Structural unit, in particular heating pump, comprising a heatable tube section for a water-conducting domestic appliance, and water-conducting domestic appliance comprising such a structural unit

Abstract

A structural unit, in particular a heating pump for a water-conducting domestic appliance, in particular a domestic dishwasher, includes a heatable tube section through which a liquid can flow during operation and in which one or more mechanical structures are arranged that produce locally different flow speeds of the liquid. A first temperature measuring device is arranged on an outer side of the tube section radially outside a region of lower flow rate or less incident flow, and a second temperature measuring device is arranged on the outer side of the tube section radially outside a region of higher flow rate or more incident flow.

Claims

1. A structural unit including a heating pump, said structural unit comprising: a tube section for a water-conducting household appliance, said tube section being configured such as to enable a liquid to flow through and to be heatable, said tube section including an inner guide wall and an outer wall spaced apart so as to form a spacing gap between the inner guide wall and the outer wall, a mechanical structure arranged in the tube section and configured to effect locally differing flow rates in the liquid, a first temperature measuring device arranged on an outer side of the outer wall of the tube section radially outside a region of lower flow rate, and a second temperature measuring device arranged on the outer side of the outer wall of the tube section radially outside a region of higher flow rate, wherein the mechanical structure is disposed in the spacing gap between the inner guide wall and the outer wall of the tube section and directs the liquid in an interior of the tube section within the spacing gap.

2. The structural unit of claim 1, wherein the tube section is heatable from outside via a heat conductor arranged on an outside of the outer wall.

3. The structural unit of claim 2, wherein the first temperature measuring device has better heat transfer with the heat conductor than the second temperature measuring device.

4. The structural unit of claim 2, wherein the first temperature measuring device is arranged directly on or closely adjacent to the heat conductor, said second temperature measuring device being arranged at a greater spacing from the heat conductor and a further said heat conductor than the first temperature measuring device.

5. The structural unit of claim 2, wherein the heat conductor has a component in a peripheral direction of the tube section, said component being placed upon the tube section or printed directly or indirectly on the outer wall of the tube section.

6. The structural unit of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second temperature measuring devices includes a temperature sensor.

7. The structural unit of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second temperature measuring devices is configured to enable repeated detection of temperatures at regular intervals in time.

8. The structural unit of claim 7, wherein the first and second temperature measuring devices are configured to enable detection of a difference in the temperatures of the first and second temperature measuring devices in an automated manner and generation of an information signal or control signal above a predeterminable limit value by a control unit associated with the structural unit.

9. The structural unit of claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the tube section is made from stainless steel.

10. The structural unit of claim 1, wherein an interior wall surface of the outer wall of the tube section is formed a same throughout in an axial direction.

11. The structural unit of claim 1, wherein the first temperature measuring device is mounted on an outer side of the outer wall of the tube section at a point below which the flow rate of the liquid in the interior of the tube section is at least 10% less than the flow rate of the liquid at a point in the interior of the tube section above which the second temperature measuring device is arranged on the outer side of the outer wall of the tube section.

12. The structural unit of claim 1, wherein the inner guide wall is arranged in a pump diffusor chamber of the heating pump.

13. The structural unit of claim 1, wherein the inner guide wall includes guide blades arranged such as to effect locally varying flow rates of the liquid in the tube section.

14. The structural unit of claim 13, wherein the guide blades extend each from a circle-cylindrical base element of the inner guide wall in a component that extends both axially and radially outward, and further comprising an impeller wheel configured such as to enable flow of the liquid against the inner guide wall, with the guide blades directing the liquid in a substantially spiral direction of flow.

15. The structural unit of claim 14, wherein the first temperature measuring device is mounted on the outer side of the outer wall of the tube section at a first point below which a portion of the guide blades of the inner guide wall extends, which portion projects radially from the base element of the inner guide wall, said second temperature measuring device being mounted on the outer side of the outer wall of the tube section at a second point which is different from the first point and closer to an ejection region of the impeller wheel, and below which the ejection region of the impeller wheel lies.

16. A structural unit including a heating pump, said structural unit comprising: a tube section for a water-conducting household appliance, said tube section being configured such as to enable a liquid to flow through and to be heatable, a mechanical structure arranged in the tube section and configured to effect locally differing flow rates in the liquid, a first temperature measuring device arranged on an outer side of the tube section radially outside a region of lower flow rate, and a second temperature measuring device arranged on the outer side of the tube section radially outside a region of higher flow rate, wherein the mechanical structure is formed by a guide element that directs the liquid in an interior of the tube section, wherein the guide element includes guide blades arranged such as to effect locally varying flow rates of the liquid in the tube section, and wherein the guide blades extend each from a circle-cylindrical base element of the guide element in a component that extends both axially and radially outward, and further comprising an impeller wheel configured such as to enable flow of the liquid against the guide element, with the guide blades directing the liquid in a substantially spiral direction of flow.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view, obliquely from the front, of an embodiment of a dishwasher, having a door that in this case is on the front side,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a heated surface having differing incident flow over its extent (characterized by arrows A and a respectively of differing length), with a consequently differing scale formation, and having two temperature sensors,

(4) FIG. 3 shows, illustrated next to one another, the temperatures measured without (on the left) and with (on the right) the formation of scale,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a lateral, partly cut-away and incomplete illustration of a heating pump, having a tube section surrounded by heat conductors,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a similar illustration to FIG. 4 but in perspective view,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a similar illustration to FIG. 4 but without the surrounding housing parts,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of the heating pump according to FIG. 4,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a detail illustration of the inner guide element and the two outside temperature sensors,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a substantially axial illustration of the guide element, the temperature sensors and the outer heat conductors, and

(11) FIG. 10 shows a similar view to FIG. 9 but without the heat conductors and with the wall of the tube section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(12) The dishwasher 1 that is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 is a household dishwasher and has, as a constituent part of a partly outwardly open or closed carcass 5, a washing vessel 2 for receiving articles for washing, such as dishes, pans, cutlery, glasses, cooking utensils and the like. The articles for washing may in this case be mountable for example in racks 11 and/or a cutlery drawer 10 and in this situation may be processable with so-called washing liquor. Here, the term “washing liquor” is understood to mean clean water, or in particular water circulating during operation, with or without detergent and/or rinse aid and/or drying agent. The washing vessel 2 may have an at least substantially rectangular footprint with a front side V that in the operative position faces a user. Here, this front side V may be part of a kitchen unit comprising pieces of kitchen furniture standing next to one another, or in the case of a free-standing appliance may also have no connection to further pieces of furniture.

(13) The washing vessel 2 is in particular closable at this front side V by a door 3. In FIG. 1, this door 3 is shown in a position that is partly open and is thus at an angle to the vertical. In its closed position, by contrast, it is upright and according to the drawing, for the purpose of opening it, it is pivotal about a lower horizontal axis, forward and downward in the direction of the arrow 4, such that when it is in the fully open position it lies at least almost horizontal.

(14) On its outer and front side V, which in the closed position is vertical and faces the user, the door 3 may be provided with a decorative panel 6 in order to enhance it visually and/or to the touch, and/or to match it to kitchen furniture around it.

(15) Here, the dishwasher 1 takes the form of a free-standing or so-called partly fitted or indeed fully fitted appliance. In this last case, the carcass 5 may also terminate substantially with the outer walls of the washing vessel 2. A housing surrounding this on the outside may in that case be unnecessary. In the lower region of the dishwasher 1, there may be a base 12 for receiving in particular functional elements.

(16) In the exemplary embodiment according to the drawing, there is associated with the movable door 3 in its upper region an operating panel 8 that extends in the transverse direction Q of the dishwasher 1 and can include a recessed handle 7, accessible from the front side V, for opening and/or closing the door 3 manually. In the transverse direction Q, the dishwasher frequently has an extent of 45, 50 or 60 centimeters. In the direction of depth, from the front side V to the rear, the extent is frequently likewise around 60 centimeters. These values are not mandatory.

(17) The washing vessel 2 is delimited peripherally when the door 3 is closed by a total of four vertical walls 13 and two horizontal walls 13, of which one forms a top and a further one forms a floor of the washing vessel 2. In this arrangement, the closed door 3 itself forms one of the vertical walls 13 by its inner door, which in the closed position faces the washing vessel 2. Instead of the dishwasher shown here, other water-conducting household appliances such as a washing machine may also take a form according to the invention.

(18) This water-conducting household appliance 1, here the illustrated household dishwasher, is provided with at least one structural unit 14, which includes a tube section 15 through which, during operation, liquid can flow and can heat the tube section. This liquid may be formed by the washing liquor mentioned above. The structural unit 14 may be arranged for example at the bottom in the base 12 of the dishwasher 1, and in its entirety forms in particular a heating pump 16—that is to say a pump that circulates liquid—that at the same time is heatable by way of a heater 17, for the purpose of heating the liquid conveyed in the interior of the tube section 15, and hence performs a dual function. It is also possible for these two functions to be structurally separate.

(19) The liquid in the tube section 15 may be a washing liquid that is circulated multiple times and comprises water provided with detergent and/or drying agent. Liquid of this kind is frequently also designated washing liquor.

(20) The peripheral wall 18 of the tube section 15 may for example be made from stainless steel, which has good heat conductivity and is chemically stable. Ceramic or other materials are also possible. Here, at least the wall surface of the tube section 15 that points toward the interior through which there is flow takes the same form throughout in the axial direction, and so needs no further machining steps, which simplifies manufacture. Here, the tube section may—but need not—have circular symmetry in cross section.

(21) Arranged in the tube section 15 are mechanical structures 19, 20 that, together with an impeller wheel 21 of the pump, direct the liquid there on an approximately spiral path along the wall 18 and bring about the locally differing flow rates of the liquid. These structures 19, 20 are described in more detail below.

(22) Associated with the outer side 24 of the tube section 15 are at least two temperature measuring devices 22, 23 that are at a spacing from one another. The spacing between them may be in the region of a few centimeters. The temperature measuring devices may be directly or indirectly connected to the outer side 24 of the wall 18.

(23) Here, a first temperature measuring device 22 lies radially outside a region of lower flow rate or less incident flow a, and a second temperature measuring device 23 lies radially outside a region of higher flow rate or more incident flow A. Favorably, the first temperature measuring device 22 is mounted on the outside of the tube section 15 at a first measuring point below which the flow rate of the liquid in the interior of the tube section 15 through which liquid flows is at least 10%, in particular between 10% and 20%, less than the flow rate of the liquid at a second measuring point in the interior of the tube section 15 through which liquid flows, above which the second temperature measuring device 23 is arranged on the outside of the tube section. At each measuring point there is preferably produced a mix temperature resulting from the heating temperature prevailing at the measuring point, which is brought about there by the heater mounted on the outside of the tube section, and the temperature of the liquid as it meets the inner side of the tube section opposite the measuring point on the outside of the tube. At this point on the tube section, the tube wall is thus heated from the outside by the heater and cooled in the interior by the liquid flowing there. As a result of the differing incident flow rates of the liquid or, to put it in general terms, differing liquid incident flow conditions at the two measuring points, there is already, in the scale-free initial condition of the tube section through which liquid flows, an initial temperature difference between the different prevailing temperatures at the two different measuring points on the tube section because of the different incident flow conditions that is sufficiently large for conventional inaccuracies in measurement, in particular of the temperature sensors such as NTCs, between the two temperature measuring devices or other disruptive factors to be negligible by comparison with this initial temperature difference. This helps to achieve a reliable, robust determination of the temperature difference between the temperature measurement values that are respectively detected by the two temperature measuring devices at the two different measuring points. This is particularly the case if the temperature difference ΔT determined in each case from the temperatures T1, T2 currently detected at the two measuring points by the two temperature measuring devices 22, 23, and is all the greater if the formation of scale on the inner wall of the tube section starts below the first measuring point and then spreads further and further.

(24) It is significant for the arrangement of the two temperature measuring devices that the tube section 15 may be heated from the outside by way of heat conductors 25 arranged on the outer side 24 of the tube section 15. These heat conductors 25 may extend on the outer side 24 in a serpentine fashion, for example as a thick-film or a thin-film heater. Thus, the heat conductors 25 having a component in the peripheral direction of the tube section 15 may be laid on the latter or printed directly or indirectly onto a wall 18 of the tube section 15. If the wall 18 of the tube section 15 is made of metal, there is also an insulation layer between it and the heat conductors 25.

(25) Where such heat conductors 25 are present, it is favorable if the first temperature measuring device 22 has better heat transfer with a heat conductor 25 than the second one 23 does. For this purpose, the first temperature measuring device 22 is directly arranged on or closely adjacent to a heat conductor 25, while the second 23 is at a greater spacing from this and further heat conductors 25. For this reason, even without flow over the interior of the tube section 15 and even without the formation of a layer of scale B, a small difference in temperature is already measurable when the heat conductors 25 are switched on, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, time is shown along the x axis and temperature T along the y axis. The difference in temperature that is produced when no scale is present is shown there as ΔT1 (=deltaNTC1). The greater difference in temperature that is established when scale begins to form is shown as ΔT2 (=deltaNTC2).

(26) For an inexpensive and compact arrangement, the temperature measuring devices 22, 23 may each include sensors. In particular, these sensors may take the form of semiconductor sensors and form for example NTC or PTC sensors in which the respective electrical resistance is a measure of the current temperature.

(27) The first temperature measuring device 22 is connected to a control unit SE by way of a signal line SL1—indicated in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 2. The control unit SE may for example be installed in the central control device of the dishwasher. The second temperature measuring device 23 is analogously connected to the control unit SE by way of a signal line SL2. The first temperature measuring device 22 transmits temperature measurement signals SS1 of the temperature T1 at the first measuring point of the tube section, by way of the signal line SL1, to the control unit. The second temperature measuring device 23 transmits temperature measurement signals SS2 of the temperature T2 at the second measuring point of the tube section, by way of the signal line SL2, to the control unit SE. From the measurement signals SS1, SS2 for the first temperature T1 and the second temperature T2, the control unit SE generates the respectively current temperature difference ΔT. If this exceeds a critical limit value, the control unit SE generates an information signal IS. With the aid of this information signal IS, the fact that the operating conditions are not optimal for the household appliance may for example be displayed to the user of the dishwasher. The user can then initiate suitable counter-measures, for example changing the setting for the water hardness or descaling the appliance. These counter-measures may also be additionally or independently automated or performed automatically by the control unit SE associated with the tube section 15 or the heating device.

(28) The temperatures of the two temperature measuring devices can be repeatedly detected at regular intervals in time during operation of the household appliance 1, wherein the difference between the temperatures of the two temperature measuring devices 22, 23 may be detected in automated manner in the household appliance 1 by way of an electronic evaluation, and above a limit value for this difference a message may be output by the household appliance 1.

(29) Here, by way of example the structural unit 14 forms a heating pump in which the liquid is drawn in axially by suction in the direction 26 and is then deflected by way of the impeller wheel 21 onto a spiral path having one component along the periphery of the wall 18 and one component in opposition to the direction 26. Also contributing to this deflection of the liquid is a central guide element 27 directing the liquid, in the interior of the tube section 15. Radially, this guide element 27 has an approximately cylindrical base element 29 that leaves a sleeve-like spacing gap 28 from the wall 18. Also projecting into this spacing gap 28, which is annular in cross section, are the directing structures 19, 20 that affect the flow rates, which in this case protrude outward of the periphery of the base element 29. These web-like structures 19, 20 thus form guide blades for the incident liquid, and these guide blades extend from the guide element with both an axial and a radially outward component, and hence direct the liquid in a substantially spiral direction of flow. In addition to the deflection, the arrangement of the guide blades 19, 20 may bring about locally varying flow rates of the liquid in the tube section 15. As can be seen for example in FIG. 4, the first temperature sensor 22 is seated radially outward of a structure 19, 20 of this kind in which the flow rate is particularly low, whereas it is significantly higher radially inward of the second temperature sensor 23, with the result that the cooling effect of the liquid taking up heat is greater there, so the temperature measured there is lower.

(30) The guide element 27, with its guide structures 19, 20, is thus arranged in a pump diffusor chamber of the heating pump 14.

(31) In particular, it is favorable if the first temperature measuring device 22 is mounted on the outside of the tube section 15 at a first measuring point below which there extends, in the interior of the tube section, the portion of a guide blade 19, 20 of the guide element that projects radially from the in particular circle-cylindrical base element of the guide element 27, and the second temperature measuring device 23 is mounted on the outside of the tube section 15 at a second measuring point which is different from the first measuring point and closer to the ejection region of the impeller wheel 21, in particular below which the ejection region of the impeller wheel lies. In this case, the flow of liquid flows against the inner wall of the tube section at this first measuring point at a slower flow rate than it does at the second measuring point.

(32) A heating pump 14 for a household appliance of the type described is claimed separately.

(33) With the invention provided here, the flow of liquid through the guiding structures 19, 20 is deliberately made such that incident flow against the second temperature sensor 23, which is connected poorly to the heater 17 in respect of the transverse conduction of heat (being further away from the heat source), is very good or better than against the first temperature sensor 22, which logically must then have a better thermal connection with the heater 17, again in respect of the transverse conduction of heat (see diagram in FIG. 2).

(34) In this way, an evaluable delta value is produced between the two temperature measuring devices 22, 23, which is very small when there is no layer of scale on the heating surface (inner side of the wall 18) but increases as the thickness of the layer of scale grows. Moreover, the different incident flow also affects the production of scale and the build-up of scale such that in the region of the temperature sensor 22, where there is better incident flow, no scale is formed at all, or a thinner layer of scale is formed than in the region of the temperature sensor 23, where there is less incident flow.

(35) These effects make possible a more robust and more reliable evaluation, and by way of an appropriate threshold detection the household appliance 1 can respond to this signal at a preferably defined program point. Possible responses might be displaying a fault or a warning, or indeed making the subsequent washing run longer, with longer re-wash times during washing, a reduced temperature in the rinsing cycle, or similar measures.

(36) Formation of the different flow rates may be achieved in different ways. For this there serves the guide element 27 with its blade-like structures 19, 20, as a result of which different regions with different incident flow against the wall 18 are produced. Further possibilities for implementation might be an appropriate shaping of the pump diffusor chamber, or the positioning of the temperature sensors at different, suitable places.

(37) In all cases, quality-related costs are reduced, and there is a reduction in the TCR (technical call rate) and higher levels of customer satisfaction; preventive measures for any changes in the detergent composition are possible and form an additional feature.