JP7314561B2 - Sterilization device and hot water supply device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sterilization device and a hot water supply device.

An ultraviolet sterilization device for sterilizing bath water is known that includes a sterilization unit having an inlet for bath water on the upper side and an outlet for the bath water on the lower side, a reflector made of stainless steel or the like provided on the inner surface of the sterilization unit, a sterilization lamp housed inside the sterilization unit, and a protective tube for protecting the sterilization lamp (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-10-128316

However, in the device as shown in Patent Document 1, the bath water that has flowed into the sterilization unit from the inlet hits the protection tube of the sterilization lamp first. For this reason, there is a possibility that foreign matter or the like contained in the bath water that has flowed into the sterilization unit will collide with the protection tube of the sterilization lamp and cause damage. Also, the sterilization unit is provided so as to surround the sterilization lamp, and the size of the sterilization unit depends on the size of the sterilization lamp. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the size of the germicidal lamp and the germicidal unit in order to increase the germicidal performance, and there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of the germicidal efficiency of the germicidal lamp.

The present invention has been made to solve such problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sterilization device and a hot water supply device capable of suppressing damage to an ultraviolet irradiating part due to collision of foreign objects contained in a water stream, widening the irradiation range of the ultraviolet light to the passing water stream, lengthening the time for the water to pass through the irradiation range, increasing the intensity of the irradiated ultraviolet light, and improving the sterilization efficiency.

The sterilization device according to the present invention comprises: a first pipe through which water passes along a preset first direction; a second pipe through which water passes along a preset second direction; and a second pipe connected to the first pipe downstream of the first pipe so that the second direction is inclined with respect to the first direction at a connecting portion; a first reflecting portion provided on the inner wall of the first tube capable of reflecting the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet emitting portion; and a second reflecting portion provided on the inner wall of the second pipe capable of reflecting the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet emitting portion, wherein the optical axis of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet emitting portion is arranged parallel to the second direction, the first reflecting portion is provided within a range from the connecting portion to at least a first distance set in advance, and the second reflecting portion is provided. is provided in a range from the connection portion to at least a second distance set in advance, and the second distance is longer than the first distancePreferably, the first reflecting portion and the second reflecting portion contain fluororesin, and further include a constricted portion provided in the first pipe in which the water flow path is narrowed, the constricted portion containing fluororesin, and connected to an end portion of the first reflecting portion opposite to the connecting portion..

Moreover, the water heater according to the present invention includes the sterilization device configured as described above.

According to the sterilization device and the hot water supply device according to the present invention, it is possible to widen the irradiation range of the ultraviolet rays for the passing water flow, lengthen the time for the water to pass through the irradiation range, increase the intensity of the irradiated ultraviolet rays, and improve the sterilization efficiency, while suppressing damage to the ultraviolet irradiation section due to the collision of foreign substances contained in the water flow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a water heater provided with a sterilization device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of a sterilization device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of a sterilization device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of a sterilization device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are appropriately simplified or omitted. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Embodiment 1.
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a water heater equipped with a sterilization device. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the sterilization device.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a water heater 1 equipped with a sterilization device 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention includes a heat pump unit 2 and a tank unit 3 . The heat pump unit 2 is installed outdoors. The tank unit 3 may be installed outdoors or indoors. Although the heat pump unit 2 and the tank unit 3 are separate in the illustrated configuration, the heat pump unit 2 and the tank unit 3 may be integrated.

The heat pump unit 2 has a refrigerant circuit 4 . The refrigerant circuit 4 includes a compressor 5 , a heat exchanger 6 , a pressure reducing device 7 , an evaporator 8 and refrigerant pipes 9 . A refrigerant pipe 9 annularly connects the compressor 5 , the heat exchanger 6 , the decompression device 7 , and the evaporator 8 . The compressor 5 compresses the low-pressure refrigerant gas. The refrigerant may be one of, for example, carbon dioxide, R410A, R32, hydrocarbons. The heat exchanger 6 exchanges heat between the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor 5 and water. Water becomes hot water by being heated in the heat exchanger 6 . The decompression device 7 decompresses and expands the high-pressure refrigerant that has passed through the heat exchanger 6 . An expansion valve may be used as the decompression device 7 . The evaporator 8 evaporates the low-pressure refrigerant that has passed through the decompression device 7 . The evaporator 8 may evaporate the refrigerant by causing the refrigerant to absorb the heat of the outside air. The low pressure refrigerant gas evaporated in the evaporator 8 is sucked into the compressor 5 .

The tank unit 3 includes a hot water storage tank 10, a first pump 11, a switching valve 12, a bath heat exchanger 13, a second pump 14, a third pump 15, a pressure reducing valve 16, a hot water mixing valve 17, a bath mixing valve 18, an ultraviolet irradiation device 20, and a control device 50.

The hot water storage tank 10 can store hot water heated by the heat pump unit 2 . Thermal stratification can be formed in the hot water storage tank 10 due to differences in water density depending on temperature. That is, the inside of the hot water storage tank 10 has a high temperature on the upper side and a low temperature on the lower side.

The first water supply path 21 is drawn into the tank unit 3 from the outside. Water from a water source such as tap water flows through the first water supply channel 21 . The first water supply passage 21 is connected to the pressure reducing valve 16 inside the tank unit 3 . The pressure reducing valve 16 reduces the pressure of water supplied from the first water supply passage 21 to a predetermined pressure.

The downstream of the pressure reducing valve 16 branches into a second water supply path 22 and a third water supply path 23 . The second water supply path 22 is connected to the water inlet 10a at the bottom of the hot water storage tank 10 . Water flows into the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 through the first water supply path 21 and the second water supply path 22, so that the hot water storage tank 10 is maintained in a full water state. An ultraviolet irradiation device 20 is installed at a position in the middle of the second water supply channel 22 . The ultraviolet irradiation device 20 will be described later. The third water supply passage 23 is connected to each of the hot water supply mixing valve 17 and the bath mixing valve 18 so as to be able to supply water.

A water outlet 10b at the bottom of the hot water storage tank 10 is connected to a water inlet of the heat exchanger 6 in the heat pump unit 2 via a first water channel 24 . A first pump 11 is connected to a position in the middle of the first water channel 24 . The first pump 11 circulates water between the hot water storage tank 10 and the heat pump unit 2 . Although the first pump 11 is built in the tank unit 3 in the illustrated configuration, the first pump 11 may be arranged in the heat pump unit 2 .

A water outlet of the heat exchanger 6 is connected to the inlet of the switching valve 12 in the tank unit 3 via a second water channel 25 . Parts of the first water channel 24 and the second water channel 25 pass outside the heat pump unit 2 and the tank unit 3 . A hot water inlet 10 c at the top of the hot water storage tank 10 is connected to a first outlet of the switching valve 12 via an upper passage 26 . A second outlet of the switching valve 12 is connected via a bypass passage 27 to a return port 10 d of the hot water storage tank 10 . The return port 10d is located below the hot water storage tank 10 at a position higher than the water inlet 10a and the water outlet 10b. The switching valve 12 can switch the flow path between a state in which the second water passage 25 is communicated with the upper passage 26 and a state in which the second water passage 25 is communicated with the bypass passage 27 .

Hot water supply apparatus 1 of the present embodiment can supply hot water to bathtub 200 in a bathroom. In the following description, hot water supplied to bathtub 200 may be referred to as "bathtub water". The bath heat exchanger 13 is a heat exchanger for reheating bath water. The bath heat exchanger 13 has a primary side flow path and a secondary side flow path.

A hot water outlet 10 e at the top of the hot water storage tank 10 is connected via a third water channel 28 to a first inlet 13 a that is the inlet of the primary side flow path of the bath heat exchanger 13 . A first outlet 13 b , which is the outlet of the primary flow path of the bath heat exchanger 13 , is connected to the return port 10 f of the hot water storage tank 10 via a fourth water channel 29 . The return port 10f is located at a lower portion of the hot water storage tank 10 at a position higher than the water inlet 10a and the water outlet 10b. A second pump 14 is connected to a position in the middle of the fourth water channel 29 . A second pump 14 circulates water between the hot water storage tank 10 and the bath heat exchanger 13 .

A second inlet 13 c , which is the inlet of the secondary channel of the bath heat exchanger 13 , is connected to the bathtub 200 via the fifth water channel 30 . A third pump 15 is connected to a position in the middle of the fifth water channel 30 . A second outlet 13 d , which is the outlet of the secondary channel of the bath heat exchanger 13 , is connected to the bathtub 200 via the sixth water channel 31 . The fifth water channel 30 and the sixth water channel 31 communicate with the inside of the bathtub 200 via the bathtub adapter 210 . A third pump 15 circulates bath water between the bath 200 and the bath heat exchanger 13 .

The hot water passage 32 branches from a position in the middle of the third water passage 28 and is connected to the hot water mixing valve 17 and the bath mixing valve 18 so as to be able to supply hot water. Hot water supply apparatus 1 of the present embodiment can supply hot water to hot water tap 300 . Hot water tap 300 may be, for example, at least one of a bathroom shower, a kitchen sink faucet, and a washroom faucet. The hot water tap 300 is manually operated by the user to open. The hot water tap 300 may be automatically opened by the user activating a sensor. The outlet of hot water mixing valve 17 is connected to hot water tap 300 via first hot water pipe 33 . Outside the tank unit 3 , the fourth water supply path 34 branches off from the first water supply path 21 and is connected to the hot water tap 300 .

The outlet of the bath mixing valve 18 is connected to a position in the middle of the fifth water channel 30 via a second hot water supply pipe 35 . A bath electromagnetic valve 38 is installed at a position in the middle of the second hot water supply pipe 35 . The bath electromagnetic valve 38 opens and closes the passage of the second hot water supply pipe 35 .

A plurality of tank temperature sensors 36 are attached to the hot water storage tank 10 at different height positions. For example, the tank temperature sensor 36 may be arranged at a position where the volume from the top of the hot water storage tank 10 is 50L, 100L, 150L, 200L, and 250L. By detecting the water temperature distribution in the vertical direction with these tank temperature sensors 36, the temperature and amount of hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 10 can be detected.

A channel temperature sensor 37 is attached to the second channel 25 . The water channel temperature sensor 37 can detect the temperature of the water heated by the heat pump unit 2 . In the following description, the temperature of the water heated by the heat pump unit 2, that is, the temperature of the hot water flowing out of the heat pump unit 2 will also be referred to as "heated water temperature".

Control device 50 controls various operations of hot water supply device 1, which will be described later. Electronic devices such as actuators and sensors included in water heater 1 are connected to control device 50 . The operations of the compressor 5, decompression device 7, first pump 11, switching valve 12, second pump 14, third pump 15, hot water mixing valve 17, bath mixing valve 18, ultraviolet irradiation device 20, bath electromagnetic valve 38, etc. are controlled by a control device 50. Temperature information detected by the tank temperature sensor 36 and the channel temperature sensor 37 is input to the control device 50 .

The terminal device 60 is wirelessly or wiredly connected to the control device 50 so as to be capable of two-way data communication. Terminal device 60 functions as a user interface for water heater 1 . The terminal device 60 may be installed in a kitchen, for example. The terminal device 60 may be installed, for example, in a bathroom. Water heater 1 may include a plurality of terminal devices 60 installed at different locations. Alternatively, the terminal device 60 may be portable. The configuration is not limited to the configuration in which the terminal device 60 directly communicates with the control device 50, and the configuration may be such that the terminal device 60 communicates with the control device 50 via another device.

The terminal device 60 has an operation unit 61 and a display device 62 . The operation unit 61 has a plurality of input switches operated by the user. By operating the operation unit 61, the user can, for example, set the hot water supply temperature, supply hot water to the bathtub 200, command or reserve an operation for reheating the bathtub water, select a control mode for the heat storage operation, and perform other input operations. In other words, the user can input to the terminal device 60 commands relating to the operation of the hot water supply apparatus 1 , changes in set values, and the like.

The terminal device 60 transmits the input information to the control device 50 . Control device 50 controls operation of hot water supply device 1 according to information received from terminal device 60 . The display device 62 is configured using, for example, a flat display panel such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL display panel. The display device 62 can display information by visually displaying characters, figures, characters, and the like. The display device 62 is an example of a notification device. The terminal device 60 may further include, for example, another notification device such as an audio output device.

Next, the heat storage operation of the water heater 1 will be described. The heat storage operation is an operation in which hot water heated by the heat pump unit 2 is stored in the hot water storage tank 10 . During the heat storage operation, the operation is as follows. The heat pump unit 2 and the first pump 11 are operated. The switching valve 12 is brought into a state of communicating the second water passage 25 with the upper passage 26 . The low-temperature water flowing out from the water outlet 10b at the bottom of the hot water storage tank 10 is led to the heat exchanger 6 of the heat pump unit 2 through the first water channel 24 and the first pump 11 . The water is heated in the heat exchanger 6 to produce hot water, that is, hot water. This hot water passes through the second water channel 25, the switching valve 12, and the upper passage 26, and flows into the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 10 from the hot water inlet 10c. In the hot water storage tank 10, hot water accumulates from top to bottom.

During heat storage operation, the control device 50 controls the heat pump unit 2 and the first pump 11 so that the temperature of the water to be heated detected by the channel temperature sensor 37 becomes equal to the target temperature. The temperature of the water to be heated can be adjusted by controlling the operating state of at least one of the heat pump unit 2 and the first pump 11, for example, as follows. When the first pump 11 is controlled to increase the circulation flow rate of water, the temperature of the water to be heated decreases. When the first pump 11 is controlled so as to reduce the circulation flow rate of water, the temperature of the water to be heated rises. Increasing the operating speed of the compressor 5 increases the temperature of the heated water. Decreasing the operating speed of the compressor 5 lowers the temperature of the heated water.

Immediately after starting the compressor 5 of the heat pump unit 2, the temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the heat exchanger 6 is not sufficiently high. Therefore, the temperature of the water to be heated tends to be lower than the target temperature immediately after the heat pump unit 2 is started. Immediately after the heat pump unit 2 is started when the heat storage operation is started, the switching valve 12 may be put in a state in which the second water passage 25 is communicated with the bypass passage 27 . After the temperature of the water to be heated detected by the channel temperature sensor 37 reaches the target temperature, the switching valve 12 is switched to bring the second channel 25 into communication with the upper passage 26 . By doing so, it is possible to prevent water having a temperature lower than the target temperature from flowing into the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 10 .

Next, the operation of supplying hot water to hot water tap 300 will be described. When hot water tap 300 is opened by the user, hot water supply to hot water tap 300 starts. At the time of this hot water supply operation, it is as follows. Low-temperature water supplied from a water source flows into the first inlet of the hot water mixing valve 17 through the first water supply path 21 and the third water supply path 23 . The high-temperature water flowing out from the hot water outlet 10 e at the top of the hot water storage tank 10 flows through the third water passage 28 and the hot water passage 32 into the second inlet of the hot water mixing valve 17 . At this time, the same amount of low-temperature water as the high-temperature water flowing out from the hot water outlet 10e flows into the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 through the second water supply passage 22 and the water inlet 10a. Hot water mixing valve 17 mixes low temperature water and high temperature water. The hot water mixing valve 17 can change the mixing ratio of low-temperature water and high-temperature water.

Hot water produced by mixing at hot water supply mixing valve 17 is supplied to hot water tap 300 through first hot water supply pipe 33 . The control device 50 controls the operation of the hot water supply mixing valve 17 so that the hot water supply temperature detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) installed in the first hot water supply pipe 33 becomes equal to the target value. The target value of the hot water supply temperature may be the temperature set by the user through the terminal device 60 . If the user wishes to further adjust the temperature, the user can operate the hot water tap 300 to mix the hot water supplied from the first hot water supply pipe 33 with the low temperature water supplied from the fourth water supply passage 34 . The controller 50 may control the hot water supply operation according to the output of a sensor (not shown) that detects the flow in the first hot water supply pipe 33 .

Next, the operation of supplying hot water to bathtub 200 will be described. When the controller 50 opens the bath electromagnetic valve 38, hot water supply operation to the bathtub 200 is started. At the time of this hot water supply operation, it is as follows. Cold water supplied from a water source flows through the first water supply line 21 and the third water supply line 23 into the first inlet of the bath mixing valve 18 . High-temperature water flowing out from the hot water outlet 10 e at the top of the hot water storage tank 10 flows through the third water channel 28 and the hot water channel 32 into the second inlet of the bath mixing valve 18 . At this time, the same amount of low-temperature water as the high-temperature water flowing out from the hot water outlet 10e flows into the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 through the second water supply passage 22 and the water inlet 10a. A bath mixing valve 18 mixes the cold and hot water. The bath mixing valve 18 can change the mixing ratio of low temperature water and high temperature water.

The hot water produced by mixing at the bath mixing valve 18 passes through the second hot water supply pipe 35, the fifth water channel 30 and the sixth water channel 31 and is injected into the bathtub 200. The control device 50 controls the operation of the bath mixing valve 18 so that the hot water temperature detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) installed in the second hot water supply pipe 35 becomes equal to the target value. The target value of the hot water supply temperature may be the temperature set by the user through the terminal device 60 .

Next, the reheating operation for the bathtub 200 will be described. The reheating operation is an operation for reheating the bathtub water. At the time of reheating operation, it becomes as follows. The second pump 14 and the third pump 15 are operated. Bathtub water in bathtub 200 passes through fifth water channel 30 , third pump 15 , bath heat exchanger 13 , sixth water channel 31 and circulates back to bathtub 200 . High-temperature water flowing out from the hot water outlet 10 e at the top of the hot water storage tank 10 flows through the third water channel 28 and into the bath heat exchanger 13 . In the bath heat exchanger 13, bath water is heated by hot water. In the bath heat exchanger 13, the high-temperature water becomes medium-temperature water by losing heat to the bathtub water. Medium-temperature water flowing out of the bath heat exchanger 13 flows through the fourth water passage 29 and the second pump 14 and into the hot water storage tank 10 from the return port 10f. The bath water in the bath heat exchanger 13 corresponds to an object heated by the heat of the hot water supplied from the hot water outlet 10 e of the hot water storage tank 10 .

In the configuration example described here, a sterilization device 100 is provided in the sixth water channel 31 as shown in FIG. Therefore, the sterilization device 100 is provided in a flow path that supplies reheated water from the bath heat exchanger 13 to the bathtub 200 . Next, the configuration of the sterilization device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the sterilization device 100 includes a first pipe 111, a second pipe 112, and an ultraviolet irradiation section 140. As shown in FIG.

Water passes through the first pipe 111 along a preset first direction 121 . Water passes through the second pipe 112 along a preset second direction 122 . The first pipe 111 and the second pipe 112 are connected by a connecting portion 130 . The second pipe 112 is connected to the downstream side of the first pipe 111 at the connection 130 .

In the configuration example of FIG. 1 , the first pipe 111 and the second pipe 112 are pipes for forming part of the sixth water channel 31 . That is, the upstream side of the first pipe 111 is connected to a pipe leading to the second outlet 13 d of the bath heat exchanger 13 . The downstream side of the second pipe 112 is connected to a pipe leading to the bathtub 200 .

The connection portion 130 connects the first pipe 111 and the second pipe 112 so that the second direction 122 is inclined with respect to the first direction 121 . In the configuration example described here, the second direction 122 is orthogonal to the first direction 121 . That is, the first pipe 111 and the second pipe 112 form an L-shaped crooked channel. Note that the angle formed by the first direction 121 and the second direction 122 is not limited to 90° as long as the second direction 122 is inclined with respect to the first direction 121 .

The connecting portion 130 is provided with an ultraviolet irradiation portion 140 . The ultraviolet irradiation unit 140 irradiates the water passing through the first pipe 111 and the second pipe 112 with ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet irradiation section 140 includes a light source section 141 , a base section 142 and a window section 143 . The light source unit 141 is an ultraviolet LED (light emitting diode) or an ultraviolet lamp. The light source unit 141 generates light with a preset wavelength. The wavelength of the light emitted by the light source unit 141 is in the ultraviolet light region, specifically, for example, 200 nm or more and 400 nm or less.

The light source section 141 is attached to the base section 142 . The base portion 142 is fixed to the connecting portion 130 . The base portion 142 may be provided with one or both of fins and a fan for dissipating heat generated in the light source portion 141 .

The light emitting surface side of the light source section 141 is covered with a window section 143 . The window portion 143 is made of a material that can transmit at least the light emitted by the light source portion 141 . The material of the window portion 143 is specifically, for example, quartz glass. The window portion 143 is exposed inside the first pipe 111 and the second pipe 112 at the connection portion 130 . The ultraviolet light emitted by the light source 141 is transmitted through the window 143 and irradiates the water passing through the first pipe 111 and the second pipe 112 .

The ultraviolet irradiation unit 140 is attached so that the optical axis A of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the light source unit 141 of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 140 is oriented as shown in FIG. That is, the optical axis A is arranged parallel to the second direction 122 .

A first reflector 151 is provided on the inner wall of the first tube 111 . The first reflecting section 151 can reflect the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation section 140 . A second reflector 152 is provided on the inner wall of the second tube 112 . The second reflecting section 152 can reflect the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation section 140 .

The first reflecting portion 151 is provided, for example, by forming a fluororesin coating on the inner surface of the first tube 111 . Also, the second reflecting portion 152 is provided by, for example, forming a fluororesin coating on the inner surface of the second pipe 112 . In this case, the first reflecting portion 151 and the second reflecting portion 152 contain fluororesin. Instead of coating the inner surfaces of the first tube 111 and the second tube 112, the entirety of these tubes may be made of fluororesin.

This fluororesin is specifically, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene (PolyTetraFluoroEthylene: PTFE), perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA), or the like. Since the first reflecting portion 151 and the second reflecting portion 152 contain fluororesin, not only can these reflecting portions reflect ultraviolet rays, but also the water resistance and ultraviolet resistance of these reflecting portions can be improved.

The first reflecting portion 151 is provided in a range from the connecting portion 130 to at least the preset first distance a. In addition, the second reflecting portion 152 is provided in a range from the connecting portion 130 to at least the preset second distance b. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the second distance b is longer than the first distance a.

As described above, the optical axis A of the ultraviolet irradiation section 140 is arranged parallel to the second direction 122 . The second direction 122 is tilted with respect to the first direction 121 . Therefore, the optical axis A is also tilted with respect to the first direction 121 . Since the optical axis A is also tilted with respect to the first direction 121 , the ultraviolet irradiation section 140 is obliquely arranged without directly facing the first direction 121 . Here, the first direction 121 is the direction of water flow in the first pipe 111 . As a result, the ultraviolet irradiation unit 140 does not face the flow direction of the water in the first pipe 111 on the upstream side of the connection unit 130, and foreign matter contained in the water flow in the first pipe 111 is less likely to collide with the window 143 of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 140. Therefore, it is possible to suppress scratches, breakage, etc. of the window portion 143 .

Also, the second direction 122 is the direction of water flow in the second tube 112 . Therefore, the flow direction of water in the second pipe 112 on the downstream side of the connecting portion 130 and the optical axis A of the ultraviolet irradiation portion 140 are parallel. Therefore, the water passing through the second pipe 112 can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays for a longer period of time. Furthermore, since the optical axis A of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 140 and the second direction 122 are parallel, the distance that the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation unit 140 reach in the second tube 112 is longer than the distance reached in the first tube 111.

In the sterilization device 100 of this embodiment, considering such a reachable distance of ultraviolet rays, the second distance b at which the second reflecting portion 152 is provided in the second pipe 112 is longer than the first distance a at which the first reflecting portion 151 is provided in the first pipe 111. Therefore, the amount of material such as fluororesin required for the first reflecting portion 151 and the second reflecting portion 152 can be kept small, while the range in which the ultraviolet rays can reach is widened by reflection on the second reflecting portion 152, and the intensity of the ultraviolet rays in the second tube 112 can be increased by increasing the amount of ultraviolet rays reflected by the second reflecting portion 152. Further, deterioration of the first pipe 111 and the second pipe 112 due to the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation portion 140 can be suppressed more efficiently by the first reflection portion 151 and the second reflection portion 152 .

Therefore, according to the sterilization device 100 of this embodiment, it is possible to widen the irradiation range of the passing water flow with the ultraviolet rays, lengthen the time for the water to pass through the irradiation range, increase the intensity of the irradiated ultraviolet rays, and improve the sterilization efficiency, while suppressing the damage of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 140 due to the collision of foreign matter contained in the water flow.

Next, the operation and action when the sterilization apparatus 100 configured as described above is applied to the hot water supply apparatus 1 as in the configuration example of FIG. 1 will be described. The control device 50 supplies power to the light source section 141 from a power supply section (not shown) when water is flowing in the sterilization apparatus 100 . At this time, the control device 50 may stop the power supply to the light source section 141 when water is not flowing inside the sterilization device 100 . By doing so, the power consumption can be reduced while reliably irradiating the water passing through the sterilization device 100 with light. For example, the control device 50 may supply electric power from the power supply unit to the light source unit 141 during the operation of supplying hot water to the hot water tap 300 and the operation of supplying hot water to the bathtub 200 . Further, when hot water storage tank 10 is filled with water when water heater 1 is first used after installation, power may be supplied from power supply unit to light source unit 141 .

Bacteria such as Legionella may be present in the sixth waterway 31 . Legionella is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that inhabits soil and freshwater in nature. Legionella grows in a temperature range of 20°C to 50°C, and is said to grow best at around 36°C. In this embodiment, the sterilization device 100 sterilizes microorganisms such as bacteria contained in water. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that microorganisms including bacteria such as Legionella bacteria grow in the water in hot water supply device 1 . In the following description, microorganisms, including bacteria such as Legionella, may be simply referred to as "microorganisms".

Bathtub water that has been reheated by the bath heat exchanger 13 during the reheating operation flows through the sixth water channel 31 provided with the sterilization device 100 in the configuration example described here. It is considered that the bathtub water used in the bathtub 200 contains a relatively large amount of microorganisms such as germs. Therefore, by providing the sterilization device 100 in the sixth water channel 31, it is possible to sterilize and clean the bathtub water containing many microorganisms during the reheating operation. In addition, the sterilization efficiency can be improved by heating the water to a high temperature in the bath heat exchanger 13 to suppress the activity of microorganisms and then sterilizing the water with ultraviolet light from the sterilization device 100 . Furthermore, the bath heat exchanger 13 on the upstream side of the sterilization device 100 can remove relatively large foreign substances in the bath water. Therefore, damage to the sterilization device 100 due to foreign substances in the bathtub water can be further suppressed.

Here, a configuration example in which the sterilization device 100 is provided in the sixth water channel 31 of the water heater 1 has been described, but the installation location of the sterilization device 100 is not limited to this. Moreover, a plurality of sterilization devices 100 may be provided in hot water supply device 1 . Furthermore, the sterilization device 100 configured as described above can be applied to, for example, a water purifier, etc., in addition to the hot water supply device 1 .

Embodiment 2.
Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the sterilization device.

Embodiment 2 described here is the configuration of Embodiment 1 described above, in which at least one of the first pipe and the second pipe is provided with a constricted portion in which the flow path of water is narrowed. The sterilization device and hot water supply device according to the second embodiment will be described below, focusing on differences from the first embodiment. The configuration whose description is omitted is basically the same as that of the first embodiment.

The sterilization device 100 according to this embodiment has a tapered portion 160 as shown in FIG. In the configuration example described here, the tapered portion 160 is provided on the first tube 111 . The tapered portion 160 is formed in a tapered shape so that the diameter of the flow path in the first tube 111 becomes larger the closer it is to the connection portion 130 , in other words, it becomes smaller the farther away it is from the connection portion 130 . This tapered portion 160 is an example of a constricted portion in which the flow path of water is narrowed.

The tapered portion 160 may be provided on the second tube 112 instead of the first tube 111 or may be provided on both the first tube 111 and the second tube 112 . That is, the tapered portion 160 that is the constricted portion is provided in one or both of the first tube 111 and the second tube 112 . Further, the constricted portion is not limited to a tapered shape like the tapered portion 160, and may be, for example, a wall portion provided perpendicular to the inner surface of the pipe with a hole formed in the center to narrow the flow path of the water.

With the sterilization device 100 and the hot water supply device 1 configured as described above, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, by providing the tapered portion 160 which is a constricted portion, it is possible to prevent the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation portion 140 from passing over the tapered portion 160 and exiting the sterilization apparatus 100 . Therefore, it is possible to suppress deterioration of the resin parts and the like adjacent to the sterilization device 100 due to the influence of the ultraviolet rays, and to extend the life of the parts.

The tapered portion 160, which is the constricted portion, is preferably arranged in the portion where the first reflecting portion 151 or the second reflecting portion 152 is provided. Further, by providing a fluorine resin on the surface of the tapered portion 160, which is the constricted portion, the tapered portion 160 itself may be used as the reflecting portion. By doing so, deterioration of the tapered portion 160 itself due to ultraviolet rays can be suppressed, and the ultraviolet rays can be reflected at the tapered portion 160 to increase the intensity of the ultraviolet rays in the sterilization device 100 .

Embodiment 3.
Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the sterilization device.

Embodiment 3 to be described here is configured such that a swirling water flow is generated on the upstream side of the ultraviolet irradiation section in the configuration of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 described above. Hereinafter, the sterilization apparatus and hot water supply apparatus according to the third embodiment will be described with a case based on the configuration of the first embodiment as an example, focusing on differences from the first embodiment. The configuration whose description is omitted is basically the same as that of the first or second embodiment.

The sterilization device 100 according to this embodiment includes fixed wings 170, as shown in FIG. A fixed wing 170 is provided on the first tube 111 . In other words, the fixed wing 170 is arranged upstream of the connecting portion 130 in which the ultraviolet irradiation portion 140 is provided. The fixed blade 170 is swirling water flow generating means for generating a swirling water flow inside the first pipe 111 . As the water in the first tube 111 passes through the fixed wings 170 , a swirling water flow is created in the first tube 111 . This swirling water flow is a water flow that swirls about the axis of the first pipe 111 .

With the sterilization device 100 and the hot water supply device 1 configured as described above, the same effects as in the first embodiment or the second embodiment can be obtained. Further, by providing the fixed blade 170 as the swirling water flow generating means, the swirling water flow is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. Therefore, the swirling water flow can collect the microorganisms in the water to the center where the intensity of the ultraviolet rays is relatively high, and it is possible to improve the sterilization efficiency by the ultraviolet irradiation.

Note that the fixed wing 170 is preferably arranged in a portion where the first reflecting section 151 is provided. Alternatively, the surface of the fixed wing 170 may be coated with a fluorine resin so that the fixed wing 170 can reflect ultraviolet rays. By doing so, deterioration of the fixed wings 170 due to ultraviolet rays can be suppressed, and the ultraviolet rays can be reflected by the fixed wings 170 to increase the intensity of the ultraviolet rays in the sterilization device 100 .

1 hot water supply device 2 heat pump unit 3 tank unit 4 refrigerant circuit 5 compressor 6 heat exchanger 7 decompression device 8 evaporator 9 refrigerant pipe 10 hot water storage tank 11 first pump 12 switching valve 13 bath heat exchanger 14 second pump 15 third pump 16 pressure reducing valve 17 hot water mixing valve 18 bath mixing valve 21 first water supply passage 22 Second water supply passage 23 Third water supply passage 24 First water passage 25 Second water passage 26 Upper passage 27 Bypass passage 28 Third water passage 29 Fourth water passage 30 Fifth water passage 31 Sixth water passage 32 Hot water passage 33 First hot water supply pipe 34 Fourth water supply passage 35 Second hot water supply pipe 36 Tank temperature sensor 37 Water passage temperature sensor 38 Bath electromagnetic valve 50 Control device 60 Terminal device 61 Operation part 62 Display device 100 Sterilization device 111 First pipe 112 Second pipe 121 First direction 122 Second direction 130 Connection part 140 Ultraviolet irradiation part 141 Light source part 142 Base part 143 Window part 151 First reflection part 152 Second reflection part 160 Taper part 170 Fixed wing 20 0 Bathtub 300 Hot water tap

Claims (4)

a first tube through which water passes along a first preset direction;
a second pipe connected to the first pipe on the downstream side of the first pipe so that water passes through the interior along a second direction set in advance and the second direction is inclined with respect to the first direction at a connection portion;
an ultraviolet irradiation unit provided in the connection unit for irradiating water passing through the first pipe and the second pipe with ultraviolet light;
a first reflecting section provided on the inner wall of the first tube and capable of reflecting the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation section;
A second reflecting section provided on the inner wall of the second tube and capable of reflecting the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet irradiating section,
The optical axis of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation unit is arranged parallel to the second direction,
The first reflecting portion is provided in a range from the connecting portion to at least a first distance set in advance,
The second reflecting portion is provided in a range from the connecting portion to at least a second distance set in advance,
the second distance is longer than the first distance,
The first reflecting section and the second reflecting section contain fluororesin,
further comprising a constricted portion provided in the first pipe and having a narrowed water flow path;
The sterilization device, wherein the constricted portion contains fluororesin and is connected to an end portion of the first reflecting portion opposite to the connecting portion. 2. The sterilization device according to claim 1, further comprising swirling water flow generating means provided in said first pipe for generating a swirling water flow inside. A water heater comprising the sterilization device according to claim 1 or 2 . further comprising a heat exchanger for reheating the water supplied to the bathtub;
4. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said sterilization device is provided in a flow path for supplying reheated water from said heat exchanger to said bathtub.

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