Rinnai Corporation

Tomoyuki Shimazu

Kunio Kataoka

Mitsuru Miyata

A fine bubble generator may include an inlet; an outlet; a first fine bubble generation portion; and a second fine bubble generation portion. The first fine bubble generation portion includes: a diameter-reducing flow path and a diameter-increasing flow path. The second fine bubble generation portion includes: a first swirling flow generation portion; and a second swirling flow generation portion. The first swirling flow generation portion includes: a first outer peripheral portion; and a plurality of first vanes disposed configured to generate a first swirling flow flowing in a first swirling direction with respect to a center axis of the second fine bubble generation portion. The second swirling flow generation portion includes: a second outer peripheral portion; and a plurality of second vanes configured to generate a second swirling flow flowing in a second swirling direction opposite to the first swirling direction with respect to the center axis.

Fine bubble generator

A fine bubble generator may include an inlet into which gas-dissolved water in which gas is dissolved flows, an outlet out of which the gas-dissolved water flows; and a fine bubble generation portion disposed between the inlet and the outlet. The fine bubble generation portion may include a venturi portion including a diameter-reducing flow path and a diameter-increasing flow path, wherein a flow path diameter of the diameter-reducing flow path reduces from upstream to downstream, and the flow path diameter of the diameter-increasing flow path increases from upstream to downstream, a discharging flow path configured to discharge the gas-dissolved water, which flowed out of the venturi portion, out of the fine bubble generation portion; and a recirculation flow path connecting a midstream of the outflow path and the venturi portion.

A fine bubble generator may include an inlet, an outlet, a first fine bubble generation portion including a first flow path, and a second fine bubble generation portion including a second flow path. The first flow path may include a diameter-reducing flow path and a diameter-increasing flow path. The second flow path may include a guide flow path and a collision flow path disposed downstream of the guide flow path. A first bearing and a first impeller rotatably attached to the first bearing may be disposed on the collision flow path. The first impeller may include a disc disposed at a position at which the gas-dissolved water collides with the disc; a first rotation shaft disposed on a downstream surface of the disc and rotatably attached to the first bearing; and one or more first vanes disposed on an upstream surface of the disc.

A premixing apparatus in which a downstream end of a gas supply passage having interposed therein a flow control valve is connected to a gas suction section disposed in an air supply passage on an upstream side of a fan. The premixing apparatus has: a butterfly valve as an air resistance changeover device for changing over, between high and low, a ventilation resistance in that section of the air supply passage which is on the upstream side of the gas suction section; and a gas resistance changeover device for changing over, between high and low, a ventilation resistance in that section of the gas supply passage which is on the downstream side of the flow control valve. Wind noises at the time of closing the butterfly valve can be prevented. For that purpose, in that section of the air supply passage which is on the upstream side of the gas suction section, an inner tube containing therein the butterfly valve is disposed while leaving a clearance to an inner circumferential wall surface of the air supply passage. A subsidiary passage which is parallel with a main passage inside the inner tube is constituted by the clearance between the inner circumferential wall surface of the air supply passage and an outer peripheral surface of the inner tube.

Premixing apparatus

A premixing apparatus in which a downstream end of a gas supply passage is connected to a gas suction section disposed in an air supply passage on an upstream side of a fan, is provided with: a butterfly valve driven by a stepping motor, for changing over, between high and low, a ventilation resistance in that section of the air supply passage which is on an upstream side of the gas suction section; a changeover valve for changing over, between high and low, a ventilation resistance in that section of the gas supply passage which is on an upstream side of a flow control valve; and an interlocking mechanism which opens or closes the changeover valve in interlocking with the rotation of the butterfly valve and which maintains the changeover valve in a closed state until the butterfly valve has rotated from the closed posture toward the opening side by a predetermined angle. Flame failure and poor combustion are prevented at the time of changing over the butterfly valve and the changeover valve from closed posture to opened posture. When the butterfly valve is rotated from the closed posture into the opened posture, a driving frequency of the stepping motor is made higher, until the butterfly valve has rotated from the closed posture toward the opening side by a predetermined set angle, than the driving frequency during the subsequent operation of the butterfly valve.

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Tomoyuki Shimazu