Water heater

Abstract

A water heater includes a tank device including a tank that extends in an up-down direction and stores a fluid therein and a heating device that heats the outside of the tank to heat the fluid in the tank. One direction crossing the up-down direction is referred to as a reference direction, and the heating device includes a compressor that is located in the reference direction with respect to a lower side of the tank and that compresses a refrigerant, a condenser that has an upper end portion connected with the compressor, has a shape surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the tank, and condenses the refrigerant released from the compressor, an expansion valve that is connected with a lower end portion of the condenser and that expands the refrigerant released from the condenser, and an evaporator that heats the refrigerant passing through the expansion valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water heater comprising:
 a tank device including a tank configured to extend in an up-down direction and store a fluid therein; and   a heating device configured to heat the outside of the tank to heat the fluid in the tank,   wherein one direction crossing the up-down direction is referred to as a reference direction, and   wherein the heating device includes:   a compressor located in the reference direction with respect to a lower side of the tank and configured to compress a refrigerant;   a condenser having an upper end portion connected with the compressor and having a shape surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the tank, the condenser being configured to condense the refrigerant released from the compressor;   an expansion valve connected with a lower end portion of the condenser and configured to expand the refrigerant released from the condenser; and   an evaporator configured to heat the refrigerant passing through the expansion valve.   
     
     
         2 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion valve is located above the condenser. 
     
     
         3 . The water heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fan configured to form airflow passing through the evaporator,   wherein the fan is located above the compressor.   
     
     
         4 . The water heater of  claim 3 , wherein the heating device includes a first partition wall located between the fan and the compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The water heater of  claim 4 , wherein the heating device further includes a heating cover disposed in the reference direction with h respect to the tank device and configured to cover the compressor, the expansion valve, and the evaporator, and
 wherein the first partition wall is brought into contact with the heating cover.   
     
     
         6 . The water heater of  claim 3 , wherein the evaporator is located above the compressor. 
     
     
         7 . The water heater of  claim 3 , wherein the evaporator includes an evaporation area inclined downward with respect to the reference direction, and
 wherein the fan is located below a lower end portion of the evaporation area.   
     
     
         8 . The water heater of  claim 7 , wherein the heating device further includes a second partition wall through which an air vent of the fan is coupled, the second partition wall being located below the lower end portion of the evaporation area. 
     
     
         9 . The water heater of  claim 8 , wherein the heating device further includes a heating cover disposed in the reference direction with respect to the tank device and configured to cover the compressor, the expansion valve, and the evaporator, and
 wherein the second partition wall is brought into contact with the heating cover.   
     
     
         10 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the condenser includes:
 a first winding area configured to surround the outer peripheral surface of the tank; and   a second winding area located above the first winding area and configured to surround the outer peripheral surface of the tank, and   wherein the first winding area has a shorter length in the up-down direction than the second winding area.   
     
     
         11 . The water heater of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a heater attached through the tank and configured to directly heat the fluid in the tank.   
     
     
         12 . The water heater of  claim 11 , wherein the heater includes:
 a first heater member disposed between the first winding area and the second winding area; and   a second heater member disposed above the second winding area.   
     
     
         13 . The water heater of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a heater safety device electrically connected with the heater and configured to prevent the heater from being overheated.   
     
     
         14 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating device further includes a heating cover disposed in the reference direction with respect to the tank device and configured to cover the compressor, the expansion valve, and the evaporator, and
 wherein the heating cover includes a plurality of through-holes formed through the heating cover in different directions.   
     
     
         15 . The water heater of  claim 14 , wherein the heating device further includes:
 a filter member disposed in some of the plurality of through-holes; and   a closing member coupled to the other through-holes and configured to close the other through-holes.   
     
     
         16 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor is an inverter compressor, and
 wherein the evaporator is a parallel flow heat exchanger.   
     
     
         17 . The water heater of  claim 3 , wherein the fan is a sirocco fan or an axial-flow fan. 
     
     
         18 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the tank device further includes:
 an inlet passage connected with the tank and configured to introduce the fluid into the tank; and   an outlet passage connected with the tank and configured to release the fluid in the tank to a consumption site.   
     
     
         19 . The water heater of  claim 18 , wherein an end portion of the inlet passage located in the tank is located below an end portion of the outlet passage located in the tank. 
     
     
         20 . The water heater of  claim 18 , wherein the tank device further includes:
 a connecting passage configured to diverge from the inlet passage and the outlet passage and connect the inlet passage and the outlet passage to each other; and   a mixing valve disposed in-line with the connecting passage and configured to adjust a flow rate of the fluid passing through the connecting passage.   
     
     
         21 . The water heater of  claim 1 , wherein the condenser includes:
 a first winding area configured to surround the outer peripheral surface of the tank; and   a second winding area located above the first winding area and configured to surround the outer peripheral surface of the tank, and   wherein the first winding area has a longer length in the up-down direction than the second winding area.