JP4887881B2 - Water heater - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a hot water supply apparatus.

  In the current electricity rate system, the unit price for nighttime electricity rates is set lower than in the daytime. Therefore, in a hot water supply apparatus having a hot water storage tank, it is common to operate at night to store hot water in the hot water storage tank. In this case, it is preferable that the hot water boiled at night is used up in the daytime and stored again at night. In other words, it is preferable not to perform daytime driving with a high unit price.

  However, the amount of hot water used varies from day to day and is not constant. For this reason, the amount of hot water stored at night may be insufficient, resulting in a so-called hot water condition. In the hot water condition, the user suddenly changed to water while using hot water, which was extremely uncomfortable for the user. In addition, boiling operation is performed to make up for the shortage, but this boiling operation is a daytime operation with a high unit price, and extra boiling may occur, resulting in high running costs. It was.

Thus, a hot water supply apparatus aimed at reducing running costs and preventing hot water shortage has been proposed as disclosed in Patent Document 1. This hot water supply device is a hot water supply device that starts a boiling operation when the amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank becomes equal to or less than the boiling remaining determination remaining hot water amount, and the boiling required determination remaining hot water amount is used as a determination remaining hot water amount change signal. I am trying to change based on it. In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, specifically, the determination remaining hot water amount change signal is constituted by a signal for supplying hot water from the hot water storage tank to the bathtub, and the boiling remaining determination hot water amount before and after the hot water supply to the bathtub is determined. I am trying to change it. That is, before using the bath, the boiling operation is performed at a stage where the remaining hot water amount is large, and after using the bath, the boiling operation is started after the remaining hot water amount is reduced. Moreover, in this hot water supply apparatus, as described above, the amount of remaining hot water at the start of boiling is changed before and after the use of the bath, and further, the amount of boiling in the subsequent boiling operation is changed depending on the use situation. . That is, the amount of boiling is increased before the bath is used, and the amount of boiling is decreased after the bath is used.
JP 2003-106672 A

  However, in the hot water supply apparatus of the above cited reference 1, regardless of whether or not the bath is actually used, before the bath is used, the boiling operation is started at a stage where the amount of remaining hot water is large. In other words, even on days when the bath is not used at all, assuming that the bath is used, a heating operation is started, a remaining amount of hot water is secured, and it is left untouched until midnight. It will be deceived.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional drawbacks, and its purpose is to perform a boiling operation in accordance with the actual situation, thereby reducing running costs while preventing hot water from running out. It is in providing the possible hot water supply apparatus.

Therefore, the hot water supply apparatus of the present invention is a hot water supply apparatus in which the additional cooking operation is started when the hot water in the hot water storage tank 3 for supplying hot water to the bathtub falls below a predetermined remaining hot water amount, and the bath operation switch 75 is turned on. When bath use is started , a bath control operation is performed in which a bath required hot water amount required in the bath is grasped and a bath additional cooking operation is performed to ensure the bath required hot water amount. This bath control operation may be continued when the bath operation switch 75 is in the ON state.

In addition, the hot water supply apparatus of the present invention is a hot water supply apparatus that starts additional cooking when the hot water in the hot water storage tank 3 that supplies hot water to the bathtub falls below a predetermined remaining hot water amount, and grasps that there is residual hot water in the bathtub. while when it is to grasp the bath required amount of hot water needed in the bath, have rows bath control operation for performing bath for add cooking operation to ensure the bath required amount of hot water, furthermore, that there are remaining hot water in the bathtub , wherein the row Ukoto the bath controlled continuously operated.

  The required amount of hot water for the bath is set based on the amount of hot water set, the amount of hot water required for heat insulation operation, and the amount of additional hot water required. Furthermore, the bath required hot water amount is set in consideration of the shower hot water amount. In this case, the amount of hot water remaining in the bathtub is grasped, and the amount of hot water required for the bath is set in consideration of the amount of hot water remaining.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, the amount of hot water required for the bath is also set based on the amount of hot water consumed during the past bath operation.

According to the hot water supply device of the present invention, when the bath operating switch is turned ON, when the state continues, Ru stomach Oh, could be made of bath operation exist remaining hot water in the bathtub When it is high, the bath control operation is performed and the necessary amount of hot water is secured, so it is possible to suppress the occurrence of an uneconomic situation where these remain unused until midnight, thus suppressing the occurrence of running out of hot water. Thus, the running cost can be reduced while ensuring the comfort of use.

  Moreover, according to this invention, since the amount of hot water required for a bath according to the actual use can be grasped and the amount of hot water corresponding thereto can be ensured, the use comfort can be ensured without unnecessarily increasing the running cost.

A specific embodiment of the hot water supply apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a simplified circuit diagram of this hot water supply apparatus, in which a heat pump type hot water heater is used. The heat pump type water heater includes a tank unit (hot water storage unit) 1 and a heat source unit (heat pump unit) 2, and heats water (hot water) in the tank unit 1 by the heat pump unit 2.

  The tank unit 1 includes a hot water storage tank 3 and supplies hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 3 to the bathtub 4 and the like. That is, the hot water storage tank 3 is provided with a water supply port 5, a drain port 6, and a water intake port 7 on the bottom wall, and has a hot water inlet 8, a hot water outlet 9, and a hot water outlet 10 on the upper wall. A hot water return port 11 is provided. The intake port 7 and the hot water inlet 8 are connected via a heating circuit 12 for returning the hot water heated by the heat pump unit 2 to the hot water storage tank 3, and the hot water outlet 10 and the hot water return port. 11 is connected via a bath circulation path 13 for keeping hot water in the bathtub 4. A water supply pipe 14 is connected to the water supply port 5, and a drainage pipe 15 is connected to the drainage port 6. A hot water supply pipe 16 is connected to the hot water outlet 9, a mixing valve 17 is interposed in the hot water supply pipe 16, and a main water supply pipe 18 is connected to the mixing valve 17. The hot water supply pipe 16 is provided with a valve 19 that allows inflow into the mixing valve 17, and the water supply main pipe 18 is provided with a valve 20 that allows inflow into the mixing valve 17. That is, the hot water from the hot water storage tank 3 and the tap water from the main water supply pipe 18 are mixed by the mixing valve 17 to become the appropriate temperature water, and this appropriate temperature water is supplied to the shower or the like via the FLS 39.

  A hot water filling pipe 21 for supplying hot water to the bathtub 4 (hot water supply) and a drain pipe 22 are connected to the hot water supply pipe 16, and a mixing valve 23 is interposed in the hot water filling pipe 21. The hot water filling pipe 21 is provided with a valve 24 that allows inflow into the mixing valve 23. The hot water filling pipe 21 includes a first pipe 21a and a second pipe 21b. The valve 24 is provided in the first pipe 21a, and an open / close valve 25, a drain valve 26, an FLS 27, and a valve 28 are interposed in the second pipe 21b. The 2nd piping 21b is connected to the flow path (circulation path) 29 through which the hot water of the bathtub 4 circulates. A drainage pipe 33 is connected to the drain valve 26.

  The circulation path 29 includes a first pipe 31 and a second pipe 32 that are connected to the connection adapter 30 of the bathtub 4. The second pipe 32 includes a first flow path 36 on the bathtub 4 side of the merging portion 35 of the second pipe 21 b and a second flow path 37 on the upstream side of the merging section 35. A circulation pump 38 is interposed in the first flow path 36.

  For this reason, if the on-off valve 25 is closed and the circulation pump 38 is driven, the hot water in the bathtub 4 flows out into the first pipe 31 and enters the second pipe 32, and returns from the second pipe 32 to the bathtub 4. That is, the hot water in the bathtub 4 circulates in the circulation path 29. The solid line arrow in FIG. 1 indicates the flowing direction of hot water during the circulation.

  When the on-off valve 25 is opened, hot water from the hot water storage tank 3 is discharged from the hot water outlet 9 and enters the circulation path 29 via the hot water filling pipe 21, and from the junction 35 to the first flow path 36 and Enters the second flow path 37 and enters the bathtub 4 from the first flow path 36. Further, the second pipe 37 enters the first pipe 31 through the optical clean device S, and enters the bathtub 4 from the first pipe 31. That is, when hot water is supplied to the bathtub 4, the hot water is supplied to the bathtub 4 via the first pipe 31 and the second pipe 32. The dotted line arrows in FIG. 1 indicate the flowing direction of hot water in this state.

  Incidentally, the heat exchange path 40 is interposed in the second pipe 32 of the circulation path 29. That is, a heat exchanger 41 and a circulation pump 42 are interposed in the bath circulation path 13, and when the circulation pump 42 is driven, hot water from the hot water storage tank 3 is transferred from the hot water outlet 10 to the circulation path 13. Flows out through the circulation path 13 and returns to the hot water storage tank 3 from the hot water return port 11. For this reason, heat exchange between the hot water flowing through the heat exchange path 40 and the hot water in the bathtub 4 circulating in the circulation path 29 is performed, and a heat-retaining operation in which the hot water in the bathtub 4 is warmed can be performed. A water flow switch 44, a hot water temperature detector (thermistor) 45, and a water level sensor 46 are arranged in the first pipe 31 of the circulation path 29, and hot water is supplied to the second pipe 21 b of the hot water filling pipe 21. A temperature detector (thermistor) 47 for detecting the hot water temperature during tensioning is disposed.

  The water supply main pipe 18 is provided with an open / close valve 48 and a valve 49 that allows water supply from the water supply source only to the open / close valve 48, and the water pipe branched from the water supply main pipe 18. 14 is provided with a valve 50 that allows water supply from the water supply main pipe 18 only to the water supply port 5 side.

  Next, the heat pump unit 2 will be described. The heat pump unit 2 includes a refrigeration cycle R. The refrigeration cycle R includes a compressor 51, a water heat exchanger 53 that constitutes a heat exchange path 52, and a pressure reducing mechanism ( An electric expansion valve) 54 and an air heat exchanger 55 are connected in order. The circulation path 12 includes a first circulation path 12 a having a heat exchange path 52 and a second circulation path 12 b for returning hot water (heated water) from the first circulation path 12 a to the hot water storage tank 3. Have. One end of the first circulation path 12 a is connected to the water intake 7, and the other end is connected to one end of the second circulation path 12 b via the switching valve 56. The other end of the second circulation path 12 b is connected to the hot water inlet 8. The first circulation path 12a is provided with a water circulation pump 57 and on-off valves 58 and 59, and the second circulation path 12b detects the temperature of hot water in the second circulation path 12b to increase the temperature. A temperature detector 60 is provided for preventing overshoot. The switching valve 56 is connected to a drain pipe 62 having an open / close valve 61 interposed therebetween.

  Accordingly, if the switching valve 56 is switched to connect the first circulation path 12a and the second circulation path 12b and the water circulation pump 57 is driven, the hot water flowing out from the water intake 7 circulates in this circulation path 12. The hot water can be returned from the hot water inlet 8 to the hot water storage tank 3. For this reason, while driving the compressor 51, the water circulation pump 57 is driven (actuated). Then, stored water (hot water) flows out from the water intake 7 provided at the bottom of the hot water storage tank 3, and this flows through the heat exchange path 52 of the circulation path 12. Further, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 51 returns to the compressor 51 via the water heat exchanger 53, the decompression mechanism 54, and the air heat exchanger 55 in order. Therefore, hot water flowing through the heat exchange path 52 of the circulation path 12 is heated by the water heat exchanger 53. For this reason, the heated hot water is returned from the hot water inlet 8 to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 3. By continuously performing such an operation, a boiling operation in which hot water is stored in the hot water storage tank 3 is performed. In addition, temperature detectors (remaining hot water thermistors) 63a, 63b, 63c, and 63d are disposed on the side wall of the hot water storage tank 3 to measure the temperature of the hot water in the hot water storage tank 3.

  As described above, according to the hot water supply apparatus, it is possible to fill the hot water from the hot water storage tank 3 to the bathtub 4, add hot water to the bathtub 4, and keep the bathtub 4 warm. Next, control of the hot water supply apparatus will be described. FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram thereof. In the figure, as described above, 1 indicates a tank unit, and 2 indicates a heat source unit. The tank unit 1 is provided with a tank control unit 71, the heat source unit 2 is provided with a heat pump control unit 72, and the tank control unit 71 includes a kitchen remote control (main remote control) 73 and A bath remote controller (sub remote controller) 74 is connected. The remote controllers 73 and 74 provide setting units 76 and 76 for setting the set hot water temperature, the set hot water amount, and the heat retention time in the bathtub 4. The remote controllers 73 and 74 are provided with bath operation switches 75 and 75, respectively.

  Next, a specific procedure of the bath additional cooking operation in the bath control operation in the hot water supply apparatus will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. First, when the bath operation switch 75 is turned on (step S1), the tank control unit 71 performs the following calculation to grasp the amount of hot water required for the bath. That is, first of all, the necessary set hot water amount is calculated from the set hot water temperature and the set hot water amount (step S2). Secondly, the amount of hot water required for the heat insulation operation required during the set heat retention time, the amount of additional hot water required during that time, and the amount of hot water required for the shower are calculated based on each stored value (step S3). Furthermore, when the remaining hot water exists in the bathtub 4, the amount of remaining hot water is calculated from the detected values of the temperature detector 45 and the water level sensor (step S4). Then, by subtracting the remaining hot water amount from the sum of the set hot water amount, the amount of hot water required for heat insulation operation, the amount of additional hot water, and the amount of hot water required for showering, the necessary hot water amount for the bath is obtained (step S5). In addition, although it is preferable to grasp | ascertain each of these hot water amounts as a heat amount, you may grasp | ascertain not only using this but using another parameter.

  Next, the tank control unit 71 determines whether or not there is a remaining amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank 3 that can cover the amount of hot water required for the bath (step S6). In step S7, a bath additional cooking operation command is output so that the required amount of hot water for the bath is additionally prepared. When the necessary amount of hot water exists in the hot water storage tank 3, the standby state is continued. In step S7, the heat source unit 2 is operated to secure the required amount of hot water for the bath (step S8). In this case, in the heat source unit 2, a bath additional cooking operation may be performed in the hot water storage tank 3 so that the remaining hot water amount becomes the remaining hot water amount added to the current remaining amount, or the current remaining amount is added. Then, the additional cooking operation may be performed so that the required amount of hot water for the bath is obtained. The amount of additional hot water for bathing can be calculated from the temperature detected by the temperature detector 60 and the amount of boiling (pump rotation number × operation time), that is, the pump circulation amount × time.

  Although it may be sufficient to perform the control as described above when the bath operation switch 75 is turned on, it is preferable that the control is continuously performed when the bath switch 75 is in the ON state.

  Next, the bath control operation when there is residual hot water in the bathtub 4 (when the ON state of the water level sensor 46 is detected) will be described. The bath water filling operation in this case is based on the premise that the bath water is reheated (adding the necessary amount of heat) without taking out the bath water after automatic bath operation. It is the same as the amount of water filling when the bath operation switch is turned on. Moreover, since it can be considered that each said required amount of hot water is also the same, when the remaining hot water exists in the bathtub 4, the same control as described above may be performed.

  Although it is possible to grasp the amount of hot water required for the bath as described above, the amount of hot water required for the bath can also be set based on the amount of hot water consumed during the past bath operation. That is, the amount of hot water between the maximum value and the average value of the amount of hot water used during the automatic bath operation in the past is estimated as the required hot water amount for the bath, and the bath control operation is performed based on the estimated required hot water amount for the bath. is there. In addition, when there is residual hot water in the bathtub 4 and the bath has been used in the past and re-boiling has not been performed, learning may be performed by reducing the required amount of hot water.

  Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, when grasping the amount of hot water required for a bath, the amount of hot water required for showering may be excluded from the subject of consideration, or the amount of hot water required for heat insulation operation and the amount of additional hot water may be excluded from the subject of consideration. Further, in the bath additional cooking operation, the boiling set temperature may be set higher than that in the normal operation to ensure the necessary heat amount.

It is a simplified circuit diagram which shows embodiment of the hot water supply apparatus of this invention. It is a simplified block diagram of the control system of the said hot water supply apparatus. It is a flowchart figure at the time of operation control of the said hot-water supply apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

3 Hot water storage tank 4 Bathtub 75 Bath operation switch

Claims (7)

A hot water supply device that starts additional cooking when the hot water in the hot water storage tank (3) that supplies hot water to the bathtub falls below a predetermined amount of remaining hot water, and the bath operation switch (75) is turned on to start using the bath. when it is, to grasp the bath required amount of hot water needed in the bath, it has rows bath control operation for performing bath for add cooking operation to ensure the bath required amount of hot water, and further, the bath operation switch (75) is oN water heater, characterized in row Ukoto the bath controlled continuously operated when in a. When the hot water in the hot water storage tank (3) for supplying hot water to the bathtub falls below a predetermined remaining hot water amount, a hot water supply operation is started. When it is determined that there is residual hot water in the bathtub, grasp the bath required amount of hot water that is required, have rows bath control operation for performing bath for add cooking operation to ensure the bath required amount of hot water, and further, while the remaining hot water in the bathtub is present, the bath controlled continuously water heater, characterized in row Ukoto operation. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the amount of hot water required for the bath is a set amount of hot water that is obtained from a set temperature and a set amount of hot water. 3. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the required amount of hot water for a bath is determined based on a set amount of hot water filled, a required amount of hot water for heat insulation operation, and a required amount of additional hot water. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the hot water required for the bath is set in consideration of the hot water required for the shower. Grasp the remaining hot water hot water in the bathtub, the hot water supply device according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that setting the bath necessary quantity of water in consideration of the remaining hot water hot water. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the amount of hot water required for the bath is set based on the amount of hot water consumed during bath operation in the past.