JPH0792231B2 - Controller for hot water supply system - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a controller for a hot water supply system, and particularly to a relatively high temperature hot water for filling a bath tub from a single heat exchanger. In addition to the relatively low temperature hot water used for cooking and washing dishes, it can be used independently for each hot water system. In a hot water supply system that enables low-temperature hot water at the same time, by mixing hot water with water that is sent through a separate bypass channel that does not go through a heat exchanger at a specified rate with a mixing tap, The present invention relates to an improvement for preventing the risk of hot water coming out of a low-temperature tap when an abnormal operation occurs in a mixing tap when tapping hot water at both temperatures.

[Prior Art] As described above, even if only one heat exchanger is used, a hot water supply system capable of distributing and supplying hot water at high and low temperatures to two paths is
It has already been developed by the applicant.

Therefore, a schematic configuration of such a hot water supply system is shown in a relatively basic form in FIG. 2 and explained. First, the water flowing in from the water inlet 12 is branched into the main water channel 13 and the bypass water channel 14.

The main waterway 13 passes through the heat exchanger 15 and then the first branch waterway
It is divided into 16 and the second branch waterway 17.

The first branch waterway 16 is connected via a stop cock 18 to a hot water outlet 19 for which a relatively high temperature hot water generally ranging from 45 ° C. to 60 ° C. or higher is desired, such as a hot water supply port for a bath tub. Branch waterway 17
Is controlled by the control device 11 as described below.
It is connected to a mixing tap 20 which controls the mixing ratio with the water flowing through it.

The output of the mixing stopper 20 is given to a low-temperature tap 21 which is left to the user's opening / closing operation, including adjustment of the valve opening such as a normal faucet (not shown). The temperature required for tapping from the low temperature tap 21 may be the same as that required for the hot tap 19 in special cases, but it is usually high.
Below 40 ° C, generally on the order of 30 ° C.

Of course, although only one system is shown in the figure for this low-temperature hot water outlet system, the output system of the mixing stopper 20 is generally distributed to a plurality of faucets.

The combustion section for heating the heat exchanger 15 through which the main waterway 13 passes has a burner 26, and the fuel burned here is oil,
There is gas etc.

For convenience of explanation, and in accordance with the product actually developed by the applicant, gas is taken as an example of the fuel, but hot water is not required from the high temperature tap hole 19 or the low temperature tap port 21. Sometimes, of course, the combustion control device 11 does not fully close the gas amount control valve 22, which is generally called a gas proportional valve, but also the gas solenoid valve 23 provided only for opening and shutting off the gas supply path. Is also fully closed, and the fan motor 24 that supplies an appropriate amount of air to the combustion section is also stopped.

However, depending on the device, the gas proportional valve 22 also has the function of opening and closing the fuel supply path of the gas solenoid valve, so that the gas solenoid valve 23 may be omitted. Some have a volume control valve.

The combustion control device 11 is a microcomputer (not shown)
Although not shown, the control panel of the present system (not shown) is installed at a location apart from the combustion section, especially the control unit 11
In the operation panel provided in the remote unit that is connected by wire, a water filling switch for the user to issue a command to pour hot water into the bathtub, a temperature setting knob for setting the water filling temperature, usually There is a temperature setting knob that sets the temperature of tap water that is tapped when the valve provided at the low temperature tap such as the tap is opened.
The microcomputer in 11 creates each data and controls each mechanical unit shown in the figure through an appropriate interface circuit.

For example, when the operation switch (not shown) of the system is turned on, the user opens the faucet or the like provided in the low temperature tap 21 so that the water generally supplied from the water source 12 If it starts to flow from the heat exchanger 15 through the heat exchanger 15, the heat exchanger water flow sensor 25, which is in this flow path and has been issuing a water flow stop signal until then, is a signal indicating that a water flow has occurred. To the control device 11.

Receiving this, the control device 11 first acts on the mixing plug 20, and in the above combustion stop or combustion standby state, the bypass channel
Both the side of 14 and the side of the second branch water channel 17 are operated by moving the valve means of the mixing stopper 20 which is fully opened to shut off the side of the bypass water channel 14.

Then, as described above, the amount of water that has started to flow in the heat exchanger 15 is maintained at the set temperature when the minimum amount of heat is supplied to the heat exchanger 15, that is, even in the minimum stable combustion state of the burner 26, at the low temperature outlet 21. When it is detected by the heat exchanger water flow rate sensor 25 that a possible flow rate is reached, the control device 11 opens the gas solenoid valve 23 and then outputs a signal that gives the gas proportional valve 22 a predetermined amount of opening, Further, a signal for giving a predetermined rotation speed to the fan motor 24 is sent out, and after the ignition in the combustion section, a low temperature operation mode is entered, and a tap water temperature detection sensor 27 such as a thermistor provided at the output of the heat exchanger 15 is provided. The combustion section including the burner 26 is controlled so that the detected temperature is as low as possible set by the user.

On the other hand, when the user operates the hot water filling switch in the remote unit (not shown) from the combustion stopped state or the standby state, the control device 11 first opens the water shutoff tap 18 on the high temperature hot water outlet 19 side, and thereby the predetermined amount. After confirming with the heat exchanger water flow sensor 25 that the water flow of the has begun to occur in the heat exchanger 15, the gas solenoid valve 23 is fully opened and a signal for giving a predetermined amount of opening to the gas proportional valve 22, A signal that gives a predetermined number of rotations is sent to the fan motor 24, and after the ignition in the combustion section, the high temperature operation mode is entered, and the outlet hot water temperature detection sensor 27 such as a thermistor provided at the output of the heat exchanger 15 operates. The combustion unit is controlled so that the detected temperature is as close as possible to the hot water filling temperature set by the user (high temperature setting temperature). Naturally, this filling is automatically stopped when the predetermined total flow rate value set according to the size of the bath tub is reached.

Furthermore, in addition to the above-mentioned low temperature and high temperature independent tapping operations, when the user opens the valve equipped on the low temperature tap 21 side during hot high temperature tapping, the following mechanism is used. The system shown in FIG. 2 enters the simultaneous high and low temperature simultaneous tapping mode.

When the valve of the low temperature tap 21 is opened during hot tapping, the heat exchanger
The high temperature hot water from 15 is mixed with the mixing tap 20 via the second branch water channel 17.
And mixed with the water sent through the bypass channel 14 here, and then also starts to flow out from the low temperature tap 21.

As a result, when the low temperature side water flow rate sensor 29 provided between the mixing tap 20 and the low temperature hot water outlet 21 detects a flow rate equal to or higher than a predetermined flow rate value, the control device 11 causes the hot water temperature at the output of the heat exchanger 15 to rise. As in the case of single hot water discharge from only the high temperature hot water outlet 19 described above, while controlling the combustion part to maintain the high temperature side set temperature, the valve opening of the mixing stopper 20 is also controlled, and the low temperature side is controlled. Based on the amount of hot water discharged from the low temperature hot water outlet 21 detected by the water flow rate sensor 29, and the intake temperature data from the low temperature side hot water temperature sensor 28 that detects the hot water temperature that is actually being hot water discharged from the low temperature hot water outlet 21. Make sure that the actual hot water temperature is as close as possible to the low temperature setting temperature set by the user.
The mixing ratio between the hot water in 17 and the cold water sent through the bypass waterway 14 is controlled.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, the basic configuration and operation example of the hot water supply system having the high and low temperature simultaneous hot water discharge modes that have been developed so far have been described. This is a failure of the mixing plug 20 in the high and low temperature simultaneous tapping mode.

As is clear, when tapping alone from the low temperature tap 21,
In the first place, since the combustion part is controlled so that the hot water temperature at the output of the heat exchanger 15 is the low temperature set temperature set by the user, even if this is tapped from the low temperature tap 21 as it is, of course, no problem will occur. Nor.

However, in the simultaneous high and low temperature hot water discharge mode, the temperature of the hot water output from the heat exchanger 15 is in a relatively high temperature range so as to be suitable for hot water from the hot water outlet 19 side, This is cooled by the cold water sent through the bypass water passage 14 and tapped from the low temperature tap 21.If something goes wrong with the mixing tap 20, the cold water will not be mixed. In the case of high temperature, the high temperature hot water output from the heat exchanger 15 is directly discharged from the low temperature hot water outlet 21. As mentioned above, such a high hot water outlet temperature may reach about 60 ° C. in some cases, so there is a sufficient risk of the user being burned.

In response to this, the applicant, as a safety measure before reaching the present invention, immediately when the hot water temperature sensor 28 provided in the hot water outlet path on the low temperature side detects an unsuitable high temperature for hot water on the low temperature side. I also tried to stop combustion in the combustion section, but this way, cold water may be suddenly supplied via the side of the bypass waterway 14, which is not dangerous. Couldn't wipe out the fear that it was extremely unpleasant.

The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and high temperature,
Not only for each low temperature hot spring, but also under high temperature hot water mode,
At the same time, in the hot water supply system that enables low temperature hot water by mixing with cold water, even if the mixing stopper malfunctions,
An object of the present invention is to provide a control device which prevents hot water from coming out from the low temperature tap and also has a good usability.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a hot water supply system as described above, particularly in a hot water supply mode at both high and low temperatures during operation in the simultaneous hot water supply mode, from the mixing tap to the low temperature tap. When a sensor dedicated to the low-temperature side tap water temperature detection provided in the middle of the flow path to, detects a high temperature that is not suitable for tapping from the low-temperature tap hole, the hot water tap that closes the hot tap is closed. On the other hand, it is proposed that the combustion part be controlled appropriately from that time to maintain the set temperature on the low temperature side, as in the case of single tapping from the low temperature tap.

[Operation] Since the present invention is configured as described above, at the time of simultaneous hot water discharge operation at both high and low temperatures, some abnormality occurs in the mixing stopper, mixing with cold water is not performed, and heat is passed through the heat exchanger. When all the high temperature hot water comes out directly to the low temperature hot water supply route side after the mixer tap, the amount of heat supplied to the heat exchanger was controlled so as to approach the high temperature side set temperature as much as possible at the time of high temperature hot water discharge. Therefore, the amount of heat applied to the heat exchanger is directly switched and controlled so that the output of the heat exchanger is as close as possible to the low temperature side set temperature that is set at that time for low temperature hot water discharge. As a result, the situation is the same as when a single hot water is discharged from the hot water outlet, and it is possible to minimize the possibility that high temperature hot water is continuously output from the low temperature hot water outlet.

In other words, even if an abnormality occurs in the mixing plug, the combustion in the combustion section does not stop it completely, but the combustion is continued so that the output of the heat exchanger is suitable for low temperature hot water discharge. The cold water does not suddenly come out from the low temperature outlet and give the user an unpleasant feeling.

Moreover, when the operation of the mixing stopper is abnormal,
It is possible to allow only the single operation of the high-temperature hot water and the single operation of the low-temperature hot water, and it is possible to avoid the inconvenience that the hot water supply system is completely unusable until a repair person arrives. This is because the heat exchanger may be used only in each of the high temperature operation mode and the low temperature operation mode.

[Embodiment] An operation example when the present invention is applied to the combustion control device 11 in the hot water supply system described above with reference to FIG. 2 will be described below with reference to FIG. Therefore, as a matter of course, in the present description, the reference numerals and the like of the respective units that are incorporated as needed are the reference numerals given in FIG.

In FIG. 1, the leftmost state shows the case where the hot water supply system is in the high temperature hot water discharge mode.

That is, the valve means (which is not shown) attached to the low temperature tap 21 is closed, so that there is no water flow through the bypass channel 14 or the second branch channel 17. The water that has entered through the water inlet 12 is heated exclusively through the main water channel 13 and through the heat exchanger 15, and then through the water tap 18 that is open from the first branch water channel 16, for example, a bath tub. Hot water is tapped only from the high-temperature tap 19 for filling water.

Naturally, under this condition, as described above, the controller 11
Is a valve of the gas proportional valve 22 so that the hot water temperature output from the heat exchanger 15 becomes a high temperature set temperature set by the user by an operation knob (not shown) with respect to the combustion section having the burner 26. It controls the opening and the amount of air supplied by the fan motor 24. Of course, as feedback data for this control,
Hot water temperature data from a hot water temperature sensor 27 provided at the output of the heat exchanger 15 is adopted.

In some cases, although not shown, the required combustion amount may be calculated by a calculation that also takes into account the temperature of the incoming water, and the corresponding fuel flow rate and air flow rate may be given to the combustion unit. When the hot water outlet 19 is also provided with a faucet or the like and the flow rate is variable, the necessary heat quantity is calculated in view of the actual flow rate taken in by the heat exchanger water flow rate sensor 25 at each time.

However, under this high-temperature operation mode, as shown in FIG. ₁ at time T ₁ “opening the low-temperature tap 21”, the user is attached to the low-temperature tap 21 such as a faucet not shown. Opening the valve means causes a series of state or motion changes as indicated by the associated arrows.

First, while the hot water was only discharged from the high-temperature hot water outlet 19 until then, since there was hot water flowing out from the second branch water passage 17 to the low-temperature hot water outlet 21 through the mixing tap 20, the hot water was discharged from the hot water inlet 12. If the amount of inflow water is constant, naturally, the amount of hot water discharged from the high-temperature hot water outlet 19 decreases, and although not shown, a flow rate control valve with a variable valve opening is provided in the hot water inlet, and both high and low temperature simultaneous hot water discharge modes Even if this valve is opened further below, there is a limit to the maximum combustion amount in the combustion section.Therefore, as the flow rate increases, the opening of the gas proportional valve 22 is increased as shown in the figure, and the heat exchanger 15 When the hot water temperature at the output of 1 cannot maintain the high temperature set temperature, the hot water discharge amount is reduced by positively controlling the flow rate control valve.

In this way, low-temperature hot water is discharged from the low-temperature hot water outlet 21, but the hot water temperature detected by the low-temperature hot water temperature sensor 28 provided in the middle of the low-temperature hot water discharge path is set by the user. Combustion control device so that the set temperature is on the low temperature side
11 controls the mixing ratio of the mixing stopper 20. This is actually performed in consideration of the heat exchanger water flow rate detected by the heat exchanger water flow rate sensor 25 and the water flow rate detected by the low temperature side water flow rate sensor 29 provided exclusively for the low temperature side hot water discharge path. .

From this state, as shown at time T ₂ in FIG. 1, when the user closes the faucet connected to the low temperature hot water outlet 21 and the low temperature hot water discharge amount becomes zero, a series of related operation changes or states As indicated by the arrow indicating the change, the hot water discharge amount returns to the original value, the valve opening degree of the gas proportional valve 22 also returns to the opening degree suitable for maintaining the high temperature set temperature, and the high temperature hot water independent operation mode is returned.

Low temperature side hot water temperature sensor provided in the middle of the low temperature hot water discharge path
At 28, the detected temperature is lowered as the hot water remaining in the route cools.

In summary, in this high / low temperature simultaneous hot water discharge mode, the desired relatively low temperature hot water is supplied from the low temperature hot water outlet 21 from the faucet or the like, while the flow rate of the high temperature hot water temporarily decreases during this mode. However, the temperature can be continued while maintaining the high set temperature. That is, there is no waste of time, and the hot water supplied to the bathtub halfway does not cool.

However, in FIG. 1, as shown at time T ₃ after, if the high-temperature hot water alone operation until it enters again high and low temperature co-tapping mode, that is, low temperature user not shown tapping When the faucet on the side is opened, etc., the mixing stopper 20 is malfunctioning, etc., and the cold water sent through the bypass water passage 14 cannot be mixed at a predetermined ratio, and the heat exchanger cannot be mixed. If the high-temperature hot water output from 15 flows out into the low-temperature hot-water discharge path directly or without being sufficiently diluted with cold water, the control device 11 indicates the safety level as shown by a series of related arrows. Therefore, the following operation is performed.

Naturally, the low temperature hot water discharge temperature sensor 28 detects a high temperature different from the low temperature set temperature. If this is a high temperature that can be regarded as abnormal, the control device 11 forcibly closes the water stopper 18 connected to the high temperature hot water outlet 19 to stop the high temperature hot water discharge.

At the same time, from here on, switch to the low-temperature hot spring independent operation mode,
By mixing with cold water, rather than maintaining the low temperature side set temperature set by the user, the temperature of the hot water output from the heat exchanger 15 directly reaches the low temperature side set temperature, so that the heat exchange is performed. It controls the combustion section, which includes a burner 26 that heats the vessel 15.

This state is illustrated in FIG. 1 by the reduction of the valve opening of the gas proportional valve 22.

As a result, even if there is an abnormality in the mixing tap 20, the convenience of being able to perform low-temperature hot water and high-temperature hot water at the same time is sacrificed, and at least the low-temperature hot water currently required maintains the set temperature for it. It can be continued.

Further, as is clear, even when the operation of the mixing stopper 20 is abnormal, such a mechanism can eventually keep both the high temperature hot water alone operation and the low temperature hot water alone operation possible.

Therefore, if the user closes the low temperature tap 21 as shown at time t ₄ , the controller 11 will reopen the stopcock 18 and automatically open, as indicated by the associated series of arrows. Along with restarting the hot water outflow from the hot water outlet 19,
As shown by the increase of the valve opening degree of the gas proportional valve 22, the combustion unit is controlled so that the hot water output from the heat exchanger 15 reaches the high temperature side preset temperature again.

As shown at time t _5, stop cock hot water filling is completed
When 18 is closed, it returns to the combustion standby mode and the gas proportional valve
22 is fully closed, the burner 26 is extinguished, the fan motor 24 is also stopped, and the process waits until the user again receives a hot water filling command or a low temperature hot water discharge command associated with opening the faucet.

In addition, in this hot water supply system, even if an abnormality occurs in the mixing tap 20, the high temperature hot water and the low temperature hot water can operate independently as described above. Although convenient, the user may instead continue to use it without knowing that a failure has occurred.

Therefore, when an abnormality occurs in the mixing tap or the like as described above, and it becomes impossible to cool the high-temperature hot water by the cold water supplied through the bypass water passage 14, the control device 11 issues an alarm, for example, An audible or visual alarm means may be activated by the alarm signal.

[Effect] According to the present invention, it is possible to independently perform high-temperature hot water discharge from the high-temperature hot water outlet and low-temperature hot water from the low-temperature hot water outlet while using a single heat exchanger, and also to bypass during high-temperature hot water discharge. Due to the operation of mixing with water from the water channel, in a hot water supply system that can provide low temperature hot water, an abnormality occurs in the mixing operation, and high temperature hot water can be supplied as it is or from the low temperature hot water outlet without being completely cooled. Even if it occurs, the system state can be immediately switched to the same state as the low-temperature hot water single operation mode, so that it is possible to prevent accidents such as accidental burns of the user.

On the other hand, even if such an abnormal operation occurs, it can be tolerated for each of the high-temperature hot water discharge and the low-temperature hot water discharge, so even if the abnormal operation occurs, the system can be repaired until it is repaired. There is no inconvenience to completely disable it, you can continue to use it on a daily basis, and there is no inconvenience that you can not use the bath and the hot water.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an operation in one embodiment of a hot water supply system configured according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a hot water supply system applicable to the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a combustion control device, 12 is a water inlet, 13 is a main waterway, and 14
Is a bypass channel, 15 is a heat exchanger, 16 is a first branch channel, 17
Is a second branch water channel, 18 is a stopcock, 19 is a high-temperature tap, 20 is a mixing tap, 21 is a low-temperature tap, 22 is a gas proportional valve, 23 is a gas solenoid valve, 24 is a fan motor, 25 is a heat Exchanger water flow sensor,
Reference numeral 26 is a burner, 27 is a hot water outlet temperature sensor of the heat exchanger, 28 is a low temperature hot water outlet side hot water temperature sensor, and 29 is a low temperature side water flow rate sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A waterway from the water inlet is divided into a main waterway and a bypass waterway, the main waterway is passed through a heat exchanger heated by a combustion unit, and then further branched into first and second branch waterways, The first branch water channel is connected to the high temperature hot water outlet via a stopcock, and the second branch water channel is connected to the low temperature hot water outlet via a mixing tap with the water sent through the bypass waterway, and the heat exchange is performed. The burner is controlled so that the hot water output from the vessel maintains the high temperature side set temperature when the hot water comes out only from the high temperature hot water outlet and the low temperature side set temperature when the hot water comes out only from the low temperature hot water outlet. On the other hand, when the valve provided at the low temperature tap is opened during the hot tapping, the opening degree of the mixing tap is also controlled while controlling the combustion unit so as to maintain the set temperature on the hot side. The high temperature controlled and provided through the second branch channel A controller for a hot water supply system, which controls a mixing ratio of hot water and water supplied through the bypass water passage so that hot water discharged from the low temperature hot water outlet is also kept at the low temperature side set temperature; During the high-temperature hot water discharge, a hot water temperature sensor provided in the flow path from the mixing tap to the low temperature hot water outlet detects a high temperature that is not suitable for hot water coming from the low temperature hot water outlet, and closes the water shutoff stopper, While interrupting the hot water discharge, the combustion section,
A control device for a hot water supply system, characterized in that control is performed by appropriately switching from maintaining the set temperature on the high temperature side to maintaining the set temperature on the low temperature side.