Bath hot water supply device

Abstract

To be able to supply non-heated potable water from auxiliary heating means when disinfecting a reheating circulation passage with functional water, even in the case where the auxiliary heating means is provided in a water supply passage.SOLUTION: In a bath hot water supply device (1), a functional water generation device (18) for generating functional water such as ozone water is provided in a bypass passage (9) branching from a branch part of a hot water pouring passage (3) and merging with the further downstream side than the branch part. At the branch part, a flow passage switching valve is provided and selection can be made between the hot water pouring passage (3) and the bypass passage (9). At a water supply passage (20) for supplying supply water to hot water supply heating means, auxiliary heating means (30) is provided. In a normal hot water supply operation and a hot water pouring operation, high temperature water adjusted to the setting temperature beforehand is supplied to the water supply passage (20) from the auxiliary heating means (30), and in an operation for supplying functional water to a reheating circulation passage (4) by driving the functional water generation device (18), non-heated potable water is supplied to the water supply passage (20) from the auxiliary heating means (30).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hot water supply device for a bath, and more particularly to a hot water supply device for a bath provided with a functional water generating device for generating functional water such as ozone water in a hot water pouring passage. [Background technology]

[0002] Bath water heaters that are connected to a bathtub to supply hot water to the bathtub or reheat bath water are widely in practical use, and are equipped with a reheating circulation passage configured to circulate and heat the bathtub water, a circulation pump for circulating the bathtub water through this reheating circulation passage, a heating means for heating the bathtub water, a hot water supply passage for supplying hot water to the reheating circulation passage, an opening / closing valve provided in the hot water supply passage for supplying and cutting off the hot water, a flow rate adjustment means for adjusting the flow rate of the hot water, and a flow rate detection means.

[0003] In order to sterilize the reheating circulation passage that reheats bath water, a technology is known in which a functional water generator is interposed in the hot water supply passage and functional water such as ozone water is supplied to the reheating circulation passage. Since ozone becomes less soluble in water at higher water temperatures, when sterilizing the reheating circulation passage with ozone water, it is necessary to generate ozone water and supply it to the reheating circulation passage while supplying unheated water to the reheating circulation passage.

[0004] The hot water supply system described in Patent Document 1 discloses a hot water supply system for a bath with a reheating function that performs a pipe cleaning operation to clean the inside of the pipes including the reheating circulation passage after draining the bathtub. The supply amount and temperature of cleaning water in this pipe cleaning operation are calculated based on at least the number of people taking a bath and the water temperature at the time of bathing.

[0005] In the bath hot water system described in Patent Document 2, a silver ion generator is installed in the pipes used to fill the bathtub, and when the pipes are cleaned, a certain amount of new hot water or water is supplied to the reheating circulation passage while silver ions are supplied from the silver ion generator to clean the pipes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-183882 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4951495 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In some cases, the water supply system of a bath hot water supply system is connected to an auxiliary heating device such as a solar water heater that supplies hot water. In such cases, hot water from the auxiliary heating device is supplied to the water supply system preferentially, and the piping of the water supply system is filled with hot water.

[0008] In this state, if ozone water is generated in the hot water supply passage, there is a risk that ozone water of a sufficient concentration may not be generated, so hot water purge operation must be performed until the hot water in the piping is replaced with low-temperature tap water, and then ozone water must be generated, which increases the consumption of tap water and is not economical.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to make it possible to supply unheated clean water from the auxiliary heating means when the reheating circulation passage is sterilized with functional water, even when an auxiliary heating means is provided in the water supply passage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The bath hot water supply device of claim 1 comprises a hot water supply passage for heating supply water with a hot water heating means and supplying it to a hot water tap, a reheating circulation passage connected to a bathtub and configured to circulate and heat the bath water, a circulation pump for circulating the bath water through the reheating circulation passage, a reheating heating means for heating the bath water, a hot water supply passage branching off from the hot water supply passage and supplying hot water to the reheating circulation passage, an on-off valve provided in the hot water supply passage for supplying and cutting off the hot water, and a hot water flow rate adjustment means and a hot water flow rate detection means, and further comprises a bypass passage branching off from the hot water supply passage and connected to the hot water supply passage downstream of the branching point, and a functional water generating device is interposed in the bypass passage for generating functional water for cleaning and sterilizing the inside of the piping of the reheating circulation passage, and a flow path switching valve is provided at the branching point so that either the hot water supply passage or the bypass passage can be selected. An auxiliary heating means is provided in the water supply passage for supplying the supply water to the hot water heating means, and during normal hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation, high temperature water adjusted to a predetermined temperature is supplied to the water supply passage from the auxiliary heating means, and during pipe cleaning operation in which the functional water generation device is driven to supply functional water to the reheating circulation passage, unheated clean water is supplied to the water supply passage from the auxiliary heating means.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the auxiliary heating means is provided in the water supply passage for supplying the supply water to the hot water heating means, and in normal hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation, high temperature water adjusted to a preset temperature is supplied from the auxiliary heating means to the water supply passage, thereby reducing the heating load by the hot water heating means. Also, in operation in which the functional water production device is driven to supply functional water to the reheating circulation passage, unheated clean water is supplied from the auxiliary heating means to the water supply passage and the hot water pouring passage, so there is no hindrance to the production of functional water by the functional water production device.

[0012] The bath hot water supply device of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 1, a thermal cleaning operation is performed to supply high-temperature water to the reheating circulation passage before a pipe cleaning operation in which the functional water generation device is driven to supply functional water to the reheating circulation passage, and during the thermal cleaning operation, unheated clean water supplied from the auxiliary heating means is heated by the hot water heating means, and when the thermal cleaning operation is completed, the unheated clean water is circulated to the hot water supply passage through a hot water bypass passage arranged to bypass the hot water heating means to drive the functional water generation device.

[0013] According to the above configuration, before the operation of supplying functional water to the reheating circulation passage, a thermal cleaning operation is performed in which unheated clean water supplied from the auxiliary heating means to the reheating circulation passage is heated by the hot water supply heating means to supply high-temperature water, so that grease adhering to the inner surface of the reheating circulation passage can be cleaned by thermal cleaning. In particular, cleaning can be performed using high-temperature water sufficiently heated by the hot water supply heating means. When the thermal cleaning operation is completed, non-heated clean water is circulated through the hot water supply bypass passage, which is provided to bypass the hot water supply heating means, to drive the functional water production device, so that the production of functional water by the functional water production device is not hindered.

[0014] The bath hot water supply device of claim 3 is the invention of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary heating means is a hot water storage and hot water supply system having a hot water tank, a drinking water pipe, a hot water supply pipe, and a hot water storage bypass pipe that branches off from the drinking water pipe, bypasses the hot water storage tank, and is connected to the hot water supply pipe, and is characterized in that it is possible to select between mixing high-temperature water stored in the hot water tank with low-temperature drinking water from the hot water storage bypass pipe and adjusting the temperature to a set temperature before supplying it, or to supply only low-temperature drinking water from the hot water storage bypass pipe.

[0015] According to the above configuration, the auxiliary heating means can select whether to mix the high-temperature water stored in the hot water tank with the low-temperature clean water from the hot water bypass pipe and supply the resultant mixture at a set temperature, or to supply only the low-temperature clean water from the hot water bypass pipe. Therefore, the supply of high-temperature water or clean water can be appropriately selected, which improves the usability of the bath hot water supply device.

[0016] The bath hot water supply device of claim 4 is the invention of any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the functional water production device is an ozone water production device that produces ozone water. According to the above configuration, since the functional water production device is an ozone water production device, the reheating circulation passage can be sterilized with ozone water. Effect of the Invention

[0017] As described above, the present invention provides various operational effects. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a bath hot water supply device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an auxiliary heating means (hot water storage and supply system). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the bath hot water supply device 1 will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the bath hot water supply device 1 has a heating unit 11 that heats tap water or hot water, and a water supply passage 20 that supplies tap water to the heating unit 11 from a water supply port 1a, and supplies the hot water heated by the heating unit 11 to a hot water supply passage 2. The bath hot water supply device 1 also has a hot water bypass passage 23 that branches off from a distribution valve 21 arranged in the water supply passage 20 so as to bypass the heating unit 11 and is connected to the hot water supply passage 2, and can mix tap water with the hot water in the hot water supply passage 2.

[0020] Heating unit 11 burns fuel gas supplied from fuel supply unit 14 to burner 13 using air supplied from combustion fan 12, and uses the resulting combustion heat to heat clean water supplied from water supply passage 20 in heat exchange units 16a and 16b and supply it to hot water passage 2. Heat exchange unit 16a is a secondary heat exchanger, and heat exchange unit 16b is a primary heat exchanger. By adjusting the distribution ratio of distribution valve 21 that distributes clean water to the heating unit 11 side and the hot water bypass passage 23 side, hot water adjusted to a hot water target temperature set, for example, from a kitchen remote control, is supplied via hot water passage 2 to, for example, a hot water tap.

[0021] The bath water heater 1 also has a reheating circulation passage 4, a reheating burner 15 provided in the heating section 11, and reheating heat exchange sections 17a and 17b for reheating hot water in the bathtub 4c (see FIG. 2). The heat exchange section 17a is a secondary heat exchanger, and the heat exchange section 17b is a primary heat exchanger. The hot water circulated between the bathtub 4c and the reheating heat exchange sections 17a and 17b by the drive of the circulation pump 5 arranged in the reheating circulation passage 4 is heated in the heat exchange sections 17a and 17b by using the combustion heat of the fuel gas supplied from the fuel supply section 14 to the reheating burner 15. The drain generated in the secondary heat exchangers 16a and 17a is discharged through drain passages 6a and 6b, and a neutralizer 7 is interposed in the middle of the drain passages 6a and 6b.

[0022] The reheating circulation passage 4 has a bath return passage 4a and a bath supply passage 4b. A hot water pouring passage 3 branching off from the hot water supply passage 2 is connected to the bath return passage 4a. A flow rate adjustment valve 24, a hot water pouring flow rate sensor 25, and a hot water pouring solenoid valve 26 are interposed in the hot water pouring passage 3. Hot water heated in the heat exchange sections 16a and 16b of the heating section 11 can be sent via the hot water pouring passage 3 and the reheating circulation passage 4 to fill the bathtub 4c.

[0023] The bath hot water supply device 1 has a reheating circulation passage 4, a circulation pump 5, a heating means 11, a hot water supply passage 3, a hot water supply solenoid valve 26 for supplying and cutting off hot water, a flow control valve 24, a hot water supply flow rate sensor 25, and an ozone water generation device 18 (functional water generation device) described later.

[0024] The bath hot water supply device 1 has a hot water supply control unit 10 that controls, for example, a hot water supply operation that supplies hot water at a target hot water supply temperature, a hot water filling operation for the bathtub 4c, and a reheating operation. A water supply flow rate sensor 22 is disposed downstream of the distribution valve 21 in the water supply passage 20. When the hot water supply control unit 10 detects a flow rate equal to or greater than a predetermined heating start flow rate, for example, when the hot water tap is opened and hot water flows in the hot water supply passage 2 and clean water is supplied from the water supply passage 20 to the heat exchangers 16a and 16b, the burner 13 is ignited to start combustion.

[0025] The bath hot water supply device 1 requires a certain amount of delay time from when the hot water tap is opened until the burner 13 is ignited and combustion starts. This delay time is generally about one second, but may be longer than one second depending on, for example, the installation environment of the bath hot water supply device 1. On the other hand, when the hot water tap is closed and the flow rate detected by the water supply flow rate sensor 22 falls below a predetermined heating stop flow rate, the hot water supply control unit 10 stops combustion in the burner 13.

[0026] A bypass passage 9 is provided in the hot water supply passage 3, which branches off from a branching point midway and is connected to the hot water supply passage 3 downstream of the branching point, with a flow path switching valve 8 disposed at the branching point, and an ozone water generator 18, which is a functional water generator, disposed in the bypass passage 9. The ozone water generator 18 dissolves ozone, which is generated when water is electrolyzed, into the hot water in the bypass passage 30.

[0027] The flow path switching valve 8 is switched to a position that communicates the hot water supply passage 3 when the bath hot water supply device 1 is in a normal operating state, and is switched to select the bypass passage 9 when ozone water generated by the ozone water generator 18 is supplied to the reheating circulation passage 4 to sterilize the inside of the piping during maintenance operation to sterilize the reheating circulation passage 4, instead of the normal operating state. Therefore, the hot water supply passage 3 and the reheating circulation passage 4 downstream of the bypass passage 9 are sterilized with ozone water.

[0028] Next, the hot water storage and supply system 30 (corresponding to the auxiliary heating means) will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The hot water storage and supply system 30 is provided so as to be connected to the water supply port 1a and the water supply passage 20 of the bath hot water supply device 1. The hot water storage and supply system 30 includes a hot water storage unit 31 equipped with a hot water storage tank 33, and a heat pump unit 32. The hot water storage and supply system 30 performs a hot water storage operation in which hot water heated to a target hot water storage temperature by the heat pump unit 32 is stored in the hot water storage tank 33.

[0029] Next, the hot water storage unit 31 will be described. An HP supply pipe 35a equipped with a pump 34 is connected to the bottom of the hot water storage tank 33 in order to supply hot water from the hot water storage tank 33 to the heat pump unit 32. An HP return pipe 35b is connected to the top of the hot water storage tank 33 in order to store hot water heated by the heat pump unit 32 in the hot water storage tank 33. A switching valve 36 for switching the hot water flow path is provided midway along the HP return pipe 35b, and a return branch pipe 37 branched off from the HP return pipe 35b at this switching valve 36 is connected to a portion of the HP supply pipe 35a upstream of the pump 34.

[0030] A return temperature sensor 38 that detects the temperature of the hot water heated by the heat pump unit 32 is disposed upstream of the switching valve 36 on the HP return pipe 35b. For example, immediately after the start of hot water storage operation, the heat pump unit 32 cannot heat the water sufficiently, so the switching valve 36 is switched from the hot water tank 33 side to the return branch pipe 37 side, and the hot water can be circulated without being returned to the hot water tank 33 until it can be heated sufficiently.

[0031] A clean water pipe 39 that supplies clean water from a water supply port 31a as shown by an arrow CW is connected to the bottom of the hot water tank 33. A hot water supply pipe 40 that supplies hot water from the hot water tank 31 to the hot water tank 33 is connected to the top of the hot water tank 33. A water supply pipe 39b that branches off from the clean water pipe 39 is connected to the bottom of the hot water tank 33.

[0032] A mixing valve 41 is provided in the hot water supply pipe 40. A hot water bypass pipe 39a that branches off from the clean water pipe 39 and bypasses the hot water tank 33 is connected to the mixing valve 41. The hot water from the hot water tank 33 and the clean water from the hot water bypass pipe 39a are mixed by the mixing valve 41 and discharged from the hot water storage unit 31. A high-temperature hot water discharge prevention pipe 42 that connects the hot water bypass pipe 39a and the hot water supply pipe 40, and a high-temperature hot water discharge prevention valve 43 installed in the high-temperature hot water discharge prevention pipe 42 are also provided.

[0033] By opening the hot water bypass pipe 39a side by means of the mixing valve 41, unheated clean water supplied from the clean water pipe 39 can be supplied to the water supply port 1a. In the hot water tank 33, a plurality of hot water temperature sensors 33a-33d are arranged at predetermined intervals in the height direction, and can detect the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water tank 33 and the amount of hot water stored at that temperature. In order to prevent the temperature of the stored hot water from dropping, a heat insulating material (not shown) is arranged to cover the hot water temperature sensors 33a-33d and the hot water tank 33.

[0034] A clean water temperature sensor 44 that detects the temperature of the clean water (supply water temperature) is disposed in the clean water piping 39. A hot water supply flow rate sensor 45 that detects the hot water supply flow rate of hot water supplied from the hot water storage unit 31, a hot water storage tank temperature sensor 46 that detects the temperature of hot water supplied from the hot water storage tank 33 (tank outlet temperature), and a hot water supply temperature sensor 47 that detects the hot water supply temperature from the hot water storage tank 33 are disposed in the hot water supply piping 40.

[0035] The hot water supply pipe 40 of the hot water storage unit 31 and the water supply port 1a of the bath hot water supply device 1 are connected by a connecting pipe 48. The hot water supply port 1b of the bath hot water supply device 1 is connected to a hot water supply pipe 50 connected to a hot water tap 49. The high-temperature water or clean water discharged from the hot water storage unit 31 is supplied to the water supply passage 20 of the bath hot water supply device 1.

[0036] In the hot water storage operation, the heat pump unit 32 and the pump 34 are driven to circulate hot water between the hot water storage tank 33 and the heat pump unit 32, and hot water introduced from the bottom of the hot water storage tank 33 to the heat pump unit 32 is heated and returned to the top of the hot water storage tank 33 for storage. This forms a temperature stratification in the hot water storage tank 33, with hot water at the target hot water storage temperature in the upper layer and hot water before heating in the lower layer. The hot water storage unit 31 has a hot water storage unit control unit 10A that controls this hot water storage operation and the adjustment of the temperature of the hot water discharged from the hot water storage unit 31 by the mixing valve 41, and this hot water storage unit control unit 10A is connected to the hot water supply control unit 10 (see FIG. 1).

[0037] The effects of the above-described bath hot water supply device 1 will now be described. During normal hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation, high-temperature water adjusted to a predetermined temperature is supplied to the water supply passage 20 from the hot water storage and hot water supply system 30, and during operation in which the functional water generation device 18 is driven to supply functional water to the reheating circulation passage 4, unheated clean water is supplied from the hot water storage and hot water supply system 30 to the water supply passage 20.

[0038] When the bath hot water supply device 1 is in maintenance operation state and the inside of the piping of the reheating circulation passage 4 is to be sterilized with ozone water, the flow path switching valve 8 is switched to the bypass passage 9 side, and the ozone water generator 18 is operated while supplying unheated hot water to the hot water supply passage 3. This supplies ozone water to the hot water supply passage 3 downstream of the flow path switching valve 8, the bath return passage 4a, and the bath supply passage 4b, thereby sterilizing the inside of the piping of the hot water supply passage 3 and the reheating circulation passage 4 downstream of the flow path switching valve 8.

[0039] Before the operation of driving the functional water production device 18 to supply functional water to the reheating circulation passage 4, a thermal cleaning operation is performed to supply high-temperature water to the reheating circulation passage 4. In this thermal cleaning operation, regardless of whether hot water is stored in the hot water storage tank 33, unheated clean water supplied from the hot water storage and supply system 30 is heated by the hot water supply heating means 11 and used for thermal cleaning. Therefore, thermal cleaning can be performed using high-temperature water sufficiently heated by the hot water supply heating means 11. When the thermal cleaning operation is completed, non-heated clean water is circulated through the hot water supply bypass passage 23 provided so as to bypass the hot water supply heating means 11 into the hot water supply passage 3 to drive the functional water production device 18.

[0040] The hot water storage and hot water supply system 30 has a hot water tank 33, clean water piping 39, hot water supply piping 40, and a hot water bypass piping 39a that branches off from the clean water piping 39, bypasses the hot water tank 33, and is connected to the hot water supply piping 40, and it is possible to select whether to supply high-temperature water stored in the hot water tank 33 or clean water from the hot water bypass piping 39a.

[0041] The above embodiment is merely an example, and those skilled in the art can implement the above embodiment in various modified forms. For example, when supplying low-temperature clean water, instead of the hot water storage bypass pipe 39a and the mixing valve 41, it is also possible to supply clean water by opening the high-temperature hot water discharge prevention valve 43 interposed in the high-temperature hot water discharge prevention pipe 42 that branches off from the hot water storage bypass pipe 39a and is connected to the hot water supply pipe 40. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1 Bath water heater 2 Hot water passage 3 Pouring passage 4 Reheating circulation passage 8. Flow path switching valve 9. Bypass Passage 11 Hot water heating means 18 Ozone water generator (functional water generator) 20 Water supply passage 23 Hot water bypass passage 24 Flow control valve 25 Pouring flow rate sensor 26. Pouring solenoid valve (on-off valve) 30 Hot water storage and supply system (auxiliary heating means) 33 Hot Water Tank 39 Water Supply Piping 39a Hot water storage bypass piping 40 Hot water piping

Claims

1. a hot water supply device for a bath comprising a hot water supply passage for heating supply water with a hot water heating means and supplying the hot water to a hot water tap, a reheating circulation passage connected to a bathtub and configured to circulate and heat the bath water, a circulation pump for circulating the bath water through the reheating circulation passage, a reheating heating means for heating the bath water, a hot water supply passage branching off from the hot water supply passage and supplying hot water to the reheating circulation passage, an on-off valve provided in the hot water supply passage for supplying and cutting off the hot water, and a hot water flow rate adjustment means and a hot water flow rate detection means; and a bypass passage branching off from the hot water supply passage and connected to the hot water supply passage downstream of the branching point, the bypass passage being fitted with a functional water generating device for generating functional water for cleaning and sterilizing the inside of the piping of the reheating circulation passage, and a flow path switching valve provided at the branching point so that either the hot water supply passage or the bypass passage can be selected. A bath hot water supply device characterized in that an auxiliary heating means is provided in a water supply passage for supplying the supply water to the hot water heating means, and during normal hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation, high-temperature water adjusted to a predetermined temperature is supplied to the water supply passage from the auxiliary heating means, and during pipe cleaning operation in which the functional water generation device is driven to supply functional water to the reheating circulation passage, unheated tap water is supplied to the water supply passage from the auxiliary heating means.

2. a pipe cleaning operation in which high-temperature water is supplied to the reheating circulation passage is performed before the pipe cleaning operation in which the functional water production device is driven to supply functional water to the reheating circulation passage; The bath hot water supply device of claim 1, characterized in that during the thermal cleaning operation, unheated tap water supplied from the auxiliary heating means is heated by the hot water heating means, and when the thermal cleaning operation is completed, unheated tap water is circulated into the hot water supply passage through a hot water bypass passage arranged to bypass the hot water heating means, thereby driving the functional water generating device.

3. The bath hot water supply device described in claim 1, characterized in that the auxiliary heating means is a hot water storage and hot water supply system having a hot water tank, a drinking water pipe, a hot water supply pipe, and a hot water storage bypass pipe that branches off from the drinking water pipe, bypasses the hot water storage tank, and is connected to the hot water supply pipe, and it is possible to select between mixing high-temperature water stored in the hot water storage tank with low-temperature drinking water from the hot water storage bypass pipe and adjusting the temperature to a set temperature before supplying it, or between supplying only low-temperature drinking water from the hot water storage bypass pipe.

4. 4. The bath hot water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the functional water generating device is an ozone water generating device for generating ozone water.

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