JP6935703B2 - Hot water storage and hot water supply device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hot water storage device that stores hot water heated by a heat pump heat source machine in a hot water storage tank and uses the stored hot water for filling a bathtub or supplying hot water.

Conventionally, it is equipped with a heat pump heat source machine and a combustion type auxiliary heat source machine, and the hot water heated by the heat pump heat source machine is stored in a hot water storage tank, and the temperature of this stored hot water is adjusted and used for hot water filling and hot water supply in the bathtub. Hot water storage and hot water supply equipment with high energy efficiency is widely used. Such a hot water storage and hot water supply device is generally provided with a function of automatically starting a hot water filling operation so that the hot water filling of the bathtub is completed at a set time, for example, as in Patent Document 1.

Although the heat pump heat source machine of the hot water storage device has higher energy efficiency than the combustion type auxiliary heat source machine, the output is often small, and until the hot water storage operation for operating the heat pump heat source machine to store the necessary hot water is completed. It takes time. In addition, if hot water is discharged from the hot water storage tank during the hot water storage operation for filling the bathtub, the amount of hot water stored will be insufficient accordingly. In this case, the auxiliary heat source machine is also used to complete the filling of the bathtub at the set time, but it is desired to avoid the use of the auxiliary heat source machine as much as possible from the viewpoint of energy efficiency.

In order to avoid the use of the auxiliary heat source machine, there is a hot water storage device that already learns and memorizes the hot water supply status for a certain period in the past, predicts the future hot water supply, and performs the hot water storage operation based on this prediction. Since this hot water storage device can perform the hot water storage operation including the amount of hot water discharged during the hot water storage operation for filling the bathtub, it is possible to avoid the use of the auxiliary heat source machine.

Japanese Patent No. 5816641

Since the heat pump heat source machine is driven based on the prediction of the hot water supply to perform the hot water storage operation, if the actual hot water discharge amount is lower than the prediction, the hot water storage amount is not insufficient and the hot water filling of the bathtub can be completed at the set time. However, if the actual amount of hot water discharged exceeds the forecast, the amount of hot water stored will be insufficient, so the auxiliary heat source machine will be used to supply the shortage to complete the filling of the bathtub at the set time, and the shortage will be supplied. The energy efficiency of the water heater is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a hot water storage hot water supply device capable of suppressing a decrease in energy efficiency due to the use of an auxiliary heat source machine during hot water filling operation.

The invention of claim 1 comprises a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a heat pump heat source machine, a circulation heating circuit connecting the hot water storage tank and the heat pump heat source machine, a hot water discharge passage connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank, and the like. A hot water filling passage branched from the hot water filling passage for filling the hot water of the bathtub and a control means are provided, and the control means controls the hot water filling operation so as to complete the hot water filling at a preset time. At the same time, in the hot water storage device configured to control the hot water storage operation in which the heat pump heat source machine is driven before the hot water filling operation to store the amount of heat required for the hot water filling operation in the hot water storage tank, the control means is used. It is characterized in that an operation means capable of setting a permission to complete the hot water filling before or after the set time is provided.

With the above configuration, it is possible to set a permission to allow the completion of hot water filling before and after the set time. Therefore, when the permission is set, it is possible to allow the hot water filling not to be completed on time, and to complete the hot water filling using only the heat pump heat source machine, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in energy efficiency. ..

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the permission is set by the operating means and the hot water is discharged from the hot water storage tank during the hot water storage operation, the hot water is filled after the set time. It is characterized in that the hot water filling operation is controlled so as to be completed.

With the above configuration, even if the amount of hot water stored is insufficient due to the hot water discharged from the hot water storage tank during hot water storage operation and the hot water filling cannot be completed at the set time, the permission is set by the operating means, so only the heat pump heat source machine is used. It is possible to complete the hot water filling after the set time, and it is possible to suppress the decrease in energy efficiency.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage operation includes a predicted hot water discharge heat amount predicted in advance, and the permission is set by the operating means during the hot water storage operation. When the amount of heat discharged from the hot water storage tank is different from the predicted amount of hot water discharged, the hot water filling operation is controlled so as to complete the hot water filling before or after the set time.

With the above configuration, when the hot water storage operation is performed including the predicted hot water discharge heat from the hot water storage tank, and the hot water discharge heat from the hot water storage tank during the hot water storage operation does not match the prediction and the hot water filling cannot be completed on time. However, since the permission is set by the operating means, the hot water filling can be completed before or after the set time by using only the heat pump heat source machine.

According to the hot water storage and hot water supply device of the present invention, it is possible to avoid the use of the auxiliary heat source machine during the hot water filling operation and suppress the decrease in energy efficiency.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the hot water storage hot water supply apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting of the target hot water storage heat amount based on the learning and memorized data.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described based on examples.

First, the overall configuration of the hot water storage and hot water supply device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
The hot water storage and hot water supply device 1 includes a hot water storage tank 2, an auxiliary heat source machine 3, a heat pump heat source machine 4, and the like. The hot water storage hot water supply device 1 drives the heat pump heat source machine 4 to store the heated hot water in the hot water storage tank 2, and uses the stored hot water for hot water supply and hot water filling of the bathtub 29. Further, the hot water storage and hot water supply device 1 can use the hot water heated by the auxiliary heat source machine 3 for hot water supply, bath reheating, and the like. The auxiliary heat source machine 3 is, for example, a combustion type hot water supply device that heats hot water using the combustion heat of fuel gas.

A hot water discharge passage 11 for discharging hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 2 is connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2. Further, a water supply passage 12 for supplying clean water from a clean water source to the hot water storage tank 2 is connected to the lower portion of the hot water storage tank 2. The bypass passage 13 branched from the water supply passage 12 is connected to the hot water outlet passage 11, and the hot water mixing valve 14 whose mixing ratio can be adjusted as a mixing means for mixing the hot water of the hot water passage 11 and the clean water of the bypass passage 13 at this connection portion. Are arranged. A hot water supply passage 15 is connected to the hot water mixing valve 14, and the hot water mixed by the hot water mixing valve 14 can flow through the hot water supply passage 15 and be supplied to a hot water tap or the like (not shown), and branches from the hot water supply passage 15. The bathtub 29 can be filled with hot water via the hot water filling passage 18 connected to the reheating circuit 28.

An upstream heating passage 5a for supplying hot water to the heat pump heat source machine 4 is connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2, and a downstream heating passage 5b for supplying hot water heated by the heat pump heat source machine 4 to the hot water storage tank 2 is the hot water storage tank 2. A circulation heating circuit 5 is formed which is connected to the upper part and can circulate hot water between the hot water storage tank 2 and the heat pump heat source machine 4. The upstream heating passage 5a is provided with a water entry temperature sensor 6a for detecting the entry temperature of hot water entering the heat pump heat source machine 4 from the hot water storage tank 2, a boiling pump 16 and a switching valve 17. A heating temperature sensor 6b for detecting the temperature of hot water heated by the heat pump heat source machine 4 is arranged in the downstream heating passage 5b, and a return passage portion 5c branched from the downstream heating passage 5b is connected to the switching valve 17. .. When the heating cannot be sufficiently performed immediately after the heat pump heat source machine 4 is started, the switching valve 17 can be switched so that the hot water heated by the heat pump heat source machine 4 is sent to the heat pump heat source machine 4 again.

A plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors 2a to 2d for detecting the temperature of the stored hot water are provided on the outer periphery of the hot water storage tank 2 at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. The hot water storage temperature sensors 2a to 2d and the hot water storage tank 2 are covered with a heat insulating material (not shown) that prevents the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 2 from falling. The hot water discharge passage 11 is provided with a hot water temperature sensor 11a for detecting the hot water temperature of the hot water that flows through the hot water passage 11 and is supplied to the hot water mixing valve 14. The water supply passage 12 is provided with a water supply temperature sensor 12a for detecting the temperature of the clean water supplied from the clean water source. A hot water supply temperature sensor 15a for detecting the hot water supply temperature is provided in the hot water supply passage 15.

The auxiliary heating passage 21 for heating the hot water of the hot water storage tank 2 by the auxiliary heat source machine 3 is branched from the hot water outlet passage 11 and connected to the auxiliary heat source machine 3. The auxiliary heating hot water discharge passage 22 for discharging the hot water heated by the auxiliary heat source machine 3 is connected to the hot water discharge passage 11 on the downstream side of the branch portion of the auxiliary heating passage 21 via a regulating valve 23. The adjusting valve 23 adjusts the amount of hot water supplied to the hot water outlet passage 11 through the auxiliary heating hot water outlet passage 22. The auxiliary heating passage 21 is provided with a three-way valve 24 and a pump 25 for sending hot water to the auxiliary heat source machine 3.

The heat exchanger passage 26 branched from the auxiliary heating hot water passage 22 is connected to the three-way valve 24. The three-way valve 24 is switched so that the hot water of the hot water storage tank 2 or the hot water of the heat exchanger passage 26 can be supplied to the auxiliary heat source machine 3. A heat exchanger 26a and an on-off valve 26b are arranged in the heat exchanger passage 26. The heat exchanger 26a is used for a reheating operation in which the hot water of the bathtub 29 flowing through the reheating circuit 28 is heated by heat exchange with the hot water heated by the auxiliary heat source machine 3 by the operation of the reheating pump 27.

The water supply passage 12 is provided with a check valve 12b and a branch passage portion 12c that branches from the water supply passage 12 and connects to the heat exchanger passage 26. A check valve 13a is provided in the bypass passage 13, and a high-temperature hot water avoidance solenoid valve 30a is provided in the high-temperature hot water avoidance passage 30 branched from the bypass passage 13 and connected to the hot water supply passage 15.

The hot water storage and hot water supply device 1 includes a control unit 7 (control means) that controls hot water supply operation and the like based on a detection signal of the hot water outlet temperature sensor 11a and the like, and is an operation terminal for the user to perform operations such as setting the hot water supply set temperature. 7a (operating means) is communicably connected to the control unit 7. The operation terminal 7a is provided with a plurality of hot water filling switches, switches for various settings, and the like, and is configured to allow permission setting to allow the hot water filling to be completed before or after the set time.

The heat pump heat source machine 4 includes a heat pump circuit 36 in which a compressor 32, a condensing heat exchanger 33, an expansion valve 34, and an evaporation heat exchanger 35 are connected by a refrigerant pipe. In this heat pump heat source machine 4, the refrigerant sealed in the refrigerant pipe is compressed by the compressor 32 to raise the temperature, and the boiling pump 16 is driven to drive the hot water flowing through the circulation heating circuit 5 to a high temperature in the condensed heat exchanger 33. It is heated by heat exchange with the refrigerant of. The refrigerant after heat exchange expands with the expansion valve 34 to become lower than the outside air, is heated by heat exchange with the outside air with the evaporation heat exchanger 35, and is introduced into the compressor 32 again.

The heat of vaporization exchanger 35 includes an outside air temperature sensor 35a for detecting the outside air temperature and a blower 35b. Further, the heat pump heat source machine 4 includes an auxiliary control unit 37 that controls a compressor 32, an expansion valve 34, a blower 35b, and the like. The auxiliary control unit 37 is communicably connected to the control unit 7 and controls the heat pump heat source machine 4 according to the command of the control unit 7. The outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor 35a is transmitted to the control unit 7 via the auxiliary control unit 37.

Next, the hot water supply operation will be described.
Although not shown, the hot water supply passage 15 is provided with a hot water supply flow rate sensor and a hot water supply flow rate adjusting valve. When the hot water supply tap or the like is opened and the hot water supply flow rate sensor detects a predetermined flow rate, the control unit 7 sets the hot water supply temperature of the hot water flowing through the hot water supply passage 15 based on the hot water outlet temperature and the hot water supply temperature. The mixing ratio of the mixing valve 14 is adjusted. Then, the control unit 7 further adjusts the mixing ratio of the hot water mixing valve 14 based on the hot water supply temperature detected by the hot water supply temperature sensor 15a. In addition, when it is difficult to discharge hot water at a set temperature for hot water supply, such as during high-temperature hot water supply, the auxiliary heat source machine 3 is operated to supply heated hot water.

Next, the hot water filling operation will be described.
The hot water filling operation is automatically started so that the hot water filling of the bathtub 29 is completed at the time set by the operation of the operation terminal 7a. In the hot water filling operation, the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 2 is adjusted to a preset hot water filling temperature by the hot water mixing valve 14 and supplied to the bathtub 29 via the hot water supply passage 15, the hot water filling passage 18, and the reheating circuit 28. do. It is also possible to perform hot water filling operation while driving the heat pump heat source machine 4. When the bathtub 29 is filled with a preset amount of hot water, the hot water supply operation is terminated. If the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage tank 2 is insufficient, such as when the hot water filling operation is started by the hot water filling start operation of the operation terminal 7a, the hot water filling can be performed by using the auxiliary heat source machine 3. ..

Next, the hot water storage operation will be described.
The control unit 7 learns and memorizes the usage status of hot water while updating the hot water discharge status data such as the past water entry temperature and outside air temperature of the heat pump heat source machine 4, and the amount of hot water discharge from the hot water storage tank 2. Then, the control unit 7 predicts the amount of hot water to be required in the future based on the hot water discharge status data learned and stored as shown in FIG. 2, and sets the target hot water storage heat amount based on the predicted hot water discharge heat amount. It should be noted that the amount of hot water stored can be set to be increased in advance during the time period when the amount of hot water discharged is large.

The control unit 7 starts the hot water storage operation so that the hot water storage operation for storing the set target hot water storage heat amount in the hot water of the hot water storage tank 2 is completed immediately before the hot water is discharged from the hot water storage tank 2. It is possible to discharge hot water from the hot water storage tank 2 during hot water storage operation. The hot water storage temperature in the hot water storage operation is set to a temperature of, for example, 45 ° C. or higher at which hot water can be supplied at a hot water supply set temperature (for example, 42 ° C.) that is normally set. Basically, the lower the hot water storage temperature, the smaller the temperature difference from the incoming water temperature, so that the COP (coefficient of performance) of the heat pump heat source machine 4 is improved. The hot water storage temperature can be changed according to the capacity of the hot water storage tank 2 and the target hot water storage heat amount, but the energy efficiency of the hot water storage device 1 is improved by setting the hot water storage temperature at which the COP of the heat pump heat source machine 4 becomes high. ..

The operation and effect of the hot water storage and hot water supply device 1 of the present invention will be described.
The hot water storage and hot water supply device 1 predicts the amount of hot water discharged based on the learning and stored hot water discharge status data. The target hot water storage heat amount is set based on the predicted hot water storage heat amount, and the hot water storage operation is started so that the hot water storage operation for storing the target hot water storage heat amount is completed immediately before the hot water discharge. For example, in FIG. 2, a hot water storage operation is performed in which the amount of heat required for hot water filling is stored at 17:00 before the hot water filling operation, including the predicted hot water discharge heat amount from 18:00 so that the hot water filling of the bathtub 29 is completed at 20:00 at the set time. Start. If the amount of hot water discharged during the hot water storage operation matches the prediction or is less than the prediction, the hot water filling operation can be completed at the set time with the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage tank 2 as shown by the solid line L1.

On the other hand, when the amount of hot water discharged during the hot water storage operation exceeds the prediction, the amount of heat in the hot water storage tank 2 decreases as shown by the broken line L2, so that the hot water filling operation cannot be completed at the set time with the amount of heat stored. At this time, if permission is set to complete the hot water filling before or after the set time by the operation terminal 7a, the hot water is heated by the heat pump heat source machine 4 until the hot water filling is completed, and the hot water is filled from the set time. Later, for example, at 20:15, the hot water filling is completed. If the permission is not set by the operation terminal 7a, the auxiliary heat source machine 3 is also used to complete the hot water filling at the set time of 20:00.

In addition, if the amount of hot water discharged during the hot water storage operation is less than expected, the hot water filling can be completed before the set time if the permission is set by the operation terminal 7a, and the hot water storage for the next hot water storage is possible. The operation can be started early. It is also possible to configure the time range allowed for the set time by the permission setting so that it can be set by the operation terminal 7a, and the time range in which the hot water filling completion time is allowed when only the heat pump heat source machine 4 is used can be set. If it exceeds the limit, the auxiliary heat source machine 3 is also used to control so that the hot water filling is completed within the allowable time range.

As described above, since the operation terminal 7a can set the permission to complete the hot water filling before or after the set time, it is allowed that the hot water filling is not completed on time only by driving the heat pump heat source machine 4. be able to. Therefore, since the auxiliary heat source machine 3 is not used, it is possible to suppress a decrease in energy efficiency. In addition, even if the amount of hot water stored is insufficient due to the hot water discharged from the hot water storage tank 2 during the hot water storage operation and the hot water filling cannot be completed at the set time, the heat pump heat source machine can be used as long as the permission is set by the operation terminal 7a. Only 4 can be driven to complete the hot water filling after the set time, and the decrease in energy efficiency can be suppressed.

In addition, even if hot water is stored in the hot water storage operation including the predicted hot water discharge from the hot water storage tank 2, and the hot water discharge from the hot water storage tank 2 during the hot water storage operation does not match the prediction and the hot water filling cannot be completed at the set time. If the permission is set by the operation terminal 7a, the hot water filled with the hot water heated by the heat pump heat source machine 4 can be completed before or after the set time, and the decrease in energy efficiency can be suppressed.

Similarly, a hot water storage device that is not configured to include the amount of hot water discharged during the hot water storage operation in the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage operation for hot water filling is allowed to complete the hot water filling before or after the set time. It is possible to suppress the decrease in energy efficiency. In addition, a person skilled in the art can carry out the embodiment in a form in which various modifications are added to the above embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention includes such modified forms.

1 Hot water storage device 2 Hot water storage tank 3 Auxiliary heat source machine 4 Heat pump heat source machine 5 Circulation heating circuit 7 Control unit (control means)
7a Operation terminal (operation means)
11 Hot water passage 18 Hot water filling passage 29 Bathtub

Claims (3)

For a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a heat pump heat source machine, a circulation heating circuit connecting the hot water storage tank and the heat pump heat source machine, a hot water discharge passage connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank, and hot water filling of a bathtub. A hot water filling passage branched from the hot water discharge passage and a control means are provided, and the control means controls the hot water filling operation so as to complete the hot water filling at a preset time, and before the hot water filling operation. In a hot water storage device configured to drive a heat pump heat source machine to control a hot water storage operation for storing the amount of heat required for the hot water filling operation in the hot water storage tank.
A hot water storage hot water supply device characterized in that the control means is provided with an operation means capable of setting a permission to complete hot water filling before or after the set time. When the hot water is discharged from the hot water storage tank during the hot water storage operation while the permission is set by the operating means, the hot water filling operation is controlled so as to complete the hot water filling after the set time. The hot water storage and hot water supply device according to claim 1. The amount of heat stored in the hot water storage operation includes the predicted amount of hot water discharged in advance.
If the amount of heat discharged from the hot water storage tank during the hot water storage operation is different from the predicted hot water discharge heat amount in the state where the permission is set by the operating means, the hot water filling is completed before or after the set time. The hot water storage and hot water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the hot water filling operation is controlled.

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