FIELD OF INVENTION:
The present subject matter described herein, relates to a method for de-scaling a water geyser, more particularly to, a method for scale removal of water heating element by using specific concentration of chemical solution in the water geyser.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART:
Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[003] Generally, the water heater has become one of the essential household appliances. The water heater is caused by using hard water as well as silicates, sulfates, and similar materials form water scale that coats the bottom of a hot water tank or a surface of electrodes in the water heater. In accordance with the existing water heater provides the poor thermal conductivity of the scale, when a large amount of scale is deposited on the electrodes, this will seriously affect the heating efficiency. At the same time, the power consumption has increased, due to the presence of scale can lead to overheating of the heating rods will reduce the life of the water heater, and even endanger the personal safety of users.
[004] The existing water heater treatment techniques comes with manual cleaning of water heater which is done by opening and removing the heating element from the water heater. Also, the water heating assembly is rubbed with paper to remove scale or washing under running water in the existing water heater. This water heater treatment technique is expensive since a service engineer has to visit, then he may be disassembled or removed the water heater elements in the water heater, but sometime the service engineer may not have assembled it back correctly, after de-scaling process. There is getting more chances to affect the short circuits and to cause a shorter water heater life.
[005] These type of water heater treatment techniques are too costly for applications where the objective is reducing scale buildup in the water heater and hot water pipes.
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Ion exchange water softening systems, such as supplied by “Culligan”, are both expensive and costly to maintain. These systems require regular maintenance and when used to treat large quantities of water.
[006] The existing prior art CN203385207U, assigned to HKH NAT ENGINEERING RES. CT OF PLASTICS CO., LTD, relates to a water heater de-scaling device, which comprises a cover body and a container. The container is used for accommodating a detergent and is provided with treatment space allowing the detergent to be dissolved or diluted. In the operation of the prior art device, first open the water heater outlet valve to drain the water stored in the water heater, then add the detergent to the container of the water heater de-scaling device, and open a sewage outlet valve and a water source valve for draining the sewage water. Such that the water is to take away the dissolved chemical solution in the container into the water heater by using a pressurized pump.
[007] To address the above issues a new method has been established to solve the existing water heater problems. The present subject matter discloses a method for removing scale of water heating element in the water geyser without opening and removing the water heating element in the water geyser. Therefore, the method reduces the burden of service engineers or users for cleaning the water heater manually, prevent the water heater from leaking after the manual cleaning of heating element, reduce the chances of electrocution, increase the life of water heating elements and to improve the efficiency of sensing technique and overall performance of the water heater.
[008] The information disclosed in this background of the disclosure section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.
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OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
[009] The principal objective of the present invention is to provide a process for de-scaling the water heating element assembly without opening a water geyser.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to reduce the leakage issues after manual cleaning of the water heater element assembly.
[0011] Yet another object of the present invention is to reduce the false function of thermostat and maintain the heating performance of the water geyser.
[0012] Still another object of the present invention is to improve the heating cycle time and flow rate of used water geyser and make it similar to new water geyser performance.
[0013] Further object of the present invention is to provide a simple and cost effective de-scaling process of the water heater element assembly.
[0014] These and other objects and advantages of the present subject matter will be apparent to a person skilled in the art after consideration of the following detailed description taken into consideration with accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present subject matter are illustrated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
[0015] One or more drawbacks of conventional method for scale removal of water heating element in the water geyser, and additional advantages are provided through the method as claimed in the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the technicalities of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered to be a part of the claimed disclosure.
[0016] In an embodiment, the present subject matter relates to a method for de-scaling a water heating element assembly without opening a water geyser. The de-scaling method relates to specific concentrated chemical solution which reacts with total dissolved solids (TDS) scale and remove it from a sensor rod, the heating element and to reduce the false function of thermostat and maintain the heating performance as comparable to the new heating element. The method involves
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removing an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe from the water geyser, draining the water inside the water geyser from an inlet point, connecting one end of a cleaning device to the inlet point and the other end of the cleaning device to a water line through a shut off valve, opening the water valve to fill the water geyser with water, closing the water valve once the water starts coming out from an outlet point of the water geyser, finally removing the cleaning device and connecting the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe back to the original position of water geyser.
[0017] Accordingly, the water geyser runs for 30-40 minutes after completing the de-scaling process followed by 2-3 times of flushing of scaled water to remove residual of chemical agent.
[0018] In an aspect, the cleaning device has a supply for containing cleaning solution which is dissolved or diluted in the processing space of the cleaning device, where the cleaning solution is a mixture of acetic acid & water in 50% or 10% concentration depends on capacity of Water heater (Geyser) to be descaled.
[0019] It is to be understood that the aspects and embodiments of the disclosure described above may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the aspects and embodiments may be combined to form a further embodiment of the disclosure.
[0020] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some
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embodiments of system or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0022] Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatic view of a water geyser, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
[0023] Fig. 2 illustrates flow diagram of a method for de-scaling a water geyser, in accordance with the present subject matter
[0024] Fig. 3 illustrates diagrammatic view of water geyser with inlet and out let pipes in disassembled view, in accordance with the present subject matter;
[0025] Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatic view of water geyser with inlet pipe assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
[0026] Fig. 5 illustrates diagrammatic view of water geyser with a cleaning device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter; and
[0027] Fig. 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d illustrate diagrammatic view of water geyser in original position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0028] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
[0029] While the embodiments of the disclosure are subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof have been shown by way of example in the figures and will be described below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative falling within the scope of the disclosure.
[0030] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof used in the disclosure, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a device,
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system, assembly that comprises a list of components does not include only those components but may include other components not expressly listed or inherent to such system, or assembly, or device. In other words, one or more elements in a system or device proceeded by “comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or device.
[0031] The present subject matter relates to a method for de-scaling a water geyser without opening and removing the water heating elements in the water geyser.
[0032] It should be noted that the description and figures merely illustrate the principles of the present subject matter. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present subject matter. It should also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that by devising various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the present subject matter and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present subject matter, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures.
[0033] These and other advantages of the present subject matter would be described in greater detail with reference to the following figures. It should be noted that the description merely illustrates the principles of the present subject matter. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its scope.
[0034] Reference may be made to Figure 1 illustrating diagrammatic view of a water geyser, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The present arrangement of the water geyser 100 comprises an inner pressurizable container 101
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formed from a glass fibre reinforced plastics or suitable material, an outer shell 102 formed from a glass fibre reinforced plastics or suitable material, an insulating foam material substantially filling a space defined between an outer surface of the inner container and an inner surface of the outer shell. The water geyser further comprises a filter for filtering undissolved solid detergent or impurities filter. A fitting mounting land is to be provided at one end of the inner container 101 and including a plurality of apertures, at least one fitting including spigot portions extending through the corresponding apertures, such that the fitting is locked mechanically to the mounting land in a pressure tight fit without being laid in glass fibre during manufacture. A plurality of corresponding accessories is mounted in communication with the spigot portions of the fitting and protruding into the inner container 101, the accessories including a water inlet pipe 103, a water outlet pipe 104, and a heating element assembly (not shown in figure).
[0035] Referring to Figure 2 illustrating flow diagram of a method for de-scaling a water geyser, in accordance with the present subject matter.
[0036] At Step 201, the water geyser 100 is provided with an inlet (cold water) shut off valve 108 and an outlet (hot water) shut off valve (not shown in figure) which are closed before starting de-scaling process.
[0037] At Step 202, the water geyser 100 provided with an inlet pipe 103 and an outlet pipe 104 which are removed from the water geyser 100.
[0038] At Step 203, the water is drained inside the water geyser 100 from an inlet point 105 of the water geyser 100.
[0039] In one of the embodiments, at Step 204, a cleaning device 107 has two ends 109, 110, wherein the one end 109 is connected to the inlet point 105 of the water geyser 100 and the other end 110 is connected to a water line through a shut off valve (not shown in figure).
[0040] At Step 205, the water shut off valve is opened to fill the water geyser 100 with water and cleaning solutions.
[0041] At Step 206, the water shut off valve is closed after coming out the water from an outlet point 106 of the water geyser 100.
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[0042] At Step 207, the one end 109 of the cleaning device 107 is removed from the inlet point 105 of the water geyser 100 and the other end 110 of the cleaning device 107 is removed from the water and chemical agent.
[0043] At Step 208, finally, the inlet pipe 103 and the outlet pipe 104 are connected back to the water geyser 100 in the original position. After completing the de-scaling the water geyser 100, the both inlet shut off valve 108 and the outlet shut off valve are opened and to use normally.
[0044] The below table shows few test results for a de-scaling process for removal of scale in the water geyser 100. In particular, to the different percentages (%) in chemical or cleaning solution in the water geyser 100 to keep pH/concentration which is lower than the vinegar.
Different % of chemical in Storage water heater to keep pH/ concentration lower than vinegar
Capacity (L)
Capacity (mL)
Initial Liquid volume (mL)
Total % Volume of solution in tank
Total % concentration in Water tank
De-scaling time req. (min)
Remarks
25
25000
500-1000
2-4%
2%
35~40
With heating cycle
15
15000
300-600
2-4%
25~30
10
10000
200-400
2-4%
15~20
6
6000
120-1000
2-17%
10~12
10
3
3000
60-600
2- 20%
10~12
1
1000
20-200
2-20%
10~12
Table. 1
[0045] Referring to figure 3 illustrating diagrammatic view of water geyser with inlet and out let pipes in disassembled view, in accordance with the present subject matter. The water geyser 100 has inlet point 105 and outlet point 106 such that the inlet point 105 is used for allowing the water and the cleaning device 107, and the outlet point 106 is used for draining the sewage water from the water geyser 100. The inlet point 105 is used to drain the water from the water geyser 100 before connecting the cleaning device 107, as shown in figure 4.
[0046] Referring to figure 5 illustrating diagrammatic view of water geyser with a cleaning device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The water geyser 100 is devoted with a cleaning device 107 which is formed in a structure of bottle shaped container such that the cleaning device 107 includes cleaning solutions such as acetic acid or other suitable chemical solutions. wherein the cleaning solution is a mixture of acetic acid & water in 50% or 10% concentration depends on capacity of the water geyser 100 to be descaled. The concentration of cleaning solution with water is maintained in such a way that it should not affect the life of anode/sacrifice rod therefore maintaining the life of water geyser 100. The cleaning device 107 is provided with pressure to sucking the water from the water tap and mixture of cleaning solution, wherein pH level of the cleaning solution mixed with water in the water geyser 100 is lower than the vinegar as concentration is 60% lower than commercial vinegar available. The mixture cleaning solution is send to the water geyser 100 through the inlet point 105, for circulating into the inner container of the water geyser 100. The water geyser 100 allows the cleaning solution to circulate for about 1 hour.
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[0047] Referring to figure 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d illustrating diagrammatic view of water geyser, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The water geyser 100 connects the inlet pipe 103 and the outlet pipe 104 after removing the cleaning device 107 one end 109 from the inlet point 105 of the water geyser 100 and the other end 110 from the water tap. In the reset water geyser assembly unit has a gas supply valve to turn the power OFF and ON again using a power button or remote controller, as shown in figure 6a.
[0048] In accordance with the present subject matter, the water geyser 100 is kept unused for 18-22 hours after completing the de-scaling in the water geyser 100. Also, the water geyser 100 runs for 30-40 min after completing the de-scaling in the water geyser 100 followed by 2-3 times of flushing of scaled water to remove residual of chemical agent, as shown in figure 6b. Accordingly, in the de-scaling method is performed without opening or disassembling the water geyser 100 such that the heater assembly with an anode rod is not removed from the water tank 102 of water geyser 100.
[0049] Accordingly, after completing the de-scaling process in the water geyser 100, the user can open a shut off valve (not shown in figure) at home to flush the water from the water geyser 100, in which the water line is directly connected with the outlet point 106 of the water geyser 100, as shown in figure 6c.
[0050] Referring to figure 6d illustrating diagrammatic view of water geyser, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The water geyser 100 is connected to inlet pipe 103 and the outlet pipe 104 back to the original position for ready to use normally by the user, wherein a mounting location of the water geyser 100 remains same throughout the de-scaling process.
[0051] Compared with the prior arts, the de-scaling method involves cleaning that the water scale by chemicals can be realized on the condition in a household water heater which is not disassembled manually. Meanwhile, avoiding the troubles that the water inlet pipeline of the water heater is dismantled or changed. The cleaning device is suitable for solid detergents or liquid detergents, and chemicals can be added conveniently when descaling operation is performed, and the operation is simple and convenient.
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[0052] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances, where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by
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those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
[0053] It will be further appreciated that functions or structures of a plurality of components or steps may be combined into a single component or step, or the functions or structures of one-step or component may be split among plural steps or components. The present invention contemplates all of these combinations. Unless stated otherwise, dimensions and geometries of the various structures depicted herein are not intended to be restrictive of the invention, and other dimensions or geometries are possible. In addition, while a feature of the present invention may have been described in the context of only one of the illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, for any given application. It will also be appreciated from the above that the fabrication of the unique structures herein and the operation thereof also constitute methods in accordance with the present invention. The present invention also encompasses intermediate and end products resulting from the practice of the methods herein. The use of “comprising” or “including” also contemplates embodiments that “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the recited feature.
[0054] Although embodiments for the present subject matter have been described in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the present subject matter is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as embodiments for the present subject matter. Numerous modifications and adaptations of the system/component of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and thus it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and adaptations which fall within the scope of the present subject matter.

We claim:
1. A method for de-scaling a water geyser (100), comprising steps of:
closing an inlet shut off valve (108) and an outlet shut off valve from the water geyser (100);
removing an inlet pipe (103) and an outlet pipe (104) from the water geyser (100);
draining the water inside the water geyser (100) from an inlet point (105);
connecting one end (109) of a cleaning device (107) to the inlet point (105) and the other end (110) of the cleaning device (107) to a water line through a shut off valve;
opening the water shut off valve () to fill the water geyser (100) with water and cleaning solutions;
closing the water shut off valve once water starts coming out from an outlet point (106) of water geyser (100);
removing the cleaning device (107); and
connecting the inlet pipe (103) and outlet pipe (103) back to the water geyser (100).
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water geyser (100) is kept unused for 18-22 hours after de-scaling is completed.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water geyser (100) runs for 30-40 min after the de-scaling is completed followed by 2-3 times of flushing of scaled water to remove residual of chemical agent.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a structure of the cleaning device (107) is bottle shaped.
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5. The cleaning device (107) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cleaning device (107) holds the cleaning solutions.
6. The cleaning solution as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cleaning solution is a mixture of acetic acid & water in 50% or 10% concentration depends on capacity of the water geyser (100) to be descaled.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water geyser (100) is not disassembled.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting location of the water geyser (100) remains same throughout the de-scaling process.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heater assembly with anode rod is not removed from the water tank (102) in the water geyser (100).
10. The cleaning solution as claimed in claim 5, wherein pH level of the cleaning solution mixed with water in the water geyser (100) is lower than the vinegar as concentration is 60% lower than commercial vinegar available.