Heat source device

Abstract

The front panel can be easily attached and detached, allowing for smoother maintenance work. [Solution] In the heat pump heat source unit 1, a beam member 113A is installed horizontally on the upper front of the upper frame 101, and a slit 126 is formed in the beam member 113A. The upper panel 109 has a hanging portion 116 that overlaps the upper part of the upper frame 101 from the outside, and the hanging portion 116A on the front side also overlaps the beam member 113A from the outside, with its lower end positioned inside the slit 126 when viewed from the front. The upper end of the front panel 106 is provided with an insertion portion 122 that can pass through the slit 126 from below the lower end of the hanging portion 116A, and a screw hole 133 is formed in the lower part of the front panel 106. When the insertion portion 122 is passed through the slit 126 and the lower part of the front panel 106 is screwed to the beam member 113B, the insertion portion 122 locks into the rear surface of the hanging portion 116A, restricting the forward movement of the front panel 106.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a heat source device used as a heat source for heating water having a heating means such as a heat pump.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a heat source device capable of heating water to a predetermined temperature using a heating means such as a heat pump. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a heat pump device in which a heat pump is housed in an exterior case and hot water supplied from a hot water storage tank can be heated via a refrigerant.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above conventional heat pump device, the exterior case is configured such that a front wall portion (front panel) closing the front surface is individually screwed and removable, and when performing maintenance, the front wall portion is removed to open the front surface so as to enable access to the interior from the front. In this case, if the number of screws for attaching the front panel is large, it takes time and effort to attach and detach the front panel, and thus a structure that allows for easy attachment and detachment of the front panel is required.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a heat source device that enables easy attachment and detachment of the front panel and allows for smooth execution of maintenance work.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present disclosure includes a water supply pipe for supplying water, heating means for heating the supplied water, A hot water outlet pipe for dispensing hot water heated by the aforementioned heating means, The heating means includes a housing, The housing is a heat source device comprising a frame that is rectangular or square in plan view, a front panel that closes the front of the frame, a rear panel that closes the rear, side panels that close the left and right sides, and an upper panel that closes the top, wherein at least the front panel is independently detachably attached to the frame. An upper beam member is installed in the left-right direction on the upper front surface of the frame, against which the front panel abuts when the frame is attached, and a slit extending in the left-right direction is formed in the upper beam member. On the other hand, the upper panel has hanging portions on all four sides that overlap the upper part of the frame from the outside when attached to the frame, and the hanging portions on the front side also overlap the upper beam member from the outside, with their lower ends positioned within the slit when viewed from the front. The upper end of the front panel is provided with an insertion portion that can pass through the slit from below the lower end of the hanging portion on the front side, and the lower part of the front panel is formed with a screw fastening portion for the frame side. Furthermore, when the insertion portion is passed through the slit and the lower part of the front panel is screwed to the frame side, the insertion portion engages with the rear surface of the hanging portion on the front side, thereby restricting the forward movement of the front panel. In this disclosure, "frame side" includes not only the frame itself, but also other components that are integrally attached to the frame. Another aspect of this disclosure is that, in the above configuration, either the upper portion or the lower portion of the slit in the upper beam member has a smaller vertical width than the other. The upper edge of one of the upper or lower portions is formed with one or more upper reinforcing pieces that are bent backward, and the lower edge of one of the upper or lower portions is formed with one or more lower reinforcing pieces that are bent backward, and the upper reinforcing pieces and the lower reinforcing pieces are arranged to be offset from each other in the left-right direction and to be symmetrical. Another aspect of the present disclosure is characterized in that, in the above configuration, the front panel is in contact with the upper beam member via a packing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, the insertion portion provided at the upper end of the front panel engages with the hanging portion, restricting its forward movement. Therefore, the front panel can be easily attached to and detached from the housing simply by tightening or loosening the screws that secure the lower part of the front panel. Thus, maintenance work can be performed smoothly. According to another aspect of this disclosure, in addition to the above effects, the upper and lower reinforcing pieces provided above and below the upper or lower portion of the upper beam member with a small vertical width are arranged to be offset from each other in the left-right direction and symmetrical. This cancels out the stresses incurred when processing the upper and lower reinforcing pieces on the upper or lower portion, preventing distortion from occurring in the upper or lower portion with a small vertical width. According to another aspect of this disclosure, in addition to the above effects, since the front panel abuts against the upper beam member via a packing, vibrations transmitted from the housing can be absorbed and rattle noises can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the packing acts as a cushion when assembling the front panel, the risk of the front panel being damaged or deformed by contact with the upper beam member is also reduced. [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. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the heat pump heat source unit with the front panel removed. [Figure 4] This is an exploded perspective view showing the front upper and lower beam members and the front panel removed. [Figure 5] Figure 2 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view along line AA (however, the rear and left / right central portions are omitted). [Figure 6] This is a partial perspective view of the cross-section along line AA in Figure 2, taken from above. [Figure 7] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 2 (however, the left and right central parts at the rear are shown with omission). [Figure 8] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 2. [Figure 9] Perspective views of the upper beam member on the front surface, where FIG. 9A shows the state as viewed from the front and FIG. 9B shows the state as viewed from the rear. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 8 showing a modified example in which a packing is interposed between the front panel and the upper beam member. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view from the front of the upper beam member to which the packing is adhered.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on 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 a heat source device of the present disclosure, and a hot water supply device 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 water 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 source side water supply pipe 5 is an example of the water supply pipe of the present disclosure. The heat pump unit 2 is an example of the heating means of the present disclosure. The heat source side hot water pipe 6 is an example of the hot water pipe of the present disclosure.

[0010] 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 that connects these in series. A heat medium (for example, alternative refrigerant) can circulate through the circulation path 14. The compressor 10 compresses the heat medium吸热部 that has absorbed heat in the heat absorption section 13, raises it to 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 into the circulation path 14. The water side pipe 16 is incorporated into the tank circulation path 28 described later. The expansion valve 12 decompresses the heat medium that has been deprived of heat in the water heat exchanger 11, reduces it to 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 medium.

[0011] 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 with 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. The forward 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. A forward pipe drain pipe 29 is connected to the forward pipe 21 on the upstream side of the pump 25. A forward pipe drain plug 30 is provided at the downstream end of the forward pipe drain pipe 29.

[0012] The tank drain pipe 4 is connected to the lowermost part of the tank body 20. A throttle portion 35 for flow control and a first solenoid valve 36 for opening and closing the flow path are provided in the tank drain pipe 4 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 branch pipe drain plug 37 is provided at the outlet of the branch pipe 4b. The upstream end of the heat source side water supply pipe 5 is connected to a water inlet 38 provided in the housing. An external water pipe (not shown) is connected to the water inlet 38. The heat source side water supply pipe 5 is equipped 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 amount of water flowing, and a heat source side inlet water temperature sensor 41 for detecting the water temperature, starting from the upstream side.

[0013] Downstream of the heat source side inlet water temperature sensor 41, 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. The first water supply branch pipe 42 is connected to a mixing valve 56, which will be described later, provided on the heat source side outlet pipe 6. The first water supply branch pipe 42 is equipped with a check valve 44 and a throttling section 45 for flow control. A water supply drain pipe 46 is connected between the check valve 44 and the throttling section 45. A water supply drain plug 47 is provided at the downstream end of the water supply drain pipe 46. The second water supply branch pipe 43 is connected to the bottom of the tank body 20. The second water supply branch pipe 43 is equipped with a second solenoid valve 48 for opening and closing the flow path and a check valve 49, starting from the upstream side.

[0014] 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.

[0015] 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.

[0016] 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] 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).

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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 front view with the front panel removed, and Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view with the upper and lower front beam members and the front panel removed. 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. The upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 are examples of frames in this disclosure. A partition plate 103 is provided on the underside of the upper frame 101, and a bottom plate 104 and legs 105, 105 are provided on the underside of the lower frame 102. The front of the housing 100 is closed off by a front panel 106, and the rear is closed off by a rear panel 107. The left and right sides of the housing 100 are closed off by a pair of side panels 108, 108, and the top is closed off by an upper panel 109.

[0022] 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 110. 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 111. The insulation material 111 is made of, for example, expanded polystyrene.

[0023] 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, then drawn 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 drawn 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. The lower part of the right-side panel 108 is provided with a piping connection section (not shown). In addition to the water inlet 38 and the hot water outlet 62, the piping connection section is provided with a drain outlet from the pressure relief pipe 58, drain plugs 30, 37, and 47, and a drain outlet from the tank drain pipe 4.

[0024] The upper frame 101 and the lower frame 102 have the same structure and are rectangular in plan view, including a pair of left and right gate-type frames 112, 112 and beam members 113, 113... that are installed in the left-right direction on the front and rear surfaces of the gate-type frames 112, 112, respectively. In the upper frame 101, one beam member 113 is installed on the upper part of each front and rear surface. In the lower frame 102, two beam members 113 are installed on the upper and lower parts of each front and rear surface. Each beam member 113 is a strip-shaped plate member, and both its left and right ends are screwed to the left and right support columns 114, 114 of the gate-type frames 112, 112, which will be described later. Each portal frame 112 is formed by bending an L-shaped metal plate in a cross-section into a portal shape when viewed from the side, with the apex facing outwards. Thus, each portal frame 112 has a pair of front and rear support columns 114, 114 and a front and rear upper beam 115 that connects the upper ends of the support columns 114, 114. The front panel 106 is attached to the front beam member 113 of the upper frame 101 (hereinafter referred to as "113A" when distinguishing between them) and the front lower beam member 113 of the lower frame 102 (hereinafter referred to as "113B" when distinguishing between them).

[0025] The rear panel 107 is screwed to the rear support columns 114, 114 and beam members 113 of the left and right gate-shaped frames 112, 112. Each side panel 108 is screwed to the front and rear support columns 114, 114 and the upper beam 115 of the gate-shaped frame 112, which are opposite each other in the left-right direction. The upper panel 109 is a shallow box shape with downward-facing hanging sections 116, 116 on each of its four sides. The upper panel 109 is placed over the upper panel from above, with the lower ends of each hanging section 116 being secured to the upper ends of the front and rear panels 106, 107 and the side panels 108, 108, respectively. The left and right hanging sections 116, 116 are then screwed to the left and right sides of the front and rear beam members 113, 113 of the upper frame 101, respectively.

[0026] The front panel 106 has a panel body 120 and left and right corners 121, 121. The panel body 120 is a flat plate with a vertically elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The corners 121, 121 curve outward from both ends of the panel body 120 and extend backward, with their rear ends protruding backward. An insertion portion 122 is formed at the upper end of the curved portion of the panel body 120 and the corners 121, 121, which is slightly bent backward and then extends upward. As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 9, on the front surface of the housing 100, the beam member 113A of the upper frame 101 has an upper beam body portion 123 extending in the left-right direction and left and right upper mounting portions 124, 124. The upper beam body portion 123 is a strip-shaped portion extending in the left-right direction, with both left and right ends bent backward. The beam member 113A is an example of an upper beam member of the present disclosure. The upper mounting sections 124, 124 are bent outwards from both the left and right ends of the upper beam body 123 and are screwed to the front surfaces of the left and right support columns 114, 114. In this screwed state, the upper beam body 123 protrudes forward beyond the left and right gate-shaped frames 112, 112. A fixing piece 125 is formed on the upper part of each upper mounting section 124. The fixing piece 125 is bent backward from the upper mounting section 124 and screwed to the left and right hanging portions 116 of the upper panel 109.

[0027] A slit 126 is formed in the left-right direction in the main body of the upper beam 123. The front hanging portion 116 of the upper panel 109 (hereinafter referred to as "116A" for distinction) overlaps the main body of the upper beam 123 from the front, with its lower end positioned inside the slit 126 in a front view. An insertion portion 122 provided at the upper end of the front panel 106 is inserted into the slit 126 and abuts against the rear surface of the hanging portion 116A. The hanging portion 116A is an example of the front hanging portion of this disclosure. In the upper beam body 123, the upper portion 123a of the slit 126 has a smaller vertical width than the lower portion 123b of the slit 126. Upper reinforcing pieces 127 and lower reinforcing pieces 128, 128 are formed in the left-right direction on the upper portion 123a. Upper reinforcing piece 127 is folded back from its upper edge at the center in the left-right direction of the upper portion 123a. Lower reinforcing pieces 128, 128 are folded back from their lower edges towards the left and right of the upper portion 123a. Upper reinforcing piece 127 and lower reinforcing pieces 128, 128 are offset from each other in the left-right direction and are arranged symmetrically with respect to the left-right center of the upper beam body 123. However, the left and right ends of upper reinforcing piece 127 and the central ends of each lower reinforcing piece 128 overlap in the vertical direction.

[0028] The upper reinforcing piece 127 and the lower reinforcing pieces 128, 128 were provided in this arrangement for the following reasons. If a slit 126 is provided at the top of the beam member 113A, the vertical width of the upper part 123a of the slit 126 becomes smaller than that of the lower part 123b, resulting in a decrease in strength. Therefore, an upper reinforcing piece 127 and a lower reinforcing piece 128 are provided. However, if the upper reinforcing piece 127 and the lower reinforcing piece 128 are simply provided in the same arrangement at the top and bottom, there is a risk that twisting may occur in the upper part 123a due to stress during bending. Therefore, instead of arranging the upper reinforcing piece 127 and the lower reinforcing piece 128 in the same position vertically, they are deliberately offset horizontally and arranged symmetrically to counteract twisting caused by stress and suppress the strain of the upper portion 123a.

[0029] As shown in Figure 7, the lower beam member 113B of the lower frame 102, like the upper beam member 113A, has a lower beam body portion 130 extending in the left-right direction and left and right lower mounting portions 131, 131. The lower beam body portion 130 is strip-shaped extending in the left-right direction, with both left and right ends bent backward. A pair of left and right screw holes 132, 132 are formed in the lower beam body portion 130. In the lower part of the front panel 106 that abuts the lower beam body portion 130 in the installed state, a pair of left and right through holes 133, 133 are formed at locations corresponding to the screw holes 132, 132. The through holes 133, 133 are an example of a screw fastening portion of this disclosure. The lower mounting sections 131, 131 are bent outwards from both the left and right ends of the lower beam body 130 and are screwed to the front surfaces of the left and right support columns 114, 114. In this screwed state, the lower beam body 130 protrudes forward of the left and right gate-type frames 112, 112. This protruding position is the same as that of the upper beam body 123 of beam member 113A, and they overlap in the vertical direction.

[0030] Therefore, when installing the front panel 106, first the upper panel 109 is placed over the upper frame 101 and the left and right hanging parts 116, 116 are screwed to the left and right fixing pieces 125, 125 of the beam member 113A. In this state, the insertion part 122 at the upper end of the front panel 106 is inserted into the slit 126 of the upper beam body 123 from below the hanging part 116A, and the panel body 120 is brought into contact with the front surfaces of the upper and lower beam body 123 and the lower beam body 130. Then, as shown in Figure 8, the insertion part 122 is locked to the hanging part 116A from the back side within the slit 126, restricting its movement forward. Then, screws 134, 134 that have passed through the through holes 133, 133 at the bottom of the panel body 120 are screwed into the screw holes 132, 132 of the lower beam body 130 of the beam member 113B, completing the installation of the front panel 106. In this installed state, the rear ends of the left and right corners 121, 121 of the panel body 120 are locked from the inside to the front ends of the left and right side panels 108, 108. On the other hand, when removing the front panel 106 for maintenance, the screws 134, 134 are removed to release the connection with the beam member 113B, which allows the lower part of the front panel 106 to be supported, pulled forward, and tilted backward. Then, the insertion part 122 can be pulled out from the slit 126, and the front panel 106 can be removed. As a result, the front is opened as shown in Figure 3, allowing maintenance of the heat pump unit 2 and the tank unit 3 to be performed.

[0031] In the heat source unit 1 of the above configuration, a beam member 113A is installed in the left-right direction on the upper front surface of the upper frame 101, with the front panel 106 abutting against it when attached to the upper frame 101, and a slit 126 extending in the left-right direction is formed in the beam member 113A. On the other hand, the upper panel 109 has hanging portions 116 on all four sides that overlap the upper part of the upper frame 101 from the outside when attached to the upper frame 101, and the hanging portion 116A on the front side also overlaps the beam member 113A from the outside, with its lower end positioned inside the slit 126 when viewed from the front. The upper end of the front panel 106 is provided with an insertion portion 122 that can pass through to the slit 126 from below the lower end of the hanging portion 116A, and the lower part of the front panel 106 has through holes 133 for screwing the lower frame 102 to the beam member 113B. Then, by passing the insertion part 122 through the slit 126 and screwing the lower part of the front panel 106 to the beam member 113B, the insertion part 122 engages with the rear surface of the hanging part 116A, restricting the forward movement of the front panel 106. With this configuration, the insertion portion 122 provided at the upper end of the front panel 106 engages with the hanging portion 116A, restricting its forward movement. As a result, the front panel 106 can be easily attached to and detached from the housing 100 simply by fastening or unfastening the two screws 134 that secure the lower part of the front panel 106. Therefore, maintenance work can be performed smoothly.

[0032] In the beam member 113A, the upper portion 123a of the slit 126 has a smaller vertical width than the lower portion 123b. One upper reinforcing piece 127 is formed on the upper edge of the upper portion 123a, which is bent backward. Two lower reinforcing pieces 128, 128 are formed on the lower edge of the upper portion 123a, which are bent backward. The upper reinforcing piece 127 and the lower reinforcing pieces 128 are arranged to be offset from each other in the left-right direction and to be symmetrical. Therefore, the stresses incurred when processing the upper reinforcing piece 127 and the lower reinforcing piece 128 onto the upper portion 123a can be offset, preventing distortion from occurring in the upper portion 123a, which has a smaller vertical width.

[0033] The following describes examples of changes to this disclosure. The shape of the front panel is not limited to the above configuration. The front panel may consist only of a panel body without corners, for example. The position and number of through-holes and screw holes for fastening the front panel may be different from the above configuration. The shape of the insertion portion is not limited to the above-described form. The insertion portion may be formed, for example, by a plurality of protrusions or ridges. The upper beam member is not limited to the beam member of the above form. The upper beam member may also have a flat shape that does not protrude forward. The vertical width and horizontal width of the slit may be changed. The upper and lower reinforcing pieces may be the opposite of the above form, with two upper reinforcing pieces and one lower reinforcing piece. There may also be two or more upper and lower reinforcing pieces. In the above configuration, the vertical width of the upper portion of the upper beam member is made smaller than the vertical width of the lower portion, and upper and lower reinforcing pieces are provided at the upper and lower edges, respectively. However, the vertical width of the lower portion may be made smaller than the vertical width of the upper portion, and upper and lower reinforcing pieces may be provided at the upper and lower ends of the lower portion, respectively.

[0034] On the other hand, in the above configuration, the front panel 106 is in direct contact with the front surface of the upper beam member 113A. In this structure, if vibrations generated by the compressor 10 and fan 17 are transmitted to the beam member 113A and the front panel 106, the front panel 106 may repeatedly come into contact with the beam member 113A, potentially causing rattling noises. Furthermore, if the front panel 106 comes into contact with the beam member 113A during assembly, the front panel 106 may be damaged or deformed. To address this issue, it is desirable to interpose a packing 135 between the front panel 106 and the beam member 113A, as shown in Figure 10. In this case, the interposition space for the packing 135 can be secured by slightly shortening the front-to-back thickness of the beam member 113A compared to the above configuration, or by shifting the mounting position of the beam member 113A slightly further back than in the above configuration. As shown in Figure 11, the packing 135 is a strip-shaped sponge that extends along the upper front surface of the lower portion 123b of the upper beam body 123 of the beam member 113A, and is pre-attached to the front surface of the lower portion 123b by an adhesive means such as double-sided tape. Therefore, when the panel 106 is attached, the packing 135 is compressed and elastically deformed in the front and back directions as shown in Figure 10, and is interposed between the front panel 106 and the beam member 113A.

[0035] By bringing the front panel 106 into contact with the beam member 113A via the packing 135 in this manner, vibrations transmitted from the housing 100 can be absorbed, suppressing the generation of rattling noises. Furthermore, since the packing 135 acts as a cushion when assembling the front panel 106, the risk of the front panel 106 being damaged or deformed by contact with the beam member 113A is also reduced. Furthermore, the packing may be pre-attached to the rear surface of the front panel instead of the front surface of the beam member, or it may be pre-attached to both the front surface of the beam member and the rear surface of the front panel. The shape, thickness, and area of ​​the packing are not limited to the above examples. For example, a pair of packings, each shorter in length, may be interposed between the front panel and both sides of the lower part of the beam member. Packing may also be interposed between the upper part and the front panel, not just the lower part. The material of the packing is not limited to sponge; it may also be rubber, nonwoven fabric, etc.

[0036] In the above configuration, the housing is divided into an upper frame and a lower frame, but it may also be a single, undivided frame with a rectangular or square shape in plan view. The side panels and rear panel may be formed as a single unit. The heating method is not limited to heat pumps; water heaters and other similar devices can also be used. The tank capacity is not limited to 25L as described above; it may be increased or decreased as appropriate. However, the heat source device of this disclosure may not have a tank unit housed within its casing. In this case, the water supply pipe and the hot water outlet pipe are connected to an external tank unit, and the hot water is circulated between the tank unit and the heat source device for heating.

[0037] In a hot water supply system, either the heat source controller or the water heater controller may be omitted, and the entire hot water supply system may be controlled by a single controller. 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]

[0038] 1. Heat pump heat source unit, 2. Heat pump unit, 3. Tank unit, 4. Tank drain 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, 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, 62. Hot water outlet, 70. Water heater, 100. Housing, 101. Upper frame, 102... Lower frame, 103... Partition plate, 104... Bottom plate, 106... Front panel, 107... Rear panel, 108... Side panel, 109... Top panel, 112... Gate frame, 113... Beam member, 114... Support column, 116... Hanging part, 120... Panel main body, 121... Corner part, 122... Insertion part, 123... Upper beam main body, 123a... Upper part, 123b... Lower part, 126... Slit, 127... Upper reinforcing piece, 128... Lower reinforcing piece, 130... Lower beam main body, 132... Screw hole, 133... Through hole, 134... Screw, 135... Packing, S... Hot water supply system.

Claims

1. Water supply pipes, A heating means for heating the supplied water, A hot water outlet pipe for dispensing hot water heated by the aforementioned heating means, The heating means includes a housing, The housing comprises a frame that is rectangular or square in plan view, a front panel that closes the front of the frame, a rear panel that closes the rear, side panels that close the left and right sides, and an upper panel that closes the top, wherein at least the front panel is independently detachably attached to the frame, and is a heat source device. An upper beam member is installed in the left-right direction on the upper front of the frame, against which the front panel abuts when attached to the frame, and a slit extending in the left-right direction is formed in the upper beam member, The upper panel has hanging portions on all four sides that overlap the upper part of the frame from the outside when attached to the frame, and the hanging portions on the front side also overlap the upper beam member from the outside, with their lower ends positioned within the slit when viewed from the front. The upper end of the front panel is provided with an insertion portion that can pass through the slit from below the lower end of the hanging portion on the front side, and the lower part of the front panel is formed with a screw fastening portion for the frame side. A heat source device in which, by passing the insertion portion through the slit and screwing the lower part of the front panel to the frame side, the insertion portion engages with the rear surface of the hanging portion on the front side, thereby restricting the forward movement of the front panel.

2. In the upper beam member, either the upper portion or the lower portion of the slit has a smaller vertical width than the other. The heat source device according to claim 1, wherein one or more upper reinforcing pieces that are bent backward are formed on the upper edge of one of the upper or lower portions, and one or more lower reinforcing pieces that are bent backward are formed on the lower edge of one of the upper or lower portions, and the upper reinforcing pieces and the lower reinforcing pieces are arranged to be offset from each other in the left-right direction and to be symmetrical.

3. The heat source device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front panel is in contact with the upper beam member via a packing.

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