JP6237323B2 - Multi-way valve and hot water storage type water heater - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a multi-way valve and a hot water storage type hot water heater.

  In a device having a plurality of circulation paths such as a water heater, a multi-way valve such as a ball valve is used to switch a circulation circuit through which a fluid flows. Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a ceramic ball valve in which a ball valve body, a socket that sandwiches the ball valve body from both sides in a seat surface portion, and a valve box that surrounds the valve body and is sandwiched between two sockets are made of ceramic. ing.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-079763

  In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the ball valve body rotates and the surface of the ball valve body slides on the seat surface of the ceramic socket, so that the surface of the ball valve body is damaged or the socket seat surface is worn. , Sealability deteriorates. As a result, the occurrence of internal leakage has a problem of impairing the functions of the original multi-way valve such as switching of the circulation circuit and circuit blockage.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. The multi-way valve capable of suppressing deterioration in sealing performance due to rotational sliding of a valve body and reducing the cost, and a hot water storage type hot water supply provided with the multi-way valve. The purpose is to provide a machine.

A multi-way valve according to the present invention includes a body having a valve chamber, a valve body rotatably provided inside the valve chamber, a sealing material provided between the valve body and the port, and a rotary shaft of the valve body A protrusion that contacts the peripheral surface of the valve body at a position opposite to the sealing material across the surface, and supports the valve body, and the protrusion is provided on the valve body when the valve body rotates. The valve body is not in contact with the contact area, but is in contact with the valve body only outside the contact area with respect to the position in the direction of the rotation axis of the valve body.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide the multi-way valve which can suppress the deterioration of the sealing performance by the rotation sliding of a valve body, and can reduce cost, and the hot water storage type water heater provided with the same.

It is a perspective view which shows the four-way valve which is the multi-way valve of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a side view which shows the four-way valve which is the multi-way valve of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a front view which shows the four-way valve which is the multi-way valve of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the sectional view on the AA line in FIG. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3. It is the figure which expanded a part of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows embodiment of the hot water storage type water heater provided with the multi-way valve of this invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the element which is common in each figure, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.
Embodiment 1 FIG.
1, 2 and 3 are a perspective view, a side view and a front view, respectively, showing a four-way valve which is a multi-way valve according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. The four-way valve 200 according to the first embodiment shown in these drawings has a first port 202, a second port 203, a third port 204, and a fourth port 205, and any two adjacent two of these ports. It is a flow path switching valve that switches the flow path so that one port is conductive and the other two ports are closed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the four-way valve 200 includes a stepping motor 201 that serves as power for channel switching, a body 210, and pipe joints 211, 213, and 214. The stepping motor 201 and the body 210 are connected and fixed via a motor mounting plate 250. A second port 203 is formed in the body 210. The pipe joints 211, 213, and 214 are connected and fixed to the body 210, respectively. A first port 202 is formed in the pipe joint 211, a third port 204 is formed in the pipe joint 213, and a fourth port 205 is formed in the pipe joint 214. The first to fourth ports 202 to 205 are arranged so that their center lines are spaced by 90 ° and have a cross shape as a whole.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a valve body 230 is disposed in the valve chamber 232 formed inside the body 210. The shape of the valve body 230 is generally a rotating body shape. The valve body 230 of the first embodiment is generally spherical. The valve body 230 is rotatable about a rotation axis perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. A substantially L-shaped main flow path 230 a is formed inside the valve body 230. In the four-way valve 200, any two adjacent ports of the first to fourth ports 202 to 205 are brought into conduction via the main flow path 230a according to the direction (rotational position) of the valve body 230, and the other two One port can be closed.

  Between the first port 202 (piping joint 211) and the valve body 230, a seat packing 225 and an O-ring 215, which are sealing materials, are provided. Between the second port 203 and the valve body 230, a seat packing 226 and an O-ring 216, which are sealing materials, are provided. Between the third port 204 (pipe joint 213) and the valve body 230, a seat packing 227 and an O-ring 217, which are sealing materials, are provided. The seal material between the fourth port 205 (pipe joint 214) and the valve body 230 is omitted. A protrusion 231 that supports the valve body 230 is formed in the fourth port 205 (pipe joint 214). The tip of the projection 231 has an arc shape and is in contact with the peripheral surface of the valve body 230. The sheet packings 225, 226, and 227 have an annular seat surface that contacts the valve body 230. The gaps between the first port 202, the second port 203, the third port 204, and the valve body 230 are liquid-tightly sealed by the above-described seat packings 225, 226, 227 and O-rings 215, 216, 217. For this reason, the fluid of the first port 202, the second port 203, and the third port 204 is prevented from leaking into the valve chamber 232 between the body 210 and the valve body 230. Further, the fluid in the valve chamber 232 between the body 210 and the valve body 230 is prevented from leaking to the first port 202, the second port 203, and the third port 204.

  An O-ring 219 that is a sealing material is provided between the pipe joint 211 and the body 210. An O-ring 221 that is a sealing material is provided between the pipe joint 213 and the body 210. An O-ring 222 that is a sealing material is provided between the pipe joint 214 and the body 210. The gaps between the pipe joints 211, 213, and 214 and the body 210 are liquid-tightly sealed by these O-rings 219, 221, and 222. For this reason, the fluid in the valve chamber 232 between the body 210 and the valve body 230 is prevented from leaking outside.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the body 210 has a hole through which the shaft 240 that rotates the valve body 230 passes. An O-ring 223 is provided in the gap between the outer periphery of the shaft 240 and the body 210 to ensure liquid tightness. The shaft 240 is pressed by the motor mounting plate 250 and is prevented from coming off. The distal end portion of the shaft 240 is engaged with a shaft engagement hole 230 b formed in the valve body 230. Thereby, the valve body 230 rotates with the shaft 240. The base end portion of the shaft 240 is fitted to the stepping motor 201. As the stepping motor 201 is driven, the shaft 240 and the valve body 230 rotate. As the valve body 230 rotates, the first port 202 and the second port 203 are electrically connected to each other through the main channel 230a and the other ports are closed, and the second port 203 and the third port 204 are connected to each other. A second flow path configuration that conducts via the main flow path 230a and closes the other ports; and a third flow path configuration that connects the third port 204 and the fourth port 205 via the main flow path 230a and closes the other ports. The first port 202 and the fourth port 205 can be switched between four flow channel configurations, namely, a fourth channel configuration in which the first port 202 and the fourth port 205 are conducted through the main flow channel 230a and the other ports are closed.

  The protruding portion 231 formed integrally with the pipe joint 214 supports the valve body 230 at an appropriate position so that the valve body 230 can smoothly slide and rotate. The contact portion between the protrusion 231 and the valve body 230 has a contact area that can suppress an increase in rotational resistance of the valve body 230. The valve body 230 is sandwiched between the protrusion 231 and the seat packing 226. The protrusions 231 are provided at a position close to the shaft 240 and a position far from the shaft 240. The fluid in the fourth port 205 in which the sealing material is omitted and the protrusion 231 is provided flows into the valve chamber 232 between the body 210 and the valve body 230. As described above, between the first port 202, the second port 203 and the third port 204 and the valve chamber 232, mutual leakage is caused by the seat packing 225, 226, 227 and the O-rings 215, 216, 217. It is prevented. For this reason, even if the fluid in the fourth port 205 flows into the valve chamber 232, there is no problem in the function of the four-way valve 200.

  FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 231 supports the valve body 230 outside the range where the seat packing 226 contacts the valve body 230 (the range indicated by the broken line shown in FIG. 6). The range in which the other seat packings 225 and 227 contact the valve body 230 is also the same as the range in which the seat packing 226 contacts the valve body 230. That is, the protruding portion 231 contacts the valve body 230 outside the range where the seat packings 225, 226, and 227 contact the valve body 230.

  According to the four-way valve 200 of the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. When the valve body 230 rotates when switching the flow path configuration of the four-way valve 200, the sliding surface between the protrusion 231 and the valve body 230 is outside the range where the seat packings 225, 226, 227 contact the valve body 230. It is. For this reason, the position of the abrasion damage generated in the valve body 230 due to the rotational sliding with respect to the protrusion 231 is outside the contact area between the seat surface of the seat packings 225, 226, 227 and the valve body 230. Therefore, even when wear damage due to rotational sliding with respect to the protruding portion 231 occurs in the valve body 230, the sealing performance between the seat packings 225, 226, 227 and the valve body 230 is reliably prevented from being impaired. it can. Furthermore, since the sealing material (sheet packing and O-ring) for the fourth port 205 that was originally necessary is not necessary, the cost of the sealing material (sheet packing and O-ring) for one port can be reduced.

  In the first embodiment of the present invention, the protrusion 231 can be easily formed by forming the protrusion 231 integrally with the pipe joint 214 that is a member that can be attached to and detached from the body 210. . However, in the present invention, the protrusion 231 may be formed integrally with the body 210, and even in that case, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

  In the first embodiment described above, the embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a four-way valve has been described. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to a multi-way valve having an arbitrary number of three or more ports such as a three-way valve. . In the first embodiment of the present invention, the valve body 230 is rotated by the power of the stepping motor 201. However, by attaching the handle so that it can be manually operated, the flow path is provided at a timing required by the user. It is good also as a structure which can switch a form.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment described above, and the same or corresponding parts will be described with the same reference numerals. Is omitted. FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a hot water storage type water heater provided with a four-way valve 200 and a three-way valve 31 which are multi-way valves of the present invention.

  A hot water storage type water heater 100 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7 includes a hot water storage tank unit 1 and a heat pump unit 60 configured to use a heat pump cycle. The hot water storage tank unit 1 and the heat pump unit 60 are connected by a heat pump inlet pipe 41 and a heat pump outlet pipe 42. The hot water storage tank unit 1 has a control unit 70 built therein. The operation of various valves and pumps provided in the hot water storage tank unit 1 and the heat pump unit 60 is controlled by a control unit 70 electrically connected thereto. Hereinafter, each component of the hot water storage type water heater 100 will be described.

  The heat pump unit 60 functions as a heating means for heating (boiling) the low temperature water led from the hot water storage tank unit 1. The heat pump unit 60 includes a compressor 61, a heating heat exchanger 62, an expansion valve 63, and an air heat exchanger 64 connected in a ring shape with a refrigerant circulation pipe 65 to constitute a refrigeration cycle (heat pump cycle). The boiling heat exchanger 62 is for exchanging heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant circulation pipe 65 and the low-temperature water led from the hot water storage tank unit 1. The HP outlet side thermistor 66 is a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the high-temperature water heated by the boiling heat exchanger 62, and is provided in the heat pump outlet pipe 42. In order to obtain high-temperature water with the heat pump unit 60, it is preferable that the heat pump cycle is operated at a pressure exceeding the critical pressure using carbon dioxide as a refrigerant.

  On the other hand, the hot water storage tank unit 1 incorporates the following various parts and piping. The hot water storage tank 10 is for storing hot water. A water supply pipe 2 for supplying city water is connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10, and a hot water supply side pipe 3 for supplying the stored hot water to the outside of the water heater is connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 10. It is branched from the tank upper pipe 43 and connected. In addition, the hot water heated by the heat pump unit 60 is introduced into the hot water storage tank 10 from the upper part of the tank, and the low temperature water is introduced from the lower part of the tank through the water supply pipe 2, thereby Hot water is stored so that a temperature difference occurs in the lower part.

  The hot water supply side pipe 3 branched and connected from the tank upper pipe 43 is connected to the hot water mixing valve 33 together with the hot water supply side pipe 4 branched from the water supply pipe 2, and hot water and hot water from the hot water supply side pipe 3 are connected. Water from the side pipe 4 is mixed and hot water adjusted to a predetermined temperature is supplied from the hot water supply pipe 5 to the external faucet.

  The hot water storage tank unit 1 includes a circulation pump 21 and a use side heat exchanger 22. The circulation pump 21 is a pump for circulating hot water through various pipes to be described later in the hot water storage tank unit 1. The use-side heat exchanger 22 uses the high-temperature water supplied from the hot water storage tank 10 and the heat pump unit 60 to heat the secondary-side heating target water (tub circulation water, heating circulation water, etc.). It is an exchanger. In the present embodiment, a bathtub water circulation circuit 51 that circulates hot water in the bathtub 50 will be described as an example of the secondary side configuration of the use side heat exchanger 22. The use side heat exchanger 22 is installed in the middle of the bathtub water circulation circuit 51. Further, a secondary circulation pump 52 for circulating the bathtub water and a bathtub outlet side thermistor 53 for detecting the temperature of the bathtub water discharged from the bathtub 50 are installed in the middle of the bathtub water circulation circuit 51. Yes.

  Next, the valves provided in the hot water storage tank unit 1 will be described. The hot water tank unit 1 includes a three-way valve 31 and a four-way valve 200. The three-way valve 31 is a flow path switching means having two inlets (a port and b port) through which hot water flows and one outlet (c port) through which hot water flows out. Either the a port or the b port The hot water path can be switched so that hot water flows in from the water. The four-way valve 200 has flow path switching means having two inlets (second port 203 and fourth port 205) through which hot water flows and two outlets (first port 202 and third port 204) through which hot water flows out. And three paths, that is, a path that connects the first port 202 and the second port 203, a path that allows the first port 202 and the fourth port 205 to communicate, and a third port 204 and a fourth port 205. It is comprised so that a flow path form can be switched between the path | routes which connect. The four-way valve 200 has the configuration described in the first embodiment. The three-way valve 31 has substantially the same configuration as that of the four-way valve 200 except that the number of ports is one less. In any one of the a port, the b port, and the c port, the three-way valve 31 is connected to the valve body. The seal material is omitted, and a protrusion for supporting the valve body is provided.

  The hot water storage tank unit 1 includes a tank lower pipe 40, a tank return pipe 44, a use side heat exchanger primary side (heat source side) inlet pipe 45, a use side heat exchanger primary side outlet pipe 46 and a bypass pipe 47. In addition. The tank lower pipe 40 is a flow path that connects the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 and the a port of the three-way valve 31. The heat pump inlet pipe 41 is a flow path that connects the c port of the three-way valve 31 and the inlet side of the heat pump unit 60. The heat pump outlet pipe 42 is a flow path that connects the outlet side of the heat pump unit 60 and the fourth port 205 of the four-way valve 200. The tank upper pipe 43 is a flow path that connects the third port 204 of the four-way valve 200 and the upper part of the hot water storage tank 10. The tank return pipe 44 is a flow path that connects the first port 202 of the four-way valve 200 and a return port provided between the central portion and the lower portion of the hot water storage tank 10. The use side heat exchanger primary side inlet pipe 45 branches from between the hot water storage tank upper part 10 and the four-way valve 200 in the tank upper pipe 43 and is connected to the primary side inlet of the use side heat exchanger 22. It is. The use side heat exchanger primary side outlet pipe 46 is a flow path that connects the primary side outlet of the use side heat exchanger 22 and the b port of the three-way valve 31. The bypass pipe 47 is a flow path that branches from between the circulation pump 21 in the heat pump outlet pipe 42 and the inlet side of the heat pump unit 60 and is connected to the second port 203 of the four-way valve 200.

  At the time of boiling operation for heating the low-temperature water in the hot water storage tank 10, the three-way valve 31 is switched so as to communicate the a port and the c port, and the four-way valve 200 communicates the third port 204 and the fourth port 205. Thus, the circulation pump 21 and the heat pump unit 60 are operated. As a result, the low-temperature water in the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 flows into the heating heat exchanger 62 through the tank lower pipe 40, the three-way valve 31, and the heat pump inlet pipe 41, and is boiled by the boiling heat exchanger 62. The high-temperature water returns to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 10 through the heat pump outlet pipe 42, the four-way valve 200, and the tank upper pipe 43.

  At the time of bypass operation performed before starting the boiling operation, the three-way valve 31 is switched so as to communicate the a port and the c port, and the four-way valve 200 communicates the first port 202 and the fourth port 205. Thus, the circulation pump 21 is operated. Thereby, the water led out from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 returns through the tank lower pipe 40, the three-way valve 31, the heat pump inlet pipe 41, the heating heat exchanger 62, the four-way valve 200, and the tank return pipe 44. Return to the hot water storage tank 10 from the mouth.

  At the time of the first recuperation operation in which the heat stored in the hot water storage tank 10 is used to retreat the bathtub 50, the three-way valve 31 is switched so that the b port and the c port are communicated, and the four-way valve 200 is the first one. The port 202 and the second port 203 are switched to communicate with each other, and the circulation pump 21 and the secondary side circulation pump 52 are operated. As a result, the hot water in the upper part of the hot water storage tank 10 flows into the use side heat exchanger 22 through the tank upper pipe 43 and the use side heat exchanger primary side inlet pipe 45, and exchanges heat with the circulating water in the bathtub. The water whose temperature has decreased after the heat exchange passes through the use side heat exchanger primary side outlet pipe 46, the three-way valve 31, the heat pump inlet pipe 41, the bypass pipe 47, the four-way valve 200, and the tank return pipe 44, and returns to the return port. Return to the hot water storage tank 10.

  At the time of the second recuperation operation in which the hot water boiled up by the heat pump unit 60 is directly used to retreat the bathtub 50, the three-way valve 31 is switched so that the b port and the c port communicate with each other. Is switched so that the third port 204 and the fourth port 205 communicate with each other, and the circulation pump 21, the secondary circulation pump 52, and the heat pump unit 60 are operated. As a result, the high-temperature water boiled in the boiling heat exchanger 62 passes through the heat pump outlet pipe 42, the four-way valve 200, the tank upper pipe 43, and the usage side heat exchanger primary side inlet pipe 45. It flows into the vessel 22 and exchanges heat with the circulating water in the bathtub. The temperature-reduced water after the heat exchange returns to the heating heat exchanger 62 through the use side heat exchanger primary side outlet pipe 46, the three-way valve 31, and the heat pump inlet pipe 41, and is boiled and recirculated. To do.

  According to the hot water storage type hot water heater 100 described above, the circulation circuit is switched or the circuit is closed by switching the circulation circuit or closing the circuit using the four-way valve 200 and the three-way valve 31 as described in the first embodiment. High reliability at the time, and cost reduction is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hot water storage tank unit, 2 Water supply piping, 3 Hot water supply side piping, 4 Hot water supply side piping, 5 Hot water supply piping, 10 Hot water storage tank, 21 Circulation pump, 22 Use side heat exchanger, 31 Three-way valve, 33 Hot water mixing valve, 40 Lower tank piping, 41 Heat pump inlet piping, 42 Heat pump outlet piping, 43 Tank upper piping, 44 Tank return piping, 45 Usage side heat exchanger primary side inlet piping, 46 Usage side heat exchanger primary side outlet piping, 47 Bypass Piping, 50 bathtubs, 51 bathtub water circulation circuit, 52 secondary circulation pump, 53 bathtub outlet thermistor, 60 heat pump unit, 61 compressor, 62 heat exchanger for boiling, 63 expansion valve, 64 air heat exchanger, 65 Refrigerant circulation piping, 66 HP outlet side thermistor, 70 control unit, 100 hot water storage type hot water heater, 200 four-way valve, 201 Stepping motor, 202 1st port, 203 2nd port, 204 3rd port, 205 4th port, 210 body, 210a Shaft insertion hole, 211, 213, 214 Piping joint, 215, 216, 217, 219, 221 222, 223 O-ring, 225, 226, 227 Seat packing, 230 Valve body, 230a Main flow path, 230b Shaft engagement hole, 231 Projection, 232 Valve chamber, 240 Shaft, 250 Motor mounting plate

Claims (4)

A body having a valve chamber;
A valve body rotatably provided inside the valve chamber;
A sealing material provided between the valve body and the port;
A protrusion that contacts the peripheral surface of the valve body at a position opposite to the sealing material across the rotation shaft of the valve body, and supports the valve body;
With
The protrusion does not contact a range where the sealing material contacts the valve body when the valve body rotates, and the position in the direction of the rotation axis of the valve body is only outside the contact range. A multi-way valve that contacts the disc.   The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is formed on a member that can be attached to and detached from the body.   The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is formed integrally with the body.   A hot water storage type water heater comprising the multi-way valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the multi-way valve switches a flow path of hot water.

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