JP2013015279A - Hot water storage type water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hot water storage type water heater which has a simple constitution and performs the cleaning of stain attached to a bathtub wall surface by feeding fine air bubbles repeatedly into a bathtub.SOLUTION: The hot water storage type water heater includes: water filling piping 26 for filling hot water into the bathtub 15; a water filling ejector 31 which is arranged in the middle of the water filling piping 26 and enables the fine air bubbles for cleaning the inner wall of the bathtub 15 to be generated in hot water in the water filling piping 26; a water filling solenoid valve 44 which adjusts the flow rate of water to be filled into the bathtub 15 from the water filling piping 26; and a cleaning means which cleans the inner wall of the bathtub 15 by performing a water filling operation of filling hot water containing the fine air bubbles from the water filling piping 26 into the bathtub 15 during the execution of the water discharge open for discharging bath tub water in the bath tub 15. The water filling solenoid valve 44 is controlled so that such a state that a flow rate of water to be filled is made larger than the discharge flow rate discharged from the bathtub 15 and such a state that the flow rate of the water to be filled is made smaller the discharged flow rate or zero are repeated.

Description

  The present invention relates to a hot water storage type water heater.

  For a hot water heater with a reheating function, for example, a heat source circulation pipe that takes hot water from the upper part of the hot water storage tank and returns it to the lower part of the hot water storage tank, and a recirculation system for returning the bath water taken from the bathtub to the bathtub. A pipe line and the above-mentioned heat exchanger for reheating are added. The heat exchanger for reheating uses hot water flowing down the circulation path for the heat source as a heat source, performs heat exchange between the hot water and the bath water flowing through the circulation circulation line, and recirculates the circulation line. Warm the bath water inside.

  In such a water heater with a reheating function, dirt such as sebum and keratin washed away from the human body in the bath water circulates in the recirculation circulation line and the inner surface of the circulation line or a heat exchanger for reheating It inevitably adheres inside. If the above-mentioned dirt accumulates to some extent, the dirt recirculates to the bathtub during the chasing operation and stains the bathtub and bath water, or reduces the heat exchange efficiency of the chasing heat exchanger.

  To deal with the above problems, the microbubbles are automatically generated in the pipes using an ejector, which is a fine bubble generator, and the cleaning operation is performed to keep the purging pipes and the heat exchanger clean. An unnecessary hot water supply apparatus with a tracking pipe has been invented (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-186092 A JP 11-313771 A

  However, in the conventional apparatus, the cleaning by the fine bubbles generated from the water heater is limited to the inside of the reheating pipe or the heat exchanger, and is not applied to the cleaning of the bathtub wall surface. For this reason, it is requested | required that a user removes with a chemical | medical agent, such as commercially available bathroom washing detergent, with respect to the sebum dirt and slime adhering to a bathtub wall surface. In addition, although an apparatus for cleaning the bathtub wall surface with fine bubbles has been invented, a dedicated bathtub and a dedicated fine bubble generating device are usually used in addition to the water heater required for hot water supply or hot water filling. The user had to purchase and install it separately, which required labor and cost.

  The present invention was made to solve the above-described problems, and is a hot water storage type capable of cleaning dirt adhered to the bathtub wall surface by repeatedly sending fine bubbles into the bathtub with a simple configuration. The purpose is to provide a water heater.

  A hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus according to the present invention is a hot water storage type hot water supply machine capable of filling hot water stored in a hot water storage tank into a bathtub, and a water injection pipe capable of injecting hot water into the bathtub, and in the middle of the water injection pipe An ejector for pouring water that is arranged and can generate fine bubbles in the water pouring pipe for cleaning the inner wall of the bath, a water pouring flow adjusting device that adjusts the water pouring flow from the water pouring pipe into the bath, and the bathtub A cleaning means for cleaning the inner wall of the bathtub by performing a water injection operation of injecting hot water containing fine bubbles into the bathtub from the water injection pipe during the drainage operation for discharging the bath water in the interior. The means injects water such that the first state in which the water injection flow rate is larger than the discharge flow rate discharged from the bathtub and the second state in which the flow rate is lower than the discharge flow rate or zero is alternately repeated. Control the flow device It is intended to include your means.

  According to the present invention, since fine bubbles can be repeatedly sent into the bathtub with a simple configuration, it is possible to effectively clean dirt adhered to the bathtub wall surface.

It is a circuit block diagram of the heat pump hot-water supply apparatus as Embodiment 1 of the hot water storage type water heater of this invention. It is a control block diagram of the fine bubble generator with which the heat pump hot-water supply apparatus of Embodiment 1 is provided. It is a flowchart which shows the routine of the bathtub washing operation | movement in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the routine of the bathtub washing operation | movement in Embodiment 2 of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the element which is common in each figure, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram of a heat pump hot water supply apparatus as Embodiment 1 of a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus of the present invention. The heat pump water heater shown in FIG. 1 includes a heat pump unit 1 and a tank unit 2. The heat pump unit 1 is configured by connecting a compressor 3, a radiator 4, an expansion valve 5, and an evaporator 6 in order by a pipe 7, and is housed in a heat pump unit case 8. The heat pump unit 1 preferably uses carbon dioxide, which is a natural refrigerant, as a refrigerant, and operates on a high pressure side in a state exceeding the critical pressure. The tank unit 2 includes a hot water storage tank 10 and a plate heat exchanger 11 for bathing in a tank unit case 9.

  The plate-type heat exchanger 11 is a water-water heat exchanger in which water flows opposite to each other. A tank-side inlet 111 and a bath-side outlet 114 are provided in the upper part, and a tank-side outlet 112 and a bath-side inlet 113 are provided in the lower part. Is provided. Hot water supplied from the upper tank side inlet 111 is discharged from the lower tank side outlet 112. Bath water supplied from the lower bath-side inlet 113 is discharged from the upper bath-side outlet 114.

  The hot water storage tank 10 is provided with a hot water outlet 101 and a hot water inlet 103 at the top, and a water inlet 102 and a water outlet 104 at the bottom. Hot water is supplied to the tank side inlet 111 at the upper part of the plate heat exchanger 11 through the pipe 12 from the hot water outlet 101 at the upper part of the hot water storage tank 10, and after the heat exchange at the plate heat exchanger 11, It is discharged from the tank side outlet 112. The discharged water is returned to the hot water storage tank 10 from the water inlet 102 at the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 through the pipe 14 by the tank side water pump 13. The pipe 12, the plate heat exchanger 11, the tank side water pump 13 and the pipe 14 form a primary water supply circuit of the plate heat exchanger 11.

  On the other hand, hot water from the bathtub 15 is supplied to the bath-side inlet 113 at the bottom of the plate heat exchanger 11 from the bathtub return pipe 17 through the bathtub adapter 34 by the bath-side water pump 16, and the plate-type heat exchanger 11. It becomes warm water that is heated by heat exchange. Thereafter, the hot water discharged from the upper bath-side outlet 114 is returned to the bathtub 15 through the bathtub outlet pipe 18 and the bathtub adapter 34. A secondary side water supply circuit of the plate type heat exchanger 11 is formed by the bathtub return pipe 17, the bath side water supply pump 16, the plate type heat exchanger 11 and the bathtub outlet pipe 18.

  In the middle of the bathtub return pipe 17, a water level detection device (for example, a water level sensor 39) that detects the bathtub water level and a water flow presence / absence detection device (for example, a flow switch 47) that confirms the presence or absence of water flow when water is supplied by the bath-side water pump 16. ) And a circulation ejector 28 for generating fine bubbles. At the air intake portion of the circulation ejector 28, a circulation ejector air check valve 30 for preventing backflow and a circulation ejector air electromagnetic valve 29 for controlling the introduction of air into the ejector are installed. When the circulating ejector air solenoid valve 29 is opened after the circulating ejector air solenoid valve 29 provided at the ejector air inlet port is closed, the inlet port is always at a negative pressure and air is sucked in. become. Although the circulation ejector air check valve 30 is not required by following this operation procedure, it is desirable to dispose the circulation ejector air check valve 30 when an erroneous operation is taken into consideration. Fine air bubbles are generated by passing the sucked air through the circulation ejector 28, and the fine air bubbles are caused to flow to the bathtub return pipe 17, the plate heat exchanger 11 and the bathtub outlet pipe 18, thereby washing the inside and the wall surface of the bathtub 15. can do.

  Water from the water outlet 104 at the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 is supplied to the radiator 4 of the heat pump unit 1 through the pipe 20 by the boiling water pump 19 and heated by the radiator 4. The hot water storage tank 10 is returned to the hot water storage tank 10 through the hot water inlet 103 at the top. The boiling water pump 19, the pipe 20, the radiator 4 and the pipe 21 constitute a hot water storage circuit.

  The hot water supply mixing valve 23 creates hot water having a desired temperature set by the remote controller 46 by mixing hot water from the hot water storage tank 10 with water from city water. The produced hot water is poured into the bathtub 15 through the water injection pipe 26, the bathtub return pipe 17, and the bathtub outlet pipe 18. In the middle of the water injection pipe 26, a water injection pipe flow rate adjustment device (for example, a water injection electromagnetic valve 44), a flow rate detection device (for example, a flow rate sensor 40 for bath hot water supply), and a water injection ejector 31 for generating fine bubbles are installed. Yes. The air intake portion of the water injection ejector 31 is provided with a water injection ejector air check valve 33 for preventing backflow and a water injection ejector air solenoid valve 32 for controlling the introduction of air into the ejector. A state in which the inlet is always negative pressure and the air is sucked in by opening the water injector with a water injection after the hot water is flowed in a state where the ejector air solenoid valve 32 for water injection provided at the ejector air inlet is closed. become. Although the water injection ejector air check valve 33 is not required by observing this operation procedure, it is desirable to dispose the water injection ejector air check valve 33 in consideration of erroneous operation. By passing the sucked air through the water injection ejector 31, fine bubbles are generated, and the fine bubbles are caused to flow to the bathtub return pipe 17 and the bathtub return pipe 18, thereby cleaning the inside and the wall surface of the bathtub 15. .

  The pressure reducing valve 25 reduces the city water supplied from the water source to a predetermined pressure and supplies the hot water storage tank 10 with water. The hot water supply mixing valve 24 creates hot water having a desired temperature set by the remote controller 46 by mixing hot water from the hot water storage tank 10 with water from city water. The produced hot water is supplied from the tap 42 through the hot water supply pipe 27. A flow rate detection device (for example, a flow rate sensor 41 for hot water supply) is installed in the middle of the hot water supply pipe 27.

  FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the fine bubble generating device provided in the heat pump hot water supply apparatus of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 45 receives signals from the bath hot water flow sensor 40, the hot water flow sensor 41, the flow switch 47, the water level sensor 39, and the remote controller 46, and receives the hot water mixing valve 24 and bath hot water supply. The mixing valve 23, the water injection electromagnetic valve 44, the bath side water supply pump 16, the boiling water supply pump 19, the tank side water supply pump 13, the circulation ejector air electromagnetic valve 29, and the water injection ejector air electromagnetic valve 32 are controlled. In the control system of the heat pump water heater, when the user operates the remote controller 46, a signal is transmitted to the control unit 45, and the control unit 45 controls each operation by the signal. The remote controller 46 is provided with a bathtub cleaning button 461 for the user to select a cleaning mode for the bathtub 15.

  Next, operation | movement of this heat pump hot-water supply apparatus is demonstrated. In FIG. 1, the heat pump unit 1 is operated by a hot water storage operation signal. Specifically, the refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 3 to become high temperature and pressure, cooled by the radiator 4, depressurized by the expansion valve 5, absorbed by the evaporator 6 from the atmosphere and evaporated, and returns to the compressor 3. On the other hand, the water flowing down from the water outlet 104 at the bottom of the hot water storage tank 10 to the pipe 20 is supplied to the radiator 4 by the boiling water pump 19 and heated. The hot water that has been heated to a high temperature sequentially flows from the hot water inlet 103 at the top of the hot water storage tank 10.

  When the user instructs hot water from the remote controller 46, the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 10 and the cold water supplied from the city water are mixed by the hot water supply mixing valve 23, and hot water at a user desired temperature is stored in the bathtub. 15 are sequentially supplied. During the hot water operation to the bathtub 15, the bath water in the bathtub 15 is circulated by operating the bath-side water supply pump 16. Then, while the hot water level is detected by the water level sensor 39, hot water is supplied until the amount of hot water desired by the user is reached.

  Thereafter, the user takes a bath in the bathtub 15 where the hot water is completed. At this time, sebum dirt that has been peeled off from the body surface during the bathing floats in the bathtub 15 and eventually adheres to the wall surface of the bathtub 15. Therefore, in order to remove these stains, in the apparatus of the first embodiment, fine bubbles are generated from the bathtub return pipe 17 and the bathtub return pipe 18 into the bathtub 15 while draining the bath water in the bathtub 15 when not bathing. The operation of repeatedly pouring water containing is performed. Thereby, since a micro bubble repeats to the bathtub 15 wall surface, the wall surface of the bathtub 15 is wash | cleaned effectively.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a bath cleaning operation routine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the washing operation of the wall surface of the bathtub 15 described above will be described in more detail using the flowchart shown in FIG. In step S <b> 1, it is detected that the bathtub has been opened by the user and the bath water draining operation has started. As a method of detecting the drainage operation, for example, a method of providing a flow rate sensor (not shown) in the drainage pipe line or a change in the water level detected by the water level sensor 39 can be considered. In the next step S <b> 2, it is determined whether or not the water level that has been lowered due to drainage has dropped to a predetermined water level H that has been stored in the control unit 45 in advance. As a result, if the predetermined water level H has been reached, it is determined that the bath water will not overflow immediately from the bathtub 15 even if a water injection operation described later is executed, and the process proceeds to the next step S3. On the other hand, if the water level has not decreased to the predetermined water level H, the determination in step S2 is repeated until the water level decreases.

  Next, in step S <b> 3, the controller 45 issues an ON signal for the water injection electromagnetic valve 44 to open the water injection electromagnetic valve 44. Then, water from the city water is poured into the bathtub 15 through the mixing bath 23 for mixing hot water and hot water, the water injection pipe 26, the bathtub return pipe 17, and the bathtub outlet pipe 18. In addition, the water injection flow rate by the process of this step S3 is adjusted so that it may become larger than the waste water flow rate (that is, the water level rises). Thereby, the stain | pollution | contamination which adheres again to the wall surface of the bathtub 15 by the fall of the water level by drainage can be removed by raising a water level. Moreover, it is preferable to use only the water supplied from city water without mixing the hot water discharged from the hot water storage tank 10 as water used for water injection. Thereby, the bathtub 15 wall surface can be washed without wasting hot water in the hot water storage tank.

  Next, in step S4, the controller 45 issues an ON signal of the water injection ejector air solenoid valve 32, whereby the water injection ejector air electromagnetic valve 32 is opened. The inside of the water injection pipe 26 has a negative pressure due to the water flow generated by the process of step S3. For this reason, the air that has passed through the water injection ejector air solenoid valve 32 is introduced into the water injection pipe 26 as fine bubbles and injected into the bathtub 15 together with water. The injected fine bubbles are released into the bathtub 15 and adhere to the wall surface of the bathtub 15 to remove the dirt attached to the wall surface of the bathtub 15.

  Next, in step S5, it is determined whether or not the amount of water injected into the bathtub 15 by the processing in step S3 has exceeded a predetermined amount of water stored in the control unit 45 in advance. The predetermined water injection amount is a threshold for raising the water level that is lowered by the drainage to a predetermined water level again by the water injection operation, and can be set to a water injection amount that is higher than the hot water level, for example. As a result, when the water injection amount exceeds the predetermined water injection amount, the process proceeds to the next step S6, and when it does not exceed, the determination in this step S5 is repeatedly executed until the water level exceeds.

  In step S <b> 6, the controller 45 issues an OFF signal of the water injection ejector air solenoid valve 32, thereby closing the water injection ejector air electromagnetic valve 32. Subsequently, in step S <b> 7, the controller 45 issues an OFF signal for the water injection electromagnetic valve 44, thereby closing the water injection electromagnetic valve 44. After the process of step S7 is completed, water injection into the bathtub 15 is stopped, but since the drainage continues, the water level of the bathtub 15 is lowered. At this time, since the removed dirt is reattached to the wall surface of the bathtub 15, the process returns to step S3 again, and the bathtub cleaning operation in steps S3 to S7 is repeated. In Step S8, it is determined whether or not the operation from Steps S3 to S7 has exceeded the predetermined number of times previously stored in the control unit 45. When the predetermined number of times has been reached, the bath cleaning is finished. By repeating the bathtub cleaning operation, the concentration of dirt can be reduced, and dirt adhering to the wall surface of the bathtub 15 can be reduced each time. Therefore, the predetermined number of times is preferably as many as possible. . Specifically, it is effective to repeat about 5 times. On the other hand, in step S8, when the predetermined number of water injection operations has not been exceeded, the determination is repeated until the predetermined number of times is reached.

  Thus, conventionally, in performing bathtub cleaning, in addition to a hot water heater that performs hot water supply or hot water beam, a dedicated bathtub and a dedicated micro-bubble generator are required, but in the hot water storage type hot water heater according to the present invention, Then, the water pouring operation for cleaning the wall surface of the bathtub 15 by raising the water level while discharging fine bubbles generated from the water heater to the bathtub 15 is repeatedly performed. Thereby, bathtub washing can be performed each time, and the dirt adhering to the wall surface can be removed again. Further, since the water is always drained during washing of the bathtub, the removed dirt is gradually discharged out of the bathtub 15 and the density of the dirt becomes thinner. For this reason, bathtub washing can be completed, without adding apparatuses other than a water heater.

  By the way, in the apparatus of Embodiment 1 mentioned above, it is supposed that the production | generation of fine bubbles and water injection will be stopped when the amount of water injection to the bathtub 15 exceeds predetermined water injection amount. However, the determination of the water injection stop is not limited to the method using the water injection amount. For example, the water injection may be stopped when the water level detected by the water level sensor 39 rises to a predetermined water level. In addition, the water injection stop operation is not limited to a mode in which the valve is closed and water injection is completely stopped as long as the water level falls in relation to the drainage flow rate. It is good also as continuing pouring water containing a fine bubble little by little by setting it as a predetermined small opening degree.

  Further, in the apparatus of the first embodiment described above, when repeatedly performing the water injection operation with fine bubbles, there is no particular mention of the waiting period from the closing of the water injection electromagnetic valve 44 in step S7 to the reopening in step S3. It is good also as variably setting according to the dirt degree of bath water. That is, for example, the dirt concentration in the bathtub 15 is higher in the initial period of drainage than in the latter period of drainage. For this reason, for example, in the first to third water injection operations, the waiting time is set to be short so that washing with water injection containing fine bubbles is frequently performed. The cleaning operation frequency may be reduced by setting the time longer.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
Next, operation | movement of the heat pump hot-water supply apparatus of Embodiment 2 is demonstrated. The operation of the heat pump water heater of the second embodiment can be realized by causing the control unit 45 to execute a routine shown in FIG. 4 to be described later using the hardware configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 described above. . The cleaning operation of the second embodiment is applied when cleaning is performed more carefully than in the first embodiment. Specifically, the cleaning operation of the first embodiment described above is preferably applied to cleaning after bathing for one or two people, and the cleaning operation of the second embodiment described later is performed after a larger number of bathers. It is desirable to apply to cleaning of FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a routine of the bathtub cleaning operation in the second embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the cleaning operation of the apparatus of the second embodiment will be described in more detail using this flowchart.

  First, in step S9, when the user presses the bathtub cleaning button 461 in the remote controller 46, bathtub cleaning is started. Next, in step S10, it is determined whether or not the current water level is lower than the hot water level previously stored in the control unit 45. Dirt tends to stay on the wall surface of the bathtub 15 at the water surface level (draft). For this reason, in the determination of this step S10, when the current water level is lower than the hot water level, it is necessary to remove the dirt on the water line, so the process proceeds to the next step S11, where the control unit 45 turns on the water injection solenoid valve 44. The water injection solenoid valve 44 is opened by issuing a signal. Then, the water from city water is poured into the bathtub 15 through the mixing valve 23 for bath hot water mixing, the water injection pipe 26, the bathtub return pipe 17, and the bathtub return pipe 18 to raise the water surface level. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S10 that the current water level is higher than the hot water level, the process proceeds to step S14 described later.

  In step S12, it is determined whether or not the current water level that has been raised by the water pouring operation in step S11 is higher than the hot water level during hot water filling. As a result, when the current water level is higher, it is determined that the accumulated dirt in the original water surface level portion can be removed by the discharge of fine bubbles during the circulation in the subsequent steps S14 and S15. Proceed to S13. On the other hand, in step S12, when the hot water level is the same as or lower than the current water level, the determination in step S12 is repeated.

  Next, in step S <b> 13, the controller 45 issues an OFF signal for the water injection electromagnetic valve 44, thereby terminating water injection. Next, in step S14, the controller 45 drives the bath-side water pump 16 by issuing an ON signal. Then, the bath water in the bathtub 15 flows down and circulates through the bathtub return pipe 17, the plate heat exchanger 11, and the bathtub outlet pipe 18.

  In step S15, the control unit 45 opens the circulation ejector air solenoid valve 29 by issuing an ON signal. Since the bath water circulates in the bathtub return pipe 17 by the process of step S14, the circulation ejector 28 has a negative pressure. For this reason, when the air that has passed through the circulation ejector air electromagnetic valve 29 is introduced into the circulation ejector 28, fine bubbles are generated and discharged into the bathtub 15 together with the circulating bath water. The fine bubbles released into the bathtub 15 are adhered to the wall surface of the bathtub 15 to remove the dirt adhered to the wall surface of the bathtub 15.

  Next, in step S16, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time stored in advance in the control unit 45 has elapsed since the time of washing the bathtub by discharging fine bubbles during the circulation in the processes of steps S14 and S15. As a result, if the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S17. If not, the determination in step S16 is repeated. The predetermined time is preferably set to a time longer than that, since, for example, cleaning by circulation for 15 minutes is effective in removing dirt. Next, in step S17, the control unit 45 issues an OFF signal for the circulation ejector air solenoid valve 29, and subsequently issues an OFF signal for the bath-side water pump 16 in step S18. Thereby, the bathtub washing | cleaning by discharge | emission of the fine bubble at the time of a circulation is complete | finished.

  When the operations from step S9 to step S18 are completed, next, in step S19, the fact that the bathtub cleaning by the discharge of fine bubbles during circulation is completed is displayed on the remote controller 46, and notification is also given by voice. In the next step S1, it is detected that the user who has been contacted by the process in step S19 has gone to the bathroom, opened the bathtub plug, and drained the bathtub water. Thereafter, the processing from step S2 to step S8 described in the first embodiment is executed, and the operation of cleaning the wall surface of the bathtub 15 by raising the water level while discharging fine bubbles to the bathtub 15 is repeatedly executed.

  Thereafter, when it is determined in step S8 that the water injection operation has exceeded the predetermined number of times, the process proceeds to the next step S20, where it is determined whether or not all of the bath water has been drained. As a result, if it is determined that there is no bath water, the process proceeds to step S21. If it is determined that there is bath water, the determination is repeated until it is determined that there is no bath water.

  On the bottom surface of the bathtub 15 after draining all the bath water, there is a possibility that dirt that could not be discharged to the outside of the bathtub 15 at the time of draining remains. Therefore, in step S21, the controller 45 issues an ON signal for the water injection electromagnetic valve 44, whereby the water injection electromagnetic valve 44 is opened. Then, water from the city water is poured into the bathtub 15 through the mixing bath 23 for mixing hot water and hot water, the water injection pipe 26, the bathtub return pipe 17, and the bathtub return pipe 18. Next, in step S22, the controller 45 issues an ON signal of the water injection ejector air solenoid valve 32, whereby the water injection ejector air electromagnetic valve 32 is opened. The inside of the water injection pipe 26 has a negative pressure due to the water flow generated by the process of step S3. For this reason, the air that has passed through the water injection ejector air solenoid valve 32 is introduced into the water injection pipe 26 as fine bubbles and injected into the bathtub 15 together with water. Thereby, the bottom face of the bathtub 15 can be finally cleaned.

  Next, in step S23, it is determined whether or not a predetermined water injection amount necessary for cleaning the bottom surface of the bathtub 15 previously stored in the control unit 45 is exceeded. The predetermined water injection amount is preferably set to a water amount that allows water to reach the bottom of the bathtub 15. As a result of the determination in step S23, if the predetermined water injection amount has been exceeded, the process proceeds to the next step S24. If the predetermined water injection amount has not been exceeded, the determination is repeated until the predetermined water injection amount has been exceeded. In step S24, the control unit 45 issues an OFF signal for the water injection ejector air solenoid valve 32, and subsequently issues an OFF signal for the water injection electromagnetic valve 44 in step S25, whereby the water injection ejector air electromagnetic valve 32 and the water injection electromagnetic valve 44 are supplied. Is closed, and a series of bath cleaning operations are completed.

  In this way, for the water line in which dirt is likely to stay, dirt after bathing by multiple persons, and dirt that tends to remain on the bottom of the bathtub 15, fine bubbles are discharged while the bath water in the bathtub 15 is circulated for a certain period of time. By releasing fine bubbles while raising the water level in the inside, and further releasing fine bubbles by pouring water after draining the bath water in the bathtub 15, without adding a dedicated bathtub and a dedicated fine bubble generating device, the bathtub 15 It was possible to wash the whole.

10 Hot water storage tank 15 Bath 16 Bath side water pump (circulation pump)
17 Bathtub return piping (water injection piping, circulation piping)
18 Bathing piping (water injection piping, circulation piping)
26 Water injection pipe 28 Circulating ejector 31 Water injection ejector 39 Water level sensor (water level detection means)
44 Water injection solenoid valve (Water injection flow rate adjustment device)
45 Control unit (control means)

Claims (8)

A hot water storage type water heater capable of filling hot water stored in a hot water storage tank into a bathtub,
A water injection pipe capable of injecting hot water into the bathtub;
An ejector for pouring water that is arranged in the middle of the water pouring pipe and can generate fine bubbles for cleaning the inner wall of the bathtub in the hot water in the water pouring pipe,
A water injection flow rate adjusting device for adjusting a water injection flow rate from the water injection pipe into the bathtub;
A cleaning means for cleaning the inner wall of the bathtub by performing a water injection operation of injecting hot water containing the fine bubbles into the bathtub from the water injection pipe during a drain operation for discharging the bath water in the bathtub; With
The cleaning means alternates between a first state in which the water injection flow rate is larger than the discharge flow rate discharged from the bathtub and a second state in which the flow rate is lower than the discharge flow rate or zero. A hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus including control means for controlling the water injection flow rate device to be repeated. The water injection flow rate adjusting device is composed of a water injection electromagnetic valve that opens and closes the water injection pipe,
2. The hot water storage type hot water heater according to claim 1, wherein a state in which the water injection electromagnetic valve is opened corresponds to the first state, and a state in which the water injection electromagnetic valve is closed corresponds to the second state.   The control means includes means for increasing the ratio of the duration of the second state to the duration of the first state as the cleaning time by the cleaning means elapses. The hot water storage water heater described. Water level detecting means for detecting the water level in the bathtub,
The said washing | cleaning means starts the said water pouring operation | movement, when it detects that the water level in the said bathtub fell below the predetermined water level by the said drainage operation | movement, The any one of Claim 1 thru | or 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The hot water storage type water heater described in the item. The water injection pipe is configured to be able to inject water from a water source,
The hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cleaning means performs cleaning by the cleaning means using water from a water source containing the fine bubbles. The hot water storage type water heater is a hot water storage type hot water heater capable of chasing the bath water in the bathtub by exchanging heat between the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank and the bath water in the bathtub with a heat exchanger. There,
A circulation line arranged to return from the bathtub to the bathtub through the heat exchanger;
An ejector for circulation which is arranged in the middle of the circulation pipe and can generate fine bubbles in the hot water in the circulation pipe for cleaning the inner wall of the bathtub;
A circulation pump which is arranged in the middle of the circulation pipe and circulates the bath water in the bathtub to the circulation pipe;
Prior to the draining operation, by operating the circulation pump, a second cleaning means for circulating hot water containing the fine bubbles from the circulation pipe into the bathtub,
The hot water storage type hot water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising:   Prior to the operation of the circulation pump, the second cleaning means injects hot water containing the fine bubbles into the bathtub from the water injection pipe, and raises the water level in the bathtub until a predetermined water level is reached. The hot water storage type water heater according to claim 6, further comprising means.   The hot water storage system according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a notifying means for notifying a user that the drainage operation should be performed when the circulation pump is operated for a predetermined period by the second cleaning means. Water heater.

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