JPH0422209Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention mainly relates to a side-by-side type water heater in which a plurality of existing water heaters are installed side by side.

(Prior art) As a conventional side-by-side water heater, when multiple water heaters are installed in parallel and the heat exchangers of each water heater are connected in parallel to each other to obtain hot water at a desired temperature, only one water heater is used. There is a known system that can obtain a larger amount of hot water than from a conventional water heater. When obtaining hot water, it is known that hot water can be obtained at a higher temperature than from a single water heater.

(Problem that the invention aims to solve) However, in the former case, the hot water temperature is only approximately the same as that obtained from one water heater, and if a higher hot water temperature is desired, the hot water temperature cannot be obtained. In addition, in the latter case, the amount of hot water that can be obtained from one water heater is approximately the same, and there is the inconvenience that even if a larger amount of hot water is desired, it cannot be obtained. .

(Means for solving the problem) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention adjusts the amount of hot water from the minimum amount of hot water from one water heater to the maximum amount of hot water that is the sum of the maximum amount of hot water from each of multiple water heaters. To provide a side-by-side water heater that can be obtained by controlling the hot water temperature from the lowest temperature of one water heater to the highest temperature that is the sum of the maximum temperature of hot water of a plurality of water heaters. It is equipped with at least two heat exchangers that communicate one hot water pipe with the other water pipe through a communication pipe, and one heat exchanger is provided in the water supply channel that passes water through these heat exchangers. The heat exchanger is characterized in that an on-off valve that allows water to freely flow through the chisel and both heat exchangers is provided, and an on-off valve that allows hot water from one of the heat exchangers to pass through is provided in the communication pipe.

(Function) In this case, if the on-off valve of the water supply channel allows water to flow through only one heat exchanger, and the on-off valve of the communication pipe is opened, hot water from the one heat exchanger will flow through the communication pipe. The hot water flows into the other heat exchanger, where it is further heated.Both heat exchangers operate in series, producing hot water at a higher temperature than that of one water heater. When water is passed through the exchanger and the on-off valve of the communication pipe is closed, the two heat exchangers operate in parallel, producing hot water at a predetermined temperature from each heat exchanger. You can get warm water.

(Example) Next, the present invention will be explained based on the illustrated example.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, A and B indicate existing relatively small water heaters, and each water heater includes a gas burner 1 and a heat exchanger 2 heated by the gas burner 1.

Water pipe 3A on the upstream side of heat exchanger 2A of water heater A
and the hot water pipe 4 on the downstream side of the heat exchanger 2B of the water heater B.
The water pipe 3A on the upstream side of the heat exchanger 2A and the water pipe 3B on the upstream side of the heat exchanger 2B are connected to each other through a communication pipe 6 having a first on-off valve 5. The hot water pipes 4A and 4B are connected via a hot water supply path 10 having a third on-off valve 9.

When doing so, by opening only the first on-off valve 5 and opening the hot water tap (not shown), the gas burner 1A of water heater A and the gas burner 1B of water heater B are ignited, and the heat exchanger 2A of water heater A and The heat exchanger 2B of the water heater B is operated in series, and hot water at a higher temperature than that obtained from one water heater is obtained from the hot water tap, for example, within the range S in Fig. 5, and Heat exchanger 2A and heat exchanger 2B are connected in parallel by igniting gas burner 1A and gas burner 1B, closing first on-off valve 5, opening second and third on-off valves 7 and 9, and opening hot water tap. When it is in working condition, 1 is coming out from the hot water faucet.
A larger amount of hot water at a predetermined temperature can be obtained within the range P in FIG. 5, for example, than that obtained from a stand-alone water heater.

Note that the first, second, and third on-off valves 5, 7, and 9 may be opened and closed manually, but the hot water supply path 10 near the hot water tap
A flow meter 11 is provided as shown by the dotted line, and the flow meter 1
The set value of 1 is set to a value slightly smaller than the maximum capacity of one heat exchanger, and when the value exceeds the set value when both heat exchangers 2A and 2B are operated in series, the first on-off valve 5 is automatically closed. , the second and third on-off valves 7 and 9 are opened to operate both heat exchangers 2A and 2B in parallel, and when the temperature falls below the set value in the parallel operation state of both heat exchangers 2A and 2B, automatic Alternatively, the first on-off valve 5 may be opened and the second and third on-off valves 7 and 9 may be closed to operate both heat exchangers 2A and 2B in series.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with two hot water taps (not shown), one for a water heater and one for a bath.
A water flow switch 12 is provided at 0, and the water flow switch 12 is activated by opening the hot water tap for the bath.
As a result, the fourth on-off valve 13 of the communication pipe 6 is closed, the fifth on-off valve 14 of the water supply channel 8 is opened, and the gas burners 1A and 1B of the water heaters A and B are ignited to exchange heat with the heat exchanger 2A. By operating the water heater 2B in parallel, a larger amount of hot water at a predetermined temperature can be obtained from the bath faucet than from a single water heater. In this case, the water heater can also be used by opening the hot water tap for the water heater.

Further, when opening the hot water tap for the water heater and closing the hot water tap for the bath, the water flow switch 12 becomes inactive, the fourth on-off valve 13 opens, and the fifth on-off valve 14
is closed, heat exchanger 2A and heat exchanger 2B are operated in series, and hot water at a higher temperature than that obtained from a single water heater is obtained from the hot water tap of the water heater.

Note that a hydraulic responsive member may be used instead of the water flow switch 12.

In FIG. 3, a three-way on-off valve 15 is provided in place of the first and third on-off valves 5 and 9 shown in FIG. This figure shows a third embodiment of the present invention, and the operation is not particularly different from that shown in the first figure.

In FIG. 4, instead of the first and third on-off valves 5 and 9 shown in FIG. 1, a three-way on-off valve 16 is provided at the connection between the hot water pipe 4B of the heat exchanger 2B, the communication pipe 6, and the hot water supply path 10,
Mutually independent water supply channels 8A instead of the second on-off valve 7
This shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention in which a sixth on-off valve 17 and a seventh on-off valve 18 are interposed in the water supply channel 8B and the water supply channel 8B, respectively, and the operation is not particularly different from that shown in the first figure.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the outer casing of the water heater A and the outer casing of the water heater B are composed of one common outer casing.

(Effects of the invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the on-off valves of the water supply channels and communication pipes are controlled to switch multiple heat exchangers between series operation and parallel operation.
It is possible to use hot water at a higher temperature than a single water heater, or to use a larger amount of hot water than a single water heater; in other words, it can be used at a higher temperature than one water heater. It is possible to obtain hot water by adjusting the hot water temperature up to the desired temperature, and to obtain the hot water amount by adjusting the hot water amount up to the maximum amount of hot water that is the sum of the maximum amount of hot water from each of the plurality of water heaters,
Compared to the conventional device, the adjustment range is wider and the device is much easier to use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 are explanatory diagrams of the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the amount of hot water and the water temperature of the water heater of the present invention. A, B... Water heater, 2, 2A, 2B... Heat exchanger, 3A, 3B... Water pipe, 4A, 4B... Water pipe,
5, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 1
8... Opening/closing valve, 6... Communication pipe, 8... Water supply channel.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] It is equipped with at least two heat exchangers that communicate one hot water pipe with the other water pipe through a communication pipe, and a water supply channel that passes water to these heat exchangers is provided with only one heat exchanger and both heat exchangers. A side-by-side type water heater, characterized in that an on-off valve that allows water to freely flow through the two heat exchangers is provided, and an on-off valve that allows hot water from one of the heat exchangers to pass through is provided on the communication pipe.