Hot water supply system

Abstract

Even when the heat pump and tank are housed separately in the enclosure, with the supply pipe from the tank to the heat pump being long and vertical, vibrations transmitted from the heat pump to the supply pipe are suppressed. [Solution] The casing 100 of the heat pump heat source unit 1 is divided into an upper frame 101 that houses the heat pump unit 2 and a lower frame 102 that is located below the upper frame 101 and houses the tank body 20. The pump 25 and flow switch 26 of the supply pipe 21 that connects the tank body 20 to the heat pump unit 2 are housed in the lower frame 102, and the flow switch 26 is fixed to the lower beam 108 of the lower frame 102 via a fixing plate 114.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a hot water supply device that heats water with 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 hot water supply device that heats water to a predetermined temperature using 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 hot water supply machine including a heat pump unit and a hot water storage device. In this hot water storage device, a tank is accommodated in a casing (housing), and a water supply pipe for supplying raw water to the tank and a hot water supply pipe (hot water discharge pipe) for discharging the hot water in the tank are provided.

[0003] The heat pump includes a compressor, a water heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a heat absorption part, and a circulation path through which a heat medium circulates. Between the water heat exchanger and the tank, a forward pipe through which hot water flows from the tank to the water heat exchanger and a return pipe through which hot water flows from the water heat exchanger to the tank are connected. A pump is provided in the forward pipe, and when the pump is operated by a control unit, the hot water in the tank is sent to the water heat exchanger through the forward pipe, exchanges heat with the heat medium, and then returns to the tank through the return pipe. By repeating this circulation, the hot water in the tank is heated. Normally, a flow switch that outputs an ON signal at a flow rate of a predetermined amount or more is provided in the forward pipe. The control unit is configured to detect the circulation of hot water by the ON signal of the flow switch when the pump is operated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In some hot water supply systems, the heat pump and tank are housed together in a single unit within the casing. In this case, for example, the casing can be divided into upper and lower sections, with the heat pump housed in the upper section and the tank in the lower section, allowing for space-saving installation. However, in this case, since the supply pipe is installed vertically for a long distance from the lower tank to the water heat exchanger of the upper heat pump, vibrations generated by the operation of the compressor and the heat absorption fan may be transmitted to the supply pipe, potentially causing rattling noises. Furthermore, the transmitted vibrations may cause the connections between the supply pipe and the pump or flow switch to loosen.

[0006] Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a hot water supply system that can suppress vibrations transmitted from the heat pump to the supply pipe, even when the heat pump and the tank are housed separately in the enclosure, with the supply pipe from the tank to the heat pump being arranged vertically for a long distance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, this disclosure provides a hot water supply system comprising a tank for storing hot water, A water supply pipe that supplies tap water to the aforementioned tank, A hot water outlet pipe for discharging hot water from the tank, A heat pump having a compressor, a water heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a heat absorption section, and a circulation path for circulating a heat transfer medium between these components, A supply pipe, equipped with a pump and a flow switch, is connected between the tank and the upstream end of the water heat exchanger. A return pipe connected between the downstream end of the water heat exchanger and the tank, The heat pump, the tank, and the housing that houses each of the pipes are included, The housing is divided into an upper frame that houses the heat pump and a lower frame that is located below the upper frame and houses the tank. The pump and the flow switch are housed within the lower frame, and the flow switch is fixed to the lower frame. Another aspect of the present disclosure, in the above configuration, the lower frame includes lower support columns erected at the four corners and beam members spanning between a pair of the lower support columns, The flow switch is characterized in that it is fixed to the beam member either directly or indirectly via a fixing plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, since the flow switch installed in the supply pipe is fixed to the lower frame, even if the heat pump and tank are housed separately in the enclosure and the supply pipe from the tank to the heat pump is arranged vertically for a long distance, vibrations transmitted from the compressor and fan to the supply pipe can be suppressed. Therefore, the generation of rattling noise can be suppressed. In addition, the load applied to the connection between the pump and the flow switch in the supply pipe can be reduced, and loosening of the connection can be prevented. According to another aspect of this disclosure, in addition to the above effects, since the flow switch is fixed to a beam member provided on the lower frame, the middle section of the vertically long supply pipe can be fixed without displacement via the flow switch, and contact between the supply pipe and other piping can be prevented. Furthermore, since the upstream and downstream piping can be connected to the flow switch with the flow switch fixed, the assembly work of the supply pipe can be easily performed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [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 cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the BB line. [Figure 5] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the CC line. [Figure 6] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the DD line. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a hot water supply system S consisting of a heat pump heat source unit (hereinafter simply referred to as "heat source unit") 1, which is an example of a hot water supply device of this disclosure, and a water heater 70 connected to the heat source unit 1. The heat source unit 1 comprises 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 outlet pipe 6, and a heat source unit controller 7. The heat pump unit 2 is an example of the heat pump of this disclosure. The heat source side water supply pipe 5 is an example of the water supply pipe of this disclosure. The heat source side hot water outlet pipe 6 is an example of the hot water outlet pipe of this disclosure.

[0011] The heat pump unit 2 comprises a compressor 10, a water heat exchanger 11, an expansion valve 12, a heat absorption section 13, and a loop-shaped circulation path 14 connecting these in series. A heat transfer medium (e.g., a refrigerant substitute) can circulate through the circulation path 14. The compressor 10 compresses the heat transfer medium absorbed in the heat absorption section 13, making it high temperature and high pressure, and sends it to the water heat exchanger 11. The water heat exchanger 11 is equipped with a heat-side pipe 15 and a water-side pipe 16. The heat-side pipe 15 is incorporated into the circulation path 14. The water-side pipe 16 is incorporated into the tank circulation path 28, which will be described later. The expansion valve 12 depressurizes the heat transfer medium from which heat has been removed in the water heat exchanger 11, making it low temperature and low pressure, and sends it to the heat absorption section 13. The heat absorption section 13 has a fan 17 and performs heat exchange between the outside air and the heat transfer medium.

[0012] The tank unit 3 comprises a tank body 20, a supply pipe 21, and a return pipe 22. The tank body 20 is capable of storing a predetermined capacity (e.g., 25 L) of hot water and is equipped with a tank temperature sensor 23 for detecting the temperature of the hot water. The tank body 20 is an example of the tank of this disclosure. The supply pipe 21 is connected to the bottom of the tank body 20. The supply pipe 21 is connected to the upstream end of the water side piping 16. The supply pipe 21 is equipped with a pump 25, a flow switch 26 for detecting water flow, and a supply temperature sensor 27 for detecting the temperature of the hot water. 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 on the return pipe 22. The supply pipe 21, the return pipe 22, and the water-side pipe 16 form a tank circulation path 28 through which the hot water in the tank body 20 circulates. On the supply pipe 21 upstream of the pump 25, a drain pipe 29 for the supply pipe is connected. A drain plug 30 for the supply pipe is provided at the downstream end of the drain pipe 29 for the supply pipe.

[0013] 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 part 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 part 4a is provided between the throttle part 35 and the first solenoid valve 36, and a branch pipe 4b is connected to the branch part 4a. A drain plug 37 for the branch pipe is provided at the outlet of the branch pipe 4b. The heat source side water supply pipe 5 is connected to the upstream end of a water inlet 38 provided on the housing. An external water pipe (not shown) is connected to the water inlet 38. The heat source side water supply pipe 5 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.

[0014] The heat source side water supply pipe 5 branches into a first water supply branch pipe 42 and a second water supply branch pipe 43 on the downstream side of the heat source side inlet water temperature sensor 41. The first water supply branch pipe 42 is connected to a mixing valve 56 (described later) provided on the heat source side hot water pipe 6. The first water supply branch pipe 42 is provided with a check valve 44 and a throttle part 45 for flow control. A drain pipe 46 for the water supply pipe is connected between the check valve 44 and the throttle part 45. A drain plug 47 for the water supply pipe 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.

[0015] The heat source side outlet pipe 6 includes a first section pipe 55, a mixing valve 56, and a second section 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 motor-driven within the flow path of the T-shaped port, allowing for both switching of the flow path and adjustment of the flow path opening. 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.

[0016] 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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 circulation repeats, with the water flowing from the supply pipe 21 through the water-side pipe 16 of the heat exchanger 11 and returning to the tank body 20 via the return pipe 22. As a result, heat exchange occurs 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).

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 3. 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. Inside the front and rear panels 106, the upper frame 101 has upper support columns 101a, 101a... erected at the four corners, and plate-shaped upper beams 107, 107 horizontally installed to connect the left and right upper support columns 101a, 101a on the front and rear surfaces. Similarly, inside the panel 106, the lower frame 102 has lower support columns 102a, 102a erected at the four corners, and plate-shaped lower beams 108, 108 horizontally installed to connect the left and right lower support columns 102a, 102a on the front and rear surfaces. The lower beams 108, 108 are positioned vertically separated below the partition plate 103 and above the bottom plate 104.

[0023] 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 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 109. The upper part of the tank body 20 is fixed to the partition plate 103 via an upper support bracket (not shown). The outer perimeter of the tank body 20 is covered with insulation material 110. The insulation material 110 is made of, for example, expanded polystyrene.

[0024] 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 and is divided into a first pipe 111, a second pipe 112, and a third pipe 113 from the upstream side. The first pipe 111 is connected between the tank drain pipe 4 and the pump 25. The second pipe 112 is connected between the pump 25 and the flow switch 26. The third pipe 113 is connected between the flow switch 26 and the water heat exchanger 11. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the return pipe 22 is connected to the right side of the tank body 20 and pulled upward, passes through the partition plate 103 and enters the upper frame 101, and is connected to the top of the water heat exchanger 11.

[0025] The flow switch 26 is fixed to the lower beam 108 below the partition plate 103 with screws via a fixing plate 114. The lower beam 108 is an example of a beam member of this disclosure. The flow switch 26 here is a contact type, as shown in Figure 4, which generates an ON signal when a fluid flow rate exceeding a predetermined amount flows through it, by activating a movable contact 26b provided in the flow path within the casing 26a and making contact with a fixed contact. The downstream end of the second pipe 112 is connected to the lower surface of the casing 26a via a joint pipe 112a, and the upstream end of the third pipe 113 is directly connected to the right side of the casing 26a. The third pipe 113, which is connected to the right side of the flow switch 26, is pulled upward as shown in Figures 5 and 6, 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.

[0026] As shown in Figure 6, a pipe connection section 115 is provided at the bottom of the right-side panel 106 of the lower frame 102. In addition to a water inlet 38 and a hot water outlet 62, the pipe connection section 115 is provided with a drain port 116 from the pressure relief pipe 58, drain plugs 30, 37, and 47, and a drain port 117 from the tank drain pipe 4. Of these, the branch pipe drain plug 37, which is branched and connected to the branch pipe 4b of the tank drain pipe 4, and the drain port 117 from the tank drain pipe 4 are located at the very bottom of the pipe connection section 115. The pipe connection section 115 is covered by a cover 118 attached to the panel 106. The cover 118 has an opening 119 on its rear side, and external piping and electrical wiring connected to the pipe connection section 115 are routed to the rear through the opening 119.

[0027] Thus, the heat source unit 1 in the above configuration includes a tank body 20 for storing hot water, a heat source side water supply pipe 5 for supplying tap water to the tank body 20, a heat source side hot water outlet pipe 6 for discharging hot water from the tank body 20, a heat pump unit 2 having a compressor 10, a water heat exchanger 11, an expansion valve 12, a heat absorption section 13 and a circulation path 14 for circulating a heat transfer medium to these, a supply pipe 21 connected between the tank body 20 and the upstream end of the water heat exchanger 11 and equipped with a pump 25 and a flow switch 26, a return pipe 22 connected between the downstream end of the water heat exchanger 11 and the tank body 20, and a housing 100 that houses the heat pump unit 2, the tank body 20 and each of the pipes (heat source side water supply pipe 5, heat source side hot water outlet pipe 6, supply pipe 21, return pipe 22, etc.). The housing 100 is divided into an upper frame 101 that houses the heat pump unit 2 and a lower frame 102 located below the upper frame 101 that houses the tank body 20. The pump 25 and flow switch 26 are housed in the lower frame 102, and the flow switch 26 is fixed to the lower frame 102.

[0028] With this configuration, since the flow switch 26 installed in the supply pipe 21 is fixed to the lower frame 102 of the housing 100 via the fixing plate 114, even if the heat pump unit 2 and the tank body 20 are housed separately in the housing 100 and the supply pipe 21 from the tank body 20 to the heat pump unit 2 is arranged to be long vertically, vibrations transmitted from the compressor 10 and fan 17 to the supply pipe 21 can be suppressed. Therefore, the generation of rattling noise can be suppressed. In addition, the load applied to the connection between the pump 25 and the flow switch 26 in the supply pipe 21 can be reduced, and loosening of the connection can be prevented.

[0029] The lower frame 102 includes lower support columns 102a, 102a... erected at the four corners, and a lower beam 108 installed between a pair of lower support columns 102a, 102a. The flow switch 26 is indirectly fixed to the lower beam 108 via a fixing plate 114. Therefore, the middle section of the vertically elongated supply pipe 21 can be fixed without misalignment via the flow switch 26, preventing contact between the supply pipe 21 and other pipes. Furthermore, since the second pipe 112 and the third pipe 113 can be connected to the flow switch 26 while it is fixed to the fixing plate 114, the assembly work of the supply pipe 21 can be easily performed.

[0030] The following describes examples of changes to this disclosure. The flow switch may be fixed directly to the beam member without using a fixing plate. The arrangement of the tank body and the piping may be reversed left to right from the above configuration, or front to back. In the case of a front to back arrangement, the flow switch may be directly or indirectly fixed to a beam member installed between the front and rear lower support columns. The flow switch may be fixed to an enclosure other than the beam member. For example, the flow switch may be fixed directly or indirectly to the lower support column or partition plate. Alternatively, the flow switch may be fixed directly or indirectly to the partition plate, upper support column, or upper beam within the upper frame. The supply pipe is not limited to the configuration described above, which consists of three pipes; the number of pipes may be more or less than that described above.

[0031] 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 apply to configurations in which an external heat source is not connected to the hot water outlet. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 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, 10. Compressor, 11. Water heat exchanger, 12. Expansion valve, 13. Heat absorption section, 14. Circulation path, 20. Tank, 25. Pump, 26. Flow switch, 26a. Casing, 26b. Movable contact, 28. Tank circulation path, 36. First solenoid valve, 38. Water inlet, 42. First supply Water branch pipe, 43... Second water supply branch pipe, 48... Second solenoid valve, 55... First section pipe, 56... Mixing valve, 57... Second section pipe, 62... Hot water outlet, 70... Water heater, 100... Housing, 101... Upper frame, 101a... Upper support column, 102... Lower frame, 102a... Lower support column, 103... Partition plate, 104... Bottom plate, 107... Upper beam, 108... Lower beam, 110... Insulation material, 111... First piping, 112... Second piping, 113... Third piping, 114... Fixing plate, 115... Pipe connection part, S... Hot water supply system.

Claims

1. A tank for storing hot water, A water supply pipe that supplies tap water to the aforementioned tank, A hot water outlet pipe for discharging hot water from the tank, A heat pump having a compressor, a water heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a heat absorption section, and a circulation path for circulating a heat transfer medium between these components, A supply pipe, equipped with a pump and a flow switch, is connected between the tank and the upstream end of the water heat exchanger. A return pipe connected between the downstream end of the water heat exchanger and the tank, The heat pump, the tank, and the housing that houses each of the pipes are included, The housing is divided into an upper frame that houses the heat pump and a lower frame that is located below the upper frame and houses the tank. A hot water supply system in which the pump and the flow switch are housed within the lower frame, and the flow switch is fixed to the lower frame.

2. The lower frame includes lower support columns erected at the four corners and beam members installed between a pair of the lower support columns. The hot water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the flow switch is fixed directly to the beam member or indirectly via a fixing plate.

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