A One-Stop Guide For Different Types Of Water Heaters

Water heaters have become an essential household appliance for many families. With an increasing variety of water heaters on the market, how do you choose the right one for you? Before making a selection, it's essential to have a thorough understanding of the different types of water heaters. This article will help you understand all types of water heaters.

Classified according to heating method

The water heaters currently on the market are mainly divided into four categories: gas water heaters, electric water heaters, solar water heaters, and air source water heaters.

1. Gas water heaters

A gas water heater is a household appliance that uses gas as fuel. It is an instantaneous water heater; when cold water flows through a heat exchanger, the heat generated by the combustion of gas heats the cold water, thus quickly providing hot water.

Common Types:

• Forced Draft: Uses a fan to force combustion exhaust gases outdoors.

• Balanced Draft: Obtains oxygen from outdoors for combustion, and exhaust gases are also completely exhausted outdoors, without consuming indoor air.

• Direct Vent: Exhaust gases are directly discharged indoors; currently banned from sale.

• Zero Cold Water: A circulating pump is installed in the hot water pipes to preheat the cold water inside, achieving rapid hot water delivery.

2. Electric water heaters

Electric water heaters use electricity as an energy source for heating. Based on their heating power, they can be further divided into three types: storage water heaters, instantaneous water heaters, and quick-heating water heaters.

• Storage Water Heaters: Storage water heaters can be further divided into wall-mounted and floor-standing types based on installation method. Wall-mounted water heaters typically have a capacity of 40L-100L, while floor-standing water heaters typically have a capacity of 100L or more.

• Instantaneous Water Heaters: Instantaneous water heaters provide hot water immediately upon application, maintain a constant temperature, have high heating efficiency, and require minimal installation space.

• Quick-Heating Water Heaters: Quick-heating water heaters combine the advantages of storage and instantaneous water heaters. They feature a "tank-within-a-tank" structure or a double-tank structure. A small storage tank preheats a portion of the water, and then a high-powered heater rapidly heats the outflowing water.

3. Solar water heaters

Solar water heaters convert solar energy into heat energy, heating water from a low temperature to a high temperature. Based on their structure, solar water heaters can be divided into evacuated tube solar water heaters and flat-plate solar water heaters.

Evacuated tube solar water heaters utilize a heat-absorbing coating on the inner tube to absorb sunlight, converting it into heat energy to heat the water inside the tube. Using the principle that hot water rises and cold water sinks, the water exchanges with the tank, creating a micro-circulation to heat more water.

Flat-plate solar water heaters collect sunlight that hits the surface of the collector. The light passes through a transparent cover and is absorbed by the absorber plate, converting it into heat energy, which is then transferred to the water. Through circulation pipes and a water pump, the heat is transferred to the cold water, continuously raising the water temperature.

4. Air source water heaters

The working principle of an air source heat pump water heater is very similar to that of an air conditioner. It uses a small amount of electricity to drive a compressor. High-pressure liquid refrigerant expands and evaporates into a gaseous state in the evaporator, absorbing a large amount of heat energy from the air. The gaseous refrigerant is then compressed by the compressor into a high-temperature, high-pressure liquid state, which then enters the condenser to release heat and heat the water. This cycle continues, heating the water to 50°C to 65°C. Simply put, it absorbs heat from the air to heat the water.