JP2005110913A - Oxygen enriched hot water supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means for preventing dew generated in the oxygen mixing operation from remaining in an oxygen supply passage. <P>SOLUTION: The oxygen enriched hot water supply device comprises a reheating circulating circuit 20 for circulating hot water in a bathtub 21 by a circulating pump 18, a reheating adaptor 22 mounted on the bathtub 21, an oxygen enriching device 26 for letting air permeate an oxygen enriching film 23 by a decompression means 24 and taking out high-concentration oxygen, and a mixing means 27 for mixing the high-concentration oxygen from the oxygen enriching device 26 to the reheating circulating circuit 20. The high-concentration oxygen mixed in circulation water is jetted out of an outlet of the reheating adaptor 22. The oxygen enriched hot water supply device also has air selecting valves 29 and 30 to form atmospheric air releasing passages between the oxygen enriching film 23 and the decompression means 24 and between the decompression means 24 and the mixing means 27, so that dew, remaining in the oxygen supply passage because of the suction of steam generated when the oxygen mixing operation is continued for a long period of time, is discharged. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a hot water supply apparatus having a function of supplying oxygen into bath water in a bathtub using a reheating pipe of a water heater having a recirculation circuit.

  Conventionally, this type of oxygen supply device is equipped with a fine bubble generator or jet injection device, and supplies gas to a pipeline for circulating bath water such as a bubble bath or jet bath that circulates bath water through these devices. A supply unit is provided, and an oxygen enricher for supplying oxygen-enriched air to the supply unit is provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

FIG. 3 shows an oxygen supply device for a conventional bathtub described in the above publication. In the figure, 1 is a bathtub, 2 is a conduit, 3 is a supply section, 4 is a suction port, 5 is a discharge port, 7 is an oxygen enrichment device, and 8 is a pump.
JP-A-4-2347

  In the above conventional configuration, when continuous operation is continued for a long time, the oxygen enricher takes in water vapor together with air, and the sucked water vapor passes through the oxygen enriched film and remains as condensed water in the pipe serving as the oxygen supply path. There is a problem that the residual dew condensation water leads to problems such as increase of various germs and freezing at low temperatures.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide means for avoiding that dew condensation water generated by an oxygen mixing operation remains in an oxygen supply path.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, an oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus of the present invention includes a recirculation circuit that circulates hot water in a bathtub by a circulation pump, a reheating adapter provided in the bathtub, and an oxygen-enriched film by a decompression unit. An oxygen enrichment device that takes out high concentration oxygen by passing air through, and a mixing means for mixing high concentration oxygen from the oxygen enrichment device into a recirculation circuit, A high-concentration oxygen mixed into the circulating water is jetted from the jet outlet, and an open air path can be formed between the oxygen-enriched film and the pressure-reducing means and between the pressure-reducing means and the mixing means. It is set as the structure provided with the air switching valve used.

  As a result, the condensed water remaining in the oxygen supply path after the oxygen mixing operation can be discharged out of the apparatus or evaporated spontaneously with dry air, so there are problems such as increase of bacteria due to residual condensed water and freezing at low temperatures. Can be eliminated.

  The oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus of the present invention can discharge and dry the condensed water remaining in the pipe by the oxygen mixing operation by operating the pressure reducing means in an open state by switching control of the air switching valve. It can prevent freezing destruction and growth of miscellaneous fungi due to residual dew condensation water.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a recirculation circuit that circulates hot water in a bathtub by a circulation pump, a reheating adapter provided in the bathtub, and high-concentration oxygen by passing air through an oxygen-enriched film by a decompression unit. An oxygen enriching device to be taken out, and a mixing means for mixing the high concentration oxygen from the oxygen enriching device into the recirculation circuit, and the high concentration mixed into the circulating water from the outlet of the reheating adapter. It is configured to eject oxygen, and includes an air switching valve capable of forming an air release path between the oxygen-enriched film and the decompression unit and between the decompression unit and the mixing unit. The phenomenon in which condensed water remains in the piping of the oxygen supply path due to the inhalation of water vapor that occurs when the oxygen-mixing operation is continued for a long time continuously, between the oxygen-enriched film and the decompression means, and the decompression means, Mixing means By controlling the air switching valve disposed between the oxygen supply path so as to be air opening path, discharging the condensed water remaining in the pipe, in which so as to dry.

  In the second invention, particularly in the first invention, when the oxygen mixing operation in which high-concentration oxygen is added and mixed in the circulation circuit is finished, the air switching valve is switched to the atmosphere opening side for a predetermined time, and the pressure reducing means is operated. And the air switching valve is switched after the oxygen mixing operation so that the oxygen supply path becomes an air release path, and the pressure reducing means is set for a predetermined time. , By driving the air directly through the oxygen supply path without passing through the oxygen enricher, the remaining condensed water is discharged and dried.

  The third invention is characterized by comprising a blowing means for supplying fresh air to the oxygen-enriched membrane. When taking out high-concentration oxygen from the atmosphere through the oxygen-enriched membrane, a large amount of air is removed. It is necessary to supply the oxygen-enriched membrane, and when it is incorporated in a gas water heater or the like, the desired high-concentration oxygen cannot be ensured only with the blower fan for supplying combustion air. By separately providing a blowing means only for supplying fresh air to the membrane, a large amount of fresh air can be supplied to the oxygen-enriched membrane separately from the combustion air.

  In the fourth aspect of the invention, when the oxygen mixing operation in which high-concentration oxygen is chased and mixed in the circulation circuit is finished, the blowing unit is stopped for a predetermined time, and the pressure reducing unit is operated without supplying air to the oxygen-enriched membrane. By driving the pressure reducing means in a state where the air blowing means is stopped after the oxygen mixing operation is completed, without sucking in air containing moisture such as water vapor from the oxygen-enriched film, The purge operation can be performed, and the remaining condensed water in the oxygen supply path can be reliably discharged and dried.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, when the oxygen mixing operation in which high-concentration oxygen is chased and mixed in the circulation circuit is terminated, the air blowing means is stopped for a predetermined time, and the air switching valve provided between the pressure reducing means and the mixing means is opened to the atmosphere. The depressurization means is operated in the state of being switched to the open side. After the oxygen mixing operation is completed, the blower means is stopped, and the air switching valve disposed between the depressurization means and the mixing means is opened to the atmosphere. By switching to the open side and driving the pressure reducing means, a purge operation can be performed without sucking air containing moisture such as water vapor from the oxygen-enriched film, and residual condensed water in the oxygen supply system can be discharged and dried. It becomes possible.

  In a sixth aspect of the present invention, when a predetermined time is detected during the oxygen mixing operation in which high concentration oxygen is added to the circulation circuit and detected, the blower is stopped for a predetermined time and air is supplied to the oxygen-enriched membrane. The pressure reducing means is operated in a state in which the pressure reducing means is operated, and when the preset time has elapsed even during the oxygen mixing operation, the oxygen mixing operation is temporarily interrupted, and the pressure reducing means is stopped while the air blowing means is stopped. Since the purge operation is performed by driving the residual dew condensation water in the oxygen supply path, it is possible to reliably discharge and dry.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a reheating hot water supply apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the internal configuration of the hot water supply apparatus main body 9 includes a burner 10 that heats a heat exchanger 12, and a burner fan 11 that sends combustion air to the burner 10. A combustion gas exhaust port 13 is provided on the downstream side of the heat exchanger 12 to discharge the combustion gas generated in the burner 10 out of the main body.

  Further, the heat exchanger 12 is provided with a hot water supply circuit 14 for heating water entered from the hot water supply inlet 15 and discharging the water from the currant 17 or the like via the hot water supply outlet 16, and the heat exchanger 12 further includes a bathtub. A recirculation circuit 20 is provided that circulates the hot and cold water 21 with the bath pump 18, heats it with the heat exchanger 12, and returns it to the bathtub 21 again.

  In one section of the hot water supply apparatus having such an internal configuration, an oxygen enrichment device 26 is provided for extracting oxygen from the atmosphere and mixing the highly concentrated oxygen into the circulating water of the recirculation circuit 20.

  This oxygen enrichment device 26 is composed of a special membrane, and an oxygen enrichment membrane 23 for extracting oxygen when air passes through the membrane, and when the air is passed through the oxygen enrichment membrane 23, the air is decompressed. A vacuum pump 24 which is a decompression means for passing air between the oxygen-enriched membranes 23 to obtain air with a high oxygen concentration, and a blower means for supplying fresh air to the oxygen-enriched membranes 23 The fan 25 is configured.

  And the mixing means 27 which supplies the high concentration oxygen produced | generated by the said oxygen enricher 20 to the recirculation circuit 20 is attached to the recirculation circuit 20, and the high concentration produced | generated by the oxygen enricher 20 is provided. The oxygen is mixed into the circulating water flowing through the recirculation circuit 20 in conjunction with the driving of the vacuum pump 24. As the configuration of the mixing means 27, for example, a configuration is used in which a throttle for circulating water such as an ejector is provided to pull oxygen from the oxygen enricher 26, thereby generating a negative pressure in the flow to generate oxygen-enriched air. If mixed, a large amount of oxygen can be added, and the effect is great. Here, it is characterized in that oxygen-enriched air is mixed into the circulating water after being heated, and if mixed before being heated, abnormal noise occurs while passing through the heat exchanger 12, This is because corrosion of the heat exchanger 12 may be accelerated.

  Further, the bathtub 21 is provided with a reheating adapter 22 that discharges the bathtub water that is circulated during a normal reheating operation. By discharging with the circulating water from the reheating adapter 22, high concentration oxygen is added to the entire bathtub. Can be ejected in the form of bubbles, and the bubble bath sensation can be fully enjoyed and the oxygen concentration in the bathroom can be maintained in an optimum state.

  In addition to such a basic enriched oxygen supply configuration, in this embodiment, a first air switching valve 29 is provided in the oxygen supply path between the oxygen enriched film 23 and the vacuum pump 24, A second air switching valve 30 is disposed in the oxygen supply path between the mixing means 27. Both the first air switching valve 29 and the second air switching valve 30 are configured as three-way valves that can be switched so that one of them is open to the atmosphere, and the first air switching valve 29 and the second air switching valve 29 When both the air switching valve 30 are switched to the atmosphere open side and the vacuum pump 24 is driven, a so-called purge operation is performed in which the atmosphere is sucked from the first air switching valve 29 and discharged from the second air switching valve 30 to the atmosphere. This makes it possible to discharge condensed water remaining in the oxygen supply path.

  Further, when the first air switching valve 29 is switched to the atmosphere opening side, the second air switching valve 30 is switched to the oxygen supply path side and the vacuum pump 24 is driven, a general air mixing operation becomes possible. Can be provided.

  In the oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus configured as described above, when an operation instruction is issued by an operation unit (not shown) and the currant 17 is operated in the case of a hot water supply operation, combustion of the burner 10 starts based on a predetermined sequence. Then, hot water of a predetermined temperature is discharged. Next, when a bath rebirth operation instruction is issued, the combustion of the burner 10 is similarly started and the bath pump 18 is driven so that the bath water circulates through the recirculation circuit 20 and is heated by the heat exchanger 12. The temperature of the hot water in the bathtub is raised to perform a chasing operation.

  When the oxygen mixing operation is instructed, the bath water is circulated through the recirculation circuit 20 by the bath pump 18 as in the case of the reheating operation. At this time, since the blower fan 25 is also driven, an air suction operation is started, and the fresh air sucked in a large amount is supplied to the oxygen-enriched film 23. When this fresh air passes through the oxygen-enriched film 23, the vacuum pump 23 operates to depressurize the passing air and take out only oxygen, and supply it as high-concentration oxygen to the mixing means 27 from the oxygen supply path. In the mixing means 27, high concentration oxygen supplied from the oxygen supply path is sucked and mixed into the circulating water by an ejector effect which is acted on by the circulating water flowing in the recirculation circuit 20. The mixed oxygen is ejected from the reheating adapter 22 into the bathtub.

  When the operation is continued continuously for a long time in this oxygen-mixing operation, when the fresh air taken in from the blower fan 25 contains water vapor or moisture, the oxygen-enriched film 23 takes out oxygen. Moisture in the air is taken in at the same time and remains in the oxygen supply path as condensed water. This residual condensed water causes the growth of various bacteria and freezes at low temperatures, impeding normal oxygen mixing operation. Will do.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described above, the first air switching valve 29 is disposed in the oxygen supply path between the oxygen-enriched film 23 and the vacuum pump 24, and the oxygen supply between the vacuum pump 24 and the mixing means 27 is performed. A second air switching valve 30 is disposed in the path. Then, after the oxygen mixing operation is finished, both the first air switching valve 29 and the second air switching valve 30 are switched so as to communicate with each other in an open state, and the vacuum pump 24 is driven for a predetermined time. By this operation, for example, even if dew condensation water remains in the oxygen supply path during the oxygen mixing operation, the dew condensation water is discharged to the atmosphere by the purge operation in which fresh air is circulated in the oxygen supply path in an open state. It can be dried.

  Further, when the first air switching valve 29 and the second air switching valve 30 are switched so as to communicate with each other in an air-released state and the vacuum pump 24 is driven for a predetermined time, the blower fan 25 is stopped and oxygen rich In a state in which fresh air is not supplied to the chemical film 23, that is, without purging air containing moisture such as water vapor from the oxygen-enriched film 23, residual condensed water in the oxygen supply path is reliably discharged and dried by performing a purge operation. Like to do.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, when it is detected that a certain time A has elapsed since the start of the oxygen mixing operation, a sequence for operating the vacuum pump 24 with the blower fan 25 stopped for a certain time B is performed. By incorporating it, dry air flows in the oxygen pipe, and the user can discharge and dry the condensed water in the pipe while enjoying air bubbles from the bathtub adapter. Moreover, the residual amount of dew condensation water in the pipe can always be kept within a certain value.

  As described above, the oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus of the present invention exhibits the phenomenon in which condensed water remains in the piping of the oxygen supply path due to the suction of water vapor that occurs when the oxygen-mixing operation is continuously continued for a long time. By controlling the air switching valve disposed between the pressure reducing means and between the pressure reducing means and the mixing means, the oxygen supply path becomes an air release path, and the condensed water remaining in the pipe is discharged and dried. Therefore, the present invention can be applied to a 24-hour bath for supplying oxygen into bath water in a bathtub by using a reheating pipe of a water heater having a recirculation circuit.

Overall configuration diagram of oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention Time chart for continuous operation in the hot water supply system Configuration diagram of conventional oxygen enricher

Explanation of symbols

18 Pump 20 Recirculation circuit 21 Bath 22 Reheating adapter 23 Oxygen-enriched membrane 24 Vacuum pump (pressure reduction means)
26 Oxygen enrichment device 27 Mixing means 29 First air switching valve 30 Second air switching valve

Claims (6)

A recirculation circuit that circulates hot water in the bathtub by a circulation pump, a reheating adapter provided in the bathtub, and an oxygen enricher that takes out high-concentration oxygen by allowing air to pass through the oxygen-enriched membrane by a decompression means; And a mixing means for mixing high-concentration oxygen from the oxygen-enriching device into the recirculation circuit, and a structure for ejecting high-concentration oxygen mixed into the circulating water from the spout of the reheating adapter; An oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus comprising an air switching valve capable of forming an air release path between the oxygen-enriched film and the depressurizing means and between the depressurizing means and the mixing means. When the oxygen mixing operation in which high-concentration oxygen was chased and mixed in the circulation circuit was completed, the air switching valve was switched to the atmosphere opening side for a predetermined time, and the pressure reducing means was operated to circulate the atmosphere through the oxygen supply path. The oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1. The oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a blowing means for supplying fresh air to the oxygen-enriched film. Claims: When the oxygen mixing operation in which high-concentration oxygen is added and mixed in the circulation circuit is terminated, the blowing means is stopped for a predetermined time, and the pressure reducing means is operated without supplying air to the oxygen-enriched membrane. The oxygen-enriched hot water supply device according to any one of 1 to 3. When the oxygen mixing operation in which high-concentration oxygen is added and mixed in the circulation circuit is terminated, the air blowing means is stopped for a predetermined time, and the air switching valve provided between the pressure reducing means and the mixing means is switched to the atmosphere opening side. The oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the decompression means is operated. When a predetermined time is detected during the oxygen mixing operation in which high-concentration oxygen is added and mixed in the circulation circuit, the blowing means is stopped for a predetermined time, and the pressure reducing means is not supplied to the oxygen-enriched membrane. The oxygen-enriched hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the apparatus is operated.

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