JP2010190464A - Water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve an inconvenience of clogging of a refrigerant-water heat exchanger due to deposition of scales in a water heater provided with a heat pump unit having the refrigerant-water heat exchanger carrying out heat exchange of a high temperature coolant and water for heating water in a hot water storage tank, and a water circulation circuit circulating water between the hot water storage tank and a water passage of the refrigerant-water heat exchanger. <P>SOLUTION: In the water heater 1 provided with the heat pump unit A having the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 12 carrying out heat exchange of the high temperature coolant and water for heating water in the hot water storage tank 2, and the water circulation circuit 3 circulating water between the hot water storage tank 2 and the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 12, a washing means is provided for disposing the water in the hot water storage tank 2 after passing it through the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention includes a heat pump unit for heating water in a hot water storage tank having a refrigerant to water heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the high-temperature refrigerant and water, a hot water storage tank, and a water passage of the refrigerant versus water heat exchanger. The present invention relates to a hot water supply apparatus including a water circulation circuit for circulating water between the two.

  Conventionally, this type of hot water supply apparatus has a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger and heats water in the hot water storage tank, and circulates water between the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger and the hot water storage tank. A water circulation circuit for removing water from the lower part of the hot water tank into the water circulation circuit and flowing it to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, and heat exchange with the high-temperature refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger to heat the water from the hot water tank. And after making it into hot water, it returned to the upper part of the hot water storage tank, and was stored in the hot water storage tank (patent document 1).

  By the way, in such a hot water supply device, in a water circulation circuit in which water in the hot water storage tank circulates, heat is exchanged with the refrigerant in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger and heated, so that when the high temperature water is submerged, The problem that the scale component contained precipitates has arisen. When the scale is deposited in this manner, the deposited scale may clog the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger and the piping of the water circulation circuit. In particular, when such a problem occurs in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger of the heat pump unit, the water in the hot water storage tank cannot be heated to a high temperature, or the high temperature water in the hot water storage tank cannot be supplied. It could lead to a fatal failure.

  The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the related art, and has a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a high-temperature refrigerant and water to heat water in a hot water storage tank. In a hot water supply apparatus having a heat pump unit and a water circulation circuit that circulates water between a hot water storage tank and a water passage of a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, there is a problem in that the scale is deposited and the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger is clogged. The purpose is to solve the problem.

  The hot water supply apparatus of the present invention includes a hot water storage tank, a heat pump unit for heating water in the hot water storage tank having a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the high-temperature refrigerant and water, the hot water storage tank, and the refrigerant against water. A water circulation circuit that circulates water between the water passage of the heat exchanger and a washing means for discarding water in the hot water storage tank after flowing the water in the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger It is characterized by having.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hot water supply apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, comprising a water supply pipe for supplying water to the hot water storage tank, and the cleaning means supplies the water flowing out of the hot water storage tank by the supply water pressure from the water supply pipe. It flows in the water passage of the heat exchanger.

  A hot water supply apparatus according to a third aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the invention according to the first or second aspect, the cleaning means causes the hot water in the hot water storage tank to flow through the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger. .

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the hot water supply apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the cleaning means supplies the water flowing out from the hot water storage tank to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger via the water circulation circuit. The drainage pipe is connected to a water circulation circuit and is disposed in a water circulation circuit to discard water passing through the water path of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger. The drainage pipe is connected to a hot water tank unit provided with a hot water storage tank. It is provided.

  The hot water supply apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the drainage pipe for discarding water that has passed through the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, according to any one of the first to third aspects. The drainage pipe is provided in the heat pump unit.

  According to the present invention, a hot water storage tank, a heat pump unit for heating water in the hot water storage tank having a refrigerant to water heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the high-temperature refrigerant and water, and the hot water storage tank and the refrigerant against water heat. In a hot water supply apparatus having a water circulation circuit for circulating water between the water passage of the exchanger, the water in the hot water storage tank is provided with cleaning means for flowing after flowing through the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger. Therefore, the scale deposited on the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger can be washed away by the washing means and discarded.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water supply pipe for supplying water to the hot water storage tank in the above invention, and the cleaning means causes the water flowing out from the hot water storage tank to flow into the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger due to the supply water pressure from the water supply pipe. Therefore, without using a special device such as a pump to take water from the hot water storage tank to the water circulation circuit, water is taken out from the hot water storage tank and flows into the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger. Can be washed. Thereby, power consumption can be reduced.

  In the invention of claim 3, in each of the above inventions, the washing means causes the hot water in the hot water storage tank to flow through the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, so that the washing effect can be further improved.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, the cleaning means removes water flowing out of the hot water storage tank from the water in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger via the water circulation circuit. The drainage pipe is connected to a water circulation circuit and disposed in the water circulation circuit to discard the water passing through the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, and this drainage pipe is provided in a hot water storage tank unit provided with a hot water storage tank. Therefore, in addition to the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, the scale in the water circulation circuit connecting the hot water storage tank unit and the heat pump unit can be effectively washed.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drain pipe for discarding water that has passed through the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects. Since it is provided in the heat pump unit, water can be discarded from the vicinity of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, so that the flow rate of water flowing through the refrigerant-to-water exchanger increases and the cleaning effect can be enhanced. . Moreover, the high temperature water which remains after disposal decreases, and the scale which precipitates when high temperature water is filled can also be effectively eliminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a system circuit diagram of the whole hot-water supply apparatus of one Example to which this invention is applied. It is a refrigerant circuit figure of the heat pump unit of FIG. It is a system circuit diagram of the whole hot-water supply apparatus of 2nd Example to which this invention is applied. It is a system circuit diagram of the whole hot-water supply apparatus of 3rd Example to which this invention is applied.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a hot water supply apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an overall system circuit diagram of a hot water supply apparatus 1 according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied. The hot water supply apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a heat pump unit A and a hot water storage tank unit B having a hot water storage tank 2. This heat pump unit A is for heating the water in the hot water storage tank 2 and, as shown in FIG. 2, a compressor 11, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, an expansion valve 13 as a pressure reducing means, and an evaporator 15 The heat pump refrigerant circuit 10 of the heat pump unit A is configured by connecting the pipes sequentially.

  The refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 is a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the high-temperature refrigerant flowing in the heat pump refrigerant circuit 10 of the heat pump unit A and water from the water circulation circuit 3 of the hot water storage tank unit B described later. Refrigerant passage 17 through which water flows, and water passage 5 through which water flows in heat exchange relation (exchange heat) with the refrigerant passage 17. That is, the refrigerant passage 17 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 corresponds to a gas cooler constituting the heat pump refrigerant circuit 10. Further, the refrigerant passage 17 and the water passage 5 are used when the water in the hot water storage tank 2 is heated, that is, during the hot water storage operation, the refrigerant of the heat pump refrigerant circuit 10 in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 and the water circulation circuit 3. Are arranged so as to flow oppositely to each other (that is, so as to be opposed).

  Specifically, a refrigerant discharge pipe 18 is connected to an opening (inlet) 17 </ b> A of the refrigerant passage 17 located on one end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, and the compressor 11 is connected via the refrigerant discharge pipe 18. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant compressed in step 1 is configured to flow into the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 (refrigerant passage 17). One end of the refrigerant pipe 19 is connected to the opening (exit) 17B of the refrigerant passage 17 located on the other end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the expansion valve 13. The refrigerant that has passed through the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 is configured to flow into the expansion valve 13 via the refrigerant pipe 19. Thereby, the refrigerant of the heat pump refrigerant circuit 10 enters the refrigerant passage 17 in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 from an inlet 17A provided on one end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, and this refrigerant-to-water heat exchange is performed. After flowing from one end side of the vessel 12 toward the other end side, it flows out of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 through an outlet 17B provided on the other end side.

  An opening 5B of the water passage 5 is provided on one end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 provided with the inlet 17A of the refrigerant passage 17, and the opening 5B reaches the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 2. A water pipe 6 of the water circulation circuit 3 is connected. An opening 5A of the water passage 5 is provided on the other end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 provided with the outlet 17B of the refrigerant passage 17, and the lower portion of the hot water storage tank 2 is provided in the opening 5A. The water piping 7 of the water circulation circuit 3 leading to is connected. The water circulation circuit 3 is provided to circulate water between the hot water storage tank 2 and the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, and as described above, the opening 5A of the water passage 5 is provided. And a water pipe 6 that connects the opening 5B of the water passage 5 and an upper part of the hot water storage tank 2.

  And if the compressor 11 of the heat pump unit A mentioned above is started, a refrigerant | coolant will be suck | inhaled by the compressor 11 and compressed. Thus, the refrigerant becomes a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant and is discharged from the compressor 11, and the refrigerant-to-water heat exchange is performed from the opening (inlet) 17 </ b> A on one end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 through the refrigerant discharge pipe 18. Enters the refrigerant passage 17 provided in the vessel 12. The refrigerant that has entered the refrigerant passage 17 flows from one end side to the other end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 as described above. At this time, the refrigerant dissipates heat by exchanging heat with water flowing through the water passage 5 provided in heat exchange with the refrigerant passage 17.

  The refrigerant radiated by the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 flows out of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 through an outlet 17B provided on the other end side, and reaches the expansion valve 13 through the refrigerant pipe 19. The refrigerant is decompressed in the process of passing through the expansion valve 13 and then flows into the evaporator 15. In the evaporator 15, the refrigerant draws heat from the surrounding air, that is, takes the heat from the surrounding air and evaporates. Thereafter, the refrigerant goes out of the evaporator 15 and is repeatedly sucked into the compressor 11.

  On the other hand, the hot water storage tank unit B includes the hot water storage tank 2 as described above. The hot water storage tank 2 is a tank for storing water that is heated by exchanging heat with the refrigerant in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 of the heat pump unit A, and has a substantially vertically long cylindrical shape. . Below the hot water storage tank 2, a water supply pipe 8 for supplying water into the hot water storage tank 2 and a water pipe 7 of the water circulation circuit 3 for taking out the water in the hot water storage tank 2 from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2. It is connected.

The water supply pipe 8 is connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2, one end is opened in the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2, and the other end is connected to a water supply source (not shown) such as tap water. In FIG. 1, 22 and 23 are check valves whose forward direction is from the water supply source to the hot water storage tank 2, and 25 is a pressure reducing valve. The pressure reducing valve 25 is set so as to reduce the tap water supply pressure to a predetermined pressure, for example, 170 kPa (about 1.7 kgf / cm ² ). And it is comprised so that the tap water from a water supply source can always be supplied to the hot water storage tank 2 from the said water supply piping 8. FIG. Accordingly, the hot water storage tank 2 is always supplied with the feed water pressure (that is, the feed water pressure after being reduced to a predetermined pressure by the pressure reducing valve 25 in this embodiment).

  In addition, one end of the water supply pipe 30 is connected to a middle portion of the water supply pipe 8 between the check valve 23 and the pressure reducing valve 25 located on the hot water storage tank 2 side. The water supply pipe 30 extends from one end connected to the water supply pipe 8 and branches into two branches. One branched pipe 31 is connected to one inlet of a first mixing valve 40 described later via a check valve 35. The other branched pipe 32 is connected to one inlet of a second mixing valve 41 described later. The check valve 35 has a forward direction toward the first mixing valve 40.

  The water pipe 7 is connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 similarly to the water supply pipe 8, and one end opens at the lower part in the hot water storage tank 2. The water pipe 7 extends from one end opened at the lower part in the hot water storage tank 2 to the outside of the hot water storage tank 2, and the other end is a water passage 5 provided on the other end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12. Connected to the opening 5A. In the middle of the water pipe 7, there is a three-way valve 42 and a circulation pump 45 for flowing water taken from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 of the heat pump unit A through the water pipe 7. It is installed.

  Further, a drain pipe 20 is connected to the hot water tank 2 side of the water pipe 7 from the three-way valve 42 via a drain valve 20V. By opening the drain valve 20V, the water in the hot water tank 2 can be The hot water storage tank 2 is configured to be discharged to the outside through the water pipe 7 and the drain pipe 20 from the lower part.

  On the other hand, the other end of the primary flow path 51 is connected to a position below the intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the hot water storage tank 2. The primary flow path 51 allows high-temperature water stored in the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 to flow into a water-to-water heat exchanger 50 described later, and the water-to-water heat exchanger 50 It is a flow path for bath water replenishment for heating the bathtub water of the bathtub 60 which flows through the secondary flow path 55 provided in the heat exchange relationship (heat exchange). One end of the primary flow path 51 is connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 and is opened in high-temperature water stored in the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2. And the middle part of this primary flow path 51 is comprised so that the inside of the water-to-water heat exchanger 50 may be passed, and the said primary flow path 51 is connected with the secondary flow path 55 in the water-to-water heat exchanger 50 concerned. It is arranged in a heat exchange manner.

  Incidentally, 52 is a circulation pump provided to take out hot water from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 and circulate it to the primary flow path 51, and 53 is a primary flow path 51 connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2. Is a check valve whose forward direction is the direction from one end of the hot water storage tank 2 to the other end connected to the lower side of the intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the hot water storage tank 2.

  The secondary channel 55 described above is a channel for circulating the bathtub water in the bathtub 60 to the water-to-water heat exchanger 50, and the secondary channel 55 is provided with a circulation pump 56. With such a configuration, by operating the circulation pump 56, the bathtub water taken out from the bathtub 60 to the secondary flow path 55 is caused to flow to the water-to-water heat exchanger 50, and is supplied to the water-to-water heat exchanger 50. Then, it is heated by hot water from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 flowing through the primary flow path 51 provided in heat exchange with the secondary flow path 55. That is, when reheating the bathtub water in the bathtub 60, the circulation pumps 52 and 56 are operated to take out the bathtub water in the bathtub 60 to the secondary flow path 55 and to the water-to-water heat exchanger 50. In the water-to-water heat exchanger 50, heat is exchanged with the hot water from the hot water storage tank 2 flowing in the primary flow path 51 provided in heat exchange with the secondary flow path 55, and the heat is transferred into the bathtub 60. The returning operation is repeatedly executed. Although not shown in FIG. 1, in the water-to-water heat exchanger 50, the bath water from the bathtub 60 flowing through the secondary flow channel 55 and the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 2 flowing through the primary flow channel 51 are taken from. Suppose that it is comprised so that it may flow facing high temperature water (namely, it may become counterflow).

  Further, in the middle of the secondary flow path 55, specifically in this embodiment, between the bathtub 60 and the water-to-water heat exchanger 50, the bathtub water from the bathtub 60 is converted into the water-to-water heat exchanger 50. The other end of the hot water supply pipe 62 is connected to the flow path on the way to. One end of the hot water supply pipe 62 is connected to the second mixing valve 41 described above, and a hot water supply valve 63 and a check valve 64 are provided in the middle. The check valve 64 has a forward direction from one end side connected to the second mixing valve 41 of the hot water supply pipe 62 to the other end side connected to the secondary flow path 55.

  On the other hand, above the hot water storage tank 2, a hot water supply pipe 70, a water pipe 6 of the water circulation circuit 3, and one end of the primary flow path 51 described above are connected. The hot water supply pipe 70 is connected to the upper end portion of the hot water storage tank 2, and one end is opened in the upper water of the hot water storage tank 2, from which high temperature water stored in the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 2 is taken out. It is configured to be possible. The hot water supply pipe 70 extends from the one end opened in the water in the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 as described above to the outside of the hot water storage tank 2 and branches into two branches. A pressure relief valve 70V for releasing the pressure from the hot water storage tank 2 when the pressure in the hot water storage tank 2 rises to a predetermined pressure value is provided in the middle of the hot water supply pipe 70.

  One pipe 71 branched from the hot water supply pipe 70 is connected to the other inlet of the first mixing valve 40 described above. The first mixing valve 40 includes water (tap water) supplied from a water supply source supplied via the water supply pipe 8, the water supply pipe 30 and the pipe 31, and a hot water storage tank supplied via the hot water supply pipe 70 and the pipe 71. 2 is a mixing valve for mixing with high-temperature water from the top in 2 to obtain water at a predetermined temperature (warm water), for example, water at + 36 ° C. to + 48 ° C. (or + 60 ° C.) (warm water). . A hot water supply pipe 72 is connected to the outlet of the first mixing valve 40, and hot water adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the first mixing valve 40 through the pipe 72 is used for a shower or kitchen other than the bathtub 60. It can be supplied as hot water for hot water supply.

  On the other hand, the other pipe 75 branched from the hot water supply pipe 70 is connected to the other inlet of the second mixing valve 41. The second mixing valve 41 includes water from a water supply source (tap water) supplied via the water supply pipe 8, the water supply pipe 30 and the pipe 32, and a hot water storage tank supplied via the hot water supply pipe 70 and the pipe 75. 2 is a mixing valve for mixing with high-temperature water from the upper part in 2 to obtain water at a predetermined temperature (warm water), for example, warm water of about + 42 ° C. One end of the hot water supply pipe 62 is connected to the outlet of the second mixing valve 41, and is adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the second mixing valve 41 through the hot water supply pipe 62 and the secondary flow path 55. The hot water is configured to be supplied to the bathtub 60 as bathtub water.

  Specifically, the hot water adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the second mixing valve 41 is circulated through the circulation pump 56 stopped by the opening operation of the pouring valve 63 provided in the hot water supply pipe 62. It is supplied to the bathtub 60 via the water-to-water heat exchanger 50 without going through the pump. Thereby, the hot water filling operation in the bathtub 60 is performed. The first and second mixing valves 40 and 41 are electric variable mixing valves capable of changing the mixing ratio of hot water for adjusting the hot water supply temperature.

  Further, a check valve 73 having a forward direction from the hot water storage tank 2 toward the first mixing valve 40 is interposed in the pipe 71, and the piping 75 is directed from the hot water storage tank 2 to the second mixing valve 41. A check valve 77 having a forward direction is interposed.

  The hot water storage tank 2 has a capacity of about 370L to 460L. For example, in this embodiment, the hot water storage tank 2 has a capacity of 370L. And in the said hot water storage tank 2, the some hot water temperature detection sensor connected to the controller C mentioned later at predetermined intervals from the lower part to the upper part is provided. When the detected temperature of each hot water temperature detection sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, for example, + 55 ° C. or higher, hot water of + 55 ° C. or higher is stored from the upper end of the hot water storage tank 2 to that position. C judges that there is remaining hot water. In the present embodiment, the position of the detection sensor S1 at the position of the remaining hot water volume 50L, the detection sensor S2 at the position of the remaining hot water volume 100L, the detection sensor S3 at the position of the remaining hot water volume 150L, the position of the detection sensor S4 at the position of the remaining hot water volume 200L, and the position of the remaining hot water volume 250L. Further, it is assumed that the detection sensor S5 and the detection sensor S6 are installed at the position of the remaining hot water amount 300L. In addition, the secondary flow path 55 is provided with a temperature sensor S8 that detects the temperature of the bathtub water stored in the bathtub 60 and a water level sensor S9 that detects the water level by water pressure.

  The controller C described above is a control means that controls the hot water supply apparatus 1 and is constituted by a microcomputer or the like. That is, the operation / operation of the hot water supply device 1 is controlled by the controller C. Connected to the controller C are sensors S1 to S9 and remote controllers (hereinafter referred to as remote controllers) L1 and L2 provided in a bathroom or kitchen. The operation and frequency of the compressor 11 of the heat pump unit A, the operation of the circulation pumps 45, 52, and 56, the opening and closing operation of the pouring valve 63, the opening of the expansion valve 13, and each mixing valve 40 according to the signal, temperature signal, and the like. 41, the amount of mixing of hot water from the hot water storage tank 2 and water (tap water) from the water supply source is controlled.

  In addition, consumers (users) have contracts with electric power companies for certain time zones, and they are required for boiling water from the amount of hot water stored at a predetermined time in the low-night time zone where the charges are low, and for boiling a predetermined amount. The hot water storage operation is started from the back-calculated time in consideration of the necessary time zone from the boiling end time, and a predetermined amount of boiling is completed. For example, in this embodiment, near one end of the water pipe 7 The temperature of water taken out from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 is detected by a temperature sensor S7 installed in the hot water tank 2, and the temperature of the water detected by the temperature sensor S7 is a predetermined boiling end temperature (for example, + 55 ° C. or higher). Then, it is assumed that the controller C is controlled to stop the hot water storage operation.

  Furthermore, in a time zone other than the above, for example, the controller C is controlled to start the hot water storage operation when the remaining hot water amount falls below 100L and stop the hot water storage operation when the remaining hot water amount becomes 150L or more.

  Next, the operation of the hot water supply apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

(1) Hot water storage operation (hot water supply operation)
First, a hot water storage operation for storing hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 will be described. As described above, the hot water storage operation usually calculates the amount of boiling from the amount of hot water stored at a predetermined time and the time required for boiling the predetermined amount in a midnight time zone where the electricity rate is low, and the boiling end time Further, the hot water storage operation is started from time T calculated backward considering the necessary time. In addition, when the remaining hot water amount falls below a predetermined amount (100 L in this embodiment) in other time zones, that is, it is detected by the detection sensor S2 that detects the hot water temperature installed at the position of the remaining hot water amount 100L of the hot water storage tank 2. When the temperature of the water (hot water) in the hot water storage tank 2 becomes lower than a predetermined temperature (for example, lower than + 55 ° C. in this embodiment), the hot water storage operation is started. In this hot water storage operation, the controller C controls the heat pump so that the temperature of the hot water returning from the water circulation circuit 3 to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 through the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 becomes a predetermined high temperature, for example, + 85 ° C. It is assumed that the rotational speed of the compressor 11 of the unit A and the valve opening degree of the expansion valve 13 are controlled.

  When the temperature of the water at the position of 100L in the hot water storage tank 2 is less than a predetermined temperature (less than + 55 ° C. in this embodiment), the controller C The operation of the compressor 11 is started. Thereby, the cold / low pressure refrigerant gas sucked into the compressor 11 is compressed by the compressor 11 and becomes a high temperature / high pressure refrigerant gas from the inlet 17 </ b> A on one end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12. It enters the refrigerant passage 17 provided in the water heat exchanger 12.

  The high-temperature refrigerant from the compressor 11 that has flowed into the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 exchanges heat with water flowing through the water passage 5 in the course of flowing through the refrigerant passage 17, and then radiates heat. Then, the refrigerant flows from the outlet 17B on the other end side. It leaves the water heat exchanger 12 and reaches the expansion valve 13. The refrigerant is decompressed by the expansion valve 13 and flows into the evaporator 15, and after the surrounding heat is pumped up and evaporated by the evaporator 15, the refrigerant is again sucked into the compressor 11.

  Further, the controller C starts the operation of the circulation pump 45 of the water circulation circuit 3 simultaneously with the start of the compressor 11 of the heat pump unit A. Thereby, low temperature water in the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 is taken out from the water pipe 7 connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2. At this time, the three-way valve 42 is controlled by the controller C so that water from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 flows to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 through the opening 5A. Thereby, the low-temperature water taken out from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 passes through the water pipe 7 and is provided in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 from the opening 5A on the other end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12. It flows into the passage 5.

  The water from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 that has flowed into the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 flows through the water passage 5 in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 and is provided in the heat exchange with the water passage 5 described above. The heat is exchanged with the high-temperature refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant passage 17 and heated to become high-temperature water. Thus, in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, the refrigerant passage 17 of the heat pump refrigerant circuit 10 of the heat pump unit A and the water passage 5 of the water circulation circuit 3 of the hot water storage tank unit B are provided in a heat exchange manner, so that the refrigerant and water And the water from the hot water storage tank 2 can be heated by the heat of the refrigerant. In particular, the heat exchange capacity is improved by arranging the refrigerant passage 17 and the water passage 5 so that the refrigerant and the water flow in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 during the hot water storage operation as in the present embodiment. Can be planned.

  As described above, the water from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 heated in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 and having a high temperature is exchanged from the opening 5B on one end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 with respect to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchange. The cycle of leaving the vessel 12 and returning to the hot water storage tank 2 from the upper part through the water pipe 6 is repeated.

  In the hot water storage operation in the midnight time zone, when the above-described predetermined amount of boiling is completed, that is, in this embodiment, the hot water is taken out from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 detected by the temperature sensor S7 provided in the water pipe 7. When the temperature of the water rises to a predetermined temperature (for example, + 55 ° C.), or when the remaining hot water amount becomes a predetermined value (for example, 150 L) or more in a time zone other than midnight, the controller C controls the compressor 11 of the heat pump unit A. The operation and the operation of the circulation pump 45 of the water circulation circuit 3 are stopped, and the hot water storage operation described above is terminated.

(2) Hot water filling operation (hot water operation)
Next, the operation | movement which performs hot water filling of the bathtub 60 is demonstrated. For example, when the user presses a switch for executing a hot water filling operation of the remote controller L1 provided in the bathroom, the controller C starts the hot water filling operation of the bathtub 60. In the hot water filling operation, the controller C opens the pouring valve 63. At this time, the circulation pump 56 of the secondary flow path 55 remains stopped. Further, the controller C supplies the second mixing valve 41 from the hot water storage amount of the hot water storage tank 2 and the water supply source so that the temperature of the water supplied to the bathtub 60 becomes a predetermined temperature (for example, + 42 ° C.). The amount of tap water to be controlled shall be controlled.

  When the hot water filling operation is started, high-temperature water in the hot water storage tank 2 is taken out from the hot water supply pipe 70 connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2. This high-temperature water flows into the second mixing valve 41 through the pipe 75. The hot water from the hot water storage tank 2 is mixed with the tap water supplied from the pipe 32 through the water supply pipe 8 and the pressure reducing valve 25 provided in the water supply pipe 8 by the second mixing valve 41. After being adjusted to a predetermined temperature (for example, + 42 ° C.), it flows out from the second mixing valve 41. The water adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the second mixing valve 41 flows into the secondary flow path 55 via the hot water supply pipe 62, and passes through the stopped circulation pump 56 and the circulation pump 56. Instead, it is supplied into the bathtub 60 via the water-to-water heat exchanger 50. Then, when a predetermined amount of water is supplied to the bathtub 60 and, for example, a predetermined amount of water level is detected by the water level sensor S9 provided in the secondary flow path 55, the controller C passes through the pouring valve 63. End hot water filling operation.

(3) Remembrance operation (remembrance operation)
On the other hand, when the switch for executing the chasing operation of the remote controller L1 provided in the bath is pressed by the user, the controller C starts chasing the bath water in the bathtub 60. In this chasing operation, the controller C operates the circulation pump 52 of the primary flow path 51 and the circulation pump 56 of the secondary flow path 55. Thereby, the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 and the hot water in the bathtub 60 exchange heat with the water-to-water heat exchanger 50, and the hot water from the hot water storage tank 2 heats the bathtub water from the bathtub 60. And can mourn.

  Specifically, when the reheating operation is started (when each of the circulation pumps 52 and 56 is started), the operation of the circulation pump 52 causes the high temperature in the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 2 from the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 2 to the primary flow path 51. Water is taken out. The hot water flowing into the primary flow path 51 passes through the water-to-water heat exchanger 50. Similarly, the bathtub water in the bathtub 60 is taken out to the secondary flow path 55 by starting the circulation pump 56, and the bathtub water flows into the water-to-water heat exchanger 50. Here, as described above, since the primary flow path 51 and the secondary flow path 55 are arranged in a heat exchange manner in the water-to-water heat exchanger 50, they pass through the water-to-water heat exchanger 50. In the process, the bath water from the bathtub 60 flowing through the secondary flow channel 55 exchanges heat with the hot water from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 flowing through the primary flow channel 51 provided in heat exchange with the secondary flow channel 55. And heated.

  The bath water heated by removing heat from the high-temperature water flowing through the primary flow path 51 in the water-to-water heat exchanger 50 repeats a cycle of exiting the water-to-water heat exchanger 50 and returning to the bathtub 60 again. .

  On the other hand, the water flowing through the primary flow path 51 whose temperature has decreased due to heat exchange with the bathtub water flowing through the secondary flow path 55 in the water-to-water heat exchanger 50 exits from the water-to-water heat exchanger 50 and is stored in the hot water storage tank 2. The cycle of returning to the hot water storage tank 2 from the connection part below the intermediate part is repeated.

  By repeating the above-described cycle, the bathtub water in the bathtub 60 is gradually warmed. In particular, as described above, the bathtub water from the bathtub 60 flowing through the secondary flow path 55 and the high-temperature water from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 flowing through the primary flow path 51 are generated in the water-to-water heat exchanger 50. It is provided so as to be opposed to each other. Thereby, the heat exchange capability in the water-to-water heat exchanger 50 is improved, and in the water-to-water heat exchanger 50, the bath water from the bathtub 60 is efficiently heated by the high-temperature water from the hot water storage tank 2. Can do. And if the temperature of the bath water in the bathtub 60 detected by temperature sensor S8 provided in the secondary flow path 55 rises to predetermined temperature (for example, +42 degreeC), the controller C will each said circulating pump 52, The operation of 56 is stopped and the chasing operation is finished.

(4) Hot-water supply operation (hot-water supply operation)
Next, a case where hot water is used in a shower or kitchen, that is, a hot water supply operation will be described. In this hot water supply operation, the controller C controls the first mixing valve 40 to set a predetermined temperature (a temperature set by the user using a shower or a remote control L2 of the kitchen, for example, any temperature between + 36 ° C. and + 48 ° C., or The amount of hot water taken out from the hot water storage tank 2 and the amount of tap water from the water supply source mixed with the hot water are controlled so that the water is supplied to a shower or kitchen. It shall be.

  When a user operates a shower or kitchen faucet, controller C starts hot water supply. In this case as well, the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 is taken out from the hot water supply pipe 70 connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 as in the hot water filling operation described above. This high-temperature water flows into the first mixing valve 40 through the pipe 71.

  Hot water from the hot water storage tank 2 is mixed with tap water supplied from the pipe 31 through the water supply pipe 8 and the pressure reducing valve 25 provided in the water supply pipe 8 at the first mixing valve 40. After being adjusted to a predetermined temperature (any one of the above-mentioned + 36 ° C. to + 48 ° C. or + 60 ° C.), it flows out from the first mixing valve 40 and is supplied to a shower, a kitchen or the like via the hot water supply pipe 72. The

  By the way, in such a heat pump type hot water supply apparatus, as described above, during the hot water storage operation, the water in the hot water storage tank 2 is taken out to the water circulation circuit 3 and flows into the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 to Heating is performed by the refrigerant of the heat pump refrigerant circuit 10 flowing through the refrigerant passage 17 of the heat exchanger 12, but after the hot water storage operation is completed, the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 (that is, the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12). In the inner water passage 5) and the water circulation circuit 3, high temperature water remains, and when the remaining high temperature water is submerged, there is a problem that scale components contained in the water precipitate. When the scale is deposited in this manner, the deposited scale may clog the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 and the piping of the water circulation circuit 3, or the heat-exchange capacity of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 may be reduced. I feared.

  In particular, when such a problem occurs in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 in a heat pump type hot water supply apparatus, the water in the hot water storage tank 2 cannot be heated to a high temperature, or the high temperature in the hot water storage tank 2 cannot be increased. There was also a risk of a fatal failure that water could not be sent.

  Furthermore, it is difficult to install the heat pump type hot water supply device in hard water areas where there are many scale components due to the problem of scale, and special equipment such as a soft water machine for removing scale components from water is necessary for installation. Therefore, there was a problem that the installation cost increased.

  Therefore, in the present invention, it is assumed that there is provided cleaning means for discarding the water in the hot water storage tank 2 after flowing the water in the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12. The cleaning means uses the water circulation circuit 3 for circulating water between the hot water storage tank 2 and the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 described above, and converts the water in the hot water storage tank 2 into refrigerant-to-water. The water circulation circuit 3 is provided with a drain pipe 9 for discarding water from the hot water storage tank 2 that has passed through the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 while flowing through the water passage 5 of the heat exchanger 12. .

  In this case, the cleaning means is a water supply pressure that is constantly applied to the hot water storage tank 2 from the water supply pipe 8 for supplying water (tap water) from the water supply source into the hot water storage tank 2 (that is, a pressure reducing valve in this embodiment). The water is taken out from the hot water storage tank 2 by the water supply pressure after being depressurized to a predetermined pressure at 25 and flows into the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12.

  In particular, in the present invention, as described above, high-temperature water stored in the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 is taken out to the water circulation circuit 3 by the supply water pressure and flows into the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12. Accordingly, in the cleaning operation of the present invention in which high-temperature water from the upper part in the hot water storage tank 2 is passed through the water circulation circuit 3 to the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 is used. 5, the water in the hot water storage tank 2 flows in the direction opposite to the flow path for flowing the water in the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 through the water circulation circuit 3 to the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 during the hot water storage operation. It will be distributed.

  That is, in the hot water storage operation, water in the hot water storage tank 2 flows into the water passage 5 from the opening 5A provided on the other end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, and the water passage 5 passes through the opening 5B on one end side. In contrast to the flowing out water, in the cleaning operation of the present invention, the water in the hot water storage tank 2 flows into the water passage 5 from the opening 5B provided on one end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, Water flowing through the water passage 5 flows out from the opening 5A on the end side.

  In this case, in the cleaning operation, the downstream side of the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 and the upstream side of the above-described three-way valve 42 is provided as a valve that constitutes a cleaning unit. The three-way valve 43 is connected to the drain pipe 9. In the present embodiment, since the three-way valve 43 is interposed in the water pipe 7 on the hot water storage tank unit B side, the drain pipe 9 connected to the three-way valve 43 is also provided in the hot water storage tank unit B. In the present invention, the three-way valve 43 is not limited to be provided on the water pipe 7 on the hot water storage tank unit B side, and may be provided on the water pipe 7 on the heat pump unit A side.

  The three-way valve 43 is configured so that water from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 flows into the water passage 5 in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 through the opening 5A during the normal hot water storage operation, that is, the three-way valve 42 of the water pipe 7. The controller C is controlled so that the other side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 communicates with the other side.

  Then, during the cleaning operation of the present invention, the connection destination of the three-way valve 43 is switched by the controller C, and the other end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 of the water pipe 7 and the drainage passage 9 are controlled to communicate.

  The cleaning operation of the present invention is executed at predetermined time intervals. For example, the controller C installs the hot water supply device 1 and starts counting at the same time as the first operation is started. When a predetermined time (for example, 600 hours) has elapsed, the controller C turns the cleaning function ON. When the cleaning function is turned on, the controller C executes the cleaning operation at least before and after a predetermined operation when the hot water storage operation is not performed. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the washing operation is performed either before or after the hot water storage operation that is performed in the midnight time zone when the electricity rate is low.

  With the above configuration, the operation in the cleaning operation of the present invention will be described. When the predetermined time (for example, 600 hours) set as described above elapses and the cleaning function is turned ON, the controller C starts the hot water storage operation at midnight or after the hot water storage operation ends. To connect the other end of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 of the water pipe 7 and the drainage passage 9 to open the drainage passage 9. During the cleaning operation, the circulation pump 45 remains stopped. As a result, the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 flows out from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 due to the supply water pressure applied to the hot water storage tank 2 from the water supply pipe 8. The high-temperature water that has flowed out of the hot water storage tank 2 enters the water passage 5 provided in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 through the water pipe 6 from the opening 5B on one end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12. Enter and pass through the water passage 5.

  At this time, the scale deposited in the water passage 5 is peeled off by the flow of water from the hot water storage tank 2. In particular, the flow of water in the hot water storage tank 2 flowing through the water circulation circuit 3 and the water passage 5 during the washing operation is the above-described supply water pressure, so that the water circulation circuit 3 and the water passage 5 are operated by the circulation pump 45 during normal hot water storage operation. Therefore, the scale attached to the inner wall of the water passage 5 can be peeled off by the water flow and removed from the water passage 5.

  Further, by using the feed water pressure from the feed water pipe 8, water is allowed to flow out from the hot water storage tank 2 without using a special device such as a pump in the washing operation, and the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 is used. It becomes possible to flow. Thereby, power consumption can be reduced. Furthermore, in the case of using a device such as a pump, it is difficult to remove the scale due to the slow flow of water flowing in the water passage 5 with an inexpensive pump having a low capacity, and the capacity is high to obtain such a flow rate. If a pump is installed, the cost will increase significantly. However, such a problem can be solved by using the water supply pressure from the water supply pipe 8 as in the present invention.

  Furthermore, since the water flowing into the water passage 5 during the cleaning operation is high-temperature water from the upper part in the hot water storage tank 2, the cleaning effect of the scale deposited in the water passage 5 can be further enhanced.

  Furthermore, as described above, the flow of water flowing through the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 in the washing operation is opposite to the flow of water flowing through the water passage 5 in the hot water storage operation, that is, in the hot water storage operation, Since the water flow direction to the water passage 5 is different from the water flow direction in the hot water storage operation, the reverse flow improves the scale peeling effect.

  As described above, the scale deposited in the water passage 5 can be peeled off from the hot water storage tank 2 with water, and the scale can be effectively removed from the water passage 5. In addition, the water including the scale removed from the water passage 5 exits the water passage 5 from the opening 5A on the other end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, and is discharged from the drain pipe 9 through the water pipe 7 and the three-way valve 43. Discarded in sewage.

  On the other hand, in the cleaning operation, the controller C closes the drain pipe 9 by operating the three-way valve 43 when a predetermined time (3 minutes in the present embodiment) elapses from the start of the cleaning operation. As a result, the cleaning operation is stopped. Further, when 10 seconds have passed since the cleaning operation was stopped, the controller C again operates the three-way valve 43 to open the drain pipe 9. Thereby, the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 flows out again from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 by the water supply pressure applied to the hot water storage tank 2 from the water supply pipe 8, and the above-described cleaning operation is resumed. When such a cleaning operation for a predetermined time (3 minutes) and a stopping operation for 10 seconds are repeated a predetermined number of times (in this embodiment, 5 times), the cleaning operation ends. Thereafter, the controller C cancels the count of the time described above, starts counting again from zero, and repeats the operation of turning on the cleaning function when a predetermined time (for example, the 600 hours) elapses.

  It is assumed that the set time until the cleaning operation can be arbitrarily selected on the remote controllers L1 and L2, and that no cleaning operation can be selected.

  In addition, during the cleaning operation, the remote control L1, L2 indicates that the cleaning operation is being performed, for example, “automatic cleaning” is displayed, and the remote control L1, L2 can confirm that the cleaning operation is being performed. It is assumed that

  By such a washing operation, the scale deposited in the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 during the hot water storage operation can be washed and discarded.

  In particular, if the controller C is configured to execute the cleaning operation every predetermined time by the controller C as in the present embodiment, it is possible to execute the cleaning easily and reliably without burdening the user.

  Furthermore, since the problem of scale can be solved by the present invention, it is possible to use a type of hot water supply device that circulates and heats the water in the hot water storage tank to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger of the heat pump unit even in a hard water area. .

  In the above embodiment, the three-way valve 43 is used for the water pipe 7 on the hot water storage tank unit B side as a valve constituting the cleaning means. However, the inventions of claims 1 to 3 are not limited thereto. . For example, electromagnetic valves 80 and 81 as shown in FIG. 3 may be used instead of the three-way valve 43. FIG. 3 shows the entire system circuit of the hot water supply apparatus 100 of one embodiment in this case. In FIG. 3, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 have the same or similar effects or actions, and therefore the description thereof is omitted here. Only the configuration different from the first embodiment will be described.

  That is, in this embodiment, instead of the three-way valve 43 of the above-described embodiment, an electromagnetic valve 80 is provided in the drainage pipe 9, and a connecting portion 7A of the water pipe 7 to which one end of the drainage pipe 9 is connected in the cleaning operation. An electromagnetic valve 81 is interposed in the water pipe 7 on the downstream side, that is, on the hot water storage tank 2 side from the connecting portion 7A.

  In such a configuration, the electromagnetic valve 80 is fully closed by the controller C and the electromagnetic valve 81 is opened so that the water flowing through the water circulation circuit 3 is not discarded from the drain pipe 9 except during the washing operation. On the other hand, during the cleaning operation, the solenoid valve 80 is opened by the controller C, and the solenoid valve 81 is fully closed. Thereby, the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 flows out from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 by the supply water pressure applied to the hot water storage tank 2 from the water supply pipe 8. The high-temperature water that has flowed out of the hot water storage tank 2 enters the water passage 5 provided in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 through the water pipe 6 from the opening 5B on one end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12. Enter and pass through the water passage 5. The scale deposited in the water passage 5 is peeled off by the water flow, and the scale can be effectively removed from the water passage 5.

  Then, the water including the scale removed from the water passage 5 exits the water passage 5 from the opening 5A on the other end side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, enters the drainage pipe 9 through the water pipe 7, and enters the solenoid valve. After 80, it is discarded into sewage. As described above, in place of the three-way valve 43 of the first embodiment, the electromagnetic valves 80 and 81 are used as in the present embodiment, and the water in the hot water storage tank 2 is similarly supplied to the refrigerant against the water via the water circulation circuit 3. After flowing through the water passage 5 of the heat exchanger 12, a washing operation for discarding from the drain pipe 9 can be executed, and the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

  In each of the examples (Examples 1 and 2), the drainage pipe 9 is provided in the hot water storage tank unit B. However, the drainage pipe 9 is located in the hot water storage tank unit B in the inventions of claims 1 to 3. It is not limited to. However, by providing the drain pipe 9 in the hot water storage tank unit B in which the hot water storage tank 2 is provided as in the present embodiment and the first embodiment, the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 is provided in the cleaning operation. In addition, the scale in the water circulation circuit 3 connecting the hot water storage tank unit B and the heat pump unit A can be effectively cleaned.

  On the other hand, FIG. 4 shows an example in which the drainage pipe 9 is provided in the heat pump unit A and the water passing through the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 is discarded from the heat pump unit A. The hot water supply apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 4 is the same as the hot water supply apparatus 100 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. .

  In this case, the drain pipe 9 is connected to the water pipe 7 on the heat pump unit A side. When the drainage pipe 9 is provided in the heat pump unit A in this way, water passing through the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 can be discarded from the vicinity of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12, so that the washing operation can be performed. The flow path of the water flowing through the water becomes shorter, and the flow rate of water increases accordingly. That is, since the flow rate of water flowing through the water passage 5 of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 12 increases, the cleaning effect can be improved.

  Furthermore, since the high-temperature water (residual hot water) remaining after disposal is reduced, the scale that precipitates when high-temperature water is filled can be effectively eliminated.

A Heat pump unit B Hot water storage tank unit C Controller (control means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,100,200 Hot-water supply apparatus 2 Hot water storage tank 3 Water circulation circuit 5 Water passage 6, 7 Water piping 8 Water supply piping 9 Drain piping 10 Heat pump refrigerant circuit 11 Compressor 12 Refrigerant to water heat exchanger 13 Expansion valve 15 Evaporator 17 Refrigerant passage 18 Refrigerant discharge pipe 19 Refrigerant pipe 20 Drain pipe 20V Drain valve 22, 23 Check valve 25 Pressure reducing valve 30 Water supply pipe 31, 32 Pipe 35 Check valve 40 First mixing valve (other than bath)
41 Second mixing valve (bath)
42, 43 Three-way valve 45 Circulation pump 50 Water-to-water heat exchanger 51 Primary flow path 52 Circulation pump 55 Secondary flow path 56 Circulation pump 60 Bathtub 62 Hot water supply pipe 63 Hot water supply valve 64 Check valve 70 Hot water supply pipe 70V Pressure relief valve 71, 75 Piping 73, 77 Check valve 80, 81 Solenoid valve

JP 2002-22389 A

Claims (5)

A hot water storage tank, a heat pump unit having a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the high-temperature refrigerant and water, and heating the water in the hot-water storage tank; and the hot water storage tank and the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger In a water heater equipped with a water circulation circuit that circulates water between water passages,
A hot water supply apparatus comprising: a cleaning means for discarding water in the hot water storage tank after flowing the water in the water path of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger. A water supply pipe for supplying water to the hot water storage tank;
2. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning unit causes water flowing out from the hot water storage tank to flow into a water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger due to a water supply pressure from the water supply pipe.   The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning means allows high-temperature water in the hot water storage tank to flow through a water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger.   The cleaning means flows the water flowing out of the hot water storage tank through the water circulation circuit to the water passage of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, and is connected to the water circulation circuit so that the water of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger is The drainage pipe for discarding the water which passed through the channel | path, This drainage pipe is provided in the hot water storage tank unit in which the said hot water storage tank was provided, Any of Claim 1 thru | or 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The hot water supply device according to crab.   The said washing | cleaning means is equipped with the drain piping for discarding the water which passed through the water path of the said refrigerant | coolant versus water heat exchanger, This drain piping is provided in the said heat pump unit, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. The hot-water supply apparatus in any one of Claim 3.

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