JP2008170099A - Hot water supply system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To supply warm water from immediately after the start of use by circulating warm water in hot water supply piping to a hot water storage tank when the possibility of a user using warm water is high. <P>SOLUTION: This hot water supply system comprises: the hot water storage tank 10 storing warm water; the hot water supply piping 35 supplying warm water stored in the hot water storage tank 10, to a warm water supply port 40; circulation piping 37 connecting a predetermined part of the hot water supply piping 35 to the hot water storage tank 10; a pump 70 for feeding warm water in the hot water supply piping 35 to the hot water supply tank 10 through the circulation piping 37; and a control part 90 for controlling the pump 70. The control part 90 operates the pump 90 when it is assumed that the user uses warm water. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a hot water supply system and method for supplying hot water stored in a hot water storage tank.

  As a conventional hot water supply system for home use, a hot water supply system in which hot hot water is stored in a hot water storage tank and the hot water is supplied to a plurality of hot water outlets such as a shower and a curan through a hot water supply pipe is generally used. is there. In such a conventional hot water supply system, at the hot water outlet located away from the hot water storage tank, the hot water in the hot water supply pipe cools while the hot water is not being supplied, and the hot water supply is opened for a while after starting the hot water supply. During that time, cold hot water often comes out. For this reason, the user has to wait for a long time until the hot water comes out, which is unpleasant, and there is a problem that the water until hot water is wasted.

  Therefore, in order to cope with such a problem, Patent Document 1 provides a circulation system that circulates the hot water in the hot water supply pipe and circulates the hot water that circulates through the circulation system at a time zone such as midnight with a heat pump. A technique for preventing a temperature drop of hot water in a system is disclosed.

However, even in a hot water supply system equipped with such a circulation system, if hot water is circulated in the hot water supply pipe for a long time in a time zone when hot water is not used, such as late-night hours, the entire hot water supply system is radiated from the hot water supply pipe. COP (Coefficient of Performance), that is, thermal efficiency per consumed energy is lowered.
JP 2005-147597 A

  In response to such a problem, the present invention can supply hot water immediately after the start of use by circulating the hot water in the hot water supply pipe to the hot water storage tank only when the user is likely to use the hot water. An object is to provide a hot water supply system and method.

A first invention is a hot water storage tank for storing hot water;
A hot water supply pipe for supplying hot water stored in the hot water storage tank to the hot water outlet;
A circulation pipe connecting the predetermined portion of the hot water supply pipe and the hot water storage tank;
A pump for feeding hot water in the hot water supply pipe to the hot water storage tank via the circulation pipe;
A control unit for controlling the pump;
With
The control unit is a hot water supply system that operates the pump when a user is assumed to use hot water.

2nd invention is the hot-water supply system as described in 1st invention, Comprising:
A human sensor that senses when a person is approaching,
The control unit is a hot water supply system that operates the pump when the human sensor detects a person.

3rd invention is the hot-water supply system as described in 1st or 2nd invention, Comprising:
A storage unit storing use pattern information indicating a time zone in which hot water is assumed to be used;
The said control part is a hot water supply system characterized by operating the said pump in the time slot | zone when it is assumed that warm water is used based on the usage pattern information memorize | stored in the said memory | storage part.

4th invention is the hot-water supply system as described in 3rd invention,
A hot water supply performance information acquisition unit that acquires hot water supply performance information indicating a time zone in which hot water supply is actually performed from a hot water supply port and stores the information in the storage unit,
The control unit estimates a time zone in which hot water is likely to be used based on hot water supply performance information stored in the storage unit, and operates the pump during this time zone. .

  The usage pattern information and the hot water supply performance information include information such as season and day of the week, and the control unit may set a time zone for operating the pump using information corresponding to the season and day of the day. Good.

5th invention is the hot-water supply system as described in 1st-4th invention,
When there are a plurality of hot water supply ports, the hot water supply system includes the pump corresponding to each hot water supply port.

  According to the present invention, a hot water supply system and method capable of supplying hot water immediately after the start of use by circulating the hot water in the hot water supply pipe to the hot water storage tank when the user is likely to use the hot water. Can be provided.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a hot water supply system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the hot water supply system 1 of this embodiment includes a hot water storage tank 10, a three-way valve 20, a hot water supply port 40, a human sensor 50, a check valve 60, a pump 70, a control unit 90, a storage unit 92, and the like. I have.

  The hot water storage tank 10 is a tank that stores high-temperature (for example, 90 ° C.) hot water. Heating means 12 (for example, for example, provided with water at room temperature (substantially the same as the outside temperature, for example, 5 to 30 ° C.) supplied from the outside through the water supply pipes 31 and 32 and provided with the room temperature water in the hot water storage tank 10. Hot water is generated and stored by heating with an electric heater or the like. When the hot water in the hot water storage tank 10 has boiled by the heating means, the steam is discharged from the pipe 38 via the relief valve 39 so that the pressure in the hot water storage tank 10 does not exceed a predetermined pressure. Also good. Further, the hot water to be stored may be generated by a heating means (for example, a heat pump) provided outside the hot water storage tank 10.

  The three-way valve 20 has an appropriate temperature (for example, 60 ° C.) for mixing hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 10 and normal temperature water supplied via the water supply pipes 31 and 33 to supply hot water. The hot water having the appropriate temperature is supplied to the hot water supply port 40 via the hot water supply pipe 35.

  The hot water supply port 40 is provided in a place where the user uses hot water, such as the faucets 40a, 40b, and 40c and the shower 40s. The used hot water is supplied from the hot water storage tank 10 through hot water supply pipes 34, 35, 35a, 35b, and 35c. Moreover, normal temperature water is also supplied to the hot water supply port through water supply pipes 36, 36a, 36b, and 36c, and the temperature of hot water to be used can be appropriately adjusted by mixing hot water and normal temperature water at the hot water supply port 40. it can.

  Circulation pipe 37a connects hot water storage tank 10 with a location near hot water supply port 40a on hot water supply pipe 35a. Similarly, the circulation pipes 37b and 37c are connected via the hot water storage tank 10 and locations near the hot water supply ports 40b and 40c on the hot water supply pipes 35b and 35c.

  The human sensor 50 is installed in the vicinity of the hot water supply port 40 and detects that a person has approached the hot water supply port 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the human sensor 50 may be separately installed as the human sensors 50 a to 50 c in each of the hot water supply ports 40 a to 40 c. Alternatively, when there are a plurality of hot water outlets 40 at locations close to each other, the hot water outlets 40 may be collectively detected by one human sensor 50.

  The circulation pipe 37 a is provided with a pump 70 a and a check valve 60 a so that the hot water in the hot water supply pipe 35 a can be returned to the hot water storage tank 10 by the pump 70 a. Similarly, a check valve 60b, a check valve 60c, a pump 70b, and a pump 70c are installed in the circulation pipe 37b and the circulation pipe 37c, respectively. In addition, when the common human sensor 50 is installed with respect to the some hot water supply port 40, the check valve 60 and the pump 70 are installed in the location where the circulation piping 37 branched from those hot water supply ports 40 merges. May be.

  The temperature sensor 80 is installed on the hot water supply pipe 35 (for example, the hot water supply pipe 35a) near the hot water supply port 40 (for example, the faucet 40a), and detects the temperature of the hot water in the hot water supply pipe 35 (for example, the hot water supply pipe 35a).

  The input unit 91 receives input of information related to a hot water usage pattern for a time zone in which hot water is used at each hot water supply port 40. For example, it is assumed that if the couple is a working couple who has no children, the hot water of the faucet 40a of the wash basin is used in the morning and night of weekdays and is rarely used in the middle of the night and day. The holidays are assumed to be used from morning until before noon, in the evening and at night, and not at midnight. The input unit 91 receives input of information such as season, date, day of the week, and time zone from a user of hot water. Information received by the input unit 91 is stored in the storage unit 92. Furthermore, the input unit 91 may accept the input of the temperature of hot water to be supplied with hot water in association with information such as season, date, day of the week, time zone, and the like, and store the input in the storage unit 92.

  The hot water supply performance information acquisition unit 93 acquires information about the season, date, day of the week, time zone, and the like (hereinafter referred to as hot water supply performance information) from the hot water supply port 40 and stores the information in the storage unit 92. This hot water supply performance information may be acquired based on the detection output of this sensor, for example, by providing sensors for detecting the presence or absence of hot water at each of the hot water outlets 40a to 40c, or by human sensors 50a to 50c. You may make it acquire the time slot | zone when this was detected as a hot water supply time slot | zone. Furthermore, the hot water supply result information acquisition unit 93 may acquire information such as season, date, day of the week, time zone, and the like for the temperature of hot water to be supplied with hot water, and store the information in the storage unit 92.

  When the control unit 90 receives information indicating that a person has been detected from the human sensor 50, the control unit 90 operates the pump 70.

  Moreover, the control part 90 estimates the time slot | zone with a high possibility that warm water is used based on the hot water supply performance information memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 92, and operates the pump 70 in the time slot | zone. At that time, the estimation is performed by taking into account the season, date, and day of the day, and using hot water supply performance information for the corresponding season, date, and day of the week. Further, the control unit 90 operates the pump 70 in a time zone with a high probability of being used according to the information regarding the usage pattern stored in the storage unit 92. Also in this case, the time zone in which the pump 70 is operated is determined using the information regarding the usage pattern in the relevant season, date, and day of the week in consideration of the season, date, and day of the week.

  Next, operations before and after the start of hot water supply will be described. When a person approaches the hot water supply port 40, the human sensor 50 detects the person and transmits the information to the pump 70. The pump 50 starts operating as soon as information is received from the human sensor 50. Then, the hot water staying in the hot water supply pipe 35 and the like returns to the hot water storage tank 10 through the circulation pipe 37 and the like, and high temperature hot water is supplied from the hot water storage tank 10 to the hot water supply port 40 through the hot water supply pipe 35. The This makes it possible to supply hot water having a sufficiently high water temperature immediately after a person approaching the hot water supply port 40 starts using hot water at the hot water supply port.

  Even if the human sensor 50 does not detect a person, it can be a time zone in which hot water is assumed to be used based on the hot water usage pattern and the hot water supply performance information stored in advance in the storage unit 92 as described above. In this case, the storage unit 92 operates the pump 70.

  Moreover, the temperature sensor 80 detects the temperature of the hot water in the hot water supply pipe 35 at this time, and when the temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature (for example, 45 ° C.), the operation of the pump 70 is stopped. The operation of the pump 70 may be stopped when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 80 reaches the predetermined temperature after a while after the start of hot water supply. The predetermined temperature may be set using the hot water supply temperature included in the hot water supply performance information for the applicable season, date, and day of the week in consideration of the season, date, and day of the week. Alternatively, the temperature may be set uniformly according to the season, such as a low hot water temperature in summer and a high hot water temperature in winter.

  As described above, according to the hot water supply system 1 of the present embodiment, when the user is assumed to use hot water, the hot water is stored in the hot water storage tank 10 via the circulation pipe 37 before the user starts using the hot water. By circulating the warm water, the warm water in the hot water supply pipe 35 can be warmed when the user starts using the warm water. Thereby, a user can supply hot water of desired temperature from the hot water supply port 40 immediately after the start of use of hot water.

  In addition, by taking into account the season, date, and day of the week, it is possible to deal finely with differences in time zones and hot water temperatures related to hot water use such as weekdays and holidays, and summer and winter.

  In addition, according to the hot water supply system 1, the hot water supply pipe 35 is filled with warm hot water during a time period when the user is likely to use hot water, so that hot hot water is heated in the hot water supply pipe 35 during a time period when hot water is not used. It does not circulate, and therefore it does not unnecessarily dissipate heat from the hot water supply pipe 35, and energy loss associated with hot water supply can be reduced.

  As a function of predicting when the user is assumed to use hot water, more accurate prediction is possible by combining human detection by the human sensor 50 and information related to the hot water usage pattern stored in the storage unit 92. can do.

  In addition, the description of the above embodiment is for making an understanding of this invention easy, and does not limit this invention. It goes without saying that the present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

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

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hot water supply system 10 Hot water storage tank 12 Heating means 20 Three-way valve 31, 32, 33 Water supply piping 34, 35 Hot water supply piping 36 Water supply piping 37 Circulation piping 40 Hot water supply port 50 Human sensor 60 Check valve 70 Pump 80 Temperature sensor 90 Control part 91 Input unit 92 Storage unit 93 Hot water supply performance information acquisition unit

Claims (6)

A hot water storage tank for storing hot water;
A hot water supply pipe for supplying hot water stored in the hot water storage tank to the hot water outlet;
A circulation pipe connecting the predetermined portion of the hot water supply pipe and the hot water storage tank;
A pump for feeding hot water in the hot water supply pipe to the hot water storage tank via the circulation pipe;
A control unit for controlling the pump;
With
The said control part operates the said pump when it is assumed that a user uses warm water, The hot water supply system characterized by the above-mentioned. The hot water supply system according to claim 1,
A human sensor that senses when a person is approaching,
The hot water supply system according to claim 1, wherein the controller activates the pump when the human sensor detects a person. The hot water supply system according to claim 1 or 2,
A storage unit storing use pattern information indicating a time zone in which hot water is assumed to be used;
The said control part operates the said pump in the time slot | zone assumed that warm water is used based on the usage pattern information memorize | stored in the said memory | storage part, The hot water supply system characterized by the above-mentioned. The hot water supply system according to claim 3,
A hot water supply performance information acquisition unit that acquires hot water supply performance information indicating a time zone in which hot water supply is actually performed from a hot water supply port and stores the information in the storage unit,
The control unit estimates a time zone in which hot water is likely to be used based on hot water supply performance information stored in the storage unit, and operates the pump in this time zone. The hot water supply system according to claim 1,
When there are a plurality of hot water outlets, the hot water supply system includes the pump corresponding to each hot water outlet. Storing hot water in a hot water storage tank;
Supplying hot water stored in the hot water storage tank to a hot water supply port with hot water supply piping;
When the user is likely to use hot water, the pump pumps hot water in the hot water supply pipe to the hot water storage tank through a circulation pipe that connects a predetermined location of the hot water supply pipe and the hot water storage tank. A step to pay,
A hot water circulation preheating method characterized by comprising:

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