Hot water supply system

Abstract

Even with a structure that secures the bottom of the tank covered with insulation, the tank can be easily secured while also suppressing a decrease in the tank's heat retention performance. [Solution] In the heat pump heat source unit 1, a pair of protruding fittings 112, 112 are arranged facing downward on the lower surface of the tank body 20, and each protruding fitting 112 includes a pair of vertical plate portions 113, 113 and a bottom plate portion 114 connecting the lower ends of each vertical plate portion 113. A support base 111 is provided on the bottom plate 104 of the housing 100, located below each protruding fitting 112, and the support base 111 includes a top plate portion 118 fastened to the bottom plate portion 114 of each protruding fitting 112 by bolts 132, and leg plate portions 119A, 119B extending downward from the ends of the top plate portion 118 and fixed to the bottom plate 104. The heat insulating material 108 covering the lower surface of the tank body 20 is also placed in the area E surrounded by the lower surface of the tank body 20, each protruding fitting 112, 112 and the support base 111.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a water supply device that heats water with a heating means such as a heat pump, stores the hot water in a tank, and enables hot water to be discharged from the tank.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a water supply device that heats water to a predetermined temperature using a heating means such as a heat pump, stores the hot water in a tank, and enables hot water to be discharged to the outside. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an invention of a water heater equipped with a hot water storage tank unit. This hot water storage tank unit is formed by winding a heat insulating material such as styrofoam or urethane foam around the upper, lower, and outer peripheral portions of the hot water storage tank. A plurality of tank legs for making the hot water storage tank stand independently project downward from the lower portion of the hot water storage tank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above water heater, since it is necessary to individually fix the plurality of tank legs of the hot water storage tank to the floor or the housing, the fixing work takes time and effort. In addition, there is a risk that the heat inside the hot water storage tank is dissipated through the tank legs, resulting in a decrease in the heat retention performance.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a water supply device that can easily fix a tank even with a structure for fixing the lower portion of the tank covered with a heat insulating material, and can also suppress a decrease in the heat retention performance of the tank.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, this disclosure provides a hot water supply system comprising a tank for storing hot water, A heating means for heating the hot water in the tank, The insulating material covering the outer surface of the tank, The tank and the heating means are housed in a housing, On the lower surface of the tank, a plurality of protruding fittings are arranged facing downward around the center of the lower surface of the tank, and each of the protruding fittings includes a pair of vertical plate portions extending downward from the lower surface of the tank and a bottom plate portion connecting the lower ends of each of the vertical plate portions. On the other hand, a support base is provided on the bottom plate of the housing, located below each of the protruding fittings, and the support base includes a top plate portion fastened to the bottom plate portion of each of the protruding fittings by a fastening member, and leg portions extending downward from the end of the top plate portion and fixed to the bottom plate. The insulating material covering the lower surface of the tank is also provided in the area enclosed by the lower surface of the tank, each of the protruding fittings, and the support base. Another aspect of the present disclosure is the configuration in which the thermal insulation material is formed by assembling a pair of halves, each divided into two parts with a predetermined vertical plane as the dividing surface, to the tank, and the protruding fittings are arranged in pairs horizontally on the dividing surface. The region is characterized in that a protrusion integrally formed on at least one of the halved material is fitted and arranged within it. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, by fastening the top plate portion of the support base to the bottom plate portion of each protruding fitting and fixing the leg portion of the support base to the bottom plate, the lower part of the tank can be fixed to the bottom plate even when the insulation material is assembled. Furthermore, each protruding fitting has a hollow structure consisting of a pair of vertical plates and a bottom plate, and insulation material is placed in the area between each protruding fitting, thus suppressing the amount of heat radiated to the outside from the protruding fitting. Therefore, even with a structure that fixes the bottom of a tank covered with insulation material, the tank can be easily fixed, and the deterioration of the tank's heat retention performance can be effectively suppressed. According to another aspect of this disclosure, in addition to the above effects, the protruding fittings are arranged in pairs horizontally on the dividing surface of the split half of the insulation material, and the protrusions integrally formed with the half are fitted into the region, so that the protrusions are fitted between the protruding fittings at the same time as the half is assembled. Therefore, the insulation material can be easily placed within the region. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a hot water supply system consisting of a heat pump heat source unit and a water heater. [Figure 2] This is a front view of a heat pump heat source unit (the front panel is omitted). [Figure 3] This is a bottom view of the heat source unit of a heat pump (bottom plate omitted). [Figure 4] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged view of the support portion at the top of the tank in Figure 4. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged view of the support section at the bottom of the tank in Figure 4. [Figure 7] This is an exploded perspective view showing the lower support structure of the tank body. [Figure 8] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along line BB. [Figure 9] This is an enlarged view of the support portion at the top of the tank in Figure 8. [Figure 10] This is an enlarged view of the support portion at the bottom of the tank in Figure 8. [Figure 11] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along the CC line. [Figure 12] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along the DD line. [Figure 13] This is a front view of the support base section with the front panel and bars omitted. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a hot water supply system S including a heat pump heat source machine (hereinafter simply referred to as "heat source machine") 1 which is an example of the hot water supply apparatus of the present disclosure, and a water heater 70 connected to the heat source machine 1. The heat source machine 1 includes a heat pump unit 2, a tank unit 3, a tank drain pipe 4, a heat source side water supply pipe 5, a heat source side hot water pipe 6, and a heat source machine controller 7. The heat pump unit 2 includes a compressor 10, a water heat exchanger 11, an expansion valve 12, a heat absorption part 13, and a loop-shaped circulation path 14 connecting these in series. A heat medium (for example, alternative refrigerant) can circulate through the circulation path 14. The compressor 10 compresses the heat medium absorbed by the heat absorption part 13, makes it high-temperature and high-pressure, and sends it to the water heat exchanger 11. The water heat exchanger 11 includes a heat side pipe 15 and a water side pipe 16. The heat side pipe 15 is incorporated in the circulation path 14. The water side pipe 16 is incorporated in a tank circulation path 28 described later. The expansion valve 12 decompresses the heat medium whose heat has been taken away by the water heat exchanger 11, makes it low-temperature and low-pressure, and sends it to the heat absorption part 13. The heat absorption part 13 has a fan 17 and performs heat exchange between the outside air and the heat medium.

[0010] The tank unit 3 includes a tank body 20, a forward pipe 21, and a return pipe 22. The tank body 20 can store hot water of a predetermined capacity (for example, 25 L), and is provided with a tank temperature sensor 23 for detecting the temperature of the hot water. The forward pipe 21 is connected to the lower part of the tank body 20. The forward pipe 21 is connected to the upstream end of the water side pipe 16. A pump 25, a flow switch 26 for detecting water flow, and a forward temperature sensor 27 for detecting the temperature of the hot water are provided in the forward pipe 21. The return pipe 22 is connected to the upper part of the tank body 20. The return pipe 22 is connected to the downstream end of the water side pipe 16 of the water heat exchanger 11 of the heat pump unit 2. A return temperature sensor 24 for detecting the temperature of the hot water is provided in the return pipe 22. A tank circulation path 28 through which the hot water in the tank body 20 circulates is formed by the forward pipe 21, the return pipe 22, and the water side pipe 16. On the upstream side of the pump 25 in the supply pipe 21, a drain pipe 29 for the supply pipe is connected. A drain plug 30 is provided at the downstream end of the drain pipe 29 for the supply pipe.

[0011] The drain pipe 4 for the tank is connected to the lowermost part of the tank body 20. The drain pipe 4 for the tank is provided with a throttle portion 35 for flow control and a first solenoid valve 36 for opening and closing the flow path in order from the upstream side. A branch portion 4a is provided between the throttle portion 35 and the first solenoid valve 36, and a branch pipe 4b is connected to the branch portion 4a. A drain plug 37 is provided at the outlet of the branch pipe 4b. The water supply pipe 5 on the heat source side has its upstream end connected to a water inlet 38 provided in the housing. An external water pipe (not shown) is connected to the water inlet 38. The water supply pipe 5 on the heat source side is provided with a pressure reducing valve 39 for adjusting the water inlet pressure to the tank body 20, a heat source side flow sensor 40 for detecting the water flow rate, and a heat source side inlet water temperature sensor 41 for detecting the water temperature from the upstream side.

[0012] On the downstream side of the heat source side inlet water temperature sensor 41, the water supply pipe 5 on the heat source side branches into a first water supply branch pipe 42 and a second water supply branch pipe 43. The first water supply branch pipe 42 is connected to a mixing valve 56 (described later) provided in the heat source side hot water supply pipe 6. The first water supply branch pipe 42 is provided with a check valve 44 and a throttle portion 45 for flow control. A drain pipe 46 for the water supply pipe is connected between the check valve 44 and the throttle portion 45. A drain plug 47 is provided at the downstream end of the drain pipe 46 for the water supply pipe. The second water supply branch pipe 43 is connected to the lowermost part of the tank body 20. The second water supply branch pipe 43 is provided with a second solenoid valve 48 for opening and closing the flow path and a check valve 49 from the upstream side.

[0013] The heat source side hot water supply pipe 6 includes a first partial pipe 55, a mixing valve 56, and a second partial pipe 57. The first section pipe 55 has its upstream end connected to the top of the tank body 20 and its downstream end connected to the first inlet of the mixing valve 56. A pressure relief pipe 58 is connected to the first section pipe 55. A pressure relief valve 59 is provided in the pressure relief pipe 58. Downstream of the pressure relief pipe 58, the first section pipe 55 is equipped with an upstream temperature sensor 60 for detecting the hot water temperature at the outlet of the first section pipe 55. The mixing valve 56 is electrically operated, with the valve body of the T-port motor-driven to switch the flow path and adjust the opening degree of the flow path. The downstream end of the first water supply branch pipe 42 is connected to the second inlet of the mixing valve 56. The upstream end of the second section pipe 57 is connected to the outlet of the mixing valve 56. The second section pipe 57 is equipped with a downstream temperature sensor 61 for detecting the hot water temperature at the outlet of the second section pipe 57. A hot water outlet 62 is provided at the downstream end of the second section pipe 57.

[0014] The heat source controller 7 includes a CPU and memory connected to the CPU. The heat source controller 7 is electrically connected to the compressor 10, expansion valve 12, fan 17, and temperature sensors (not shown) located in the circulation path 14 of the heat pump unit 2. The heat source controller 7 is electrically connected to the pump 25, the first and second solenoid valves 36 and 48, and the mixing valve 56, and controls the operation of each component, while also receiving detection signals from each sensor and switch. The heat source controller 7 controls the operation of the heat pump unit 2 and the hot water supply operation in the tank body 20, based on the operation commands set by the remote control 74 (described later) and each detection signal, according to a program stored in a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium including memory connected to the CPU. Note that the first solenoid valve 36 of the tank drain pipe 4 is closed during hot water supply operation.

[0015] The water heater 70 includes a gas burner 71, a heat exchanger 72, a water heater controller 73, and a remote control 74. A water supply pipe 75 is connected to the inlet end of the heat transfer tubes of the heat exchanger 72. The upstream end of the water supply pipe 75 is connected to the hot water outlet 62 of the heat source unit 1 via a connecting pipe 76. A hot water outlet pipe 77 is connected to the outlet end of the heat exchanger 72. An external pipe 78 is connected to the downstream end of the hot water outlet pipe 77. A hot water tap 79 is provided on the external pipe 78. A bypass pipe 80 that bypasses the heat exchanger 72 is connected between the water supply pipe 75 and the hot water outlet pipe 77. Upstream of the bypass pipe 80, the water supply pipe 75 is equipped with a flow sensor 81 for detecting water flow, an inlet water temperature sensor 82 for detecting water temperature, and a water flow control valve 83 for controlling the flow rate in the water supply pipe 75. The hot water outlet pipe 77 is equipped with an outlet water temperature sensor 84 for detecting the outlet water temperature. The bypass pipe 80 is equipped with a bypass control valve 85 for controlling the bypass amount. The gas pipe supplying fuel gas to the gas burner 71 is equipped with a main valve, a proportional valve, and a main valve (none of which are shown) from the upstream side.

[0016] The water heater controller 73 consists of a CPU and memory connected to the CPU. The water heater controller 73 is electrically connected to the water volume control valve 83, the bypass control valve 85, the valves of the gas pipe and the igniter for ignition, and a fan (not shown), and controls the operation of each component, and also receives detection signals from each sensor. The water heater controller 73 controls the operation of the water heater 70 according to a program stored in a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium, including memory connected to the CPU, based on the operation commands set by the remote control 74 and each detection signal. The water heater controller 73 is electrically connected to the heat source unit controller 7, enabling them to communicate with each other. The remote control 74 allows the hot water supply system S to be controlled by switches (not shown) to perform both a heat retention operation and a hot water supply operation. The heat retention operation is the operation of the heat pump unit 2 to heat and maintain the temperature of the hot water in the tank body 20. The hot water supply operation is the operation of supplying the hot water in the tank body 20 via the water heater 70.

[0017] In the hot water supply system S configured as described above, when the heat source controller 7 receives an instruction from the remote control 74 to perform a heat retention operation for the heat pump unit 2, it activates the compressor 10 and expansion valve 12 of the heat pump unit 2 and the pump 25 of the tank unit 3. Then, in the heat pump unit 2, the heat transfer medium is compressed by the compressor 10 to become high temperature and high pressure, dissipates heat in the water heat exchanger 11, becomes low temperature and low pressure in the expansion valve 12, and circulates through the circulation path 14 while absorbing heat in the heat absorption section 13. Meanwhile, in the tank unit 3, the operation of the pump 25 causes the hot water in the tank body 20 to circulate through the tank circulation path 28. That is, the hot water circulates from the supply pipe 21 through the water-side pipe 16 of the heat exchanger 11 and back to the tank body 20 through the return pipe 22. As a result, heat exchange takes place in the heat exchanger 11 between the heat transfer medium flowing through the heat-side pipe 15 and the hot water flowing through the water-side pipe 16, heating the hot water in the tank body 20. After the hot water in the tank body 20 is heated to a high temperature (e.g., 75°C), the compressor 10 is controlled ON / OFF based on the temperature detected by the supply temperature sensor 27 to maintain a predetermined temperature (e.g., 65°C).

[0018] Then, when hot water operation is selected on the remote control 74, the heat source unit controller 7 opens the second solenoid valve 48 while keeping the first solenoid valve 36 closed, and switches the mixing valve 56 to a state where the first section pipe 55 and the second section pipe 57 are in communication. When the hot water tap 79 is opened in this state, tap water is supplied from the water inlet 38 to the heat source side water supply pipe 5. This tap water is supplied from the second water supply branch pipe 43 to the lower part of the tank body 20. Then, due to this supply pressure, the hot water in the tank body 20 is pushed out into the first section pipe 55 of the heat source side hot water outlet pipe 6, and flows through the mixing valve 56 to the second section pipe 57. The hot water flowing through the second section pipe 57 then flows through the connecting pipe 76 to the water supply pipe 75 of the water heater 70, and is discharged from the hot water tap 79 after passing through the heat exchanger 72, the hot water outlet pipe 77, and the external piping 78.

[0019] If the hot water temperature detected by the hot water temperature sensor 84 is lower than the set temperature set by the remote control 74, the water heater controller 73 opens the main valve and the main valve to ignite the gas burner 71 and heat the hot water passing through the heat exchanger 72. At the same time, based on the inlet water temperature obtained from the inlet water temperature sensor 82, it adjusts the opening of the water volume control valve 83, the bypass control valve 85, and the proportional valve to perform hot water temperature control to match the hot water temperature to the set temperature. On the other hand, if the hot water temperature is higher than the set temperature, the heat source controller 7 switches the mixing valve 56 to a state where the first section pipe 55, the second section pipe 57, and the first water supply branch pipe 42 are in communication, thereby increasing the amount of water supplied from the first water supply branch pipe 42. When the hot water tap 79 is closed and the flow sensor 81 detects that water has stopped flowing through the water heater 70, the water heater controller 73 closes the main valve and the source valve to stop the combustion of the gas burner 71.

[0020] Next, the specific structure of the heat source unit 1 will be described. Figure 2 is a front view of the heat source unit 1. The housing 100 of the heat source unit 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that extends vertically. However, the housing 100 is divided into a cubic frame-shaped upper frame 101 and a lower frame 102. Here, the upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 are stacked vertically and joined together with bolts to form a single unit. A partition plate 103 is provided on the lower surface of the upper frame 101, and a bottom plate 104 and legs 105, 105 are provided on the lower surface of the lower frame 102. The front, rear, left, right, and top surfaces of the housing 100 are closed off by panels 106. In Figure 2, the front panel 106 is omitted.

[0021] In this configuration, the heat pump unit 2 is housed in the upper frame 101, and the tank unit 3 is housed in the lower frame 102. In the upper frame 101, the heat absorption unit 13 is located on the left side, with the fan 17 facing forward. To the right of the heat absorption unit 13 is the heat source controller 7. To the right of the heat source controller 7 is the water heat exchanger 11. Behind the heat source controller 7 are the compressor 10 (not shown in Figure 2) and the expansion valve 12. In the lower frame 102, the tank body 20 is positioned on the left side. The lower part of the tank body 20 is fixed to the bottom plate 104 via a support base 111, which will be described later. The upper part of the tank body 20 is fixed to the partition plate 103 via an upper support bracket 125, which will be described later. The supply pipe 21 is branched and connected to the tank drain pipe 4, which is connected to the center of the bottom surface of the tank body 20, and its upstream end is shared with the tank drain pipe 4. The supply pipe 21 is drawn out to the right side of the tank body 20, routed upward via the pump 25, passes through the partition plate 103 and enters the upper frame 101, and is connected to the lower part of the water heat exchanger 11. The return pipe 22 is connected to the right side of the tank body 20 and routed upward, passes through the partition plate 103 and enters the upper frame 101, and is connected to the upper part of the water heat exchanger 11. A pipe connection section 107, which is covered by a cover, is provided at the bottom of the right-side panel 106 of the lower frame 102. The pipe connection section 107 is equipped with a water inlet 38, a hot water outlet 62, and drain plugs.

[0022] The outer perimeter of the tank body 20 is covered with an insulating material 108. The insulating material 108 is made of, for example, expanded polystyrene, and as shown in Figures 3 and 11, its outer shape in plan view is octagonal. The insulating material 108 is formed by assembling a pair of halves 108a and 108b to the tank body 20 from the left and right. The halves 108a and 108b are divided into two halves, left and right, with a vertical plane P defined by passing through the center of the tank body 20 in the front-to-back and up-to-down directions. An annular portion 109 is formed at the bottom of the insulation material 108, surrounding the support base 111. The lower surface of the annular portion 109 is in contact with the upper surface of the bottom plate 104. However, the annular portion 109 is not continuous around its entire circumference, and a portion of the annular portion 109 (approximately 1 / 4) is a notch 110 that opens to the front and right sides. The tank drain pipe 4 is connected to a drain port 20a that is provided downward from the center of the lower surface of the tank body 20. The tank drain pipe 4 is pulled out from the inside of the annular portion 109 through the notch 110, bending in a crank shape, to the right, and connected to the pipe connection portion 107.

[0023] The support base 111 is fixed on the bottom plate 104 within the annular portion 109 and supports the tank body 20. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, 7 and 11, a pair of protruding fittings 112, 112 for attaching the support base 111 are fixed to the lower surface of the tank body 20. The protruding fittings 112, 112 are positioned symmetrically front to back on the dividing surface P, centered on the drain port 20a. Each protruding fitting 112 has a U-shape in side view, comprising a pair of vertical plate portions 113, 113 and a bottom plate portion 114. The vertical plate portions 113, 113 are connected to the lower surface of the tank body 20 and extend downward. The bottom plate portion 114 horizontally connects the lower ends of the vertical plate portions 113, 113. Each bottom plate portion 114 has a mounting hole 115 for attaching to the support base 111. Therefore, above the annular portion 109, the mating surfaces of the halved members 108a and 108b are recessed with relief portions 116, 116... that fit halfway from the left and halfway from the drain port 20a and the protruding fittings 112, 112. Between these relief portions 116, 116, protruding portions 117, 117 are formed that protrude from each of the halved members 108a and 108b. When the heat insulating material 108 is assembled, as shown in Figure 11, the left and right protrusions 117, 117 are positioned between the front and rear protruding fittings 112, 112 on either side of the drain port 20a, and abut against each other, thus closing the area E surrounded by the bottom surface of the tank body 20, the protruding fittings 112, 112 and the support base 111.

[0024] The support base 111 comprises a top plate portion 118 and a pair of leg plate portions 119A and 119B. The top plate portion 118 is a strip-shaped plate that extends in the front-rear direction below the protruding fittings 112 and 112. The leg plate portions 119A and 119B extend downward from both the front and rear ends of the top plate portion 118. As shown in Figure 10, a through hole 120 is formed in the front-rear center of the top plate portion 118 through which a drain port 20a passes. Bolt holes 121 and 121 corresponding to the mounting holes 115 and 115 of the protruding fittings 112 and 112 are formed in the top plate portion 118 before and after the through hole 120. Inwardly folded portions 122 and 122 are formed at the left and right edges of the top plate portion 118 and the leg plate portions 119A and 119B, respectively.

[0025] A pair of screw holes 123, 123 are formed at the lower ends of the leg plates 119A and 119B, respectively. However, the width of the lower end of the front leg plate 119A is smaller than the width of the lower end of the rear leg plate 119B, so the spacing between the screw holes 123, 123 is larger on the rear leg plate 119B than on the front leg plate 119A. Therefore, when viewed from the front, the front leg plate 119A and the rear leg plate 119B overlap, but the front and rear screw holes 123, 123 do not overlap front to back. The notch 110 of the annular portion 109 extends to the front of the front leg plate 119A, so even with the annular portion 109 present, the four screw holes 123, 123 are visible from the front. A pair of connecting plates 124, 124 are screwed onto the base plate 104 for screwing the leg plates 119A, 119B to it. Each connecting plate 124 is L-shaped in side view, and the upright portion has different widths on the left and right sides to match the spacing of the front and rear screw holes 123, 123.

[0026] On the other hand, an upper support bracket 125 is fixed to the center of the upper surface of the tank body 20. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, 8 and 9, and 12, the upper support bracket 125 has a pair of fixing plate portions 126, 126 and an upper plate portion 127. The fixing plate portions 126, 126 are fixed to the upper surface of the tank body 20 at left and right positions that straddle the center of the upper surface of the tank body 20 and extend upward. The upper plate portion 127 is a strip-shaped plate that extends in the left and right direction below the partition plate 103 and connects the upper ends of the fixing plate portions 126, 126. Therefore, recesses 116, 116 are provided in the joint surfaces of the halved pieces 108a, 108b of the insulation material 108 that cover the upper surface of the tank body 20, respectively, so that they fit into the upper support bracket 125 from the left and right sides. An upper mounting hole 128 is formed in the center of the upper plate portion 127 in the front-to-back direction. An upper bolt hole 129 is formed in the partition plate 103 above the upper mounting hole 128. Here, the upper insulation material 130 is also placed in the space below the upper support bracket 125. However, while the halves 108a and 108b of the insulation material 108 are assembled from both the left and right sides, the upper support bracket 125 extends in the left-right direction. Therefore, the upper insulation material 130 is not integrally formed with the halves 108a and 108b, but is a block that fits independently within the inner space of the upper support bracket 125. The lower surface of this upper insulation material 130 abuts against the upper surface of the tank body 20, and the upper surface is formed to a thickness such that it is lower than the lower surface of the upper plate portion 127, forming a vertical gap F (Figures 8 and 9) between it and the upper plate portion 127. A through hole 131 is formed in the center of the upper insulation material 130 to avoid interference with the upper bolt 135, which will be described later.

[0027] Therefore, when fixing the tank body 20 inside the lower frame 102, first, with the front panel 106 and the bar 102a (Figure 2) for attaching the panel 106 removed, the support base 111 is fixed to the protruding fittings 112, 112 on the lower surface of the tank body 20. This is done by bringing the upper surface of the top plate portion 118 of the support base 111 into contact with the lower surface of the bottom plate portions 114, 114 of the protruding fittings 112, 112, and screwing two bolts 132, 132 that have been passed through the bolt holes 121, 121 and mounting holes 115, 115 from below into nuts 133, 133 (Figures 4 and 6) that are incorporated into the mounting holes 115, 115, respectively. After that, the half-cut pieces 108a, 108b of the insulation material 108 are assembled to the tank body 20.

[0028] Next, the tank body 20 is set on the bottom plate 104, aligning the leg plates 119A and 119B of the support base 111 with the connecting plates 124 and 124. At this time, the lower surface of the annular portion 109 of the insulation material 108 abuts against the bottom plate 104, supporting the tank body 20 in an upright position, making alignment easy. Then, the leg plates 119A and 119B are fixed to the connecting plates 124 and 124 respectively with screws 134, 134, 134. At this time, the two screw holes 123 at the front and rear are visible from the front within the notch 110, so as shown in Figure 13, two screws 134 can be inserted into the screw holes 123, 123 from the front and screwed to the connecting plates 124, 124. On the other hand, on the upper side, the upper mounting hole 128 of the upper support bracket 125 is aligned with the upper bolt hole 129 of the partition plate 103, and the upper bolt 135, which is inserted from above the partition plate 103 into the upper bolt hole 129 and the upper mounting hole 128, is screwed into the upper nut 136 (Figures 4 and 5, 8 and 9) incorporated into the upper mounting hole 128. As a result, the upper part of the tank body 20 is fixed to the partition plate 103 via the upper support bracket 125.

[0029] (Effects of disclosure regarding the lower insulation structure of the tank body) The heat source unit 1 in the above configuration includes a tank body 20 (tank) for storing hot water, a heat pump unit 2 (heating means) for heating the hot water in the tank body 20, an insulating material 108 covering the outer surface of the tank body 20, and a housing 100 for housing the tank body 20 and the heat pump unit 2. On the lower surface of the tank body 20, a pair of protruding fittings 112, 112 are arranged facing downward around the center of the lower surface of the tank body 20, and each protruding fitting 112 includes a pair of vertical plate portions 113, 113 extending downward from the lower surface of the tank body 20, and a bottom plate portion 114 connecting the lower ends of each vertical plate portion 113. On the other hand, a support base 111 is provided on the bottom plate 104 of the housing 100, located below each protruding fitting 112. The support base 111 includes a top plate portion 118 fastened to the bottom plate portion 114 of each protruding fitting 112 by bolts 132 (fastening members), and leg plate portions 119A and 119B (leg portions) that extend downward from the ends of the top plate portion 118 and are fixed to the bottom plate 104. Furthermore, the insulating material 108 covering the bottom surface of the tank body 20 is also placed in the area E enclosed by the bottom surface of the tank body 20, the protruding fittings 112, 112 and the support base 111.

[0030] With this configuration, by fastening the top plate portion 118 of the support base 111 to the bottom plate portion 114 of each protruding fitting 112, and fixing the leg plate portions 119A and 119B of the support base 111 to the bottom plate 104 via connecting plates 124 and 124, the lower part of the tank body 20 can be fixed to the bottom plate 104 even with the insulation material 108 assembled. Furthermore, each protruding fitting 112 has a hollow structure consisting of a pair of vertical plates 113, 113 and a bottom plate 114, and the protrusions 117 of the halved insulation material 108a, 108b are positioned in the region E between each protruding fitting 112, thereby suppressing the amount of heat radiated to the outside from the protruding fitting 112. Therefore, even with a structure that fixes the lower part of the tank body 20 covered with insulation material 108, the tank body 20 can be easily fixed, and the deterioration of the heat retention performance of the tank body 20 can be effectively suppressed.

[0031] The thermal insulation material 108 is formed by assembling a pair of halves 108a and 109b, which are divided into two parts with a predetermined vertical plane as the dividing surface P, to the tank body 20. The protruding fittings 112 and 112 are arranged in pairs horizontally on the dividing surface P, and the protrusions 117 and 117, which are integrally formed on the halves 108a and 108b, are fitted into the region E. Therefore, when the halved pieces 108a and 108b are assembled, the protrusions 117, 117 are fitted and positioned between the protruding fittings 112, 112, making it easy to place the heat insulating material 108 within region E.

[0032] The following describes examples of changes to the disclosure regarding the lower insulation structure of the tank body. In the above configuration, each half-cut piece of the insulation material has a protrusion integrally formed on it which is fitted into the region. However, the protrusion may be provided on only one half-cut piece and fitted into the region. Alternatively, one protrusion may be provided on each half-cut piece alternately and fitted into the region. However, the structure is not limited to providing protrusions on the half-cut pieces; the insulation material, separate from the half-cut pieces, may also be placed in the region. The protruding fittings are not limited to a front-to-back pair; they may also be arranged horizontally or diagonally to align with the dividing surface of the insulation material. Furthermore, the protruding fittings are not limited to a pair; there may be three or more, for example, arranged concentrically around the center of the bottom surface of the tank body. In this case, the insulation material may be installed with a halved structure on the upper part of the tank (excluding the lower part), and the lower part of the tank may be fitted with another insulation material from below. The number of fastening members that fasten to the support base may also be increased. The structure of the support base is not limited to the above form. For example, the legs may be rod-shaped instead of plate-shaped, or three or more legs may be provided, or the top plate may be circular, square, or polygonal in plan view instead of rectangular. The connecting plate may be omitted by forming it by bending it into the support base or by cutting and bending it into the bottom plate.

[0033] (Effects of disclosure regarding the lower support structure of the tank body) The heat source unit 1 in the above configuration includes a tank body 20 (tank) for storing hot water, a heat pump unit 2 (heating means) for heating the hot water in the tank body 20, an insulating material 108 covering the outer surface of the tank body 20, a housing 100 housing the tank body 20 and the heat pump unit 2, and a support base 111 that supports the lower part of the tank body 20 on the bottom plate 104 of the housing 100. The support base 111 is positioned in the lower center of the tank body 20, while the lower part of the insulation material 108 has an annular portion 109 that protrudes downward, surrounds the support base 111, and whose lower surface abuts against the bottom plate 104. With this configuration, the annular portion 109 allows the tank body 20 to stand on its own when the insulation material 108 is assembled. Therefore, even with a structure that fixes the lower part of the tank body 20 covered with insulation material 108, the tank body 20 can be easily fixed in place.

[0034] The support base 111 includes a top plate portion 118 fixed to the lower part of the tank body 20, and a pair of leg plate portions 119A and 119B that extend downward from the end of the top plate portion 118 and face each other in the front-rear direction (a predetermined horizontal direction). The leg plate portions 119A and 119B have screw holes 123 (fastening portions) formed therein, which are fastened to the bottom plate 104 in the front-rear direction by screws 134 (fastening members). Furthermore, the annular portion 109 has a notch 110 that exposes the leg plate portions 119A and 119B to the outside in the front-to-back direction, and the screw holes 123 provided in the leg plate portions 119A and 119B are positioned so that they do not overlap when viewed from outside the annular portion 109 in the front-to-back direction, and the screws 134 can be tightened and loosened from the front-to-back direction via the notch 110. Therefore, even if the pair of leg plates 119A and 119B are arranged front to back, the screws 134 can be tightened and loosened from the same direction for each screw hole 123 that is visible from the front, improving the workability related to fixing the tank body 20. The tank body 20 can be inserted into and removed from the front of the housing 100, and the notch 110 is formed facing the front. Therefore, the tank body 20 can be housed and the support base 111 can be screwed in from the same direction, which is expected to further improve the workability related to fixing the tank body 20.

[0035] The following describes examples of changes to the disclosure regarding the lower support structure of the tank body. The annular section may be slightly larger or smaller than the upper part of the insulation material surrounding the tank body. The notch is not limited to a structure that is 1 / 4 the size of the annular section as in the above configuration; it may be larger or smaller. Depending on the mounting structure of the support base, the notch may be omitted. In the above configuration, the width of the screw holes in the front leg plate is smaller than the width of the screw holes in the rear leg plate. Conversely, the width of the screw holes in the front leg plate may be made larger than the width of the screw holes in the rear leg plate, so that the screw holes in the rear leg plate can be seen through the lower part of the bifurcated front leg plate. Alternatively, the screw holes in the front leg plate may be shifted to one side, and the screw holes in the rear leg plate may be shifted to the other side, so that all of them can be seen from the front. The number of screw holes can be increased or decreased as needed. The fastening portion is not limited to screw holes; for example, a fastening portion may be formed by welding a nut to the rear side of a through-hole formed in the leg plate. The fastening member may also be a bolt. Instead of a connecting plate, the leg plate portion may be fastened to a connecting portion formed by cutting and bending the base plate.

[0036] In the above configuration, the support base can be screwed in from the front of the housing. However, if the tank body is housed from the side, the support base may be positioned horizontally and screwed in from the side of the housing. Alternatively, if the tank body is housed from the rear, a notch may be provided on the rear side so that the support base can be screwed in from the rear of the housing. However, the direction in which the tank body is housed and the direction in which the support base is screwed in do not necessarily have to coincide.

[0037] (Effects of disclosure regarding the upper support structure of the tank body) The heat source unit 1 in the above configuration includes a tank body 20 (tank) for storing hot water, a heat pump unit 2 (heating means) for heating the hot water in the tank body 20, and a housing 100 for housing the tank body 20 and the heat pump unit 2. The housing 100 is provided with a bottom plate 104 that partitions the storage space of the tank body 20 at the bottom of the tank body 20, and a partition plate 103 that partitions the storage space at the top of the tank body 20. The bottom plate 104 is provided with a support base 111 and a connecting plate 124 (support means) for supporting the lower part of the tank body 20. Furthermore, an upper support bracket 125 is provided on the upper part of the tank body 20, consisting of a pair of fixing plate portions 126, 126 extending upward from the upper surface of the tank body 20 and a horizontal upper plate portion 127 connecting the upper ends of the fixing plate portions 126, 126, and the partition plate 103 and the upper plate portion 127 are fastened together by upper bolts 135 (fastening members).

[0038] With this configuration, in addition to the lower part of the tank body 20, the upper part of the tank body 20 can also be fixed to the housing 100 via the upper support bracket 125, so that the tank body 20 can be stably supported within the housing 100. In particular, the upper support bracket 125, which consists of fixing plate parts 126, 126 and an upper plate part 127, can also be used as a handle, so the tank body 20 can be easily transported and moved in and out of the housing 100 using the upper support bracket 125. Lifting by crane is also possible. An insulating material 108 is provided to cover the outer surface of the tank body 20, and an upper insulating material 130 (insulating material) is also placed in the space enclosed by the upper surface of the tank body 20 and each fixing plate portion 126 and upper plate portion 127, and a gap F is formed in the vertical direction between the upper surface of the upper insulating material 130 in the space and the lower surface of the upper plate portion 127. Therefore, even with the upper support bracket 125 installed, heat dissipation from the upper support bracket 125 can be prevented, and the heat retention performance of the tank body 20 can be maintained. In addition, because there is a gap F, the tank body 20 can be transported or suspended using the upper support bracket 125 without any problems.

[0039] The following describes examples of changes to the disclosure regarding the upper support structure of the tank body. The shape of the upper support bracket is not limited to the above form. For example, the upper plate may be circular, square, or polygonal in plan view, or three or more fixing plates may be provided around the center of the upper plate. The number of upper bolts may also be increased. The fastening members may be screws. In the above configuration, a separate upper insulation material is placed inside the upper support bracket. However, the divided surface of the insulation material may be aligned with the orientation of the upper support bracket, and a protruding portion formed from a halved material, similar to the lower part of the tank body, may be placed inside the upper support bracket. However, the insulation material inside the upper support bracket may be placed without leaving a gap between it and the upper plate. The insulation material inside the upper support bracket may be omitted.

[0040] The following describes examples of changes common to each disclosure. The heating means is not limited to a heat pump. The heating means may also be a gas combustion type, such as a water heater. In this case, the housing does not have to be divided vertically into the heating means side and the tank side; it may be divided horizontally, or the heating means and the tank may be housed in a single housing. Either the heat source controller or the water heater controller can be omitted, and the entire hot water supply system can be controlled by a single controller. The tank capacity is not limited to 25L as described above; it may be increased or decreased as appropriate. The heat exchanger of a water heater may consist of a primary heat exchanger that recovers sensible heat and a secondary heat exchanger that recovers latent heat. Alternatively, a drop-in pipe connected to the bathtub may be branched off from the hot water outlet pipe of the water heater, and a valve installed in the drop-in pipe may be used to fill the bathtub with hot water. In this case, a bath heating unit may be installed alongside the hot water supply unit so that the water in the bathtub can be reheated by the bath heating unit. The external heat source connected to the hot water outlet is not limited to a water heater. This disclosure is not limited to a hot water supply system consisting of a hot water supply device and an external heat source, but may also refer to a configuration in which an external heat source is not connected to the hot water outlet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Heat pump heat source unit, 2. Heat pump unit, 3. Tank unit, 4. Tank drain pipe, 4a. Branch section, 4b. Branch pipe, 5. Heat source side water supply pipe, 6. Heat source side hot water outlet pipe, 7. Heat source unit controller, 14. Circulation path, 20. Tank, 25. Pump, 28. Tank circulation path, 36. First solenoid valve, 38. Water inlet, 42. First water supply branch pipe, 43. Second water supply branch pipe, 48. Second solenoid valve, 55. First section pipe, 56. Mixing valve, 57. Second section pipe, 58. Pressure relief pipe, 59. Pressure relief valve, 62. Hot water outlet, 63. Lever, 70. Water heater, 100. • Enclosure, 101... Upper frame, 102... Lower frame, 103... Partition plate, 104... Bottom plate, 108... Insulation material, 108a, 108b... Half-split material, 109... Ring section, 110... Notch section, 111... Support base, 112... Protruding fitting, 113... Vertical plate section, 114... Bottom plate section, 117... Protrusion section, 118... Top plate section, 119A, 119B... Leg plate section, 123... Screw holes, 124... Connecting plate, 125... Upper support fitting, 126... Fixing plate section, 127... Upper plate section, 130... Upper insulation material, 132... Bolt, 134... Screw, 135... Upper bolt, P... Dividing surface, F... Gap, S... Hot water supply system.

Claims

1. A tank for storing hot water, A heating means for heating the hot water in the tank, The insulating material covering the outer surface of the tank, The tank and the heating means are housed in a housing, On the lower surface of the tank, a plurality of protruding fittings are arranged facing downward around the center of the lower surface of the tank, and each of the protruding fittings includes a pair of vertical plate portions extending downward from the lower surface of the tank and a bottom plate portion connecting the lower ends of each of the vertical plate portions, A support base is provided on the bottom plate of the housing, located below each of the protruding fittings, and the support base includes a top plate portion fastened to the bottom plate portion of each of the protruding fittings by a fastening member, and a leg portion extending downward from the end of the top plate portion and fixed to the bottom plate. The heat insulating material covering the lower surface of the tank is also provided in the area enclosed by the lower surface of the tank, each of the protruding fittings, and the support base of the hot water supply device.

2. The aforementioned insulation material is formed by assembling a pair of halves, each divided into two sections using a predetermined vertical plane as the dividing surface, to the tank, and the protruding fittings are arranged in pairs horizontally on the dividing surface. The hot water supply device according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion integrally formed on at least one of the halved material is fitted and arranged in the region.

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