JP2004036678A - Easy-to-defrost pipe for water/hot water supply, and defrosting method of ice frozen in it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide (1) a pipe for water/hot water supply capable of easily defrosting ice frozen in the pipe for water/hot water supply in a cold district or a terrible cold season, and (2) a method of defrosting the ice frozen in the pipe for water/hot water supply. <P>SOLUTION: A first invention provides the easy-to-defrost pipe for water/hot water supply where a pipe for water/hot water supply having a large diameter and a pipe for supplying warmed antifreezing solution having a small diameter are arranged contactly with each other and covered with an insulating layer. A second invention provides the method of supplying warmed antifreezing solution of the warmed antifreezing solution having the small diameter of the pipe for water/hot water supply and defrosting the ice frozen in the pipe for water/hot water supply. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a water supply / hot water supply pipe that is easy to thaw, and a method of thawing ice frozen in the water supply / hot water supply pipe. More specifically, the present invention relates to a water supply / hot water supply pipe capable of easily thawing ice frozen in a water supply / hot water supply pipe in a cold region or a severely cold season, and a method of thawing ice frozen in the water supply / hot water supply pipe.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general detached houses, apartment houses or commercial buildings, water and hot water facilities that require water, hot water, etc., for example, to supply water and hot water to facilities such as kitchens, washrooms, bathrooms, toilets, laundry rooms, etc. , Water supply and hot water supply pipes are arranged. In cold regions or in severe cold seasons, the water and hot water in these water supply / hot water supply pipes may freeze during the day if the temperature of the outside air is extremely low, such as below 10 freezing points, unless equipment is used at all times. There is. Further, if water or hot water is left in the water supply / hot water supply pipe, the water or hot water freezes, and in some cases, the water supply / hot water supply pipe may be damaged. If frozen, water and hot water cannot be supplied without thawing. As a measure to prevent freezing and breakage of the water and hot water supply pipes, there is a method of preparing the water and hot water supply pipes from a resin material or a metal material that is excellent in flexibility and hard to break. it can.
[0003]
As methods for preventing and thawing water and hot water supply pipes, (1) laying pipes as a structure that is difficult to freeze, (2) quickly thawing frozen ice in the water supply / hot water supply system, etc. are proposed. Have been. As the method (1), (11) a method of covering a water supply / hot water supply pipe with a heat insulating material, (12) a method of burying a water supply / hot water supply pipe deep in the soil, or (13) using a water supply / hot water supply apparatus There is a method of draining water from the pipe later. It is difficult to completely prevent freezing by the above method (11), and the method of the above (12) does not have a sufficient effect at a rising position from the ground, and the method of the above (13) drains water. There are drawbacks such as complicated work.
[0004]
The method of thawing the frozen ice in the above (2) is as follows: (21) a method of directly supplying electricity to the water supply / hot water supply pipe, or a method of supplying electricity by winding a heater around the outer surface of the water supply / hot water supply pipe; , The faucet for water / hot water supply is removed, and steam is blown from a thin tube inserted into the water / hot water supply pipe (steam defrosting method). In the above method (21), when pipes of different materials are arranged in combination, the heat generation state when energized differs depending on the material, and there is a danger of ignition due to generation of an overheated portion. In the steam thawing method of the above (22), a steam supply device is separately prepared, and the generated steam is inserted into a water supply / hot water supply pipe by a thin tube and gradually defrosted. There is a drawback that a series of operations such as opening the main plug is complicated. In addition, performing similar operations on a large number of facilities places a considerable burden on residents.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In this situation, the present inventors have conducted intensive studies to provide a technique for preventing water in a water supply / hot water supply from freezing and a technique for quickly thawing frozen ice, and as a result, have completed the present invention. Was. That is, the objects of the present invention are as follows.
1. To provide a water supply / hot water supply pipe in which the water / hot water remaining in the water supply / hot water supply pipe in a cold region is unlikely to freeze.
2. To provide a water supply / hot water supply pipe capable of easily thawing frozen ice when water / hot water remaining in the water supply / hot water supply pipe in a cold region is frozen.
3. To provide a method of thawing ice frozen in a water supply / hot water supply pipe.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water supply / hot water supply pipe capable of easily defrosting ice frozen in a water supply / hot water supply pipe, comprising: a large-diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe; and a small-diameter heated antifreeze. Disclosed is a water supply / hot water supply pipe that is arranged in contact with a supply pipe and is covered with a heat insulating layer, and is easy to thaw.
[0007]
Further, in the second invention, when the ice frozen in the water / hot water supply pipe is thawed, the large diameter water / hot water supply pipe and the small diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe are brought into contact with each other and covered with the heat insulating layer. Laying water supply / hot water supply pipes, supplying heated antifreeze liquid to small diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipes, and thawing ice frozen in large diameter water supply / hot water supply pipes. A method for thawing ice frozen in a hot water supply pipe is provided.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.
In the present invention, the large-diameter (inner diameter) water / hot water supply pipe is a pipe for supplying water / hot water. Large-diameter water / hot water supply pipes include resin pipes such as cross-linked polyethylene pipes and polybutene pipes, and metal pipes such as copper pipes, brass pipes, and aluminum pipes. Among them, pipe workability, corrosion resistance, and heat resistance From the viewpoint, a crosslinked polyethylene tube is particularly preferred. The diameter of the large diameter water / hot water supply pipe is selected in the range of 7 to 20 mm according to the size of the water / hot water supply equipment.
[0009]
In the present invention, the small-diameter (inner diameter) heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe is a pipe that supplies a heated antifreeze liquid to thaw ice frozen in the water / hot water supply pipe. As the small diameter heated antifreeze supply pipe, a pipe made of the same material as the water supply / hot water supply pipe may be used, and a resin pipe such as a crosslinked polyethylene pipe and a polybutene pipe, a metal pipe such as a copper pipe, a brass pipe, and an aluminum pipe may be used. No. The diameter of the small diameter heated antifreeze supply pipe is selected in the range of 5 to 13 mm according to the diameter of the large diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe. It is preferable that the diameter of the small-diameter heated antifreeze supply pipe is smaller than the diameter of the large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe.
[0010]
The easily thawing water / hot water supply pipe according to the present invention includes a large diameter water / hot water supply pipe and a small diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe arranged in contact with the large diameter water / hot water supply pipe. , And a structure covered with a heat insulating layer. The heat insulation layer prevents or makes it difficult for the water supplied to the water supply / hot water supply equipment to freeze due to the low temperature of the outside air, keeps the hot water to be supplied hot from cooling, and provides a small diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe. Keeps the heated antifreeze liquid from passing through to keep it cool and enhances thermal efficiency.
[0011]
The easily thawing water / hot water supply pipe according to the present invention has a structure in which one large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe and one small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe are combined and covered with a heat insulating layer. Alternatively, a structure in which one large-diameter water / hot water supply tube and two or more small-diameter heated antifreeze supply tubes are combined and covered with a heat insulating layer may be used. For example, in a facility that only supplies water / hot water to the water / hot water supply facility, there is no return large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe, so a small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe is a combination of a go-only pipe and a return-only pipe. It is possible to adopt a structure in which the combination is changed according to the function of the water supply / hot water supply equipment so that the structure is covered with a heat insulating layer.
[0012]
Examples of the heat insulating layer include polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polyvinyl chloride foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, and glass wool. Among them, flexible plastic foams such as polyethylene foams, polyvinyl chloride foams, and polyurethane foams are preferred. The thickness of the heat insulating layer is selected in the range of 5 to 20 mm according to the outer diameter of the large diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe and the small diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe, the performance of the heat insulation layer, and the like. The form of the heat insulating layer may be a heat insulating tube, a heat insulating sheet, a heat insulating tape, or the like.
[0013]
The method for producing the easily thawing water / hot water supply pipe according to the present invention is not particularly limited. When the heat-insulating layer is a heat-insulating tube, (1) a foam tube extruded by an extruder in a state where two kinds of tubes manufactured in advance are brought into contact with each other, and if necessary, covered with aluminum foil or fixed with a fixing string. A method of inserting two kinds of tubes into a previously manufactured tube can be cited, and the former method (1) is advantageous. When the heat insulation layer is a heat insulation sheet, heat insulation tape, etc., fix the large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe and the small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe with aluminum foil, string, tape, etc. in contact with each other, From above, it is preferable to form a tubular body by winding it with an insulating sheet, an insulating tape, or the like. Above all, when coated with aluminum foil, the contact between the large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe and the small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe is ensured, and the heat from the heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe is used for the large-diameter water / hot water supply. It is particularly preferable because heat can be efficiently transferred to the pipe.
[0014]
In order to construct the easily thawing water supply / hot water supply pipe according to the present invention, first, one end of a large diameter water supply pipe is used as a water supply header, and one end of the large diameter water supply pipe is used as a hot water supply header. Then, one end of the small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe is connected to the antifreeze liquid feed side (outlet side) of the antifreeze liquid circulation device. Water supply / hot water supply pipes that can be easily thawed are placed in appropriate places, such as under the floor, in the wall, or behind the ceiling, and fixed with fixing jigs if necessary. Then, the other end of the large-diameter water supply pipe to the faucet part of the water supply equipment, the other end of the large-diameter hot water supply pipe to the faucet part of the hot water supply equipment, and the other end of the small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe. The antifreeze liquid circulation device is connected to the antifreeze liquid return pipe side (inlet side). The procedure of connection to the header side and the procedure of connection to the faucet portion of the water supply / hot water supply facility are not limited to the above-mentioned order, and can be reversed.
[0015]
The layout after the easy-thaw water supply / hot water supply pipe according to the present invention is constructed can be, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 of JP-A-10-26259. Under the condition that the remaining water in the large-diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe freezes, the water supply header portion and the hot water supply header portion also freeze similarly. It is necessary to take measures to prevent freezing, such as contacting and arranging a supply pipe, heating by an electric heater, or constantly allowing hot air to be blown.
[0016]
Next, a method of thawing ice frozen in a large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe will be described. The antifreeze is heated, preferably to 50-70 ° C., by an antifreeze circulation device equipped with a temperature controller. Next, the heated antifreeze is circulated through a small-diameter heated antifreeze supply pipe. When the purpose is to prevent freezing during a period or time when water may freeze in the water supply / hot water supply pipe, the temperature of the circulated antifreeze should not exceed 50 ° C. You may. Examples of the antifreeze include an antifreeze used for an automobile engine and the like.
[0017]
Examples of the building on which the easily thawing water / hot water supply pipe according to the present invention can be constructed include detached houses, apartment houses, kindergartens, various schools, various hospitals, various public facilities, hotels, various commercial buildings, and the like. Water supply and hot water supply facilities include kitchens, washrooms, bathrooms, toilets, laundry rooms, floor heating rooms, etc. in general houses and apartment houses, and hot water supply rooms, washrooms, toilets, fire extinguishing facilities, cleaning faucets in commercial buildings And so-called water supply / hot water supply facilities around the water.
[0018]
【Example】
Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the following description examples without departing from the gist thereof.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of easily thawing water / hot water supply pipe according to the present invention when cut at a right angle in a length direction, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another example. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a large-diameter water / hot water supply tube, 2 denotes a small-diameter heated antifreeze supply tube, 3 denotes an aluminum foil, and 4 denotes a tubular heat insulating layer.
[0020]
In the example shown in FIG. 1, one large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe 1 having an inner diameter of 10 mm is brought into contact with the large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe 1 to supply a small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid having an inner diameter of 7 mm. The tube 2 has a structure in which a tube-shaped heat insulating layer 4 made of urethane foam and having an inner diameter of 21 mm and a thickness of 10 mm is provided. In the example shown in FIG. 2, a large diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe 10 mm in inner diameter is brought into contact with the large diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe 1 to supply a small diameter heated antifreeze liquid having an inner diameter of 7 mm. Two tubes are covered with a heat insulating layer 4 made of urethane foam in the form of a tube having an inner diameter of 21 mm and a thickness of 10 mm.
[0021]
<Example of experiment>
A large-diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe 1 (inner diameter 10 mm) of a 10 m-length easy-to-thaw water supply / hot water supply pipe shown in FIG. 1 is filled with water, and left at −10 ° C. for 12 hours to supply water / hot water. The water in the pipe 1 was frozen. After freezing, when the antifreeze heated to 60 ° C. was supplied at a rate of 1 liter / min from one port of the small-diameter heated antifreeze supply pipe 2 (inner diameter 7 mm), the supply of the heated antifreeze was started. 10 minutes later, the ice in the large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe 1 is almost thawed, and compressed air from one end of the large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe 1 is blown from the other end. It could be discharged as water.
[0022]
It should be noted that the water supply / hot water supply pipe covered with the heat insulating layer 4 made of urethane foam only as the large diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe 1 without arranging the small diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe 2 is provided in the water supply / hot water supply pipe. The frozen water did not thaw even after being frozen and left at 10 ° C. for 5 hours.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, the present invention has the following particularly advantageous effects, and its industrial utility value is extremely large.
1. The easily thawing water supply / hot water supply pipe according to the first invention of the present invention is an antifreeze liquid heated to a small diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe when water / hot water remaining in the large diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe is frozen. , The frozen water / hot water can be quickly thawed.
2. The easy-thaw water supply / hot water supply pipe according to the first invention of the present invention is designed to allow a heated antifreeze liquid to flow through a small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe during a period or a time period when there is a possibility of freezing in a cold region. Water and hot water remaining in the water supply / hot water supply pipe can be prevented from freezing.
3. According to the method for thawing ice frozen in the water / hot water supply pipe according to the first invention of the present invention, since no current is supplied as in the conventional method, there is no partial overheating portion and there is no danger of ignition.
4. According to the method for thawing ice frozen in the water / hot water supply pipe according to the second invention of the present invention, it is not necessary to prepare a separate steam supply device as in the conventional method, so that steam is generated. No work is required, such as inserting a thin tube into the tub, attaching a water / hot water tap after thawing, or opening a water supply tap, and is easy to freeze.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of easily thawing water / hot water supply pipe according to the present invention when cut at a right angle to a length direction.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another example.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Large diameter water / hot water supply pipe 2: Small diameter heated antifreeze supply pipe 3: Aluminum foil 4: Tubular heat insulating layer

Claims (5)

In a water supply / hot water supply pipe that can easily thaw ice frozen in the water supply / hot water supply pipe, a large diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe and a small diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe are arranged in contact with each other, and a heat insulating layer is provided. A water supply / hot water supply pipe that is easily thawed and is characterized by being coated with water. 2. The easily defrostable water / hot water supply pipe according to claim 1, comprising a combination of one large diameter water / hot water supply pipe and one small diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe. 2. The easily thawing water / hot water supply pipe according to claim 1, comprising a combination of one large diameter water / hot water supply pipe and two heated antifreeze liquid supply pipes. 4. A large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe and a small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe are brought into contact with each other, covered with an aluminum foil, and further covered with a heat insulating layer. Water supply / hot water supply piping that can be easily thawed according to item 1. In thawing the ice frozen in the water / hot water supply pipe, the large-diameter water / hot water supply pipe is brought into contact with the small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe, and the water / hot water supply pipe covered with the heat insulation layer is laid. And supplying the heated antifreeze to a small-diameter heated antifreeze liquid supply pipe to defrost the ice frozen in the large-diameter water supply / hot water supply pipe. How to decompress.

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