JP2006349283A - Water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use a solenoid valve having a drainage channel downstream of a mixing valve of a hot water supply pipe, when the drainage channel is opened, after the two-way valve is closed and hot water is supplied to the bathtub, the two-way valve is opened and the circulation operation is performed. When moving to, air may enter from the drainage path, the circulation piping may be filled with air, and the hot water in the bathtub may not be circulated. In addition, the water level of the bathtub cannot be detected by the pressure sensor.
SOLUTION: A hot water source side pipe provided with a solenoid valve 17 having a water supply / drainage path and a bath side circulation pipe 12 are connected to a three-way valve 20, and a water level sensor 19 is connected to one of two pipes of the bath side circulation pipe 12. So that the hot water supply source piping and the piping on which the water level sensor 19 of the bath circulation pipe 12 is not installed communicate with each other and the piping on which the water level sensor 19 is installed is cut off during the addition hot water operation. The three-way valve 20 is switched so that the hot water supply source side pipe and the bath side circulation pipe 12 are disconnected from each other and the hot water is circulated through the bath side circulation pipe 12 during the reheating operation.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a hot water supply apparatus, and more particularly to a hot water supply apparatus for supplying hot water to a bathtub.

There are the following as a hot-water supply apparatus which supplies hot water to the conventional bathtub.
A hot water supply pipe for mixing and supplying hot water supplied from a water supply source and a hot water supply apparatus, and a circulation pipe connected to this hot water supply pipe for circulating the hot water after filling to keep warm.
The hot water supply pipe is provided with a mixing valve that mixes water and hot water, an open / close valve that opens and closes the hot water supply pipe to control hot water supply to the bathtub of hot water after mixing, and a flow rate sensor that measures the amount of hot water supply. Yes.
The circulation pipe consists of a circulation return pipe and a circulation return pipe. The circulation forward pipe includes a flow switch for detecting the flow in the pipe, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure applied to the pipe, and bath water circulating in the pipe. A heater for heating and a two-way valve capable of shutting off hot water flowing in from the on-off valve direction are provided, and a pump for circulating bath water is provided in the circulation return pipe (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-108295 A (page 3, FIG. 1)

In a hot water supply apparatus that supplies hot water to a bathtub, an on-off valve downstream of the mixing valve of the hot water supply pipe is used to drain the backflow water to prevent backflow water from the bathtub from flowing into the hot water supply source such as a hot water storage tank. A solenoid valve with a drainage path is used. Usually, the pressure on the upstream side of the solenoid valve is high, so this drainage path is closed. However, for example, if the pressure on the hot water supply source side upstream of the solenoid valve decreases due to hot water supply to a place other than the bathtub, this drainage path is opened. In the hot water supply device for a bathtub of Patent Document 1, when an electromagnetic valve having such a drainage path is used as an on-off valve, in such a case, the two-way valve is closed and hot water is supplied to the bathtub. If the valve is opened and the operation shifts to the circulation operation (refreshing operation), air flows in from the drainage path, and all the water in the circulation pipe escapes to the bathtub side, and the hot water in the bathtub may not be circulated. In addition, the water level of the bathtub cannot be detected by the pressure sensor.
In particular, such a phenomenon is remarkable when a bathtub is installed downstairs.

The present invention was made in order to solve the above-described problems. By supplying hot water to the bathtub and then shifting to a circulation operation (reheating operation), a large amount of hot water is used in addition to the bathtub. An object of the present invention is to provide a hot water supply device that does not hinder circulation operation and water level measurement by a water level sensor even when the pressure on the hot water supply source upstream of the solenoid valve is reduced and the drainage path of the solenoid valve is opened.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hot water supply device that can detect the water level of a bathtub with a water level sensor during the operation of adding hot water to the bathtub.

  The hot water supply apparatus of the present invention is provided in a hot water supply pipe for supplying hot water, a hot water supply pipe connected to the hot water supply pipe, a bath-side circulation pipe composed of a forward pipe and a return pipe, and a hot water supply pipe. In a hot water supply apparatus having an on-off valve provided with a drainage path for draining and a water level sensor for detecting the water level of hot water in a bathtub provided in a forward piping of a bath-side circulation piping, a hot-water supply piping and a bath-side circulation piping A three-way valve is connected to the connection part of this, and by switching this three-way valve, the hot water supply pipe can be connected to or disconnected from the return pipe and return pipe of the bath-side circulation pipe, and at the time of adding water to the bathtub, Switch the three-way valve so that the hot water supply piping communicates with the return piping that does not have the water level sensor of the bath-side circulation piping, and the outgoing piping with the water level sensor installed is shut off from the hot water supply piping. To warm up When firing operation, the hot water supply pipe is blocked and the bath side circulation pipe, the bath side circulation pipe bathtub water is intended to switch the three-way valve to cycle.

In the hot water supply apparatus of the present invention, when the hot water is supplied to the bathtub and then the operation is switched to the circulation operation (reheating operation), the hot water source side upstream of the on-off valve is used by using a large amount of hot water in addition to the bathtub. Even if the pressure of the on-off valve drops and the drainage path of the on-off valve opens, the water supply source with the on-off valve and the hot water supply source side piping and the bath side circulation piping are cut off, so the circulation operation is possible, and the water level sensor Water level measurement is also possible.
In addition, even when the on / off valve drainage path is open during the operation of adding hot water to the bathtub, the water supply source equipped with the on / off valve and the hot water supply source side pipe and the pipe where the water level sensor for the bath side circulation pipe is installed are disconnected. Therefore, the water level of the bathtub can be detected by the water level sensor, and the water level can be easily managed.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a hot water supply operation to a bathtub while showing a configuration of a hot water supply apparatus of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a circulation operation (a reheating operation). 3 is a block diagram showing the addition hot water operation, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an electromagnetic valve used in the hot water supply apparatus of the present embodiment.
Based on the figure, the configuration of the hot water supply apparatus will be described.
As shown in these drawings, a hot water supply apparatus 1 includes a hot water storage tank 2 that is a hot water supply source, a water supply pipe 3 that is a water supply source that supplies water to the hot water storage tank 2, a hot water supply pipe 6 that supplies hot water from the hot water storage tank, and a bath-side pipe 12. And a control unit 50 and the like.
The hot water storage tank 2 heats the water supplied from the water supply pipe 3 with a heating element 4 installed therein, stores the hot water as a predetermined high temperature hot water, and supplies hot water from the hot water supply pipe 6 as required.
The water supply pipe 3 includes a pressure reducing valve 4 that reduces the water supply pressure to a predetermined pressure, and is connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2. Moreover, it branches from the middle and is connected to the bath side mixing valve 15 which is a mixing valve described later.
One end of the hot water supply pipe 6 is connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2, and the other end is connected to the bath-side mixing valve 15. Further, in the middle of the pipe, one end is connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2 and the other end of the tank circulation pipe 8 provided with the tank circulation pump 10 is connected. In addition, the tank circulation pipe 8 operates the tank circulation pump 10 to equalize the temperature of hot water in the hot water storage tank 2, and at the time of the hot water circulation operation (reheating operation) of the bathtub 11, Used to raise the temperature of hot water in the bathtub 11.

The bath side hot water supply pipe 6 a is connected to the bath side mixing valve 15. The bath-side mixing valve 15 is a mixing valve that mixes hot water supplied from the hot water storage tank 2 through the hot water supply pipe 6 and water from the water supply pipe 3 and supplies the hot water at the set temperature to the bath side hot water supply pipe 6a. .
The bath-side hot water supply pipe 6a reaches the three-way valve 20 via the electromagnetic valve 17 on the downstream side.
The solenoid valve 17 is an on-off valve for supplying hot water having an appropriate temperature by the bath-side mixing valve 15 to the bathtub 11 side, and as shown in FIG. 4, a solenoid valve 23 having a diaphragm 24 and a first check valve 25. , A flow rate sensor 26, an inflow path 30 having a second check valve 27, a drain path 29 having a third check valve 28, and the like. The mixed hot water is introduced from the inflow port (arrow part in FIG. 4), passes through the first check valve 25, the flow sensor 26 and the second check valve 26, and is a three-way valve downstream from the outflow port in the lower part of FIG. It flows out to the 20 side. In this case, the third check valve 28 is closed by the pressure of the inflowing hot water from the bath side mixing valve 15 side. Further, when there is a backflow of hot water from the bathtub 11, the backflow water is prevented from flowing into the hot water storage tank 2 side by the second check valve 27 and the first check valve 25. However, when the second check valve 27 malfunctions due to a failure or the like, the backflow water flows into the third check valve 28 side and is discharged from the drainage passage 29. In this manner, the drainage path 29 can prevent the backflow of water from flowing into the hot water storage tank 2 even when the second check valve 27 is malfunctioning. Further, the drainage passage 29 is normally closed because the pressure on the upstream side of the solenoid valve 17 that is the hot water supply source side is high.

  The three-way valve 20 has one connection port (first connection port) connected to the bath-side hot water supply pipe 6a, and the other two connection ports (second connection port, third connection port) connected to the bath-side circulation piping. 12 is connected. The bath-side circulation pipe 12 opens from the three-way valve 20 into the bathtub 11 during the circulation operation (reflecting operation) shown in FIG. 2, and the forward pipe 12 a for flowing hot water to the bathtub 11 and the opening in the bathtub 11 to the bathtub 11. It consists of a return pipe 12b that sucks in the hot water and flows hot water from the bathtub 11 to the three-way valve 20. One of the other two connection ports (second connection port) is connected to the outgoing pipe 12a, and the other (third connection port) is connected to the return pipe 12b.

A water level sensor 19 that detects the water level of the hot water in the bathtub 11 is provided in the outgoing pipe 12a. The return pipe 12b is provided with a circulation pump 13 for circulating the bath water.
Further, the tank circulation pipe 8 and the return pipe 12b of the bath side circulation pipe 12 pass through a heat exchanger 9 which is a heating means provided in the middle, and the hot water in each pipe can exchange heat.
Temperature sensors 21 and 22 are installed on the inlet side and outlet side of the heat exchanger 9 of the return pipe 12b to detect the hot water temperature in the pipe. The temperature sensor 22 may be installed in the bathtub 11.
In addition, the control unit 50 of the hot water supply device 1 for a bathtub receives the instructions from the detection results of the water level sensor 19, the flow rate sensor 26 and the temperature sensors 21 and 22 and the operation unit (not shown) such as a remote controller, and opens and closes the electromagnetic valve 17. Instructing the valve switching of the three-way valve 20 and the operation and stop of the circulation pumps 10 and 13.

Next, operation | movement of this hot water supply apparatus 1 at the time of bathtub use is demonstrated.
First, the bath 11 is filled with hot water according to FIG. When receiving an instruction to fill the hot water at a predetermined set temperature from the operation unit, the control unit 50 adjusts the valve opening of the water supply pipe 3 side and the hot water supply pipe 6 side of the bath-side mixing valve 15 and opens the electromagnetic valve 17. Further, the three-way valve 20 is opened for all three valves (in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the black valve of the three-way valve 20 is opened and the white valve is closed). Thereby, hot water having a set temperature is supplied to the bathtub 11 from both the forward and return pipes of the bath-side circulation pipe 12 through the bath-side hot water supply pipe 6 a and the three-way valve 20.
The control unit 50 that receives the flow rate information from the flow rate sensor 21 and determines that a predetermined amount of hot water has been supplied closes the electromagnetic valve 17.
Next, with the three-way valve 20 in the state shown in FIG. 3, the pressure is measured by the water level sensor 19, and the relationship between a predetermined amount of hot water and the pressure is stored in the control unit 50. The water level of the bathtub 11 is detected.

Upon completion of the hot water filling operation, the bath automatic operation is performed with the three-way valve 20 in the state shown in FIG. 3, the electromagnetic valve 17 closed, and the circulation pump 13 stopped. During automatic bath operation, the water level sensor 19 constantly detects the water level of the bathtub 11, enters the circulating operation (refreshing operation) state of FIG. 2 at a predetermined interval, operates the circulation pump 13, and the temperature sensor 22 operates the bathtub 11. The hot water temperature is detected, and if necessary, an additional hot water operation or a circulation operation (a chasing operation) is performed as described later.
Even if the drainage passage 29 of the solenoid valve 17 is opened during detection of the water level by the water level sensor 19 during bath automatic operation, the forward piping provided with the water level sensor 19 is blocked from the solenoid valve 17 side by the three-way valve 20. Therefore, there is no inflow of air in the outgoing pipe where the water level sensor 19 is installed, and there is no problem in detecting the water level. That is, during automatic bath operation, the water level of the bathtub 11 can be monitored by the water level sensor 19 at all times.

When the water level of the bathtub 11 becomes lower than the predetermined water level during the bath automatic operation, the solenoid valve 17 is opened and the hot water operation shown in FIG. 3 is performed. At this time, since the water level sensor 19 can be operated while monitoring the water level of the bathtub 11, the amount of added hot water can be easily managed.
In addition, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 22 on the inlet side of the heat exchanger 9 is lower than the set temperature in the circulation operation for detecting the hot water temperature performed at a predetermined interval, the circulation operation (reflecting operation) in FIG. 2 is performed. Do. In the reheating operation, the circulation operation (refreshing operation) ends when the temperature of the temperature sensor 21 on the inlet side of the heat exchanger 9 matches the set temperature.

  The hot water supply apparatus 1 includes a hot water storage tank 2 that is a hot water supply source for storing high-temperature hot water, a hot water supply pipe 6 that is connected to the hot water storage tank 2 at one end and takes out hot hot water from the hot water storage tank 2, and a water supply source that is a water supply source. A bath-side mixing valve 15 that is connected to the water supply pipe 3 and the other end of the hot water supply pipe 6 is connected to mix the water from both pipes with hot hot water to obtain a set temperature hot water; Three-way provided with a bath-side hot water supply pipe 6a whose one end is connected to the bath-side mixing valve 15 and a first connection port, a second connection port and a third connection port whose first valve is connected to the other end of the bath-side hot water supply pipe 6a Between the valve 20, the bath-side mixing valve 15 and the three-way valve 20, an electromagnetic valve 17 which is installed in the bath-side hot water supply pipe 6a and is an on-off valve provided with a drainage passage 29 for draining backflow water from the bathtub 11 The one-way connection to the second connection port of the three-way valve 20 and the other end of the bath-side circulation pipe 12 that opens to the bathtub 11 One end is connected to the pipe 12 a and the third connection port of the three-way valve 20, and the other end is provided in the return pipe 12 b of the bath side circulation pipe 12 that opens to the bathtub 11 and the bath side circulation pipe 12. A circulation pump 13 that circulates hot water in the bath-side circulation pipe 12, a heat exchanger 9 that is a heating means for heating the hot water in the bath-side circulation pipe 12, and a forward pipe 12 a of the bath-side circulation pipe 12 are provided. The water level sensor 19 that detects the water level of the hot water in the bathtub 11 by detecting the water pressure in the bathtub 11, and the temperature sensors 21 and 22 that detect the temperature of the hot water on the inlet side and outlet side of the heat exchanger 9, The detection information of the water level sensor 19 and the temperature sensors 21 and 22 and the setting information of the operation unit are received, the opening degree of the bath-side mixing valve 15 is set, the electromagnetic valve 17 is opened and closed, the three-way valve 20 is switched, the circulation pump 13 run / stop commands Is obtained by a controller 50 that.

Therefore, when the hot water is supplied to the bathtub 11 and then the operation is shifted to the circulation operation (reheating operation), the pressure on the hot water supply side on the upstream side of the solenoid valve 17 is reduced by using a large amount of hot water in addition to the bathtub 11. Even if the drainage passage 29 of the solenoid valve 17 is opened, the bath-side circulation circuit 12 can be disconnected from the solenoid-valve 17 side by the three-way valve 20, and there is no inflow of air into the bath-side circulation circuit 12, so that the circulation operation can be performed. In addition, the water level can be measured by the water level sensor 19.
Even when the drainage passage 29 of the solenoid valve 17 is opened during the operation of adding hot water to the bathtub 11, the outgoing pipe 12 a of the bath-side circulation pipe 12 provided with the water level sensor 19 is blocked by the solenoid valve 17 side and the three-way valve 20. Therefore, the water level of the bathtub 11 can be detected by the water level sensor 19, and the management of the added hot water is easy.
Further, even if the drainage passage 29 of the solenoid valve 17 is opened during automatic bath operation after filling, the outgoing pipe of the bath-side circulation pipe 12 provided with the water level sensor 19 is blocked by the solenoid valve 17 side and the three-way valve 20. Therefore, the water level can always be monitored by the water level sensor 19, and the water level can be easily managed.

  Although this hot water supply apparatus 1 has been described as having a hot water storage tank 2 as a hot water supply source, the hot water supply apparatus 1 is not provided as a hot water supply source, and hot water is supplied from an external hot water supply source through a hot water supply pipe 6. You may do it.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the hot water supply apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention, and hot water filling operation. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the hot water supply apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention, and a circulation driving | operation (reflective driving | operation). It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the hot water supply apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention, and an additional hot water driving | operation. It is sectional drawing which shows the solenoid valve used for the hot water supply apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hot water supply apparatus, 2 Hot water storage tank, 3 Water supply pipe, 6 Hot water supply pipe, 6a Bath side hot water supply pipe, 9 Heat exchanger, 13 Circulation pump, 15 Mixing valve, 20 Three-way valve, 11 Bathtub, 12 Bath side circulation piping, 17 Electromagnetic Valve (open / close valve) 19 Water level sensor, 21, 22 Temperature sensor, 23 Solenoid valve, 25 First check valve, 26 Second check valve, 28 Third check valve, 29 Drain path, 30 Inflow path, 50 Control Department.

Claims (2)

A hot water supply pipe for supplying hot water, a bath-side circulation pipe connected to the hot water supply pipe and composed of a forward pipe and a return pipe, and a drainage path for draining backflow water from the bathtub provided in the hot water supply pipe In a hot water supply apparatus comprising: an on-off valve provided with a water level sensor that is provided in a forward pipe of the bath-side circulation pipe and detects a water level of hot water in a bathtub,
A three-way valve is connected to the connecting portion between the hot water supply pipe and the bath side circulation pipe, and the hot water supply pipe can be connected to or disconnected from the return pipe and return pipe of the bath side circulation pipe by switching the three way valve. When the hot water is added to the bathtub, the hot water supply pipe communicates with the return pipe not provided with the water level sensor of the bath-side circulation pipe, and the forward pipe provided with the water level sensor is connected with the hot water supply. In the reheating operation in which the three-way valve is switched so as to be disconnected from the piping and the bath water is heated, the hot water supply piping is disconnected from the bath-side circulation piping, and the bath-side circulation piping is connected to the bath hot water. A hot water supply apparatus, wherein the three-way valve is switched so as to circulate. A hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a hot water supply pipe for extracting hot hot water from the hot water storage tank, a water supply pipe for water supply, hot water from the hot water supply pipe and water from the water supply pipe are mixed to set the temperature. A mixing valve for mixing hot water, a bath-side hot water supply pipe for supplying mixed hot water from the mixing valve, and a bath-side circulation pipe connected to the bath-side hot water supply pipe and composed of a bath outlet pipe and a bath return pipe An open / close valve provided in the bath-side hot water supply pipe and having a drainage path for draining backflow water from the bathtub and a bath-out pipe of the bath-side circulation pipe for detecting the water level of the hot water in the bathtub A water level sensor, a three-way valve provided at a connection between the hot water supply pipe and the bath side circulation pipe, and an additional hot water operation for adding hot water to the bathtub, the water level of the bath side hot water supply pipe and the bath side circulation pipe A bath return pipe without a sensor communicates with the water The bath-side hot water supply pipe is connected to the bath-side hot water supply pipe during the reheating operation in which the three-way valve is switched so that the bath-out pipe where the sensor is installed is disconnected from the bath-side hot water supply pipe. A hot water supply apparatus comprising: a control device that is cut off from a side circulation pipe and switches the three-way valve so that bath water circulates through the bath side circulation pipe.

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