JP3974029B2 - Hot water storage water heater - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus for preventing hot water shortage or ensuring hot water warning and improving usability.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in this type of hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank is detected and the flow rate of hot water supply is limited according to the amount of hot water.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-82806
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in this conventional system, when there is a risk of running out of hot water, the hot water supply flow rate is reduced, so the user suspects that the flow rate decreases and that it is a malfunction, and when the user wants to store hot water and use it, it takes time to save It was very difficult to use.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Accordingly, in order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a heating unit for boiling the hot water in the hot water storage tank, and hot water at a set temperature by mixing the hot water with low temperature water. In a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus equipped with a mixing valve for performing the operation, a remaining hot water amount detecting means for detecting a remaining hot water amount in the hot water storage tank, and a hot water temperature corresponding to the remaining hot water amount after the hot water supply for a predetermined time stepwise or continuously. It is provided with hot water supply temperature changing means for reducing the temperature .
[0008]
Thereby, the amount of remaining hot water remaining in the hot water storage tank is detected, and the amount of remaining hot water reaches a predetermined remaining hot water amount that is set in advance, so that the hot water supply temperature changing means is stepwise or This is a continuous reduction, that is, gradually increase the amount of low-temperature water used in the mixing valve to lower the hot water supply temperature, and suppress hot water usage in the hot water storage tank as much as possible to prevent running out of hot water. Without changing the amount, without changing the hot water supply temperature as much as possible, it is possible to proactively notify the user that the hot water is near, and it is possible to extend the hot water as far as possible. It is.
[0009]
The change in hot water temperature by Matakyu the hot water temperature controller, that was carried out after the hot water for a predetermined time, to understand more clearly the change in hot water temperature, it is understandable to the user hot breakage close, early appropriate It can be treated.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 is a hot water storage tank unit, 2 is a heating unit comprising a heat pump unit, 3 is a hot water tap, 4 is a remote controller, 5 is a bathtub, and 6 is a power source.
[0011]
The hot water storage tank unit 1 includes a hot water storage tank 7 for storing hot water, a hot water pipe 8 connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 7, a water supply pipe 9 connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 7, and a high temperature from the hot water supply pipe 8. A mixing valve 11 for mixing water and low-temperature water from the bypass pipe 10 branched from the water supply pipe 9, a hot water supply pipe 12 connected downstream of the mixing valve 11, and a hot water supply temperature sensor 13 provided in the hot water supply pipe 12 A hot water flow rate sensor 14 provided in the hot water supply pipe 11, a water supply temperature sensor 15 provided in the water supply pipe 9, a hot water pipe 16 branched from the hot water pipe 12 and connected to the bathtub 5, and the hot water pipe A hot water filling valve 17 that opens and closes 16, a hot water filling flow rate sensor 18 that integrates the flow rate flowing through the hot water filling pipe 16, and an overpressure relief valve that releases an overpressure in the hot water storage tank 7 that is branched from the hot water discharge pipe 8. 19 and provided in the water supply pipe 9 A hot water supply control unit mainly composed of a pressure reducing valve 20 for reducing the supplied water pressure, a plurality of hot water temperature sensors 21 provided in the vertical direction of the side surface of the hot water tank 7, and a microcomputer for controlling the hot water tank unit 1. 22 and a heating circulation circuit 23 that connects the hot water storage tank 7 and the heating unit 2 to circulate hot water.
[0012]
The heating unit 2 includes a compressor 24 that compresses carbon dioxide refrigerant, a refrigerant-water heat exchanger 25 as a condenser, a decompressor 26, and a heat pump circuit 28 that includes an air heat exchanger 27 as an evaporator, A blower 29 for blowing air to the air heat exchanger 27, a variable capacity circulation pump 30 provided in the middle of the heating circulation circuit 23, a refrigerant-water heat exchanger 25 inlet side of the heating circulation circuit 23, and a refrigerant-water A hot water inlet temperature sensor 31 for detecting the temperature of hot water flowing into the heat exchanger 25 and hot water flowing out of the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 25 are provided on the outlet side of the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 25 of the heating circuit 23. The heat exchange outlet temperature sensor 32 for detecting the temperature of the heater and a heating control unit 33 mainly including a microcomputer for controlling the heating unit 2 are configured.
[0013]
Here, the power source 6 is an electric lamp according to the time zone, and is set at a low price for power charges at night (from 23:00 to 7:00 here). The amount of stored hot water needed for the day is boiled and used, and the electric light is also supplied in the daytime (from 7 o'clock to 23 o'clock). Boiling is performed. The power source 6 is connected to a hot water supply control unit 22, and a communication signal is superimposed from the hot water supply control unit 22 to the remote controller 4 and the heating control unit 33 (including power necessary for the heat pump circuit 27) in a wired manner. To be supplied.
[0014]
When the night time zone is reached, the hot water supply control unit 22 calculates the amount of hot water storage necessary for the next day, and instructs the heating control unit 33 to boil up the target hot water storage amount by the end of the night time zone. The circuit 27 is actuated to start driving the circulation pump 30 of the heating circulation circuit 23. Then, the hot water taken out from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 7 by driving the circulation pump 30 flows into the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 25 of the heating unit 2 and is heated, and is returned to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 7 through the heating circuit 23. As a result, hot water is stored.
[0015]
When the hot water storage temperature sensor 21 provided on the side surface of the hot water storage tank 7 detects that a predetermined amount of high-temperature water has been stored, or when the heat exchange inlet temperature sensor 31 detects a predetermined temperature or higher, the hot water supply control is performed. The unit 22 commands the heating control unit 33 to stop the heating operation, the operations of the heat pump circuit 28 and the circulation pump 30 are stopped, and the hot water storage operation is completed by the end of the night time zone.
[0016]
Here, the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage tank 7 is calculated by the hot water supply control unit 22 as a target amount of stored hot water based on the amount of heat that seems to be appropriate from the hot water supply load for the past several days. Varies in the range of 60 ° C. to 90 ° C. depending on the season (or the feed water temperature detected by the feed water temperature sensor 15) and the amount of target hot water stored.
[0017]
The remote controller 4 includes a temperature setting switch 34 for setting a hot water supply set temperature, a hot water filling switch 35 for instructing hot water filling to the bathtub 5, a hot water filling amount setting switch 36 for setting the hot water filling amount, and a remaining time for hot water supply. An operation unit 38 having a remaining time display switch 37 for displaying the display, a display unit 39 made of a dot matrix type fluorescent display tube, the operation unit 38 and the display unit 39, and the hot water supply control unit 22 A remote control unit 40 mainly composed of a microcomputer that performs communication is provided. During normal operation, the display unit 39 detects the hot water supply set temperature and time information set by the operation unit 38 and the hot water storage temperature sensor 21. The remaining hot water storage amount is displayed. The display unit 39 may be a dot matrix type liquid crystal display unit.
[0018]
Next, when the hot-water tap 3 is opened, the hot water in the upper part of the hot water storage tank 7 is pushed out to the hot water discharge pipe 8 by the water supply pressure from the water supply pipe 9, and the bypass pipe 10 is connected to the bypass pipe 10 by the mixing valve 11 controlled by the hot water control section 22. The low temperature water and the hot water temperature sensor 13 are mixed so that the temperatures detected by the operation unit 37 of the remote controller 4 are mixed and hot water is supplied via the hot water pipe 12.
[0019]
If the amount of hot water supply becomes larger than usual, the hot water supply control unit 22 detects that the remaining hot water storage amount detected by the hot water storage temperature sensor 21 has decreased during the daytime power hours, and the hot water is stored in the hot water storage tank 7. When hot water is expected to run out, the necessary amount of heat is increased using the daytime power at that time.
[0020]
Next, when filling the bathtub 5, when the filling switch 35 of the remote controller 4 is operated, the hot water supply control unit 22 opens the filling valve 17 to start filling, and starts filling. When it is detected that the accumulated flow rate has reached the amount of filling, the filling valve 17 is closed and the filling is completed.
[0021]
Next, a characteristic configuration of the present invention will be described based on the block diagram shown in FIG.
41 is a remaining hot water amount detecting means for calculating a remaining hot water amount from detected temperatures of a plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors 21 at predetermined time intervals, and 42 is a remaining hot water amount detected by the remaining hot water amount detecting means 41 and a predetermined preset stored. This is a hot water supply temperature limiting means for comparing the remaining hot water amount and controlling the hot water supply control unit 22 when the amount is less than the predetermined remaining hot water amount and limiting the maximum hot water supply temperature to 50 ° C. here.
The remaining hot water amount detecting means 41 and the hot water supply temperature limiting means 42 may be programmed and stored in the hot water supply control unit 22 in advance.
[0022]
3 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3. The hot water flow rate sensor 14 detects the start of hot water supply by opening the hot water tap 3 (step 43), and then the high temperature pushed out of the hot water storage tank 7 in step 44. Mixing the water with the mixing valve 11 mixes the low-temperature water so as to reach the set hot water temperature and supplies hot water. In step 45, the hot water is continued for 10 seconds. If YES, the process goes to step 46 when the hot water supply state is stabilized. Then, the remaining hot water amount is detected and it is determined whether this amount is less than the predetermined remaining hot water amount. If YES, the routine proceeds to step 47 where the hot water temperature limiting means 42 limits the maximum hot water temperature. The temperature is limited to 50 ° C., and when the hot water supply set temperature is 50 ° C. or lower, it continues as it is, and when it is 50 ° C. or higher, the hot water temperature decreases.
[0023]
Therefore, by limiting the hot water supply temperature to a constant low temperature, the amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank 7 can be suppressed as much as possible to prevent the hot water from running out or to extend the hot water as far as possible. When the amount of remaining hot water is reduced and the hot water is used in a large amount at a high temperature, it is possible to know that the hot water is almost exhausted by changing the hot water supply temperature, and it is also possible to perform a saving use in advance.
[0024]
Next, another characteristic configuration of the present invention will be described based on the block diagram shown in FIG.
48 is a hot water supply temperature changing means for lowering the hot water supply temperature stepwise in accordance with the amount of remaining hot water when the amount of remaining hot water detected by the remaining hot water amount detecting means 41 reaches a predetermined remaining hot water amount preset and stored. When the amount of hot water is less than or equal to the predetermined amount of remaining hot water, the mixing amount of the mixing valve 11 is controlled via the hot water supply control unit 22 to automatically lower the hot water supply set temperature by several degrees.
The hot water supply temperature changing means 48 may also be stored in the hot water supply control unit 22 in advance.
[0025]
The operation of this configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5. The hot water flow rate sensor 14 detects the start of hot water supply when the hot water tap 3 is opened (step 49), and then the high temperature pushed out of the hot water storage tank 7 in step 50. Mixing the water with the mixing valve 11 mixes low-temperature water so as to reach the hot water supply set temperature and supplies hot water. In step 51, the hot water is continued for 10 seconds. If YES, the process proceeds to step 52 when the hot water supply state is stabilized. Then, the remaining hot water amount is detected and it is determined whether the amount is less than the predetermined remaining hot water amount, here, 100L or less. If YES, the process proceeds to step 53 and the hot water supply temperature changing means 48 sets the hot water supply temperature to -1.5 ° C. This temperature is held until 10 seconds are counted, and the process proceeds to step 55 with YES to determine whether the amount of remaining hot water is 50 L or less. The temperature is set to −3 ° C., and the hot water supply at this temperature is counted for 10 seconds in step 57. Then, the process proceeds to step 58 to determine whether the amount of remaining hot water is 20 L or less. In step 60, the hot water supply at this temperature is counted for 10 seconds, and the process proceeds to the next step.
[0026]
Therefore, the amount of low-temperature water in the mixing valve 11 is gradually increased to lower the hot water supply temperature, and the amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank 7 is suppressed as much as possible to prevent hot water from running out. It is possible to proactively notify the user that the hot water is near, without making the service as bad as possible by changing the hot water temperature, and to extend the hot water as far as possible. In addition, since the hot water supply temperature changes to the low temperature side and changes every predetermined time, the user can immediately know that the change is large and the hot water is almost out, and appropriate measures can be taken as soon as possible.
[0027]
In this embodiment, the hot water supply temperature is changed stepwise and every predetermined time. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the hot water supply temperature may be continuously changed to a low temperature side or after a predetermined amount of hot water supply. It is good.
Furthermore, the heating unit 2 is not limited to the heat pump unit, and an electric heater may be provided in the hot water storage tank 7.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the remaining hot water amount remaining in the hot water storage tank is detected, and when the remaining hot water amount reaches a predetermined remaining hot water amount, the hot water supply temperature changing means sets the hot water supply. regardless of the temperature stepwise hot water supply temperature or those which reduce continuously, i.e., to lower the hot water temperature gradually increasing the amount of cold water in the mixing valve, hot water usage in the hot water storage tank As much as possible, the hot water can be prevented from running out, and without changing the amount of hot water supply, it is possible to actively notify the user that the hot water is about to run out without deteriorating the convenience of use as much as possible by changing the hot water temperature. You can extend the hot water as far as possible.
[0030]
The change in hot water temperature by Matakyu the hot water temperature controller, that was carried out after the hot water for a predetermined time, to understand more clearly the change in hot water temperature, it is understandable to the user hot breakage close, early appropriate It can be treated.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the main electric circuit.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the same.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a main electric circuit of another embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of another embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Heating section 7 Hot water storage tank 11 Mixing valve 22 Hot water supply control section 41 Remaining hot water amount detection means 42 Hot water supply temperature limiting means 48 Hot water supply temperature changing means

Claims (1)

In a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus comprising a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a heating section for boiling hot water in the hot water storage tank, and a mixing valve for mixing hot water with low temperature water to supply hot water at a set temperature. Hot water storage characterized by comprising a remaining hot water amount detecting means for detecting the amount of remaining hot water in the tank, and a hot water supply temperature changing means for decreasing the hot water supply temperature stepwise or continuously after hot water supply for a predetermined time according to the remaining hot water amount Water heater.

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