Storage-type hot water supply system

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of water drainage. [Solution] In a hot water supply system with a bubble supply path 24 comprising a dissolution tank 27 for dissolving gas in water, a pressure pump 26 located upstream of the dissolution tank 27, and openable and closable drain plug units 110 on both the dissolution tank 27 and the pressure pump 26, the dissolution tank 27 is located below the bath-side drain plug 114 and is equipped with a control device 200 that controls the draining operation to discharge water from the bubble supply path 24 and a remote control 210 that instructs the start of the draining operation. The draining operation includes a draining operation step in which the pressure pump 26 is driven for a predetermined time to discharge water from the dissolution tank 27's drain plug unit 110, thereby ensuring reliable draining of water even in the lateral direction where it is difficult to drain water.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

[0001] This invention relates to a hot water storage type water supply device having a bubble supply unit.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, this type of water supply device has integrally provided, within a gas water heater unit that heats water with a burner and supplies hot water to a bathtub, a bubble supply unit that mixes fine air into the hot water of the bathtub and circulates it. It has been known that the water in the bubble supply unit can be drained through the drain plug of the bathtub circulation circuit.

[0003] Also, in a hot water storage tank unit such as that of Patent Document 2, a pipe connection plate that communicates from the inside of the hot water storage tank unit to the outside of the hot water storage tank unit is provided, and a bathtub side drain plug is provided in a pipe that penetrates the pipe connection plate. When draining the water in the bathtub pipe, it has been known that the water in the bathtub pipe is drained using the natural head by opening the bathtub side drain plug. Also, it has sometimes been necessary to drain the water on the hot water storage tank side separately from draining the water in the bathtub pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, in the case where a conventional hot water storage tank unit incorporates a bubble supply unit, since the bathtub side drain plug of the hot water storage type water supply machine is provided at a middle height of the hot water storage tank unit, when the bubble supply unit is provided below the bathtub side drain plug, there has been a problem that it is difficult to surely drain the water in the bubble supply unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, the hot water storage tank unit has a top plate, a bottom plate, a front plate, a lower front plate, a pipe connection plate, a rear plate, and left and right side plates, and inside the hot water storage tank unit is a hot water storage tank for storing hot water heated by a heating means, bath piping for supplying hot water from the hot water storage tank to a bathtub, a bath-side drain plug for the bath piping provided on the pipe connection plate, and a bubble supply path is provided in the middle of the bath piping that branches off from the bath piping and joins the bath piping, and the bubble supply path has a dissolution tank for dissolving gas in water, and the dissolution tank In a hot water supply system equipped with a pressure pump located upstream of the valve, and with openable and closable drain plug units on both the dissolution tank and the pressure pump, the dissolution tank is located below the bath-side drain plug and is equipped with a control device that controls a draining operation to discharge water from the bubble supply path, and a remote control that instructs the start of the draining operation. The draining operation includes a draining operation step in which the pressure pump is driven for a predetermined time to discharge water from the bubble supply path through the drain plug unit of the dissolution tank.

[0007] Furthermore, the bubble supply path is equipped with a two-way valve that connects the bath piping and the bubble supply path, and the two-way valve is closed when the water draining operation step is completed.

[0008] Furthermore, the bubble supply unit having the bubble supply path is fixed to the bottom plate and is positioned in the space enclosed by the hot water storage tank, the bottom plate, the front plate, and at least one of the left and right side plates, and the drain plug penetrates the left and right side plates of the hot water storage tank unit and is pulled out in a substantially horizontal direction toward the outside of the hot water storage tank unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this invention, in order to drain water from the bubble supply path located below the bath-side drain plug on the piping connection plate of the hot water storage tank unit, the control device performs a draining operation step and pushes out and discharges water from the drain plug unit on the side of the hot water storage tank unit near the bubble supply path, thus ensuring reliable drainage of water even in the lateral direction where it is difficult to drain water. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 2] Internal perspective view of the hot water storage tank unit of this invention. [Figure 3] A perspective view of the main part of the bubble supply unit of this invention. [Figure 4] External perspective view of the hot water storage tank unit of this invention. [Figure 5] A schematic diagram illustrating the position of the drain plug in this invention. [Figure 6] An exploded perspective view of the area around the drain plug of this invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Next, a storage-type hot water supply system according to one embodiment of this invention will be described based on the drawings. 1 is a hot water storage tank unit, and inside the hot water storage tank unit 1 are a hot water storage tank 2 for storing hot water, a hot water outlet pipe 3 connected to the top of the hot water storage tank 2, a water supply pipe 4 connected to the bottom of the hot water storage tank 2, a drain plug 4a for opening and closing a drain pipe branched off from the water supply pipe 4, a bath mixing valve 6 for mixing high-temperature water from the hot water outlet pipe 3 and low-temperature water from a water supply bypass pipe 5 branched off from the water supply pipe 4, a bath temperature sensor 8 and a bath flow rate sensor 9 for detecting the bath flow rate, which are installed on the hot water filling pipe 7 connected downstream of the bath mixing valve 6, and a water supply shut-off valve 10 for opening and closing the water supply pipe 4. Note that the hot water supply circuit to the general hot water tap is omitted.

[0012] The hot water storage tank 2 consists of a cylindrical body, an upper end plate that closes the upper end of the body, and a lower end plate that closes the lower end of the body. The upper end plate is roughly shaped like an inverted bowl, and the lower end plate is roughly shaped like a bowl.

[0013] 11 is a heating means, and inside the heating means 11 is equipped with a compressor, a water refrigerant heat exchanger as a condenser, an electronic expansion valve, and an air heat exchanger as an evaporator that exchanges heat with air and has an outdoor fan. A circulation pump 15 circulates the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 to the heating means 11 via a heating circulation circuit 14 consisting of a heating supply pipe 12 and a heating return pipe 13, and a heat pump control unit controls the driving of these, and carbon dioxide is used as the refrigerant in the heating means 11 to constitute a supercritical heat pump cycle. Furthermore, because carbon dioxide is used as the refrigerant, it is possible to heat low-temperature water to a high temperature of approximately 90°C without an electric heater.

[0014] 16 is a relief valve, located at the top of the hot water storage tank 2. When the pressure inside the hot water storage tank 2 exceeds a predetermined pressure, it automatically opens to release the pressure. When operated manually, it can be opened and closed by operating a lever to allow outside air to be taken in.

[0015] 17 is a hot water supply valve that connects the hot water supply pipe 7 to the bathtub and supplies hot water to the bathtub, and 18 is a check valve installed on the hot water supply pipe 7 that prevents the hot water from the bathtub from flowing into the hot water storage tank 2.

[0016] 19a is a bath circulation path connected to the hot water supply pipe 7, 19b is a first waterway connecting the bath circulation path 19a to the bathtub, 19c is a second waterway connecting the bath circulation path 19a to the first switching valve 29A and the second switching valve 29B, 19d is a third waterway connecting the second waterway 19c to the bathtub via the second switching valve 29B, and 19e is a reheating path that heats the bath water via the bath heat exchanger 32. 20 is a bath circulation pump installed in the bath piping 19. 19a to 19d are bath piping connecting the bathtub to the heating means 11.

[0017] 21 is a water level sensor that detects the water level in the bathtub, and 22 is a flowing water sensor that detects whether water flows from the bathtub when the bathtub circulation pump 20 is driven.

[0018] 23 is a bubble supply unit that encapsulates bubbles in the hot water to be supplied to the bathtub, 24a is a hot water supply path that connects the bathtub circulation path 19a and the upstream side of the dissolution tank 27, and 24b is a hot water discharge path that connects the downstream side of the dissolution tank 27 and the second switching valve 29B. The bubble supply path 24 is a water path formed by the communication of the hot water supply path 24a and the hot water discharge path 24b.

[0019] In the bubble supply path 24, there are a water volume servo 25 which is a two-way valve that controls the water volume flowing into the bubble supply path 24 and can be fully closed, a pressurization pump 26A arranged on the upstream side that pumps hot water downstream, a pressurization pump 26B arranged on the downstream side that pumps hot water downstream, a dissolution tank 27 that dissolves air in the pumped hot water, a check valve 28 that prevents backflow to the dissolution tank 27, and a second switching valve 29B.

[0020] The dissolution tank 27 is provided with a gas introduction valve 30 which is a valve that opens and closes a gas introduction path for taking air into the dissolution tank 27, and an air suction port 31 for taking in air.

[0021] When the detected values of the bathtub temperature sensor 8, bathtub flow rate sensor 9, water level sensor 21, and flowing water sensor 22 are input into 200, it is a control device that controls the operations of the bathtub mixing valve 6, circulation pump 15, water filling valve 17, bathtub circulation pump 20, switching valve 29, gas introduction valve 30, and heating means 11 according to a program stored in advance.

[0022] In addition, the control device 200 is communicably connected to the remote controller 210, performs the operation instructed by the user via the remote controller 210, and performs various operations according to a program stored in advance.

[0023] Next, the boiling operation will be described. When a heating request is received, the control device 200 drives the circulation pump 15 located in the heating circulation circuit 14 connecting the hot water storage tank 2 and the heating means 11 to pump water up from the bottom of the hot water storage tank 2, heat it with the heating means 11, and return it to the top of the hot water storage tank 2, thereby gradually heating the water in the hot water storage tank 2 to a high temperature.

[0024] Next, I will explain the process of filling the bathtub with hot water. When the user commands the bath filling operation using the remote control 210, the control device 200 opens the bath filling valve 17, supplies water from the water supply pipe 4, and flows into the lower part of the hot water storage tank 2. The water also passes through the water supply bypass pipe 5, and the hot water pushed out from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1 is mixed with the water supplied from the water supply bypass pipe 5 by the bath mixing valve 6. The water is then adjusted so that the preset bath temperature and the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor 8 are the same. This water then flows into the bathtub through the bath filling pipe 7, the bath circulation path 19a, and the first water path 19b, thus starting the bath filling process. The bath flow rate sensor 9 detects the flow rate, and when the total accumulated flow rate reaches the preset bath filling amount, the control device 200 closes the bath filling valve 17 to complete the bath filling process. Furthermore, the bath circulation path 19a has two paths: one that supplies water to the bathtub via the first waterway 19b, and another that supplies water to the bathtub via the third waterway 19d and the second waterway 19c. It is also possible to perform a high-speed bath filling operation by supplying hot water from both pipes simultaneously.

[0025] Next, we will explain the bubble supply operation. When the user instructs the bubble supply operation using the remote control 210, the control device 200 opens the gas introduction valve 30, switches the first switching valve 29A to a connected state for the first waterway 19b, switches the second switching valve 29B to a connected state for the hot water discharge passage 24b and the second waterway 19c, switches the third switching valve 29C to the bath heat exchanger 32 side, and drives the bath circulation pump 20. As a result, the control device 200 performs the bubble supply air supply operation, which discharges the hot water in the dissolution tank 27 in the following order: hot water discharge passage 24b, second waterway 19c, bath circulation passage 19a, reheating passage 19e, bath heat exchanger 32, reheating passage 19e, bath circulation passage 19a, first waterway 19b, and bathtub. By performing the bubble supply air supply operation, the cooled hot water remaining inside the piping is heated and discharged into the bathtub, draining the hot water in the dissolution tank 27 and supplying air to the dissolution tank 27.

[0026] Then, the control device 200 closes the gas introduction valve 30, switches the first switching valve 29A to connect the first waterway 19b and the second waterway 19c, switches the second switching valve 29B to connect the third waterway 19d and the hot and cold water discharge channel 24b, switches the third switching valve 29C to the bath heat exchanger 32 side, drives the pressurizing pump 26A and pressurizing pump 26B, and drives the bath circulation pump 20. As a result, the control device 200 performs a water supply operation for bubble supply operation, circulating the bath water in the following order: first waterway 19b, second waterway 19c, bath circulation channel 19a, reheating path 19e, bath heat exchanger 32, reheating path 19e, bath circulation channel 19a, hot and cold water supply channel 24a, dissolution tank 27, hot and cold water discharge channel 24b, third waterway 19d, and bathtub. By performing the water supply operation for the bubble supply operation, pressurized water from the pressure pump 26 is supplied to the dissolution tank 27, and air is pressurized and dissolved into the hot water in the dissolution tank 27, and the hot water is supplied to the bathtub while containing air.

[0027] By alternating between water supply and air supply operations, a bubble supply operation is performed, which supplies hot water containing air into the bathtub.

[0028] Next, the hot water storage tank unit 1 will be explained based on Figure 4. The hot water storage tank unit 1 is a roughly rectangular casing enclosed on six sides by a top plate 101, a bottom plate 102, and side plates, and houses the hot water storage tank 2, various pipes, and equipment inside. The side plates consist of an upper front plate 103A covering the upper front, a lower front plate 103B covering the lower front, a pipe connection plate 103C which serves as a pipe connection port, a right side plate 104, a left side plate 105, and a rear plate 106. 107 is the leg that supports the hot water storage tank unit 1.

[0029] Furthermore, the bottom plate 102 is provided with a rising portion 102A that is bent vertically upward, and the pipe connection plate 103C is provided with a bath-side drain plug 114 as a drain plug for the bath piping.

[0030] Here, the positional relationship between the bath-side drain plug 114, the drain plug unit 110 (described later), and the dissolution tank 27 will be explained in detail based on Figure 5. The bath-side drain valve 114, which is opened when draining water from the bath piping 19, is located at a lower position than the bath piping 19, on the pipe connection plate 103C. By opening the bath-side drain valve 114 and the relief valve 16 at the top of the hot water storage tank, water can be easily drained from the bath-side drain valve 114 (and the bathtub).

[0031] Furthermore, since the bubble supply path 24, which includes the dissolution tank 27, is located at a lower position than the bath-side drain plug 114 provided on the pipe connection plate 103C, it is difficult to drain water from the bath-side drain plug 114 (and the bathtub).

[0032] The drainage of the bubble supply path 24, including the dissolution tank 27, is performed through the drain plug unit 110. However, since the hot water storage tank unit 1 is located on the ground, placing the drain plug unit 110 at the bottom of the hot water storage tank unit 1 would be inconvenient to operate. Therefore, it is preferable to place the drain plug unit 110 on the side near the bubble supply unit 23.

[0033] The hot water storage tank 2, enclosed within the hot water storage tank unit 1, is provided with a molded insulating material 108 of approximately constant thickness that covers the outer perimeter of the hot water storage tank 2 in order to prevent heat loss from the hot water inside the tank 2.

[0034] The hot water storage tank unit 1 has an inner corner section C formed by a lower front panel 103B, one of the right side panel 104 or left side panel 105, and a bottom panel 102, and a bubble supply unit 23 is provided in the corner section C. To explain the corner section C in more detail, the corner section C is the gap formed between the inner corner portion of the lower front panel 103B, the side panel and the bottom panel 102 and the outside of the molded insulation material 108 covering the bowl-shaped hot water storage tank 2.

[0035] Furthermore, 109 is a drainage channel, which is a branch pipe for draining water from the bubble supply channel 24, and 110 is a drain plug for draining water from the drainage channel 109 to the outside of the machine.

[0036] The drainage route 109 consists of a drainage route 109a connected to the bottom of the pressure pump 26A, a drainage route 109b connected to the bottom of the pressure pump 26B, a drainage route 109c connected to the bottom of the dissolution tank 27, and a drainage route 109d connected to the bubble supply route 24 downstream of the check valve 28.

[0037] Furthermore, each drainage route is equipped with its own drain plug unit 110, with drain plug unit 110a connected to drainage route 109a, drain plug unit 110b to drainage route 109b, drain plug unit 110c to drainage route 109c, and drain plug unit 110d to drainage route 109d. In addition, the drain plug unit 110 can be opened by turning the handle at the tip to discharge water from drainage route 109.

[0038] Furthermore, 111 is an opening located near the bottom plate 102 of the lower front panel 103B, which exposes the drain plug unit 110 to the outside of the hot water storage tank unit 1.

[0039] 112 is a fixing bracket that brings together multiple drainage paths 109 in one place, positions the drain plug unit 110 at the opening 111, and fixes it to the lower front plate 103B. The fixing bracket 112 has a burred portion 112A formed by burring the hole opened for the drainage path 109 to pass through the interior, a locking piece 112B that hooks onto the rising portion 102A of the bottom plate 102 to support the fixing bracket 112, outer edge portions 112C which are the left and right edges of the fixing bracket, and fixing holes 112D opened in the outer edge portions 112C into which fixing devices such as screws (not shown) are screwed. The fixing bracket 112 is fixed to the lower front plate 103B by screwing the fixing devices such as screws into the fixing holes 112D.

[0040] The burring section 112A has openings corresponding to the number of drain plug units 110 and is machined toward the inside of the hot water storage tank unit 1.

[0041] The locking piece 112B is provided on the outer surface of the fixing bracket 112, facing downward in a vertical direction. As shown in Figure 6, when the unit is placed horizontally during assembly work at the factory, the outer surface of the rising portion 102A and the inner surface of the locking piece 112B come into contact and provide support.

[0042] In this way, the outer surface of the rising portion 102A and the inner surface of the locking piece 112B come into contact and provide support, and the horizontally extending outer edge portion of the fixing bracket 112 comes into contact with the lower front plate 103B. As a result, the fixing bracket 112 can be supported by contacting the bottom plate 102 without having to screw it to the front plate 103, and the fixing bracket 112 can be prevented from falling into the hot water storage tank unit 1 through the opening 111.

[0043] Furthermore, since all the drain plug units 110 are located in one place, when you want to drain the water from the bubble supply unit 23, you don't have to wonder where the drain plug unit 110 is located, thus improving maintainability.

[0044] 113 is a sheet-like cushioning material provided between the drain plug unit 110 and the fixing bracket 112, and between the fixing bracket 112 and the lower front plate 103B. The cushioning material 113 has a plurality of cylindrical portions 113A through which the drain plug unit 110 is inserted and which cover the opposite end of the drain plug unit 110, and a continuous notch 113B from the outer edge of the cushioning material 113 to the inner edge of each cylindrical portion 113A.

[0045] Next, we will explain the method for draining the water from the hot water storage tank unit 1 when the user will not be using the hot water storage system for a period of time, such as during travel. This method is used to prevent freezing of the piping inside the hot water storage tank unit 1 and to reduce unnecessary power consumption. The draining method mainly involves draining the water from the bubble supply path 24, the bath piping 19, and the hot water storage tank 2, thereby completing the draining of the water from the hot water storage tank unit 1.

[0046] This section explains the series of water draining procedures and the operation of the control device 200. First, the user (the person performing the water draining) operates the remote control 210 to set a pause period and enter pause mode (for example, setting it to pause for 7 days from now). At this time, the control device 200, upon receiving a pause instruction from the remote control 210, prohibits the execution of the water heating operation. Then, the user opens the drain plug of the bathtub in the bathroom and closes the water supply shut-off valve 10 at the location where the hot water storage tank unit 1 is installed, preventing new water from being supplied to the hot water storage tank 2.

[0047] Next, we will explain the method for draining water from the bubble supply path 24. First, the user opens all the drain plug units 110 at the ends of drain routes 109a, 109b, 109c, and 109d, and when the user operates the remote control 210 to instruct the system to perform a draining operation, the control device 200 displays the words "Draining Operation in Progress" on the remote control 210 display, opens the hot water filling valve 17, and switches the third switching valve 29C to the bath heat exchanger 32 side.

[0048] The control device 200 then drives the pressurizing pump 26A to draw in air from the drainage path 109a connected to the pressurizing pump 26A and performs a drainage operation step to discharge the water in the bubble supply path 24 from the drain plug unit 110 of the drainage path 109c connected to the dissolution tank 27. This drainage operation step is performed regardless of whether the water volume servo 25 is opened or closed, or whether the gas introduction valve 30 is opened or closed.

[0049] Furthermore, by operating the pressure pump 26B in the same way as the pressure pump 26A, the force pushing the water towards the drain plug unit 110 can be increased, ensuring that the water in the bubble supply path 24 is reliably drained.

[0050] Furthermore, since a check valve 28 is provided downstream of the dissolution tank 27, the water is not easily discharged due to the resistance of the check valve 28. However, depending on the driving pressure of the pressurizing pump 26, water can be discharged downstream of the check valve 28. At this time, water in the bubble supply path 24 can also be drained from the drainage path 109d connected downstream of the check valve 28, preventing water from accumulating in the hot water discharge path 24b.

[0051] Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the pressurizing pump 26 was started (in this case, 1 minute), the control device 200 determines that the water in the bubble supply path 24 has been drained and stops the pressurizing pump 26.

[0052] Thus, in models equipped with a bubble supply unit 23 inside the hot water storage tank unit 1, there are issues such as incomplete drainage and time-consuming nature if the drain valve unit 110 is opened and water is allowed to fall naturally. However, by performing a draining operation step that drives the pressurizing pump 26, the water in the bubble supply path 24 can be drained quickly and reliably.

[0053] Furthermore, a draining operation step is performed to drain the water from the bubble supply path 24 of the bubble supply unit 23, which is located below the bath-side drain plug 114 provided on the piping connection plate 103C of the hot water storage tank unit 1. Water is then pushed out and discharged from the drain plug unit 110 on the side of the hot water storage tank unit 1 near the bubble supply unit, ensuring reliable drainage even in the lateral direction where drainage is difficult.

[0054] Furthermore, since the pressurizing pump 26 automatically stops after a predetermined time, it eliminates the need for the user to perform cumbersome tasks such as checking whether all the water has been drained, making it extremely user-friendly.

[0055] Then, the drive of the pressure pump 26 is stopped, and when the water draining operation step is completed, the water volume servo 25 is closed. Note that the water volume servo 25 may remain closed from the start to the end of the water draining operation step.

[0056] In this way, once the water has been completely drained from the bubble supply path 24 by performing the water draining operation step, the water volume servo 25 is closed to prevent new water from flowing into the bubble supply path 24 due to the draining of the bath piping 19.

[0057] Then, switch the power lever (not shown in the diagram) to the closed position to shut off the power to the hot water storage tank unit 1.

[0058] Next, we will explain how to drain the water from the bath piping 19. After the user shuts off the power to the hot water storage tank unit 1, the relief valve 16 is opened.

[0059] At this time, air flows in from the relief valve 16, causing the water accumulated in the hot water outlet pipe 3, the hot water filling pipe 7, and the bath piping 19 downstream of the relief valve 16 to be discharged from the bathtub.

[0060] Thus, in the case of draining the bath piping 19 and hot water storage tank 2, where the control device 200 does not control the components, the power supply can be shut off in advance to prevent the valve from sticking, thus preventing initialization to prevent valve sticking and allowing the draining work to be carried out while ensuring a reliable drainage path.

[0061] Furthermore, although the hot water outlet pipe 3, the water filling pipe 7, and the water accumulated in the bath piping flow towards the bathtub, the inlet of the hot and cold water supply passage 24a is closed by the water volume servo 25, so no water flows into the bubble supply passage 24.

[0062] Next, we will explain how to drain the water from the hot water storage tank 2. The user opens the drain plug 4a.

[0063] At this time, air flows in from the relief valve 16, causing the water accumulated in the hot water outlet pipe 3 upstream of the relief valve 16, the hot water storage tank 2, the water supply bypass pipe 5, and the water supply pipe 4 downstream of the drain plug 4a to be discharged from the drain plug 4a.

[0064] In this way, when draining the water from the hot water storage tank 2, the water is drained without going through the bath piping 19 or the bubble supply path 24. As a result, water is not sent to the pipes that have already been drained, thus reliably preventing the need for a second draining operation and ensuring that no water remains in the bath piping 19 or the bubble supply path 24.

[0065] In summary, by draining all the water from the bubble supply path 24, the bath piping 19, the hot water storage tank 2, and each of the pipes, the water in the hot water storage tank unit 1 can be drained. Furthermore, by performing a water draining operation step using a pressurized pump to drain the water from the bubble supply path 24, the draining time can be shortened, allowing work on the bath piping 19 and the hot water storage tank 2 to begin sooner after the water in the bubble supply path 24 has been drained.

[0066] Furthermore, when the bubble supply unit 23 is installed inside the hot water storage tank unit 1, in a design where the hot water storage tank 2 is placed in the center of the hot water storage tank unit 1, it is necessary to place it in the empty space between the bowl-shaped upper and lower end plates. Additionally, the overall height of the hot water storage tank unit 1 is high, making it possible to place the bubble supply unit 23 only in the lower part of the hot water storage tank unit 1. Moreover, it is preferable that the bubble supply unit 23 be placed on the front panel side of the hot water storage tank unit 1 to facilitate operation of the bubble supply unit 23 for maintenance and other purposes.

[0067] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and modifications are permitted without altering the gist of the invention. For example, while a heat pump type heating means 11 is used to heat the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2, an electric water heater that heats the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 with an electric heater may also be used.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the present invention, an opening 111 is provided in the lower front panel 103B of the hot water storage tank unit 1, and a fixing bracket 112 is placed therein. However, it may also be provided in the right side panel 104 or the left side panel 105, and it is sufficient that the drain plug unit 110 is gathered in one place with the fixing bracket 112 via a cushioning material 113.

[0069] Furthermore, although the embodiment of the present invention described the draining of water from the hot water storage tank unit 1, if the heating means for heating the hot water in the hot water storage tank is a heat pump type heating means 11, then it is also necessary to drain the water from the heat pump type heating means 11 and the heating circulation circuit 14, so additional steps may be added to the embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1. Hot water storage tank unit 2. Hot water storage tank 3. Hot water outlet pipe 4 Water supply pipe 4a Drain plug 5. Water supply bypass pipe 6. Bath mixing valve 7. Hot water supply pipe 10 Water supply shut-off valve 16 Relief valve 23. Bubble supply unit 24. Bubble supply path 25 Water volume servo 26A Pressure Pump 26B Pressure pump 27 Dissolution Tank 101 Top plate 102 Bottom plate 103A Front plate 103B Lower front plate 103C Pipe connection plate 104 Right side plate 105 Left side plate 106 Rear plate 109 Drainage Route 110 Drain plug unit 114 Drain valve on the bath side 200 Control device 210 Remote Control

Claims

1. The hot water storage tank unit has a top plate, a bottom plate, a front plate, a lower front plate, a pipe connection plate, a rear plate, and left and right side plates. Inside the aforementioned hot water storage tank unit, A hot water storage tank that stores hot water heated by a heating means, A bath piping system that supplies hot water from the hot water storage tank to the bathtub, A drain plug on the bath side of the bath piping is provided on the pipe connection plate, A bubble supply path is provided in the middle of the aforementioned bath piping, branching off from the bath piping and merging back into the bath piping. The aforementioned bubble supply path includes: A dissolution tank for dissolving gas in water, A pressurizing pump is provided upstream of the aforementioned dissolution tank, In a hot water supply system equipped with a drain plug unit that can be opened and closed on both the dissolution tank and the pressure pump, The dissolution tank is located below the drain plug on the bath side, A control device that controls a water draining operation to discharge water from the bubble supply path, A remote control is provided to instruct the start of the aforementioned water draining operation. The hot water supply system is characterized in that the water draining operation includes a water draining step in which the pressure pump is driven for a predetermined time to discharge the water in the bubble supply path from the water drain plug unit of the dissolution tank.

2. The bubble supply path is equipped with a two-way valve that connects the bath piping and the bubble supply path. The hot water storage type hot water supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that the two-way valve is closed when the water draining operation step is completed.

3. The bubble supply unit having the bubble supply path is fixed to the bottom plate and is positioned in the space enclosed by the hot water storage tank, the bottom plate, the front plate, and at least one of the left and right side plates. The hot water supply device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drain plug penetrates the left and right side plates of the hot water storage tank unit and is pulled out in a substantially horizontal direction toward the outside of the hot water storage tank unit.

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