JP2009014243A - Water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water heater capable of suppressing microorganisms and the like generated in a drainage neutralizer. <P>SOLUTION: A rectangular parallelepiped housing 31, a partitioning wall 33 partitioning the inside of the housing 31 and forming a drain passage 34, a trap plate 35, and net-like bodies 42, 46 constituting the drainage neutralizer 20 of this water heater are composed of antibacterial metallic material. Thus a latent heat recovery-type water heater can be constituted to suppress generation and growth of microorganisms in the neutralized drainage by bringing the drainage neutralized by a neutralizer filled in the drainage neutralizer 20, into contact with the antibacterial metallic material when the drainage flows down in the downstream side direction along the drainage passage 34. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a water heater, and more particularly, to a water heater provided with a heat exchanger that recovers sensible heat and latent heat from combustion exhaust of a burner to heat water.

  Conventionally, a main heat exchanger mainly for the purpose of sensible heat recovery is provided upstream in the combustion exhaust passage, and a secondary heat exchanger mainly for the purpose of recovering latent heat is provided on the downstream side to achieve a high heat exchange rate. An obtained latent heat recovery type water heater is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). This type of water heater has, for example, a finned tube type auxiliary heat exchanger and a finned tube type main heat exchanger that are spaced apart in two upper and lower stages, and in the space between them, the latent heat is generated by the auxiliary heat exchanger. The drain receiving tray for receiving the drain (condensed water after the latent heat recovery) generated by the recovery is provided.

In such a latent heat recovery type water heater, first, the high-temperature combustion exhaust from the burner flows between the main fins of the main heat exchanger through the air supply fan, and heat is exchanged well. Further, the combustion exhaust gas whose temperature has fallen flows between the sub fins of the sub heat exchanger, and heat is exchanged well in the sub heat exchanger and is discharged outside the appliance. On the other hand, the drain generated by the recovery of latent heat in the auxiliary heat exchanger placed above is collected in a drain pan, treated with a neutralizer through a drain discharge pipe, and then discharged to a drainage facility such as a sewer. The
JP 2002-267273 A

  However, in the above-described conventional water heater, since the neutralized drain stays in the neutralizer for a certain time during the drain neutralization treatment in the neutralizer, microorganisms and the like are in the neutralizer. There was a problem that it was unhygienic because it developed and proliferated.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a water heater provided with a neutralizer capable of sterilizing and antibacterial of microorganisms and the like generated in the neutralizer.

  In order to achieve the above object, a water heater according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a burner that burns fuel gas in a combustion chamber provided in the appliance, and heat transfer by recovering sensible heat from the combustion exhaust of the burner. A main heat exchanger for heating the water flow in the pipe, a sub heat exchanger for recovering latent heat from the combustion exhaust gas that has passed through the main heat exchanger to heat the water flow in the heat transfer pipe, and the sub heat exchanger In the latent heat recovery type water heater provided with a drain neutralization device for neutralizing drain generated in the heat exchanger, the drain neutralization device includes a drain passage from a drain introduction port to a drain discharge port. It consists of a Japanese apparatus main body and the neutralizing agent with which the said neutralization apparatus main body is filled, Furthermore, the said neutralization apparatus main body is comprised by the antibacterial metal material, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect of the invention, the drain neutralizer includes a partition wall in the neutralizer main body, and the drain wall causes the drain. A passage is formed.

  In addition to the structure of the invention according to claim 2, the water heater of the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that, in the drain neutralizer, only the partition wall is made of an antibacterial metal material. And

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, in the drain passage, the vicinity of the drain outlet is made of an antibacterial metal material. It is characterized by.

  In addition to the configuration of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the water heater of the invention according to claim 5 includes the mesh portion when the neutralizer main body includes the mesh portion at the drain outlet. Is made of an antibacterial metal material.

  In the water heater of the invention according to claim 1, the drain neutralizer provided in the water heater is made of an antibacterial metal material. Therefore, when the neutralized drain contacts with the neutralizing device while staying in the neutralizing device, the neutralized drain is sterilized, and microorganisms generated and proliferated in the neutralizing device can be suppressed.

  In the water heater of the invention according to claim 2, the drain neutralization device provides a partition wall inside the neutralization device body, so that a drain passage is formed.

  In the water heater of the invention according to claim 3, only the partition wall is made of an antibacterial metal material. Therefore, since the constituent material of the partition wall itself having a large area ratio in contact with the neutralized drain can be an antibacterial metal material, it is easy to mold and can efficiently suppress the generation of microorganisms and the like. .

  Further, in the water heater of the invention according to claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, there are many neutralized drains in which microorganisms and the like are particularly easily generated. Only the vicinity of the existing drain outlet is made of an antibacterial metal material. Therefore, the site | part consisting of an antibacterial metal material can be limited, and generation | occurrence | production of microorganisms etc. can be suppressed economically and efficiently.

  Further, in the water heater of the invention according to claim 5, in addition to the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, only the mesh body provided at the drain outlet is made of an antibacterial metal material. Therefore, the constituent material of the mesh body having a large area ratio in contact with the neutralized drain can be an antibacterial metal material, which facilitates the molding process, and the mesh body can be used as a drain passage in the neutralizer. Since it arrange | positions at the drain outlet which is the most downstream part, suppression of generation | occurrence | production of microorganisms etc. can be performed economically and efficiently.

  Hereinafter, a water heater according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a water heater 1, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a state in which a lid 32 on the upper surface of the neutralizer 20 in a state filled with a neutralizing agent is opened, and FIG. It is a perspective view of the state which opened the cover body 32 of the upper surface of the neutralizer 20 in the state which is not filled with the neutralizing agent.

  First, the hot water heater 1 will be schematically described with reference to FIG. The water heater 1 includes an instrument body 2, and a combustion chamber 3 is provided in the instrument body 2. A combustion air supply fan 4 is attached below the combustion chamber 3. On the other hand, a main body exhaust hole 5 for discharging combustion exhaust after the recovery of latent heat is provided in the upper front part of the instrument main body 2.

  Next, the internal structure of the combustion chamber 3 will be described. In the combustion chamber 3, in order from the bottom, a burner 6 that burns a mixed gas of fuel gas and primary air from the combustion air supply fan 4, and main heat that mainly recovers sensible heat in the combustion exhaust from the burner 6. An exchanger 7 and an auxiliary heat exchanger 8 that mainly recovers latent heat and generates drain are provided. The main heat exchanger 7 is a fin tube type composed of a main heat transfer tube 7a and main fins 7b. The auxiliary heat exchanger 8 is a fin tube type provided with an auxiliary heat transfer tube 8a and an auxiliary fin 8b.

  Further, an exhaust hood 22 for discharging the combustion exhaust after heat exchange by the main heat exchanger 7 and the sub heat exchanger 8 to the outside of the combustion chamber 3 is provided at the upper part of the combustion chamber 3.

  On the other hand, a stainless steel flat plate-shaped drain receiving tray 17 for receiving the generated drain is inclined and provided below the auxiliary heat exchanger 8. A drain exhaust pipe 18 is connected to the drain tray 17.

  And the neutralizer 20 for neutralizing acidic drain is connected to the downstream one end part of the drain discharge direction of the drain discharge pipe 18. Further, a drain discharge pipe 19 through which the drain after neutralization treatment flows is connected to the downstream outlet of the neutralizer 20. The outlet of the downstream end portion of the drain exhaust pipe 19 is disposed at the bottom of the instrument body 2.

  In addition, an inlet of a water supply pipe 9 to which tap water is supplied is provided at the bottom of the appliance main body 2, and a downstream end of the water supply pipe 9 is connected to a water inlet of the sub heat transfer pipe 8a. Furthermore, the water outlet of the sub heat transfer tube 8a is connected to the water inlet of the main heat transfer tube 7a. And the water outlet of the main heat exchanger tube 7a is connected to the winding tube (not shown). In addition, this winding pipe is arrange | positioned so that the outer periphery of the combustion chamber 3 may be wound, and the hot water pipe 10 is connected to the downstream one end part. And the exit of the downstream one end part of the hot water pipe 10 is arrange | positioned at the bottom part of the instrument main body 2. FIG. Further, the water supply pipe 9 is provided with a water-side control unit 14 including a water flow sensor and a water governor, the hot water discharge pipe 10 is provided with a temperature sensor 16, and the gas pipe 24 for supplying gas to the burner 6 is provided with an original electromagnetic valve. 11, a main solenoid valve 12 and a gas proportional valve 13 are provided. Furthermore, the water flow sensor in the water-side control unit 14, the main electromagnetic valve 12, the gas proportional valve 13, the motor (not shown) for driving the combustion air supply fan 4, and the like are arranged at the lower part of the instrument body 2, The water heater 1 is electrically connected to a controller 15 that controls the combustion operation.

  Next, the neutralizer 20 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. In addition, the neutralizer 20 referred to in the drawing is used to explain the technical features of the neutralizer provided in the water heater according to the present invention, and the configuration and the like described are limited to that. It is not an intention to do so, but merely an illustrative example.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the neutralizer 20 includes a rectangular parallelepiped box 31 having an upper surface opened and a rectangular lid body 32 in plan view covering the upper surface opening of the box 31. It comprises a neutralizing agent 30 filled in the box 31 in order to neutralize the drain. Further, the inside of the box 31 is partitioned by a partition wall 33 that stands up from the lower surface of the box 31 and partitions the inside in the vertical direction, and a drain passage 34 is formed in the horizontal direction. The partition wall 33 has one end joined to the lateral side surface of the box body 31, extends in the longitudinal direction of the box body 31, and has a substantially I-shape in a plan view when the other end is not joined to the side surface of the box body 31. The first partition wall 43 and one end are joined to the side surface in the longitudinal direction of the box body 31, are extended in the short direction of the box body 31, and are bent in an inverted L shape in the longitudinal direction of the box body 31. It consists of the 2nd partition wall 44 extended in the said longitudinal direction, and planar view reverse L-shape which the other end has not joined to the box 31 side surface. The drain passage 34 is initially formed along the longitudinal direction of the box 31 by the partition wall 33, and is bent in a U-shape twice in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the box 31, and then is L-shaped. The last is formed along the short direction.

  In addition, the lid 32 is provided with an inlet 40 serving as a drain inlet for the neutralizer 20 at the corner. The drain exhaust pipe 18 is inserted into the introduction port 40. When the box body 31 is covered with the lid body 32, the portion of the box body 31 located below the introduction port 40 is a space 36 (hereinafter referred to as “water seal chamber”) partitioned by the trap plate 35. Is formed. This trap plate 35 is erected from the lower surface of the box body 31 and partitions the inside of the box body 31 in the vertical direction. The trap plate 35 is joined to the longitudinal side surface of the box body 31 and the first partition wall 43 and has a reverse cross section. It has a letter shape. The trap plate 35 is provided with a rectangular introduction hole 41 on the upper side in the vertical direction. Further, a net-like body 42 in which a large number of openings are formed is attached to the introduction hole 41 so as to cover it. The drain passage 34 of the box 31 is filled with granular calcium carbonate (particle diameter: 3 mm) as a neutralizing agent 30 to the full upper end of the box 31. Here, although the tip of the drain exhaust pipe 18 inserted through the introduction port 40 is inserted into the water seal chamber 36, the net 42 is a threshold so that the neutralizer 30 does not enter the water seal chamber 36. It has become.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a neutralizer is provided at one corner of the lower surface of the box 31 that is close to the joint portion of the second partition wall 44 with the side surface of the box 31 and is the end point of the drain passage 34. A circular discharge port 45 serving as a drain for discharging the drain from 20 is opened. A net 46 having a large number of openings is attached to the discharge port 45 so as to cover it, so that the neutralizing agent 30 does not leak out of the neutralizer 20. Further, the drain outlet 19 communicates with the outlet 45. In addition, a cylindrical drain plug 38 is provided at one corner of the lower surface of the box 31 located on the lower surface of the water seal chamber 36 for draining the drain accumulated in the water seal chamber 36.

  Here, the box 31, the partition wall 33, the trap plate 35, and the nets 42 and 46 constituting the neutralizer 20 are made of an antibacterial metal material. Here, the antibacterial metal material refers to a metal having bactericidal and antibacterial properties, for example, copper, copper, or other antibacterial stainless steel, silver, zinc, brass containing copper, tin, etc. Metal materials coated with antibacterial agents supported on zeolites, silica gels, glasses, calcium phosphates, etc., and metals with photocatalytic antibacterial effects on the surface, in addition to alloy materials, etc. Including materials and metal-plated surfaces.

  Next, the operation of the water heater 1 having the above configuration will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, first, tap water flows through the water supply pipe 9 by opening a hot water tap (not shown), and the controller 15 performs a hot water supply control operation based on a detection signal from a water amount sensor in the water side control unit 14. Start. Then, a predetermined pre-purge is performed by the combustion air supply fan 4, and then the main electromagnetic valve 12 and the gas proportional valve 13 of the burner 6 are opened, gas is supplied to the burner 6, and an igniter (not shown) is used. The ignition operation of the burner 6 is performed.

  Next, when the ignition operation ends, the proportional control is started. In this proportional control, the gas proportional valve 13 is controlled in accordance with the difference between the hot water temperature detected by the hot water temperature thermistor (not shown) and the set temperature, whereby the amount of gas is continuously changed to change the heat exchanger. The outlet temperature can be kept constant. Further, the rotational speed of the combustion air supply fan 4 is also changed in accordance with the change in the gas amount by the gas proportional valve 13, and the gas amount and the air supply amount are always controlled to be kept in a predetermined relationship.

  Further, in this water heater 1, since the main heat exchanger 7 is provided upstream of the exhaust passage and the auxiliary heat exchanger 8 is provided downstream of the exhaust passage, high-temperature combustion exhaust from the burner 6 is generated. The combustion air supply fan 4 flows through the main fins 7b of the main heat exchanger 7 to exchange heat well. Further, the combustion exhaust whose temperature has decreased flows between the sub fins 8 b of the sub heat exchanger 8, exchanges heat well in the sub heat exchanger 8, and is discharged out of the instrument through the exhaust hood 22.

  On the other hand, the combustion exhaust discharged from the main heat exchanger 7 is discharged at a high temperature of about 150 ° C. in order to prevent partial drain generation in a local low temperature portion such as the main heat transfer tube 7a which is a water passing portion. Has been. On the other hand, the auxiliary heat exchanger 8 collects sensible heat that could not be recovered by the main heat exchanger 7, and drainage is generated when the combustion exhaust gas temperature becomes the dew point or lower, so that latent heat can also be recovered. The drain generated here is collected in the drain pan 17, passes through the drain exhaust pipe 18, and is neutralized in the neutralizer 20. Then, the drain neutralized by the neutralizer 20 is discharged out of the instrument body 2 via the drain exhaust pipe 19.

  Next, drain neutralization processing in the neutralizer 20 will be described in detail. The drain introduced into the neutralizer 20 from the drain exhaust pipe 18 inserted through the introduction port 40 accumulates in the water seal chamber 36 and leaks into the drain passage 34 from the introduction hole when the water level exceeds the introduction hole 41. Next, the drain overflowing from the introduction hole 41 is transferred to the bottom surface of the box body 31 through the trap plate 35 and introduced along the drain passage 34 in which the bottom surface of the box body 31 is partitioned by the partition wall 33. It flows toward the discharge port 45 while contacting the neutralizing agent 30 sequentially. During this time, the drain that was acidic is neutralized by the neutralizing action of the neutralizing agent 30. Here, since the length of the drain passage 34 is set to a length that can secure a contact area with the neutralizing agent 30 sufficient to neutralize acidic drain, the drain is discharged from the discharge port 45. In this state, it is neutral, and is discharged to a general drainage passage through the drain discharge pipe 19.

  Here, when the drain neutralized by the neutralization treatment in the neutralizer 20 flows down in the downstream direction along the drain passage 34, the drain contacts the antibacterial metal material constituting the neutralizer 20. Thereby, the drain is affected by the sterilization and antibacterial action of the antibacterial metal material, and aquatic substances such as microorganisms and algae generated in the drain are killed. Therefore, the proliferation of the aquatic substance can be minimized without using a separately expensive antibacterial agent or antibacterial filter, and the neutralizer 20 can be kept hygienic. Here, the antibacterial and antibacterial actions of the antibacterial metal material are based on, for example, an oxidizing action by the generation of hydroxy radicals, but the details differ depending on each material.

  In addition, since the drain is not yet neutralized by the neutralizing agent 30 and the acidity is maintained on the upstream side of the drain passage 34 in the neutralizer 20, microorganisms are hardly generated in the portion. On the other hand, the well-neutralized drain remains in the downstream portion, and microorganisms are easily generated. Therefore, by using an antibacterial metal material only in the portion arranged in the downstream portion of the drain passage 34 in the portion constituting the neutralizer 20, the use of the material can be suppressed as much as possible. Development and proliferation can be suppressed economically and efficiently.

  Furthermore, from the viewpoint of ease of molding of the antibacterial metal material, only the partition wall 33 forming the neutralizer 20 or the net 46 is used to remove a component having a large area ratio where the entire component is exposed to the drain. It is also effective to use a conductive metal material.

  Further, among the constituent parts of the neutralizer 20, surface treatment is performed so as to cover only the surface part of the partition wall 33 and the net-like body 46 facing the drain passage 34 with the antibacterial metal material, and the box 31 and the like other than that. By using a metal material or a resin material that does not have antibacterial properties as a constituent part, the drain and the antibacterial metal material can be efficiently contacted, which is effective.

  In the above-described embodiment, specific examples are given as examples of the antibacterial metal material. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and includes other metal materials having antibacterial and bactericidal properties.

  Moreover, in said embodiment, although the neutralizer 20 of the structure which consists of the box 31, the cover body 32, the partition wall 33, etc. is mentioned as a structure of a neutralizer, it is not limited to this. As long as the device has a function of neutralizing the drain, it may have another structure.

  The water heater of the present invention can be applied to a drain neutralizer in a latent heat recovery type water heater in which drain is generated in a heat exchanger.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a water heater 1. It is a perspective view of the state which opened the cover body 32 of the upper surface of the neutralizer 20 in the state with which the neutralizing agent was filled. It is a perspective view of the state which opened the cover body 32 of the upper surface of the neutralizer 20 in the state which is not filled with the neutralizing agent.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Water heater 17 Drain tray 18 Drain drain pipe 19 Drain drain pipe 20 Neutralizer 30 Neutralizer 31 Box 32 Cover body 33 Partition wall 34 Drain passage 35 Trap plate 36 Water seal chamber 46 Net-like body

Claims (5)

A burner for burning fuel gas in a combustion chamber provided in the instrument;
A main heat exchanger for recovering sensible heat from the combustion exhaust of the burner and heating the water flow in the heat transfer tubes;
A sub heat exchanger for recovering latent heat from the combustion exhaust gas that has passed through the main heat exchanger and heating the water flow in the heat transfer tubes;
In a water heater provided with a drain neutralization device for neutralizing drain generated in the auxiliary heat exchanger,
The drain neutralizer comprises a neutralizer body having a drain passage from a drain inlet to a drain outlet, and a neutralizer filled in the neutralizer body, and further, the neutralizer A water heater characterized in that the main body of the apparatus is made of an antibacterial metal material.   The hot water heater according to claim 1, wherein the drain neutralizer includes a partition wall in the neutralizer main body, and the drain passage is formed by the partition wall.   3. The water heater according to claim 2, wherein only the partition wall of the drain neutralizer is made of an antibacterial metal material.   The water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, in the drain passage, a portion near the drain outlet is made of an antibacterial metal material. In the case where the neutralizing device body includes a net-like portion at the drain outlet,
The water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the net-like portion is made of an antibacterial metal material.

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