JPH057626B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a control device for a water heater, such as a hot water storage type electric water heater that uses late-night electricity, for example.

[Prior Art] For convenience of explanation, a hot water storage type electric water heater that uses late-night electricity will be described as an example of a water heater. FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a conventional electric water heater, and FIG. 5 is its main electric circuit diagram.

In FIG. 4, 1 is a hot water storage tank, and a heating element 2 is attached to the lower part of the tank. 3 is an automatic temperature regulator that controls the boiling temperature, and is attached to the lower outer wall surface of the hot water storage tank 1.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a hot water sampling pipe for taking out the hot water boiling in the hot water storage tank 1, and is provided with a faucet 4a. 5 is a water supply pipe that supplies water into the hot water storage tank 1.

In FIG. 5, 6 is a power source, and 7 is a time switch for setting the midnight power supply time.

Next, the operation will be explained. The capacity of the heating element 2 is set so that water at about 8°C will be boiled to the target temperature of 85°C within 8 hours during the midnight power supply period when the time switch 7 is on. There is. The automatic temperature controller 3, which has a normally closed contact, is configured to open the contact and stop supplying electricity to the heating element 2 when the water in the hot water storage tank 1 reaches 85°C. 85 every morning
It is filled with hot water at ℃.

When using a water heater, it is dangerous to use hot water at 85℃ as it is because it is too high a temperature.
Alternatively, it is common to install a separate water supply faucet and mix hot water with water to make the water hot to about 42°C.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] As described above, conventional water heaters always boil water at a constant temperature such as 85℃, so when you are traveling for several days and do not use hot water, for example, you can use an electric water heater. However, there were problems such as turning off the power breaker for electricity late at night, and then using the hot water after that, you could not use it until the next day after turning on the power breaker.

The present invention aims to solve these conventional problems, and aims to provide a water heater control device that allows the required amount of hot water to be set from a location remote from the water heater.

Note that the above-mentioned required amount of hot water is obtained by mixing the above-mentioned hot water and water, and corresponds to the daily usage amount of hot water of about 42° C. normally used in bathrooms, sinks, etc., for example.

[Means for solving the problem] A water tank installed near the hot water storage tank sets the required amount of hot water, which is the required amount of hot water obtained by mixing boiled hot water and supplied water. 1 required hot water amount setting means, a transmitting means such as a telephone for setting and transmitting the required hot water amount from a remote position from the first required hot water amount setting means, and converting the signal transmitted from this transmitting means into a signal for controlling the water heater. a second required hot water amount setting means having a controller for controlling the amount of hot water; and one of the output signal of the first required hot water amount setting means and the output signal of the second required hot water amount setting means is finally inputted by the user. and a required hot water amount determining means for determining the required hot water amount.

[Function] In the present invention, the first required hot water amount setting means provided in the vicinity of the hot water storage tank, or the transmitting device such as a telephone that sets and transmits the required hot water amount from a position remote from the first required hot water amount setting means. and a controller that converts the signal transmitted from the transmission signal into a signal for controlling the water heater. Determine either one of the output signal of the hot water amount setting means and the output signal of the second required hot water amount setting means as the final hot water amount requested by the user, and the required hot water amount determining means, the water temperature determining means,
The heating time and boiling temperature of the heating element are calculated based on the determination result of the remaining hot water amount determination means and the required amount of hot water, and the heat generation of the heating element is controlled based on the calculation result.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, a water heater control device according to the present invention will be described using an electric water heater as an example.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention, and 1, 2, 4, 4a, and 5 are completely the same as the above-mentioned conventional device.

8 is a first unit for detecting the lower water temperature in the hot water storage tank 1;
temperature sensors 9a, 9b, 9c are hot water storage tank 1
This is a second temperature sensor that detects the upper water temperature inside the tank. Reference numeral 10 denotes a remaining hot water amount determining means, which determines the remaining hot water amount based on the detection signals of the second temperature sensors 9a, 9b, and 9c.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a required hot water amount determining means, which compares the input signal from the first required hot water amount setting means 12 and the input signal inputted via the telephone 13 and telephone controller 14, which are the second required hot water amount setting means. It is then determined which is the amount of hot water finally requested by the user. Here, the telephone controller 14 functions to convert a transmission signal set and transmitted using a telephone into a control signal for the water heater.

Reference numeral 15 denotes water temperature determining means, which determines the supply water temperature and boiling temperature based on the detection signal of the temperature sensor 8. 16 is a calculation means, which includes the remaining hot water amount determining means 10, the required hot water amount determining means 11, and the water temperature determining means 15.
Based on the judgment results and the required hot water temperature, which is the temperature of the hot water obtained by mixing hot water and water, the time required for energization to boil the appropriate amount of hot water is determined after the time switch is turned on and then the heating element 2 is turned on. Calculate the waiting time until power is applied and the target boiling temperature. Here, the required hot water may be automatically set based on the determination result of the required hot water amount, or it may be set separately from the required hot water amount. This is a matter commonly practiced in the field.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a heating element control means, which controls energization of the heating element 2, that is, heat generation by the heating element, based on the result of the calculation means 16 and the detection signal of the first temperature sensor 8.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a remaining hot water amount transmitting means, which transmits a transmission signal different from the one for setting the required hot water amount from the telephone 13 to the telephone controller 14 to transmit the remaining hot water amount determining means 10.
The device is configured to send a transmission signal indicating the amount of remaining hot water determined in the above.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the electrical connections of the embodiment of FIG.

In the figure, 19 is a microcomputer in the control circuit, including a CPU 20, a memory 21, and an input circuit 2.
2. It has an output circuit 23.

A heating element control circuit 24 is formed from a resistor 25, a transistor 26, a relay RL, and a normally open contact RL of the relay RL.

The relay RL is connected between the positive terminal +V and the GND terminal via a transistor 26, and the transistor 26 is connected to the output circuit 23 via a resistor 25.
It is connected to the. The normally open contact rl is connected in series to the heating element 2 and the power source 6.

27, 28, 29, 30 are each temperature sensor 8, 9
31 is an analog multiplexer into which the detection output of each temperature sensor 8, 9a, 9b, 9c is input, and 32 is an A/D converter that converts the output into a digital value. ,3
3 is a required hot water amount setting circuit that sets the amount of boiling water, and includes switches W ₁ , SW ₂ , SW ₃ . . . S _o and resistors r ₁ ,
These detection signals and a signal from _the telephone controller 14 connected in series with the telephone ₁₃ are sent to _the input circuit 22.

34 is a transmission device that converts the signal based on the output signal from the output circuit 23 and inputs it to the telephone controller 14.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG.

Figure 3 shows the memory 2 of the microcomputer 19.
1 is a flowchart showing heating element control stored in FIG.

First, at the same time as the power is turned on, the water temperature determination means and the remaining hot water amount determination means determine the supplied water temperature and the amount of remaining hot water based on the measurement of the temperature sensor (step
35). Let the respective values be Tw and z.

Next, the required hot water amount, that is, the boiling capacity switch set by the first required hot water amount setting means 12 is activated.
SW ₁ to _{SW o} are read (step 36), and a signal for changing the boiling capacity is read in response to the required amount of hot water transmitted from the telephone controller 14 (step 37).

In step 38, the required hot water amount determining means determines
Based on the signals read in steps 36 and 37, the amount of hot water finally required by the user is determined.

Next, in step 39, it is determined whether there is a request from the telephone 13 to confirm the amount of remaining hot water, and if there is a request, the amount of remaining hot water is transmitted in step 40.
In step 41, it is determined whether or not the time switch 7 is turned off. If it is turned off, steps 35 to 41 are repeated. If ON, in step 42, the energization time Ha, the energization start time H, and the boiling temperature T are calculated in this order.

The energization time Ha is calculated, for example, by the following equation: Ha=Vl×(Tl−Tw)−Vz×(Tz−Tw)/W×860. Here, Vl is the amount of hot water required by the user, Tl
is the required hot water temperature, Tz is the hot water temperature (remaining hot water temperature) measured by the first temperature sensor 8, and W is the heating element capacity.

Note that the energization time shown in the above formula for Ha means the time during which electricity is applied until the water in the tank boils, and does not include the time during which electricity is applied intermittently after the water boils. Further, the above-mentioned energization time corresponds to the heat generation time of the heating element.

The energization start time, that is, the heat generation start time H, is determined by how many hours after the late-night power supply time period, ie, after the time switch is turned on, energization is started. For example, when the late-night power supply time period is 8 hours, in order to boil the necessary hot water at the end of the late-night power supply time period, H=8-Ha is calculated using the energization time, that is, the heat generation time Ha.

Further, the boiling target temperature T is obtained, for example, from the following equation.

T=Vl×(Tl−Tw)/V+Tw Here, V indicates the tank capacity of the hot water storage tank 1.

Based on the above calculation result, in step 43, the elapsed time of the energization start time H is checked. When the energization start time H has elapsed, energization to the heating element 2 is started in step 44, and it is determined in step 45 whether the water temperature has risen to the target temperature T, and furthermore, the time switch 7 is turned off in step 46. Repeat until. When the water temperature reaches the target temperature T or when the time switch 7 is turned off, the power to the heating element 2 is turned off in step 47.

As in the above example, the microcomputer 1
9, that is, if it is configured to be calculated by a calculation means, boiling can be completed when necessary.

Furthermore, if the signal indicating the remaining hot water amount is transmitted to the telephone controller 14 constituting the second required hot water amount setting means as in the above embodiment,
The user can know the remaining amount of hot water even from a remote location, and based on that information, can more accurately set the required amount of hot water.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the required amount of hot water can be set from a location away from the hot water storage tank, separate from the required amount of hot water setting means near the hot water storage tank, and the final amount of hot water requested by the user can be set. A water heater control device that makes a determination and boils an appropriate amount of hot water based on the required amount of hot water can be obtained, and a water heater that is easy to use for the user can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a main electric circuit diagram, Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation, and Figs. 4 and 5 are conventional hot water storage type electric hot water heaters. 2 is a schematic structural diagram and main electrical circuit diagram showing the device. In the figure, 1 is a hot water storage tank, 2 is a heating element, 8, 9
a, 9b, 9c are temperature sensors; 10 is a remaining hot water amount determining means; 11 is a required hot water amount determining means; 12 is a required hot water amount setting means; 14 is a telephone controller; 15
16 is a calculation means, 17 is a heating element control means, and 18 is a remaining hot water amount transmission means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a control device for a water heater that obtains hot water based on heat generated by a heating element, a water temperature determining means for determining the supply water temperature and the boiling temperature, and a hot water storage tank used for determining the water temperature determining means. The first to detect the water temperature of
a temperature sensor, a remaining hot water amount determination means for determining the amount of remaining hot water, a second temperature sensor that detects the water temperature in the hot water storage tank used for determination by the remaining hot water amount determination means, and boiled hot water and water supply. A first hot water tank provided near the hot water storage tank sets a required amount of hot water, which is the required amount of hot water obtained by mixing the hot water with the heated water.
a first required hot water amount setting means, a transmitting means such as a telephone for setting and transmitting the required hot water amount from a remote location, and a signal transmitted from the transmitting means being converted into a signal for controlling the water heater. a second required hot water amount setting means having a controller;
requested hot water amount determining means for determining either one of the output signal of the required hot water amount setting means and the output signal of the first required hot water amount setting means as the final required hot water amount from the user; and the determination by each of the determining means. a calculation means for calculating the heating time and boiling temperature of the heating element based on the result and the required hot water temperature, which is the necessary temperature of hot water obtained by mixing hot water and water, and based on the calculation result by the calculation means. 1. A control device for a water heater, comprising: heating element control means for controlling heat generation of the heating element. 2. The water heater control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the result of the remaining hot water amount determination means is transmitted to the second required hot water amount setting means. 3. The control device for a water heater according to claim 1, wherein the calculation means calculates the heating time for the heating element, the boiling temperature, and the heating start time. 4. The water heater control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the water heater is an electric water heater.