JPS63294403A - Steam generator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a steam generator that converts gas, oil, electricity, etc. into thermal energy, and is suitable for using a home bathroom or shower room as a wet sauna. be.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, this type of steam generator, as shown in FIG.
Water is supplied from the water tank to the steam generator by connecting the steam heating pipe 61 and water heating pipe 62 to the steam generator, which is connected by a steam/water separation tube 63, from a cassette type water tank tank 64 to the water heating pipe 62.
Water is supplied to the tank via a circulation pipe 65 by natural head. In the figure, 66 is a burner that heats the water heating tube 62 and the steam heating tube 61.

Furthermore, since the amount of water used is small, drainage is generally not performed to prevent scale build-up within the steam generator. Therefore, no particular drain valve is provided. Furthermore, in a steam generator for commercial use which has a larger water storage capacity than that for domestic use, steam is generated by heating water pipes 68 arranged in multiple stages around the boiler combustion chamber 67, as shown in FIG. Generally speaking, the steam pressure is high, and water is supplied using a high-pressure pump 69 to supply water at a water supply pressure higher than the steam pressure, and the boiler manager or the like periodically opens the drain cock 70 to prevent scale build-up. I was doing it.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such a conventional configuration, when the water heating tube 62 is heated by the burner 66, the water boils and a gas-liquid mixture steam is generated. Then, the gas-liquid mixture is separated in the steam-water separator 63,
Only the steam is further heated in the steam heating tube 61. In this way, when the water in the steam generator is reduced by evaporation,
When the tank tank 64 or a valve (not shown) provided in the water supply channel is opened to replenish water, the steam pressure of the steam generator is applied to the tank tank 64, so the tank tank 64 is isolated from the atmosphere. It had to be a closed type. Also,
In a steam generator such as a facial beauty device that applies steam to the face to open the pores and remove impurities, the tank 64 may be small because the amount of water used is small. When used in a sauna used by people, the amount of water is approximately 4,500 cc per person, which increases the capacity of the tank 64, making the entire device large, and there is also the problem that it must be replenished every time the bath is taken. In addition, if the water tank is an open type tank with an automatic water supply system, the steam pressure from the steam generator will be applied to the water tank through the circulation pipe, so the water level in the water tank will increase to a level equivalent to the steam pressure (approximately 0.2 kg f//C1A). There was a problem that the water tank and steam generator section could not be compactly accommodated in the same block.

Furthermore, there are the following problems with steam generators used in home steam saunas. ■There are no steam generators for home use that have a mechanism that does not require cleaning, such as an automatic drainage mechanism to prevent scale adhesion and eliminate the need for minced meat. ■After taking a sauna bath, it is preferable to drain the water in the steam generator that is enriched with Ca, M9, etc., but it takes time to refill the water and take a long time to prepare for the bath. ■If drainage is not smooth and takes time, and if the time from stopping bathing to re-bathing is short, draining time is added to re-watering time, making bath preparation time even longer.

Also, depending on the amount of steam emitted from the steam generator due to the amount of heat generated by the heating burner, etc., if the heating time is too long, the indoor temperature in the bathroom etc. will rise too much, so limit the usage time or set a timer on the controller etc. It was inconvenient to install and use.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and is compact, facilitates scale adhesion prevention treatment, shortens water supply and drainage time, and shortens preparation time for steam saunas and the like. The object of the present invention is to provide a steam generator suitable for a home steam sauna that is easy to use and can control the bathroom temperature as desired.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a steam generator that boils water to generate steam, and an open system that is directly connected to the water supply and provided with a water supply valve to control the water level to a constant level. a water supply tank, a water supply channel connecting the open water tank and the steam generator and having a water supply pump for supplying water to the steam generator in the middle, a bottom surface of the open water tank and the water supply of the water pump; A drainage channel having a drainage valve is connected in the middle of the downstream of the channel, and a heating source for heating the steam generator and a proportional controller for supplying the heat source are provided, and the water supply pump is operated at a high flow rate when water starts to be supplied, and at the proportional rate when steam is generated. It is configured to include a controller that controls the water supply flow rate to be proportional to the amount of heat supplied by the controller and operates the drain valve when the operation is stopped, and a room controller that has a temperature sensor that senses the room temperature in the bathroom or the like.

According to the above-described configuration, the present invention uses the water stored in the open water supply tank that is directly connected to the water supply and whose water level is controlled at a constant level by the water supply valve and the controller, to be activated by the water supply pump when the water supply to the steam generator is started by an operation instruction signal. The steam generator is driven to supply a large flow rate, and the heating source that heats the steam generator is operated to generate steam from the steam generator. In addition, when steam is generated, the water supply pump is driven to supply a small flow rate, and when steam is generated, water is supplied to the steam generator, and the water supply pump supplies water under pressure, so the steam pressure inside the steam generator is reduced to an open type. The water level in the water supply tank and the steam generator may be approximately the same without being added to the water supply tank, and can be housed compactly.

In addition, by providing a proportional controller that controls the amount of heat supplied by the heating source and a controller that can proportionally control the amount of water supplied by the water supply pump, water can be adjusted to correspond to the amount of water evaporated, which decreases with the generation of steam. It can be replenished.

In addition, since the room temperature can be controlled arbitrarily using the temperature setting device of the room controller, it can be used as a comfortable wet sauna.

In addition, when the operation stop signal is received, the drain valve is opened and the water (hot water) in the steam generator and the water stored in the open water supply tank are drained all at once. This prevents scale build-up within the generator and also shortens bath preparation time.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic diagram of the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is a steam generator, and 2 is an open type water supply tank with an open top, and a water supply valve 3 is directly connected to a water pipe 4, and a water supply pipe 5 is made to face the top of the open type water supply tank 2.

An upper water level sensor 6 for detecting full water and a lower water level sensor 7 for detecting water reduction are provided inside the open water tank 2,
The water supply valve 3 is controlled to open and close to ensure a water level above a certain level. Incidentally, an overflow pipe 8 is provided slightly above the upper water level sensor 6 to allow overflow.

The bottom surface of the open water tank 2 and the bottom surface of the steam generator 1 are connected by a water supply channel 9 and a water supply pump 10 provided midway.

An upper limit water level sensor 11 for detecting the upper limit of water supplied into the steam generator 1 and a lower limit water level sensor 12 for detecting the lower limit are provided on the side wall of the steam generator 1. Further, the steam generator 1 includes a steam generation chamber 16 and a steam outlet 17 connected to a sauna room (or a bathroom) at the top thereof. A drainage channel 18 is connected between the bottom surface of the open water tank 2 and the water supply channel 9 downstream of the water supply pump 10, and a drain pipe 20 is provided downstream of the drainage channel 18 with a drain valve 19 connected to the overflow pipe 8. establish. A burner 14 for heating the steam generator 1 and a proportional control valve 13 for supplying fuel are provided at the bottom, and a water level sensor 6.7.11.12 and a water supply valve 3 are installed at the bottom.
, the water supply pump 101 is connected to the proportional control valve 13 and the drain valve 19, and a steam outlet 23 is connected to the steam outlet 17 via a steam pipe 22 in a bathroom or the like 21.

The water supply pump 10 and the proportional control valve 13 are configured to proportionally control the fuel supply amount and the water supply flow rate by a bathroom controller 24 provided with a temperature sensor 25 to detect the bathroom temperature.
A steam generator for a sauna is constructed by providing a controller 15 having a function of arbitrarily controlling the bathroom temperature by controlling the temperature of the bathroom.

Next, the operation will be explained based on FIGS. 2 and 3.

An operation switch (not shown) provided in the controller 15
When turned on, the operation command 35 first detects the water level judgment 36 of the water tank by the water tank water level judgment circuit 26 using the lower water level sensor 7 and the upper water level sensor 6, and operates the water valve drive circuit 27 to close the water supply valve. 3 to "open" 37 and start supplying tap water. When the upper water level sensor 6 detects the full water level WOH by water supply, the water supply valve 3 is "closed" 3B, and when the lower water level WOL is detected by the lower water level sensor 7 (by the water level judgment 36), the water supply valve 3 is "opened" 37 again. The water supply valve "close" sequence 38 is repeated, and the water level in the open water supply tank 2 is controlled to be equal to or higher than a certain water level.

Further, at the same time as water is supplied to the open water supply tank 2, the water supply pump drive circuit 28 is operated by the steam generator water level determination circuit 29 until the upper limit water level wH in the steam generator 1 is reached in the steam generator water level determination 39. Then, the water stored in the water tank 2 is supplied under pressure by the water supply pump jONJ (large flow rate) 40. When the upper limit water level sensor 11 detects the upper limit water level wH, the water supply pump 10 is stopped at the water supply pump 0FFJ41.

At the same time, the proportional control valve 13 is controlled by the proportional control valve drive circuit 3o.
The proportional control valve "0NJ42 is opened to ignite the fuel, the ignition of the heating burner 14 is confirmed by the ignition detection 43, and combustion is continued, and the water stored in the lower part of the steam generator 1 is heated by the heating burner 14. As a result, when the water boils, steam generation 44 is generated in the steam generation chamber 16, and the filled steam is supplied to the steam outlet 17.

When the steam pipe 22 connected to the steam outlet 17 is guided into a household bathroom, etc. 21, a shower room, a sauna room, etc. by connecting the steam outlet 23, and the steam pipe 22 is brought into the room, the heat of the sent steam is generated. It can be used as a wet sauna as the indoor temperature rises and the steam generates high humidity.

When the water in the steam generator 1 decreases by being heated by the heating burner 14 and generating steam, the lower limit water level WL
When the lower limit water level sensor 12 detects the steam generator water level judgment 45 by the steam generator water level judgment circuit 29, the feed water pump drive circuit 28 operates and the water feed pump "oN" receives the amount>4.
6, the water supply pump 1o is pressurized to supply water at a pressure that overcomes the steam pressure, and when the upper limit water level wH is detected by the upper limit water level sensor 11, the water supply pump 1o is stopped at 47.In this way, when steam is generated, By supplying water under pressure using the water supply pump 10 at a received flow rate, steam generation can be continued continuously.

Here, in order to prevent the room temperature in the bathroom from rising too much due to continuous steam generation 48, the temperature is set by operating, for example, the adjustment volume of the bathroom temperature setting device 32 of the bathroom controller 24 provided in the bathroom 21. A temperature sensor 25 detects the bathroom temperature by controlling the bathroom temperature 49 and determining the set temperature 50 so that the temperature becomes the desired temperature (desired sauna bathing temperature).
The comparator 33 compares and calculates the signal from the bathroom temperature setting device 32 with the signal from the bathroom temperature setting device 32, and the proportional control valve drive circuit 30 is operated with the output processed by the proportional control circuit 31, which operates the proportional control valve 13 and controls the heating burner. The bathroom temperature is stably controlled by controlling the combustion amount of 14.

By controlling the amount of steam generated by the heating of the heating burner 14 in this manner, the bathroom temperature can be controlled to an arbitrary set temperature by adjusting the temperature variable 51 of the bathroom temperature setting device a2 in the bathroom. In addition, the upper limit water level wH and the lower limit water level W are determined in the steam generator water level judgment 52 based on the signal from the proportional control circuit 31.
L is detected by the water level sensors 11 and 12, and the water supply pump 10
By using the water supply pump control 53 and the water supply flow rate control 54 to supply water under pressure at a water supply flow rate proportional to the amount of fuel supplied, continuous steam generation can be obtained by supplying water in proportion to the amount of steam generated by heating. . As mentioned above, the water supply pump 10 is connected to the proportional control circuit 31 in the controller 15 so that water is supplied under pressure at a large flow rate when water supply starts, and when steam is generated, water is supplied under pressure at a flow rate proportional to the amount of fuel supplied. The control valve drive circuit 30 and the water supply pump drive circuit 28 are configured to operate.

The water supply pump 1o has a pressurized water supply function that restores the water level from the lower limit water level WL to the upper limit water level WH. It has the ability to supply water under pressure at a quantity Q and at a water supply pressure P that is greater than the steam pressure PQ acting on the heated portion (water) of the steam generator 1.

However, the capacity of water supply pressure P and water supply amount Q is steam pressure p□
If the amount of evaporated water is too large than the maximum water level QQ, the recovery time from the lower limit water level WL to the upper limit water level WH will be too short, and the boiling area of the heated part will mix with the low-temperature make-up water, causing the hot water temperature to suddenly drop. This is undesirable since it takes time to raise the temperature to the boiling temperature and the amount of steam generated during this time is significantly reduced. For this reason, the water supply pump drive circuit 28 performs variable capacity control using methods such as round bar voltage control, PWM control, and VVVF inverter control in consideration of the capacity of the water supply pump 1o, thereby controlling the water supply pressure P.
If the water supply amount Q is set so as not to exceed the steam pressure PO and the maximum evaporated water amount QQ, it is difficult for the part heated by the make-up water to be mixed with the make-up water, and the amount of reduction in the amount of steam generated during water replenishment is reduced. This is an effective control method. As a result, when steam is generated, the water supply pump 1o can be controlled with a water supply flow rate proportional to the fuel supply amount, and when water supply starts, it can be controlled with a large flow rate, so after turning on the operation switch, the steam generator It is possible to shorten the time for supplying water into the tank and speed up the rise time until steam generation. Furthermore, since the rise in room temperature in the bathroom can be controlled by adjusting the capacity, a comfortable wet sauna bath can be achieved.

In this way, steam can be continuously generated by combustion in the heating burner 14, but some of the Ca and MCI contained in the supplied tap water are contained in the steam and ejected, but most of it is If the hot water remains in the steam generator 1 and is used for a long time, the hot water (
If the water) remains as it is, Cm and M
g is gradually concentrated and becomes extremely highly concentrated hard water, which adheres as scale to the steam generation chamber 16 of the steam generator 1, the steam outlet 17, and the inner wall of the steam generator 1 where the water is stored, and prevents the combustion heat of the heating burner 14 from being absorbed sufficiently. Heat exchange may no longer be possible, the amount of steam generated may gradually decrease, the steam piping may become clogged with scale, and the steam generator may no longer be able to function as a steam generator.

Therefore, in order to eliminate this problem, in order to drain the water in a concentrated state in as short a time as possible, the above-mentioned control is carried out in advance, taking into account the general sauna bathing time of about 10 to 15 minutes. When the built-in tire set by the controller 15 or the bath is finished within the timer set time and the operation switch is turned off while steam is being generated, an operation stop signal is sent to the controller 15 by the operation stop command 55. The proportional control valve 13 is closed at the proportional control valve [0FFJ56, and the combustion of the heating burner 14 is stopped, and the drain valve drive circuit 34 is operated to open the drain valve 19 at the drain valve "0NJ57," and the steam generator 1 is closed. The hot water (water) inside and the water stored in the open water supply tank are discharged all at once to the drain pipe 20 through the drain channel 18.When the drain timer set time 58 built in the drain valve drive circuit 34 is reached, the drain valve is activated. jOFF459 closes the valve and stops operation 6
0.

If you wish to take a bath next time, you can start from the first sequence by turning on the operation switch and pressurize the water supply pump 10 at a large flow rate to quickly generate steam. In this way, water supply and drainage are carried out in a short time each time you take a sauna bath, and the Ca and MQ contained in the water supply are reduced.
It is possible to avoid heating and condensing and settling at the bottom of the steam generator 1, to prevent scales from floating and adhering to the inner wall of the steam generator 1, and to shorten bath preparation time. You can.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the quality of the water during drainage is such that scale containing a large amount of Ca, MQ, etc. tends to settle and adhere to the water, so it is necessary to prevent clogging of the drain channel 18 and the drain pipe 20 due to scale adhesion as much as possible. For the purpose of The drain channel 18, the drain valve 19, and the drain pipe 20 are configured so that the water can be drained after mixing. Then, at the same time as lowering the water quality concentration, the boiling water in the steam generator 1 (
The temperature of the waste water can be lowered by mixing the water in the open water tank 2 with the water in the open water supply tank 2, thereby preventing the danger of directly draining the water (high temperature water).
It is also possible to lower the allowable temperature limit. Furthermore, since all the water in the device is drained, there is no need to prevent freezing when the temperature drops, such as in winter.

Generally, when using a domestic bathroom, shower room, or sauna room as a wet sauna,
Considering the size of a bathroom (approximately 3.3 m'), the amount of water vapor evaporated per unit time is 100 to 300 C.
cZ minute (6ooo~1sooocc/h). In addition, considering the safety during steam generation, the steam pressure is set at 0.2 to 0.5 hgr/d without providing a shutoff valve in the steam piping route from the steam generator 1 to the steam outlet in the bathroom, etc. Therefore, the water supply pump 10 may be selected as a small one.

However, during steam generation, the steam pressure of the steam generator 1 is always applied to the open water supply tank 2 via the water supply pump 10, so depending on the resistance to reverse pressure when the water supply pump 1o is stopped, check valves etc. It is desirable to have it built into the water supply pump 10 or to provide it in the middle of the water supply channel 9 to prevent steam pressure from being applied directly to the open water supply tank.

In addition, the upper water level sensor 6 and the lower water level sensor 7, which detect whether the water in the water tank 2 is full or low, ensure that the water level is above a certain level, and the water is supplied under pressure by the water pump 1o.
It can be compactly accommodated up to approximately the same level as the upper limit water level WH. In general, the bathing time in a wet sauna is about 10 to 15 minutes per session under normal usage conditions, and in winter, the bath time is up to 300 CC/min x 15 minutes = 4,500 cc/min.
Since it is only necessary to evaporate the water in the CC from the steam generator 1, the amount of water stored in the heated section of the steam generator 1 is limited to the amount of water stored in the heating burner 14.
The combustion heat of 10,000 to 13,000 kcal/
Since the steam generator 1 only needs to have a capacity of about 500 to 1000 cc, the steam generator 1 can also be small.

When the steam generator of the present invention uses gas as a heat source, it is about the size of a general gas water heater No. 6 to No. CX
1 liter/min x 60 minutes = 1500 kcal/h) It has the advantage that it can be made as compact as a device of 1 liter/min x 60 min = 1500 kcal/h), and the amount of water supplied increases even more when there are multiple bathers. Actual Kosho 51-40933
This eliminates the inconvenience of manually refilling a cassette-type tank, such as those found in Japanese Patent Publications and facial beauty devices, each time it becomes empty.

In the above embodiment, a burner fueled by gas was used as the heat source, but petroleum, electricity, etc. may be used as the heat source.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention provides a steam generator that boils water to generate steam, an open water supply tank that is directly connected to the water supply and is provided with a water supply valve to control the water level to a constant level, and this open water supply tank. A water supply channel that connects the tank and the steam generator and has a water supply pump for supplying water to the steam generator in the middle, and a water supply channel that connects the bottom of the open water tank and the water supply channel downstream of the water pump, and that a drainage channel having a drainage valve; a heating source for heating the steam generator; and a proportional controller for supplying the heat source;
A controller that controls the water supply pump to a large flow rate when water supply starts and a water supply flow rate proportional to the heat source supply amount of the proportional controller when steam is generated, and operates the drain valve when the operation is stopped; By providing a room controller having a temperature sensor that senses temperature, the following effects are achieved.

■ Water can be supplied to the steam generator under pressure using a water supply pump, so an open water tank can be used, simplifying the configuration, and the steam generator and open water tank can be placed close together, making it smaller and more compact. Become.

■ It is a small and compact steam generator that can be used in home saunas for small groups.

■ It is possible to replenish water even when steam is generated, so it can emit stable steam, making it an extremely suitable steam generator for using a home bathroom or shower room as a wet sauna room. .

■ Since it has a bathroom temperature control function, the room temperature in the bathroom etc. will not rise too much depending on the usage time, and the desired sauna bathing temperature can be set arbitrarily, so you can take a comfortable wet sauna bath.

■ Proportional control allows the control of the amount of heat source supplied by the heating source and the flow rate of water supply to be performed in conjunction with each other, so the amount of steam generated can be controlled arbitrarily, so it is possible to control the amount of steam generated depending on the size of the room such as the bathroom and the insulation properties of the room. Since the temperature rise can be limited and the bathroom temperature can be set to any desired temperature, if steam piping is installed in two locations and bathroom controllers are installed in two locations and used by switching between them, the bathrooms on the first and second floors ( Even if the rooms (sauna rooms) have different sizes, they can be used effectively with one device.

■ As a domestic steam generator, etc., water supply and drainage are repeated in a short period of time each time it is operated, so the Ca and M9 contained in tap water are
The scale content of the steam generator is discharged without concentrating, which reduces scale adhesion on the inner walls of the steam generator.

■ When draining water, it is mixed with the water in the open water supply tank to reduce its concentration before being drained, reducing scale buildup in drains and pipes.

(2) Since scale adhesion can be prevented, the heat exchange efficiency of the steam generator will not decrease and the steam generation efficiency can be fully demonstrated.

■ The water in the open water supply tank is also drained, but when the water supply starts at the start of operation, the water supply pump supplies water under pressure at a large flow rate, so the rise time to steam generation can be quickly made, and the preparation time for bathing in saunas etc. is shortened. This is an easy-to-use steam generator.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a steam generator showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the controller, FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the controller, and FIGS. 4 and 5 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a conventional example. 1... Steam generator, 2... Open water supply tank, 3-... Water supply valve, 9... Water supply channel, 10
...Water pump, 13...Proportional control valve (
Proportional controller), 14... Heating burner (heating source)
, 15...controller, 18...drainage channel, 19...
... Drain valve, 21 ... Bathroom, 24 ... Room controller, 25 ... Temperature sensor. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person/
--- Nu7-Ki generation A +5-1・Ruri Seven Tsuku 1】μ? −Open water tank +
8-41F Waterway 3 - Water Supply Valve 19- Non-Water Valve 9 - Water Supply Channel 21. -Bathroom 10-Ikshime Zunbu 24-Bathroom controller Y roller 1
3 - 1 ratio lP + no 11 suppression 3 - N star degree - nbu 1st figure 14 - MJpL barb 2nd figure compilation 3 figure (Denori page 2') engraving 3rd figure. 2) Cleaning of drawings. To the foreword Figure 4 Otsu 4 Figure 5 1'75' 1986 Patent Application No. 17670 2 Name of the invention Steam generator 3 Relationship with the Urasa case Patent Application Address: 1006 Kadoma, Monsu City, Osaka Prefecture Name:
(582) Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Representative Tani
Akio I 4 Agent Address: 571 Address: Matsushita Electric Industrial System Company, 1006 Oaza Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Date of order: June 28, 1988

Claims (1)

[Claims] A steam generator that boils water to generate steam; an open water tank that is directly connected to the water supply and is provided with a water supply valve to control the water level to a constant level; the open water tank and the steam generator are connected; a water supply channel having a water supply pump for supplying water to the steam generator in the middle; a drainage channel connected to the bottom of the open water tank and downstream of the water supply channel of the water supply pump and having a drain valve in the middle; and the steam generator. A heating source that heats the container, a proportional controller that supplies a heat source to the heating source, and a proportional controller that controls the water supply pump to a large flow rate when water supply starts and a water supply flow rate that is proportional to the amount of heat supplied by the proportional controller when steam is generated. and a room controller having a controller that operates the drain valve when the operation is stopped and a temperature sensor that detects room temperature in a bathroom or the like.