JP2005337622A - Storage type hot water supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an efficient storage type hot water supply device free of hot water runout for resupplying hot water into a bathtub and reheating it by using hot water stored in a hot water storage tank. <P>SOLUTION: The storage type hot water supply device comprises the hot water storage tank 2 for storing hot water, a hot water filling pipe 29 for dropping the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 into the bathtub 6, a bath circuit 22 connected to the bathtub 6, a bath circulation pump 20 for circulating hot water in the bathtub 6 into the bath circuit 22, and a reheating heat exchanger 18 for heat exchanging the hot water in the bathtub 6 circulated into the bath circuit 22 with the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2. It has an automatic water resupply means 39 for automatically resupplying hot water whose temperature is somewhat higher than a bath set temperature via the hot water filling pipe 29 to hold a water level in the bathtub 6 as set and an automatic hot insulation means 41 using the heat exchanger 18 for reheating the hot water in the bathtub 6 to be kept at a temperature somewhat lower than the bath set temperature. Thus, the efficient storage type hot water supply device free of hot water runout is obtained. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus that replenishes hot water in a bathtub and hot water in the bathtub using hot water stored in a hot water storage tank.

Conventionally, in this type of electric water heater or heat pump hot water storage type hot water supply device, if there is a reheating command, the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank is detected, and if this temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, the reheating operation is performed. If the temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, the reheating operation is not performed and hot water in the hot water storage tank is poured into the bathtub.
JP 2003-50048 A

  By the way, in this conventional system, after the reheating operation is started, the reheating is continued if the hot water storage temperature of the hot water storage tank is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. Therefore, the temperature difference between the hot water in the hot water storage tank is high. Even when the efficiency of heat exchange is low, such as when there is little water, if the hot water storage temperature is higher than the specified temperature, it will continue to reheat, and it will take a long time to raise the bath water to the temperature desired by the user, and forever The reheating operation continues and the convenience of the user is impaired, and the temperature of the hot water is reduced by exchanging heat with the bathtub water, and the hot water that cannot be used as a heat source for reheating is also difficult to use for hot water supply. In other words, there is a problem that efficiency is lowered.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a hot water pipe for dropping the hot water in the hot water storage tank, a bath circulation circuit connected to the bathtub, A bath circulation pump that circulates hot and cold water in the bathtub to the bath circulation circuit, and a reheating heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the hot water in the bathtub circulating in the bath circulation circuit and the hot water in the hot water storage tank. , Automatic water replenishment means for automatically replenishing water higher than the bath set temperature via a hot water pipe so as to keep the water level of the bathtub at a set water level, and maintaining the hot water in the bathtub lower than the bath set temperature Thus, it is provided with an automatic heat retaining means for reheating with a heat exchanger.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the automatic water replenishing means performs water replenishment that is several degrees higher than the bath set temperature, and the automatic heat retaining means performs reheating that is several degrees lower than the bath set temperature.

  According to claim 1 of the present invention, the automatic water replenishment performs water replenishment higher than the set temperature so as to prevent replenishment as much as possible, and the automatic heat retention performs retreating lower than the set temperature, By shortening the reheating time as much as possible, reducing the wasteful heat lost by reheating as much as possible, storing hot water with high efficiency and high temperature for a long time, and providing a good hot water storage system without hot water Is.

  Further, according to claim 2, both the automatic water replenishment and the automatic heat retention are different from the set temperature by several degrees, there is no serious problem in actual use, and there is no worry about giving a sense of incongruity to the user. Can be obtained.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In this hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus, hot water is boiled and stored in the midnight hours when the unit price of contracted power by time zone is low, and the hot water stored in the hot water is used for hot water supply. 1 is a hot water storage tank 2 for storing hot water. 3 is a heat pump unit as a heating means for heating hot water in the hot water storage tank, 4 is a hot water tap provided in a kitchen or a washroom, etc. 5 is a remote control for remotely operating this hot water storage type hot water supply device , 6 is a bathtub.

  The hot water storage tank 2 of the hot water storage tank unit 1 has a hot water discharge pipe 7 connected to the upper end, a water supply pipe 8 connected to the lower end, a heat pump forward pipe 9 constituting a heat pump circulation circuit in the lower part, and a heat pump circulation circuit in the upper part. The heat pump return pipe 10 is connected, the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 taken out from the heat pump forward pipe 9 is boiled by the heat pump unit 3 and returned to the hot water storage tank 2 from the heat pump return pipe 10 to be stored in the hot water supply pipe. The hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 is pushed up by the water supply from 8, and the hot water in the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 is pushed out from the hot water discharge pipe 7 to supply hot water.

  The heat pump unit 3 includes a compressor 11, a refrigerant-water heat exchanger 12 as a condenser, an electronic expansion valve 13, a forced air-cooled evaporator 14, and hot water in the hot water storage tank 2. A heat pump circulation pump 16 that circulates to the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 12 through the heat pump forward pipe 9 and the heat pump return pipe 10 and a heat pump control unit 17 that controls driving thereof are provided in the heat pump circuit 15. Is one in which carbon dioxide is used as a refrigerant to constitute a supercritical heat pump cycle. Since carbon dioxide is used as the refrigerant, low-temperature water can be boiled up to a high temperature of about 90 ° C. without an electric heater.

  Here, the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 12 employs a counter flow system in which the refrigerant and hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 that is heated water are opposed to each other. In the supercritical heat pump cycle, the refrigerant is exchanged during heat exchange. Since it is condensed in the supercritical state, the water to be heated can be efficiently heated to a high temperature so that the temperature difference between the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 12 inlet temperature and the refrigerant outlet temperature becomes constant. Further, by controlling the electronic expansion valve 12 or the compressor 11, the water to be heated can be heated in a state where the COP (energy consumption efficiency) is very good.

  Next, 18 is a heat exchanger made of a stainless steel serpentine tube for heating the hot water in the bathtub 6, and is arranged at the upper part in the hot water storage tank 2. A bath circulation circuit 22 comprising a bath return pipe 21 equipped with a bath circulation pump 20 is connected so that hot water in the bathtub 6 can be circulated, and the hot water in the bathtub 6 is heated by the high-temperature water in the hot water storage tank 2 to keep warm. Or it is something that is chased.

  23 is a bath return temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the bath water flowing into the heat exchanger 18 through the bath return pipe 21, and 24 is a bathtub that flows out of the heat exchanger 18 and flows into the bathtub 6 through the bath outlet pipe 19. It is a bath temperature sensor that detects the temperature of water.

  Next, 25 is a hot water mixing valve composed of an electric mixing valve that mixes hot water from the hot water discharge pipe 7 and low temperature water from the water supply bypass pipe 26 branched from the water supply pipe 9. The mixing ratio is controlled so that the hot water temperature detected by the provided hot water temperature sensor 28 becomes the hot water supply set temperature set by the user using the remote controller 5.

  Reference numeral 29 denotes a hot water filling pipe branched from the hot water supply pipe 27 and communicated with the bath return pipe 21. The hot water filling pipe 29 includes a hot water filling valve 30 for starting / stopping hot water filling to the bathtub 6, and a bathtub 6. A bath flow rate counter 31 that counts the amount of hot water filled in and a check valve 32 that prevents the bath water from flowing back to the hot water supply pipe 27 is provided.

  Next, a plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors 33 are arranged in the vertical direction of the hot water storage tank 2, and in this embodiment, five hot water storage temperature sensors are arranged and are called 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d, 33e from the top. The amount of heat remaining in the hot water storage tank 2 is detected based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 33, and the vertical temperature distribution in the hot water storage tank 2 is detected.

  The remote controller 5 is provided with a hot water supply temperature setting switch 34 for setting the hot water supply set temperature and a bath temperature setting switch 35 for setting the bath set temperature. Automatic bathing that fills the amount of water filled with a water filling amount setting switch (not shown) and keeps it warm for a predetermined time and replenishes water at a predetermined temperature to the set water level when the water level in the bathtub 6 drops by a predetermined amount. A switch 36 and a reheating switch 37 that repels bathtub water are provided.

  A hot water supply control unit 38 includes a microcomputer that receives the input of each sensor in the hot water storage tank unit 1 and controls the driving of each actuator, and constitutes a control unit. The remote controller 5 is connected to the hot water supply control unit 38 by wireless or wired so that the user can set arbitrary hot water supply set temperature and bath set temperature.

  39 is an automatic water replenishing means for automatically replenishing water when the bath automatic switch 36 is turned on, and automatically monitors the water level of the bathtub 6 with a water level sensor 40 comprising a pressure sensor provided in the bath outlet pipe 19. Is detected, and hot water 1 ° C. higher than the bath set temperature is replenished to the set water level through the hot water pipe 29.

  41 is an automatic heat retaining means for reheating for automatic bath operation when the bath automatic switch 36 is turned on, and has a timer means 42 to drive the bath circulation pump 20 every 20 minutes during the heat retention for 4 hours. The bath return temperature sensor 23 detects the current temperature of the hot water in the bathtub 6 and performs reheating using the heat exchanger 18 when the temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, and retreats to a temperature 1 ° C. lower than the set temperature of the bath. Keeping warm.

  Note that 43 is an overpressure relief valve for releasing the overpressure of the hot water storage tank 2, 44 is a pressure reducing valve for reducing the pressure of the water supply, 45 is a hot water supply flow rate counter for counting the amount of hot water to be supplied, and 46 is for detecting the temperature of the water supply. It is a feed water temperature sensor.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
First, when the hot water storage temperature sensor 39 detects that the necessary amount of heat does not remain in the hot water storage tank 2 in the midnight power time zone, the hot water supply control unit 38 issues a boiling start command to the heat pump control unit 17. To emit. Upon receiving the command, the heat pump controller 17 starts driving the compressor 11 and starts driving the heat pump circulation pump 16, and cools the low temperature water of about 5 to 20 ° C. taken out from the heat pump forward pipe 9 connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2. -Heated to a high temperature of about 70 to 90 ° C by the water heat exchanger 12, returned to the hot water tank 2 from the heat pump return pipe 10 connected to the upper part of the hot water tank 2, and stacked in order from the upper part of the hot water tank 2 Store hot water. When the hot water storage temperature sensor 33 detects that the necessary amount of heat has been stored, the hot water supply control unit 38 issues a boiling stop command to the heat pump control unit 17, and the heat pump control unit 17 stops the compressor 11 and heat pump circulation. The pump 16 is also stopped to end the boiling operation.

  Next, the hot water supply operation will be described. When the hot water tap 4 is opened, the water supplied from the water supply pipe 8 flows into the hot water storage tank 2. Then, the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 2 flows into the hot water supply mixing valve 25 through the hot water discharge pipe 7 and is mixed with the low temperature water from the hot water supply bypass pipe 26, and the hot water control section 38 sets the mixing ratio of the hot water supply mixing valve 28. The adjusted hot water of the hot water supply set temperature is supplied from the hot water tap 4. Then, the hot water supply is completed by closing the hot water tap 4.

  Next, the hot water filling operation to the bathtub 6 will be described. When the automatic bath switch 36 of the remote controller 5 is turned on, the hot water supply control unit 38 opens the hot water filling valve 30. Then, hot water adjusted to the bath set temperature by the hot water supply mixing valve 28 is filled from the hot water filling pipe 29 to the bathtub 6 through the bath return pipe 21, and a bath flow rate counter 31 provided in the middle of the hot water filling pipe 29 is predetermined. When the amount of hot water filling is counted, the hot water supply control unit 38 closes the hot water filling valve 30 and ends the hot water filling operation.

  Further, after completion of the hot water filling operation, the automatic rehydration and automatic heat retention for 4 hours are started. If described in accordance with the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, the heat retention interval is entered in step 47, and the timer is set in step 48 during the heat insulation interval. It is determined whether the means 42 has counted the lapse of 20 minutes, and if NO, the process proceeds to step 49, where it is detected whether the water level sensor 40 is the automatic water refill start water level. If NO, the process returns to step 48, and if YES, the process proceeds to step 50. 20 is turned on. After the bath water temperature is confirmed by the bath return temperature sensor 23 in step 51, the bath circulation pump 20 is temporarily turned off in step 52. The water level in the bathtub 6 is rechecked in step 53. In step 55, a predetermined amount of water is replenished at the bath set temperature + 1 ° C. One in which returns to the step 48 in the ES.

  If YES in step 48, the process proceeds to step 57 where the bath circulation pump 20 is turned on to circulate hot water in the bathtub 6, and in step 58, the water temperature in the bathtub 6 is confirmed, and then the process proceeds to step 59. The current hot water temperature in the bathtub 6 is detected and it is determined whether or not the bath set temperature is −1 ° C. or higher. If YES, the process proceeds to step 60 to stop the operation of the bath circulation pump 20 without reheating. Return to step 48 and wait for the next 20 minutes to elapse. If the bath set temperature is less than -1 ° C in step 59, the process proceeds to step 61 with NO and heat exchange with the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 is performed by the heat exchanger 18. The reheating is continued until the hot water temperature in the bathtub 6 reaches the bath set temperature −1 ° C. or more, and the process proceeds to step 60 to complete the reheating.

  Therefore, in the automatic water replenishment, the water temperature in the bathtub 6 is increased as much as possible by replenishing water higher than the set temperature, and even if the heat exchanger 18 is used for reheating, the reheating is performed lower than the set temperature. By reducing the warm water temperature in the hot water storage tank 2 by shortening the time as much as possible even if it does not retreat, or even if it retreats, it is possible to worry about efficient and hot water shortage. There is no hot water storage type hot water supply device.

  Furthermore, automatic water replenishment is automatically set to 1 ° C higher than the set temperature, and in the case of keeping warm, the temperature is automatically set to 1 ° C lower than the set temperature. However, the change temperature is only 1 ° C, so there is no impact on the user and there is no worry of strangeness. It can be used with peace of mind and has the great effect of reliably preventing hot water shortages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The schematic block diagram of the hot water storage type hot-water supply apparatus which shows one Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of the principal part electric circuit. The flowchart explaining the automatic heat insulation driving | operation.

Explanation of symbols

2 Hot water storage tank 6 Bath 18 Heat exchanger 20 Bath circulation pump 22 Bath circulation circuit 29 Hot water filling pipe 39 Automatic water replenishing means 41 Automatic heat retaining means

Claims (2)

  A hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a hot water pipe for dropping the hot water of the hot water storage tank into the bathtub, a bath circulation circuit connected to the bathtub, a bath circulation pump for circulating hot water in the bathtub to the bath circulation circuit, and a bath circulation A bath set temperature that maintains the water level of the bathtub at a set water level in a water heater that has a reheating heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the hot water of the bathtub circulating in the circuit and the hot water in the hot water storage tank. An automatic water replenishing means for automatically performing a higher water replenishment through a hot water filling pipe, and an automatic heat retaining means for reheating with a heat exchanger so as to maintain the hot water in the bathtub lower than the bath set temperature. Hot water storage hot water supply device characterized by things.   The hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic water replenishing means performs water replenishment that is several degrees higher than the bath set temperature, and the automatic heat retaining means performs reheating that is several degrees lower than the bath set temperature.

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