JP2016223699A - Water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water heater comprising an additional boiling circuit 63 for circulating hot water in a bath tub 7 between it and an additional boiling heat exchanger 32 and a sterilization device 63f installed at the additional boiling circuit 63 so as to perform a sterilization operation for sterilizing hot water by the sterilization device 63f while circulating hot water to the additional boiling circuit 63 and so as to sterilize water in the bath tub 7 necessarily and sufficiently.SOLUTION: An operation time for a sterilization operation is determined in response to an amount of hot water in a bath tub 7. Further, the operation time for the sterilization operation is corrected in response to at least one of an elapsing time from a hot water feeding completion for the bath tub 7 and an elapsing time from a previous sterilization operation completion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention includes a reheating circuit that circulates hot water in a bathtub with a reheating heat exchanger, and a sterilization device that is interposed in the reheating circuit, and sterilizes while circulating hot water in the reheating circuit. The present invention relates to a hot water supply apparatus that performs a sterilization operation for sterilizing hot water with an apparatus.

  Conventionally, the thing of patent document 1 is known as this kind of hot water supply apparatus. In this apparatus, the sterilization operation is performed when the reheating operation is performed in which the hot water in the bathtub is circulated through the reheating circuit and heated to a predetermined set temperature by the reheating heat exchanger.

  Here, the operation time of the reheating operation varies depending not only on the amount of hot water in the bathtub but also on the deviation between the hot water temperature in the bathtub and the reheating set temperature. Therefore, in the case of the above conventional example, when the reheating operation is performed for a long time, the sterilization operation is continued even if the bacteria present in the hot water in the bathtub are gone, and the sterilization is performed more than necessary. In addition, when the chasing operation is performed for a short time, bacteria remain even after the sterilization operation is completed.

JP 2006-284030 A

  This invention makes it the subject to provide the hot water supply apparatus which enabled it to sterilize the hot water of a bathtub sufficiently and necessary in view of the above point.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a reheating circuit for circulating hot water in the bathtub between the reheating heat exchanger and a sterilization device interposed in the reheating circuit is provided, and hot water is supplied to the reheating circuit. A hot water supply apparatus that performs a sterilization operation in which hot water is sterilized by a sterilization apparatus while circulating, and the operation time of the sterilization operation is determined according to the amount of hot water in the bathtub.

  Here, the number of bacteria present in the hot water in the bathtub is proportional to the amount of hot water in the bathtub. According to the present invention, since the operation time of the sterilization operation is determined according to the amount of hot water in the bathtub, the sterilization operation can be performed in an appropriate time proportional to the number of bacteria. Therefore, the hot water in the bathtub can be sterilized as necessary.

  Moreover, in this invention, it is desirable to correct | amend the operation time of a sterilization operation according to at least one of the elapsed time from the completion of the filling to a bathtub, and the elapsed time from the completion of the last sterilization operation. According to this, the sterilization operation can be performed for a long time corresponding to the number of bacteria that increase with time, and the hot water in the bathtub can be sterilized more reliably.

  Further, in the present invention, the sterilization operation can be performed when the reheating operation in which the hot water in the bathtub is circulated to the reheating circuit and heated to a predetermined set temperature by the reheating heat exchanger is performed. According to this, when the reheating operation is performed, the sterilization operation can be performed even if the user does not perform the operation, and the bath can be bathed in the sterilized state after completion of the reheating operation.

  In this case, before starting the reheating operation, the operation time of the reheating operation is calculated based on the deviation between the hot water temperature in the bathtub and the reheating set temperature and the amount of hot water in the bathtub, and the operation time of the sterilization operation is calculated. When it is longer than the calculated driving time, it is desirable to start the sterilization operation at least a time corresponding to the driving time difference between the two driving operations. According to this, the sterilization operation is not performed after the completion of the chasing operation, and the hot water temperature in the bathtub can be prevented from becoming lower than the set temperature.

  Further, in the present invention, the sterilization operation can be performed when at least one of a predetermined time has elapsed since the completion of the filling of the bathtub and a predetermined time has elapsed since the completion of the previous sterilization operation. According to this, even if a user does not operate, it can perform sterilization driving | operation and it can prevent that a microbe continues growing.

  In this case, when not bathing, it is desirable to set the predetermined time longer than when bathing. According to this, when it is difficult to rapidly increase bacteria without bathing, it is possible to prevent sterilization more than necessary.

  In the present invention, the sterilization operation may be performed every time the second predetermined time elapses from the end of bathing. According to this, the hot water in the bathtub in which the bacteria have grown by bathing can be sterilized.

The block diagram of the hot-water supply apparatus of embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the control content performed with the hot water supply apparatus of embodiment.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a hot water supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a can body 1. A hot water supply burner 21 and a reheating burner 22 are housed in the lower part of the can body 1, and a hot water supply heat exchanger 31 heated by the hot water supply burner 21 is reheated in the upper part of the can body 1. A reheating heat exchanger 32 heated by the burner 22 is housed. The space where the hot water supply burner 21 and the heat exchanger 31 are disposed and the space where the reheating burner 22 and the heat exchanger 32 are disposed are partitioned by the partition wall 11. A combustion fan 4 for supplying combustion air to the burners 21 and 22 is connected to the lower surface of the can body 1, and an exhaust port 12 is opened at the upper end of the can body 1.

  An electromagnetic valve 5a and a proportional valve 5b are interposed in the gas supply path 5 for supplying fuel gas to the burners 21 and 22. Further, a plurality of unit burners constituting the hot water supply burner 21 are divided into three sets, and a branch gas supply path 51 to each set of unit burners branched downstream of the proportional valve 5b is connected to a solenoid valve 51a for capacity switching. And an electromagnetic valve 52a is also provided in the branch gas supply path 52 to the reheating burner 22 branched downstream of the proportional valve 5b.

  The hot water supply heat exchanger 31 includes a main heat exchanger 31a that recovers sensible heat of the combustion gas from the burner 21, and a sub heat exchanger 31b that recovers the latent heat of the combustion gas that has passed through the main heat exchanger 31a. Similarly, the reheating heat exchanger 32 includes a main heat exchanger 32a and a sub heat exchanger 32b. An upstream water supply passage 61 and a downstream outlet hot water passage 62 are connected to the water heater heat exchanger 31, and a reheating circuit 63 connected to the bathtub 7 is connected to the reheating heat exchanger 32. ing. Note that the downstream end of the hot water supply passage 62 is connected to a hot water supply terminal (not shown).

  The water supply path 61 is provided with a water supply water amount sensor 61a and a water amount servo 61b. Furthermore, a bypass passage 64 is provided which branches from the water supply passage 61 on the downstream side of the water amount servo 61b and merges with the hot water supply passage 62 without passing through the hot water supply heat exchanger 31, and a bypass servo 64a is provided at the branch point. ing. A hot water thermistor 62 a is provided in the hot water outlet 62.

Reheating circuit 63 is constituted by hot water passing through the fired heat exchanger 32 to follow the forward 63 ₁ sends the bath 7, and return 63 ₂ returning to the fired heat exchanger 32 to follow the hot water in the bathtub 7 Yes. The forward 63 _1, forward thermistor 63a is provided, the return 63 ₂ includes a return thermistor 63b and a circulating pump 63c and water level sensors 63d and the water flow switch 63e is provided. The hot water in the bathtub 7 is circulated through the reheating circuit 63 with the reheating heat exchanger 32 by the operation of the circulation pump 63c. Further, the reheating burner 22 is burned, and the hot water circulating in the reheating circuit 63 is heated by the reheating heat exchanger 32 to perform reheating.

To return 63 ₂ further be located between the connection point and tub 7 of the tapping line 65 for water filling to be described later, are sterilized device 63f is interposed with UV lamp, Reheating circuit by turning on the UV lamp The hot water circulating through 63 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays so as to be sterilized. Note that the sterilizer 63f may have a photocatalyst and an LED lamp that irradiates light to the photocatalyst or an ozone generator.

Also, hot water filling for hot water passage 65 connected to the return 63 ₂ parts between the pouring channel 62 partially circulating pump 63c and tub 7 branches from the downstream side of the merging portion of the bypass passage 64 is provided ing. The hot water supply outlet 65 is provided with a hot water solenoid valve 65 a and a hot water sensor 65 b for detecting the flow rate of hot water flowing through the hot water supply passage 65. Then, by opening the electromagnetic valve 65a for water filling without operating the circulation pump 63c, the hot water heated by the hot water supply heat exchanger 31 and the hot water filling for hot water passage 65 return 63 ₂ and forward 63 ₁ The water is supplied to the bathtub 7 through the hot water.

  Combustion fan 4, solenoid valve 5a, proportional valve 5b, solenoid valves 51a, 51a, 51a, 52a, water volume servo 61b, circulation pump 63c, UV lamp of sterilizer 63f, bypass servo 64a and hot water solenoid valve 65a It is controlled by the controller 8 of the apparatus. The controller 8 receives detection signals from a water supply water amount sensor 61a, a tapping hot water thermistor 62a, a forward thermistor 63a, a return thermistor 63b, a water level sensor 63d, a water flow switch 63e, and a hot water filling water amount sensor 65b. Then, the controller 8 operates the circulation pump 63c to perform the sterilization operation for sterilizing the hot water with the sterilizer 63f while circulating the hot water in the bathtub 7 to the reheating circuit 63, and operates the circulation pump 63c to activate the inside of the bathtub 7 A reheating operation is performed in which the hot water is circulated through the reheating circuit 63 and heated to a predetermined set temperature by the reheating heat exchanger 32. Further, the controller 8 can communicate with a remote controller (not shown) provided with a sterilization operation switch capable of performing an operation for instructing a sterilization operation and a reexamination operation switch capable of performing an operation for instructing a follow-up operation. It is connected to the. In addition, when performing a sterilization operation or a chasing operation, it is also possible to display it on the screen of the remote controller.

  Here, in this embodiment, the operation time of the sterilization operation is determined according to the amount of hot water in the bathtub 7. Furthermore, the operation time of the sterilization operation is corrected according to the elapsed time from the completion of the hot water filling to the bathtub 7 and the elapsed time from the completion of the previous sterilization operation. Further, the operation time of the reheating operation is determined based on the deviation between the hot water temperature in the bathtub 7 and the reheating set temperature and the amount of hot water in the bathtub 7. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 2, the sterilization operation and the chasing operation of this embodiment will be described in detail.

  First, in STEP 1, it is determined whether or not the hot water filling to the bathtub 7 is completed. When the hot water filling is completed, in STEP 2, the timer operation of the timer provided in the controller 8 is started (timer start). At this time, the detection value of the water level sensor 63d and the integrated water amount detected by the hot water filling amount sensor 65b are acquired as the amount of hot water in the bathtub 7.

  Next, in STEP 3, it is determined whether or not the reheating operation switch is turned on. If turned on, in STEP 4, the return thermistor 63b after operating the circulation pump 63c for a short time (for example, 30 seconds) is determined. The detected value is the hot water temperature in the bathtub 7, and the operation time of the reheating operation is calculated based on the deviation between the hot water temperature in the bathtub 7 and the amount of hot water in the bathtub 7 acquired in STEP 2, and acquired in STEP 5 in STEP 2. The operation time of the sterilization operation is calculated according to the amount of hot water in the bathtub 7. Specifically, the basic operation time of the sterilization operation is calculated by dividing the amount of hot water in the bathtub 7 by the amount of hot water that can be sterilized per unit time, and a timer time (elapsed time from the start of the timer) t is calculated as the basic operation time. By adding the correction time that becomes longer as the time becomes longer, the operation time of the sterilization operation is obtained.

  Subsequently, in STEP 6, it is determined whether or not the operation time of the chasing operation is shorter than a predetermined reference time (for example, 10 minutes). If the chasing operation is shorter than the reference time, the chasing operation is performed without performing the sterilization operation. . That is, at STEP 7, while operating the circulation pump 63c, the solenoid valve 5a and the solenoid valve 52a are opened to burn the reheating burner 22, and at STEP 8, whether or not the operation time of the reheating operation has elapsed. Determine. When the operation time of the reheating operation has elapsed, in STEP 9, the operation of the circulation pump 63c is stopped, and the solenoid valve 5a and the electromagnetic valve 52a are closed to stop the combustion of the reheating burner 22, and STEP 3 Return to.

  On the other hand, when the operation time of the reheating operation is equal to or longer than the reference time, the process proceeds from STEP 6 to STEP 10 to determine whether or not the operation time of the sterilization operation is longer than the operation time of the reheating operation. If the operation time of the sterilization operation is equal to or less than the operation time of the follow-up operation, the process proceeds to STEP 11 and the UV lamp of the sterilization device 63f is turned on while the circulation pump 63c is operated. The reheating burner 22 is burned by opening the valve 52a, and the reheating operation and the sterilization operation are simultaneously performed. Next, in STEP 12, it is determined whether or not the operation time of the sterilization operation has elapsed. When the operation time of the sterilization operation has elapsed, the UV lamp of the sterilizer 63f is turned off in STEP 13 and the sterilization operation is terminated. After that, in STEP14, it is determined whether or not the operation time of the follow-up operation has elapsed. When the operation time of the follow-up operation has elapsed, in STEP15, the operation of the circulation pump 63c is stopped and the solenoid valve 5a and the solenoid valve are stopped. 52a is closed, combustion of the reheating burner 22 is stopped, and reheating operation is ended. Further, in STEP 16, the UV lamp of the sterilizer 63f is cleaned by filling 6 liters of hot water into the bathtub 7, and in STEP 17, the timer time t is reset, and the process returns to STEP 2 to start the timer.

  On the other hand, when the operation time of the sterilization operation is longer than the operation time of the follow-up operation, the process proceeds from STEP 10 to STEP 18 and the sterilization operation is started by turning on the UV lamp of the sterilization device 63f while operating the circulation pump 63c. . Next, in STEP 19, it is determined whether or not a time corresponding to the operation time difference between the sterilization operation and the chasing operation has elapsed. When the time has elapsed, in STEP 20, the solenoid valve 5a and the solenoid valve 52a are opened to follow up. The burning burner 22 is burned, and the chasing operation is started. Then, in STEP 21, it is determined whether or not the driving time of the chasing operation has elapsed. When it has elapsed, in STEP 22, the operation of the circulation pump 63c is stopped and the solenoid valve 5a and the solenoid valve 52a are closed. Then, the combustion of the reheating burner 22 is stopped, and the reheating operation is finished. Further, in STEP23, the UV lamp of the sterilizer 63f is washed by filling 6 liters of hot water into the bathtub 7, and in STEP24, the UV lamp is turned off, the sterilization operation is terminated, and the process proceeds to STEP17.

  Thus, when the reheating operation is performed, the sterilization operation can be performed even if the sterilization operation switch is not turned on, and the bath can be bathed in a sterilized state after the reheating operation is completed. Further, when the operation time of the sterilization operation is longer than the operation time of the follow-up operation, the sterilization operation is started earlier than the follow-up operation by the time corresponding to the difference in operation time between the two operations, as in STEP18. It is not performed after completion, and the hot water temperature in the bathtub 7 can be prevented from becoming lower than the set temperature.

  If the chasing operation switch is not turned ON, the process proceeds from STEP 3 to STEP 25, and it is determined whether or not a bath has been taken. Specifically, when the detection value of the water level sensor 63d varies and the state continues for a predetermined reference time (for example, 5 minutes), it is determined that the bath has been taken. When bathing, in STEP 26, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 3 hours) set relatively short from the start of the timer has elapsed. On the other hand, if not bathed, it is determined in STEP 27 whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 10 hours) set relatively long has elapsed since the timer start. Until a predetermined time elapses from the start of the timer, the process proceeds from STEP 26 or 27 to STEP 28 to determine whether or not the sterilization operation switch is turned on. If not, the process returns to STEP 3.

  When a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the timer or when the sterilization operation switch is turned on, the operation time of the sterilization operation is calculated in STEP 29 as in STEP 5, and the sterilization operation is performed. That is, in STEP 30, the UV lamp of the sterilizer 63f is turned on while the circulation pump 63c is operated, and in STEP 31, it is determined whether or not the operation time of the sterilization operation has elapsed. When the operation time of the sterilization operation has elapsed, in STEP 32, the operation of the circulation pump 63c is stopped, and in STEP 33, the UV lamp of the sterilizer 63f is washed by filling 6 liters of hot water into the bathtub 7, and in STEP 34 The UV lamp is turned off, the timer time t is reset in STEP 35, the process returns to STEP 2, and the timer is started.

  Here, the timer starts when the hot water filling is completed or when the sterilization operation is completed. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the sterilization operation switch is not turned on, the sterilization operation is performed when a predetermined time has elapsed since the completion of the filling, or when a predetermined time has elapsed since the completion of the previous sterilization operation. It can be prevented from continuing to grow. Furthermore, when not taking a bath, the predetermined time is set longer than when taking a bath as in STEP 27, so that it is possible to prevent sterilization more than necessary when there is no bathing and it is difficult for the bacteria to rapidly increase.

  The number of bacteria present in the hot water in the bathtub 7 is proportional to the amount of hot water in the bathtub 7. According to this embodiment, since the operation time of the sterilization operation is determined according to the amount of hot water in the bathtub 7, the sterilization operation can be performed in an appropriate time proportional to the number of bacteria. Accordingly, the hot water in the bathtub 7 can be sterilized as necessary. Then, it is possible to prevent energy from being wasted without continuously turning on the UV lamp of the sterilizer 63f. Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to correct the operation time of the sterilization operation in accordance with the elapsed time from the completion of the hot water filling to the bathtub 7 or the elapsed time from the completion of the previous sterilization operation, according to the number of bacteria that increase with the passage of time. The sterilization operation is performed for a long time, and the hot water in the bathtub 7 can be sterilized more reliably.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to this. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the sterilization operation is performed when a predetermined time has elapsed since the completion of the hot water filling and when a predetermined time has elapsed since the completion of the previous sterilization operation, but a second predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) has elapsed since the end of bathing. The sterilization operation may be performed every time. According to this, the hot water in the bathtub 7 in which the bacteria have grown by bathing can be sterilized.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although it discriminate | determined whether it bathed using the water level sensor 63d, you may discriminate | determine whether an infrared sensor was provided in the bathroom and bathed by this infrared sensor.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the reheating burner 22 is a gas burner, but it may be an oil burner. In the above embodiment, the reheating heat exchanger 32 is heated by the reheating burner 22 to heat the hot water circulating in the reheating circuit 63. However, the reheating heat exchanger 32 is As a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, a recirculation circuit 63 is connected to the secondary side of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, and a circulation circuit for circulating a heated heat medium is connected to the primary side of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, You may make it heat the hot water which circulates in the reheating circuit 63 by the heat exchange between the hot water of a circulation circuit.

  32 ... reheating heat exchanger, 63 ... reheating circuit, 63f ... sterilizer, 7 ... bathtub.

Claims (7)

A reheating circuit that circulates the hot water in the bathtub between the reheating heat exchanger and a sterilization device that is interposed in the reheating circuit. A hot water supply device that performs sterilization operation to sterilize,
A hot water supply apparatus that determines an operation time of a sterilization operation according to an amount of hot water in a bathtub.   The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation time of the sterilization operation is corrected according to at least one of an elapsed time since completion of filling of the hot water in the bathtub and an elapsed time after completion of the previous sterilization operation.   The hot water supply according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a sterilization operation is performed when a reheating operation is performed in which the hot water in the bathtub is circulated through the reheating circuit and heated to a predetermined temperature by a reheating heat exchanger. apparatus. The hot water supply device according to claim 3,
Before starting the reheating operation, the operation time of the reheating operation is calculated based on the difference between the hot water temperature in the bathtub and the reheating set temperature and the amount of hot water in the bathtub,
When the operation time of the sterilization operation is longer than the calculated operation time of the reheating operation, the sterilization operation is started at least a time corresponding to the operation time difference between both operations from the renewal operation.   The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sterilization operation is performed when at least one of a predetermined time has elapsed since the completion of filling the bathtub and a predetermined time has elapsed since the completion of the previous sterilization operation. The hot water supply device according to claim 5,
When not bathing, the predetermined time is set longer than when bathing.   3. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization operation is performed each time a second predetermined time elapses from the end of bathing.

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