Faucet for recirculating hot water and hot / cold water supply system including same

Abstract

A faucet according to the present invention comprises: a hot water channel connected to a hot water supply pipe for supplying hot water generated by heating raw water to a demand place, through which hot water flows; a cold water channel connected to a cold water supply pipe for supplying cold water, which is raw water, to a demand place, through which cold water flows; a housing having an outlet connected to the hot water channel and the cold water channel and open to the outside to supply at least one of the hot water and the cold water to a demand place; and a recirculation unit having a recirculation channel connected to the hot water channel and the cold water channel to allow hot water in the hot water channel to flow into the cold water channel, and an opening / closing member provided to close or open the recirculation channel.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hot water recirculation faucet for providing hot water at an appropriate temperature and a hot and cold water supply system including the same. Background Technology

[0002] A boiler is a device that uses a heat source to heat water, providing it for heating purposes or discharging it in the form of hot water. As the heat source for such a boiler, a burner may be used that generates a large amount of heat by causing a combustion reaction using fuel and oxygen, and supplies this heat to the water through a heat exchanger.

[0003] When water heated in a boiler is supplied to a point of demand by being discharged externally, one must wait for the water to travel from the boiler to the point of demand in order for hot water at a preset temperature to be discharged; during this time, cold water is discharged and wasted. Therefore, if the point of demand is far from the boiler, cold water is wasted for a correspondingly long period, and a long wait must be required to use hot water.

[0004] Therefore, recently constructed buildings are equipped with hot water recirculation piping to ensure that hot water is always supplied at a temperature above a specific level. Through this recirculation piping, water corresponding to hot water can circulate and be continuously heated in the boiler even when hot water is not being discharged.

[0005] However, installing such hot water recirculation piping or separate valves is not easy for existing buildings due to space constraints or the need for complete plumbing work, and it may cause aesthetic inconvenience.

[0006] In addition, when a user uses hot and cold water, it is undesirable for high-temperature hot water to be supplied through the faucet; therefore, if the hot water reaches a temperature above a certain limit, it is necessary to stop the hot water from being recirculated and heated by a heat source. The problem to be solved

[0007] The present invention has been devised to solve such problems and provides a faucet that recirculates hot water to provide hot water at an appropriate temperature, and a hot and cold water supply system including the same. means of solving the problem

[0008] A faucet according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a hot water channel connected to a hot water supply pipe for supplying hot water generated by heating raw water to a demand place, through which hot water flows; a cold water channel connected to a cold water supply pipe for supplying cold water, which is raw water, to a demand place, through which cold water flows; a housing having an outlet connected to the hot water channel and the cold water channel and open to the outside to supply at least one of the hot water and the cold water to a demand place; and a recirculation unit having a recirculation channel connected to the hot water channel and the cold water channel to allow hot water in the hot water channel to flow into the cold water channel, and an opening / closing member provided to close or open the recirculation channel.

[0009] A hot and cold water supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a boiler that heats incoming raw water to form hot water; a faucet that discharges at least one of the hot water and cold water through an outlet; a hot water supply pipe that connects the faucet and the boiler to supply the hot water to the faucet; a cold water supply pipe that connects a cold water source and the faucet to supply the cold water to the faucet or to allow water returned from the faucet to flow; a recirculation pipe that connects the cold water supply pipe and the boiler so that the returned water flows into the boiler; a pump disposed in the recirculation pipe to pressurize the returned water to the boiler; and a flow rate acquisition unit disposed in the boiler to acquire the flow rate of the returned water. The apparatus includes a processor electrically connected to the flow rate acquisition unit and the pump, and controlling the operation of the pump based on the acquired flow rate. The faucet comprises a housing connected to the cold water supply pipe and the hot water supply pipe, a recirculation path indirectly connected to the hot water supply pipe and the cold water supply pipe so that hot water flowing into the housing is returned to the cold water supply pipe through the housing to form the returned water, and an opening / closing member provided to close the recirculation path so that the acquired flow rate is less than or equal to a predetermined reference flow rate, or to open the recirculation path so that the acquired flow rate is greater than the reference flow rate.

[0010] A hot and cold water supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a boiler that heats incoming raw water to form hot water; a faucet that discharges at least one of the hot water and cold water through an outlet; a hot water supply pipe that connects the faucet and the boiler to supply the hot water to the faucet; a cold water supply pipe that connects a cold water source and the faucet to supply the cold water to the faucet or to allow water returned from the faucet to flow; a recirculation pipe that connects the cold water supply pipe and the boiler so that the returned water flows into the boiler; a pump disposed in the recirculation pipe to pressurize the returned water to the boiler; and a processor electrically connected to the pump to control the operation of the pump. The faucet comprises a housing that connects the cold water supply pipe and the hot water supply pipe, and a recirculation path that indirectly connects the hot water supply pipe and the cold water supply pipe so that hot water introduced into the housing is returned to the cold water supply pipe through the housing to form the returned water.

[0011] A faucet according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a hot water flow path through which hot water flows, which is connected to a hot water supply pipe for supplying hot water generated by heating raw water to a demand place; a cold water flow path through which cold water flows, which is connected to a cold water supply pipe for supplying cold water, which is raw water, to a demand place; a housing having an outlet connected to the hot water flow path and the cold water flow path and open to the outside so as to supply at least one of the hot water and the cold water to a demand place; and a recirculation flow path connecting the hot water flow path and the cold water flow path so that the hot water in the hot water flow path can flow into the cold water flow path. Effects of the invention

[0012] Accordingly, as hot water is recirculated and heated through the faucet, it can reach and be supplied at an appropriate temperature.

[0013] You can create a system where hot water is recirculated simply by replacing the faucet. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0014] FIG. 1 is a conceptual drawing of a hot and cold water supply system including a faucet according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a faucet according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a situation in which hot water flows through a recirculation path of a water tap according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a situation in which hot water is blocked from flowing through the recirculation path of a faucet according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a faucet according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0015] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. It should be noted that in assigning reference numerals to the components of each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numeral whenever possible, even if they are shown in different drawings. Furthermore, in describing the embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known components or functions would hinder understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, such detailed description is omitted.

[0016] In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used when describing the components of the embodiments of the present invention. These terms are intended only to distinguish the components from other components, and the essence, order, or sequence of the components is not limited by the terms. Where it is stated that a component is "connected," "combined," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but that another component may also be "connected," "combined," or "connected" between each component.

[0018] First embodiment

[0019] FIG. 1 is a conceptual drawing of a hot and cold water supply system (100) including a water tap (1) according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Referring to the drawings, a hot and cold water supply system (100) according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a water tap (1), a boiler (60), a cold water supply pipe (42), a hot water supply pipe (41), a recirculation pipe (43), a pump (431), a recirculation path (120), and a processor (61).

[0021] The boiler (60) is a component that heats incoming raw water, such as cold water or returned water, to form hot water. Accordingly, the boiler (60) may include a heat exchanger that heats cold water using sensible heat generated through the combustion of fuel and the latent heat of combustion gases, which are the result of combustion. However, if the device is capable of receiving cold water or returned water, heating it, and forming and discharging hot water, another device may be installed and used instead of the boiler (60).

[0022] The boiler (60) operates based on the temperature or flow rate of the incoming water to heat the incoming water and form it into hot water, which is then discharged. Therefore, the operation of the boiler (60) can be controlled by adjusting the flow rate. For this operation, a flow rate acquisition unit (not shown) capable of measuring the flow rate may be provided in the boiler (60). Specific details regarding control using the flow rate acquisition unit will be explained in the description of the second embodiment.

[0023] A recirculation pipe (43) connects the cold water supply pipe (42) and the boiler (60), so that cold water or returned water, which is raw water delivered from the cold water supply pipe (42), can flow into the boiler (60). Using this cold water or returned water as raw water, the raw water is heated by the boiler (60) to become hot water and discharged. A hot water supply pipe (41) is connected to the boiler (60), and hot water is discharged through the hot water supply pipe (41).

[0024] The hot water supply pipe (41) is a component that connects the boiler (60) and the water tap (1) to supply hot water to the water tap (1). The hot water supply pipe (41) may come out of the boiler (60) and be connected to the water tap (1), or may be directly connected to other water taps (52) through other hot water supply pipes (411) branched from the hot water supply pipe (41), thereby supplying hot water to each water tap (1) and other water taps (52).

[0025] The cold water supply pipe (42) is a component connected to a cold water source to supply cold water to a boiler (60) or each water tap (1). One end of the cold water supply pipe (42) is connected to an external cold water source that supplies cold water, so that cold water is supplied and circulated, or it can be directly connected to other water taps (52) through another cold water supply pipe (421) branched from the cold water supply pipe (42) to supply cold water.

[0026] The recirculation pipe (43) is a component connected to the cold water supply pipe (42) to allow cold water to flow from the water source to the boiler (60), or to allow the returned water delivered to the cold water supply pipe (42) to flow into the boiler (60) through the recirculation path (120) formed in the water tap (1) to be described later. Therefore, the recirculation pipe (43) can directly or indirectly connect the cold water source and the boiler (60) so that cold water can be delivered to the boiler (60). Additionally, the returned water can flow through the cold water supply pipe (42) in the opposite direction to the direction in which the cold water flows, and when it reaches the recirculation pipe (43), it can be introduced into the boiler (60). In other words, the recirculation pipe (43) is a component that delivers water to be used as raw water to the boiler (60).

[0027] As described above, one end of the recirculation pipe (43) is connected to a location of the cold water supply pipe (42) upstream of the branching point of the cold water supply pipe (42) based on the direction in which cold water flows from the cold water supply pipe (42), and the other end of the recirculation pipe (43) is connected to the boiler (60). Thus, the returned water that flows in a direction opposite to the direction of cold water flow and returns to the said location, and the cold water that flows downstream from the water source and is delivered to the said location, can be delivered to the boiler (60) through the recirculation pipe (43).

[0028] A pump (431) may be placed in the recirculation pipe (43) to transfer cold water or returned water to the boiler (60) in this manner. The pump (431) pressurizes the returned water flowing in the recirculation pipe (43) and pumps it to the boiler (60). Thus, the pump (431) provides the power to circulate the hot water of the entire recirculation system. The pump (431) is used when the hot water is recirculated.

[0029] The pump (431) is electrically connected to the processor (61) and can be controlled by the processor (61). Specific circumstances under which the processor (61) controls the pump (431) will be described later in the description of the processor (61).

[0030] The faucet (1) and other faucets (52) may be devices such as washbasins, sinks, and bathtubs that discharge hot and cold water to supply to demand locations as illustrated and can control the degree of discharge, but are not limited thereto.

[0031] The faucet (1) is a component that determines whether hot water is recirculated in a hot and cold water supply system (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. The faucet (1) is connected to a hot water supply pipe (41) and a cold water supply pipe (42), and is provided with a recirculation path (120) that forms water returned by transferring hot water received from the hot water supply pipe (41) to the cold water supply pipe (42). Since the faucet (1) includes a recirculation path (120), hot water recirculation can be achieved simply by replacing the faucet (1). Accordingly, the hot and cold water supply system (100) in which hot water recirculation occurs operates as follows.

[0032] Cold water is supplied from a cold water source to a cold water supply pipe (42). A portion of the cold water is supplied to another water tap (52) through another cold water supply pipe (421) and can be discharged to the outside through a water tap (1). Another portion of the cold water is delivered to a boiler (60) through a recirculation pipe (43).

[0033] The boiler (60) heats cold water to form and discharge hot water. The hot water may be discharged through other hot water supply pipes (411) and supplied to other faucets (52), or discharged to the outside through faucet (1). The hot water may be supplied to the cold water supply pipe (42) through the recirculation path (120) of the faucet (1) and may be returned in the opposite direction to the direction in which the cold water flows along the cold water supply pipe (42). In a situation where the hot water is discharged to the outside through the faucet (1), some of the hot water may be recirculated and returned through the recirculation path (120).

[0034] Water returned in the reverse direction along the cold water supply pipe (42) flows to the boiler (60) through the recirculation pipe (43). The boiler (60) reheats the returned water to form hot water and discharges it through the hot water supply pipe (41). While this recirculation process is taking place, the water tap (1) can control the flow rate of the recirculated hot water.

[0035] The faucet (1) may include a housing (11) and a recirculation channel (120). The housing (11) may be equipped with a hot water channel (13), a cold water channel (14), and a water outlet (15). The structure of the faucet (1) may be modified by operating the control part of the housing (11) by a user so that at least one of the hot water and cold water is discharged or not discharged through the water outlet (15) which is open to the outside.

[0036] The hot water channel (13) is connected to a hot water supply pipe (41) for supplying hot water to a demand location and refers to a channel through which hot water flows. The cold water channel (14) is connected to a cold water supply pipe (42) for supplying cold water to a demand location and refers to a channel through which cold water flows. The cold water channel (14) and the hot water channel (13) may each include a cold water inlet (142) and a hot water inlet (132) that are directly connected to the cold water supply pipe (42) and the hot water supply pipe (41), respectively, and may include a cold water receiving section (141) and a hot water receiving section (131) that are connected to the cold water inlet (142) and the hot water inlet (132) and can receive cold water and hot water, respectively. A cold water outlet (143) and a hot water outlet (133) may be arranged to connect the cold water receiving section (141) and the hot water receiving section (131) to the outlet (15). That is, cold water can be discharged to the outside in sequence along the cold water supply pipe (42), cold water inlet (142), cold water receiving section (141), cold water outlet (143), and outlet (15), and hot water can be discharged to the outside in sequence along the hot water supply pipe (41), hot water inlet (132), hot water receiving section (131), hot water outlet (133), and outlet (15).

[0037] The recirculation channel (120) can connect the hot water channel (13) and the cold water channel (14) to allow hot water in the hot water channel (13) to flow into the cold water channel (14). The recirculation channel (120) can connect the hot water outlet (133) and the cold water outlet (143) as illustrated, but the location of connection is not limited thereto. The recirculation channel (120) can indirectly connect the hot water supply pipe (41) and the cold water supply pipe (42).

[0038] A check valve (121) may be further disposed in the recirculation path (120). The check valve (121) may allow hot water to be transferred from the hot water path (13) to the cold water path (14) through the recirculation path (120), but may block cold water from being transferred from the cold water path (14) to the hot water path (13). The check valve (121) may be disposed downstream of the temperature acquisition section (123) based on the direction in which hot water flows in the recirculation path (120).

[0039] The water supply (1) may include a temperature acquisition unit (123) disposed in the recirculation channel (120). The temperature acquisition unit (123) is disposed in the recirculation channel (120) to acquire the temperature of the hot water contained in the circulation channel. This temperature acquisition unit (123) is electrically connected to a processor (61) so that the acquired temperature can be transmitted in the form of an electrical signal. A recirculation unit (12) including this temperature acquisition unit (123) and the recirculation channel (120) may be envisioned, and a check valve (121) may be included. The temperature acquisition unit (123) may include a thermocouple, a thermistor, a resistance meter, a semiconductor temperature sensor, etc. for acquiring the temperature, but the types of components that may be included for acquiring the temperature are not limited thereto.

[0040] The processor (61) is electrically connected to the pump (431) and the temperature acquisition unit (123) so that it can control the pump (431) based on the temperature acquired by the temperature acquisition unit (123).

[0041] The processor (61) is a component that controls other components included in the hot and cold water supply system (100). The processor (61) may include a microprocessor such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or a Central Processing Unit (CPU), but the types of computing devices included are not limited thereto.

[0042] Additionally, the hot and cold water supply system (100) may include a memory that stores a plurality of control instructions that serve as the basis for generating instructions for controlling each component in the processor (61). The processor (61) may be programmed to receive control instructions from the memory and generate instructions based on the received control instructions, such as electrical signals for controlling each component. The memory may be a data store such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), volatile media, non-volatile media, etc., but the type is not limited thereto.

[0043] The processor (61) can be electrically connected to the pump (431) and the temperature acquisition unit (123) as described above. The processor (61) receives the temperature value acquired by the temperature acquisition unit (123) in the form of an electrical signal and can supply power to the temperature acquisition unit (123) and the pump (431) or transmit an electrical signal for control.

[0044] The processor (61) can control the pump (431) so that the pump (431) operates when the temperature acquired by the temperature acquisition unit (123) is below a predetermined reference temperature, and stops the operation of the pump (431) when the temperature acquired is above the reference temperature.

[0045] When hot water flows below a reference temperature, the processor (61) operates the pump (431) to allow recirculation through the recirculation path (120) to occur, as recirculation must still be used to adjust the hot water to an appropriate temperature. However, when hot water flows above a reference temperature, if recirculation is continued, the hot water may overheat, and the cold water may overheat and the hot water may be discharged when cold water is used, so the processor (61) stops the operation of the pump (431) to stop recirculation.

[0046] By the operation of this processor (61), recirculation is achieved through the water tap (1), but the hot water may not overheat, and the hot water may not be discharged when using cold water.

[0048] 2nd embodiment

[0049] FIG. 2 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a faucet (2) according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a situation in which hot water flows through a recirculation path (220) of a faucet (2) according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a situation in which hot water is blocked from flowing through a recirculation path (220) of a faucet (2) according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] The hot and cold water supply system according to the second embodiment may also include all components other than the faucet (1) included in the hot and cold water supply system (100) of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, since the description of each component of the hot and cold water supply system according to the second embodiment is identical or similar to the description of the first embodiment, only the parts that differ will be described further.

[0051] A flow rate acquisition unit (not shown) capable of measuring the flow rate may be provided in the boiler (60). The flow rate acquisition unit is provided in the boiler (60) to obtain the flow rate of the returned water. The flow rate acquisition unit may include a Venturi meter, a differential pressure flow meter, a volumetric flow meter, a Pitot tube, a magnetic flow meter, a vortex flow meter, an ultrasonic flow meter, etc., for obtaining the water flow rate, but the types of components for obtaining the flow rate are not limited thereto.

[0052] The water supply (2) according to the second embodiment is provided with a recirculation channel (220), and further includes an opening / closing member (221) disposed in the recirculation channel (220). The opening / closing member (221) and the recirculation channel (120) can be combined to form a recirculation unit (12), and a check valve (121) may be included.

[0053] The opening / closing member (221) is a component capable of opening and closing the recirculation path (120). The opening / closing member (221) can close the recirculation path (220) so that the flow rate obtained by the flow rate acquisition unit becomes less than or equal to a predetermined reference flow rate. Additionally, the opening / closing member (221) can open the recirculation path (220) so that the obtained flow rate is greater than the reference flow rate. The reference flow rate may be 0 LPM.

[0054] The opening / closing member (221) may include a bimetal plate that is deformed according to the temperature of the hot water contained in the recirculation channel (120) and controls the flow rate of the hot water flowing along the recirculation channel (220). A bimetal refers to a material in which two metals with different coefficients of thermal expansion are joined together and the shape changes according to temperature.

[0055] The bimetal plate deforms according to the temperature of the hot water to close or open the recirculation path (220), thereby allowing the flow of hot water with a temperature below the reference temperature and blocking the flow of hot water with a temperature above the reference temperature. The reference temperature of this second embodiment may be the same as the reference temperature of the first embodiment, but may also be different from each other.

[0056] The check valve (223) is positioned downstream of the opening / closing member (221) based on the direction in which hot water flows in the recirculation path (220), so as to allow hot water to be delivered through the recirculation path (220) to the cold water path (24) formed in the housing (21), but to block cold water from being delivered to the hot water path (23).

[0057] The processor (61) can control the pump (431) so that the pump (431) operates when it receives a return signal from the user. That is, the processor (61) may further include an input unit for receiving commands from the user. The input unit may include a button or a display device to receive commands from the user, but it may also include communication equipment such as a modem to receive commands indirectly through a terminal owned by the user, and the method of receiving commands is not limited thereto.

[0058] When a recirculation signal is input from the user to the processor (61) while the recirculation channel (220) is open, the pump (431) starts operating, so the flow rate obtained by the flow rate acquisition unit can be greater than the reference flow rate.

[0059] If the temperature of the hot water does not exceed the reference temperature, the opening / closing member (221) remains in an open state, so that the hot water can be recirculated. However, if the temperature of the hot water exceeds the reference temperature, the opening / closing member (221) is deformed to close the recirculation path (220), and the flow rate of the returned water obtained by the flow rate acquisition unit may be less than the reference flow rate. Since the obtained flow rate is less than the reference flow rate, the processor (61) can control the pump (431) to stop operating. At this time, the processor (61) can control the pump (431) to stop operating after a predetermined standby time has elapsed.

[0060] The processor (61) may determine whether the obtained flow rate is below the reference flow rate after a predetermined operating waiting time has elapsed, rather than immediately after the pump (431) starts operating. When the obtained flow rate is below the reference flow rate, the processor (61) may control the pump (431) to stop operating.

[0061] When the processor (61) receives a preheating signal from the user, it can control the pump (431) so that it operates for a predetermined operating time and then stops operating. That is, instead of continuously monitoring the flow rate, it can be configured so that recirculation and preheating occur only for a predetermined time. However, even when a preheating signal is received, the pump (431) can be determined whether to stop operating by monitoring the flow rate using the flow rate acquisition unit as described above.

[0062] The processor (61) may cause the pump (431) to operate according to a scheduled timeline to perform recirculation and preheating. When the processor (61) receives a preheating schedule from the user, it may control the pump (431) to operate according to the entered schedule. The processor (61) may cause the operation of the pump (431) to start according to a set schedule and stop after a predetermined operating time has elapsed, or it may cause the operation of the pump (431) to stop when the flow rate falls below a reference flow rate by continuously monitoring the flow rate using a flow rate acquisition unit even after the operation of the pump (431) has started according to a set schedule.

[0064] Third embodiment

[0065] FIG. 5 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a water tap (3) according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] At least a portion of the recirculation channel (320) included in the recirculation unit (32) according to the third embodiment may be disposed on the outside of the housing (31) of the water tap (3). Although FIG. 5 is illustrated as having a recirculation unit (32) in the same form as in the first embodiment, the recirculation channel of the recirculation unit including an opening / closing member (221) may be disposed on the outside of the housing as in the second embodiment.

[0067] It is possible to use a faucet (3) having a recirculation unit (32) by forming a faucet (3) of the form shown in FIG. 5 and connecting the faucet (3) to the hot water supply pipe and the cold water supply pipe in a simple manner. However, a faucet with a recirculation function can also be formed by drilling a hole in an existing faucet and connecting a kit corresponding to the recirculation unit (32) of FIG. 5.

[0068] In the foregoing, although all components constituting the embodiments of the present invention have been described as being combined or operating together, the present invention is not necessarily limited to such embodiments. That is, within the scope of the purpose of the present invention, all such components may be selectively combined and operated in one or more ways. Furthermore, terms such as "include," "constitute," or "have" described above, unless specifically stated otherwise, mean that the relevant component may be inherent; thus, they should be interpreted as allowing for the inclusion of additional components rather than excluding other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, unless otherwise defined. Terms commonly used, such as those defined in advance, should be interpreted in accordance with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in the present invention.

[0069] The foregoing description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical concept of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to make various modifications and variations within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to explain, not limit, the technical concept of the present invention, and the scope of the technical concept of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope shall be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0070] 1, 2, 3 : Susan 11, 21, 31 : Housing 12, 22, 32: Recirculation section 13, 23 : Hot water flow 14, 24: Cold water flow 15, 25: Outlet 41 : Hot water supply pipe 42: Cold water supply pipe 43 : Recirculation pipe 52 : Other faucets 60 : Boiler 61 : Processor 100 : Hot and cold water supply system 120, 220, 320: Recirculation flow 121, 223 : Check valve 123 : Temperature acquisition unit 131 : Hot water receiving section 132 : Hot water inlet 133 : Hot water outlet 141 : Cold water receiving section 142 : Cold water inlet 143 : Cold water outlet 221 : Opening / closing member 411: Other hot water supply pipes 421: Other cold water supply pipes 431 : Pump

Claims

Claim 1 delete Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 delete Claim 5 delete Claim 6 A boiler that heats incoming raw water to form hot water; a faucet that discharges at least one of the hot water and cold water through an outlet; a hot water supply pipe that connects the faucet and the boiler to supply the hot water to the faucet; a cold water supply pipe that connects a cold water source and the faucet to supply the cold water to the faucet or to allow water returned from the faucet to flow; a recirculation pipe that connects the cold water supply pipe and the boiler so that the returned water flows into the boiler; a pump disposed in the recirculation pipe to pressurize the returned water to the boiler; and a flow rate acquisition unit disposed in the boiler to acquire the flow rate of the returned water. A hot and cold water supply system comprising a processor electrically connected to the above flow rate acquisition unit and the above pump, and controlling the operation of the above pump based on the acquired flow rate, wherein the above water supply unit comprises a housing connected to the above cold water supply pipe and the above hot water supply pipe, a recirculation path indirectly connected to the above hot water supply pipe and the above cold water supply pipe so that hot water flowing into the housing is returned to the above cold water supply pipe through the housing to form the returned water, and an opening / closing member provided to close the recirculation path so that the acquired flow rate is less than or equal to a predetermined reference flow rate, or to open the recirculation path so that the acquired flow rate is greater than the above reference flow rate, wherein the processor controls the above pump to operate when it receives a return signal from a user, and the processor determines whether the acquired flow rate is less than or equal to the above reference flow rate after a predetermined operating waiting time has elapsed since the above pump started operating, and controls the above pump to stop operating when the acquired flow rate is less than or equal to the above reference flow rate. Claim 7 delete Claim 8 delete Claim 9 In claim 6, the processor controls the pump to stop operating after the pump has operated for a predetermined operating time when it receives a preheating signal from a user, in a hot and cold water supply system. Claim 10 A hot and cold water supply system according to claim 6, wherein the processor determines whether the obtained flow rate is less than or equal to the reference flow rate while the pump is operating, and controls the pump to stop operating after a predetermined waiting time when the obtained flow rate is less than or equal to the reference flow rate. Claim 11 In claim 6, the processor controls the pump to operate according to the input schedule when it receives a schedule for preheating from a user, in a hot and cold water supply system. Claim 12 delete Claim 13 delete Claim 14 delete Claim 15 delete Claim 16 delete Claim 17 delete

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