Heat-pump-type water heater

• US 7,823,799 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Ookoshi, Seiji, Sasaki, Masahiko, Sakai, Kunio, Konagai, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister; Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'Reilly, III; Patrick F.
• Application Number:
  US11/965,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20080135636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 237/2.B, 237/19, 622/387, 622/386
• US Class Current: 237/19
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 11/0214 water heating system
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2200/12 Heat pump
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 3/08 in combination with systems for domestic hot-water supply
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 4/04 Storage heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/06 Arrangement of mountings or supports for heaters, e.g. boilers, other than space heating radiators space heating radiators F24D19/02
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/14 Arrangements for connecting different sections, e.g. in water heaters arrangements for connecting heaters to circulation pipes F24H9/12

Abstract

A heat source unit includes a compressor, a heat-source-side heat exchanger, an outdoor blower, and a controller for electric devices. A hydrothermal exchange unit accommodates water heat exchangers, water pipes, pumps and a controller, and is connected to the heat source unit via refrigerating pipes and electric wiring. A tank unit has tanks for storing hot water obtained as a result of heat exchange by the water heat exchangers. The hydrothermal exchange unit has a housing. The front, rear, upper, left and right sides of the housing are covered with panels. A bottom plate for the housing is disposed a predetermined distance above the lower end of the housing. The housing accommodates the hydrothermal exchange unit, and a space below the bottom plate of the housing accommodates connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes. This completely prevents freezing of the water pipes, makes use-side units compact, and improves operation efficiency.

Claims

1. A heat-pump-type water heater comprising:

a heat source unit including;

a compressor, a pressure reducing mechanism, and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, all of which compose one section of a heat-pump-type refrigeration cycle; and

a first controller which controls operations of an outdoor blower and electric devices;

a hydrothermal exchange unit disposed apart from the heat source unit, connected to the heat source unit by means of refrigerant pipes and electric wiring, and including;

a water heat exchanger composing part of the other section of the heat-pump-type refrigeration cycle and serving as a use side heat exchanger;

a pump which guides water via a water pipe to the water heat exchanger; and

a second controller which controls the operation of the pump; and

a tank unit connected to the hydrothermal exchange unit via water pipes and including a tank which stores hot water obtained as a result of heat exchange by the water heat exchanger,

wherein the hydrothermal exchange unit has a housing, the front, rear, top, left and right sides of the housing being covered with panels and a bottom plate for the housing being disposed a predetermined distance above lower ends of the panels, and

the housing has an internal space that accommodates the water heat exchanger, the pump, the water pipes, the refrigerant pipes, and the second controller, and an external space below the bottom plate of the housing that accommodates connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes, the bottom side of the external space being open to a room outside of the housing in which the hydrothermal exchange unit is disposed, and the front side of the external space being provided with a pipe cover having a height sized in accordance with the vertical extent of the connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes, and

wherein the second controller is removably attached in a front portion of the internal space of the housing, and adjacent to the front side of the housing, so that the second controller is easily accessed by the removal of the front side, and the water pipes and the refrigerant pipes are readily accessible when the second controller is removed from the housing.

2. The heat-pump-type water heater of claim 1, further comprising a remote controller attached to a front panel of the housing, wherein the remote controller is electrically connected to the second controller and controls the first controller.

3. A heat-pump-type water heater comprising:

a heat source unit including;

a compressor, a pressure reducing mechanism, and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, all of which compose one section of a heat-pump-type refrigeration cycle; and

a first controller which controls operations of an outdoor blower and electric devices;

a hydrothermal exchange unit disposed apart from the heat source unit, connected to the heat source unit by means of refrigerant pipes and electric wiring, and including;

a plurality of water heat exchangers composing part of the other section of the heat-pump-type refrigeration cycle and serving as a use side heat exchanger;

a plurality of pumps which guide water via corresponding water pipes to the corresponding water heat exchangers; and

a second controller which controls the operations of the pumps; and

a tank unit connected to the hydrothermal exchange unfit via water pipes and including a plurality of tanks which store hot water obtained as a result of heat exchange by the corresponding water heat exchangers,

wherein the hydrothermal exchange unit has a housing, the front, rear, top, left and right sides of the housing being covered with panels and a bottom plate for the housing being disposed a predetermined distance above lower ends of the panels, and

an upper space of the inside of the housing accommodates one of the water heat exchangers, a lower space thereof accommodates the other one of the water heat exchangers, the water pipes and the refrigerant pipes, and the front lower space of the housing accommodates the second controller such that a front panel is attached to the housing so as to freely cover or uncover the second controller, and an external space below the bottom plate of the housing accommodates connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes, the bottom side of the external space being open to a room outside of the housing in which the hydrothermal exchange unit is disposed, and the front side of the external space being provided with a pipe cover having a height sized in accordance with the vertical extent of the connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes, and

wherein the second controller is removably attached in the front lower space of the housing, and adjacent to the front panel of the housing, so that the second controller is easily accessed by the removal of the front panel, and the water pipes and the refrigerant pipes are readily accessible when the second controller is removed from the housing.

4. The heat-pump-type water heater of claim 3, further comprising a remote controller attached to the front panel of the housing, wherein the remote controller is electrically connected to the second controller and controls the first controller.

5. A heat-pump-type water heater comprising:

a heat source unit including;

a compressor, a pressure reducing mechanism, and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, all of which compose one section of a heat-pump-type refrigeration cycle; and

a first controller which controls operations of an outdoor blower and electric devices;

a hydrothermal exchange unit disposed apart from the heat source unit, connected to the heat source unit by means of refrigerant pipes and electric wiring, and including;

a water heat exchanger for hot water supply and a water heat exchanger for hot water heating, which compose part of the other section of the heat-pump-type refrigeration cycle and serve as use side heat exchangers;

a hot-water supply pump and a heating pump which guides water via corresponding water pipes to the water heat exchanger for hot water supply and the water heat exchanger for heating, respectively; and

a second controller which controls the operations of the hot-water supply pump and heating pump; and

a tank unit connected to the hydrothermal exchange unit via water pipes and including a hot water supply tank and a heating tank which store hot water obtained as a result of heat exchange by the water heat exchanger for hot water supply and the water heat exchanger for heating, respectively,

wherein the hydrothermal exchange unit has a housing, the front, rear, top, left and right sides of the housing being covered with panels and a bottom plate for the housing being disposed a predetermined distance above lower ends of the panels, and

the inside of the housing is divided into an upper space and a lower space by a partition, the space above the partition accommodating the water heat exchanger for hot water supply, the space below the partition accommodating the water heat exchanger for heating, the hot water supply pump, the heating pump, the water supply pipes, the refrigerant pipes, and the second controller, and an external space below the bottom plate of the housing accommodating connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes, the bottom side of the external space being open to a room outside of the housing in which the hydrothermal exchange unit is disposed, and the front side of the external space being provided with a pipe cover having a height sized in accordance with the vertical extent of the connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes, and

wherein the second controller is removably attached in a front portion of the space below the partition inside the housing, and adjacent to the front side of the housing, so that the second controller is easily accessed by the removal of the front side, and the water pipes and the refrigerant pipes are readily accessible when the second controller is removed from the housing.

6. The heat-pump-type water heater of claim 5, further comprising a remote controller attached to a front panel of the housing, wherein the remote controller is electrically connected to the second controller and controls the first controller.

7. A heat-pump-type water heater comprising:

a heat source unit including;

a compressor, a pressure reducing mechanism, and a heat-source-side heat exchanger, all of which compose one section of a heat-pump-type refrigeration cycle; and

a first controller which controls operations of an outdoor blower and electric devices;

a hydrothermal exchange unit disposed apart from the heat source unit, connected to the heat source unit by means of refrigerant pipes and electric wiring, and including;

a water heat exchanger composing part of the other section of the heat-pump-type refrigeration cycle and serving as a use side heat exchanger;

a pump which guides water via a water pipe to the water heat exchanger; and

a second controller which controls the operation of the pump; and

a tank unit connected to the hydrothermal exchange unit via water pipes and including a tank which stores hot water obtained as a result of heat exchange by the water heat exchanger,

wherein the hydrothermal exchange unit has a housing, the front, rear, top, left and right sides of the housing being covered with panels and a bottom plate for the housing being disposed a predetermined distance above lower ends of the panels,

the inside of the housing accommodates the water heat exchanger, the pump, the water pipes, the refrigerant pipes, and the second controller, and

the pump includes;

a pump body;

a pump base, which is made of metal, supports the pump body and is fixed to the surface of the bottom plate of the housing; and

a pair of cover members, which are made of a metal plate, are mounted on the pump base, and sandwich the pump body so as to cover both opposite sides of the pump body, and an external space below the bottom plate of the housing accommodates connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes, the bottom side of the external space being open to a room outside of the housing in which the hydrothermal exchange unit is disposed, and the front side of the external space being provided with a pipe cover having a height sized in accordance with the vertical extent of the connectors for the water pipes and refrigerant pipes, and

wherein the second controller is removably attached in a front portion of the inside of the housing, and adjacent to the front side of the housing, so that the second controller is easily accessed by the removal of the front side, and the water pipes and the refrigerant pipes are readily accessible when the second controller is removed from the housing.

8. The heat-pump-type water heater of claim 7, further comprising a remote controller attached to a front panel of the housing, wherein the remote controller is electrically connected to the second controller and controls the first controller.