JP2017194250A - Hot water supply apparatus and abnormality determination method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A highly reliable hot water supply apparatus capable of accurately catching an abnormality when an abnormality occurs in the flow of hot water and a method for determining the abnormality are provided. A hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a first pipe for supplying hot water in the hot water storage tank to a first user side device, a second pipe for supplying hot water in the hot water storage tank to a second user side device, and the first pipe. and a flow rate detection means for detecting the flow rate of hot water in the second pipe, based on the difference between the flow rate detected by the flow rate detection means when no hot water is flowing in the second pipe and a predetermined reference flow rate, the first user side Judge the abnormality of the hot water supply to the equipment. [Selection drawing] Fig. 1

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a hot water supply apparatus that supplies hot water from a hot water storage tank to a bathtub and an abnormality determination method thereof.

  There is known a hot water supply device that stores hot water in a hot water storage tank by operating a heat pump unit, and supplies the stored hot water to a bathtub, a bathroom shower, a kitchen, a washroom, and the like by piping.

  This hot water supply device detects the amount of hot water flowing from the hot water storage tank to the bathtub during the operation of supplying hot water from the hot water storage tank to the bathtub, so-called “hot water operation”, and terminates the operation when the detected amount reaches the set amount. .

JP 2002-36101 A

  If dirt or debris accumulates in the piping between the hot water storage tank and the bathtub, or if the filter of the circulation fitting at the hot water outlet of the bathtub is clogged, it becomes a flow path resistance, making it difficult for hot water to flow . If hot water is difficult to flow, the time required for “hot water operation” will be prolonged. Dirt and debris that accumulates in the piping and circulating metal filters gradually increase, so the user hardly notices that the “hot water operation” time is prolonged.

  An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a reliable hot water supply apparatus and an abnormality determination method thereof capable of accurately capturing an abnormality when abnormality occurs in the flow of hot water.

  The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 is a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a first pipe for supplying hot water from the hot water storage tank to a first usage side device, and a second pipe for supplying hot water from the hot water storage tank to a second usage side device. A pipe, a flow rate detecting means for detecting a flow rate of the hot water in the first pipe, and a judging means; The determining means determines an abnormality in hot water supply to the first usage-side device based on a difference between a detected flow rate of the flow rate detecting means when no hot water is flowing through the second pipe and a predetermined reference flow rate. To do.

  An abnormality determination method for a hot water supply apparatus according to claim 4 is an abnormality determination method for a hot water supply apparatus that supplies hot water in a hot water storage tank to the first and second usage-side devices, wherein the flow rate of the hot water to the first usage-side device is determined. A determination step of determining an abnormality in hot water supply to the first usage-side device based on a flow rate detection step to detect and a detected flow rate of the flow rate detection step when hot water is not supplied to the second usage-side device. And comprising.

The figure which shows the structure of one Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the control of one Embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, water supplied from an external water supply source flows into a hot water supply unit (also referred to as a hot water storage tank unit) 1 installed outdoors through a water supply pipe A1. The inflowing water flows to the bottom inlet of the hot water storage tank 5 through the pipe 2 and the pressure reducing valve 3 and the check valve 4 on the pipe 2. A part of the water flowing between the pressure reducing valve 3 and the check valve 4 is led to the first inlet of the mixing valve 7 through the check valve 6, and hot water flowing out of the mixing valve 7 is connected to the pipe (first 2 piping) 8 and hot water supply pipe (second piping) A2 are supplied to second usage side equipment such as a bathroom shower, kitchen faucet, washroom faucet and the like. A flow sensor (flow detection means) 9 that detects the presence or absence of the flow of hot water is attached to the pipe 8. A second inlet of the mixing valve 7 is connected to an upper outlet of the hot water storage tank 5 through a pipe 10.

  A check valve 11 is disposed in the middle of the pipe 10, and hot water upstream of the check valve 11 in the pipe 10 is guided to the first inlet of the mixing valve 12. Water between the pressure reducing valve 3 and the check valve 4 in the pipe 2 is guided to the second inlet of the mixing valve 12. Then, the hot and cold water mixed by the mixing valve 12 is supplied to the outdoor pipe (first pipe) A3 via the pipe (first pipe) 14 and the hopper 15 on the pipe 14, the silver ion generator 20, and the flow switch 21. Is done. The pipe A <b> 3 is introduced into the building and is connected to a first use side device in the bathroom 60, for example, a hot water outlet of the bathtub 61. A circulation fitting 62 having a built-in filter for removing dust is attached to the hot water inlet. The hopper 15 includes an opening / closing valve 16, a check valve 17, a flow rate sensor (flow rate detection means) 18, and a check valve 19. The flow sensor 18 detects a flow rate (liter / t) per unit time t of hot water flowing through the hopper 15.

  A hot water temperature sensor 51 for detecting the temperature of hot water mixed by the mixing valve 12 is attached to the pipe 14 between the outlet of the mixing valve 12 and the hopper 15. Further, a water temperature sensor 22 for detecting the temperature of hot water in the pipe 14 and a water level sensor 23 for detecting the level of hot water in the bathtub 61 through the pipes 14 and A3 are attached near the position of the flow switch 21 in the pipe 14. ing. The flow switch 21 functions as a detecting means for detecting whether or not the flow rate of hot water passing through the pipes A3 and A14 is greater than or equal to a certain value. The flow switch 21 is turned on when it is greater than a certain value and turned off when it is less than a certain value.

  Part of the hot water that has passed through the silver ion generator 20 of the pipe 14 is supplied to the first flow path of the heat exchanger 26 for heating through the bath pump 24 and the pipe 25, and the hot water that has passed through the first flow path. Is supplied to the outdoor pipe A4 by the pipe 27. The pipe A4 is also introduced into the building and connected to the circulation fitting 62 of the bathtub 61. A hot water temperature sensor 28 for detecting the temperature of hot water flowing toward the pipe A4 is attached to the pipe 27.

  Hot water on the upstream side of the check valve 11 in the pipe 10 is led to the second flow path of the heat exchanger 26 via the pipe 30 and the check valve 31 on the pipe 30 and passes through the second flow path. Hot water is supplied to the upper inlet of the hot water storage tank 5 by the pipe 32, the additional cooking pump 33, and the pipe 44.

  Hot water flowing out from the bottom outlet of the hot water storage tank 5 is supplied to the external pipe A5 by the pipe 40 and the circulation pump 41. The pipe A5 is connected to a water inlet of a heat pump unit 70 that is a heating means. The upstream position of the circulation pump 41 in the pipe 40 is connected to the first outlet of the three-way valve 42, and the inlet of the three-way valve 42 is connected to the external pipe A 6 by the pipe 43. The pipe A6 is connected to the outlet of the heat pump unit 70. The three-way valve 42 causes hot water flowing in from the pipe 43 to flow out from one or both of the first outlet and the second outlet. Hot water flowing out from the second outlet is led to the upper inlet of the hot water storage tank 5 through the pipe 44. An incoming water temperature sensor 45 is attached to the pipe 43, and a boiling temperature sensor 46 is attached to the pipe 44. The incoming water temperature sensor 45 detects the temperature of hot water flowing into the hot water supply unit 1 from the pipe A <b> 6, and the boiling temperature sensor 46 detects the temperature of hot water flowing from the pipe 44 to the upper inlet of the hot water storage tank 5.

  The temperature and water level of the hot water in the hot water storage tank 5 are detected by a plurality of temperature sensors T1, T2,... T6 arranged in order from the lower part to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 5.

  In the hot water storage tank 5, hot hot water boiled by the heat pump 70, which is a heating means, is stored from above via the pipe 44, so hot water having a temperature distribution from above to below is stored. That is, hot hot water is stored upward, and cold hot water is stored downward.

  The heat pump unit 70 includes a compressor 71, a refrigerant-side flow path of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 72, a first flow path of the internal heat exchanger 73, a decompressor such as an expansion valve 74, an air heat exchanger 75, and internal heat. It has a heat pump refrigeration cycle in which the second flow path of the exchanger 73 is sequentially connected to circulate the refrigerant, a fan 76 that sends outside air to the air heat exchanger 75, and hot water flowing from the pipe A5 is converted into water-refrigerant heat. A pipe 77 that leads to the water-side passage of the exchanger 72, a pipe 78 that leads the hot water flowing out from the water-side passage of the water-refrigerant heat exchanger 72 to the pipe A6, and a feed water temperature that detects the temperature of the hot water in the pipe 77. A sensor 81 and a boiling temperature sensor 82 for detecting the temperature of hot water in the pipe 78 are provided, the water supplied from the hot water supply unit 1 is heated by the heat pumped up from the outside air, and the hot water obtained by the heating is heated. To 1 To feed.

  A controller 50 is provided in the hot water supply unit 1, and the controller 50 includes a valve / pump / temperature sensor in the hot water supply unit 1, an outside air temperature sensor 83, a remote control type operation device (operation means; abbreviated as a remote control) 63 for the bathroom 60, And the heat pump unit 70 is connected. The remote control 63 has a liquid crystal display unit, a voice input / output unit, an operation door, and the like on the front surface.

The controller 50 controls the entire water supply apparatus, and includes control means 50a to 50d, determination means 50e, and notification means 50f as main functions.
The control means 50 a controls execution of “hot water storage operation” in which hot water in the hot water storage tank 5 is stored in the hot water storage tank 5 while being heated by the heat pump unit 70.

  The control means 50b controls execution of “hot water operation” in which hot water in the hot water storage tank 5 is supplied to the bathtub 61 through the pipes A3 and A4.

  The control means 50 c controls the execution of the “circulation operation” for heat insulation and cooking for circulating the hot water in the bathtub 61 through the pipes A 3 and A 4 and the heat exchanger 26 by the operation of the bath pump 24.

  When the washing button switch of the remote controller 63 is pressed, the control means 50d causes the hot water in the hot water storage tank 5 to flow into the bathtub 61 through the pipes 10 and 14 and the pipe A3, and allows the silver ion generator 20 in the pipe 14 to flow. A part of the hot water passed through the washing pump 24, the pipe 25, the heat exchanger 26, the pipe 27, and the pipe A4 forms a cleaning channel that flows to the bathtub 61 for a certain period of time. Controls the execution of the “cleaning operation” to be activated.

  The determination means 50e is a flow rate when the flow of hot water in the pipe 8 and the hot water supply pipe A2 is not detected by the flow sensor 9 when the "hot water operation" is first executed after the hot water supply apparatus is installed. The detected flow rate (liter / t) Wa of the sensor 18 is stored in the internal memory as a reference flow rate, and the flow of hot water in the pipe 8 and the hot water supply pipe A2 is detected by the flow sensor 9 in the subsequent “hot water operation”. The difference ΔW (= Wa−Wb) between the detected flow rate Wb of the flow rate sensor 18 when not being performed and the stored reference flow rate Wa is obtained, and when the difference ΔW is equal to or greater than a predetermined value ΔWs, hot water is supplied to the bathtub 61. Judged to be abnormal.

  When the determination unit 50e determines that the hot water supply is abnormal, the notification unit 50f notifies the fact by displaying characters or images on the remote controller 63 or generating a buzzer sound.

Next, the control executed by the controller 50 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
When executing the “hot water operation” (YES in step S1), the controller 50 determines whether or not this operation is the first initial operation (also referred to as a test operation) after the water heater is installed (step). S2). In the case of the first operation (YES in step S2), the controller 50 causes the hot water to flow to the second user side device (bathroom shower, kitchen faucet, washroom faucet, etc.) passing through the mixing valve 7, the pipe 8, and the hot water supply pipe A2. On the condition that the flow sensor 9 is not detected (YES in step S3), the flow rate of hot water flowing from the hot water storage tank 5 through the pipe 10, the mixing valve 12, the pipe 14, the hopper 15, and the pipe A3 to the bathtub 61. (L / t) Wa is detected by the flow sensor 18 of the hopper 15 (step S4). Then, the controller 50 stores the detected flow rate Wa of the flow rate sensor 18 in the internal memory as a reference flow rate in an initial state in which dirt and dust are not accumulated in the pipes and valves (step S5).

  When performing the second and subsequent “hot water operation” (YES in step S1, NO in step S2), the controller 50 uses the second use side device (bathroom shower / kitchen) passing through the mixing valve 7, the pipe 8, and the hot water supply pipe A2. On the condition that the flow of hot water to the faucet / washroom faucet etc. is not detected by the flow sensor 9 (YES in step S6), the hot water storage tank 5 to the pipe 10, the mixing valve 12, the pipe 14, the hopper 15, the pipe The flow rate Wb of hot water flowing through the A3 to the bathtub 61 is detected by the flow rate sensor 18 of the hopper 15 (step S7). Then, the controller 50 obtains a difference ΔW (= Wa−Wb) between the detected flow rate Wb of the flow rate sensor 18 and the stored reference flow rate Wa (= Wa−Wb), and the obtained difference ΔW is equal to or greater than a predetermined value ΔWs. It is determined whether or not there is (step S9). The predetermined value ΔWs is, for example, a value that is ½ of the reference flow rate Wa.

  When the difference ΔW is equal to or larger than the predetermined value ΔWs (YES in step S9), the controller 50 determines that there is an abnormality in the hot water supply to the bathtub 61 (step S10), and notifies the determination result by the remote control 63 (step S11). .

  When dirt or dust collects in any of the pipe 10, the mixing valve 12, the pipe 14, the hopper 15, and the pipe A3 that are hot water supply paths to the bathtub 61, or when the filter of the circulation fitting 62 is clogged, They become flow path resistance, making hot water difficult to flow. When hot water becomes difficult to flow, the detected flow rate Wd of the flow rate sensor 18 decreases, so that it is detected as an abnormality in hot water supply to the bathtub 61 and notified by the remote controller 63.

  If hot water is supplied to the bathroom shower / kitchen / washroom, etc., which is the second user side device during the “hot water operation”, the amount of hot water flowing into the bathtub 61 is reduced by that amount. Therefore, accurate abnormality determination is impossible. Therefore, the flow sensor 9 detects whether there is a flow of hot water to the second usage side device, and performs an abnormality determination on the condition that there is no flow. Thereby, the abnormality of the hot water supply to the bathtub 61 can be caught exactly, and the reliability as a hot water supply apparatus improves significantly. The user can detect that there is an abnormality in the hot water supply to the bathtub 61 by notifying the remote controller 63 and immediately entrust the maintenance manager to eliminate the abnormality.

  Even when there is a problem that hot water leaks from the connecting portion between the hot water storage tank 5 and the pipe 10 or the connecting portion between the pipe 10 and the mixing valve 12, the detected flow rate Wd of the flow rate sensor 18 decreases. It can be caught and notified as an abnormality in hot water supply.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the predetermined value ΔWs is ½ of the reference flow rate Wa has been described as an example. However, the value can be appropriately selected according to the length and thickness of the pipe.

  In the above embodiment, the reference flow rate is detected and stored in the case of the first operation. However, if the reference flow rate is not stored in the internal memory, the reference flow rate is stored as the first operation. Good. Further, the reference flow rate may be stored by remote control operation.

  In addition, the said embodiment and modification are shown as an example and are not intending limiting the range of invention. Each of the novel embodiments and modifications can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, rewrites, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. In these embodiments and modifications, the scope of the invention is included in the gist, and is included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Hot water supply unit, 5 ... Hot water storage tank, 12 ... Mixing valve, 14 ... Pipe (1st piping), 15 ... Hopper, 16 ... On-off valve, 18 ... Flow sensor, 20 ... Silver ion generator, 21 ... Flow switch ( Detection means), 23 ... Water level sensor, A2 ... Hot water supply pipe (second pipe), A3 ... Pipe (first pipe), 24 ... Bath pump, 25 ... Pipe, 26 ... Heat exchanger, 27 ... Pipe, A4 ... Pipe , 50 ... Controller, 60 ... Bathroom, 61 ... Bathtub (first use side device), 63 ... Remote control

Claims (4)

A hot water storage tank for storing hot water,
A first pipe for supplying hot water from the hot water storage tank to a first user side device;
A second pipe for supplying hot water from the hot water storage tank to a second use side device;
Flow rate detection means for detecting the flow rate of hot water in the first pipe;
Determining means for determining an abnormality in hot water supply to the first usage-side device based on a difference between a detected flow rate of the flow rate detecting means when no hot water is flowing in the second pipe and a predetermined reference flow rate; ,
A hot water supply apparatus comprising: Flow detection means for detecting the flow of hot water in the second pipe;
The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: The determination means is a flow rate detected by the flow rate detection means when hot water supply to the first user side device is first executed after the hot water supply apparatus is installed and no flow of hot water is detected by the flow detection means. Is stored as the reference flow rate, and then the detected flow rate of the flow rate detection means and the reference flow rate when hot water supply to the first user side device is executed and no flow of hot water is detected by the flow detection means, When the difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that the hot water supply to the first user side device is abnormal.
The hot-water supply apparatus of Claim 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. An abnormality determination method for a hot water supply device that supplies hot water in a hot water storage tank to first and second usage-side devices,
A flow rate detecting step for detecting a flow rate of hot water to the first usage side device;
A determination step of determining an abnormality in hot water supply to the first usage-side device based on a detected flow rate of the flow rate detection step when hot water is not supplied to the second usage-side device;
An abnormality determination method for a hot water supply apparatus, comprising:

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