JP3843602B2

JP3843602B2 - Combustion device

Info

Publication number: JP3843602B2
Application number: JP13437798A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 康彦佐藤; 浩樹小原; 正光石角
Original assignee: Noritz Corp
Current assignee: Noritz Corp
Priority date: 1998-04-28
Filing date: 1998-04-28
Publication date: 2006-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2018-04-28
Also published as: JPH11311410A

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、燃焼装置に関し、特に寒冷地で使用されたり、寒い時期に使用された場合であっても適切な使用が確保できる燃焼装置に関する。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
従来、この種のものとしては、燃焼部等を有する本体を屋内に設け排気筒を屋外に連通して排気ガスを屋外に出すようにしたものがある。このような燃焼装置の場合、本体は暖かい屋内に設けるため凍結等の寒冷対策としては非常に有効である。
【０００３】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
しかしながら従来のものでは、次のような問題が生じていた。器具本体は屋内に設置し排気筒のみが屋外に出されているため、屋内が屋外よりも負圧になったり、あるいは排気筒付近に強風が吹いた場合、外気が排気筒を通して逆流して燃焼不良等の問題を起こしていた。外気温がかなり低い場合には逆流外気のため、燃焼装置の内部が低温となってしまい着火不良が生じたり、またその冷気によって内部が凍結するおそれがあった。
【０００４】
そこで、本発明はこのような問題点に鑑みてなされたものであって、屋内設置型の燃焼装置の外気による凍結防止等を簡便に防止する燃焼装置の提供を目的とする。
【０００６】
【課題を解決するための手段】
上記目的を達成するために、請求項１記載の発明は、燃料を供給すると共に、送風手段により空気を送風して燃焼を行う燃焼装置であって、屋内に設けられた燃焼装置本体と、屋外に連通されており、前記燃焼装置にて燃焼した排ガスを屋外に排出する排気手段と、前記排気手段を通じて流入する外気を検出する外気逆流検出手段と、前記外気逆流検出手段が外気の侵入を検出したときには前記送風手段を作動させて外気の侵入を防止する送風制御手段と、を備えており、前記送風制御手段により外気の侵入の防止動作をしたときには、その動作時から所定時間経過後に外気侵入の防止動作の効果を判別し、効果がないときには前記送風制御手段による送風が停止されるように構成されていることを特徴とする。
【０００７】
請求項２記載の発明は、燃料を供給すると共に、送風手段により空気を送風して燃焼を行う燃焼装置であって、屋内に設けられた燃焼装置本体と、屋外に連通されており、前記燃焼装置にて燃焼した排ガスを屋外に排出する排気手段と、前記排気手段を通じて流入する外気を検出する外気逆流検出手段と、前記外気逆流検出手段が外気の侵入を検出したときには前記送風手段を作動させて外気の侵入を防止する送風制御手段と、外気の温度を検出する外気温度センサと、燃焼装置内の温度を検出する装置内温度センサと、を備えており、前記送風制御手段により外気の侵入の防止動作をしてから所定時間経過後には、前記外気温度センサと前記装置内温度センサとを比較して、前記送風制御手段による逆流防止の効果を判断し、効果がないときには送風制御手段による送風が停止されるように構成されていることを特徴とする。
【０００８】
請求項３記載の発明は、前記送風制御手段による外気逆流防止動作は、送風ファンを回転させてファンの回転数と電流値から送風路の流路抵抗を判別し、その流路抵抗の状態において少なくとも排気送風を確保するように制御する動作である。
【００１０】
請求項１記載の発明によれば、外気温度センサと装置内温度センサとによって、外気逆流時に送風制御手段により逆流を防止したにもかかわらず、その効果が検出されないときには送風手段による逆流防止動作を停止する。そして、請求項２記載の発明によれば、装置内外の温度センサでその温度の変化により外気逆流防止の効果を判断して効果がないと判断したときには、送風手段による逆流防止動作を停止する。請求項３記載の発明によれば、請求項１または２記載の発明において行う外気逆流防止動作は、外気逆流の際に外気逆流に伴う流路抵抗を判断し、その流路抵抗に対応して逆流せずに排気送風が確保できるように逆流防止動作を行う。
【００１１】
【発明の実施の形態】
以下、本発明の実施の形態を図面を参照して説明する。図１が本発明の燃焼装置の概略を示したものであり、図２がその動作を示したフローチャートである。
【００１２】
図１に示した燃焼装置は、入水した水を加熱して台所、浴室等の水栓に湯を供給する給湯器である。燃焼装置１の概略を説明すると、水が入水管２から入水され熱交換器４を通して出湯管３から出湯され、各々の場所に提供される。また、熱交換器４の下方には燃焼室５が形成されており、詳細な説明はしないが燃焼部６から燃料が噴出され、併せて送風ファン７から送風されて、燃焼室５にて燃焼させて熱交換器４を加熱するようになっている。そして、燃焼した排気ガスは排気筒８により屋外へ排出できるようになっている。
【００１３】
ここで、燃焼装置１の本体は屋内に設置され、排気筒８は燃焼室５の燃焼した後のガスを屋外に排出するように、壁を通して屋外に連通されている。この排気筒８が排気手段に相当する。このように燃焼装置１の本体を屋内に配置することは寒冷地や冬季に凍結等から防止するのに有効である。
【００１４】
また、排気筒８の屋内側には外気逆流検出手段９が設けられており、例えば排気筒８の排気口付近に強風が吹いたり、屋内の気圧が屋外に対して負圧になった場合に、外気が排気筒８を通して逆流してくるのを検出するための手段である。
【００１５】
そして、これら各種センサ、検出手段の検出内容は、制御部１０にて監視しており、その検出内容等の情報を基に燃焼部６、送風ファン７を制御しており、この制御部１０が燃焼部６を制御する燃焼制御手段、送風ファンを制御する送風制御手段３０等の各種制御手段を有している。
【００１６】
次に、本発明の動作について図２のフローチャートを用いて説明する。まず、燃焼動作中か否かを判断し（ステップＳ１）、燃焼動作中でなければ次に外気逆流検出手段９が屋外の冷気が逆流して来たか否かを判断する（ステップＳ２、Ｓ３）。そして、外気の逆流があれば制御部１０の送風制御手段３０が送風ファン１１を作動して、屋外の冷気が燃焼装置に侵入して来るのを防止すると共に、屋内の暖かい空気を燃焼装置１の本体及び排気筒８を通して、暖めるため内側の凍結を防止すると共に、一旦冷えきった内部を暖めるため、凍結や着火不良を有効に防止することができる（ステップＳ４）。
【００１７】
そして、送風ファンを作動してから所定時間経過してから（ステップＳ５）、送風ファンの動作による効果を判別する（ステップＳ６）。その効果の判別は、例えば室外の温度を検出する外気温度センサ２５の検出温度と燃焼装置内温度センサ２１あるいは室内の温度を検出する屋内温度センサ２６の検出温度とを比較することで、外気の逆流防止の効果を判別できる。また、装置内（あるいは排気筒内）に温度センサ２１、２５を設け、送風制御手段により送風ファンを作動させてそのときの温度変化の状態により外気の逆流防止の効果を判別する。すなわち、外気逆流の防止動作をしたにもかかわらず温度変化がなければその効果は少ないと判断できる。
【００１８】
効果があると判断されるとステップＳ１に戻り、ステップＳ１からステップＳ７の動作を繰り返す。ステップＳ７において、効果なしと判断されると例えば逆流に対して送風ファンでは対応できないため、送風ファンを停止し他の凍結防止の動作あるいは指示する（ステップＳ８、Ｓ９）。例えば、定期的に燃焼させて装置内を暖めたり、使用しないときには排気筒の蓋をするように指示したりする。
【００１９】
次に、ステップＳ４における送風ファンの送風動作について説明する。図３が送風ファン７のファンモータ１１の電流、回転数、及び排気路の排気抵抗の特性図であり、図４が送風ファン７により送風を行うための送風制御手段３０の制御ブロック図である。まず、送風制御手段３０による送風制御の際、ファンモータ１１の電流（Ｉ）、回転数（Ｎ）、送風量（Ｑ）、排気路の流路抵抗（Φ）の関係は図３のように特定の関係にある。すなわち、ファンモータ５の回転数Ｎとファンモータ５を流れる電流Ｉとの関係は、図３に示すように、流路抵抗との関係のデータを予めメモリなどに保持しておくことにより、回転数Ｎと電流Ｉとから流路抵抗Φを決定できる。例えば、回転数ＮがＮ１のときに電流ＩがＩ０になり、あるいは回転数ＮがＮ２のときに電流ＩがＩ１になれば、流路抵抗ΦがΦ１であると判断でき、回転数ＮがＮ０のときに電流ＩがＩ０になれば、流路抵抗ΦがΦ０であると判断できる。流路抵抗がわかれば外気の逆流を防止するのに必要な送風量に対して適切なファンモータ１１の電流値（Ｉ）（あるいは回転数（Ｎ））がわかるのでそれに応じて送風制御を行えばよい。
【００２０】
なお、Φ０はΦ１よりも小さい。また、この流路抵抗Φは、ファンモータ５の回転数をＮ、ファンモータ５を流れる電流をＩとすれば、例えば実験的に下記数式１により求められる。ただし、ｇ（Ｎ）、ｆ（Ｎ）は回転数Ｎの関数である。あるいは、別の実験式として、下記数式２により求められる。
【数１】

【００２１】
【数２】

【００２２】
次に図４を用いて送風制御手段による送風制御を説明すると、ファンモータ１１を制御する送風制御手段３０では、回転数検出手段３１がファンの回転数（Ｎ）を電流検出手段３２がファンの駆動電流（Ｉ）を検出し、これらによって流路抵抗判別手段３３が排気路の流路抵抗（Φ）を判別する。そして、その流路抵抗下において外気逆流を防止し排気方向に送風を行うための最適回転数（あるいは最適電流値）を求めて、それに対応するようにモータ駆動部３５を駆動させて、送風ファンにより送風制御を行う。
【００２３】
なお上記実施形態において、外気逆流検出手段９と外気逆流防止動作を行った際の効果の判別手段（温度センサ２１、２５、２６）とを別々に設けるようにしているが、外気逆流検出手段を温度センサ２１、２５、２６で兼用するようにしてもよい。すなわち、装置内の温度が外気温度まで低下したり、装置内温度が屋内温度よりもある程度以上低ければ外気が逆流していると判断できる。また、逆に外気逆流検出手段９により逆流防止動作の効果を判別するようにしてもよいのはもちろんのことである。
【００２４】
【発明の効果】
以上説明したように、本発明の燃焼装置によれば、外気の逆流等の状況を把握し、その状況に応じて適切に送風ファンを回すことにより冷気の逆流を防止でき、凍結防止を行い得る。また、外気逆流防止動作をしたにもかかわらず効果が確認できないときには無駄な運転を防止して、低騒音、低ランニングコストを実現する。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の燃焼装置の説明図である。
【図２】本発明の動作説明のフローチャートである。
【図３】送風制御の特性の説明図である。
【図４】送風制御手段のブロック図である。
【符号の説明】
１燃焼装置
４熱交換器
５燃焼室
７送風ファン
８排気筒
９外気逆流検出手段
１０制御部
１１ファンモータ
２２ヒータ
２５外気温度センサ
２６屋内温度センサ
３０送風制御手段[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a combustion apparatus, and more particularly to a combustion apparatus that can ensure proper use even when used in a cold region or when it is used in a cold time.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as this type, there is one in which a main body having a combustion part or the like is provided indoors and an exhaust pipe is communicated with the outside so that exhaust gas is emitted to the outside. In the case of such a combustion apparatus, since the main body is provided in a warm indoor space, it is very effective as a countermeasure against cold such as freezing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional one, the following problems have occurred. Since the main body of the instrument is installed indoors and only the exhaust pipe is exposed to the outside, if the indoor is at a negative pressure than the outdoors or if strong wind blows near the exhaust pipe, the outside air will flow backward through the exhaust pipe and burn It was causing problems such as defects. When the outside air temperature is quite low, the backflow outside air causes the inside of the combustion device to become low temperature, resulting in poor ignition, and the inside air may be frozen by the cold air.
[0004]
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a combustion apparatus that can easily prevent freezing prevention or the like due to outside air of an indoor installation type combustion apparatus.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is a combustion apparatus that supplies fuel and blows air by a blowing means to perform combustion, the combustion apparatus main body provided indoors, and the outdoors The exhaust means for exhausting the exhaust gas combusted by the combustion device to the outside, the outside air back flow detection means for detecting the outside air flowing in through the exhaust means, and the outside air back flow detection means detect intrusion of outside air when you are and a blower control means for preventing the entry of outside air by operating the blowing means, when the preventing operation of the outside air intrusion by said blower control means, outside air intrusion from the time the operation after a predetermined time has elapsed determine the effect of preventing operation, when there is no effect, characterized in that blowing by the blowing control means is configured to be stopped.
[0007]
The invention according to claim 2 is a combustion apparatus that supplies fuel and blows air by a blowing means to perform combustion, and is connected to a combustion apparatus main body provided indoors and outdoors. An exhaust means for exhausting the exhaust gas combusted by the apparatus to the outdoors, an outside air backflow detection means for detecting the outside air flowing in through the exhaust means, and when the outside air backflow detection means detects intrusion of outside air, the air blowing means is operated. Air flow control means for preventing the intrusion of outside air, an outside air temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the outside air, and an in-apparatus temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the combustion device, and the outside air intrusion by the air blow control means. after elapse of a predetermined of prevention operation and after time, by comparing the said device temperature sensor and the outside air temperature sensor, to determine the effect of the reverse flow prevention by the blowing control means, if there is no effect It is characterized by supplying air by the air supply control means is configured to be stopped.
[0008]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the outside air backflow prevention operation by the air flow control means, the air flow fan is rotated to determine the flow path resistance of the air flow path from the rotation speed and current value of the fan, and in the state of the flow path resistance. This is an operation for controlling at least exhaust ventilation .
[0010]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the outside air temperature sensor and the in-device temperature sensor prevent the backflow by the air blowing control means at the time of the outside air backflow, when the effect is not detected, the backflow preventing operation by the air blowing means is performed. Stop. According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the temperature sensor inside and outside the apparatus determines the effect of preventing the outside air backflow based on the change in temperature and determines that there is no effect, the backflow preventing operation by the blowing means is stopped. According to the third aspect of the invention, the outdoor air backflow prevention operation performed in the first or second aspect of the invention determines the flow path resistance associated with the backflow of the outside air during the backflow of the outside air, and corresponds to the flow path resistance. Backflow prevention operation is performed so that exhaust air can be secured without backflow.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an outline of the combustion apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing its operation.
[0012]
The combustion apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is a water heater that heats incoming water and supplies hot water to a faucet of a kitchen, bathroom, or the like. The outline of the combustion apparatus 1 will be described. Water is introduced from a water intake pipe 2, is discharged from a hot water discharge pipe 3 through a heat exchanger 4, and is provided to each place. A combustion chamber 5 is formed below the heat exchanger 4. Although not described in detail, fuel is ejected from the combustion unit 6 and blown from the blower fan 7 and combusted in the combustion chamber 5. Thus, the heat exchanger 4 is heated. The burned exhaust gas can be discharged to the outside through the exhaust tube 8.
[0013]
Here, the main body of the combustion apparatus 1 is installed indoors, and the exhaust pipe 8 communicates with the outside through a wall so as to discharge the gas after combustion in the combustion chamber 5 to the outside. The exhaust cylinder 8 corresponds to exhaust means. Arranging the main body of the combustion apparatus 1 indoors in this way is effective in preventing freezing and the like in cold regions and winter.
[0014]
Also, an outdoor air backflow detection means 9 is provided on the indoor side of the exhaust tube 8, for example, when strong wind blows near the exhaust port of the exhaust tube 8 or when the indoor atmospheric pressure becomes negative with respect to the outdoors. This is a means for detecting that the outside air flows backward through the exhaust pipe 8.
[0015]
The detection contents of these various sensors and detection means are monitored by the control unit 10, and the combustion unit 6 and the blower fan 7 are controlled based on information such as the detection contents. Various control means such as a combustion control means for controlling the combustion unit 6 and a blower control means 30 for controlling the blower fan are provided.
[0016]
Next, the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, it is determined whether or not the combustion operation is being performed (step S1). If the combustion operation is not being performed, the outside air backflow detecting means 9 next determines whether or not the outdoor cold air has flowed back (steps S2 and S3). . And if there exists a backflow of outside air, the ventilation control means 30 of the control part 10 will operate the ventilation fan 11, and while preventing outdoor cold air from invading a combustion apparatus, indoor warm air is burned into the combustion apparatus 1. In addition to preventing the inside from freezing through the main body and the exhaust cylinder 8 and warming the inside once cooled, it is possible to effectively prevent freezing and ignition failure (step S4).
[0017]
Then, after a predetermined time has passed since the blower fan was activated (step S5), the effect of the operation of the blower fan is determined (step S6). The effect is determined by comparing, for example, the detected temperature of the outdoor temperature sensor 25 that detects the outdoor temperature and the detected temperature of the combustion temperature sensor 21 or the indoor temperature sensor 26 that detects the indoor temperature. The effect of preventing backflow can be determined. Further, temperature sensors 21 and 25 are provided in the apparatus (or in the exhaust pipe), the blower fan is operated by the blower control means, and the effect of preventing the backflow of the outside air is determined according to the temperature change state at that time. That is, it can be determined that the effect is small if there is no temperature change even though the outdoor air backflow prevention operation is performed.
[0018]
If it is determined that there is an effect, the process returns to step S1, and the operations from step S1 to step S7 are repeated. If it is determined in step S7 that there is no effect, for example, since the blower fan cannot cope with the reverse flow, the blower fan is stopped and other freeze prevention operations or instructions are given (steps S8 and S9). For example, it periodically burns to heat the inside of the apparatus, or instructs to close the exhaust pipe when not in use.
[0019]
Next, the blowing operation of the blowing fan in step S4 will be described. FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram of the current of the fan motor 11 of the blower fan 7, the number of rotations, and the exhaust resistance of the exhaust passage, and FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the blower control means 30 for blowing air by the blower fan 7. . First, in the air blow control by the air blow control means 30 , the relationship between the current (I) of the fan motor 11, the rotation speed (N), the air flow (Q), and the flow path resistance (Φ) of the exhaust passage is as shown in FIG. Have a specific relationship. In other words, the relationship between the rotational speed N of the fan motor 5 and the current I flowing through the fan motor 5 is determined by holding data on the relationship with the channel resistance in a memory or the like in advance as shown in FIG. The flow path resistance Φ can be determined from the number N and the current I. For example, if the current I becomes I0 when the rotational speed N is N1, or if the current I becomes I1 when the rotational speed N is N2, it can be determined that the flow path resistance Φ is Φ1, and the rotational speed N is If the current I becomes I0 when N0, it can be determined that the flow path resistance Φ is Φ0. If the flow path resistance is known, the current value (I) (or rotational speed (N)) of the fan motor 11 appropriate for the air flow required to prevent the backflow of the outside air can be known, and air flow control is performed accordingly. Just do it.
[0020]
Note that Φ0 is smaller than Φ1. Further, the flow path resistance Φ can be obtained experimentally, for example, by the following formula 1, assuming that the rotation speed of the fan motor 5 is N and the current flowing through the fan motor 5 is I. However, g (N) and f (N) are functions of the rotational speed N. Or it calculates | requires by following Numerical formula 2 as another experimental formula.
[Expression 1]

[0021]
[Expression 2]

[0022]
Next, the air blowing control by the air blowing control means will be described with reference to FIG. 4. In the air blowing control means 30 for controlling the fan motor 11, the rotation speed detection means 31 is the fan rotation speed (N) and the current detection means 32 is the fan speed. The drive current (I) is detected, and the flow path resistance determination means 33 determines the flow path resistance (Φ) of the exhaust path based on these. Then, an optimum rotational speed (or an optimum current value) for preventing backflow of outside air and blowing air in the exhaust direction under the flow path resistance is obtained, and the motor driving unit 35 is driven to correspond to the rotation speed, so that the blower fan The ventilation control is performed by
[0023]
In the above embodiment, the outside air backflow detecting means 9 and the effect determining means (temperature sensors 21, 25, 26) when the outside air backflow preventing operation is performed are provided separately, but the outside air backflow detecting means is provided. The

temperature sensors

21, 25, and 26 may be shared. In other words, it can be determined that the outside air is flowing back if the temperature inside the apparatus is lowered to the outside air temperature or if the inside temperature is lower than the indoor temperature to some extent. On the other hand, it goes without saying that the effect of the backflow prevention operation may be determined by the outside air backflow detection means 9.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the combustion apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to grasp the situation such as the backflow of the outside air, and to prevent the backflow of the cold air by appropriately turning the blower fan according to the situation and to prevent freezing. . Further, when the effect cannot be confirmed despite the outside air backflow prevention operation, useless driving is prevented, and low noise and low running cost are realized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a combustion apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of air blow control characteristics.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of air blowing control means.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Combustion apparatus 4 Heat exchanger 5 Combustion chamber 7 Blower fan 8 Exhaust pipe 9 Outside air backflow detection means 10 Control part 11 Fan motor 22 Heater 25 Outside temperature sensor 26 Indoor temperature sensor 30 Blower control means

Claims

A combustion device that supplies fuel and blows air by a blowing means to perform combustion,
A combustion apparatus main body provided indoors, connected to the outdoors, exhaust means for exhausting the exhaust gas burned in the combustion apparatus to the outdoors, and an outdoor air backflow detection means for detecting outside air flowing in through the exhaust means, A blowing control means for operating the blowing means to prevent the entry of outside air when the outside air backflow detection means detects the entry of outside air ; and
When the preventing operation of the outside air intrusion by said blower control means determines the effect of preventing the operation of the outside air entering from the time of the operation after a predetermined time has elapsed, as blown by said blower control means is stopped when there is no effect Combustion device characterized by being constituted .

A combustion device that supplies fuel and blows air by a blowing means to perform combustion,
A combustion apparatus main body provided indoors, connected to the outdoors, exhaust means for exhausting the exhaust gas burned in the combustion apparatus to the outdoors, and an outdoor air backflow detection means for detecting outside air flowing in through the exhaust means , When the outside air backflow detecting means detects the intrusion of outside air, the air blowing control means for operating the blowing means to prevent the outside air from entering, the outside temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the outside air, and the temperature in the combustion device are detected. An internal temperature sensor ,
After an elapse of a predetermined time after the outside air intrusion preventing operation by the air blowing control means, the outside air temperature sensor and the apparatus internal temperature sensor are compared to determine the effect of back flow prevention by the air blowing control means, be blown by the air supply control means is configured to be stopped when there is no effect combustion apparatus according to claim.

The outside air backflow prevention operation by the air blowing control means is configured to rotate the air blowing fan, determine the flow resistance of the air flow path from the rotation speed and current value of the fan, and ensure at least exhaust air flow in the state of the flow path resistance. The combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combustion apparatus is a controlled operation .