JPH055399Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] The present invention relates to a water heater that makes it possible to interrupt general hot water supply while supplying bath water. The hot water supply path is branched into a bath water supply path that connects to the bathtub and a general hot water supply path that connects to a general hot water tap, and a switching valve is provided to open and close the bath hot water supply path, so that the bath hot water supply path is in an open state. A bypass path is provided for supplying water diverted from the water supply channel to the water heating heat exchanger to the general hot water supply channel when the general hot water tap is opened in a certain bath hot water supply state, and the water is supplied from the bypass channel. A backflow prevention means is provided to prevent the supplied water from flowing back into the bath hot water supply path, and when the bath hot water supply path is in an open state, the general hot water tap can be detected as having been opened. A valve opening detection means is provided to detect the water flow in the pipe that occurs when the valve is opened, and based on the detection result by the valve opening detection means,
A control device that automatically operates the switching valve to switch the bath hot water supply path from an open state to a closed state when the general hot water tap is opened to execute a transition from a bath hot water supply state to a general hot water supply state. This article relates to improvements to installed water heaters.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in the above-mentioned water heaters, the open tap detection means is located downstream of the confluence with the bypass path so that the open tap detection means detects the opening of the general hot water tap by detecting the water flow generated in the general hot water supply path. It was attached to the general hot water supply route on the side (for example,
-Refer to Publication No. 23743).

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, since the general hot water supply path is a path for supplying hot water to the general hot water tap, when an open tap detection means is attached to the general hot water supply path, the open tap detection means must have a heat-resistant structure. This not only increases the cost of the water heater, but also hinders the use of a resin structure for the open tap detection means in order to achieve corrosion resistance and weight reduction.

In addition, if the open tap detection means is of a type that causes a pressure loss in the pipe water flow when detecting water flow, the overall pressure loss in the general hot water supply path should be minimized to supply hot water to the general hot water tap. In order to improve the delivery performance, it is necessary to use a large diameter detection means to suppress the pressure loss generated in the detection means. In addition to further increasing costs, there were also problems that hindered miniaturization of the entire water heater.

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to solve the above-mentioned problems without impairing the original function of the opening detection means by rationally changing the arrangement of the opening detection means.

[Means for solving problems]

The characteristic configuration of the hot water supply device according to the present invention is that the bypass path is provided with the open valve detection means and an on-off valve that opens and closes the bypass path, and the control device opens the on-off valve in the bath hot water supply state, and The open/close detection means is configured to close the on-off valve after detecting the opening of the general hot water tap in the bath hot water supply state.

[Effect]

In other words, the bypass path supplies diverted water from the water supply channel to the water heating heat exchanger to the general hot water supply path when the general hot water tap is opened in the bath hot water supply state where the bath water supply path is in the open state. Since this is a waterway for water supply, opening of a general hot water tap can also be accurately detected by detecting the water flow generated in the bypass path.

Therefore, even if the tap opening detection means is attached to the bypass passage so that the detection target is the water flow generated in the bypass passage, the original function of the opening detection means,
That is, the open detection function of the general hot water tap is not impaired.

On the other hand, the bypass path is a water supply path from the water supply channel, and hot water is not passed through the bypass path. There is no need for a heat-resistant structure.

Furthermore, since the amount of water flowing through the bypass path is inherently smaller than the amount of hot water supplied to the general hot water tap (that is, the amount of water flowing through the general hot water supply path), even if the overall pressure loss in the bypass path becomes somewhat large, Since the ability to feed hot water to the hot water tap will not be impaired, even if a type of open tap detection means that causes pressure loss is used to detect water flow, it will not be necessary to open the hot water tap in the general hot water supply path as before. Compared to the case where a detecting means is provided, the opening detecting means can be considerably smaller.

If the on-off valve remains open after transitioning to the general hot water supply state, the water flow through the bypass path may cause the hot water temperature to drop and the desired hot water temperature may not be obtained. be. On the other hand, since the on-off valve is closed after transitioning to the general hot water supply state, it is possible to avoid a drop in the hot water supply temperature due to water flow through the bypass path.

[Effect of idea]

As a result, while the so-called hot water interrupt function, which automatically switches the bath hot water supply state to the general hot water supply state based on the detection of the water flow generated when the general hot water tap is opened, remains the same as before, the open water tap detection method It is possible to reduce the cost of water heaters by using inexpensive products that do not require heat resistance.
In addition, it has become easier to use resin for the open cap detection means, and by using resin, it has become possible to improve corrosion resistance and reduce weight.

Moreover, since it is possible to downsize the opening detection means, it is possible to further reduce costs.
Furthermore, it has become easier to make water heaters smaller and more compact.

Further, after transitioning to the general hot water supply state, it is possible to avoid a drop in the hot water supply temperature due to the flow of water through the bypass path, so that the hot water supply temperature can be maintained at a desired and appropriate temperature.

〔Example〕

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The drawing shows the overall configuration of a water heater that supplies bath water and general hot water. 1 is a Finch-Ube type heat exchanger for water heating, 2 is a burner, 3 is a fan for supplying air for heating, and 4 is an automatic operation control. It is a control device for

The gas path 5 to the burner 2 includes a safety solenoid valve 6, a main solenoid valve 7, and a solenoid gas proportional valve 8.
A filter 10, a water flow sensor 11, and an inlet water temperature sensor 12 are attached to the water supply channel 9 to the heat exchanger 1, and an outlet water temperature sensor 14 is attached to the hot water supply channel 13 from the heat exchanger 1. , and an electric water proportional valve 15 are attached.

Hot water supply path 13 on the downstream side of water proportional valve 15
A hot water supply path 13A for a bath connected to a bathtub 17 via an external piping 16, and a hot water supply path 13B for a general purpose connected to a general hot water faucet 19 via an external piping 18.
The bath hot water supply path 13A is provided with an electric switching valve 20 for opening and closing it.

The general hot water supply path 13B has a bypass path 21 for supplying branched water from the water supply path 9 to it.
In the general hot water supply path 13B, the water supplied from the bypass path 21 is connected between the branch part with the bath hot water supply path 13A and the connection part with the bypass path 21 when the switching valve 20 is open. Hot water supply path for bath 1
A check valve 22 is attached to prevent backflow to 3A.

The bypass passage 21 is provided with a bypass solenoid valve 23 that opens and closes it, and a bypass water flow switch 24 that is turned on by the water flow in the bypass passage 21 and turned off when the water flow stops.

This bypass water flow switch 24 is connected to the switching valve 20.
When the general hot water tap 19 is opened, that is, in the bath hot water supply state where hot water from the heat exchanger 1 is supplied to the bathtub 17, it is determined that the general hot water tap 19 is opened. It is an opening detection means that detects by detecting water flow, and its concrete structure is as follows: A swing piece 2 that swings by the water flow is attached to a pipe joint-shaped casing 24a interposed in the bypass passage 21.
4b is installed inside the casing 24a, and a magnetic switch 24c is attached to the casing 24a, which is turned ON by magnetic action when the swinging piece 24b swings against the biasing force of its own weight due to the water flow.

In addition, 25 in the figure is a vacuum breaker valve that prevents backflow of bathtub water due to negative pressure in the pipe, and 25
Reference numeral 6 denotes a pressure relief valve that prevents an abnormal pressure rise in the pipe line caused by residual fire or the like.

As remote controllers for giving operation commands to the control device 4, there are provided a main controller 27 installed near the installation location of the general hot water faucet 19, and a bath controller 28 installed in the bathroom. , an operation switch 29, a hot water filling switch 30, a general hot water temperature adjustment switch 31, an operating lamp 32, a combustion lamp 33, and a hot water filling completion notification buzzer 34, and the bath controller 28 includes a hot water filling switch 35, A reheating switch 36, a hot water temperature adjustment switch 37, a hot water filling amount adjustment switch 38, and a combustion lamp 39 are provided.

There are three basic modes for automatic operation by the control device 4 based on operation commands from the remote controllers 27 and 28: [general hot water supply], [bath hot water supply], and [interrupt general hot water supply during bath water supply]. , [Bath hot water supply] mode is divided into filling hot water into the bathtub 17 (hot water pouring) and supplying high-temperature water to the bathtub water to raise the temperature of the bathtub water [reheating].

The control system is configured to execute automatic operation in each of the above-mentioned modes as described below.

[General hot water supply]

When the operation switch 29 is turned ON, the hot water supply operation is in a standby state, but in this standby state, the safety solenoid valve 6, the main solenoid valve 7, the switching valve 20, and the bypass solenoid valve 23 are not yet closed. ing.

In this standby state, the general hot water tap 19
When the valve is opened, the water flow sensor 11 detects the start of water flow to the heat exchanger 1, and based on the detection result, the fan 3 and the spark plug 40 are sequentially activated, and the safety solenoid valve 6 and the main valve are activated. Solenoid valve 7
is opened, burner 2 is ignited, and general hot water tap 19 is opened.
Hot water supply will begin.

Regarding the hot water temperature, the hot water temperature t _x set by the general hot water temperature adjustment switch 31 and the water flow sensor 11
Based on the water flow rate Q _s detected by the inlet water temperature sensor 12 and the inlet water temperature t _i detected by the inlet water temperature sensor 12, the gas supply amount G required to set the outlet hot water temperature from the heat exchanger 1 to the set hot water temperature t _x is calculated. Then, the gas proportional valve 8 is automatically adjusted so that the gas supply amount to the burner 2 is set to the calculated gas supply amount G.

After that, the calculated gas supply amount G is corrected based on the deviation between the outlet hot water temperature t _p detected by the outlet hot water temperature sensor 14 and the set hot water temperature t _x , and the gas proportional valve 8 is further automatically finely adjusted. , the temperature of hot water supplied to the general hot water tap 19 is maintained at the set hot water temperature _tx .

In addition, in general hot water supply, the water proportional valve 15 is basically maintained at a fully open state or a set opening close to it, but if the calculated gas supply amount G exceeds the maximum supply amount G _nax , that is, the gas supply to the burner 2 is If the set hot water temperature t _x cannot be obtained even if the maximum supply amount G _nax is set, the water proportional valve 15 is automatically throttled and adjusted, thereby maintaining the hot water supply temperature at the set hot water temperature t _x . .

When the general hot water tap 19 is closed, the water flow sensor 11 detects that water flow to the heat exchanger 1 is stopped, and the main solenoid valve 7 is closed and the burner 2 is extinguished. Fan 3 is stopped.

[Bath hot water supply]

(Pouring hot water) The hot water filling switches 30 and 35 of the main controller 27 or bath controller 28 are
When the ON operation is performed, the switching valve 20 is first opened,
Based on the water flow sensor 11 detecting the start of water flow to the heat exchanger 1, the fan 3 and the spark plug 40 are activated, as well as the safety solenoid valve 6 and the main solenoid valve 7, as in the case of general hot water supply. is opened, the burner 2 is ignited, and pouring of hot water into the bathtub 17 is started.

On the other hand, regarding the water temperature, the gas proportional valve 8 is automatically adjusted so that the gas supply amount to the burner 2 is at the maximum supply amount G _nax or a set supply amount close to it, and the gas supply amount and the inlet water temperature sensor are automatically adjusted. Detected incoming water temperature t _i by 12 and hot water temperature adjustment switch 3 for hot water filling
Based on the hot water temperature t _y set in step 7, the water flow rate Q required to set the hot water temperature from the heat exchanger 1 to the set hot water temperature t _y is calculated, and the water flow rate Q _s detected by the water flow sensor 11 is calculated. The water proportional valve 15 is automatically adjusted so that the calculated water flow rate Q is achieved.

After that, the calculated water flow rate Q is corrected based on the deviation between the hot water temperature t _p detected by the hot water temperature sensor 14 and the set hot water temperature t _y , and the water proportional valve 15 is automatically finely adjusted. The pouring temperature of the hot water is maintained at the set hot water temperature t _y .

Then, the pouring of water into the bathtub 17 continues as described above, and the cumulative amount of water poured from the time when pouring starts, that is, the cumulative amount of water flowing from the time when pouring water starts, which is the detected water flow rate Q _s by the water flow sensor 11 ∫ When _Qs reaches the hot water filling amount _Qy set by the hot water filling amount adjustment switch 38, the switching valve 20 is closed and the pouring of hot water into the bathtub 17 is automatically stopped, and the switching valve 20 is closed. The water flow sensor 1 stops the flow of water to the heat exchanger 1 due to
1 is detected, the main solenoid valve 7 is closed, the burner 2 is extinguished, and the fan 3 is subsequently stopped.

Also, after the automatic stop of pouring, the main controller 2
The buzzer 34 of No. 7 operates for a set time (for example, about 30 seconds), thereby notifying the user that hot water filling has been completed.

(Reheating) Reheating that supplies high-temperature water to the bathtub 17 to raise the temperature of the bathtub water is performed using the bath remote controller 28.
This is executed when the reheating switch 36 is turned on, but in automatic operation mode, the hot water _temperature as the adjustment target is set. t _z (e.g. setting around 93℃)
The automatic operation is carried out in the same manner as in the case of (pouring) described above, except that the reheating operation is stopped by turning the reheating switch 36 OFF.

In addition, by adjusting the hot water temperature in (pouring hot water) and (reheating) by adjusting the water flow rate using the water proportional valve 15 as described above, for example, the water temperature can be adjusted in both (pouring hot water) and (reheating). Compared to a type in which the water temperature is adjusted by adjusting the gas supply amount while the water amount is fixed at a set water amount, this method has the advantage that the device can be operated at maximum capacity regardless of the season.

[Interrupt general hot water supply during bath water supply]

In the above-mentioned [bath water supply], in both cases of (pouring hot water) and (reheating), the bypass solenoid valve 23 is opened at the start of bath hot water supply as a preparation for interrupt general hot water supply. During operation, the valve is kept open.

That is, when the general hot water tap 19 is opened during hot water supply for a bath with the switching valve 20 in the open state, the bypass solenoid valve 23 is in the open state, so that the flow from the water supply channel 9 via the bypass path 21 is Supply of diverted water to the general hot water supply path 13B is started, thereby turning on the bypass water flow switch 24. That is, opening of the general hot water tap 19 while hot water is being supplied to the bath is detected.

Then, based on the ON of the bypass water flow switch 24, the opening of the water proportional valve 15 is adjusted to the opening for general hot water supply (fully open or a set opening close to it), and the switching valve 20 is closed. Then, the hot water temperature is switched to the hot water temperature t _x set by the hot water temperature adjustment switch 31 for general hot water supply, and the same hot water temperature adjustment as in the case of [general hot water supply] described above is executed, and then the hot water supply for the bath is interrupted. Set hot water temperature _t to the general hot water tap 19
Hot water will be supplied at

The bypass solenoid valve 23 is operated for a set delay time (for example, set to about 5 seconds) after the bypass water flow switch 24 is turned on, that is, after the general hot water tap 19 is opened.
The valve is continuously maintained in the open state until the point in time when
The valve is closed when the set delay time has elapsed.

In other words, the hot water supply destination is switched using the switching valve 2 as described above.
By making the general hot water supply path 13B a flow path that constantly communicates with the heat exchanger 1 by only opening and closing the hot water supply path 13A for the bath, the general hot water tap 1 during hot water supply for the bath can be
When the tap 9 is opened, hot water is quickly supplied to the general hot water tap 19 to improve the responsiveness of the interrupt general hot water supply.
As mentioned above, the bypass solenoid valve 23 is connected to the general hot water tap 1.
By keeping the valve open for the set delay time even after detecting the opening of the hot water tap 9, the heat exchanger 1 is connected to the general hot water tap 1.
The hot water sent to the hot water tank 9 is mixed with the water supplied from the bypass passage 21, so that hot water at an appropriate temperature can be discharged immediately after the general hot water supply faucet 19 is opened for interrupt general hot water supply.

In addition, after the set delay time has elapsed, in order to stably maintain the hot water temperature discharged from the general hot water tap 19 at the set hot water temperature _tx , by having automatic hot water temperature control that stabilizes during the set delay time. The bypass solenoid valve 23 is closed to stop the mixed water supply from the bypass path 21.

General hot water tap 1 opened for interruption general hot water supply
9 is then closed, the associated heat exchanger 1
When the water flow sensor 11 detects the stop of water flow to the bath, the opening of the general hot water tap 19 is detected, and based on this, the bath hot water supply that has been interrupted due to the interrupt general hot water supply is automatically restarted.

This concludes the explanation of automatic operation in each mode, but in both [general hot water supply] and [bath hot water supply], the burner 2 is ignited with the gas proportional valve 8 throttled to the set gentle ignition opening. Then, when ignition of the burner 2 is confirmed by the flame rod 41, the opening degree of the gas proportional valve 8 is adjusted to the increasing side.

Further, when misignition or extinction is detected by the flame rod 41, the safety solenoid valve 6 is closed.

[Another example]

Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be listed.

(a) The open detection means for detecting the opening of the general hot water tap 19 using the water flow generated in the bypass passage 21 as a detection target detects the operation of the swinging piece 24b that swings due to the water flow as in the above-mentioned embodiment. Instead of the type that detects the generation of water flow, there is a type that detects the operation of a rotor rotated by water flow, a pitot tube type that detects the dynamic pressure of water flow, or a type that detects the differential pressure before and after the orifice. etc., various types can be applied.

(b) As a switching valve that opens and closes the hot water supply path 13A for the bath, the hot water supply path 13A for the bath and the hot water supply path 13B for general use are used.
A three-way valve device is provided that selectively opens the three-way valve, and when the opening of the general hot water faucet 19 is detected by the open tap detection means during bath water supply with the bath hot water supply path 13A in an open state, the three-way valve is opened. The device may be automatically switched to close the bath hot water supply path 13A and open the general hot water supply path 13B. In this case, since the three-way valve device also serves as a backflow prevention means for preventing the supply water from the bypass path 21 from flowing back into the hot water supply path 13A for the bath, the check valve as in the above embodiment is not used. Attachment can be omitted.

(c) Bypass solenoid valve 2 attached to bypass path 21
3 may be omitted and the bypass path 21 may be kept open at all times.

In this case, it is also possible to detect whether the general hot water supply tap 19 is closed using an open tap detection means attached to the bypass path 21.

(d) The general hot water tap 19 may be of any type as long as it has an opening/closing function, such as a hot water tap, a mixed tap, or a toy water tap.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section of the utility model registration for convenience of comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure of the attached drawings by such entry.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is an overall configuration diagram of a water heater showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1... Heat exchanger, 4... Control device, 9... Water supply channel, 13... Hot water supply channel, 13A... Hot water supply channel for bath,
13B... General hot water supply path, 17... Bathtub, 19...
... general hot water tap, 20 ... switching valve, 21 ... bypass path, 22 ... backflow prevention means, 24 ... open detection means.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] The hot water supply path 13 from the water heating heat exchanger 1 is branched into a bath hot water supply path 13A connected to a bathtub 17 and a general hot water supply path 13B connected to a general hot water tap 19,
The water heating heat exchanger 1 is provided with a switching valve 20 that opens and closes the hot water supply path 13A for the bath, and when the general hot water tap 19 is opened in a bath hot water supply state in which the hot water supply path 13A for the bath is in an open state. A bypass path 21 is provided for supplying water diverted from the water supply path 9 to the general hot water supply path 13B, and the bypass path 2
A backflow prevention means 22 is provided to prevent the water supplied from the bath water supply path 13A from flowing back into the bath water supply path 13A, and the general hot water tap 19 is opened in a bath water supply state in which the bath water supply path 13A is in an open state. An open tap detection means 24 is provided to detect the fact that the general hot water tap 19 is opened by detecting the water flow in the pipe that occurs when the general hot water tap 19 is opened. A hot water supply system equipped with a control device 4 that automatically operates the switching valve 20 to switch the bath water supply path 13A from an open state to a closed state when the bath water supply path 13A is plugged, thereby executing a transition from a bath water supply state to a general hot water supply state. The device includes the open valve detection means 24 in the bypass path 21.
and an on-off valve 23 for opening and closing the bypass passage 21, the control device 4 opens the on-off valve 23 in the bath hot water supply state, and the open detection means 24 opens the general hot water tap 1 in the bath hot water supply state.
The water heater is configured to close the on-off valve 23 after detecting the opening of the water heater 9.