JP2013155888A - Water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water heater equipped with a warning means which warns of a defect or a damage in piping of a water heater connected to a bathtub.SOLUTION: A water heater is equipped with: circulation piping which forms at least a part of a circulation flow path which circulates hot water in a bathtub; a motor-driven circulation pump which is provided in the circulation piping to circulate the hot water; and a detecting means to detect that the rotation speed of the circulation pump is out of the range of a predetermined rotation speed. The detecting means is equipped with a warning means which operates when the detecting means detects that the rotation speed of the circulation pump is out of the range of a predetermined rotation speed, and notifies of a defect or damage of the circulation flow path.

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a hot water supply apparatus.

As a hot water supply apparatus that supplies hot water to a place of use, a hot water supply apparatus that includes a hot water storage tank and supplies hot water in the hot water storage tank to a bathtub that is a use place is known.
In general, a hot water supply apparatus has a housing having a hot water storage tank therein, and is connected to a bathtub by a connection pipe when the hot water supply apparatus is installed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-100409

However, when connecting the bathtub and hot water supply device during installation, if the connection pipe is damaged or not connected correctly, air will enter the pipe and the hot water supply amount will not be measured accurately when the hot water supply device is operating. In some cases, water leakage may occur due to a piping failure. Normally, piping is laid under the floor of a house or inside a wall, and even if problems such as water leakage occur, it is difficult to detect.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a hot water supply device provided with an informing means for notifying a failure or breakage of piping of a hot water supply device connected to a bathtub.

  In order to solve the above problems, a hot water supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a circulation pipe that constitutes at least a part of a circulation flow path for circulating hot water in a bathtub, and a motor that is provided in the circulation pipe and circulates hot water. A driving circulation pump and detection means for detecting that the rotation speed of the circulation pump is out of a predetermined rotation speed range are provided. And a detection means is provided with the alerting | reporting means which operate | moves by detecting that the said circulation pump rotation speed remove | deviated from the predetermined | prescribed rotation speed range, and notifies the failure and breakage of a circulation flow path.

The figure which shows the structure of the hot water supply apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the principal part of the control part of the hot water supply apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the mode of the rotation speed fluctuation | variation of the circulation pump which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the display of the display part during the chasing driving which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, a hot water supply apparatus A according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the hot water supply apparatus A has a housing 20 that encloses a hot water storage tank 1.
An inlet of a heat source machine 3 as a heating means is connected to the bottom of the hot water storage tank 1 via a water supply pipe 2, and an upper part of the hot water storage tank 1 is connected to an outlet of the heat source machine 3 via a supply pipe 4. The heat source unit 3 includes a heat pump refrigeration cycle, and heats water flowing from the water supply pipe 2 with heat drawn from outside air to generate hot water. The hot water is guided to the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 1 by the supply pipe 4, whereby hot water is stored in the hot water storage tank 1. The bottom of the hot water storage tank 1 is also connected to a water supply source such as a water supply via a water supply pipe 5 and receives replenishment of water from the water supply source.

  A plurality of temperature sensors T6, T5, T4, T3, T2, and T1 are sequentially attached to the hot water storage tank 1 along the depth direction. The temperature distribution of the hot water and the amount of hot water stored in the depth direction of the hot water storage tank 1 can be captured from the temperature detected by these temperature sensors, and the amount of heat of the hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 can be detected.

A hot water discharge pipe 6 for discharging hot hot water is connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1. One end of hot water supply pipes 6a, 6b, 6c is connected to the hot water discharge pipe 6.
A mixing valve 21, a temperature sensor 22, and a hopper 23 serving as hot water supply means are provided in the middle of the hot water supply pipe 6a. Moreover, the connection body 11 is provided in the other end of the hot water supply pipe 6a.
One end of the hot water return pipe 9a and one end of the hot water return pipe 9b are connected to the connecting body 11.

A circulation pump 10 and a bath-side flow path 27a of the bath heat exchanger 27 are sequentially connected to the hot water outflow pipe 9a, and a connecting body 8 extending to the outside of the housing 20 is connected to the other end of the hot water outflow pipe 9a. Is provided.
Further, a temperature sensor 24, a flow switch 25 as a flow detection means, and a water level sensor 26 for detecting the water level of the bathtub 15 are sequentially provided in the middle of the hot water return pipe 9b, and at the other end of the hot water return pipe 9b. A connection body 7 extending outside the housing 20 is provided.

The connection bodies 7 and 8 are connected to the circulation port 16 of the bathtub 15 through the connection pipes 17 and 14. The hot water outflow pipe 9a, the connection pipe 14, the circulation port 16, the connection pipe 17, and the hot water return pipe 9b communicate with each other and form a circulation flow path during the follow-up operation. During the follow-up operation, the hot water outflow pipe 9a and the hot water return pipe 9b become the circulation pipe 9 which is a part of the circulation flow path.
Here, the bath heat exchanger 27 functions as a heating unit that heats the hot water in the bathtub 15 supplied through the circulation pipe 9 using the hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 as a heat source.

  The hot water supply pipe 6 b is connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1 via the heat source side flow path 27 b of the bath heat exchanger 27 and the circulation pump 28.

  The mixing valve 21 generates hot water having a set temperature by mixing the hot water guided from the tap water pipe 6 with the water guided from the bypass pipe 5 b branched from the water supply pipe 5. The set temperature is a hot water set temperature Ths set by a remote controller 40 described later. The temperature sensor 22 detects the temperature Th1 of hot water flowing out from the mixing valve 21. The mixing ratio of hot water and water in the mixing valve 21 is adjusted by the control unit 30 described later so that the detected temperature Th1 becomes the hot water set temperature Ths.

  The hopper 23 has an open / close valve for conducting / blocking the flow path of the hot water supply pipe 6a and a sensor for detecting the flow rate of hot water passing through the open / close valve. By opening and closing the on-off valve, a predetermined amount of hot water is supplied to the bathtub 15 in consideration of the shape and size of the bathtub 15. The set amount of hot water supplied to the bathtub 15 is automatically set based on the amount of hot water detected by the sensor in the initial operation when the hot water supply apparatus A is installed.

When the circulation pump 10 is operated, the hot water in the bathtub 15 is a circulation flow path 16, the connection pipe 17, the hot water return pipe 9 b, the hot water return pipe 9 a, the bath side flow path 27 a of the bath heat exchanger 27, and the connection pipe 14. Circulate through.
The temperature Th2 of hot water flowing through the circulation channel is detected by the temperature sensor 24, and the flow of the hot water is detected by the flow switch 25.

  On the other hand, when the circulation pump 28 of the hot water supply pipe 6b is operated, hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 is guided to the hot water supply pipe 6b through the hot water discharge pipe 6 and passes through the heat source side flow path 27b of the bath heat exchanger 27. Return to the top of 1. Thereby, the hot water passing through the bath-side flow path 27a of the bath heat exchanger 27 is heated.

  The hot water supply pipe 6c is arranged from the hot water supply pipe 6 to the kitchen, washroom, bathroom shower, etc., where hot water is used, and the hot water supply pipe 6c is provided with a mixing valve 29. The mixing valve 29 generates hot water having a set temperature by mixing high temperature hot water guided from the hot water discharge pipe 6 and water guided from the bypass pipe 5a branched from the water supply pipe 5. The set temperature here is a hot water supply set temperature set by a remote controller 40 described later.

A control circuit of the water heater A having such a configuration is shown in FIG.
Control unit 30 includes temperature sensors T6, T5, T4, T3, T2, T1, heat source device 3, mixing valve 21, temperature sensor 22, hopper 23, temperature sensor 24, flow switch 25, water level sensor 26, mixing valve 29, Inverters 31 and 32 and a remote controller 40 are connected. As the water level sensor 26, a sensor that detects the pressure in the pipe and calculates the water level is used.

  The inverter 31 converts the alternating voltage of the alternating current power supply 33 into direct current, converts it into alternating current voltage of a predetermined frequency by switching according to a command from the control unit 30, and outputs it as driving power for the motor 10 </ b> M of the circulation pump 10. To do. The inverter 32 converts the alternating voltage of the alternating current power source 33 into direct current, converts it into alternating current voltage of a predetermined frequency by switching according to a command from the control unit 30, and uses it as driving power for the motor 28 </ b> M of the circulation pump 28. Output. In these inverters 31 and 32, the current flowing through the windings of the motors 10M and 28M is detected, and information on the rotor rotational position and the rotational speeds of the motors 10M and 28M according to the detected current is supplied to the control unit 30.

  The remote controller 40 is installed in the vicinity of the bathtub 15, and operating conditions such as an operation mode, a hot water set temperature, a heat retention temperature, and a hot water supply set temperature are set. The remote controller 40 displays various information, an operation button for instructing start and stop of operation, a temperature adjustment button for adjusting set temperature, and a hot water supply amount display for instructing display of a hot water supply amount. An open / close cover that closes an operation unit including a button, an operation mode selection button, and the like is openable and closable. The display unit 40a functions as a notification unit that notifies a failure of the circulation channel. Further, as operation modes that can be selected by a selection button, there are a hot water operation in which an appropriate temperature and an appropriate amount of hot water are stored in the bathtub 15, an insulation operation in which the hot water in the bathtub 15 is kept warm, an additional hot water operation in which the hot water is added to the bathtub 15, and the like.

The hot water supply apparatus A configured as described above is subjected to a trial run as follows immediately after being installed in the bathtub 15.
The amount of hot water stored in the bathtub 15 is set by the remote controller 40 and hot water operation is performed. After completion of the hot water filling operation, the circulating pump 10 is operated to perform the chasing operation. At this time, the flow switch 25 detects that hot water is flowing in the circulation pipe 9.
At this time, information on the rotational speed of the motor 10M supplied to the control unit 30 is detected as the rotational speed of the circulation pump 10.

In order to circulate a predetermined amount of hot water during the follow-up operation, the driving power output from the inverter 31 is controlled by the control unit 30 so that the rotational speed of the circulation pump 10 becomes a predetermined rotational speed. The number of rotations of the motor 10M of the circulation pump 10 may fluctuate, and the control unit 30 that has detected this fluctuation controls the driving power output from the inverter 31 to the motor 10M.
FIG. 3 shows how the rotational speed of the circulating pump 10 varies with time. Here, FIG. 3A shows the fluctuation state of the rotation speed of the circulation pump 10 in a normal case, and FIG. 3B shows the fluctuation state of the rotation speed when air enters the circulation pump 10. It is a thing.
When the rotation speed of the circulation pump 10 in the normal case shown in FIG. 3 (a) falls within a predetermined rotation speed range, air enters the circulation pump 10 as shown in FIG. 3 (b). The fluctuation of the rotation speed becomes larger than that in the normal case, and the rotation speed is outside the predetermined rotation speed range that is normally assumed.

  Even after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the operation of the circulation pump 10, when the rotation speed of the circulation pump 10 exceeds the predetermined fluctuation range of the rotation speed during operation as shown in FIG. The display unit 40a displays that the connection pipes 14 and 17 connecting the bathtub 15 and the circulation pipe 9 have a defect such as a failure or a connection failure, and notifies that the circulation channel is broken. .

The follow-up operation will be further described below.
The control unit 30 closes the open / close valve of the hopper 23, the drive power is supplied from the inverters 31 and 32 to the motors 10M and 28M, and the circulation pumps 10 and 28 operate. Thereby, the hot water stored in the bathtub 15 and the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 1 upper part are supplied to the bath heat exchanger 27, and heat exchange is performed. When the water level sensor 26 detects that the amount of hot water in the bathtub 15 has decreased, the open valve of the hopper 23 is opened and hot water is supplied to the bathtub 15.

Next, the display on the display unit 40a during the follow-up operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
When the chasing operation is started (step 101) and the drive power is supplied to the motors 10M and 28M by the inverters 31 and 32, whether or not the rotational speed of the circulation pump 10 is outside the predetermined rotational speed range by the control unit 30. Is determined (step 102). If the rotation speed of the circulation pump 10 is within the predetermined rotation speed range (No in step 102), the process returns to step 102.
When the rotational speed of the circulation pump 10 is outside the range of the predetermined rotational speed (Yes in Step 102), it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed (Step 105). If the predetermined time has not elapsed (No in Step 103), the process returns to Step 103, and if the predetermined time has elapsed (Yes in Step 103), whether or not the rotational speed of the circulation pump 10 is out of the predetermined rotational speed range again. Is determined (step 104). If the rotation speed of the circulation pump 10 is within the predetermined rotation speed range (No in Step 104), the process returns to Step 104. If the rotation speed of the circulation pump 10 is out of the predetermined rotation speed range, the display unit 40a has a piping failure. Is displayed (step 105). Thereafter, the circulation pump 10 is stopped and the follow-up operation is stopped (step 105).

As described above, a failure or defect in the piping of the hot water supply apparatus A can be detected and notified at an early stage.
In particular, in the installation of the hot water supply apparatus A, when a failure or a defect such as a crack or a hole occurs in the connection pipes 14 and 17 connected to the circulation port 16 of the bathtub 15, air is mixed into the pipe during the follow-up operation, causing the circulation. The speed of the pump fluctuates. When it is detected that the rotational speed of the circulating pump 10 is within the predetermined rotational range for a predetermined period of time, a failure of the pipe that has occurred during installation without visual inspection of the piping is displayed by displaying a warning of the piping failure. Defects can be detected early.

  In the above embodiment, the display unit 40 a is provided in the remote controller 40, but may be provided in other parts such as the control unit 30 and the housing 4.

  In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Further, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. Some components may be deleted from all the components.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Hot water storage tank, 2 ... Water supply pipe, 3 ... Heat source machine, 4 ... Supply pipe, 5 ... Water supply pipe, 5a, 5b ... Bypass pipe, 6 ... Outlet hot water pipe, 6a ... Hot water supply pipe, 6b ... Hot water supply pipe, 6c ... Hot water supply Pipes 7, 8 ... Connector, 9 ... Circulation pipe, 9a ... Hot water return pipe, 9b ... Hot water return pipe, 10 ... Circulation pump, 10M ... Motor, 15 ... Ttub, 16 ... Circulation port, 21 ... Mixing valve, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 22 ... Temperature sensor, 23 ... Hopper, 24 ... Temperature sensor, 25 ... Flow switch (flow detection means), 26 ... Water level sensor (water level detection means), 27 ... Bath heat exchanger, 28 ... Circulation pump, 28M ... Motor, 30 ... Control unit, T6-T1 ... Temperature sensor 31, 32 ... Inverter, 40 ... Remote controller, 40a ... Display unit

Claims (2)

A circulation pipe constituting at least a part of a circulation flow path for circulating the hot water of the bathtub;
A motor-driven circulation pump provided in the circulation pipe for circulating hot water;
Detecting means for detecting that the rotational speed of the circulating pump is out of a predetermined rotational speed range;
The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes a notification unit that operates by detecting that the rotation speed of the circulation pump is out of a predetermined rotation speed range. The informing means informs that the circulating flow path is broken when the detecting means detects that the circulating pump rotational speed is out of a predetermined rotational speed range. Item 2. A hot water supply apparatus according to item 1.

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