Heat pump water heater

• US 20040144528A1
• Filed: 12/04/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takeshi, Matsumoto, Satoshi, Kunimoto, Keijiro, Imabayashi, Satoshi, Kondo, Ryuta
• Granted Patent: US 7,316,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/298
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/02 using heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1054 the system uses a heat pump
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/175 where the difference between the measured temperature and a set temperature is kept under a predetermined value
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/215 before heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/219 after heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/223 in the water storage tank
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/238 Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/258 Outdoor temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/281 Input from user
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/38 Control of compressors of heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/385 Control of expansion valves of heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/414 using electronic processing, e.g. computer-based
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2309/061 with cycle highest pressure above the supercritical pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/06 Several compression cycles arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/075 with parallel compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/02 Compressor control
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/021 Inverters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/025 by controlling speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/112 of evaporator fans
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/2513 Expansion valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/2106 : of fresh outdoor air
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/21161 : of the fluid heated by the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 30/02 : of the compression type
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 9/008 : the refrigerant being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 : Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A flash water heater using a heat pump includes a heat exchanger in which a refrigerant flow path exchanges heat with a water flow path. Tap water is led directly to the water flow path, and hot water supplied from the water flow path is used. The water heater includes at least one of the following elements: 1) a load setter for setting a heating amount in the heat exchanger, and a heating controller for regulating a heating amount in response to an amount set by the load setter; 2) a heater for heating water flowing through the water flow path in the heat exchanger and water flowing the path before and after the heat exchanger; 3) plural compressors; and 4) plural heat-pump cycles. The water heater is excellent in start-up of hot water temperature when the hot water supply starts, controllability, and efficiency.

Claims

1. A heat-pump hot water device comprising:

a heat pump cycle including;

a compressor;

a radiator;

a decompressor;

a heat absorber; and

a refrigerant flow path that couples the compressor, the radiator, the decompressor and the heat absorber in a closed circuit;

a heat exchanger including a water flow path that exchanges heat with the refrigerant flow path;

a water supply pipe for supplying tap water to the water flow path;

a hot water supply circuit for leading the water from the water flow path to a hot water supply terminal; and

a heater for heating the water flowing through a route, formed of the water supply pipe, the water flow path and the hot water supply circuit, at one of those three elements at least.

2. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 1, wherein the heater includes a heat accumulator disposed in series with any one of the water supply pipe, the heat exchanger and the hot water supply circuit.

3. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 1, wherein the heater includes a heat accumulator disposed in parallel with any one of the water supply pipe, the heat exchanger and the hot water supply circuit.

4. The heat-pump hot water device of any one of claim 2 and claim 3, wherein the heater includes a mixer which mixes water heated by the heat accumulator with the water flowing through any one of the water supply pipe, the heat exchanger, and the hot water supply circuit.

5. The heat-pump hot water device of any one of claim 2 and claim 3, wherein the heater includes a switcher which switches water heated by the heat accumulator to the water flowing through any one of the water supply pipe, the heat exchanger, and the hot water supply circuit for running the water, and switches the water flowing through any one of the water supply pipe, the heat exchanger, and the hot water supply circuit to the water heated by the heat accumulator, for running the water.

6. The heat-pump hot water device of any one of claim 2 and claim 3, wherein the heater includes a heat retainer for maintaining a temperature of a heat accumulating mass at a given temperature.

7. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 6, wherein the heat retainer includes the radiator.

8. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 1, wherein the heater includes a circulating water path that has at least one of the water supply pipe, the heat exchanger, and the hot water supply circuit, and the heater maintains a temperature of water which circulates in the circulating water path.

9. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 8, wherein the heat-pump cycle is driven for the water flow path to maintain the temperature of the water which circulates in the circulating water path.

10. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 1, wherein the circulating water path includes a heat accumulator.

11. The heat-pump hot water device of any one of claims 2, 3, and 10, wherein the heat accumulator accumulates a heat amount corresponding to a short heat quantity due to delay in heat response from at least one of the heat-pump cycle and the heat exchanger.

12. The heat-pump hot water device of any one of claims 2, 3 and 10, wherein a temperature of a heat accumulating mass in the heat accumulator is set higher than a temperature of hot water supplied from the hot water supply circuit.

13. The heat-pump hot water device of any one of claims 2, 3 and 10, wherein the heat accumulator includes a storage tank which stores water in at least one elements forming a circulating water path which is formed of the elements including water supply pipe, the heat exchanger and the hot water supply circuit.

31. The heat-pump hot water device of any one of claim 1, 14, 27 and 28, wherein the heat-pump cycle is a super critical pressure heat pump cycle of which refrigerant pressure exceeds a critical pressure, and the refrigerant that is boosted over its critical pressure heats water flowing through the water flow path in the heat exchanger.

32. The heat-pump hot water device of any one of claim 1, 14, 27 and 28, wherein a flow direction of the refrigerant flow path is opposite to a flow direction of the water flow path in the heat exchanger.

14. A heat-pump hot water device comprising:

a heat pump cycle including;

a compressor;

a radiator;

a decompressor;

a heat absorber; and

a refrigerant flow path that couples the compressor, the radiator, the decompressor and the heat absorber in a closed circuit;

a heat exchanger including a water flow path that exchanges heat with the refrigerant flow path;

a water supply pipe for supplying tap water to the water flow path;

a hot water supply circuit for leading the water from the water flow path to a hot water supply terminal;

a load setter for setting a heating amount in the heat exchanger; and

a heating controller for regulating the heating amount in the heat exchanger in response to the amount set by the load setter.

15. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 14 further comprising a flow rate detector for detecting a flow rate in the hot water supply circuit, wherein the load setter finds a heating amount based on the flow rate detected by the flow rate detector.

16. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 14 further comprising a water temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the water in the water supply pipe, wherein the load setter finds a heating amount based on the water temperature detected by the water temperature detector.

17. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 14 further comprising a temperature setter for setting a target temperature of hot water to be spouted, wherein the load setter determines the heating amount based on the target temperature set by the temperature setter.

18. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 17 further comprising a hot water temperature detector for detecting a temperature of hot water supplied from the hot water supply circuit, wherein the load setter determines a first heating amount based on a deviation between the target temperature and the temperature of hot water supplied from the hot water supply circuit.

19. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 18 further comprising:

a water temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the water in the water supply pipe, and

a flow rate detector for detecting a flow rate of the hot water supply circuit,

wherein the hot water device calculates a second heating amount based on the amounts detected and set by the water temperature detector, the flow rate detector and the temperature setter, and adds the first and the second heating amounts together.

20. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 14, wherein the load setter includes a start-up setter for determining a heat quantity corresponding to delay in heat response of at least one of the heat pump cycle and the heat exchanger, and when a heating amount is determined, the heat quantity set by the start-up setter is incorporated into the heating amount.

21. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 14, wherein the heating controller regulates a rotation speed of the compressor.

22. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 14, wherein the heating controller controls a resistor to the refrigerant flow path.

23. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 22 further comprising a water temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the water in the water supply pipe, wherein the resistor is controlled in response to the temperature detected by the water temperature detector.

24. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 14, wherein the heating controller controls a heat absorbing amount of the heat absorber.

25. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 14, wherein the heating controller changes at least one of a flow speed and a flow rate in the water supply pipe within the heat exchanger.

26. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 14 further comprising an air temperature detector for detecting an air temperature, wherein the heating controller regulates the heating amount in the heat exchanger in response to the air temperature detected by the air temperature detector.

27. A heat-pump hot water device comprising:

a heat pump cycle including;

a plurality of compressors;

a radiator;

a decompressor;

a heat absorber; and

a refrigerant flow path that couples the plurality of compressors, the radiator, the decompressor and the heat absorber in a closed circuit;

a heat exchanger including a water flow path that exchanges heat with the refrigerant flow path;

a water supply pipe for supplying tap water to the water flow path; and

a hot water supply circuit for leading the water from the water flow path to a hot water supply terminal;

28. A heat-pump hot water device comprising:

a plurality of heat pump cycles including;

a compressor;

a radiator;

a decompressor;

a heat absorber; and

a refrigerant flow path that couples the compressor, the radiator, the decompressor and the heat absorber in a closed circuit;

a heat exchanger including a water flow path that exchanges heat with each of the refrigerant flow paths;

a water supply pipe for supplying tap water to the water flow path; and

a hot water supply circuit for leading the water from the water flow path to a hot water supply terminal

29. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 28, wherein the heat exchanger and the plurality of heat-pump cycles are divided into a plurality of units.

30. The heat-pump hot water device of claim 28, wherein a number of active heat-pump cycles is changed in response to a load of hot water supply.