Patent ID: 7856835

Claim:
A hot water supply apparatus, comprising: an electric compressor ( 11 ), a high-pressure side heat exchanger ( 12 ), an expansion mechanism ( 13 ), a low-pressure side heat exchanger ( 14 ), a refrigerant circuit ( 10 a ) to which the compressor ( 11 ), the high-pressure side heat exchanger ( 12 ), the expansion mechanism ( 13 ) and the low-pressure side heat exchanger ( 14 ) are connected, a hot water storage tank ( 21 ) for storing hot water, a circulation circuit ( 30 ) having a supply pipe ( 32 ) for connecting the hot water storage tank ( 21 ) and a water inflow side of the high-pressure side heat exchanger ( 12 ), and a return pipe ( 33 ) for connecting a water outflow side of the high-pressure side heat exchanger ( 12 ) and the hot water storage tank ( 21 ), a circulating pump ( 31 ) provided in the circulation circuit ( 30 ), a temperature sensor ( 41 ) for detecting a temperature in a space where the circulation circuit ( 30 ) is installed, and a controller ( 40 ) for operating the circulating pump ( 31 ) and operating the compressor ( 11 ) at a rotation speed for operation of preventing freezing lower than a rotation speed region of the compressor ( 11 ) during operation of heating water when a detection temperature (T) of the temperature sensor ( 41 ) becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature (T 1 ), except during operation of heating water to store hot water heated in the high-pressure side heat exchanger ( 12 ), in the hot water storage tank ( 21 ).