JPH05140970A - Method and device for prevention of service water pipe from freezing - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make water bleeding from a service water pipe for prevention of freezing easily, certainly, and quickly. CONSTITUTION:A service water pipe 3 diverging at a main pipe 1 and having a faucet 4 at the terminal is fitted with a shutoff valve 5 at the divergent point, and an air compressor mounting hole 6 is installed near the shutoff valve on the faucet side. An air compressor 7 is connected with the mounting hole, and air is fed into the service water pipe 3 by the air compressor 7 while the valve 5 is held closed, and the water in the pipe is exhausted from the faucet part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention prevents water in pipes (hereinafter referred to as water pipes) laid branching from a main pipe to a place for supplying water (hot water) indoors for freezing water or hot water when it is extremely cold. Method and apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Since the above water pipe has a relatively small diameter and a small internal volume, if the temperature drops significantly when it is not used at night in the severe cold season,
The water inside may freeze, making it impossible to supply water the next morning, and in some cases the water pipe may burst.

For this reason, conventionally, a strip-shaped heater is wound around a water pipe, and the heater keeps heating the water inside,
Alternatively, measures such as constantly discharging a small amount of water from the faucet to keep the water inside constantly flowing have been taken.

In recent years, in resort condominiums and the like, the pipes are inclined so that water can be drained from the bottom through a valve, and when the nighttime temperature is expected to drop, the water in the water pipes is drained in advance. It is also done.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved] However, it is uneconomical to keep the water in the water pipe heated by a heater, or to let the water flow out overnight, albeit in a small amount, and to open the valve from the bottom of the pipe. The method of draining water by using it has a problem that it may not be possible to provide a valve at the lowermost portion or the pipe may not be sufficiently inclined.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to provide a water pipe freezing prevention method and device which can easily, reliably and quickly remove water for freezing prevention.

[0007]

For this reason, in the method of the present invention, a valve is provided at the branch portion from the main pipe of the water pipe having a faucet branching from the main pipe, and the valve is closed. In this state, air is sent from the tap side of the valve into the water pipe by an air compressor, and the water in the water pipe is discharged from the tap portion.

According to this method, since the water in the water pipe is discharged to the outside by the compressed air sent into the pipe, it is not necessary to incline the pipe to form the lowermost portion. However, it is possible to drain water easily and surely to prevent freezing.

According to the above method, in a water pipe branching from a main pipe and having a faucet at an end, a stop valve is provided at a branch portion of the water pipe from the main pipe, and an air compressor is provided adjacent to the shut valve on the faucet side. It can be implemented by a water pipe antifreezing device characterized by having a mounting port.

If an air compressor is connected to the air compressor mounting port, the stop valve is closed and the faucet is opened, and the air compressor is operated, the water in the pipe is discharged from the faucet by the compressed air sent in. The water is drained reliably.

A drain valve capable of discharging water in the pipe to the outside may be provided near the tap of the water pipe, and the drain valve may be opened instead of opening the tap when draining water.

If the closing valve and the discharge valve are electromagnetic valves and these valves and the air compressor are operated by remote control, draining of water becomes easier.

The closing valve may be a check valve for automatically blocking the flow to the main pipe side, and the opening / closing operation of the closing valve may be unnecessary.

[0014]

[Examples] FIG. 1 is a piping diagram showing one embodiment of the device of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 is a water main pipe, and a water pipe 3 is branched from the water main pipe 1 to each house through a water meter 2. Water pipe 3
Is further branched indoors to be piped to a required location, and a faucet 4 is provided at each end. A shutoff valve 5 is provided at a branch portion of the water pipe 3 from the main pipe 1, at a downstream side of the water meter 2, and an air compressor attachment port 6 is provided adjacent to the shutoff valve 5 and at a downstream side thereof. .. An air compressor 7 is connected to the mounting port 6. Although the discharge air of the air compressor 7 is allowed to flow into the water pipe 3 through the mounting port 6, the water in the water pipe 3 is allowed to flow into the air compressor 7.
A check valve 8 is provided which blocks the inflow of the. To drain water from the water pipe 3 to prevent freezing, the stop valve 5 may be closed, each faucet 4 may be opened, and the air compressor 7 may be operated in this state. Then, the compressed air discharged from the air compressor 7 opens the check valve 8 and opens the water pipe 3
Then, the water in the water pipe 3 is pushed toward the faucet 4 and discharged from the faucet 4 to the outside of the pipe. In this way, it is possible to reliably drain water from the water pipe 3 and prevent the water pipe 3 from being blocked or ruptured due to freezing of the water inside. Moreover, it is possible to drain water in an extremely short time.
Main pipe 1 with a large amount of water and a large heat capacity upstream of the shutoff valve 5
Since it is in contact with the water inside, there is no risk of freezing due to heat transfer from this water.

It is not always necessary to install the air compressor 7 on the water pipe 3 of each dwelling unit, and as shown in FIG.
Alternatively, one air compressor 7 may be detachably attached and shared by several or dozens.

FIG. 3 shows still another embodiment of the present invention.
In the present embodiment, discharge valves 9 are provided near the faucets 4, respectively, and when draining water, the discharge valves 9 may be opened instead of opening the faucet 4. Moreover, these discharge valves 9 are electromagnetic valves, and the closing valve 10 corresponding to the closing valve 5 is also an electromagnetic valve. These electromagnetic valves are opened / closed by an electric signal from the controller 11, and further the air compressor is used. 7 is also activated by an electric signal from the controller 11.

Therefore, in the water draining operation, only the switch (not shown) of the controller 11 needs to be turned on. When the switch is turned on, the closing valve 10 is closed and the discharge valve 9 is opened, and then the air compressor 7 is operated. Then, the water in the pipe is discharged from the discharge valve 9, and the water is automatically drained by remote control. It is also possible to provide a temperature sensor for sensing the air temperature, and when the air temperature drops to, for example, 4 ° C., the temperature sensor turns on the switch to completely automate the water drainage.

The stop valves 5 and 10 may be check valves that allow the flow from the main pipe 1 side to the faucet 4 side but block the flow from the faucet 4 side to the main pipe 1 side. In this way, the operation of opening and closing the stop valves 5 and 10 becomes unnecessary. However, after draining water, be sure to close the faucet 4 and the discharge valve 9,
Air pressure is maintained in the water pipe 3.

In each of the above embodiments, the water is positively removed by the compressed air, so that the water removal can be completed in an extremely short time. As an example, we conducted an experiment in a 3LDK condominium using a baby compressor with an output of 0.2kw, an air pressure of 5kgf / cm ² , and a discharge air volume of 25l / min, and draining was completed in 40 seconds.

[0020]

According to the present invention, drainage of water from a water pipe to prevent freezing can be performed easily, reliably and extremely quickly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a piping diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a piping diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a piping diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Main pipe, 2 ... Water meter, 3 ... Water pipe, 4 ... Faucet, 5
... Shut-off valve, 6 ... Air compressor mounting port, 7 ... Air compressor, 8 ... Check valve, 9 ... Discharge valve, 10 ... Stop valve, 11 ...
Controller.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A method for preventing freezing of a water pipe branching from a main pipe and having a faucet at an end, wherein a valve is provided at a branch portion of the water pipe from the main pipe, and the faucet of the valve is in a closed state. A method for preventing freezing of a water pipe, characterized in that air is sent into the water pipe from the side by an air compressor, and the water in the water pipe is discharged from the faucet portion. 2. A water pipe having a faucet branching from a main pipe and a stop valve provided at a branch portion of the water pipe from the main pipe, and an air compressor mounting port adjacent to the shut valve on the faucet side. A water pipe freeze prevention device characterized by being provided with. 3. The water pipe antifreezing device according to claim 2, wherein a discharge valve capable of discharging water in the pipe to the outside is provided near the faucet of the water pipe. 4. The water pipe freeze prevention device according to claim 3, wherein the closing valve and the discharge valve are electromagnetic valves. 5. The water pipe freeze prevention device according to claim 2, wherein the stop valve is a check valve.