JP4063090B2 - Electric water heater - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a heating tank for heating tap water, well water, ground water, spring water, river water, etc. for drinking and heating the water to be treated, and storing the water to be treated separately. The present invention relates to an electric water heater having a water supply tank for supplying water to be treated.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There are two types of electric water heaters, in which the water to be treated is directly put into a heating tank for heating and drinking, and in addition to the heating tank, there is a water tank dedicated to storing the water to be treated. The former is common, but the latter is hardly popular in the market. There existed an electric water heater which has such a water supply tank like patent 3095007 gazette and patent documents 1, for example.
[0003]
As an example, in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 9, an electric water heater includes a heating tank 2 having a heater 1 that is a heating means, and a tapping water outlet means for tapping water to be treated heated in the heating tank 2. There is a heating unit 5 composed of a pump 3 and a hot water outlet 4, a water supply tank 6 for storing the water to be treated, and a water supply pump 7 for water supply means for feeding the water to be treated in the water supply tank 6 to the heating tank 2, The water supply part 9 provided with the water supply path 8 is detachable. With such a configuration, the water to be treated in the water supply tank 6 is transported and heated to the heating tank 2 for drinking.
[0004]
In addition, because of such a configuration, a situation occurs in which the water in the water supply tank 6 is left unheated. On the other hand, reducing the number of microorganisms such as bacteria in the water to be treated with an electric water heater to make it suitable for drinking has been performed, for example, as in Patent Document 2.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-253998 (FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-59-77815 [0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the microbiological water quality in the water supply tank 6 described above, that is, the sterilization conditions for the water to be treated when the water in the water supply tank 6 is left untreated. Further, in order to make most of the water in the heating tank 2 available, it is necessary to arrange an entrance to the hot water pump 3 at the bottom of the heating tank 2. Due to the difference in temperature when water is poured from the tank 6, a phenomenon occurs in which the low-poured water stays at the bottom of the heating tank. When the hot water pump operates at such a time, the injected water is made outside from the heating tank 2 in a state where the injected water is hardly heated, and hygiene is deteriorated.
[0007]
Therefore, in the present invention, in such an electric water heater having a structure in which the water supply tank 6 and the heating tank 2 exist independently, the sanitary property of the treated water after heating for drinking is improved and at the same time the power consumption It aims at reducing.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is to solve the above problems, a heating unit comprising a heating means and a heating tank for heating and storing the water to be treated with water in the heating tank and a tapping means capable of discharging, the inside a water supply tank for storing the treated water, provided a water reservoir having a water supply means capable of supplying the said heating tank water to be treated in the water tank, the inlet of water into the tapping means at a bottom of said heating tank, Control means for controlling the heating means, the hot water means and the water supply means, a water quality selection section, and a detection means for detecting boiling of the water to be treated in the heating tank, the tap water being treated by the water quality selection section. In the electric water heater that disables the operation of the tapping means even if the operation of the tapping means is instructed by the operation unit until after the boiling state is detected by the boiling detection means, heating suitable for the water quality is performed. It becomes possible to sterilize microorganisms , It is possible to prevent wasteful power consumption.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention according to claim 1 is a heating unit comprising a heating tank having heating means for storing and heating the water to be treated and a hot water discharge means capable of discharging the water in the heating tank, and the water to be treated. A water storage tank having water supply means for storing the water in the water supply tank, water storage means having a water supply means capable of supplying the treated water in the water supply tank to the heating tank, and an inlet for water to the hot water supply means provided at the bottom of the heating tank, Control means for controlling the means, tapping means and water supply means, a water quality selection section, and a detection means for detecting boiling of the water to be treated in the heating tank, and tap water is selected as the water to be treated by the water quality selection section. In this case, even when the operation of the hot water discharge means is instructed by the operation unit until after the boiling state is detected by the boiling detection means, the operation of the hot water discharge means is disabled. It becomes possible and wastes power consumption Gukoto can.
[0010]
Invention of Claim 2 has a detection means which detects the water quality selection part and the boiling water of the to-be-processed water in a heating tank, and well water, ground water, spring water, river water etc. are processed water by the said water quality selection part If water treatment of selected natural water which is not done, so to stop the operation of tapping means more than two minutes after the detection after boiling boiling in the boiling detecting means, it is possible to obtain sanitary hot water.
[0011]
【Example】
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
Example 1
The block diagram of the electric water heater of a present Example which has a heating part and a water supply part independently was shown in FIG.
[0013]
In FIG. 1, the heating unit 10 of the electric water heater includes a heating tank 11, a heater 12, boiling detection means 13 for detecting boiling in the heating tank 10, a water level sensor 14 for detecting the water level in the heating tank 10, and heating. It comprises a hot water pump 15 serving as a hot water discharge means for discharging hot water in the tank 11, a hot water supply path 16 serving as this flow path, and a lid 17.
[0014]
In addition, the water supply unit 18 includes a water supply tank 19, a lid 20, a water supply pump 21 that supplies water in the water supply tank 19 to the heating tank 11, and a water supply path 22 of this flow path. The operation of the heater 12, the hot water pump 15, and the feed water pump 21 is controlled by the control means 23. In this apparatus, the heating unit 10 and the water supply unit 18 are detachable.
[0015]
An inlet 15A for water to the hot water supply means 15 is provided at the tank bottom 11A of the heating tank 11 so that most of the hot water or water in the heating tank 11 can be discharged.
[0016]
On the heating unit 10 side, there is an operation display unit 24 provided with operation means for the user to operate the electric water heater and display means for transmitting various information to the user. A schematic diagram of the operation display unit 24 is shown in FIG. Here, there are a hot water supply button 25 which is an operation unit, a water supply button 26 for manually supplying water to the heating tank, and a water quality selection button 27, and a heat retention display LED 28 indicating that the temperature is maintained corresponding to the display unit, and water supply to the water supply tank 18 A water supply display LED 29 for letting the user to do, a water change display LED 30 for notifying the replacement time of water in the water supply tank 18, a cleaning LED 31 for displaying the cleaning time of the water supply tank, and the water quality selected by the water quality selection button 27 are displayed. There are a tap water LED 32 and a natural water LED 33.
[0017]
Next, the operation will be described. Here, first, a case where tap water is used as the water to be treated will be described.
[0018]
The water supply unit 17 is removed from the heating unit 10, the lid 17 is opened, and tap water is poured into the water supply tank 18 from the character faucet. Thereafter, the lid 17 is attached, and the water supply unit 17 is attached to the heating unit 10. Thereafter, the feed water pump 20 is operated by the action of the control means, and the tap water enters the heating tank 11 through the feed water channel 21. At the same time as the water supply starts, the heater 12 is energized by the action of the control means, and the heating of the water is started. The heating is continued until the boiling detection means 13 detects the boiling state. When boiling is detected, the control means 22 controls energization to the heater and keeps the heat. After boiling in such a flow, it is kept warm and used for drinking. And if it detects that the water level in the heating tank 11 decreased with the water level sensor 14, the water supply pump 21 will operate | move and will send the water in the water supply tank 19 to a heating tank to a predetermined water level.
[0019]
At this time, when tap water is put into the water supply tank 18 and heated immediately thereafter, there is no problem in terms of microbiological hygiene, but the water in the water supply tank 19 is left unattended, and bacteria propagate here. To do. Fortunately, Escherichia coli and food poisoning bacteria do not grow in the water supply tank 19 because they grow in a highly nutritive environment.
[0020]
However, facultative malnourished bacteria such as Pseudomonas fungi and Acinetobacter fungi that can grow even at low nutrient concentrations may propagate. Therefore, it was examined under what conditions the tap water was allowed to propagate such heterotrophic bacteria (hereinafter referred to as bacteria). The experiment was performed at room temperature (25-30 ° C.). The results are shown in FIG. From this result, it was found that bacteria in tap water grew to the order of about 100,000 CFU / ml.
[0021]
Furthermore, when the sanitization effect by heating was investigated using the tap water A which grew to 100,000 CFU / ml here, the number of bacteria became an undetected level (less than 1 CFU / ml) immediately after boiling. Then, this tap water A was put into the water supply tank 19, and it was investigated how much the number of bacteria decreased by changing the electric water heater. The experiment was conducted by diluting the water in which the bacteria had grown in three stages and changing the initial number of bacteria. The results are shown in FIG. As a result, immediately after boiling, bacteria could not be detected in any of them, and it became clear that the sanitary property was improved by boiling once. It was found that tap water was allowed to stand in the water supply tank 19 for a long period of time, and even when the number of bacteria reached the 100,000 CFU / ml level, it could be sufficiently sterilized by boiling.
[0022]
Therefore, in the configuration as in this example, it was found that even when microorganisms such as bacteria propagate in the water supply tank, the number of bacteria in the hot water can be reduced, so that sanitary hot water can be obtained. . At the same time, it is possible to stop heating after boiling, so that power consumption can be suppressed.
[0023]
Moreover, from the result of FIG. 4, it was found that bacteria were not sterilized so much in about 5 minutes after the start of heating. Thus, it has been clarified that the control means 23 stops the operation of the hot water pump 15 until the boiling detection means 13 detects the boiling state so that the user cannot use the hot water, so that hygiene can be improved. .
[0024]
In this embodiment, the boiling detection means for detecting the boiling state of the water to be treated detects the water temperature of the water to be treated and discriminates the boiling. However, steam generated during boiling or vibration of the heating tank 11 is detected. Etc. may be detected.
[0025]
It is also assumed that water other than tap water is used. Then, when the same test was performed using natural water such as well water and river water, several bacteria were detected even immediately after boiling in one sample of well water, as shown in FIG. This water had dropped to an undetected level after 2 minutes of boiling. Therefore, when using well water, river water, etc., it turned out that sanitary property can be improved by maintaining a boiling state for 2 minutes or more.
[0026]
Therefore, a water quality selection unit 29 for selecting the water quality is provided in the operation display unit 24 so that the user can manually select the heat sterilization according to the water quality. Because of this, the operation of the hot water pump stops until 2 minutes after boiling if it is natural water such as well water or river water if it is tap water. The user no longer uses hot water during sterilization.
[0027]
When natural water is used, if the boiling time is 2 minutes or longer, it may be 4 minutes or 10 minutes, but the longer the boiling time is, the more the power consumption becomes.
[0028]
If further hygiene is desired, it is desirable to replace the water in the water supply tank 19 every day. This is supported by the results of the standing test of tap water shown in FIGS. That is, the increase in the number of bacteria was not observed up to one week at a normal temperature (about 25 to 30 ° C.), but when the environmental temperature became abnormally high (about 30 to 36 ° C.) There was a tendency for bacteria to increase. Therefore, it is possible to maintain hygiene in the water supply tank 19 by replacing it every day, and at the same time, by replacing the water at least once a day, the user mistakenly uses hot water before boiling. However, it can be maintained in a state where hygiene is maintained at a high level.
[0029]
Furthermore, the time after the start of boiling is measured by the control means 23, and the user can be recognized by turning on the water change LED 30 at least once within 24 hours after boiling. Since the user changes the water in the water supply tank 19, hygiene can be more effectively maintained.
[0030]
Even if the water in the water supply tank 19 is replaced, a biofilm is generated on the inner wall surface of the water supply tank 19 due to the propagation of microorganisms (mainly bacteria). FIG. 8 shows the results of examining the number of biofilms increasing in the water supply tank 19 by the number of bacteria attached to the wall surface. The ambient temperature was 25 ° C. to 30 ° C. as before. At this time, some biofilms start to increase after a week has passed, and by cleaning the water supply tank 19 within one week, the deterioration of the water quality due to bacteria released from this is prevented, and the hygiene of the hot water It can be said that it can be improved.
[0031]
Similarly to the water change time display, a cleaning LED 31 is provided to notify the cleaning time of the water supply tank 19, and by allowing the user to recognize it, microorganisms such as bacteria propagate on the wall surface of the water supply tank 19, and the bacteria released therefrom The deterioration of water quality can be prevented and the hygiene of hot water can be improved.
[0032]
In particular, when water is poured from the water supply tank 19 to the heating tank 11 in the heat retaining state, a phenomenon occurs in which water having a low temperature poured is retained at the bottom of the heating tank due to the difference in temperature. When the hot water pump is operated at such time, the injected water is made outside from the heating tank 11 in a state where it is hardly heated, and the hygiene is deteriorated. However, the water inlet 15A to the hot water means 15 is connected to the bottom 11A of the heating tank 11. Even in the configuration provided in the above, since the temperature of the heating tank 11 is detected by the control means 23 and the operation of the hot water supply means 15 is stopped until the boiling, the hot water of insufficiently heated hot water disappears and hygiene can be maintained.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the hygiene of treated water after heating for drinking and simultaneously reduce power consumption.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a configuration diagram of an electric water heater in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an operation display unit in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a tap water leaving test in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a graph of the sterilization effect by heating of standing tap water in Example 1 of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a graph of the sterilization effect of well water in Example 1 of the present invention. Graph of the tap water leaving test in Example 1 [FIG. 7] Graph of increase in the number of bacteria at 30 ° C. to 36 ° C. in Example 1 of the present invention [FIG. 8] Daily change of biofilm in Example 1 of the present invention Graph [Figure 9] Configuration of a conventional electric water heater [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Heating part 11 Heating tank 11A Bottom part 12 Heating heater 13 Boiling detection means 15 Hot water pump 15A Entrance 16 Hot water supply path 18 Water supply part 19 Water supply tank 21 Water supply pump 22 Water supply path 23 Control means 24 Operation display part 25, 26, 27 Operation part 28 , 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Display section

Claims (2)

A heating unit comprising a heating tank having heating means for storing and heating the water to be treated and a hot water discharge means capable of discharging the water in the heating tank, a water supply tank for storing the water to be treated therein, and the water supply A water storage unit having a water supply means capable of supplying water to be treated in the tank to the heating tank, and an inlet of water to the hot water supply means are provided at the bottom of the heating tank, and the heating means, the hot water supply means, and the water supply means are controlled. Control means , a water quality selection part, and a detection means for detecting the boiling of the water to be treated in the heating tank. When tap water is selected as the water to be treated by the water quality selection part, the boiling detection means An electric water heater that disables the operation of the hot water discharge means even when the operation section instructs the operation of the hot water discharge means until after the state is detected . A heating unit comprising a heating tank having heating means for storing and heating the water to be treated and a hot water discharge means capable of discharging the water in the heating tank, a water supply tank for storing the water to be treated therein, and the water supply A water storage unit having a water supply means capable of supplying water to be treated in the tank to the heating tank, and an inlet of water to the hot water supply means are provided at the bottom of the heating tank, and the heating means, the hot water supply means, and the water supply means are controlled. Control means, a water quality selection section, and a detection means for detecting boiling of the water to be treated in the heating tank, and the water quality selection section performs water purification treatment of well water, ground water, spring water, river water, etc. If you choose natural water which is not made, Kiyunie unit conductive to stop the operation of the tapping means more than two minutes after the detection after boiling boiling in the boiling detecting means.

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