the one or more valve members being arranged to control the flow of water between the one or more supply inlets and the output; one or more temperature sensors arranged to generate a respective temperature signal indicative of the temperature of any one or more of the water supply upstream of any one or more of the valve members, and the output water downstream of the one or more valve members; and a controller in communication with the one or more temperature sensors. The controller is configured to obtain one or more temperature signals from the one or more temperature sensors when the one or more ablutionary devices are not in use and to generate an indicator signal based on a comparison of the one or more temperature signals to one or more thresholds.
CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ONE OR MORE ABLUTIONARY DEVICES
A control system for one or more ablutionary devices, comprising: a mixer valve having a first inlet and a second inlet configured to receive a supply of hot and cold water, and an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water or a mixture thereof as an output stream for suppling water to the one or more ablutionary devices downstream of the mixer valve; and a controller in communication with the mixer valve. The controller is configured to control the mixer valve according to one or more target output water properties; obtain one or more operating signals each related to an operating parameter of the control system; and generate, based on the one or more operating signals, a diagnostic signal that indicates an associated failure mode of the water supply if the mixer valve cannot be controlled to reach the one or more target water output properties.
CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ONE OR MORE ABLUTIONARY DEVICES
A control system for one or more ablutionary devices includes a mixer valve having a first inlet and a second inlet configured to receive a supply of hot and cold water, and an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water or a mixture thereof as an output stream for suppling water to the one or more ablutionary devices downstream of the mixer valve; and a controller in communication with the mixer valve. The controller is configured to obtain a supply coupling setting that indicates which of the first and second inlets is to receive, or is receiving, hot water during operation of the control system and which of the first and second inlets is to receive, or is receiving, cold water during operation of the control system; and control the mixer valve according to one or more target output water properties and the supply coupling setting.
Mixing valve
A mixing valve that includes a housing having a first outlet, a second outlet, and a mixing chamber; a first flow control valve for controlling flow through the first outlet to the mixing chamber; and a second flow control valve for controlling flow through the second outlet to the mixing chamber; wherein the housing has a length dimension, a width dimension, and a thickness dimension, and the largest of these dimensions is no more than approximately 65 millimeters.
Flow control system
A fluid flow control system having a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to a fluid source, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that fluid may exit the system therethrough, a proximity sensor for detecting the position of an object within a region adjacent the sensor, and a flow control device configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to object detection by the sensor, wherein the flow control device varies the fluid flow proportional to the detected distance of an object from the sensor. A water flow control system for use in a shower environment is also provided, as well as a shower control system, methods for controlling water flow based on sensing of the presence and location of an object, and methods for reducing water consumption.