Method and system for operating a water heater appliance

• US 9,702,568 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Bultman, Robert Marten, Miller, Jeremy Michael, Zimmer, Thomas Charles, Caley, Myles, Beyerle, Michael Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): LAFLAME JR, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/716,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20140169773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: 392311, 392449, 392441, 392452-496, 122 1301, 122 141, 122 142, 122 1422
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/0073 Arrangements for preventing the occurrence or proliferation of microorganisms in the water
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/14 Cleaning; Sterilising; Preventing contamination by bacteria or microorganisms, e.g. by replacing fluid in tanks or conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/281 Input from user
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/37 of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/429 for selecting operation modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/45 remotely accessible
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2021 Storage heaters
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A method and system for operating a water heater appliance are provided. The method and system include initiating a vacation mode of the water heater appliance. An operating temperature of the water heater appliance is reduced from a normal operating temperature to a vacation operating temperature in the vacation mode of the water heater appliance. The method and system also include sanitizing the water heater appliance by raising the operating temperature of the water heater appliance from the vacation operating temperature to a sanitization operating temperature.

Claims

1. A method for operating a water heater appliance, comprising:

initiating a vacation mode of the water heater appliance in which an operating temperature of a stored tank of water in the water heater appliance is reduced from a normal operating temperature to a vacation operating temperature, the vacation operating temperature being between forty degrees Fahrenheit and sixty degrees Fahrenheit;

maintaining the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance in the vacation mode at the vacation operating temperature for a predetermined time period, the predetermined time period being less than fourteen days;

starting a thermal sanitization mode of the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance after the predetermined time period has elapsed, the operating temperature of the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance rising from the vacation operating temperature to a sanitization operating temperature in the thermal sanitization mode, the sanitization operating temperature being greater than one-hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit;

keeping the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance in the thermal sanitization mode at the sanitization operating temperature for a period of time; and

returning the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance to the vacation mode after the period of time has elapsed,

wherein a heating element of the water heater appliance is activated to raise the operating temperature of the stored tank of water from the vacation operating temperature to the sanitization operating temperature, and

wherein water in the stored tank of water is not chemically treated during the thermal sanitization mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the period of time is greater than one hour.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

maintaining the water heater appliance in the vacation mode at the vacation operating temperature for an additional predetermined time period after said step of returning;

starting an additional thermal sanitization mode of the water heater appliance after the additional predetermined time period has elapsed;

keeping the water heater appliance in the additional thermal sanitization mode at the sanitization operating temperature for an additional period of time; and

restoring the water heater appliance to the vacation mode after the additional period of time has elapsed.

4. A method for operating a water heater appliance, comprising:

initiating a vacation mode of a stored tank of water in the water heater appliance in which an operating temperature of the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance is reduced from a normal operating temperature to a vacation operating temperature, the vacation operating temperature being between forty degrees Fahrenheit and sixty degrees Fahrenheit;

determining a vacation mode duration;

calculating a sanitization schedule for the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance based at least in part on the vacation mode duration and a sanitization time interval, the sanitization time interval being less than fourteen days, the sanitization schedule having at least one thermal sanitization operation;

starting the thermal sanitization operation of the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance based upon the sanitization schedule, the operating temperature of the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance rising from the vacation operating temperature to a sanitization operating temperature during the at least one thermal sanitization operation, the sanitization operating temperature being greater than one-hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit; and

returning the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance to the vacation mode after completion of each thermal sanitization operation of the at least one thermal sanitization operation,

wherein a heating element of the water heater appliance is activated to raise the operating temperature of the stored tank of water from the vacation operating temperature to the sanitization operating temperature, and

wherein water in the stored tank of water is not chemically treated during each thermal sanitization operation of the at least one thermal sanitization operation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one thermal sanitization operation includes a plurality of sanitization operations, sanitization operations of the plurality of sanitization operations being less than fourteen days apart in the sanitization schedule.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the vacation mode duration is greater than fourteen days.

7. A system for operating a water heater appliance, comprising:

a heating element positioned within the water heater appliance;

a user input; and

a controller in communication with said heating element and said user input, said controller configured for;

receiving a vacation mode initiation signal from said user input;

initiating a vacation mode of a stored tank of water in the water heater appliance based upon the vacation mode initiation signal, an operating temperature of the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance being reduced from a normal operating temperature to a vacation operating temperature in the vacation mode, the vacation operating temperature being between forty degrees Fahrenheit and sixty degrees Fahrenheit;

activating said heating element after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after said step of initiating, the predetermined period of time being less than fourteen days, said heating element raising the operating temperature of the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance from the vacation operating temperature to a sanitization operating temperature during said step of activating, the sanitization operating temperature being greater than one-hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit; and

adjusting the operating temperature of the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance in order to return the operating temperature of the stored tank of water in the water heater appliance from the sanitization operating temperature to the vacation operating temperature, and

wherein water in the stored tank of water is not chemically treated during the vacation mode.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said user input includes at least one of a control panel mounted to the water heater appliance and a mobile device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said controller is positioned within the water heater appliance.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said controller is positioned away from the water heater appliance and communicates with the water heater appliance over a wireless connection.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said controller is further configured for receiving a vacation mode termination signal from said user input and starting a normal operating mode of the water heater appliance based upon the vacation mode termination signal, the operating temperature of the water heater appliance being the normal operating temperature in the normal operating mode.