JP7522958B2 - Storage water heater - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a storage type water heater.

Patent Document 1 discloses a storage-type water heater equipped with a three-way valve. This storage-type water heater includes a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, a pressure reducing device, and a refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger are connected in sequence; a hot water storage tank that stores hot water heated by the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger; a circulation means that circulates the hot water in the hot water storage tank through the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger; and a three-way valve that is arranged in a water piping path that transports hot water from the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger to the hot water storage tank.

JP 2011-117643 A

This disclosure provides a storage-type hot water heater that can reduce residual water in the upper tank connection pipe and the lower tank connection pipe when draining water in response to long-term non-use, and also provides improved usability.

The hot water storage type hot water heater of the present disclosure includes a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, a hot water storage tank, a tank upper connection pipe communicating with the upper part of the hot water storage tank, a tank lower connection pipe communicating with the lower part of the hot water storage tank, a flow path switching valve connecting the tank upper connection pipe and the tank lower connection pipe, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe connecting the lower part of the hot water storage tank with the inlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe connecting the flow path switching valve with the outlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger, and a control unit, and in response to a user's command, the control unit operates the flow path switching valve to connect the tank upper connection pipe and the tank lower connection pipe.

This disclosure provides a storage-type hot water heater that can reduce residual water in the upper tank connection pipe and the lower tank connection pipe when draining water due to long-term non-use, and has improved usability.

Configuration diagram of a hot water storage type water heater in embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a flow path switching valve of a hot water storage type water heater according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a storage type hot water heater according to the first embodiment when the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe is connected only to the tank lower connection pipe via a flow path switching valve. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the storage type hot water heater according to the first embodiment when the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe is connected only to the tank upper connection pipe via the flow path switching valve.

(Knowledge and other information that forms the basis of this disclosure)
Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming more redundant than necessary and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG.

[1-1. Configuration]
Fig. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a storage type hot water heater 1 in embodiment 1. In Fig. 1, the storage type hot water heater 1 includes a heat pump 18, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, a tank upper portion connection pipe 7 communicating with an upper portion of the hot water tank 2, a tank lower portion connection pipe 8 communicating with a lower portion of the hot water tank 2, a flow path switching valve 3 connecting the tank upper portion connection pipe 7 and the tank lower portion connection pipe 8, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 16 communicating the lower portion of the hot water tank 2 with the inflow side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 connecting the flow path switching valve 3 with the outflow side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, and a control unit 10.

The hot water tank 2 is a tank for storing hot water, and water is supplied through a pressure reducing valve 4 provided on a pipe connected to the bottom of the hot water tank 2. In addition, a circulation pump 6 is provided on the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 16, and the flow path switching valve 3 is configured to switch the communication of the hot water circulated by the circulation pump 6 through the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5 between the tank top connection pipe 7 connected to the top of the hot water tank 2 and the tank bottom connection pipe 8 connected to the bottom of the hot water tank 2.

With this configuration, when the circulation pump 6 is operated, water flows from the bottom of the hot water storage tank 2 through the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet piping 16 into the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, and the heat pump 18 heats and generates hot water in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5. When the hot water is at or above a predetermined temperature, it is stacked on top of the hot water storage tank 2 through the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet piping 13, the flow path switching valve 3, and the tank top connection piping 7.

On the other hand, hot water is heated and generated in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5 by the heat pump 18, and when the hot water is below a predetermined temperature, it is returned to the bottom of the hot water storage tank 2 via the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13, the flow path switching valve 3, and the tank bottom connection pipe 8.

When a user uses hot water, the mixing valve 9 is used to mix the hot water from the top of the hot water storage tank 2 with the water supplied through the pressure reducing valve 4, and the hot water is dispensed at the specified temperature.

The flow path switching valve 3 and the mixing valve 9 are controlled by the control unit 10. When the hot water storage type water heater 1 is not used for a long period of time, the power to the hot water storage type water heater 1 is turned off, and to prevent freezing, the drain plug 11 provided on the drain pipe 19 connected to the bottom of the hot water storage tank 2 and the water drain plug 12 provided on the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 are opened to drain the water.

The refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 16 is connected to the drain pipe 19.

Next, the configuration of the flow path switching valve 3 will be described with reference to Figure 2. The flow path switching valve 3 in Figure 2 includes a valve body 14 and a shaft 15. The valve body 14 is rotatably held by the shaft 15, and a motor (not shown) controlled by the control unit 10 rotates the valve body 14 via the shaft 15.

This allows the communication between the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 and the tank upper connection pipe 7 and the tank lower connection pipe 8 to be selectively switched.

[1-2. Operation]
In the storage type water heater 1 configured as described above, the control unit 10 operates the flow path switching valve 3 to drain water from the tank upper connecting pipe 7 and the tank lower connecting pipe 8, as will be described below.

Draining of the pipes etc. is performed when the hot water storage type water heater 1 will not be used for an extended period of time. The user instructs the control unit 10 to drain the water.

For example, when a user sets the control unit 10, which is a setting means of a remote control, to drain water, the control unit 10 sends the instruction to the flow path switching valve 3, which then operates the flow path switching valve 3 to drain water from the upper tank connection pipe 7 and the lower tank connection pipe 8.

As shown in FIG. 3, if the flow path switching valve 3 does not connect the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 to the tank upper connection pipe 7, and only connects the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 to the tank lower connection pipe 8, residual water 17 may be generated in the tank upper connection pipe 7.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, if the flow path switching valve 3 does not connect the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 to the tank lower connection pipe 8, and only connects the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 to the tank upper connection pipe 7, residual water 17 may occur in the tank lower connection pipe 8.

Therefore, when the user sets a command to drain water in the setting means of the control unit 10, such as a remote control, the flow path switching valve 3 to which the command to drain water is sent will connect the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13, the tank upper connection pipe 7, and the tank lower connection pipe 8.

Then, the user turns off the power to the storage type water heater 1, opens the drain plug 11 on the drain pipe 19 and the drain plug 12 on the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13, and drains the water.

Specifically, since the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 16 is connected to the drain pipe 19, when the drain plug 11 provided on the drain pipe 19 and the water drain plug 12 provided on the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 are opened, the water in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 16, refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13, flow path switching valve 3, tank upper connection pipe 7, tank lower connection pipe 8, hot water tank 2, and drain pipe 19 is replaced with air.

As a result, when the drain plug 11 provided on the drain pipe 19 connected to the bottom of the hot water tank 2 and the drain plug 12 provided on the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 are opened, the water in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 16, refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13, flow path switching valve 3, tank upper connection pipe 7, tank lower connection pipe 8, hot water tank 2, and drain pipe 19 is discharged into the atmosphere via the drain plug 12 and drain pipe 19. Then, draining of the water from the tank upper connection pipe 7 and the tank lower connection pipe 8 can be completed.

This makes it possible to reduce the residual water 17 in the flow path switching valve 3, the tank upper connection pipe 7, and the tank lower connection pipe 8, and to provide a storage type water heater 1 with improved usability.

[1-3. Effects, etc.]
As described above, in this embodiment 1, the system comprises a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, a tank upper portion connection piping 7 that communicates with the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 2, a tank lower portion connection piping 8 that communicates with the lower portion of the hot water storage tank 2, a flow path switching valve 3 that connects the tank upper portion connection piping 7 and the tank lower portion connection piping 8, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet piping 16 that connects the lower portion of the hot water storage tank 2 with the inlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet piping 13 that connects the flow path switching valve 3 with the outlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, and a control unit 10.

Then, when the user instructs the control unit 10, the control unit 10 operates the flow path switching valve 3, thereby connecting the tank upper connection pipe 7 and the tank lower connection pipe 8.

That is, the control unit 10 operates the flow path switching valve 3 to connect the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 to the tank upper connection pipe 7 and the tank lower connection pipe 8, thereby draining water from the tank upper connection pipe 7 and the tank lower connection pipe 8.

Specifically, since the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 16 is connected to the drain pipe 19 in which the drain plug 11 is provided, when the drain plug 11 provided on the drain pipe 19 and the water drain plug 12 provided on the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 are opened, the water in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 16, the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13, the flow path switching valve 3, the tank upper connection pipe 7, the tank lower connection pipe 8, the hot water tank 2, and the drain pipe 19 is replaced with air.

As a result, when the drain plug 11 provided on the drain pipe 19 connected to the bottom of the hot water tank 2 and the drain plug 12 provided on the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13 are opened, the water in the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 5, the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 16, the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 13, the flow path switching valve 3, the tank upper connection pipe 7, the tank lower connection pipe 8, the hot water tank 2, and the drain pipe 19 is discharged into the atmosphere via the drain plug 12 and the drain pipe 19.

This completes the draining of water from the tank top connection pipe 7 and the tank bottom connection pipe 8.

As a result, it is possible to reduce the residual water 17 in the flow path switching valve 3, the tank upper connection pipe 7, and the tank lower connection pipe 8, and to provide a storage type hot water heater 1 with improved usability.

Therefore, even when not in use for a long period of time, the residual water 17 can be reduced, and damage to the flow path switching valve 3, the tank upper connection pipe 7, and the tank lower connection pipe 8 can be suppressed when freezing.

The above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology disclosed herein, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

This disclosure is applicable to devices in which residual water may occur in pipes or flow path switching valves. Specifically, this disclosure is applicable to heat pump water heaters and heat pump hot water heating devices.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Storage type water heater 2 Storage tank 3 Flow path switching valve 4 Pressure reducing valve 5 Refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger 6 Circulation pump 7 Tank upper connection pipe 8 Tank lower connection pipe 9 Mixing valve 10 Control unit 11 Drain plug 12 Drain plug 13 Refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe 14 Valve body 15 Shaft 16 Refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe 17 Residual water 18 Heat pump 19 Drain pipe

Claims (3)

a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger;
A hot water tank and
A tank upper connection pipe communicating with an upper portion of the hot water storage tank;
A tank lower portion connection pipe communicating with a lower portion of the hot water storage tank;
a flow path switching valve that connects the tank upper portion connecting pipe and the tank lower portion connecting pipe;
a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger inlet pipe communicating a lower portion of the hot water storage tank with an inlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger;
a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe connecting the flow passage switching valve and an outlet side of the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger;
A control unit;
Equipped with
In response to a user's instruction, the control unit operates the flow path switching valve to connect the tank upper connection piping and the tank lower connection piping , and opens a drain plug provided on a drain piping connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank, thereby draining water from at least the tank upper connection piping and the tank lower connection piping . The hot water storage type water heater according to claim 1, wherein the control unit operates the flow path switching valve to connect the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet pipe to the tank upper connection pipe and the tank lower connection pipe. The storage type water heater of claim 2, wherein the control unit operates the flow path switching valve to connect the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet piping, the tank upper connection piping, and the tank lower connection piping, and opens a drain plug provided on the drain piping and a drain plug provided on the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger outlet piping to drain water from at least the tank upper connection piping and the tank lower connection piping.