JP2022138800A - water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

To shorten an execution time of a step of confirming the presence/absence of residual water in a bathtub during hot water filling.SOLUTION: A water heater comprises: a step S4' of supplying hot water while causing only a predetermined amount to remain in a hot water supply amount to a preset hot water amount when implementing hot water supply through a delivery pipe into a bathtub, and supplying the predetermined amount of hot water while changing an aperture of a mixing valve in such a manner that a temperature of the predetermined amount of the remaining hot water becomes different from a temperature of hot water supplied before; and a step S5' of detecting a temperature of a liquid reflowing from the bathtub with a bath temperature detection unit while confirming the presence/absence of residual water in the bathtub, and measuring a time (t) until a predetermined temperature change appears in the temperature detected by the bath temperature detection unit. On the basis of the measured time (t), an execution time of the step of confirming the presence/absence of residual water in the bathtub is then changed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a water heater.

A water heater having a hot water storage tank is connected to general hot water supply terminals such as a faucet and a shower, as well as a bathtub. A temperature detection part is arranged between the bathtub water lead-in part and the bathtub water lead-in part of the bathtub terminal. A bathtub connected to a water heater is connected by piping. The length of the pipe that connects the water heater and the bathtub varies depending on the installation environment of the water heater. Therefore, in the water heater, it is necessary to determine the positional relationship between the temperature detecting portion and the bathtub lead-in portion after the water heater is installed. As a technique for determining the positional relationship between the temperature detection part and the bathtub lead-in part, for example, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1.

In Patent Literature 1, at the time of a trial operation of the bath for grasping the shape of the bathtub, water is first supplied into the bathtub so that at least the bathtub adapter is filled with water. Next, hot water having a higher temperature than the water previously supplied into the bathtub is supplied from the hot water storage tank to the bathtub water lead-in portion at the end of the bathtub, thereby filling the inside of the hot water supply channel with high temperature hot water. After that, the circulating pump is operated to draw in the bathtub water, and by measuring the time it takes for the temperature at the temperature detection section to change, the positional relationship between the temperature detection section and the bathtub drawing section is determined.

JP 2012-127585 A

However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, although the boiling operation is performed at the same time as the bath test operation, it takes time to store hot water in the hot water storage tank, and hot water is not always available. do not have. In addition, it is necessary to perform an additional process that is not included in the process of the bath trial operation, and there is a problem of wasting time and energy.

The present invention, which has been made in view of the above circumstances,
a water storage tank;
a delivery pipe capable of delivering liquid from the hot water storage tank to the bathtub;
a return pipe connected to the middle of the delivery pipe and capable of returning liquid from the bathtub to the hot water storage tank;
a sensor capable of detecting a physical quantity of the liquid flowing through the delivery pipe or the return pipe when the liquid is recirculated;
and an action part that changes the physical quantity of the liquid flowing through the delivery pipe,
Execute control to change the physical quantity of the liquid flowing through the delivery pipe by the action unit,
The execution time of the step of confirming the presence or absence of residual water in the bathtub in the hot water refilling to be executed thereafter changes according to the transition of the detection state of the sensor through the execution of the control.

1 is a configuration diagram of a hot water supply system including a water heater 11 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an external view of the remote control device 6. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of a normal hot water filling operation; It is a flow chart in which the pipe length measuring process of the external bathtub return pipe 23b is incorporated into the normal hot water filling operation.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, a hot water supply system (hot water heater) using a heat pump as a heat source for heating water to generate hot water will be described as an example, but a gas burner may be used as the heat source.

[Hot water system]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a hot water supply system including a water heater 11 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The water heater 11 includes a heat pump unit 13 that generates hot water, a hot water storage tank 12 that is connected to the heat pump unit 13 and stores the generated hot water, and hot water amount detection units 30a to 30e that detect the amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank 12. , and a reheating heat exchanger 18 . The stored hot water amount detectors 30a to 30e are arranged at different heights, and the amount of stored hot water is detected depending on the presence or absence of detection by each detector.

The water heater 11 also includes a remote control device 6 that receives input from a user and outputs information to the user, and a main control board 10 as an example of a control unit that operates according to the input from the remote control device 6. , an outside air temperature sensor 40 for detecting the outside air temperature, and a water level sensor 41 for detecting fluctuations in the water level of the bathtub 15 . Incidentally, in this embodiment, the outside air temperature sensor 40 is installed inside the heat pump unit 13 .

The heat pump unit 13 can generate hot water by heating water supplied from a water pipe 19 , which is an example of a fresh water source, through a pipe 20 or the like, and supply the hot water to the hot water storage tank 12 . Water supplied through the pipe 20 and the like is supplied from below the hot water storage tank 12 .

The heat pump unit 13 performs a boiling operation for supplying hot water to the hot water storage tank 12, for example, during a predetermined time period (late night time period, etc.) every day. In the boiling operation, water is supplied to the heat pump unit 13 from below the hot water storage tank 12 , and after being heated by the heat pump unit 13 , hot water is supplied from above the hot water storage tank 12 . The amount of boiling in the boiling operation may be such that the hot water storage tank 12 is filled up each time, or may be changed by learning the amount of hot water used each day.

The hot water in the hot water storage tank 12 can be supplied to the bathtub 15 arranged in the bathroom 50 . As the fresh water source, an external water supply source such as the water pipe 19 or well water can be used. Fresh water refers to water before use that has not yet passed through a state in which the user can come into direct contact with it, and includes water from the water supply source and water stored in the hot water storage tank 12. Not used water containing dirt as supplied. The temperature of the hot water supplied to bathtub 15 is detected by bath temperature detector 24 .

The water heater 11 includes a general hot water supply circuit 21 that supplies hot water to a general hot water supply terminal 17 (faucet, shower, mixed faucet, etc.) and a hot water filling circuit 23 having a hot water supply unit that supplies hot water to the bathtub 15 . For example, it is possible to generate hot water for showers, faucets, etc. in the kitchen or bathroom 50 . Between the hot water supply circuit 23 and the bathtub 15, a mixing valve 22 for mixing the hot water from the hot water storage tank 12 and the water from the water pipe 19 and adjusting the temperature of the hot water supplied to the bathtub 15 is provided. . The mixing valve 22 functions as an action section that changes the temperature (physical quantity of liquid) of hot water flowing through the hot water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a and the external bathtub return pipe 23b. The mixing valve 22 has its valve opening controlled by the body-side control board 10 to adjust the temperature of the hot water.

The hot water supply circuit 23 includes a hot water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a provided on the hot water heater 11 side, and an external bathtub return pipe 23a disposed between the hot water heater 11 and the bathtub 15 and connected to the hot water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a. A pipe 23b is provided. The hot water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a and the external bathtub return pipe 23b function as delivery pipes capable of sending hot water (liquid) from the hot water storage tank 12 to the bathtub.

A reheating circuit 26 is formed between the reheating heat exchanger 18 and the bathtub 15. The reheating circuit 26 includes a hot water heater-side bathtub going piping 26a provided on the hot water heater 11 side, 11 and the bathtub 15, and is provided with an external bathtub-going piping 26b connected to the water heater-side bathtub-going piping 26a.

The external bathtub return pipe 23 b and the external bathtub outgoing pipe 26 b are connected to the bathtub 15 via a bathtub terminal 27 . The bathtub terminal 27 is provided with a bathtub water lead-in portion 27a communicating with the external bathtub return pipe 23b and a bathtub water discharge portion 27b communicating with the external bathtub outgoing pipe 26b.

Between the bathtub 15 and the reheating heat exchanger 18, a reflux pipe 28 forming a part of the reheating circuit 26 and a circulation pump 25 are provided. is sent to the reheating heat exchanger 18 via the external bathtub return pipe 23b, part of the water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a, and the reflux pipe 28, and after heating in the reheating heat exchanger 18, the heated hot water is added. The water is discharged from the bathtub water outlet 27b into the bathtub 15 via the piping 26a going to the bathtub on the hot water supply side and the piping 26b going to the external bathtub which constitute the Idaki circuit 26. The return pipe 28 of this embodiment is connected in the middle of the water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a that constitutes the delivery pipe.

In this embodiment, the bath temperature detector 24 (sensor) is provided in the water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a, but may be provided in the return pipe 28 as well.

The water heater 11 calculates the amount of residual hot water in the hot water storage tank 12 from the hot water storage amount detection units 30a to 30e attached to the hot water storage tank 12, and uses the heat for hot water supply or heat exchange according to the remaining hot water before and after it. It is possible to grasp the increase/decrease of the accumulated flow rate from the difference of the amount.

[Remote control device 6]
FIG. 2 is an external view of the remote control device 6. As shown in FIG. The remote controllers 6 are arranged as a bath remote controller 6a in the bathroom and a kitchen remote controller 6b provided in a room other than the bathroom (for example, the kitchen). Each remote control device 6 includes a sound generator 33, an input section 4 for receiving input from the user, and a display section 5 as an output section for outputting various information.

The input unit 4 has a hot water supply instruction unit 47 , a water volume setting unit 42 , a target bath temperature setting unit 43 , a hot water filling instruction unit 44 , a reheating instruction unit 45 , a selection unit 46 and a menu button 48 .

The display section 5 can display various images (screens), and in FIG. 2, a hot water supply temperature display section 51 and a target bath temperature display section 53 are displayed.

When the hot water supply instruction unit 47 is operated, a predetermined amount of hot water at a temperature indicated by the hot water supply temperature display unit 51 is supplied to the bathtub 15 .

When the water amount setting unit 42 is operated, for example, the target bath temperature display unit 53 disappears and the hot water filling amount display unit is displayed.

When the target bath temperature setting section 43 is operated, the target bath temperature display section 53 is displayed, and through the operation of the level setting section 49, the target temperature at the time of the hot water filling command and the reheating command can be changed.

When the hot water supply command unit 44 is operated, hot water having a temperature about the target bath temperature is supplied to the bathtub 15 in an amount displayed on the hot water supply amount display unit 52 .

When the reheating command part 45 is operated, part of the hot water stored in the bathtub 15 is supplied to the reheating heat exchanger 18, heat-exchanged with the high-temperature water in the hot water storage tank 12 to be warmed, and returned to the bathtub 15. .

By operating the up, down, left, right buttons (direction buttons) belonging to the selection unit 46 and the enter button, if a parameter whose setting can be changed is displayed on the display unit 5, the parameter can be adjusted. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the hot water supply temperature displayed on the hot water supply temperature display section 51 and the target bath temperature displayed on the target bath temperature display section 53 can be adjusted. Through the operation of the selection unit 46, it is possible to select an option, etc., which will be described later.

When the menu button 48 is operated, the display unit 5 can display a menu screen (not shown) that transitions to a screen for changing various settings.

[Normal hot water filling operation]
The operation of the hot water filling operation will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the normal hot water filling operation. The main body side control board 10 (control section) is provided with a central processing unit and a storage device in which an operation program for hot water filling operation is stored. The central processing unit reads out the operation program for the hot water filling operation from the storage device and executes the operation program.

When the start of the hot water filling operation is received from the remote control device 6 (step S1), hot water is supplied to the bathtub 15 up to the reference hot water amount (step S2). After that, the remaining water check 1 is performed for T1 seconds (step S3) to confirm that the hot water in the bathtub is about half full. In the remaining water check, the circulation adjustment valve 29 is switched so that the return pipe 28 and the water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a are connected. Then, the circulating pump 25 is operated to circulate the hot water, and the water level sensor 41 is turned ON or OFF. Specifically, it is judged that there is no residual water when ON is continuously detected for a predetermined time (for example, 20 seconds), and that there is residual water when OFF is continuously detected for a predetermined time (for example, 60 seconds). do.

After that, hot water is supplied to the bathtub 15 up to the set amount of hot water (step S4). The remaining water check 2 is performed again for T1 seconds (step S5), and after confirming that there is hot water normally, the temperature in the bathtub at that time is measured (step S6). If the temperature inside the bathtub is different from the set temperature, the temperature adjustment operation is carried out to bring the temperature to the set temperature (step S7). When hot water filling is normally completed at the temperature and the amount of hot water preset by the user, the completion of hot water filling is notified by the remote controller 6 (step S8).

[Hot water filling time]
Explain the hot water time. The hot water filling time is from when the user starts the hot water filling operation from the remote control device 6 to when the remote control device 6 makes an announcement that the desired hot water is filled in the bathtub and the hot water filling is completed. time.

[Pipe length measurement of external bathtub return pipe 23b]
A method for measuring the length of the external bathtub return pipe 23b will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart in which the pipe length measuring process of the external bathtub return pipe 23b is incorporated into the normal hot water filling operation. In this embodiment, the pipe length measurement of the external bathtub return pipe 23b (from the water heater 11 to the bathtub 15) is carried out in a manner incorporated into the normal hot water filling operation.

4 differs from FIG. 3 in steps S4 and S5. Since the processes other than steps S4 and S5 are the same as those in FIG. 3, description thereof is omitted.

Regarding step S4 of supplying hot water up to the set amount of hot water to the bathtub 15 through the water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a, in FIG. is changed to a different temperature (for example, a lower temperature) from the temperature at which the hot water was supplied up to now, and the remaining predetermined amount of hot water is supplied (step S4').

As a specific example, if the amount of hot water to be supplied in step S4 is 100 L, hot water is supplied up to 90 L at the bath temperature set by the user, and the remaining 10 L is supplied at the water temperature. . The mixing valve 22 changes the temperature (physical quantity of liquid) of hot water flowing through the hot water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a constituting the delivery pipe. In this way, in step S4', the mixing valve 22 is controlled to change the temperature (physical quantity of liquid) of the hot water flowing through the hot water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a.

Then, hot water at a temperature desired by the user is supplied to the bathtub 15, and the inside of the piping from the mixing valve 22 to the bathtub 15 (the hot water heater side bathtub return pipe 23a and the external bathtub return pipe 23b) has a low temperature lower than the hot water supply temperature. filled with hot water. After that, the circulation pump 25 is operated to circulate the hot water, and step S5 of the remaining water check 2 is performed. Measure the time t until the temperature detected by 24 has a predetermined temperature change (temperature change from the water temperature) (step S5').

Since the time t from the water temperature to the predetermined temperature change is proportional to the pipe length, measuring the time t makes it possible to measure the pipe length at the site.

In addition, by incorporating this detection into steps S4 and S5 performed in the normal hot water filling operation, the measurement can be performed in the same time as in normal times, and can be performed without time loss. The time obtained from this measurement (T2 seconds) will be used as the remaining water check time to be performed in the remaining water check 1 (step 3) and the remaining water check 2 (step 5) performed in the normal hot water filling operation in the future. do. For example, in a construction site with a short pipe length of about 3 m, it is determined that there is no residual water when the water level sensor 41 continuously detects ON for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds), and it is determined to be OFF for a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds). seconds) is continuously detected, it is determined that there is residual water. In this case, the time for judging whether there is no residual water is shortened from 20 seconds to 10 seconds, and the time for judging whether there is residual water is shortened from 60 seconds to 30 seconds. As a result, for a user with a short pipe length at the site, it is possible to greatly shorten the normal hot water filling time.

As described above, in this embodiment, the mixing valve 22 performs control to change the temperature (physical quantity of liquid) of the hot water flowing through the hot water heater-side bathtub return pipe 23a. , the execution time of the steps (steps S4 and S5) of checking whether or not there is residual water in the bathtub 15, which is to be performed afterward, changes.

In addition, the time obtained by measurement may be used as it is, or a predetermined spare time may be added to provide some margin. In addition, in order to improve the accuracy of the pipe length measurement, the hot water filling operation accompanied by the main measurement is performed a predetermined number of times, for example, 3 to 5 times, the average value is calculated from multiple data, and the pipe length is calculated based on the average value. You may make it measure length.

In this embodiment, temperature is used as a physical quantity to detect changes in liquid temperature, but the present embodiment is not limited to temperature, and changes in other physical quantities may be detected. For example, a change in the amount of air bubbles in the liquid may be detected. In step S4′, hot water is supplied by changing the amount of air bubbles in the liquid, and the amount of air bubbles is measured in the remaining water check 2 in step S5′. You may make it measure the time until it is.

4 Input unit 5 Display unit 6 Remote controller 6a Bathroom remote controller 6b Kitchen remote controller 10 Main unit control board 11 Water heater 12 Hot water tank 13 Heat pump unit 15 Bathtub 17 General hot water supply terminal 18 Reheating heat exchanger 19 Water pipe 20 Piping 21 General hot water supply circuit 22 Mixing valve 23 Hot water supply circuit 23a Hot water supply machine side bathtub return pipe, 23b...External bathtub return pipe 24...Bath temperature detector 25...Circulation pump 26...Reheating circuit 26a...Water heater side bathtub outgoing piping 26b...External bathtub outgoing piping 27...Bathtub terminal 27a...Bathtub water Draw-in portion 27b Bathtub water discharge portion 28 Circulation pipe 29 Circulation adjustment valve 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e Storage amount detection portion 33 Sound generating portion 40 Outside air temperature sensor 41 Water level Sensor 42 Water amount setting section 43 Target bath temperature setting section 44 Hot water filling command section 45 Reheating command section 46 Selection section 47 Add hot water command section 48 Menu button 49 Level Setting unit 50 Bathroom 51 Hot water supply temperature display 52 Hot water filling amount display 53 Target bath temperature display

Claims (6)

a water storage tank;
a delivery pipe capable of delivering liquid from the hot water storage tank to the bathtub;
a return pipe connected to the middle of the delivery pipe and capable of returning liquid from the bathtub to the hot water storage tank;
a sensor capable of detecting a physical quantity of the liquid flowing through the delivery pipe or the return pipe when the liquid is recirculated;
and an action part that changes the physical quantity of the liquid flowing through the delivery pipe,
Execute control to change the physical quantity of the liquid flowing through the delivery pipe by the action unit,
A water heater in which the execution time of the step of confirming the presence or absence of residual water in the bathtub in the subsequent hot water replenishment changes according to the transition of the detection state of the sensor through the execution of the control. In claim 1,
The hot water heater, wherein the sensor is a bath temperature detector that detects the temperature of hot water supplied to the bath. In claim 1 or 2,
The water heater, wherein the action part is a mixing valve that changes the temperature of the hot water flowing through the delivery pipe. In any one of claims 1 to 3,
A water heater in which a heat pump unit for supplying hot water to the hot water storage tank is connected to the hot water storage tank. In any one of claims 1 to 4,
A water heater comprising a circulation pump for refluxing the liquid in the circulation pipe. a water storage tank;
a delivery pipe capable of delivering liquid from the hot water storage tank to the bathtub;
a return pipe connected in the middle of the delivery pipe for returning the liquid from the bath;
a bath temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the liquid flowing through the delivery pipe or the return pipe when the liquid is recirculated;
a mixing valve that changes the opening degree to change the temperature of the liquid flowing through the delivery pipe;
and a control unit that controls the mixing valve,
The control unit
When hot water is supplied to the bathtub through the delivery pipe, hot water is supplied leaving a predetermined amount of the amount of hot water to be supplied up to the set amount of hot water, and the temperature of the remaining predetermined amount of hot water is set to a temperature different from the temperature at which hot water was previously supplied. a step of supplying the predetermined amount of hot water by changing the degree of opening of the mixing valve;
The temperature of the liquid flowing back from the bathtub is detected by the bath temperature detection unit while checking the presence or absence of residual water in the bathtub, and the time t until the temperature detected by the bath temperature detection unit changes by a predetermined temperature. a measuring step;
Further, the control unit changes the execution time of the step of confirming the presence or absence of residual water in the bathtub based on the measured time t.

Images