JP4135573B2 - Remaining hot water amount display device for hot water heater - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display device that displays the amount of hot water in a hot water storage hot water heater such as an electric water heater, a heat pump water heater, or a fuel cell water heater.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional display device for the remaining amount of hot water in an electric water heater has a remaining temperature corresponding to the remaining hot water amount of the display unit when the temperature detected by a temperature sensor affixed to the surface according to a plurality of capacities from the top of the hot water storage tank is 60 ° C. The hot water picture display was turned on, turned off when the temperature was lower than 45 ° C., and flashed when the temperature was 45 ° C. or higher and lower than 60 ° C. (see, for example, Patent Document 1). FIG. 5 shows the display on the conventional display unit 1 described in Patent Document 1. For each of the first to fourth temperature sensors 3 to 6 affixed to the surface of the hot water storage tank 2 of FIG. 6, the first to fourth remaining hot water picture displays 7 to 10 are shown in FIG. Are displayed in a three-stage pattern.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-304690 A (page 3-6, FIG. 1 to FIG. 4)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the temperature of the hot water used varies from 32 ° C. to 60 ° C. for supplying hot water from the currant, from 36 ° C. to 48 ° C. for hot water bathing, and 60 ° C. or 80 ° C. for hot water supply. In comparison with the uniform temperature so far, it was not clear whether the hot water of the desired temperature could be obtained by the remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank.
[0005]
Electric water heaters that use electric heaters can be heated from hot water at any temperature, whereas heat pump water heaters that use carbon dioxide refrigerant can boil hot water at 60 ° C or higher to a higher temperature. However, the cycle of the refrigerant that sufficiently heats the hot water from the compressed carbon dioxide refrigerant and returns to low pressure does not work well. Therefore, the operation of the heat pump unit is stopped when the incoming temperature of the heat exchanger that applies heat from the carbon dioxide refrigerant to the hot water is 60 ° C. or higher. Therefore, when a large amount of hot water of, for example, 61 ° C. remains in the hot water storage unit, even if it is desired to boil up to 80 ° C. that night, for example, the boiling is completed with little boiling. Knowing how much hot water is left in the hot water storage unit is useful, you can devise a way to keep such hot water from remaining.
[0006]
In addition, the incoming water temperature of the heat exchanger that cannot be heated varies depending on the temperature of the place where the heat pump unit is placed. Even when the temperature is high, the carbon dioxide refrigerant cools and does not easily return to low pressure, so the refrigerant cycle tends to become unstable. Therefore, when the air temperature is 32 ° C. to 36 ° C. or higher, the incoming water temperature is 55 ° C., and when the air temperature is 36 ° C. or higher, the incoming water temperature is 50 ° C. and the operation of the compressor is stopped. Therefore, in order to display the amount of hot water that cannot be heated, it is necessary to change the remaining hot water display hot water temperature according to the temperature.
[0007]
This invention solves the said conventional subject, and it aims at providing the amount-of-hot-water display apparatus which displays correctly the amount of hot water beyond the desired temperature, and the amount of hot water which a heat pump unit can boil up.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a display means for displaying the presence or absence of hot water above a predetermined temperature by comparing the temperature of the hot water in the hot water storage tank with a predetermined temperature, and a predetermined temperature serving as a reference for the remaining hot water display. Is changed according to the situation.
[0009]
According to the above-described invention, it is possible to obtain a hot water storage type hot water heater that accurately displays how much hot water above a desired temperature remains and how much hot water can be heated by the heat pump unit.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention described in claim 1 includes a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, the hot water storage temperature sensor for detecting the water temperature of multiple locations in the tank, the predetermined temperature storing means for storing a predetermined temperature as a reference of the remaining hot water display A comparison means for comparing the detected temperature of the temperature sensor with a predetermined temperature of the predetermined temperature storage means and outputting the presence or absence of hot water above a predetermined temperature, a display means corresponding to the output of the comparison means, and a heat pump A heat pump unit for heating water is provided, and the predetermined temperature stored in the predetermined temperature storage means is a water temperature that can be heated by the heat pump unit. The amount of remaining hot water can be displayed, and the amount of hot water that can be heated can be displayed by setting the incoming water temperature at which the heat pump unit can be heated.
[0011]
In the invention described in claim 2 , the temperature of the water that can be heated by the heat pump unit is the water temperature determined by the temperature of the place where the heat pump unit is placed the night before, so that the hot water in the hot water storage tank can be obtained. The amount of hot water that can be heated more accurately can be displayed by taking into account the seasonal factors of the temperature of the night that is mainly boiled.
[0012]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, by providing a plurality of predetermined temperature storage means, a plurality of comparison means, and a plurality of display means, for example, a remote control in the kitchen can reduce the amount of hot water exceeding the hot water supply temperature coming from the faucet. indicate. With the remote control in the bath, the amount of hot water that exceeds the hot water temperature coming out of the currant, the amount of hot water that has enough heat to keep it warm, and whether there is any hot water that cannot be heated by the heat pump unit. The remote control in the living room can display the amount of hot water that has enough heat for heating.
[0013]
【Example】
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
(Example 1)
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a hot water storage type hot water unit having a remaining hot water display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0015]
The water in the hot water storage tank 11 for storing hot water is discharged from the top of the hot water storage tank and supplied from the bottom. Water is heated by energizing the heater 12 at night when electricity charges are cheap. On the surface of the hot water storage tank 11, for example, temperature sensors 13 to 16 for detecting the hot water temperature in the hot water storage tank 11 are attached to positions 50 L, 100 L, 150 L, and 300 L from the top. Since the specific gravity of water at 4 ° C. or higher becomes lower as the temperature is higher, hot water and water are separated from each other with a mixed layer interposed therebetween, and hot water is stored in a stacked state from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 11. Comparing the detected temperatures of the temperature sensors 13 to 16 with the predetermined temperature stored in the predetermined temperature storage means 17 and outputting the presence / absence of hot water above the predetermined temperature, and the output of the comparison means to the remote controller 22 The cells 23 to 26 of the display means corresponding to each are provided to display the remaining hot water amount.
[0016]
The hot water supply temperature can be set to a temperature between 32 ° C. and 60 ° C. by the up / down switches 27 and 28 and is displayed on the display unit 29. A controller (not shown) operates the hot water supply mixing valve 30 to mix hot water discharged from the hot water storage tank 11 with the supplied water and supply hot water having a set temperature. At this time, the temperature that is memorize a predetermined temperature storing means 17 when the set temperature of the hot water supply, it is clear the remaining hot water which can be hot water at that temperature. For example, if the detected temperatures of the temperature sensors 13 to 16 are 80 ° C., 79 ° C., 43 ° C. and 20 ° C., respectively, when the set hot water supply temperature is 40 ° C., the three cells 23 to 25 of the display means are lit. The cell 26 of the display means is turned off. When the set hot water supply temperature is 47 ° C., the cell 25 of the display means disappears and only two lights.
[0017]
Thus, if you want to know remains how much hot water required for hot water use, arbitrarily set the temperature being remembers a predetermined temperature storing means 17, or by selecting, for example, hot water set temperature It is possible to display how much hot water having a temperature that can be supplied is remaining in the hot water storage tank. Naturally, when no cell of the display means is lit, the temperature in the hot water storage tank is lower than the desired hot water temperature, so that only hot water having a temperature lower than the target temperature can be obtained. If the hot water supply mixing valve is of a type that does not completely switch to the hot water side and a small amount of water is mixed, the temperature stored in the predetermined temperature storage means 17 needs to be corrected to be higher. Further, it is desirable that the comparison means 18 to 21 have hysteresis in order to prevent the display from flickering.
[0018]
( Reference Example 1 )
The present reference example 1 relates to a display device that displays the remaining hot water amount of a hot water storage type hot water heater.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a hot water storage type water heater having a remaining hot water amount display device in a first reference example of the present invention.
[0020]
When the automatic bath button 32 of the bath remote control 31 is pressed, hot water adjusted by the bath mixing valve 34 to the temperature displayed on the bath temperature display section 33 is stretched on the bathtub 36 through the adapter 35. When reheating, when the reheating button 37 is pushed, the hot water in the bathtub 36 is sucked from the adapter 35 by the pump 38 and sent to the heat exchanger 39 through the pipe in the hot water storage tank 11. The bath water heated by the heat of the hot water storage tank 11 is returned from the adapter 35 to the bathtub 36 again.
[0021]
The hot water temperature and the reheating temperature shown in the bath temperature display section 33 can be set with the up and down buttons 40. When the high-temperature hot water button 41 is pressed, hot water at 60 ° C. is supplied from the bath mixing valve 34. The remaining hot water display at this time is as follows.
[0022]
When the automatic bath button 32 is pressed, the predetermined temperature storage means 42 enters the set temperature of the bath, and if it is set to 38 ° C., hot water of 38 ° C. or more remains in the hot water storage tank 11 so that hot water can be discharged. The cell of the display means 43 where the above hot water remains is lit up. When the reheating button 37 is pressed, the remaining hot water display means 43 does not light up unless hot water having a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature obtained by adding the second predetermined temperature storage means 44 to the temperature of the predetermined temperature storage means 42 remains. If there is no temperature difference of a certain temperature or more between the front and back of the pipe, the heat exchanger 39 cannot perform a practical renewal for raising the temperature of the bath by 0.5 ° C. or more per minute.
[0023]
Depending on the size of the heat exchanger 39, for example, if it is 10 deg, the predetermined temperature of the second predetermined temperature storage means 44 is 10 ° C., and 48 ° C. residual hot water is required to catch up at 38 ° C. is there. Therefore, when the reheating button 37 is pressed, the display means 43 is lit only in the cells where the remaining hot water is 48 ° C. or higher.
[0024]
When the hot water hot water button 41 is pressed, the hot water is mixed with the hot water in the tank at 60 ° C. and poured from the adapter 35, so that a cell where there is residual hot water at 60 ° C. or higher is lit and displayed. When the bath is not automatic, chasing, or hot hot water, the set temperature of the hot water supply enters the predetermined temperature storage means 42.
[0025]
In this way, the set temperature of the operation mode at that time is put in the predetermined temperature storage means 42, the predetermined temperature of the second predetermined temperature storage means 44 is added only when reheating using the heat exchanger, and the required hot water temperature To change the predetermined temperature defined as the amount of remaining hot water.
[0026]
( Reference Example 2 )
This reference example 2 relates to a display device that displays the remaining hot water amount of a hot water storage type hot water heater.
[0027]
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a hot water storage type hot water heater having a remaining hot water amount display device in a second reference example of the present invention.
[0028]
When the heating switch 47 of the remote controller 46 is pressed, the antifreeze liquid in the pipe 49 laid under the floor 48 is circulated through the heat exchanger 51 by the pump 50. At this time, hot water is taken out from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 11, and heat is released to the bottom of the hot water storage tank by the pump 52 through the heat exchanger 51 to return the hot water whose temperature has decreased. The intensity of heating can be changed between 40 ° C. and 60 ° C. with the up / down switch 53, and the intensity is displayed on the display unit 54. The temperature of the antifreeze liquid fed into the pipe 49 is measured by the temperature sensor 55, and the rotation of the pump 52 is controlled so as to reach the target temperature. The amount of remaining hot water is displayed in comparison with the temperature obtained by putting the set temperature of the antifreeze into the predetermined temperature storage means 56 and adding the predetermined temperature of the third predetermined temperature storage means 57 which is the temperature difference required in the heat exchanger 51. This is displayed on the part 58.
[0029]
At this time, the remote controller 22 that sets the hot water supply temperature displays the remaining hot water amount with the temperature required for hot water supply as a predetermined temperature. Therefore, although the temperature sensors 13 to 16 are shared, they are displayed on the remote controller 46 and the remote controller 22. The amount of remaining hot water will be different.
[0030]
( Example 2 )
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a hot water storage type hot water heater having a remaining hot water amount display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the heat pump unit 59, carbon dioxide that has become a supercritical state at high pressure circulates as a refrigerant. The air heat exchanger 60 collects heat from the air, and the refrigerant having heat is compressed by the compressor 61 and further heated. The high-temperature refrigerant is transferred to water by the water heat exchanger 62 to make hot water. The refrigerant that has exhaled heat is reduced in pressure by the expansion valve 63, and takes a refrigerant cycle in which heat is collected again from the air by the air heat exchanger 60.
[0031]
In order to boil the water in the hot water storage tank 11, the water discharged from the bottom of the hot water storage tank is heat-exchanged by the water heat exchanger 62, pushed out by the pump 64, and returned from the hot water storage tank 11. If the temperature of the water input to the water heat exchanger 62 is high, the refrigerant cannot sufficiently release heat and the refrigerant cycle does not rotate well. Therefore, the incoming water temperature of the water heat exchanger 62 is measured by the incoming water temperature sensor 65. When the temperature reaches 60 ° C. or higher, the compressor 61 is stopped.
[0032]
Normally, when hot water is discharged from the pipe 66 at the upper part of the hot water storage tank 11, water enters from the pipe 67 at the lower part of the hot water storage tank 11. If the portion of the water is boiled, the entire hot water storage tank 11 can be heated together with the hot water at the upper part of the hot water storage tank 11 that does not need to be boiled at the high temperature. On the other hand, if the heat exchanger 39 in the upper part of the tank removes heat from the hot water storage tank 11 for bathing or heating the bath, the temperature of the hot water in the hot water storage tank 11 decreases as a whole. If the hot water is not discharged, in the worst case, the entire hot water storage tank 11 becomes 61 ° C., and it is impossible to boil any more.
[0033]
Therefore, when reheating or heating, use the heat until the remaining hot water reaches 60 ° C or below, or use hot water such as hot hot water to increase the amount of water in the hot water storage tank 11, and that night. It is necessary to use it to increase the amount that can be boiled.
[0034]
A predetermined temperature of 60 ° C. is input to the predetermined temperature storage means 68, the cell of the display unit 70 of the remote control 69 is divided in half, and the remaining hot water having a temperature of 60 ° C. or higher is displayed in the left column. That is, it can be readily seen that this illuminated part cannot be heated. If you want to use a lot of hot water the next day, you should use hot water so that as many parts as possible are turned off.
[0035]
In addition, the incoming water temperature of the heat exchanger that cannot be heated varies depending on the temperature of the place where the heat pump unit is placed. When the temperature is high, the carbon dioxide refrigerant cools and does not easily return to low pressure, so the refrigerant cycle tends to become unstable. Therefore, when the air temperature is 32 ° C. to 36 ° C. or higher, the incoming water temperature is 55 ° C., and when the air temperature is 36 ° C. or higher, the incoming water temperature is 50 ° C. and the operation of the compressor is stopped.
[0036]
Therefore, in order to display the amount of hot water that cannot be heated, the predetermined temperature stored in the predetermined temperature storage means 68 is changed according to the temperature. Although the temperature of the night of the day is not known in advance, if the temperature of the place where the heat pump unit 59 of the night of the previous day is installed is measured by the temperature sensor 71, it is corrected by the season.
[0037]
The predetermined temperature memorize | stored in the predetermined temperature memory | storage means 68 is changed into 60 degreeC, 55 degreeC, and 50 degreeC by said air temperature, The remaining hot water temperature to light is changed.
[0038]
The amount of remaining hot water that can be discharged at the set temperature at which the set temperature for hot water supply is input to the predetermined temperature storage means 17 is displayed in the right cell of the display unit 70. In this way, the state of the hot water storage tank can be clearly understood by displaying the remaining hot water amount of the two systems.
[0039]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, by changing the predetermined value of the remaining hot water temperature to be displayed, it is possible to easily know how much hot water at that temperature can be used even if the setting is changed. In the case of a heat pump water heater, it can be easily known how much hot water cannot be heated tonight.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a configuration diagram of a hot water storage type water heater having a remaining hot water amount display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a hot water storage type water heater having a remaining hot water amount display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. diagram of the hot water storage type water heater having a remaining hot water display device of example 2 of the configuration diagram of the remaining hot water storage type water heater having a display device [4] the present invention of example 2 of the present invention; FIG FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of the remaining amount of hot water in a conventional electric water heater. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional electric water heater. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a conventional electric water heater display method. Diagram showing display pattern of electric water heater 【Explanation of symbols】
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Hot water storage tank 13-16 Temperature sensor 17 Predetermined temperature memory means 18-21 Comparison means 22 Remote control 23-26 Display means cell

Claims (3)

A hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a temperature sensor for sensing a plurality of locations of the hot water temperature of the hot water storage tank, a predetermined temperature storing means for storing a predetermined temperature as a reference of the remaining hot water display, a detection temperature of the temperature sensor Comparing means for comparing the predetermined temperature of the predetermined temperature storage means and outputting the presence or absence of hot water above a predetermined temperature, display means corresponding to the output of the comparing means, and a heat pump unit for heating water by a heat pump A remaining hot water amount display device for a hot water storage type hot water heater, characterized in that the predetermined temperature stored in the predetermined temperature storage means is a water temperature that can be heated by the heat pump unit . The remaining water amount display device of a hot water storage type hot water heater according to claim 1 , wherein the incoming water temperature at which the heat pump unit can be boiled is an incoming water temperature determined by the temperature of the place where the heat pump unit is placed the night before. 3. The remaining hot water amount display device for a hot water storage type hot water heater according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of predetermined temperature storage means, a plurality of comparison means, and a plurality of series display means are provided to simultaneously display the remaining hot water amount for the purpose of use.

Images