JP2000356402A - Hot-water supplier - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the amount of initial cold water upon discharging hot-water out of a water cock or the like and omit the waste of heating cost when the hot-water is circulated at all times. SOLUTION: When a flow regulating handle 3a is operated so as to be opened, a solenoid valve 25 is closed and hot-water from a hot-water supplier 10 pushes out water, remaining in pipelines 15, 17, 19, 20, from a water cock fitting 3. Water in the other pipelines 21, 23 is extracted slowly into the pipeline 15. When the purge of cold water in the pipelines 15, 17, 19, 20 by the hot-water from the hot-water supplier 10 into the water cock fitting 3 is finished, the temperature of hot-water, discharged out of the water cock fitting 3, is increased. The solenoid valve 25 is opened after the detecting temperature of a temperature sensor 24 has arrived at a sufficiently high predetermined temperature.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot water supply apparatus, and more particularly, to a hot water supply apparatus in which the amount of cold water at the start of discharge is reduced in a faucet or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an instant hot water supply device in which hot water flows out of a faucet from the beginning of discharge, a circulation hot water supply line is provided from a boiler to a bathroom or a washroom, and hot water is constantly circulated through this circulation hot water supply line. Hot water is discharged from a faucet connected to the circulating hot water supply line.

[0003]

Such a circulation type hot water supply system is employed in hotels, hospitals and the like. However, in a general house, the boiler is always operated even during standby. Costs are extremely high and are not widespread. For this reason, in a general house, cold water is discarded until the discharge water temperature becomes high, and a considerable amount of water is wasted especially in winter. In addition,
There is a commercially available apparatus for warming water by providing a pot with an electric heater in a hot water supply pipe in the immediate vicinity of a faucet, but it requires a power cost for always storing hot water in the pot.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a hot water supply apparatus which reduces waste of water and heating cost.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A hot water supply apparatus according to the present invention comprises a hot water supply apparatus and a hot water supply pipe for guiding hot water from the hot water supply apparatus to a faucet fitting, wherein at least a part of the hot water supply pipe is connected in parallel. Immediately after the start of hot water supply, the hot water from the water heater flows toward the faucet fitting via the first pipe, and then the first and second pipes And a flow path switching means for flowing hot water from the water heater toward the faucet fitting through the water supply device.

In such a hot water supply device, immediately after the hot water is supplied from the hot water supply device, the hot water flows toward the faucet via only the first pipe. For this reason, when the cold water remaining in the first pipe ends out of the faucet, the temperature of the water discharged from the faucet starts to rise.

[0007] The internal volume of the first pipe is equal to the first pipe and the second pipe.
According to the present invention, the amount of initial cold water flowing out of the faucet fitting is small because it is smaller than the total internal volume of the piping.

In the present invention, the first pipe and the second pipe have their upstream and downstream portions communicating with each other, and water flows from the water heater only into the first pipe. It is preferable that the second pipe is connected to the first pipe so that the water in the second pipe is sucked into the first pipe from an upstream side thereof by a venturi action when the second pipe is opened.

In this case, the vicinity of the upstream end of the second pipe is the first pipe.
It is preferable that a third pipe connected to the water heater side of the connecting portion between the second pipe and the second pipe be provided, and that the third pipe be provided with an on-off valve, and further the second pipe be provided. A temperature sensor for detecting water temperature is provided on the second pipe closer to the faucet than the connection between the pipe and the third pipe, and the on-off valve is opened when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. Preferably, a valved controller is provided.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the first pipe and the second pipe are constituted by double pipes.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a water heater according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are system diagrams showing operating states of the water heater.

Referring to FIG. 1, the overall configuration of the water heater and the control system will be described. The water supply is introduced into the hot water supply device via a pipe 1, and a part of the water supply is supplied to a faucet fitting 3 in a bathroom or a washroom via a pipe 2 and a pipe 2a branched therefrom. The faucet fitting 3 is a thermostatic mixing valve, and includes a temperature control handle 3a and a flow control handle 3b which are manually operated, and a water discharge pipe 3c.

Further, a part of the water supply is supplied to the water heater 10 through the pipe 4. The water introduced into the water heater 10 is discharged as hot water through the pipe 5, the flowing water sensor 6, the pipe 7, the heat exchanger 8, and the pipe 9.

The water heater 10 has a burner 12 disposed in the immediate vicinity of the heat exchanger 8, and gas is supplied to the burner 12 through a gas pipe 14 having a governor 13. The governor 13 is controlled by the flowing water sensor 6. When the flowing water sensor 6 detects the flow of water, the governor 13 opens and the burner 12 is ignited.

Hot water from the water heater 10 is supplied to pipes 15 and 17.
Is supplied to the faucet fitting 3 through
6 and is also supplied to a kitchen faucet (not shown).

A flowing water sensor 18 is provided in the pipe 17. The secondary side (outflow side) of the flowing water sensor 18 is branched into two pipes 19 and 22.

The pipe 19 is connected to the faucet fitting 3 via a pipe 20.
Connected to the hot water supply port.

One end of a pipe 21 is connected to the connection between the pipe 19 and the pipe 20, and the other end of the pipe 21 is connected to the pipe 22. One end of a pipe 23 is connected to the connection between the pipes 21 and 22,
Is connected to the middle of the pipe 19. This other end of the pipe 23 is connected to the pipe wall of the pipe 19 in a T-shape or obliquely, and when water flows through the pipe 19 toward the faucet fitting 3, the water in the pipe 23 is slightly reduced. Each of them is drawn out into the pipe 19 by the Venturi effect. The pipe 19 is provided with a venturi section, a pipe 23 is connected to the venturi section, and a negative pressure is generated in the venturi section when water flows through the pipe 19 toward the faucet fitting 3. The water in the pipe 23 by the pipe 1
9 may be sucked.

The pipe 21 is provided with a temperature sensor 24,
The pipe 22 is provided with an open / close type solenoid valve 25. The detection signals of the flowing water sensor 18 and the temperature sensor 24 are input to a controller 26, which outputs a control signal to an electromagnetic valve 25.

In the hot water supply apparatus configured as described above, basically, hot water is discharged from the faucet fitting 3 by operating the flow adjusting handle 3a of the faucet fitting 3 in the bathroom or the washroom. However, the solenoid valve 25 is controlled in order to reduce the amount of cold water at the beginning of the discharge. This control method will be described next with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram for explaining the flow of water (hot water) immediately after the flow adjusting handle 3b of the faucet fitting 3 is opened. When the flow control handle 3b is opened, the piping 1
Normally, low-temperature water remains in 9 and 21, so that the electromagnetic valve 25 is closed so as to prevent cold water in the pipe 21 from being discharged from the faucet fitting 3.

Hot water discharged from the water heater 10 is supplied to the pipe 1
The water flows into the faucet fitting 3 via 5, 17, 19, and 20.
For a while after the start of tapping, these pipes 15, 17, 1
The cold water remaining in 9, 20 flows out of the faucet fitting 3. On the other hand, the cold water remaining in the pipes 21 and 23 does not immediately flow into the faucet fitting 3, but the pipes 21 and 23.
The water inside is gradually drawn into the pipe 15 and flows into the faucet fitting 3 little by little.

Hot water from water heater 10 is supplied to pipes 15, 17, 1
When the cold water in 9 and 20 is driven out to the faucet fitting 3, the temperature of the water discharged from the faucet fitting 3 rises. Even after the hot water from the water heater 11 reaches the faucet fitting 3, the water remaining in the pipes 21 and 23 flows into the pipe 19 little by little, so that the discharge water temperature from the faucet fitting 3 is relatively slow. And rise.

When the water in the pipes 21 and 23 is gradually drawn into the pipe 19, the water (or hot water) in the pipe 19 gradually flows into the pipe 21 from the connection between the pipes 19 and 21. Then, as the hot water in the pipe 19 flows into the pipe 21, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 24 gradually increases.

Eventually, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 24 reaches a sufficiently high predetermined temperature (for example, about 35 ° C.). At this time, the solenoid valve 25 is opened.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the solenoid valve 25 is opened. In FIG. 3, the hot water from the water heater 10 branches to pipes 19 and 22 via pipes 15 and 17,
9 and the pipe 21 flow toward the faucet fitting 3. Therefore, hot water is supplied to the faucet fitting 3 at a large flow rate.

In the above embodiment, one faucet fitting 3 is shown, but a plurality of faucet fittings 3 may be connected to the pipe 15 in the same manner.

In this embodiment, the pipe 19 corresponds to the first pipe, the pipe 22 corresponds to the third pipe, and the pipes 21 and 23 correspond to the second pipe.
The paired pipes 19 and 21 may be formed of a pair tube or a double tube, respectively. When a pair tube (two pipes are arranged in parallel and connected to each other) or a double pipe is employed as described above, the pipe 19 and the pipe 21 need only be routed once. Is possible. In particular, when a double pipe is adopted, there is an advantage that there is no problem even if the inner pipe seal has low reliability.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an example of a configuration employing this double pipe, and FIG. 4 shows a state at the time of initial cold water discharge.
FIG. 5 shows a state in which both the inner pipe and the outer pipe are used for hot water supply.

The double pipe 30 has an inner pipe 31 and an outer pipe 32. The inside of the inner pipe 31 corresponds to a flow path in the pipe 19, and the space between the inner pipe 31 and the outer pipe 32 corresponds to a flow path in the pipe 21.

A joint 40 is provided at one end of the double pipe 30, and a joint 50 is provided at the other end. Fitting 40
Has an inflow port 41 connected to the water heater, an outflow port 42 connected to the inner pipe 31, an in / out port 43 connected between the outer pipe 32 and the inner pipe 31, and a suction port 44. A venturi nozzle 45 is provided between the inflow port 41 and the outflow port 42, and a suction port 44 is provided beside the venturi nozzle 45. Suction port 4
4 is connected to the pipe 23, and an inlet / outlet port 43 and the pipe 23 are connected by a pipe having a temperature sensor 24.

The joint 50 has an inflow port 51, an in / out port 52 provided on the outer peripheral side of the inflow port 51, and an outflow port 53. The access port 52 and the inflow port 51 communicate with each other in the joint 50.

The end on the outflow port 53 side is fixed to a wall 60 such as a bathroom or a washroom by a nut 61, and a leg pipe (not shown) of the faucet fitting 3 is connected to the port 53.

The inner tube 31 is simply inserted into the outer tube 32. At both ends of the double pipe 30, the inner pipe 31
In order to make the outer tube 32 and the outer tube 32 concentric, a core metal fitting 70 shown in FIG. 6 is inserted between the inner tube 31 and the outer tube 32. The core metal fitting 70 has an outwardly facing flange 7 on one end side.
1 and a substantially cylindrical shape having a claw portion 72 standing inward on the other end side. The inner tube 31 is concentrically arranged with respect to the outer tube 32 when the claw portion 72 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the inner tube 31.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the joints 40 and 50 and the double pipe 30 are connected to the fastening ring 8 screwed into the joints 40 and 50.
0, the outer tube 32 and the joint 40,
The connection is made by a locking ring 81 pushed into between the outer ring 50 and the outer peripheral surface.

In the state of FIG. 4 in which water (cold water initially flows) from the pipe 17, the solenoid valve 25 is closed, and the water from the pipe 17 receives the inflow port 41, the venturi nozzle 45, Outflow port 42, inner pipe 31, inflow port 5
1. Flow in the order of the outflow port 53. Due to the negative pressure generated by the passage of the water through the venturi nozzle 45, the water inside the pipe 23 and between the outer pipe 32 and the inner pipe 31 is gradually drawn out toward the inner pipe 31 via the suction port 44. With this withdrawal, the outer tube 32 is
And water flows between the inner pipe 31 and the inner pipe 31. The temperature of the water flowing out between the outer pipe 32 and the inner pipe 31 via the inlet / outlet port 43 is detected by the temperature sensor 24.

When the water temperature detected by the temperature sensor 24 reaches a predetermined temperature, the solenoid valve 25 opens. As a result, FIG.
As described above, hot water from the pipe 17 flows through both the inner pipe 31 and the outer pipe 32 toward the faucet fitting 3.

The venturi nozzle 45 may be omitted. Even if the venturi nozzle 45 is omitted, when the water flows from the inflow port 41 to the outflow port 42, the water is sucked little by little from the suction port 44 into the joint 40.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, when discharged from a faucet or the like, the amount of initial cold water is reduced. Therefore, compared with the conventional example in which the cold water is discarded and the warm water is waited, the amount of waste water is saved. Further, the heating cost of water can be reduced as compared with the case where hot water is constantly circulated or heated in a pot to keep it warm.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a hot water supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing an operation state of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a system diagram of an operation state of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a double pipe.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a double pipe.

FIG. 6 (a) is a plan view of a core used for a double pipe,
(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view showing a mounted state of the core.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 faucet fitting 3a temperature control handle 3b flow control handle 3c water discharge pipe 6,8 running water sensor 10 water heater 24 temperature sensor 25 solenoid valve 26 controller

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A hot water supply apparatus comprising a water heater and a hot water supply pipe for guiding hot water from the hot water supply to a faucet fitting, wherein at least a part of the hot water supply pipe is constituted by first and second parallel pipes. Immediately after the start of hot water supply, the hot water from the water heater flows toward the faucet fitting via the first pipe, and then the hot water from the water heater is supplied via the first and second pipes. A hot-water supply device comprising a flow path switching means for flowing toward a metal fitting. 2. The water supply system according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe and the second pipe have an upstream portion and a downstream portion communicating with each other, and only the first pipe has a water heater. The second pipe is connected to the first pipe so that the water in the second pipe is sucked into the first pipe from the upstream side by the venturi action when the water flows. A hot water supply device. 3. A third pipe according to claim 2, wherein the third pipe connects the vicinity of the upstream end of the second pipe to a water heater side of a connection portion between the first pipe and the second pipe. , The third
A hot water supply device characterized in that an open / close valve is provided in the piping of (1). 4. A temperature sensor for detecting a water temperature according to claim 3, wherein a temperature sensor for detecting a water temperature is provided on the second pipe closer to the faucet than the connection between the second pipe and the third pipe. A hot water supply device comprising: a controller that opens the on-off valve when the temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. 5. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe and the second pipe are formed of a double pipe.