Tanks and water heaters

Abstract

A tank according to an aspect of the present disclosure comprises: a tank body that is disposed along the central axis and stores liquid therein; an inlet pipe having an inlet port opening into the interior of the tank body; an outlet pipe having an outlet port opening into the interior of the tank body; and a capture material that is located in the interior of the tank body. The capture material is disposed away from the inlet port and the outlet port, and is provided only in part of the interior of the tank body in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the central axis and including the capture material.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tank and a water heater. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, there is known a hot water supply device equipped with a scale trap that captures scale formed by the precipitation of hardness components dissolved in water. In such a hot water supply device, the scale contained in the water can be captured by the scale trap as the water passes through the scale trap. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-207846 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the water heater described above, the more scale accumulates on the scale trap, the more difficult it becomes for water to pass through the scale trap. This causes a problem in that the scale trap acts as a resistance in the flow path of the water heater, resulting in a large pressure loss in the water flowing through the water heater.

[0005] In consideration of the above circumstances, one of the objectives of the present disclosure is to provide a tank that can suppress large pressure losses when liquid stored in the tank body flows, and a water heater equipped with such a tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the tank according to the present disclosure includes a tank body arranged along a central axis and configured to store a liquid therein, an inlet pipe having an inlet opening into the tank body, an outlet pipe having an outlet opening into the tank body, and a liquid supply pipe disposed inside the tank body.A plurality of parallel gyros arranged in one direction A capture material; A support member fixed to the tank body; Equipped with The support member has a support member body disposed inside the tank body, The above Multiple The capture material is disposed away from the inlet and the outlet. 、 The capture material is provided only in a part of the inside of the tank body in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the central axis and including the capture material. and attached to the support member body, the support member body extending in the one direction and penetrating the plurality of capture materials. .

[0007] One aspect of a water heater according to the present disclosure includes the above tank, a heat exchanger connected to the tank, and an outdoor unit connected to the heat exchanger. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress an increase in pressure loss when liquid stored in the tank body flows. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a water heater in a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the tank in the first embodiment, taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the tank body and a capture unit in the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the tank in the first embodiment, and is a partially enlarged view of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a capturing material in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a metal fiber according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a tank in a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a tank in a third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a water heater in a fourth embodiment. [Figure 10]FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a capture unit of a tank in a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment, and can be changed as desired within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure. In addition, in the following drawings, the scale and number of each structure may be different from the scale and number of the actual structure in order to make each configuration easier to understand.

[0011] The drawings also show an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis as appropriate. The X-axis shows one of the horizontal directions. The Y-axis shows the other of the horizontal directions. The Z-axis shows the vertical direction. In the following description, the horizontal direction along the X-axis is called the "first horizontal direction X", the horizontal direction along the Y-axis is called the "second horizontal direction Y", and the vertical direction along the Z-axis is called the "vertical direction Z". The first horizontal direction X, the second horizontal direction Y, and the vertical direction Z are mutually orthogonal. In the following description, the side of the vertical direction Z toward which the arrow of the Z-axis points (+Z side) is defined as the upper side, and the opposite side of the vertical direction Z toward which the arrow of the Z-axis points (-Z side) is defined as the lower side. In addition, in the following description, the side of the first horizontal direction X toward which the X-axis arrow points (+X side) will be referred to as “one side of the first horizontal direction X,” and the side of the first horizontal direction X opposite to the side toward which the X-axis arrow points (-X side) will be referred to as “the other side of the first horizontal direction X.”

[0012] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a water heater 100 in the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the water heater 100 includes a tank 10, a first heat exchanger 51, a second heat exchanger 52, an outdoor unit 60, a first circulation path section 71, a second circulation path section 72, and a third circulation path section 73. The tank 10 and the first heat exchanger 51 are connected to each other via the first circulation path section 71. The first heat exchanger 51 and the second heat exchanger 52 are connected to each other via the second circulation path section 72. The second heat exchanger 52 and the outdoor unit 60 are connected to each other via the third circulation path section 73.

[0013] The tank 10 includes a tank body 11, a water supply pipe 12, a hot water supply pipe 13, an outflow pipe 14, an inflow pipe 15, and a baffle 16. The tank body 11 stores water W1 as a liquid inside. The tank body 11 is cylindrical and extends in a vertical direction Z. In the following description, the radial direction centered on the central axis C of the cylindrical tank body 11 may be simply referred to as the radial direction. The central axis C is an imaginary line extending in the vertical direction Z. That is, in the first embodiment, the vertical direction Z is the axial direction of the central axis C. The tank body 11 is disposed along the central axis C. The tank body 11 has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 11a, a bottom wall portion 11b provided at the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 11a, and a top wall portion 11c provided at the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 11a. The inside of the tank body 11 is sealed. For example, the entire inside of the tank body 11 is filled with water W1. When the water heater 100 is in operation, the water W1 contained inside the tank body 11 is heated to hot water.

[0014] The tank body 11 has a through hole 11d penetrating a wall portion of the tank body 11. In the first embodiment, the through hole 11d penetrates a part of the peripheral wall portion 11a in the radial direction. More specifically, the through hole 11d penetrates a part of the peripheral wall portion 11a located on the other side (-X side) of the first horizontal direction X in the first horizontal direction X. In the first embodiment, the through hole 11d is an internally threaded hole having an internal thread portion provided on the inner peripheral surface.

[0015] The material constituting the tank body 11 may be a metal, a resin, or an inorganic solid material. Examples of the metal constituting the tank body 11 include various stainless steels, iron, copper, brass, aluminum, zinc, tin, titanium, chromium, nickel, magnesium, tungsten, gold, silver, and platinum. The metal constituting the tank body 11 may be an alloy containing one or more of these metals. The material constituting the tank body 11 may be a material having a coating applied to the surface of a metal, such as enamel. Examples of the resin constituting the tank body 11 include polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl chloride, polystyrene, AS resin, ABS resin, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyacetal, various fluorine-based resins, phenol resin, melamine resin, and epoxy resin. Examples of the inorganic solid material constituting the tank body 11 include glass and ceramic. The material constituting the tank body 11 may be a material obtained by combining the above-mentioned materials by coating one of the materials on the other.

[0016] The water supply pipe 12 is a pipe for supplying water W1 to the inside of the tank body 11. The water supply pipe 12 is attached to a lower portion of the tank body 11. The water supply pipe 12 is fixed to the peripheral wall portion 11a. In the first embodiment, the water supply pipe 12 is fixed to a wall portion of the peripheral wall portion 11a located on one side (+X side) in the first horizontal direction X. The position to which the water supply pipe 12 is fixed is not particularly limited. A part of the water supply pipe 12 is located inside the tank body 11. The part of the water supply pipe 12 located inside the tank body 11 extends from the peripheral wall portion 11a radially inward and then bends downward in a substantially L-shape. One end of the water supply pipe 12 is disposed outside the tank body 11 and is connected to a water pipe (not shown).

[0017] The water supply pipe 12 has a water supply port 12a that opens into the inside of the tank body 11. The water supply port 12a is the other end of the water supply pipe 12. Water W1 supplied from a water pipe (not shown) flows through the water supply pipe 12 and is supplied into the tank body 11 from the water supply port 12a. The water supply port 12a is located at the lower end inside the tank body 11 and opens downward. The water supply port 12a is located above and away from the bottom wall portion 11b. In the first embodiment, the water supply port 12a is connected to a baffle 16 provided on the bottom wall portion 11b. The water W1 discharged downward from the water supply port 12a in the tank body 11 is rectified by the baffle 16.

[0018] The hot water supply pipe 13 is a pipe for discharging the water W1 inside the tank body 11 to the outside of the tank body 11. The water W1 discharged from the hot water supply pipe 13 to the outside of the tank body 11 is heated in the tank body 11 to become hot water. The hot water supply pipe 13 is attached to the upper part of the tank body 11. The hot water supply pipe 13 is located above the water supply pipe 12. The hot water supply pipe 13 is fixed to the peripheral wall portion 11a. In the first embodiment, the hot water supply pipe 13 is fixed to a wall portion located on one side (+X side) of the peripheral wall portion 11a in the first horizontal direction X. The position to which the hot water supply pipe 13 is fixed is not particularly limited. A part of the hot water supply pipe 13 is located inside the tank body 11. The part of the hot water supply pipe 13 located inside the tank body 11 extends from the peripheral wall portion 11a radially inward and then bends upward in a substantially L-shape. One end of the hot water supply pipe 13 is disposed outside the tank body 11 and is connected to, for example, a pipe connected to a faucet used by a user.

[0019] The hot water supply pipe 13 has an intake port 13a that opens into the inside of the tank body 11. The intake port 13a is the other end of the hot water supply pipe 13. For example, when a user opens a faucet, hot water W1 is drawn into the hot water supply pipe 13 from the intake port 13a. The hot water W1 flows through the hot water supply pipe 13 and merges with unheated tap water, and is discharged from the open faucet at a temperature set by the user. The intake port 13a is located at the upper end inside the tank body 11 and opens upward. The intake port 13a is located below and away from the top wall portion 11c. The water W1 that has been heated and has a relatively high temperature flows upward inside the tank body 11, so by arranging the intake port 13a at the upper position, it is easy to make the water W1 that is drawn in from the intake port 13a and discharged from the faucet at a suitable high temperature.

[0020] The outflow pipe 14 is a pipe for causing the water W1 inside the tank body 11 to flow out to the outside of the tank body 11. The water W1 in the tank body 11 that flows out from the outflow pipe 14 passes through the first circulation path portion 71 and is sent to the first heat exchanger 51. The outflow pipe 14 is attached to the lower part of the tank body 11. The outflow pipe 14 is fixed to the peripheral wall portion 11a. In the first embodiment, the outflow pipe 14 is fixed to a wall portion located on the other side (-X side) of the peripheral wall portion 11a in the first horizontal direction X. The position to which the outflow pipe 14 is fixed is not particularly limited. A part of the outflow pipe 14 is located inside the tank body 11. The part of the outflow pipe 14 located inside the tank body 11 extends from the peripheral wall portion 11a radially inward and then bends downward in a substantially L-shape. One end of the outflow pipe 14 is disposed outside the tank body 11 and is connected to a pipe 71a that connects the first heat exchanger 51 and the tank 10.

[0021] The outflow pipe 14 has an outflow port 14a that opens into the inside of the tank body 11. The outflow port 14a is the other end of the outflow pipe 14. The water W1 in the tank body 11 is sucked into the outflow port 14a. The outflow port 14a is located in a lower part inside the tank body 11 and opens downward. The outflow port 14a is located above and away from the bottom wall portion 11b. The outflow port 14a is located above the water supply port 12a of the water supply pipe 12.

[0022] The inflow pipe 15 is a pipe for allowing the water W1 that has flowed out of the tank body 11 through the outflow pipe 14 to flow back into the tank body 11. The water W1 that has flowed out of the tank body 11 through the outflow pipe 14 and then passed through the first heat exchanger 51 flows into the tank body 11 through the inflow pipe 15. The inflow pipe 15 is attached to the upper part of the tank body 11. The inflow pipe 15 is fixed to the peripheral wall portion 11a. In the first embodiment, the inflow pipe 15 is fixed to a wall portion located on the other side (-X side) of the peripheral wall portion 11a in the first horizontal direction X. The position to which the inflow pipe 15 is fixed is not particularly limited. The inflow pipe 15 is located above the outflow pipe 14. A part of the inflow pipe 15 is located inside the tank body 11. The part of the inflow pipe 15 located inside the tank body 11 extends from the peripheral wall portion 11a radially inward and then bends downward in a substantially L-shape. One end of the inflow pipe 15 is disposed outside the tank body 11 and is connected to a pipe 71b that connects the first heat exchanger 51 and the tank 10.

[0023] The inlet pipe 15 has an inlet 15a that opens into the inside of the tank body 11. The inlet 15a is the other end of the inlet pipe 15. Water W1 in the tank body 11 is sucked into the inlet 15a. In the first embodiment, the inlet 15a is located in an upper portion inside the tank body 11. The inlet 15a opens downward in the vertical direction Z. The inlet 15a is located below the suction port 13a of the hot water supply pipe 13 and above the outlet 14a of the outlet pipe 14.

[0024] The tank 10 includes a capture unit 20 disposed inside the tank body 11. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the tank 10, taken along line II-II in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the tank body 11 and the capture unit 20. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the tank 10, taken as an enlarged view of a portion in Fig. 1.

[0025] As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the capture unit 20 has a support member 30 fixed to the tank body 11 and a capture material 40 attached to the support member 30. The support member 30 is a member for supporting the capture material 40 in the tank body 11. In the first embodiment, the support member 30 extends in the first horizontal direction X. The material constituting the support member 30 may be the same material as the material constituting the tank body 11 or the same material as the material constituting the capture material 40. In the first embodiment, the support member 30 is fixed to a portion of the peripheral wall portion 11a of the tank body 11 located on the other side (-X side) in the first horizontal direction X. The support member 30 has a support member main body 31, a fixing portion 32, and a retaining portion 33.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2, the support member body 31 is disposed inside the tank body 11. The support member body 31 extends in one direction. In the first embodiment, the one direction in which the support member body 31 extends is the first horizontal direction X. The support member body 31 extends in a radial direction. The support member body 31 intersects with the central axis C. The support member body 31 has a cylindrical shape that is elongated in the first horizontal direction X. The dimension of the support member body 31 in the first horizontal direction X is smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the tank body 11 and larger than half the inner diameter D1. The support member body 31 is inserted into the tank body 11 from the outside of the tank body 11 through the through hole 11d.

[0027] The fixing portion 32 is provided at the radially outer end of the support member body 31, that is, at the end on the other side (-X side) in the first horizontal direction X. In the first embodiment, the fixing portion 32 is a bolt. The fixing portion 32 has a bolt body 32a and a bolt head 32b. The bolt body 32a is connected to the radially outer end of the support member body 31. The outer diameter of the bolt body 32a is larger than the outer diameter of the support member body 31. A male thread is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the bolt body 32a. The male thread of the bolt body 32a is fastened to a female thread provided on the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 11d. This allows the fixing portion 32 to be detachably fixed in the through hole 11d. Although not shown in the figure, for example, a sealant such as a liquid gasket is provided between the male thread of the bolt body 32a and the female thread of the through hole 11d. The bolt head 32b is connected to the radially outer side of the bolt body 32a. The outer diameter of the bolt head 32b is larger than the outer diameter of the bolt body 32a. The bolt head 32b is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall 11a. A sealing material such as the above-mentioned liquid gasket may be provided between the bolt head 32b and the outer surface of the tank body 11. The sealing material may be an O-ring.

[0028] The retaining portion 33 is provided at an end portion on one side (+X side) in the first horizontal direction X of the support member body 31. The retaining portion 33 is disk-shaped and protrudes outward in a radial direction centered on the central axis of the support member body 31. The outer diameter of the retaining portion 33 is larger than the outer diameter of the support member body 31 and smaller than the inner diameter D5 of the through hole 11d.

[0029] The capture material 40 is located inside the tank body 11. As shown in FIG. 1, the capture material 40 is disposed away from the water supply port 12a, the intake port 13a, the outlet port 14a, and the inlet port 15a. In the first embodiment, the capture material 40 is spherical. As shown in FIG. 4, the outer diameter D3 of the capture material 40 is larger than the inner diameter D2 of the inlet port 15a of the inflow pipe 15. The outer diameter D3 of the capture material 40 is equal to or smaller than the inner diameter D5 of the through hole 11d. As shown in FIG. 2, the outer diameter D3 of the capture material 40 is smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the tank body 11. More specifically, the outer diameter D3 of the capture material 40 is smaller than half the inner diameter D1 of the tank body 11. More specifically, the outer diameter D3 of the capture material 40 is equal to or smaller than one-fourth the inner diameter D1 of the tank body 11. The outer diameter D3 of the capture material 40 is smaller than the dimension in the vertical direction Z of the tank body 11, i.e., the dimension in the axial direction of the central axis C of the tank body 11. More specifically, the outer diameter D3 of the capture material 40 is smaller than half the dimension in the vertical direction Z of the tank body 11. Even more specifically, the outer diameter D3 of the capture material 40 is equal to or smaller than one-quarter of the dimension in the vertical direction Z of the tank body 11.

[0030] The capturing material 40 is provided only in a part of the inside of the tank body 11 in the cross section CS perpendicular to the axial direction of the central axis C, i.e., the vertical direction Z and including the capturing material 40. That is, in the cross section CS, the inside of the tank body 11 has a region where the capturing material 40 is not arranged. The cross section CS is a cross section of the tank 10 perpendicular to the vertical direction Z that includes the center of the capturing material 40. The cross section CS includes a cross section of the tank body 11, a cross section of the support member 30, and a cross section of a plurality of capturing materials 40. In the cross section CS, the area of ​​the region where the capturing material 40 is arranged is half or less of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inside of the tank body 11. In the cross section CS, the area of ​​the region where the capturing material 40 is arranged is one-quarter or less of the cross-sectional area of ​​the inside of the tank body 11. Note that, since a plurality of capturing materials 40 are provided in the first embodiment as described later, the area of ​​the region where the capturing material 40 is arranged in the cross section CS is the sum of the areas of the regions where the plurality of capturing materials 40 are arranged in the cross section CS.

[0031] In the first embodiment, the capture material 40 is made of a metal. Examples of metals constituting the capture material 40 include various types of stainless steel, iron, copper, brass, aluminum, zinc, tin, titanium, chromium, nickel, magnesium, tungsten, gold, silver, and platinum. The metal constituting the capture material 40 may be an alloy containing one or more of these metals.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the capturing material 40. As shown in FIG. 5, the capturing material 40 in the first embodiment is formed by intertwining a plurality of metal fibers 40a. The plurality of metal fibers 40a are three-dimensionally intertwined in various directions to form the spherical capturing material 40. The metal fibers 40a are formed of the metals constituting the capturing material 40 described above. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the metal fibers 40a. As shown in FIG. 6, the metal fibers 40a extend in a spiral shape. The inner diameter D4 of the spirally extending metal fibers 40a, i.e., the curl diameter, is, for example, 10 mm or less. The width Wd of the metal fibers 40a, i.e., the fiber diameter, is, for example, 2 mm or less. The width Wd of the metal fibers 40a is smaller than the inner diameter D4 of the metal fibers 40a.

[0033] In addition, since the capture material 40 is composed of spiral metal fibers 40a entangled in various directions, each metal fiber 40a may have a crushed spiral shape, and the inner diameter D4 of the metal fiber 40a may not be kept constant. The above-mentioned numerical range of the inner diameter D4 of the metal fiber 40a may be a numerical range satisfied by the average value of the inner diameter D4 of the multiple metal fibers 40a in an entangled state, or may be a numerical range satisfied by the inner diameter D4 of the metal fiber 40a in a state before being crushed.

[0034] Furthermore, "the capture material 40 is spherical" is not limited to the case where the capture material 40 is strictly spherical, but also includes the case where the capture material 40 is approximately spherical. The case where the capture material 40 is approximately spherical includes, for example, the case where the outer shape of the capture material 40 is a distorted circle when viewed from one direction as shown in FIG. 5. Furthermore, "the metal fibers 40a extend in a spiral shape" is not limited to the case where the metal fibers 40a extend in a strictly spiral shape, but also includes the case where the metal fibers 40a extend in an approximately spiral shape. The case where the metal fibers 40a extend in an approximately spiral shape includes, for example, the case where the metal fibers 40a have the above-mentioned crushed spiral shape.

[0035] The capture material 40 is composed of multiple spirally extending metal fibers 40a entangled with each other, so there are gaps between the metal fibers 40a. The proportion of the gaps in the spherical capture material 40, i.e., the porosity ε [%], is expressed by the following formula (1).

[0036] ε=100(1-V1 / V0) …Equation (1) V1 is the total volume of the multiple metal fibers 40a constituting the capture material 40. V0 is the spatial volume occupied by the spherical capture material 40. In the first embodiment, the porosity ε [%] is 90% or more. Note that even if the spiral metal fiber 40a is crushed as described above, the porosity ε [%] is maintained at 90% or more. A porosity ε [%] of 90% or more allows the water W1 to pass through the capture material 40 with almost no resistance.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, in the first embodiment, the capturing materials 40 are arranged in a line in one direction. In the first embodiment, the line direction of the capturing materials 40 is the first horizontal direction X. Four capturing materials 40 are provided. The capturing materials 40 are attached to the support member body 31. The capturing materials 40 are stuck into the rod-shaped support member body 31 extending in the first horizontal direction X. The support member body 31 penetrates the capturing materials 40 in the first horizontal direction X. In the first embodiment, the retaining portion 33 is provided, so that the capturing materials 40 are prevented from falling out of the support member body 31 to one side (+X side) in the first horizontal direction X. As shown in FIG. 1, in the first embodiment, the capturing materials 40 are arranged downward from the center of the vertical direction Z in the tank body 11.

[0038] 4, the plurality of capturing materials 40 includes a first capturing material 41. The first capturing material 41 is disposed facing the inlet 15a of the inlet pipe 15 with a gap therebetween. The first capturing material 41 is located below the inlet 15a in the vertical direction Z. A distance L between the first capturing material 41 and the inlet 15a is greater than an inner diameter D2 of the inlet 15a. In the first embodiment, only one first capturing material 41 is provided.

[0039] The plurality of capturing materials 40 include a second capturing material 42. The second capturing material 42 is disposed adjacent to the first capturing material 41. The second capturing material 42 is in contact with the first capturing material 41. In the first embodiment, two second capturing materials 42 are provided. The two second capturing materials 42 are disposed so as to sandwich one first capturing material 41 in the first horizontal direction X.

[0040] The sum of the surface areas of the plurality of capturing materials 40 is greater than the total area of ​​the inner surface in the first circulation path section 71. The surface area of ​​one capturing material 40 is the sum of the surface areas of the plurality of metal fibers 40a constituting the one capturing material 40. In the first embodiment, the first circulation path section 71 is composed of the tank body 11, the outflow pipe 14, the inflow pipe 15, the pipes 71a and 71b, and a flow path section provided in the first heat exchanger 51. The total area of ​​the inner surface in the first circulation path section 71 is the sum of the area of ​​the inner surface of each section constituting the first circulation path section 71. The total area of ​​the inner surface in the first circulation path section 71 includes the area of ​​the inner surface of the portion of the first circulation path section 71 provided in the first heat exchanger 51, the area of ​​the inner surface of the outflow pipe 14, the area of ​​the inner surface of the inflow pipe 15, the area of ​​the inner surfaces of the pipes 71a and 71b, and the area of ​​the inner surface of the tank body 11.

[0041] When the water W1 in the tank body 11 comes into contact with the capture material 40, components such as calcium carbonate contained in the water W1 precipitate and adhere to the capture material 40. The substance formed by the precipitation of components such as calcium carbonate contained in the water W1 is called scale. Scale is mainly composed of, for example, calcium carbonate. The higher the hardness of the water W1, the more calcium carbonate components are contained in the water W1. Therefore, scale is more likely to precipitate when the water W1 is hard water than when the water W1 is soft water.

[0042] The scale adheres to the surface of the metal fibers 40a constituting the capture material 40. When water W1 comes into contact with the portion of the capture material 40 to which the scale is adhered while the scale is adhered to the capture material 40, crystal growth occurs starting from the scale adhered to the capture material 40. This accelerates the precipitation of scale in the capture material 40, and the scale components in the water W1 can be favorably adhered to the capture material 40. In this way, the scale components in the water W1 can be captured by the capture material 40, and therefore, adhesion of scale to the inner surface of the tank body 11, the inner surface of each pipe connected to the tank body 11, and the like can be suppressed.

[0043] The worker who places the capture material 40 in the tank body 11 inserts the support member 30, to which the capture materials 40 are attached, that is, the capture unit 20, from the outside of the tank body 11 into the through hole 11d, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 3. The support member body 31, the retaining portion 33, and the capture material 40 are sized to pass through the through hole 11d. The worker fastens the bolt body 32a of the fixing portion 32 into the through hole 11d, which is a female threaded hole, to fix the support member 30 to the tank body 11. At this time, the worker applies, for example, an uncured liquid gasket to the outer surface of the bolt body 32a or the inner surface of the through hole 11d. As a result, the liquid gasket hardens after the bolt body 32a is fastened into the through hole 11d, thereby sealing the gap between the through hole 11d and the bolt body 32a.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, the first heat exchanger 51 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the water W1 flowing in the first circulation path section 71 and the water W2 flowing in the second circulation path section 72. The water W2 flowing in the second circulation path section 72 is, for example, the same type of water as the water W1 flowing in the first circulation path section 71. Note that the water W2 flowing in the second circulation path section 72 may be a different type of water from the water W1 flowing in the first circulation path section 71. In addition, the liquid flowing in the second circulation path section 72 does not have to be water. The first heat exchanger 51 is, for example, a plate-type heat exchanger. The type of the first heat exchanger 51 is not particularly limited, and may be a heat exchanger of a type other than the plate type.

[0045] The second heat exchanger 52 is a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the water W2 flowing in the second circulation path portion 72 and the refrigerant R flowing in the third circulation path portion 73. Examples of the refrigerant R include fluorine-based refrigerants and hydrocarbon-based refrigerants having low global warming potential (GWP). The second heat exchanger 52 is, for example, a plate-type heat exchanger. The type of the second heat exchanger 52 is not particularly limited, and may be a heat exchanger of a type other than the plate type.

[0046] The first heat exchanger 51 and the second heat exchanger 52 are heat exchangers connected to the tank 10. The first heat exchanger 51 is connected to the tank 10 via a first circulation path section 71. The second heat exchanger 52 is connected to the tank 10 via the first circulation path section 71, the first heat exchanger 51, and a second circulation path section 72. The outdoor unit 60 is connected to the first heat exchanger 51 and the second heat exchanger 52. The first heat exchanger 51 is connected to the outdoor unit 60 via a second circulation path section 72, the second heat exchanger 52, and a third circulation path section 73.

[0047] The first circulation path section 71 is provided with a first pump 81 that circulates water W1 within the first circulation path section 71. The second circulation path section 72 is provided with a second pump 82 that circulates water W2 within the second circulation path section 72. Although not shown, the outdoor unit 60 is provided with a compressor that circulates the refrigerant R within the third circulation path section 73. The outdoor unit 60 is provided with a heat exchanger (not shown).

[0048] The refrigerant R flowing through the third circulation path section 73 passes through the second heat exchanger 52 at a relatively high temperature via a compressor and a heat exchanger (not shown) provided in the outdoor unit 60. The water W2 flowing through the second circulation path section 72 absorbs heat from the refrigerant R in the second heat exchanger 52. As a result, the water W2 passing through the second heat exchanger 52 is heated and becomes hot water. The heated and hot water W2 passes through the first heat exchanger 51. Of the water W1 flowing through the first circulation path section 71, the water W1 that flows out of the tank body 11 through the outflow pipe 14 absorbs heat from the water W2 in the first heat exchanger 51. As a result, the water W1 passing through the first heat exchanger 51 is heated and becomes hot water. The hot water W1 flows into the tank body 11 from the inflow pipe 15. In this way, the water W1 in the tank body 11 can be heated and becomes hot water. Therefore, the user can take out hot water W1 from inside the tank body 11 via the hot water supply pipe 13.

[0049] When a portion of the water W1 is discharged outside the tank body 11 via the hot water supply pipe 13, the same amount of water W1 as the discharged water W1 is supplied from the water supply pipe 12 into the tank body 11. By using a remote controller (not shown), the user can set the water heater 100 to a hot water supply mode in which the water W1 in the tank body 11 is heated. In addition, the user can use the heat of the water W2 in the second circulation path portion 72, which has been heated by the refrigerant R, for room heating or the like. In this case, for example, an indoor heating device such as a radiator (not shown) is connected to the second circulation path portion 72.

[0050] When components such as calcium carbonate contained in the water W1 precipitate as scale and the scale adheres to the inner surface of the tank body 11 and the inner surface of each pipe, the flow path through which the water W1 flows becomes narrow, and there is a problem that the pressure loss when the water W1 flows increases. In addition, when scale adheres to the first heat exchanger 51, the heat transfer performance between the first circulation path portion 71 and the second circulation path portion 72 decreases, and there is a problem that it becomes difficult to heat the water W1. Unlike general compounds, calcium carbonate has a lower solubility as the temperature of the water W1 increases. Therefore, in the water heater 100 that heats the water W1, scale mainly composed of calcium carbonate is likely to precipitate from the water W1, which is particularly problematic. For these reasons, a capture material for adhering the scale has been separately provided in the past to suppress the adhesion of the scale to the inner surface of the tank body 11, the inner surface of each pipe, the first heat exchanger 51, and the like. However, simply disposing the capture material may cause the voids in the capture material to become filled with scale when scale adheres to the capture material, resulting in the capture material acting as a resistance to the flow of water W1. Specifically, when the capture material is provided inside a pipe such as the inflow pipe 15, if the voids in the capture material become filled with scale, the inside of the pipe may be blocked by the capture material, making it difficult for water W1 to pass through the pipe. This causes a problem of increased pressure loss in the water W1 flowing inside the hot water heater 100.

[0051] In response to the above problem, according to the first embodiment, the capture material 40 is disposed away from the inlet 15a and the outlet 14a, and is provided only in a part of the inside of the tank body 11 in a cross section CS that is perpendicular to the vertical direction Z and includes the capture material 40. Therefore, the entire flow path part through which the water W1 flows in the tank body 11 is not blocked by the capture material 40. As a result, even if the gaps provided in the capture material 40 are filled with scale attached to the capture material 40, for example, the water W1 flowing between the inlet 15a and the outlet 14a can avoid the capture material 40 and flow through the part of the inside of the tank body 11 where the capture material 40 is not provided. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of pressure loss in the water W1 flowing between the inlet 15a and the outlet 14a. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to suppress the increase in pressure loss when the water W1 stored in the tank body 11 flows.

[0052] In addition, because the scale in the water W1 can be attached to the capture material 40, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of scale to the inner surface of the tank body 11 and the inner surface of each pipe. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of pressure loss in the water W1 when it flows through the tank body 11 and each pipe. In addition, because the scale in the water W1 can be attached to the capture material 40, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of scale to the first heat exchanger 51. This makes it possible to suppress the deterioration of the heat transfer performance between the first circulation path portion 71 and the second circulation path portion 72, and it is possible to efficiently heat the water W1 in the tank body 11. Therefore, it is possible to improve the hot water supply efficiency of the water heater 100.

[0053] According to the first embodiment, the tank 10 includes the first capture material 41 as the capture material 40. The first capture material 41 is disposed opposite the inlet 15a with a gap therebetween. Therefore, the water W1 flowing into the tank body 11 from the inlet 15a is suitably supplied to the first capture material 41. This allows the scale components contained in the water W1 flowing into the tank body 11 to be suitably attached to the first capture material 41. In addition, when the inlet pipe 15 having the inlet 15a is connected to the first heat exchanger 51 as in the first embodiment, the temperature of the water W1 immediately after flowing into the tank body 11 from the inlet 15a becomes the highest among the temperatures of the water W1 in the tank body 11. The higher the temperature of the water W1, the more easily the scale precipitates. Therefore, by disposing the first capture material 41 at a position opposite the inlet 15a, the water W1 having a relatively high temperature can be caused to flow into the first capture material 41, and the scale can be more suitably attached to the first capture material 41.

[0054] According to the first embodiment, the inlet 15a opens downward in the vertical direction Z. The first capture material 41 is located below the inlet 15a in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, the water W1 discharged from the inlet 15a into the tank body 11 can be more suitably caused to flow to the first capture material 41 by utilizing gravity. This allows scale to be more suitably attached to the first capture material 41. Also, as in the first embodiment, when the temperature of the water W1 flowing into the tank body 11 from the inlet 15a is relatively high, if the inlet 15a opens downward, the water W1 having a relatively high temperature can be sent to the lower part of the tank body 11. This makes it easier to increase the temperature of the water W1 in the lower part of the tank body 11 where the water W1 at a relatively low temperature tends to accumulate. Therefore, the temperature of the entire water W1 stored in the tank body 11 can be suitably increased. In addition, since convection can be easily generated in the tank body 11, the water W1 can be suitably passed through the capture materials 40 other than the first capture material 41 by the convection. This allows the scale to adhere to the other capture materials 40 in a favorable manner.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the distance L between the first capture material 41 and the inlet 15a is greater than the inner diameter D2 of the inlet 15a. This makes it possible to preferably prevent the inlet 15a from being blocked by the first capture material 41. Even if the gaps in the first capture material 41 are filled with scale, the water W1 discharged from the inlet 15a can easily flow away from the first capture material 41. This makes it possible to preferably prevent pressure loss from occurring when the water W1 discharged from the inlet 15a flows.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the first capture material 41 is spherical. The outer diameter D3 of the first capture material 41 is larger than the inner diameter D2 of the inlet 15a. Therefore, the water W1 discharged from the inlet 15a can be entirely passed through the first capture material 41. This allows scale to adhere to the first capture material 41 more effectively.

[0057] Moreover, according to the first embodiment, the tank 10 includes the second capture material 42 as the capture material 40. The second capture material 42 is disposed adjacent to the first capture material 41 and is in contact with the first capture material 41. Therefore, in a case where the gaps in the first capture material 41 are filled with scale, the water W1 that flows away from the first capture material 41 after being discharged from the inlet 15a is likely to flow into the second capture material 42 adjacent to the first capture material 41. As a result, even if too much scale adheres to the first capture material 41, the scale components in the water W1 can be suitably captured by the second capture material 42.

[0058] Moreover, according to the first embodiment, the tank 10 includes a support member 30 fixed to the tank body 11. The support member 30 has a support member body 31 disposed inside the tank body 11. The capture material 40 is attached to the support member body 31. Therefore, it is easy to hold the capture material 40 in a suitable position inside the tank body 11.

[0059] Moreover, according to the first embodiment, a plurality of the capturing materials 40 are provided lined up in one direction (first horizontal direction X). The support member main body 31 extends in the one direction (first horizontal direction X) and penetrates the plurality of capturing materials 40. Therefore, the plurality of capturing materials 40 can be suitably held in the tank main body 11 by the support member 30.

[0060] Moreover, according to the first embodiment, the tank body 11 has a through hole 11d penetrating the wall of the tank body 11. The support member body 31 is inserted into the tank body 11 from the outside of the tank body 11 through the through hole 11d. Therefore, the capture material 40 can be easily disposed in the tank body 11 by having the support member body 31 support the capture material 40 and then inserting the support member body 31 into the tank body 11 through the through hole 11d.

[0061] Further, according to the first embodiment, the support member 30 has the fixing portion 32 detachably fixed in the through hole 11d. Therefore, the support member 30 can be easily fixed to the tank body 11, and the support member 30 can be removed from the outside of the tank body 11. This allows the capture material 40 attached to the support member 30 to be easily replaced. In addition, the through hole 11d can be easily blocked by using the fixing portion 32. Therefore, the water W1 in the tank body 11 can be prevented from leaking to the outside through the through hole 11d. Also, as described above, for example, by providing a sealant such as a liquid gasket between the fixing portion 32 and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 11d, the water W1 in the tank body 11 can be more suitably prevented from leaking to the outside through the through hole 11d.

[0062] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the capture material 40 is made of metal. This can prevent the capture material 40 from being damaged by the flow of the water W1 inside the tank body 11. This makes it easier to maintain the capture material 40 in a state in which scale can easily adhere. In addition, it can prevent a portion of the capture material 40 from separating and mixing with the water W1 in the tank body 11.

[0063] Moreover, according to the first embodiment, the capture material 40 is formed by intertwining a plurality of metal fibers 40a extending in a spiral shape. Therefore, the surface area of ​​the capture material 40 can be suitably increased. This allows scale to adhere to the capture material 40 more suitably. In the first embodiment, the sum of the surface areas of the plurality of capture materials 40 is greater than the total area of ​​the inner surface of the first circulation path portion 71. Therefore, scale can be more easily adhered to the surfaces of the plurality of capture materials 40 than to the inner surface of the first circulation path portion 71. Furthermore, by forming the capture material 40 from a plurality of metal fibers 40a, the porosity of the capture material 40 can be suitably increased. Therefore, when the water W1 passes through the capture material 40, the resistance of the water W1 from the capture material 40 can be suppressed.

[0064] Embodiment 2 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a tank 210 in embodiment 2. In the following description, the same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are appropriately denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 7, in the second embodiment, the through hole 11d is provided in the bottom wall portion 11b of the tank body 11. In the second embodiment, the outflow pipe 14 is fixed to a portion of the peripheral wall portion 11a of the tank body 11 located on one side (+X side) in the first horizontal direction X. That is, in the second embodiment, the outflow pipe 14 and the inflow pipe 15 are fixed to portions of the peripheral wall portion 11a located on opposite sides to each other in the first horizontal direction X. In Fig. 7, the water supply pipe 12 and the hot water supply pipe 13 are not shown.

[0066] The capture unit 220 is inserted into the tank body 11 from below through a through hole 11d provided in the bottom wall portion 11b of the tank body 11. The capture unit 220 is disposed below the inlet 15a of the inflow pipe 15. In the second embodiment, a support member 230 of the capture unit 220 extends in the vertical direction Z below the inlet 15a. A support member main body 31 of the support member 230 extends in the vertical direction Z. The support member main body 31 of the support member 230 is disposed in a lower portion inside the tank body 11.

[0067] In the second embodiment, the capturing materials 240 are arranged in a line in the vertical direction Z. The capturing materials 240 are arranged in a lower portion inside the tank body 11. In the second embodiment, five capturing materials 240 are arranged. The five capturing materials 240 are located below the inlet 15a. The capturing material 240 located at the top of the multiple capturing materials 240 is a first capturing material 241 arranged facing the inlet 15a at a distance. The capturing material 240 adjacent to the first capturing material 241 below is a second capturing material 242. The capturing material 240 located at the bottom of the multiple capturing materials 240 is located below the outlet 14a of the outflow pipe 14. The capturing material 240 located at the bottom of the multiple capturing materials 240 is located at the lower end inside the tank body 11. The capturing materials 240 have the same configuration as the capturing materials 40 in the first embodiment, except that the location in the tank body 11 is different. The other configurations of the respective parts in the tank 210 are similar to the other configurations of the respective parts in the tank 10 of the first embodiment.

[0068] Embodiment 3 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a tank 310 in embodiment 3. In the following description, the same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are appropriately denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0069] As shown in Fig. 8, in the third embodiment, the through hole 11d is provided in the top wall portion 11c of the tank body 11. In the third embodiment, the arrangement of the outlet pipe 14 and the inlet pipe 15 are the same as those of the outlet pipe 14 and the inlet pipe 15 in the second embodiment. In Fig. 8, the water supply pipe 12 and the hot water supply pipe 13 are not shown.

[0070] The capture unit 320 is inserted into the tank body 11 from above through a through hole 11d provided in the top wall portion 11c of the tank body 11. The capture unit 320 is disposed on one side (+X side) of the inflow pipe 15 in the first horizontal direction X. In the third embodiment, a support member 330 of the capture unit 320 extends in the vertical direction Z. The support member main body 31 of the support member 330 extends in the vertical direction Z. The support member main body 31 of the support member 330 is disposed in an upper portion inside the tank body 11.

[0071] In the third embodiment, the capturing materials 340 are arranged in a line in the vertical direction Z. The capturing materials 340 are arranged in the upper part inside the tank body 11. In the third embodiment, five capturing materials 340 are arranged. The five capturing materials 340 are arranged in a position not facing the inlet 15a. The lower end of the capturing material 340 located at the bottom among the capturing materials 340 is located below the inlet 15a of the inflow pipe 15 and above the outlet 14a of the outflow pipe 14. The capturing material 340 located at the top among the capturing materials 340 is located at the upper end inside the tank body 11. The capturing materials 340 have the same configuration as the capturing materials 40 of the first embodiment, except that the arrangement inside the tank body 11 is different. The other configurations of the respective parts in the tank 310 are the same as the other configurations of the respective parts in the tank 10 of the first embodiment.

[0072] As in the third embodiment, by disposing the capture material 340 in the upper portion of the tank body 11, the water W1, which has a relatively high temperature and moves upward in the tank body 11, can be made to pass through the capture material 340 more easily. This makes it easier for scale to adhere to the capture material 340.

[0073] Embodiment 4 Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a water heater 400 according to the embodiment 4. In the following description, the same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are appropriately denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 9, in the water heater 400, the first heat exchanger 451 is disposed inside the tank body 11. The first heat exchanger 451 is a coil-type heat exchanger configured by a piping extending in a spiral shape. The first heat exchanger 451 is made of metal. The first heat exchanger 451 is fixed to the tank body 11. Water W2 flowing in the second circulation path portion 472 flows inside the first heat exchanger 451. The second circulation path portion 472 is similar to the second circulation path portion 72 of the first embodiment, except that a part of the second circulation path portion 472 is disposed in the tank body 11 as the first heat exchanger 451. The first heat exchanger 451 is connected to the second heat exchanger 52 via piping 472a, 472b that constitutes a part of the second circulation path portion 472. In the fourth embodiment, the water W2 flowing through the second circulation path portion 472 is heated by the refrigerant R in the second heat exchanger 52, and then flows into the first heat exchanger 451 in the tank body 11. The heat of the water W2 flowing through the first heat exchanger 451 is released to the water W1 in the tank body 11, so that the water W1 in the tank body 11 is heated.

[0075] Tank 410 of the fourth embodiment is not provided with outlet pipe 14 and inlet pipe 15 in tank 10 of the first embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, water supply pipe 412 corresponds to the "inlet pipe", and hot water supply pipe 413 corresponds to the "outlet pipe". Also, water supply port 412a of water supply pipe 412 corresponds to the "inlet" opening into tank body 11, and suction port 413a of hot water supply pipe 413 corresponds to the "outlet" opening into tank body 11. The configuration of water supply pipe 412 is the same as the configuration of water supply pipe 12 of the first embodiment. The configuration of hot water supply pipe 413 is the same as the configuration of hot water supply pipe 13 of the first embodiment.

[0076] In the fourth embodiment, the configuration of tank 410 is similar to that of tank 10 in the first embodiment, except that instead of inflow piping 15 and outflow piping 14 in the first embodiment, a first heat exchanger 451 is fixed inside tank body 11. In the fourth embodiment, capture unit 20 is disposed above first heat exchanger 451. That is, support member 30 and multiple capture materials 40 are disposed above first heat exchanger 451. The other configurations of the various parts in water heater 400 are similar to the other configurations of the various parts in water heater 100 in the first embodiment.

[0077] According to the fourth embodiment, as in the first embodiment, scale in the water W1 can be captured by the capturing material 40, and therefore, adhesion of scale to the surface of the first heat exchanger 451 disposed in the tank body 11 can be suppressed. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in the heat exchange efficiency between the water W2 flowing in the first heat exchanger 451 and the water W1 in the tank body 11. The closer the capturing material 40 is disposed to the first heat exchanger 451, the higher the temperature of the water W1 passing through the capturing material 40 can be. Therefore, the scale in the water W1 can be suitably captured by the capturing material 40, and it is easy to suitably suppress adhesion of scale to the surface of the first heat exchanger 451.

[0078] In the fourth embodiment, the coil-type first heat exchanger 451 may be disposed outside the tank body 11. In the fourth embodiment, instead of providing the support member 30, the capture material 40 may be attached to the coil-type first heat exchanger 451.

[0079] Embodiment 5. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a capture unit 520 of a tank 510 in the embodiment 5. In the following description, the same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are appropriately denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description may be omitted.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 10, the support member body 531 in the fifth embodiment is hollow inside. The support member 530 in the fifth embodiment has a heating portion 534. The heating portion 534 is rod-shaped extending in the first horizontal direction X. The heating portion 534 is inserted into the hollow support member body 531. The heating portion 534 is, for example, an electric heater heated by an electric current. The heat of the heating portion 534 is released to the water W1 in the tank body 11 through the support member body 531. By using a material having high thermal conductivity as the material constituting the support member body 531, the heat generated in the heating portion 534 can be suitably released to the water W1 in the tank body 11 through the support member body 531. The other configurations of the parts in the tank 510 can be similar to the other configurations of the parts in the tank 10 in the first embodiment.

[0081] According to the fifth embodiment, the support member 530 has a heating unit 534. Therefore, the water W1 in the tank body 11 can be warmed by the heat generated in the heating unit 534. As a result, even if the capacity of a heat exchanger such as the first heat exchanger 51 arranged outside the tank body 11 is insufficient due to the environment, for example, the temperature of the water W1 in the tank body 11 can be suitably increased. In addition, by providing the support member 530 supporting the capture material 40 with the function of heating the water W1, it is not necessary to provide a heating device for heating the water W1 separately from the support member 530. Therefore, the cost of installing the heating device can be reduced. In addition, the space in the tank body 11 can be prevented from becoming narrower by the amount that the heating device is not required. In addition, the temperature of the water W1 located around the support member body 531 can be suitably increased by the heat of the heating unit 534. Therefore, the temperature of the water W1 flowing through the capture material 40 can be suitably increased, making it easier to precipitate scale on the surface of the capture material 40.

[0082] In the fifth embodiment, the heating unit 534 may be a flow path through which a liquid such as heated water flows. The heating unit 534 may be the support member body 531 itself. In this case, for example, a conductor is connected to the fixing portion 32, and the support member body 531 generates heat when a current is passed through the support member body 531. The heating unit 534 may be configured to be fixed to the tank body 11 at multiple points.

[0083] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and the following configurations and methods may also be adopted.

[0084] The use of the tank is not particularly limited. The tank may be provided in a device other than a water heater. The liquid stored inside the tank body is not particularly limited and may be a liquid other than water. The tank body may have any shape. The tank body may be arranged along a central axis extending in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. That is, for example, the tank body in each of the above-mentioned embodiments may be arranged in a state in which it is laid down on its side. The inflow pipe may have any shape and may be arranged in the tank body in any way as long as it has an inlet opening into the inside of the tank body. The outflow pipe may have any shape and may be arranged in the tank body in any way as long as it has an outlet opening into the inside of the tank body. The heat exchanger connected to the tank may be any type of heat exchanger.

[0085] The shape of the capture material, the number of capture materials, and the material constituting the capture material are not particularly limited. The greater the number of capture materials, the more the adhesion of scale to the parts of the water heater other than the capture materials can be suppressed. The number of capture materials may be determined, for example, according to the product life of the tank. The arrangement of the multiple capture materials is not particularly limited. The multiple capture materials may be arranged so that one capture material is surrounded by the other capture materials. The multiple capture materials may be arranged on the bottom wall of the tank body. The capture material may be configured in any way. The capture material may be configured, for example, by multiple cylindrical members made by cutting a tube into small pieces and a net-like bag that contains the multiple cylindrical members inside. When voids are provided in the capture material, the porosity ε [%] of the capture material is not particularly limited.

[0086] The shape of the support member body may be any shape. The support member body may be bent and extended, or may be bifurcated or trifurcated. The support member may be fixed to the tank body in any way. The shape of the fixing part of the support member is not particularly limited. The fixing part of the support member may be fixed to the through hole in an undetachable manner by a method other than a screw, such as press fitting. The support member may be fixed to the tank body by a fixing metal fitting, or may be fixed to the tank body via a joint that ensures airtightness by crushing a gasket. The support member may be supported at both ends by the tank body.

[0087] The configurations and methods described in this specification can be combined as appropriate within the scope of not being mutually inconsistent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 10,210,310,410,510...tank, 11...tank body, 11d...through hole, 14...outlet pipe, 14a...outlet port, 15...inlet pipe, 15a...inlet port, 30,230,330,530...support member, 31,531...support member body, 32...fixing portion, 40,240,340...capturing material, 40a...metal fiber, 41,241...first capturing material, 42 , 242...second capture material, 51, 451...first heat exchanger (heat exchanger), 52...second heat exchanger (heat exchanger), 60...outdoor unit, 100, 400...hot water heater, 412...water supply pipe (inlet pipe), 412a...water supply port (inlet), 413...hot water supply pipe (outlet pipe), 413a...suction port (outlet), 534...heating section, CS...cross section, W1...water (liquid), Z...vertical direction

Claims

1. A tank body arranged along a central axis and configured to store a liquid therein; an inlet pipe having an inlet opening into the inside of the tank body; an outflow pipe having an outflow port opening into the inside of the tank body; A plurality of capture materials are disposed inside the tank body and arranged in one direction; A support member fixed to the tank body; Equipped with The support member has a support member body disposed inside the tank body, the plurality of capture materials are disposed away from the inlet and the outlet, and are provided in only a portion of the inside of the tank body in a cross section that is perpendicular to the axial direction of the central axis and includes the capture materials, and are attached to the support member body; The support member body extends in the one direction and penetrates the plurality of capture materials.

2. A first capture material is provided as the capture material, The tank according to claim 1 , wherein the first capture material is disposed opposite the inlet with a gap therebetween.

3. The inlet opens downward in the vertical direction, The tank according to claim 2 , wherein the first capture material is located vertically below the inlet.

4. The tank according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a distance between the first capture material and the inlet is greater than an inner diameter of the inlet.

5. The first capture material is spherical, The tank according to claim 2 , wherein an outer diameter of the first capture material is greater than an inner diameter of the inlet.

6. A second capture material is provided as the capture material, 6. The tank according to claim 2, wherein the second capture material is arranged adjacent to the first capture material and in contact with the first capture material.

7. The tank body has a through hole penetrating a wall portion of the tank body, The tank according to claim 1 , wherein the support member body is inserted from the outside of the tank body into the inside of the tank body through the through hole.

8. The tank according to claim 7 , wherein the support member has a fixing portion that is removably fixed within the through hole.

9. The tank according to claim 1 , wherein the support member has a heating portion.

10. 10. The tank according to claim 1, wherein the capture material is made of metal.

11. The tank according to claim 10, wherein the capture material is formed by intertwining a plurality of spirally extending metal fibers.

12. A tank according to any one of claims 1 to 11; a heat exchanger connected to the tank; an outdoor unit connected to the heat exchanger; A water heater equipped with:

Images