Hot water supply system

Abstract

Even when the enclosure is divided into upper and lower sections and the heat pump is housed in the upper section, the drain and other wastewater generated in the upper section can be efficiently discharged without compromising aesthetics. [Solution] The heat pump heat source unit 1 includes a housing 100 divided vertically by a partition plate 103, a tank body 20 housed in the lower space, and a heat pump unit housed in the upper space. A heat source side water supply pipe 5, a heat source side hot water outlet pipe 6, a pressure relief pipe 58, and a pressure relief valve are provided in the lower space. Below the partition plate 103, a first drain port 111 is provided, having an upper connection port 115 and a lower connection port 116. The downstream end of the pressure relief pipe 58 is connected to the upper connection port 115. The partition plate 103 has a recess 118 for collecting drains and the like, and an outlet 119 for discharging the collected drains and the like downwards from the partition plate 103. A drain discharge pipe 117 is provided in the lower space, connecting the outlet 119 and the lower connection port 116.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to a water supply device that can heat hot water in a tank with a heat pump to supply hot water.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a heat pump heat source machine that uses a heat pump to heat water to a predetermined temperature and supply hot water to the outside. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an invention of a heat pump unit in which a blower fan, an evaporator heat exchanger, a condenser heat exchanger for heating hot water, and a compressor are housed in a case. Here, drain water generated in the evaporator heat exchanger and rainwater that has entered the case can be discharged from a drain port provided at the bottom of the case through a drain hose.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] [[ID=2l]]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] ]> When a tank is housed in a case and the hot water heated by the heat pump is stored in the tank, the interior of the housing serving as the case may be partitioned into an upper space and a lower space via a partition plate, and the heat pump may be housed in the upper space and the tank may be housed in the lower space to form a unit. In this case, it can be installed in a space - saving manner, and freedom in layout can be obtained. However, in such a partitioned form, when trying to discharge drain water or the like generated by the heat pump in the upper space, it is necessary to extend a drain hose connected to the partition plate downward for a long distance from the outside of the housing. Therefore, it is necessary to separately route the drain hose, which is troublesome for installation, and the exposed drain hose also impairs the aesthetics.

[0005] Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a hot water supply system that can efficiently discharge drains such as condensate generated in the upper space without impairing aesthetics, even when the inside of the enclosure is partitioned vertically and the heat pump is housed in the upper space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, this disclosure provides a housing in which the interior is divided into an upper space and a lower space via a partition plate, A tank for storing hot water is housed in the lower space, The upper space is housed and includes a heat pump capable of heating hot water in the tank by circulating it between the water heat exchanger and 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. Within the aforementioned lower space, A water supply pipe connected to a water inlet provided in the housing and supplying tap water to the tank, A hot water outlet pipe connected to the hot water outlet provided in the housing and for discharging the hot water from the tank, A pressure relief pipe is branched and connected to the aforementioned hot water outlet pipe, A pressure relief valve is provided in the pressure relief pipe. Furthermore, a drain is provided below the partition plate in the housing, and the drain has a first connection port and a second connection port that branch within the lower space, and the downstream end of the pressure relief pipe is connected to the first connection port, The partition plate is characterized in that, below the heat-absorbing portion, there is a recess for collecting the drain that has dripped onto the partition plate, and an outlet for discharging the drain collected in the recess to the bottom of the partition plate, and a drain discharge pipe connecting the outlet and the second connection port is provided in the lower space. In this disclosure, "drain, etc." includes not only drain that drips from the heat-absorbing section, but also other liquids such as rainwater that enters the upper space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, since the drainage from the pressure relief pipe and the drain from the drain discharge pipe can be combined and discharged from a single drain outlet, there is no need to run a drain hose outside the enclosure to discharge the drain generated in the upper space. Therefore, even if the inside of the enclosure is partitioned vertically and the heat pump is housed in the upper space, the drain generated in the upper space can be efficiently discharged without compromising aesthetics. [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 right-side view of a heat pump heat source unit. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the BB line. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] 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 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 alternative) can circulate through the circulation path 14. The heat pump unit 2 is an example of a heat pump according to this disclosure. 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.

[0010] 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 top of the tank body 20. The return pipe 22 is connected to the downstream end of the water-side piping 16 of the water heat exchanger 11 of the heat pump unit 2. The return pipe 22 is equipped with a return temperature sensor 24 for detecting the temperature of the hot water. The supply pipe 21, return pipe 22, and water-side pipe 16 form a tank circulation path 28 through which the hot and cold water inside the tank body 20 circulates. Upstream of the pump 25, a supply pipe 21 is connected to a supply pipe drain pipe 29. A supply pipe drain plug 30 is provided at the downstream end of the supply pipe drain pipe 29.

[0011] The tank drain pipe 4 is connected to the bottom of the tank body 20. The tank drain pipe 4 is equipped with a flow control throttling section 35 and a first solenoid valve 36 for opening and closing the flow path, in order from the upstream side. A branch section 4a is provided between the throttling section 35 and the first solenoid valve 36, and a branch pipe 4b is connected to the branch section 4a. A drain plug 37 is provided at the outlet of the branch pipe 4b. The heat source side water supply pipe 5 has its upstream end connected to the 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 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. The heat source side water supply pipe 5 is an example of the water supply pipe of the present disclosure.

[0012] 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 (to be 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 water 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 water 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 heat source side hot water supply pipe 6 is an example of the hot water supply pipe of the present disclosure. The upstream end of the first partial pipe 55 is connected to the upper part of the tank body 20, and the downstream end is connected to the first inlet of the mixing valve 56. A pressure relief pipe 58 is connected to the first partial pipe 55. A pressure relief valve 59 is provided in the pressure relief pipe 58. An upstream temperature sensor 60 for detecting the hot water temperature in the first partial pipe 55 is provided in the first partial pipe 55 downstream of the pressure relief pipe 58. The mixing valve 56 is an electric type that can drive the valve body by a motor in the flow path of a T-shaped port, and can adjust the opening degree of the flow path together with the switching 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 second part pipe 57 has its upstream end connected to the outlet of the mixing valve 56. A downstream temperature sensor 61 for detecting the hot water temperature in the second part pipe 57 is provided in the second part pipe 57. A hot water outlet 62 is provided at the downstream end of the second part pipe 57.

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

[0015] The water heater 70 has a gas burner 71, a heat exchanger 72, a water heater controller 73, and a remote controller 74. A water supply pipe 75 is connected to the inlet end of the heat transfer pipe 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 machine 1 via a connecting pipe 76. A hot water supply pipe 77 is connected to the outlet side end of the heat exchanger 72. An external pipe 78 is connected to the downstream end of the hot water supply pipe 77. A hot water supply 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 supply pipe 77. On the water supply pipe 75 upstream of the bypass pipe 80, a flow rate sensor 81 for detecting water flow, an inlet water temperature sensor 82 for detecting the water temperature, and a water volume control valve 83 for controlling the flow rate in the water supply pipe 75 are provided. A hot water supply temperature sensor 84 for detecting the hot water supply temperature is provided on the hot water supply pipe 77. A bypass control valve 85 for controlling the bypass amount is provided on the bypass pipe 80. 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 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).

[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 with the front panel removed, Figure 3 is a right side view of the heat source unit 1, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 2. 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. Therefore, the interior of the housing 100 is divided into a space within the upper frame 101 and a space within the lower frame 102 by the partition plate 103. The space within the upper frame 101 is an example of the upper space in this disclosure. The space within the lower frame 102 is an example of the lower space in this disclosure. The front, rear, left, right, and top surfaces of the housing 100 are each closed off by panels 106. The front panel 106 is provided with an intake port 107 for outside air from the fan 17 of the heat absorption unit 13.

[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 and the expansion valve 12. In the lower frame 102, the tank body 20 is positioned on the left side. The tank body 20 is fixed to the bottom plate 104 via a support base 108 provided on the bottom surface, and fixed to the partition plate 103 via a fitting (not shown) provided on the top surface. The outer periphery of the tank body 20 is covered with an insulating material (e.g., expanded polystyrene) 109.

[0022] 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.

[0023] As shown in Figure 5, a pipe connection section 110 is provided at the bottom of the right-side panel 106 of the lower frame 102 (hereinafter referred to as "106A" for distinction). In addition to the water inlet 38 and the hot water outlet 62, the piping connection section 110 is provided with a first drain port 111 for draining water from the pressure relief pipe 58, drain plugs 30, 37, and 47, and a second drain port 112 for draining water from the tank drain pipe 4. The first drain port 111 is an example of a drain port in this disclosure. A drain plug 37, which is branched and connected to the branch pipe 4b of the tank drain pipe 4, and a second drain port 112 from the tank drain pipe 4 are located at the bottom of the pipe connection section 110. The pipe connection section 110 is covered by a cover 113 attached to panel 106A. The cover 113 has an opening 114 on its rear surface, and each pipe and electrical wiring connected to the pipe connection section 110 is routed out to the rear through the opening 114.

[0024] Here, as shown in Figure 5, the first drain port 111 branches into an upper connection port 115 that protrudes upward inside the panel 106A and a lower connection port 116 that protrudes to the left. The downstream end of the pressure relief pipe 58 is connected to the upper connection port 115. The upper connection port 115 is an example of the first connection port of this disclosure. The lower connection port 116 is an example of the second connection port of this disclosure. The downstream end of the drain discharge pipe 117 is connected to the lower connection port 116. The drain discharge pipe 117 is housed within the lower frame 102 and extends upward, with its upstream end connected to the partition plate 103. The drain discharge pipe 117 is made of a metal pipe or a corrosion-resistant flexible hose. In the partition plate 103, a circular recess 118 is provided below the heat-absorbing section 13, which is lower than the surrounding area in plan view. An outlet 119 is formed in the center of the recess 118. A funnel tube 120 is screwed to the lower surface of the recess 118 and communicates with the outlet 119. The upstream end of the drain discharge pipe 117 is connected to the lower end of the funnel tube 120 and communicates with the recess 118 of the partition plate 103 via the funnel tube 120.

[0025] The pressure relief valve 59, located in the pressure relief pipe 58, is positioned on the right side of the lower frame 102, above the cover 113. As shown in Figure 3, the panel 106A has a window 125 that opens to the right of the pressure relief valve 59. The window 125 is closed by a screw-fastened cover 126. Therefore, by loosening the screws and removing the cover 126, the pressure relief valve 59, as shown in Figure 4, can be exposed through the window 125. The pressure relief valve 59 is equipped with a lever 63 for opening and closing operation. When the pressure relief valve 59 is closed, the lever 63 is in a downward position, extending downward to the right of the pressure relief valve 59. By rotating the lever 63 to the right, it is in a sideways position, which opens the pressure relief valve 59. In this sideways position, the end of the lever 63 penetrates the window 125 and protrudes to the right of the outer surface of the panel 106A.

[0026] Therefore, when draining the tank body 20, the operator selects "Start Tank Draining" by operating the heat source controller 7. This opens the first solenoid valve 36 of the tank drain pipe 4. The operator then removes the lid 126 of panel 106A to expose the pressure relief valve 59 and rotates the lever 63 to a sideways position. This opens the pressure relief valve 59. As a result, the water stored in the first section pipe 55 and the pressure relief pipe 58 enters the first drain port 111 via the upper connection port 115 and is discharged to the outside from the first drain port 111, opening the inside of the tank body 20 to the atmosphere. Therefore, the water inside the tank body 20 is discharged to the outside through the second drain port 112 via the tank drain pipe 4.

[0027] When the draining of water from the tank body 20 is complete, the first solenoid valve 36 closes. This can be done by having the operator select "Tank water draining complete" using the heat source controller 7, or the heat source controller 7 can automatically close the valve by counting up the pre-set time required for water draining to complete. Next, the worker rotates the lever 63 downwards. This closes the pressure relief valve 59, and the work is completed by screwing the cover 126 onto the window 125. At this time, if the operator forgets to close the valve using lever 63 and attempts to attach the lid 126, the lever 63, which is in a sideways position, will protrude to the outside of panel 106A through window 125. Therefore, the lid 126 cannot be attached in this state, and the operator will have to rotate lever 63 to a downward position before attaching the lid 126.

[0028] On the other hand, when the heat pump unit 2 in the upper frame 101 is operated, condensate is generated in the heat absorption section 13 and falls onto the partition plate 103. When the fallen condensate reaches the recess 118, it enters the funnel pipe 120 through the outlet 119. The condensate then descends through the drain discharge pipe 117, enters the first drain outlet 111 via the lower connection port 116, and is discharged to the outside from the first drain outlet 111. Thus, the condensate generated in the upper frame 101 can pass through the lower frame 102 and be discharged to the outside from the first drain outlet 111 along with the drainage from the pressure relief pipe 58. Rainwater that enters from the intake port 107, etc., can also be discharged to the outside from the first drain outlet 111 via the drain discharge pipe 117 through the recess 118 in a similar manner.

[0029] The heat source unit 1 in the above configuration includes a housing 100 whose interior is divided vertically by a partition plate 103, a tank body 20 housed in the lower space for storing hot water, and a heat pump unit 2 housed in the upper space which has 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 between these, and is capable of heating by circulating the hot water in the tank body 20 with the water heat exchanger 11. The lower space is provided with a heat source side water supply pipe 5 connected to a water inlet 38 provided on the lower frame 102 to supply tap water to the tank body 20, a heat source side hot water outlet pipe 6 connected to a hot water outlet 62 provided on the lower frame 102 to discharge hot water from the tank body 20, a pressure relief pipe 58 branched off from the heat source side hot water outlet pipe 6, and a pressure relief valve 59 provided on the pressure relief pipe 58. Furthermore, a first drain port 111 is provided below the partition plate 103, and the first drain port 111 has an upper connection port 115 and a lower connection port 116 that branch off in the lower space, and the downstream end of the pressure relief pipe 58 is connected to the upper connection port 115. On the other hand, below the heat-absorbing portion 13 of the partition plate 103, a recess 118 is formed to collect the drain that has dripped onto the partition plate 103, and an outlet 119 is formed to discharge the drain collected in the recess 118 to the bottom of the partition plate 103. A drain discharge pipe 117 is provided in the lower space to connect the outlet 119 and the lower connection port 116.

[0030] With this configuration, the drainage from the pressure relief pipe 58 and the drain from the drain discharge pipe 117 can be combined and discharged from a single first drain port 111. Therefore, it is not necessary to run a drain hose outside the housing 100 to discharge the drain generated in the upper space. Thus, even if the inside of the housing 100 is divided into upper and lower sections and the heat pump unit 2 is housed in the upper space, the drain generated in the upper space can be efficiently discharged without compromising aesthetics.

[0031] The following describes examples of changes to this disclosure. The position and height of the first drain outlet, which serves as the drain, are not limited to the above configuration. The two connection ports may both face upwards or both face left. However, the drain outlet is not limited to the right side panel; it can also be provided on the left side, back, or front panel. The drain outlet can also be provided on the bottom plate. The connection port to which the pressure relief pipe is connected and the connection port to which the drain discharge pipe is connected may be reversed from the configuration described above. The recess provided in the partition plate may be larger than the above-described form, and its plan view shape may be other shapes such as rectangles or squares. The upstream end of the drain discharge pipe may be directly connected to the recess without using a funnel tube. In this case, the recess including the discharge port may be formed in a mortar shape.

[0032] In the above configuration, the solenoid valve is opened by operating the heat source controller to drain the water from the tank. However, opening the solenoid valve is not limited to the heat source controller. For example, it may be done by operating a remote control connected to the controller, or a dedicated controller may be provided with a switch to open and close the solenoid valve. 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]

[0033] 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. 2-section pipe, 58... pressure relief pipe, 59... pressure relief valve, 62... hot water outlet, 63... lever, 70... water heater, 100... housing, 101... upper frame, 102... lower frame, 103... partition plate, 104... bottom plate, 106... panel, 110... pipe connection, 111... first drain outlet, 112... second drain outlet, 115... upper connection port, 116... lower connection port, 117... drain discharge pipe, 118... recess, 119... through hole, 120... funnel pipe, S... hot water supply system.

Claims

[Claim 1] A housing whose interior is divided into an upper space and a lower space by a partition plate, A tank for storing hot water is housed in the lower space, Housed in the upper space, the heat pump includes 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, and is capable of circulating the hot water in the tank with the water heat exchanger to heat it. In the lower space, A water supply pipe connected to a water inlet provided in the housing and supplying tap water to the tank, A hot water outlet pipe connected to the hot water outlet provided in the housing and for discharging the hot water from the tank, A pressure relief pipe is branched and connected to the aforementioned hot water outlet pipe, A pressure relief valve is provided in the pressure relief pipe, A hot water supply system equipped with, A drain is provided below the partition plate in the housing, and the drain has a first connection port and a second connection port that branch within the lower space, and the downstream end of the pressure relief pipe is connected to the first connection port, A hot water supply device wherein a recess for collecting condensate dripped onto the partition plate and an outlet for discharging the condensate collected in the recess downwards of the partition plate are formed below the heat-absorbing portion of the partition plate, and a drain discharge pipe connecting the outlet and the second connection port is provided in the lower space.

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