Patent Application
20200096197
The present invention relates to a combustion apparatus and a hot water apparatus.
Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 56-149251 describes a safety device for a gas burner, which includes a burner, a first detection element, a second detection element, and a controller. The burner produces flames upward. The first detection element is arranged above the burner. The second detection element is arranged above the first detection element.
During normal combustion of the burner, the first detection element is in contact with the flames produced at the burner, whereas the second detection element is not in contact with the flames produced at the burner. During abnormal combustion (incomplete combustion) of the burner, the flames produced at the burner are extended. As a result, the flames produced at the burner and the second detection element come into contact with each other. By detecting the contact between the flames produced at the burner and the second detection element, the controller detects abnormal combustion of the burner.
The higher the degree of abnormal combustion (the lower the oxygen concentration), the further the extension of flames produced from the burner.
Even during normal combustion of a burner, flames produced at the burner are extended by increasing output of the burner. In the construction of the safety device for a gas burner described in Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 56-149251, it is impossible to distinguish between the extension of flames due to increase in output of the burner and the extension of flames due to abnormal combustion of the burner, and it is thus difficult to address a problem when the burner has variable output.
The present invention was made in view of the problem with conventional techniques as described above. More specifically, the present invention aims to provide a combustion apparatus capable of detecting abnormal combustion of a burner when the burner has variable output.
A combustion apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a burner configured to produce flames, a first flame rod and a second flame rod, and a controller. The burner is configured to be controlled, by the controller, to be in a first output state, and a second output state in which output is smaller than in the first output state.
The first flame rod is arranged at a position where it makes contact with the flames produced at the burner in a normal combustion state when the burner is being controlled to be in the first output state and the second output state. The second flame rod is arranged at a position where it makes contact with the flames produced at the burner in the normal combustion state when the burner is being controlled to be in the first output state, and does not make contact with the flames produced at the burner in the normal combustion state when the burner is being controlled to be in the second output state. The controller is configured to determine that the burner is in an abnormal combustion state when, with the burner being controlled to be in the second output state, it is detected that the second flame rod and the flames produced at the burner are in contact with each other.
In the combustion apparatus, the controller may be configured to determine that the burner is in the normal combustion state when, with the burner being controlled to be in the first output state, it is detected that the first flame rod and the flames produced at the burner are in contact with each other and the second flame rod and the flames produced at the burner are in contact with each other.
In the combustion apparatus, the controller may be configured to determine that the burner is in the abnormal combustion state when it is detected that the first flame rod and the flames produced at the burner are not in contact with each other.
The combustion apparatus may further include a heat exchanger having a first sidewall. In plan view, a portion of the first frame rod that is farthest from the first sidewall may be located farther from the first sidewall than a portion of the second frame rod that is farthest from the first sidewall.
In the combustion apparatus, the heat exchanger may further have a second sidewall facing the first sidewall. The burner may have a plurality of burner ports through which the flames are produced. In cross-sectional view parallel to a direction from the first sidewall toward the second sidewall, the portion of the first frame rod that is farthest from the first sidewall may be located closer to the second sidewall than a virtual line obtained by extending a central axis of one of the burner ports that is closest to the first sidewall. In cross-sectional view parallel to the direction from the first sidewall toward the second sidewall, the portion of the second frame rod that is farthest from the first sidewall may be located closer to the first sidewall than the virtual line.
The combustion apparatus may further include a heat exchanger having a first sidewall and a second sidewall facing the first sidewall, and an insulator portion having the second frame rod inserted therein. The heat exchanger may further have a shell pipe attached to a surface of the first sidewall on a side of the second sidewall. The insulator portion may be inserted in the first sidewall below the shell pipe. A portion of the second frame rod overlapping the shell pipe in plan view may be covered with the insulator portion.
A hot water apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a combustion apparatus. This combustion apparatus is the combustion apparatus described above.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference characters in the following drawings, and redundant description is not repeated.
In the following, a general construction of a hot water apparatus 100 according to the embodiment is described.
As shown in
Combustion apparatus 20 includes a burner 21, an ignition plug 22, a first flame rod 23a (not shown in
Burner 21, ignition plug 22, first flame rod 23a and second flame rod 23b, primary heat exchanger 24 and secondary heat exchanger 25, chamber 26, fan 27, duct 28, venturi 29, orifice 30, gas valve 31, pipe 40a to pipe 40g, bypass pipe 41a, bypass pipe 41b and bypass servo 42 are arranged in housing 10.
Burner 21 is arranged below chamber 26. Primary heat exchanger 24 is arranged below burner 21. Ignition plug 22 is arranged below burner 21. Ignition plug 22 is attached to primary heat exchanger 24, for example. Secondary heat exchanger 25 is arranged below primary heat exchanger 24.
Pipe 40a has one end from which fuel gas is supplied. Pipe 40a has the other end connected to gas valve 31. Pipe 40b has one end connected to gas valve 31. Pipe 40b has the other end connected to orifice 30. Pipe 40c has one end connected to orifice 30. Pipe 40c has the other end connected to venturi 29.
Pipe 40d has one end connected to venturi 29. Pipe 40d has the other end connected to fan 27. Fan 27 is connected to chamber 26.
Pipe 40e has one end from which water is supplied. Pipe 40e has the other end connected to secondary heat exchanger 25. Pipe 40f has one end connected to secondary heat exchanger 25. Pipe 40f has the other end connected to primary heat exchanger 24. Pipe 40g has one end connected to primary heat exchanger 24. Pipe 40g has the other end from which hot water exits.
Bypass pipe 41a has one end connected to pipe 40e. Bypass pipe 41a has the other end connected to bypass servo 42. Bypass pipe 41b has one end connected to bypass servo 42. Bypass pipe 41b has the other end connected to pipe 40g.
Gas valve 31 switches supply and stop of the fuel gas from pipe 40a. The pressure of the fuel gas supplied to venturi 29 is thus regulated.
Venturi 29 is configured to take in air from the outside of housing 10. Venturi 29 mixes the air taken in from the outside of housing 10 with the fuel gas supplied to venturi 29 through pipe 40a, pipe 40b, pipe 40c, orifice 30 and gas valve 31 (the fuel gas mixed with the air is hereinafter referred to as mixed gas).
Exhaust from combustion apparatus 20 is discharged to the outside of housing 10 through duct 28. Part of this exhaust, however, is taken in again through venturi 29, which results in reduction in oxygen concentration in the mixed gas, causing abnormal combustion (incomplete combustion) which will be described later.
Fan 27 includes a fan case, an impeller arranged in the fan case, and a motor for driving the impeller to rotate. When the motor drives the impeller to rotate, fan 27 suctions the mixed gas produced at venturi 29 through pipe 40c. The suctioned mixed gas is supplied to burner 21 through chamber 26.
The mixed gas is ejected downward through burner ports 21a provided in a lower surface of burner 21. The ejected mixed gas is burned by being ignited by ignition plug 22, and turned into combustion gas. The combustion gas is ejected downward (i.e., toward primary heat exchanger 24).
The water supplied to secondary heat exchanger 25 through pipe 40e exchanges heat with latent heat of the combustion gas at secondary heat exchanger 25, to thereby have an increased temperature. The water which has passed through secondary heat exchanger 25 is supplied to primary heat exchanger 24 through pipe 40f. The water supplied to primary heat exchanger 24 exchanges heat with sensible heat of the combustion gas at primary heat exchanger 24, to thereby have a further increased temperature. The water which has passed through primary heat exchanger 24 flows through pipe 40g.
Part of the water flowing through pipe 40e flows to bypass pipe 41a. A flow rate of water flowing from bypass pipe 41a to bypass pipe 41b is controlled by bypass servo 42. The water flowing through bypass pipe 41b is mixed with the water flowing through pipe 40g. That is, the temperature of the water exiting from the other end of pipe 40g is adjusted by bypass servo 42 controlling the flow rate of the water flowing from bypass pipe 41a to bypass pipe 41b.
Water produced by condensation of water vapor in the combustion gas in primary heat exchanger 24 (this water is hereinafter referred to as drainage water) is discharged to the outside of housing 10 through duct 28.
In the following, a detailed construction of combustion apparatus 20 according to the embodiment is described with reference to
Primary heat exchanger 24 has a first sidewall 24a, a second sidewall 24b, a third sidewall 24c, and a fourth sidewall 24d. First sidewall 24a and second sidewall 24b face each other in a first direction DR1. Third sidewall 24c and fourth sidewall 24d face each other in a second direction DR2 intersecting with first direction DR1. Third sidewall 24c is continuous with first sidewall 24a and second sidewall 24b, and fourth sidewall 24d is continuous with first sidewall 24a and second sidewall 24b.
Primary heat exchanger 24 has a shell pipe 24ea, a shell pipe 24eb and a shell pipe 24ec. Shell pipe 24ea, shell pipe 24eb and shell pipe 24ec are attached along inner wall surfaces of first sidewall 24a, second sidewall 24b and third sidewall 24c.
The inner wall surface of first sidewall 24a refers to a surface of first sidewall 24a on a side of second sidewall 24b, and the inner wall surface of second sidewall 24b refers to a surface of second sidewall 24b on a side of first sidewall 24a. The inner wall surface of third sidewall 24c refers to a surface of third sidewall 24c on a side of fourth sidewall 24d, and the inner wall surface of fourth sidewall 24d refers to a surface of fourth sidewall 24d on a side of third sidewall 24c.
Shell pipe 24eb is arranged below shell pipe 24ea. Shell pipe 24ea and shell pipe 24eb are spaced from each other in an up-down direction. Shell pipe 24ec is arranged below shell pipe 24eb. Shell pipe 24eb and shell pipe 24ec are spaced from each other in the up-down direction.
Primary heat exchanger 24 further has a shell pipe 24ed and a shell pipe 24ee. Shell pipe 24ed and shell pipe 24ee are attached to an outer wall surface of fourth sidewall 24d. The outer wall surface of fourth sidewall 24d refers to a surface of fourth sidewall 24d on a side opposite the side of third sidewall 24c. Shell pipe 24ee is located below shell pipe 24ed. Shell pipe 24ed and shell pipe 24ee are spaced from each other in the up-down direction.
Shell pipe 24ed has one end connected to one end of shell pipe 24ea. The other end of shell pipe 24ea is an end of shell pipe 24ea on a side of a water outlet 24h. Shell pipe 24ed has the other end connected to one end of shell pipe 24eb. Shell pipe 24ee has one end connected to the other end of shell pipe 24eb. Shell pipe 24ee has the other end connected to one end of shell pipe 24ec.
Primary heat exchanger 24 further has a pipe 24f. Pipe 24f is connected at its one end to the other end of shell pipe 24ec, and is connected at its other end to a water inlet 24g. A number of fins are attached to pipe 24f.
Primary heat exchanger 24 further has water inlet 24g and water outlet 24h. Water inlet 24g is connected to the other end of pipe 24f. Water outlet 24h is connected to one end of pipe 40g. Water inlet 24g and water outlet 24h are connected to each other through shell pipe 24ea to shell pipe 24ee and pipe 24f.
Chamber 26 has an intake port 26a. The mixed gas supplied from fan 27 is supplied into chamber 26 through intake port 26a. Burner 21 is attached below chamber 26.
The lower surface of burner 21 is provided with the plurality of burner ports 21a, as described above. The mixed gas supplied into chamber 26 is ejected through burner ports 21a. The lower surface of burner 21 is curved in a downwardly convex manner in cross-sectional view along first direction DR1 (cross-sectional view orthogonal to second direction DR2). A line obtained by extending a central axis of burner port 21a that is closest to first sidewall 24a will be referred to as a virtual line VL.
Ignition plug 22 is arranged below burner 21, as described above. Ignition plug 22 is composed of a first electrode 22a and a second electrode 22b. First electrode 22a and second electrode 22b each have a tip end arranged inside combustion apparatus 20, and each have the other end arranged outside combustion apparatus 20.
The tip ends of first electrode 22a and second electrode 22b face each other. The tip ends of first electrode 22a and second electrode 22b are located below the lower surface of burner 21. By passing a current between first electrode 22a and second electrode 22b, sparks are generated between the tip end of first electrode 22a and the tip end of second electrode, leading to ignition of the mixed gas ejected through burner ports 21a.
Ignition plug 22 (first electrode 22a and second electrode 22b) is inserted in first sidewall 24a. More specifically, ignition plug 22 is inserted in first sidewall 24a between shell pipe 24ea and shell pipe 24eb.
First flame rod 23a is inserted in chamber 26. First flame rod 23a has a tip end arranged inside combustion apparatus 20, and has the other end arranged outside combustion apparatus 20. The other end of first flame rod 23a is electrically connected to a controller 5 which will be described later.
The tip end of first flame rod 23a (portion that is farthest from first sidewall 24a) is located below burner 21. Preferably, in cross-sectional view along first direction DR1, the tip end of first flame rod 23a (portion that is farthest from first sidewall 24a) is located closer to second sidewall 24b than virtual line VL. First flame rod 23a is arranged at a position where it makes contact with the flames produced at burner 21 in a normal combustion state when burner 21 is being controlled to be in a first output state and a second output state which will be described later.
That burner 21 is in a normal combustion state means that incomplete combustion has not occurred in the fuel gas ejected through burner ports 21a. That burner 21 is in an abnormal combustion state, on the other hand, means that incomplete combustion has occurred in the fuel gas ejected through burner ports 21a. Here, the incomplete combustion means that carbon monoxide concentration in exhaust gas from the combustion apparatus is equal to or higher than the concentration that has an effect on the human body.
First flame rod 23a is made of heat-resistant steel, for example. Since molecules forming the fuel gas are ionized in the flames produced at burner ports 21a, the flames exhibit electrical conductivity. Thus, when first flame rod 23a is in contact with the flames produced at burner ports 21a, a current flows between first flame rod 23a and an electrode (not shown) provided on a side of burner 21. By detection of this current, it can be detected that first flame rod 23a and the flames produced at burner ports 21a are in contact with each other.
Second flame rod 23b is inserted in first sidewall 24a. More specifically, second flame rod 23b is inserted in first sidewall 24a between shell pipe 24ea and shell pipe 24eb. Second flame rod 23b has a tip end arranged inside combustion apparatus 20, and has the other end arranged outside combustion apparatus 20. The other end of second flame rod 23b is electrically connected to controller 5 which will be described later.
The tip end of second flame rod 23b (portion that is farthest from first sidewall 24a) is located below the tip end of first flame rod 23a (portion that is farthest from first sidewall 24a). As will be described later, burner 21 is controlled by controller 5 to be in the first output state, and the second output state in which the output is smaller than in the first output state (the flames produced at burner 21 are shorter than in the first output state). The control of the output state of burner 21 is performed by, for example, varying a flow rate of the mixed gas supplied to burner 21.
Second flame rod 23b is arranged at a position where it makes contact with the flames produced at burner 21 in the normal combustion state when burner 21 is being controlled to be in the first output state, and does not make contact with the flames produced at burner 21 in the normal combustion state when burner 21 is being controlled to be in the second output state.
In cross-sectional view along first direction DR1, the tip end of second flame rod 23b (portion that is farthest from first sidewall 24a) is preferably located closer to first sidewall 24a than the tip end of first flame rod 23a (portion that is farthest from first sidewall 24a). That is, in cross-sectional view along first direction DR1, the tip end of first flame rod 23a (portion that is farthest from first sidewall 24a) is preferably located farther from first sidewall 24a than the tip end of second flame rod 23b (portion that is farthest from first sidewall 24a). More specifically, in cross-sectional view along first direction DR1, the tip end of second flame rod 23b (portion that is farthest from first sidewall 24a) is preferably located closer to first sidewall 24a than virtual line VL.
Second flame rod 23b is made of heat-resistant steel, for example. When second flame rod 23b is in contact with the flames produced at burner 21, a current flows between second flame rod 23b and the electrode (not shown) provided on a side of burner 21. By detection of this current, it can be detected that second flame rod 23b is in contact with the flames produced at burner 21.
Combustion apparatus 20 may further include an insulator portion 6. Insulator portion 6 is made of an insulating material. Insulator portion 6 is attached to first sidewall 24a. More specifically, insulator portion 6 is inserted in a through hole provided in first sidewall 24a between shell pipe 24ea and shell pipe 24eb. That is, insulator portion 6 and second flame rod 23b are located below shell pipe 24ea.
Insulator portion 6 has a first through hole, a second through hole and a third through hole. Second flame rod 23b is inserted in the first through hole. First electrode 22a and second electrode 22b are inserted in the second through hole and the third through hole, respectively.
Second flame rod 23b is inserted in insulator portion 6 in such a way that a portion of second flame rod 23b overlapping shell pipe 24ea in plan view is covered with insulator portion 6. Similarly, ignition plug 22 (first electrode 22a and second electrode 22b) is inserted in insulator portion 6 in such a way that a portion of ignition plug 22 overlapping shell pipe 24ea in plan view is covered with insulator portion 6.
In the following, the operation of combustion apparatus 20 according to the embodiment is described with reference to
As shown in
Burner 21 is controlled to be in the first output state and the second output state by controller 5 controlling fan 27. Burner 21 may be controlled to be in an output state different from the first output state and the second output state by controller 5 controlling fan 27.
When burner 21 is being controlled to be in the second output state by controller 5, and when burner 21 is in the normal combustion state, then first flame rod 23a makes contact with the flames produced at burner 21, whereas second flame rod 23b does not make contact with the flames produced at burner 21.
However, even when burner 21 is being controlled to be in the second output state by controller 5, the flames produced at burner 21 and second flame rod 23b make contact with each other when burner 21 is in the abnormal combustion state. For this reason, controller 5 determines that burner 21 is in the abnormal combustion state when burner 21 is being controlled to be in the second output state, and when it is detected that second flame rod 23b is in contact with the flames produced at burner 21 (that is, a current flowing through second flame rod 23b is detected).
When burner 21 is being controlled to be in the first output state by controller 5, second flame rod 23b makes contact with the flames produced at burner 21 even when burner 21 is in the normal combustion state. For this reason, controller 5 determines that burner 21 is in the normal combustion state when it is detected that first flame rod 23a is in contact with the flames produced at burner 21 and the second flame rod is in contact with the flames produced at burner 21 (a current flowing through first flame rod 23a and second flame rod 23b is detected).
When burner 21 is in the abnormal combustion state, the base of the flames produced at burner 21 may be separated from the lower surface of burner 21, making it impossible to detect the contact between first flame rod 23a and the flames produced at burner 21. For this reason, controller 5 determines that burner 21 is in the abnormal combustion state when it is detected that first flame rod 23a is not in contact with the flames produced at burner 21 (that no current is flowing through first flame rod 23a).
In the following, the effect of combustion apparatus 20 according to the embodiment is described.
As described above, in combustion apparatus 20, controller 5 determines whether or not burner 21 is in the abnormal combustion state by considering whether or not second flame rod 23b is in contact with the flames produced at burner 21, and the control state of burner 21 (whether it is in the first output state or in the second control state).
In combustion apparatus 20, therefore, it is possible to distinguish between the contact of the flames produced at burner 21 with second flame rod 23b due to large output of burner 21, and the contact of the flames produced at burner 21 with second flame rod 23b due to abnormal combustion of burner 21. In this manner, according to combustion apparatus 20, the abnormal combustion of burner 21 can be detected even when burner 21 has variable output.
In combustion apparatus 20, by adjusting the distance between the tip end of first flame rod 23a and the tip end of second flame rod 23b in plan view, the degree of abnormal combustion of burner 21 that can be detected can be changed (see
When second flame rod 23b is located below shell pipe 24ea, water droplets produced due to condensation on a surface of shell pipe 24ea may drop to second flame rod 23b from shell pipe 24ea located above second flame rod 23b. These water droplets cause an electric leakage in second flame rod 23b.
When the portion of second flame rod 23b overlapping shell pipe 24ea in plan view is covered with insulator portion 6, however, the contact between these water droplets and second flame rod 23b is suppressed.
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described as above, the embodiment described above can be modified in various manners. In addition, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, and is intended to include any modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the terms of the claims.
The embodiment described above is applied particularly advantageously to a combustion apparatus and a hot water apparatus.
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described, it should be understood that the embodiment disclosed herein is illustrative and non-restrictive in every respect. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, and is intended to include any modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the terms of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-178403 | Sep 2018 | JP | national |
