JP2000304432A - Refrigerator with water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize an energy conservation type refrigerator effectively utilizing its waste heat which has heretofore discarded to a maximum limit, by assembling a water heater utilizing the heat energy with a heat from a compressor for compressing a refrigerant as a heat source. SOLUTION: A solenoid valve 15 is opened synchronously with an indoor cooling operation of a refrigerator compressor(CP) 10, and a circulating pump 13 is operated. Water is circulated to a pipe 12 and a water jacket 11, heated by heating of the CP 10, sent to a hot water storage tank 14 by a circulating pump 13, and is heated in the tank 14 to a warm water. When the CP 10 is stopped, the valve 15 is closed, the pump 13 is stopped, wafer flowing of the pipe 12 of the CP side is stopped, and the warm water of the tank 14 is used from a warm water supply port 17. When the water or warm water in the tank 14 is reduced, it is supplied from a water supply port 16, and an auxiliary heater 18 holds the warm water in the tank 14 at a predetermined temperature by supplying a current as needed. Thus, the discarded waste heat is recycled as it is, and the energy can be effectively utilized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a refrigerator with a water heater. Specifically, the present invention relates to a refrigerator in which a water heater using heat generated by a compressor as a heat source is incorporated in a general household refrigerator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are products that combine a refrigerator and a water cooler or a combination of a water cooler and a water heater, but there is no composite product that combines a refrigerator and a water heater. In a conventional refrigerator, as shown in FIG. 2, the main focus is on adiabatic preservation of cold air due to an endothermic phenomenon when a refrigerant compressed by a compressor 1 is vaporized by a vaporizer 2, and generated during compression. The heat generated is typically discarded. On the other hand, in water heaters, the main purpose is to insulate and store the heat of hot water heated by a heater or the like.

[0003]

When comparing the above-mentioned conventional refrigerator and a water heater, at first glance, it is said that the refrigerator is heated against cold air.
They seemed to be conflicting, and their combination was not considered. However, they are of the same dimension in terms of adiabatic preservation, and when these are combined, from the viewpoint of heat energy transfer, heat energy that has been wasted conventionally is effectively used, and it is very rational and effective. It is expected that energy savings can be realized in practice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to realize an energy-saving refrigerator with a water heater incorporating a water heater that makes the most of the waste heat of a conventionally discarded refrigerator. .

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a general household refrigerator is characterized in that heat generated from a compressor 10 for compressing a refrigerant is used as a heat source, and a water heater utilizing this heat energy is incorporated. And Claim 2 is a means for absorbing the heat generated by the compressor 10, a hot water storage tank 14, a pipe 12 connecting the heat absorbing means and the hot water storage tank 14, and a circulating pump disposed in the middle of the pipe 12. 13 and an electromagnetic valve 14 that opens in synchronization with the operation of the compressor 10. According to a third aspect of the present invention, the water heater has an electric auxiliary heater 18.

[0006] By adopting this configuration, a refrigerator with a water heater can be obtained in which the waste heat of the refrigerator, which has been conventionally thrown away, is effectively utilized to the utmost.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a refrigerator with a water heater according to the present invention. In the figure,
Reference numeral 10 denotes a compressor (compressor) for compressing the refrigerant, and a water jacket 11 is provided so as to cover the compressor 10. A pipe 12 is connected to the water jacket 11, and a circulation pump 13, a hot water storage tank 14, and a solenoid valve 15 are sequentially connected to the pipe 12 to form a closed system. However, the hot water storage tank 14 is provided with a water supply port 16 and a hot water supply port 17. The hot water storage tank 14 is provided with an auxiliary heater 18.

[0008] The operation of the embodiment constructed as described above will be described below. When the compressor 10 of the refrigerator starts to operate to cool the inside of the refrigerator, the solenoid valve 1 is synchronized with the operation.
5 is opened, and at the same time, the circulation pump 13 is operated to circulate water through the pipe 12 and the water jacket 11. The water passing through the water jacket 11 is supplied to the compressor 10
And is sent to the hot water storage tank 14 by the circulation pump 13. Thereby, the water in the hot water storage tank 14 gradually rises in temperature to become hot water.

When the compressor 10 stops, the solenoid valve 15 is closed, and at the same time, the circulation pump 13 is stopped to prevent water from flowing through the pipe 12 on the compressor side.
The hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 14 can be taken out of the hot water supply port 17 as needed and used. When the amount of water or hot water in the hot water storage tank 14 decreases, water is supplied from the water supply port 16. Further, the auxiliary heater 18 can be energized as needed to keep the hot water in the hot water storage tank 14 at a constant temperature.

The above operation can be performed mechanically from a signal from a temperature sensor or the like. Also, it can be controlled electronically by a microcomputer or the like.

[0011]

According to the refrigerator with the water heater of the present invention, the waste heat of the refrigerator which has been conventionally discarded can be reused as it is,
Since it is used as a heat source of a water heater, it is effective in reducing power consumption by effective use of energy as compared with the case of individual products alone.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principle block diagram of a conventional refrigerator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Compressor 11 ... Water jacket 12 ... Pipe 13 ... Circulation pump 14 ... Hot water storage tank 15 ... Solenoid valve 16 ... Water supply port 17 ... Hot water supply port 18 ... Auxiliary heater

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A general household refrigerator comprising a water heater utilizing heat generated from a compressor (10) for compressing a refrigerant as a heat source and utilizing this heat energy. 2. A means for absorbing heat from the compressor (10), a hot water storage tank (14), and a pipe (12) connecting the heat absorbing means to the hot water storage tank (14).
A solenoid valve (14), which is opened in synchronization with the operation of a circulating pump (13) and a compressor (10) arranged in the middle of the pipe (12). Refrigerator with water heater. 3. The water heater according to claim 1, wherein the water heater is an electric auxiliary heater.
The refrigerator with a water heater according to claim 1, comprising: