JP2020186836A - Bath water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

To surely prevent hot water shortage by prompting an additional heating operation.SOLUTION: A control device 27 includes: person determination means 36 for determining whether or not a person is in the neighborhood of a remote controller according to a detection value of a human sensor 35; stoppage determination means 30 for determining whether or not the stoppage of an additional heating operation is set by the remote controller; and additional heating recommendation determination means 38 in which notification means performs notification to the effect that the additional heating operation is recommendable to a user, on the basis of the residual hot water amount, the determination result of the person determination means 36 and the stoppage determination means 30. In the case where the person determination means 36 has determined that a person is in the neighborhood of the remote control, when the stoppage determination means 30 has determined a stoppage state, and it is detected that the residual hot water amount in a hot water storage tank 1 is smaller than a predetermined residual hot water amount, the additional heating recommendation means 38 performs notification for prompting the additional heating operation from the notification means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a hot water storage type water heater, and more specifically, a control device for controlling an additional boiling operation in which the hot water is boiled by a heating means when the amount of remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank becomes small during a time zone other than a predetermined time zone. It is related to a hot water storage type water heater equipped with.

Conventionally, this type of hot water storage type hot water supply device has an operation suspension mode for prohibiting the boiling operation of boiling hot water in the hot water storage tank, and the operation suspension mode is set from the remote controller at a plurality of different time zones. Something that can be done was known (see Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2019-045107

However, in Patent Document 1, when this operation suspension mode is set for a long time zone, the amount of remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank decreases sharply, and even if there is a risk of running out of hot water, boiling is not performed and the hot water runs out. There was a problem that it could make the user feel uncomfortable.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a heating means for heating the hot water in the hot water storage tank, a remote controller for outputting various settings and drive instructions, and the heating means at a predetermined time zone. When a boiling operation for heating the hot water in the hot water storage tank is performed and it is detected that the amount of residual hot water in the hot water storage tank is less than the predetermined amount of hot water in a time zone other than the predetermined time zone, the heating means is used. When the boiling water in the hot water storage tank is heated and the remote controller is set to suspend the boiling operation, the amount of remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank is the predetermined remaining amount in a time zone other than the predetermined time zone. A control device is provided to control so that the boiling operation is not performed even if it is detected that the amount of hot water is less than the amount of hot water. The remote controller can be set to pause the boiling operation and is instructed to drive the boiling operation. The control device in a hot water storage type water dispenser provided with an operation unit capable of performing the above operation, a notification means for informing a person to perform a predetermined operation, and a human sensor for detecting the presence of a person in the vicinity of the remote controller. There are a person determining means for determining whether or not a person is in the vicinity of the remote controller according to the detection value of the human sensor, and a pause for determining whether or not the remote controller is set to suspend the boiling operation. A determination means and a boiling recommendation determination means for notifying the user that the boiling operation is recommended from the notification means based on the determination result of the remaining hot water amount, the person determination means, and the pause determination means are provided. When the person determination means determines that there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller, the additional boiling recommended determination means determines that the pause determination means is in a dormant state and the amount of remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank. When it is detected that the amount of hot water is less than the predetermined amount of residual hot water, the notification means is used to notify the user to encourage the operation.

In addition, the remote controller has the motion sensor built-in and is provided in the bathroom.

According to the present invention, when it is determined that there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller, it is determined that the amount of remaining hot water in the current hot water storage tank is less than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water, and that the pause determination means is set to boil and pause. , There is a possibility of running out of hot water if the hot water is not operated, but it can be judged that the hot water is inactive, and the user is surely notified that the hot water is recommended to the user, and the hot water storage tank is out of hot water. This can prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable.

Schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention Flow chart showing the operation of the boiling recommended determination means of the present invention

Next, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 is a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, 2 is a heat pump unit as a heating means for heating hot water, and 3 is a bathtub.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a heating circulation circuit that circulates the hot water storage tank 1 and the heat pump unit 2. The heat pump going pipe having the heating circulation pump 5 and connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 1 and the heat pump returning connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1 The cold water in the lower part of the hot water storage tank 1 is heated by the heat pump unit 2 via the heat pump outbound pipe, and the heated high-temperature hot water is returned to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1 by the heat pump return pipe to be warm water in the hot water storage tank 1. Is heated and stored. It should be noted that a plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors 6 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the hot water storage tank 1, and the plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors 6 detect the amount of residual hot water by detecting the respective temperatures.

7 is a water supply pipe that supplies water to the hot water storage tank 1, 8 is a hot water supply pipe that discharges hot water in the hot water storage tank 1, 9 is a water supply bypass pipe that branches from the water supply pipe 7 and bypasses the hot water storage tank 1, and 10 is a water supply bypass. A hot water supply mixing valve that mixes cold water from the pipe 9 and hot water from the hot water outlet pipe 8 so as to reach a set temperature, 11 is a hot water supply pipe that supplies hot water of the mixed set temperature, and 12 is provided at the end of the hot water supply pipe 11. It is a hot water tap. Reference numeral 13 denotes a hot water supply temperature sensor provided downstream of the hot water supply mixing valve 10, and reference numeral 14 denotes a hot water supply flow rate sensor for counting the amount of hot water supplied. Reference numeral 15 is a pressure reducing valve for reducing the water pressure to a predetermined pressure, and 16 is a pressure relief valve for releasing the overpressure caused by heating.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a bath circulation circuit, in which the bath heat exchanger 18 and the bathtub 3 for heat exchange between the hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 and the hot water of the circulating bath are connected to the bath going pipe 17a from the bathtub 3 to the bath heat exchanger 18. It is circulatedly connected to the bath return pipe 17b from the bath heat exchanger 18 to the bathtub 3.

19 is a bath circulation pump provided in the bath circulation circuit 17, 20 is a running water sensor for detecting the presence or absence of running water, 21 is a bath temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the bath flowing through the bath circulation circuit 16, and 22 is a bathtub from the water pressure of hot water. It is a water level sensor that detects the water level in 3, and is provided on the upstream side of the bath circulation pump 19 in the middle of the bath circulation circuit 17.

23 is a hot water filling pipe that is branched from the middle of the hot water supply pipe 11 and connected to the bath circulation circuit 17 to fill the bathtub 3 with hot water, and 24 is provided in the hot water filling pipe 23 to start filling the bathtub 3. The hot water filling valve 25 for stopping is a bath flow rate sensor that counts the amount of hot water filled in the bathtub 3. Reference numeral 26 denotes a two-way valve provided between the hot water filling pipe 23 and the water level sensor 22, which is temporarily opened at the time of hot water filling to perform air purging of the pipe from the hot water filling pipe 23 to the bathtub 3 of the bath return pipe 17b. After that, the valve is closed so that the hot water can be filled while the water level sensor 22 monitors the accurate water level.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a control device that controls hot water supply and bath. The control device 27 is a boiling operation control means 28 that controls a boiling operation in which the hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 is heated by the heat pump unit 2 via the heating circulation circuit 4 at the midnight time zone in a predetermined time zone where the electricity charge is low. The remaining hot water amount is calculated based on the hot water storage temperature sensor 6, the predetermined remaining hot water amount is calculated from the past hot water usage history, etc., and when the current remaining hot water amount is less than the predetermined remaining hot water amount, the boiling operation is performed. The boiling operation control means 29 that controls the boiling operation that heats the hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 outside the midnight time zone to secure the remaining hot water, and the boiling even if the current remaining hot water amount is less than the predetermined remaining hot water amount. A pause determining means 30 for determining whether or not the remote control is set not to perform additional operation is provided.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a remote controller in the bathroom that can communicate with the control device 27 and is provided in the bathroom. Heating that can set not to perform the additional boiling operation and output the start of the additional heating operation to the control device 27. An operation unit 32 having a switch or the like, a display unit 33 that displays setting contents and prompts a predetermined operation, a notification unit 34 that urges various setting information and a user to perform a predetermined operation, and a person in the vicinity of the remote controller. A motion sensor 35 for detecting whether or not there is a presence is provided. Further, the notification means includes at least one of the display unit 33 and the notification unit 34.

The motion sensor 35 is a pyroelectric sensor that detects the amount of temperature change of the heat source in the detection area, and detects that there is a person in the detection area. Specifically, the motion sensor 35 detects whether or not there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller by detecting the temperature change in the detection area when the person moves or moves the limbs or the like. Based on the detection result of the motion sensor 35, the person determination means 36 provided in the control device 27 determines whether or not there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller.

The 37 is a remote controller outside the bathroom that can communicate with the control device 27 and is provided in the bathroom. Like the remote controller 31 in the bathroom, the 37 has an operation unit 32, a display unit 33, and a notification unit 34. It is also possible to provide a motion sensor 35, and it is also possible to determine whether or not there is a person in the vicinity of a remote controller such as a kitchen outside the bathroom as a person determination means 36.

Further, the control device 27 is provided with an additional boiling recommendation determination means 38 for notifying the user that the additional boiling operation is recommended, and the additional boiling recommendation determination means 38 is a person determination means 36 with a person in the vicinity of the remote controller. When it is determined that this is the case, it is determined that the pause determination means 30 is set not to perform the additional boiling operation, and the amount of remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 is greater than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water in a time zone other than the midnight time zone. When it is detected that the number is decreasing, the notification unit 34 notifies the user that the additional operation is recommended to the user.

Next, the boiling operation will be described.
At midnight, the boiling operation control means 28 of the control device 27 drives a heating circulation pump 5 in the middle of the pipe connecting the hot water storage tank 1 and the heat pump unit 2, pumps water from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 1, and heat pumps. By continuing the operation of warming with the unit 2 and returning it to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1, the water in the hot water storage tank 1 gradually boils up to high temperature water.

In addition, the boiling operation will be described.
When it is detected that the user's request for additional boiling by operating the remote controller or the current amount of remaining hot water detected by the hot water storage temperature sensor 6 is less than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water during a time zone outside the midnight time zone, the control device 27 is boiled. The additional operation control means 29 drives a heating circulation pump 5 in the middle of the pipe connecting the hot water storage tank 1 and the heat pump unit 2, draws water from the inner and lower parts of the hot water storage tank 1, warms it with the heat pump unit 2, and heats the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1. By continuing the operation of returning to, the water in the hot water storage tank 1 gradually boils up to high temperature water.

In addition, a pause setting for the additional boiling operation will be described.
When the operation unit 32 can set the pause of the additional boiling operation in the time zone outside the midnight time zone and the pause determination means 30 determines that the pause of the additional boiling operation is set, the hot water storage temperature sensor 6 Even if the amount of residual hot water detected in is less than the predetermined amount of residual hot water, the boiling operation is not started.

Next, the operation of the additional boiling recommended determination means 38 will be described in detail based on the flowchart of FIG.
First, the boiling-up recommendation determination means 38 confirms whether it is outside the midnight time zone (S1), and if it is within the midnight time zone (S1 is No), the notification unit 34 recommends the boiling-up operation to the user. Without notifying the fact, the boiling operation control means 28 waits until the start time of the boiling operation (S2), and the boiling operation control means 28 boil the hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 in the boiling operation.

In this way, the boiling-up recommended determination means 38 starts the boiling-up operation in the midnight time zone of the predetermined time zone when the electricity charge is low, so that the boiling-up operation is not waited for and the boiling-up operation is not performed. By setting this, it is possible to save energy due to wasteful boiling operation.

Further, when it is outside the midnight time zone (S1 is Yes), the additional boiling recommended determination means 38 is a person determination means 36 that determines whether or not there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller, and determines that no person is in the vicinity of the remote controller. If this is the case (S3 is Yes), the notification unit 34 does not notify the user that the additional operation is recommended (S4).

In this way, if there is no person in the vicinity of the remote controller, even if the notification unit 34 of the remote controller notifies the user that the additional operation is recommended, the user may not be notified. , It is possible to prevent unnecessary notification.

Further, when it is outside the midnight time zone (S1 is Yes), the additional recommended determination means 38 determines that a person is in the vicinity of the remote controller by the person determination means 36 that determines whether or not there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller. If (S3 is No) and the amount of remaining hot water in the current hot water storage tank 1 is larger than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water (S5 is Yes), the user is not notified that the additional boiling operation is recommended (S4).

In this way, even if it is determined that there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller, if the amount of remaining hot water in the current hot water storage tank 1 is larger than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water, it is not necessary to perform additional boiling operation, so unnecessary notification is performed. Can be avoided.

Further, when it is outside the midnight time zone (S1 is Yes), the additional recommended determination means 38 determines that a person is in the vicinity of the remote controller by the person determination means 36 that determines whether or not there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller. When (S3 is No), the amount of remaining hot water in the current hot water storage tank 1 is smaller than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water (S5 is No), and when it is determined that the pause determining means 30 is set to pause (S6 is No). Yes), a notification to the effect that the user is recommended to perform the additional boiling operation (S7).

In this way, when it is determined that there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller, it is determined that the current amount of remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 is smaller than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water, and the pause determination means 30 is set to boil and pause. , There is a possibility that the hot water will run out if the additional boiling operation is not performed, but it can be determined that the boiling water is inactive, and the user is surely notified that the additional boiling operation is recommended to the user, and the hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 is used. It is possible to prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable due to the cutting.

Further, when it is outside the midnight time zone (S1 is Yes), the additional recommended determination means 38 determines that a person is in the vicinity of the remote controller by the person determination means 36 that determines whether or not there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller. If (S3 is No), the amount of remaining hot water in the current hot water storage tank 1 is smaller than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water (S5 is No), and it is determined that the pause determining means 30 is boiling and the pause is not set (S6 is). No), the boiling operation control means 29 starts the boiling operation (S8).

In this way, when it is determined that there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller, it is determined that the amount of remaining hot water in the current hot water storage tank 1 is smaller than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water and the pause determination means 30 is boiled up and the pause is not set. Since there is a possibility that the hot water runs out, the boiling water operation control means 29 starts the boiling water operation, so that it is possible to prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable due to the hot water running out of the hot water storage tank 1.

The present invention is not limited to the present embodiment, and does not prevent modification without changing the gist. For example, as shown in the schematic configuration diagram of FIG. 1, the motion sensor 35 is a remote controller in the bathroom. It is provided in 31, and when the user enters the bathroom, the notification unit 34 notifies the user that the operation is recommended to the user. However, by providing the remote controller 37 outside the bathroom with a motion sensor 35, Even when the user is working in the kitchen or the like, it is possible to reliably notify the user near the remote controller.

Further, although the person determination means 36 determines based on the detection value of the motion sensor 35, it may be an entry determination means for detecting that a person has entered the bathroom.

Further, although the notification by the sound of the notification unit 34 is used to notify the user that the boiling operation is recommended to the user, the display of the display unit 33 may also be used to notify the user that the heating operation is recommended to the user. The display unit 33 and the notification unit 34 can be used as notification means, and both the display unit 33 and the notification unit 34 can notify the user that the boiling operation is recommended to the user.

1 Hot water storage tank 6 Hot water storage temperature sensor 27 Control device 28 Boiling operation control means 29 Boiling operation control means 30 Pause judgment means 31 Remote control in the bathroom 32 Operation unit 33 Display unit 34 Notification unit 35 Human sensor 36 Person judgment means 37 Outside the bathroom Remote control 38 Boiled up recommended judgment means

Claims (2)

A hot water storage tank that stores hot water and
A heating means for heating the hot water in the hot water storage tank and
With a remote control that outputs various settings and drive instructions,
A boiling operation of heating the hot water in the hot water storage tank by the heating means was performed in a predetermined time zone, and the amount of residual hot water in the hot water storage tank became smaller than the predetermined amount of hot water in a time zone other than the predetermined time zone. When it is detected, the hot water in the hot water storage tank is heated by the heating means, and when the remote controller is set to suspend the boiling operation, the hot water storage tank is in a time zone other than the predetermined time zone. A control device is provided to control so that the boiling operation is not performed even if it is detected that the amount of remaining hot water in the water is less than the predetermined amount of remaining hot water.
The remote controller has
An operation unit that can set the pause of the additional boiling operation and can give a drive instruction for the additional heating operation.
A notification means that notifies a person to perform a predetermined operation, and
In a hot water storage type water heater equipped with a motion sensor that detects the presence of a person in the vicinity of the remote controller.
The control device includes a person determining means for determining whether or not a person is in the vicinity of the remote controller according to a detection value of the motion sensor.
A pause determining means for determining whether or not the pause of the additional operation is set by the remote controller, and
Based on the amount of remaining hot water, the determination result of the person determination means, and the pause determination means, the notification means is provided with the boiling recommendation determination means for notifying the user that the boiling operation is recommended.
When the person determination means determines that there is a person in the vicinity of the remote controller, the additional boiling recommended determination means determines that the pause determination means is in a dormant state and the amount of remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank. A hot water storage type water heater, characterized in that when it is detected that the amount of hot water remaining in the water is less than the predetermined amount of residual hot water, the notification means is used to notify the user to prompt the operation. The hot water storage type water heater according to claim 1, wherein the remote controller has a built-in motion sensor and is provided in a bathroom.

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