JP3857951B2 - Bath equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bath apparatus that supplies high-temperature water heated by a heat source for heating such as a heat pump unit using the heat of condensation of a refrigerant to a hot water storage tank and supplies hot water from the hot water storage tank. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bath apparatus provided with a heat exchanger for pursuing bath water.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, heat pump units, fuel cells, etc. have been used as heating heat sources, and circulation pumps are used to circulate the water in the hot water storage tanks with the heating heat source to generate hot water for hot water supply and store the hot water in the hot water storage tanks. In the bath device that supplies hot water from the hot water tank to the bath, when the hot water temperature in the bathtub drops after the hot water is supplied to the bath tub, heat is exchanged between the hot water in the hot water tank and the hot water in the bathtub with a heat exchanger. The water in the bathtub is heated, that is, it can be used for bathing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above bath equipment, the hot water in the hot water tank is used as a heat source for reheating. Therefore, when the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank decreases due to hot water supply or the like, the hot water in the hot water tank can be used for reheating. Disappear. For this reason, at the time of reheating, the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank is raised by operating the heating heat source and supplying the heated hot water into the hot water tank so that it can be used for reheating. Since the hot water in the hot water tank is heated to raise the temperature, there is a problem that the efficiency at the time of reheating is very poor and the power consumption is increased, which is uneconomical.
[0004]
In addition, the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank rises after the start of reheating, and it takes time until the temperature of the hot water in the bathtub starts to rise due to reheating using the hot water whose temperature has increased. The problem of poor response occurs.
[0005]
In particular, in a water heater equipped with a hot water tank, the heat source is operated during the night when the electricity rate is low (for example, from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am), and the water in the hot water tank is heated to raise the temperature. In addition, by using the hot water in the hot water tank in the daytime other than the nighttime when the electricity rate is high, the electricity rate burdened by the user is suppressed.
[0006]
However, if a heating heat source is operated during the daytime to replenish the bath, it will consume daytime power, which has a high power charge, and the burden of the user's power charge will increase significantly. .
[0007]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in power consumption as much as possible, perform an efficient tracking, and shorten a tracking time.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, the present invention provides a heat pump refrigerant circuit including at least a compressor, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an evaporator, and water in the lower part of the hot water tank is supplied to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger by a circulation pump and heated. In a bath apparatus comprising a hot water supply circuit for returning the hot water to the upper part of the hot water tank and storing the hot water in the hot water tank so that the hot water can be discharged from the hot water tank, and a heat exchanger for reheating the bath water A first three-way valve that can be switched to return the hot water heated by the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger of the heat pump refrigerant circuit to the upper part of the hot water tank or to supply the reheating heat exchanger; A second three-way valve that can be switched between supplying water below the hot water tank to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger or supplying hot water reheated by the reheating heat exchanger, During the follow-up operation, turn off the first and three-way valves. Instead, the hot water heated by the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger of the heat pump refrigerant circuit is supplied to the reheating heat exchanger and the hot water reheated by the reheating heat exchanger is supplied to the refrigerant pair. It is characterized in that it is supplied to the water heat exchanger .
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a bath apparatus in which a heat pump water heater as a hot water storage type hot water heater to which the present invention is applied is connected to a bathtub by piping, and the bath apparatus heats the refrigerant and water compressed by the compressor. A heat pump unit 100 as a heat source for heating provided with a refrigerant circuit for exchanging heat by an exchanger, a hot water tank unit 200 provided with a hot water tank for storing high-temperature water whose temperature has risen in the heat pump unit 100, and water by a circulation pump The main components are a hot water supply circuit 300 that circulates between the hot water storage tank and the heat exchanger for heating, and enables hot water to be discharged from the hot water storage tank, and a hot water replenishment circuit 400 for the bathtub.
[0012]
The refrigerant circuit provided in the heat pump unit 100 includes a compressor 1 that sucks and compresses refrigerant to generate high temperature and pressure, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 that heat-exchanges refrigerant and water, and an electric expansion valve 3. And an evaporator 4 as an outdoor heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between the outside air and the refrigerant, an accumulator 5, and the like.
[0013]
The hot water tank unit 200 includes a hot water tank for storing hot water and a control board 9 on the hot water tank side to which a remote controller (remote controller) 7 operated in the kitchen and a remote controller (remote controller) 8 operated in the bathroom are connected. A tank 10 is provided, and a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as “microcomputer”) or the like is mounted on the control board 9 as control means for controlling the bath apparatus. The kitchen remote controller 7 and the bath remote controller 8 are provided with a time display device and the like.
[0014]
The hot water supply circuit 300 is connected to a hot water pressure reducing valve 11 with a check valve for supplying tap water to the hot water storage tank 10, a hot water discharge pipe 12 for taking out hot water from the hot water storage tank 10, and a hot water discharge pipe 12 from the outlet side of the water pressure reducing valve 11. A bypass pipe 14 leading to the mixing valve 13, a hot water filling pipe 15 branched from the hot water feeding pipe 12, a check valve 15 a and a flow rate adjustment valve 16 connected to the hot water filling pipe 15, and a hot water discharge pipe upstream of the mixing valve 13. 12, a pressure relief valve 17 connected to 12, a forward pipe 18 connected between the lower end of the hot water storage tank 10 and the inlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2, and hot water connected to the middle of the forward pipe 18. A first circulation pump 19 for supplying water from the tank 10 to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2, a switching valve or a mixing valve connected to the upstream side of the first circulation pump 19, and refrigerant-to-water heat The first three as the inlet side switching valve of the exchanger 2 A return pipe 21 connected between the valve 20, the outlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 and the upper end of the hot water tank 10, and a flow rate adjusting valve 22 as a flow rate adjusting means connected in the middle of the return pipe 21. The second three-way valve 23 serving as a switching valve or a mixing valve and serving as an outlet side switching valve of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 is connected by piping.
[0015]
The first three-way valve 20 switches the inlet side to the bottom side of the hot water tank 10 or the side of the heat exchanger for reheating described later, or low temperature water and heat for reheating from the bottom 10b of the hot water tank 10. The hot water from the exchanger is mixed and flows out to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2. The second three-way valve 23 switches between whether the high-temperature water from the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 flows in and the outlet side is to be a reheating heat exchanger 24 to be described later or the upper part 10a of the hot water tank 10, or The flowing high temperature water is distributed to the upper part 10a side of the hot water tank 10 and the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 side.
[0016]
Further, the reheating circuit 400 includes a reheating heat exchanger 24, an outgoing pipe 25 that leads from the second three-way valve 23 to the reheating heat exchanger 24, A hot water outlet pipe 26 provided with a hot water temperature sensor 38 in the middle, A first reheating hot water return pipe 27 from the reheating heat exchanger 24 to the first three-way valve 20, and a second circulation pump 28 provided in the middle of the first reheating hot water return pipe 27. The second recirculation which branches off from the middle of the first reheating hot water return pipe 27 on the downstream side of the second circulation pump 28 and reaches the intermediate portion 10c of the hot water tank 10 and which is connected to the check valve 29a. The hot water return pipe 29, the reheating pipe 31 connected between the reheating heat exchanger 24 and the bathtub 30, the reheating return pipe 32, and a third circulation provided in the middle of the retreating pipe 31 The pump 33 is connected by piping. A bath temperature sensor 34 is provided in the middle of the retreating pipe 31 on the inlet side of the third circulation pump 33, and the hot water filling pipe 15 is connected in the middle of the retreating pipe 31 on the outlet side.
[0017]
Further, a temperature sensor (hereinafter referred to as “heat source inlet temperature sensor”) 35 and a temperature sensor (hereinafter referred to as “heat source outlet temperature sensor”) 36 are provided on the inlet side and the outlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2, An outside air temperature sensor 37 is provided in the hot water storage tank unit 200 on the inlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2, and a water supply temperature sensor 39 for detecting a water temperature for supplying tap water to the hot water storage tank 10 is provided.
[0018]
Next, description will be made based on the control block diagram of FIG. A microcomputer 40 provided on the control board 9 on the side of the hot water tank unit 200 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 41 that performs overall control of operations related to the hot water tank unit 200, the hot water supply circuit 300, and the reheating circuit 400 of the bath device. A RAM (Random Access Memory) 42 as a storage device for storing various data, and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 43 for storing a program relating to hot water supply operation and follow-up operation. . In the ROM 43, as shown in the table of FIG. 3, for example, the maximum amount of hot water, which is the maximum amount of hot water when boiling in the middle of the night using electric power in the hot water tank 10, and the minimum amount of hot water to start boiling, The amount of hot water at the end of reheating, which is the amount of hot water that stops boiling, is stored from mode 1 to mode 7 as the mode of boiling (increase) control, and these modes are changed based on changes in the amount of hot water stored. The program is set. Then, based on the data stored in the RAM 42, the CPU 21 comprehensively controls operations related to hot water supply and reheating of the bath device in accordance with the program stored in the ROM 43 and the mode. In general, the microcomputer 40 controls the water heater so that the entire capacity of the hot water tank 10 is heated to a predetermined temperature.
[0019]
A kitchen remote controller CPU 7a is connected to the microcomputer 40 via a signal line. The kitchen remote controller CPU 7a has a boiling amount setting switch 7b for setting the amount of hot water when hot water is supplied to the bathtub 30, and a mode for switching the mode. A changeover switch 7c is connected.
[0020]
A bath remote controller 8 is connected to the microcomputer 40 via a signal line, and the bath remote controller 8 is provided with a chasing switch 8a operated by a user when starting or stopping chasing the bathtub 30.
[0021]
Further, a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as “microcomputer”) 50 on the heat pump unit 100 side includes a CPU 51 that performs overall control of operations related to the heat pump unit 100, a RAM 52 as a storage device that stores various data, and operations of the heat pump unit 100. It is comprised from ROM53 which stores the program concerning. The compressor 1, the expansion valve 3, the heat source inlet temperature sensor 35, and the heat source outlet temperature sensor 36 are connected to the microcomputer 50 through signal lines.
[0022]
The microcomputer 40 and the microcomputer 50 are connected by a signal line 55, and the detected temperatures of the inlet temperature sensor 35 and the outlet temperature sensor 36 are transmitted to the microcomputer 40 via the microcomputer 50 and the signal line 55, and stored in the RAM 42 as needed. . Further, the RAM 42 has a first set temperature (for example, 85 ° C.) which is a set temperature on the outlet side of the refrigerant heat exchanger 2 when supplying high-temperature water to the hot water tank 10 to be described later and a refrigerant pair at the time of reheating. A second set temperature (for example, 90 ° C.) that is a set temperature on the outlet side of the water heat exchanger 2 and a third set temperature that is a set temperature on the inlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 during reheating are stored. Yes. Here, the third set temperature at the time of reheating is, for example, the coolant to water for discharging the 90 ° C. warm water from the coolant to water heat exchanger 2 when the second set temperature is 90 ° C. When the output of the heat exchanger 2, that is, the heating capacity of the sound refrigerant to water heat exchanger 2 is 40 deg, 90−40 = 50 ° C.
[0023]
And the capacity | capacitance of the said hot water tank 10 is 370 liters, for example, and hot water temperature detection sensors TS1, TS2, TS3, TS4, TS5, TS6 and TS7 are vertically spaced from the lower part to the upper part of the hot water tank 10 in the hot water tank 10. Since the water heater can be heated up to 55 ° C., when the detected hot water temperature of each sensor is 55 ° C. or higher, the hot water storage from the upper end of the hot water storage tank 10 to the position is provided. It is judged that there is remaining hot water. At this time, the detection sensor TS1 is disposed at a position where the remaining hot water amount is 350 liters, TS2 is also 300 liters, TS3 is 250 liters, TS4 is 200 liters, TS5 is 150 liters, TS6 is 100 liters, and TS7 is 50 liters. .
[0024]
Here, the outside air temperature by the outside air temperature sensor 37 (for example, 25 ° C.), the capacity of the heat pump unit 100 (for example, 5.0 kW), the boiling temperature (for example, 75 ° C.), and the tap water with a check valve detected by the feed water temperature sensor 39. Supply temperature (for example, 20 ° C.) of tap water supplied to the hot water tank 10 via the pressure reducing valve 11, detection temperature (for example, 63 ° C.) of the hot water temperature detection sensor TS3, detection temperatures (for example, 50) of the hot water temperature detection sensors TS1 and TS2. Data) is stored in the RAM 42 of the microcomputer 40, and the microcomputer 40 determines the amount of hot water stored in the hot water tank 10 based on these data.
[0025]
That is, first, the microcomputer 40 searches for a combination of detection sensors including the boiling water temperature 55 ° C. between the two detection sensors from the seven hot water temperature detection sensors, and detects a temperature higher than 55 ° C. The detection temperature of the detection sensor is Thi, the amount of remaining hot water is Lhi, the detection temperature of the detection sensor detecting a low temperature is Tlo, and the amount of remaining hot water is Llo. The microcomputer 40 calculates the amount of stored hot water (the amount of remaining hot water) Lz from Lz = (Thi−55) / (Thi−Tlo) × (Llo−Lhi) + Lhi.
[0026]
Therefore, the microcomputer 40 determines that the remaining hot water amount Lz reaching 55 ° C. is about 286 liters from (63−55) / (63−50) × (300−250) +250.
[0027]
Next, the circulation flow rate (boiling amount per minute) is calculated by dividing the heating amount per minute by the heat pump by the temperature obtained by subtracting the water temperature from the boiling temperature. Specifically, the circulation flow rate = (heat pump The microcomputer 40 calculates from the capacity P × 860 (Kcal) / 60 (minutes) / (boiling temperature Tp− (outside air temperature Tt × 0.8 + 3)), that is, the feed water temperature at which the predetermined capacity is constant (refrigerant vs. water). The water temperature entering the heat exchanger 2) is calculated from conversion formulas obtained in various performance tests using the outside air temperature value.
[0028]
Therefore, the microcomputer 40 determines that the circulation flow rate is about 1.38 liters / minute from (5 × 860/60 / (75− (25 × 0.8 + 3)). ₂ In this case, when the boiling temperature is fixed and the feed water temperature (water temperature entering the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2) rises, the heating capacity gradually decreases even if the frequency of the compressor 1 is kept constant, and the water temperature Since the curve of the rise and the decline in capacity is not completely linear, the operation of lowering the frequency of the compressor 1 step by step according to the inlet water temperature, including the protection of the compressor 1 with this water heater, is the result. Therefore, even if the inlet water temperature fluctuates, control is performed so as to perform an operation for maintaining a substantially constant circulation flow rate under the same outside air temperature condition.
[0029]
As described above, the microcomputer 40 determines the amount of hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 10 and calculates the circulation amount at the time of boiling (when boiling).
[0030]
Hereinafter, control during hot water supply from the hot water tank 10 will be described.
[0031]
When hot water is supplied from the hot water storage state (the hatched portion indicates the amount of hot water stored in the entire capacity) as shown in (a) of FIG. Water is supplied from the water pressure reducing valve 11 with a check valve so that the water is full. Hot water is used and the amount of hot water storage gradually decreases, and the hot water storage state shown in FIG. Furthermore, as shown in (c), the amount of hot water supplied is reduced and the amount of stored hot water is less than the minimum amount of stored hot water (for example, 150 liters in the case of mode 4). When the temperature falls below 55 ° C., the microcomputer 40 determines that the amount of stored hot water has become smaller than the position of the detection sensor, outputs an operation signal to the microcomputer 50 on the heat pump unit 100 side, and causes the heat pump unit 100 to boil up and start operation.
[0032]
That is, the compressor 1 starts operation, and the refrigerant that has been compressed by the compressor 1 and has reached a high temperature is supplied to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2. Both the first three-way valve 20 and the second three-way valve 23 are switched to the flow paths as indicated by solid arrows in FIG. 1, and the circulation pump 19 is activated and the water at the bottom 10 b of the hot water storage tank 10 is turned on. Is supplied to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 to start heat exchange between the refrigerant and water. As a result, the refrigerant loses heat and condenses, and the temperature of the water rises due to the heat of condensation of the refrigerant to return to the hot water tank 10 (its upper part 10a) as hot water, that is, hot water.
[0033]
At this time, the microcomputer 40 operates based on the temperature detected by the heat source outlet temperature sensor 36 and controls the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve 22, so that the hot water whose temperature has risen to substantially the set temperature (for example, 85 ° C.) To the upper part 10a of the hot water tank 10. Accordingly, the upper layer in the hot water tank 10 is hot water and the lower layer is water, and the hot water layer and the water layer are not mixed with the passage of time, and the hot water layer increases and the water layer decreases. In the normal operation state (corresponding to mode 7), the hot water storage tank 10 is finally filled with hot water. For example, when the heating control mode is mode 4, the state shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, when the hot water storage amount rises to 200 liters which is the amount of completion of boiling, and when the detection temperature of the detection sensor TS5 becomes 55 ° C. or higher, the CPU 41 operates and the microcomputer 40 moves to the first circulation pump 19. While outputting a stop signal, a stop signal is output to the compressor 1 via the microcomputer 50, and a boiling increase operation is complete | finished.
[0034]
As described above, during the heating operation, the heating operation is controlled according to the heating control mode shown in FIG. 3. Hereinafter, the control when changing the heating control mode will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. I will explain.
[0035]
First, it is determined whether the boiling control mode (operation mode) is manual or automatic. If the mode is manual, the boiling control mode is set to modes 1 to 3 based on the operation of the boiling amount setting switch 7b. Is set between. That is, the amount of boiling is divided into three stages, for example, large, medium, and small. Mode 3 is set when the amount is large, mode 2 is set when the amount is medium, and mode 1 is set when the amount is small. In particular, the heat pump unit 100, the hot water tank unit 200, and the hot water supply circuit 300 of the bath apparatus are controlled according to the set mode.
[0036]
When the heating control mode (operation mode) is automatic, for example, when the power to the hot water tank unit 100 and the heat pump unit 200 is turned on, the heating control mode 3 which is a standard mode is automatically set. For this reason, the amount of hot water is reduced by the hot water supply from the hot water storage tank 10, the detection temperature of the detection sensor TS6 is lower than 55 ° C., and the microcomputer 40 determines that the amount of hot water storage is less than 100 liters (determination A). With this determination, a timer (not shown) provided in the microcomputer 40 starts operating. After that, when the hot water storage amount does not become 50 liters or less, that is, when the detection sensor TS7 continues to detect a temperature of 55 ° C. or higher, the heating control mode 3 is set to a predetermined time (preliminary time set in the timer) For example 3 days).
[0037]
Note that when the amount of stored hot water decreases before the predetermined time elapses and the detection temperature of the detection sensor TS7 becomes lower than 55 ° C., the microcomputer 40 determines that the amount of stored hot water is less than 50 liters (determination B). Then, the heating control mode is shifted to a mode that is one level higher, that is, mode 4 that is a mode with a large mode number. For this reason, the minimum hot water storage amount at the start of boiling increase increases from 100 liters to 150 liters, and the final hot water storage amount at the boiling increase operation increases from 150 liters to 200 liters.
[0038]
When the microcomputer 40 determines that there is a hot water storage amount of 100 liters or more in the hot water storage tank 10 based on the detected temperature of the detection sensor TS6 (determination C), a timer (not shown) operates. When a hot water storage amount of 100 liters or more is maintained for a predetermined period (for example, 3 days) set in advance, the timer counts up, the microcomputer 40 operates, and a mode lower by one rank, that is, a mode number Shifts to mode 2, which is a mode in which the As a result, the maximum boiling amount is reduced from 370 liters to 300 liters.
[0039]
In each boiling control mode, the same determination as in the above mode 3 is performed. For example, in mode 5, when a hot water storage amount of 100 liters or more is maintained for a predetermined period, the timer counts up and the microcomputer 40 Operates and shifts to the next lower mode, that is, mode 4 which is a mode with a smaller mode number. As a result, the minimum hot water storage amount at the start of boiling increases from 200 liters to 150 liters, and the final hot water storage amount after the boiling increase operation decreases from 250 liters to 200 liters. Similarly, in mode 4 to mode 7, when a hot water storage amount of 100 liters or more is maintained for a predetermined period, the timer counts up and the microcomputer 40 operates, so that the mode lower in rank, that is, the mode number is set. Transition to a mode that is a smaller mode. As a result, both the minimum hot water storage amount at the start of boiling increase and the hot water storage amount at the end of boiling operation are reduced by 50 liters.
[0040]
As a result, when the amount of hot water supply is large, that is, when the usage load is large, the mode number can be shifted to the larger one and, of course, it is possible to appropriately cope with the load. The number is shifted to the smaller one, the maximum boiling amount at midnight is reduced, and both the minimum hot water amount at the start of boiling and the hot water amount at the end of heating operation are reduced, thereby reducing the number of hot water tanks 10. It is possible to control a wide range of operations corresponding to the use load with capacity, that is, control of the amount of hot water stored or the amount of boiling, minimizing heat loss due to heat dissipation, and improving the operating efficiency of the heat pump water heater, that is, the hot water supply efficiency.
[0041]
Hereinafter, the operation at the time of reheating of the bath apparatus in which the hot water supply operation is controlled as described above will be described.
[0042]
When the temperature of the hot water in the bathtub 30 is lowered while the user is bathing and the chasing switch 8 a of the bath remote controller 8 is operated, the bath remote controller 8 outputs a chasing operation signal to the control board 9. When the control board 9 receives the chasing operation signal, the microcomputer 40 operates and the first three-way valve 20 and the second three-way valve 23 are chased as indicated by the dashed arrows in FIG. Then, the flow control valve 22 is fully opened and the first circulation pump 19 and the second circulation pump 28 are started to operate. For this reason, the high-temperature water whose temperature has risen in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 flows to the reheating heat exchanger 24 via the return pipe 21 and the forward pipe 25 and exchanges heat with the hot water from the bathtub 30 for reheating. The water whose temperature has been lowered is circulated to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 via the second circulation pump 28, the first three-way valve 20 and the first circulation pump 19. Further, the microcomputer 40 starts the operation of the third circulation pump 33, and the operation of the third circulation pump 33 causes the hot water in the bathtub 30 to flow into the reheating heat exchanger 24, and from the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2. The temperature rises by exchanging heat with high-temperature water, returns to the bathtub 30, and is chased. For this reason, a reheating operation using the heat pump unit 100 as a heat source is performed, and the high temperature water in the hot water storage tank 100 is not used for the renewal operation. Therefore, heat is radiated from the hot water storage tank unit 200 and the hot water supply circuit 300 during the reheating operation. As much as possible, the efficiency of chasing operation can be improved. Further, the chasing time can be shortened and the power consumption in the heat pump unit 100 can be reduced.
[0043]
In addition, the microcomputer 40 increases the discharge temperature of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 to the second set temperature, which is the set temperature of the tracking temperature, so that the temperature on the inlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 is high. Thus, the opening degree on the inlet side of the first three-way valve 20 is controlled. For example, when the second set temperature, which is the discharge temperature of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 at the time of reheating, is 90 ° C., the temperature on the inlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 is the third as described above. The opening degree of the first three-way valve 20 on the hot water tank 10 side and the opening degree of the reheating heat exchanger side are controlled so as to be set to the preset temperature. At this time, a part of the hot water flowing out from the reheating heat exchanger 24 is returned to the intermediate portion 10c of the hot water storage tank 10 through the second reheating hot water return pipe 29 according to the opening degree.
[0044]
For this reason, the heating efficiency in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 at the time of reheating can be kept good, the efficiency of the reheating operation can be further improved, and the discharge temperature of the reheating heat exchanger 24 can be set to an appropriate temperature. It is also possible to keep it.
[0045]
Next, an operation for simultaneously supplying hot water while performing reheating will be described.
[0046]
When the reheating is performed as described above, for example, when the hot water temperature detection line sensor TS4 provided in the hot water storage tank 10 detects, for example, 60 ° C., which is a set temperature, the microcomputer 40 operates, and the flow rate adjustment valve 22 is controlled, the flow rate of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 is adjusted, and the temperature of the high-temperature water supplied from the heat pump unit 100 to the hot water storage tank 10 is controlled to the first set temperature (85 ° C.). The high-temperature water flowing out from the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 is appropriately distributed to the reheating heat exchanger 24 and the hot water tank 10 by the second three-way valve 23 according to, for example, the amount of hot water supplied from the hot water tank 10. Is done. For this reason, it is possible to supply hot water for hot water supply to the hot water storage tank 10 and store the hot water for hot water supply while performing the reheating operation, and the user can remove the hot water from the hot water tank 10 while pursuing the bath. Hot water can be used.
[0047]
Further, the opening degree on the inlet side of the first three-way valve 20 is set so that the return water from the reheating heat exchanger 24 is returned to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 and heated without being sent to the hot water tank 10 as much as possible. By controlling the heat dissipation loss in the hot water storage tank 10 as much as possible, the thermal efficiency at the time of chasing can be improved, and the power consumption can be reduced by shortening the chasing time.
[0048]
Further, the high temperature water heated by the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 through the second three-way valve 23 and the high temperature water stored in the hot water storage tank 10 and flowing through the reheating hot water outlet pipe 26 are mixed. When the mixing valve is sent to the reheating heat exchanger 24, the temperature of the high-temperature water from the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 2 and the temperature detected by the reheating hot water temperature sensor 38 are from the hot water storage tank 10. It is possible to repurchase mainly using high temperature water, whichever is higher than the temperature of the high temperature water, further shortening the replenishment time, greatly reducing power consumption, and it is very difficult for the user. An easy-to-use bath apparatus can be provided.
[0049]
In the above-described embodiment, the heat pump unit has been described as the heat source for heating. However, similar effects can be obtained when a fuel cell or the like is used as the heat source for heating.
[0050]
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various alternatives, modifications, and variations can be made by those skilled in the art based on the above description, and the various alternatives and modifications described above are within the scope of the present invention. Or a modification is included.
[0051]
【The invention's effect】
Conventionally, hot water in the hot water tank is used as a heat source for reheating, so if the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank decreases due to hot water supply, etc., the hot water in the hot water tank may not be used for reheating. Therefore, at the time of reheating, the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank was raised by operating the above heat source for heating and supplying heated hot water into the hot water tank, which was used for reheating. However, according to the present invention, the increase in power consumption was as much as possible. It is possible to suppress, efficiently perform chasing, and shorten chasing time.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a circuit explanatory diagram of a heat pump water heater.
FIG. 2 is a control block diagram.
FIG. 3 is a table showing a maximum boiling amount, a minimum hot water storage amount at the start of boiling increase, and a hot water storage amount at the end of boiling increase for each mode;
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a change in the amount of stored hot water during a boiling increase operation.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Compressor
2 Refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger (heat exchanger for heating)
10 Hot water tank
18 Outward pipe
20 First switching valve (mixing valve)
21 Return pipe
23 Second switching valve (mixing valve)
24 Heat exchanger for reheating
25 Second return pipe
30 Bathtub
40 Microcomputer
41 CPU
42 RAM
43 ROM
50 microcomputer
100 heat pump unit
200 Hot water tank unit
300 Hot water supply circuit
400 memory circuit

Claims (1)

Heat pump refrigerant circuit including at least a compressor, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, an expansion device, and an evaporator, and water at a lower portion of the hot water tank is supplied to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger by a circulation pump and heated high-temperature water is heated. In a bath apparatus comprising a hot water supply circuit that returns to the upper part of the hot water tank and stores the hot water in the hot water tank so that the hot water can be discharged from the hot water tank, and a reheating heat exchanger that tracks the bath water, A first three-way valve switchable between returning the hot water heated by the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger to the upper part of the hot water storage tank or supplying it to the reheating heat exchanger; and the refrigerant-to-water heat exchange And a second three-way valve that can be switched between supplying water in the lower part of the hot water storage tank or supplying hot water reheated by the reheating heat exchanger. The heat is switched by switching the first and three-way valves. High-temperature water heated by the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger of the pump refrigerant circuit is supplied to the reheating heat exchanger, and the hot water reheated by the reheating heat exchanger is supplied to the refrigerant-to-water heat exchange A bath apparatus characterized by being supplied to a vessel.

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