JP2001263659A - Simple trial operation method for terminal appliance and central heating system using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simple trial operation method for a central heating system enabling effective judgment of normality at the time when installation work of the GCH system is completed or when the system is maintained and inspected. SOLUTION: The trial operation method for the central heating system having a heat source unit and terminal appliances connected to the heat source unit through hot water supply piping and an intra-system communication means displays a list of the appliances connected to the heat source unit on a diagnosis device connected to the heat source unit connected to a communication board provided on the heat source unit through the communication means, and requires a trial operation to the heat source unit from the diagnosis device. The heat source unit executes operation of the terminal appliances with opening thermally- operated valves corresponding to every terminal appliances connected thereto when the heat source unit receives the trial operation request, and each high temperature terminal appliance of the connected terminal appliances judges itself to be normal or abnormal by measuring temperature of thermistors corresponding thereto, the result of the judgment is given to the heat source unit. The result of the judgment given by the high temperature appliances is outputted from the heat source unit to the diagnosis device. The diagnosis device displays outputted normality judgments of the terminal appliances, respectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a simple test operation of a central heating system. In particular, the present invention relates to a simple test operation method of a central heating system that can easily determine the normality of a plurality of connection terminals and the normality of a heat source device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, gas central heating (G)
CH) systems have become widespread. The GCH system includes a heat source having a relatively large capacity, such as a bath, a kitchen,
In addition to hot water supply to washrooms, hot water supply to GCH terminal devices such as floor heating panels, air conditioners, and dryers is performed.

[0003] Accordingly, the heat source unit is connected to a bath, a kitchen, and a toilet via a hot water supply pipe, and is also connected to a GCH terminal device via a hot water supply pipe which is a circulation path. And
The heat source unit is connected to a bath remote control and a kitchen remote control via a communication line, like a normal water heater, and performs a predetermined combustion operation such as automatic hot water filling and reheating in response to an operation request from the remote control.

Further, the heat source unit is connected to a remote controller and a control panel of the GCH terminal device through a communication line, and performs a corresponding combustion operation in response to an operation request from the remote controller and the control panel.

[0005]

In such a GCH system, it is necessary to perform a trial operation at the time of completion of the laying work and to confirm a correct functional operation. Alternatively, at the time of failure repair, a test operation is required to find out which device is the cause of the malfunction.

[0006] For this reason, it is possible to sequentially operate the connection terminals and check their normality. However, a considerable operation time is required for one terminal, and therefore, test operation tests for all the connection terminals are performed. It takes a long time to perform the work, and construction and maintenance work are not efficient.

Further, in order to operate the connection terminal normally, it is necessary to confirm that the function of the heat source unit is normal and that the hot water is supplied to the connection terminal device when the laying work of the GCH system is completed or at the time of maintenance and inspection. This is important in determining the normality of the connected terminal.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple operation method of a central heating system that enables efficient determination of normality upon completion of laying work of a GCH system or maintenance and inspection. is there.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A simple test operation method of a central heating system having a heat source unit for achieving the object of the present invention, and a terminal device connected to the heat source unit via a hot water supply pipe and communication means in the system. Displaying a list of terminal devices connected to the heat source device to a diagnostic device connected to the heat source device via communication means on a communication board provided in the heat source device, from the diagnostic device When the heat source unit requests a simple test run, and the heat source unit receives the request for the simple test run, the heat source devices corresponding to all the connected terminal devices are opened to perform the operation of the terminal devices by opening the thermal valves and the connected devices are operated. Among the terminal devices, each high-temperature terminal device measures the corresponding thermistor temperature to determine whether the terminal itself is normal or abnormal, notifies the heat source device, and determines the determination result notified from the high-temperature terminal device. Said Notifies the diagnostic device from the source device, the diagnostic device, and displaying the health determination of each terminal device is notified to each terminal.

[0010] Further, as a preferred embodiment, the heat source unit outputs a heat valve opening command corresponding to all the connected terminal devices, and each of the high-temperature terminal devices among the connected terminal devices has And measuring the corresponding thermistor temperature to determine whether the terminal itself is normal or abnormal, notifying the heat source device, and displaying the determination result notified from the high-temperature terminal device on the heat source device.

In a preferred embodiment, the temperature of the return tube of the piping of the low-temperature terminal device connected to the heat source device is normal from the temperature measured by an operator and notified to the heat source device. Alternatively, an abnormality is detected, and the detection result is displayed for each terminal.

Further, as a preferred embodiment, when two or more terminal devices are abnormal as a result of detecting a normal or abnormal condition from the temperature state notified to the heat source device, it is determined that the heat source device has a failure. It is characterized by being judged.

Further features of the present invention will be apparent from embodiments of the present invention described with reference to the following drawings.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, such embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the drawings, the same or similar components will be described with the same reference numerals or reference symbols.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the configuration of an embodiment of a GCH system to which the simple test run method of the present invention is applied and a fault diagnosis device as an automatic test run monitor independent of a heat source. is there.

In the following embodiment, an example in which a bath, a floor heating panel, a bath dryer, and two air conditioners are connected to a heat source device as terminal devices of the GCH system will be described.

In FIG. 1, a GCH system includes a heat source device 1 for burning gas to supply hot water or circulate hot water, and a plurality of GCH terminal devices connected thereto, such as a floor heating panel 60, a bath dryer 64, and an air conditioner. 68, an air conditioner 72 and a bath 50.

The heat source unit 1 includes a hot water supply path 11 for supplying hot water to a bath, a kitchen and a washroom and its heat exchanger 10, and a hot water supply path 14 and its heat exchanger 13 for supplying circulating hot water to other GCH terminal equipment. Having. Each of the heat exchangers is provided with combustion burners 12, 15 for burning gas.

A water supply pipe (not shown) and a hot water tap are connected to the first hot water supply path 11, and when the hot water tap is opened, water is supplied from the water supply pipe into the hot water supply path 11, and in response thereto, the burner 12 burns. Hot water is supplied to the hot water tap. Hot water taps are provided in kitchens, washrooms, baths, and the like.

Further, the first hot water supply path 11 is provided with an on-off valve 16.
The hot water is supplied to the bath 50 via the reheating circuit 53. The reheating circuit 53 is connected to the reheating heat exchanger 19, and the hot water in the bathtub is heated by heat exchange from the hot water that bypasses the second hot water supply path 14.

The second hot water supply path 14 is provided with the outgoing header 8.
0, the floor heating panel 60, the bath dryer 64, and the air conditioner 6 via respective circulation paths connected to the return header 81.
8 and 72, respectively, and circulates hot water in these circulation paths in response to requests from the respective terminal devices.

The circulation of hot water to the terminal equipment is performed by opening and closing valves 62, 66, 70,
74. These thermal valves are opened and closed by driving from a control microcomputer 21 in the heat source device 1.

The GCH terminal devices are provided with control microcomputers 61, 65, 69, and 73, respectively, and are connected to the communication microcomputer 22 in the heat source device 1 via a communication line. In the case of the floor heating panel 60, the microcomputer 61 is a floor heating remote controller, and in the case of the bath dryer 64, the microcomputer 61 is
Reference numeral 5 denotes a control device. In the case of the air conditioners 68 and 72, the microcomputers 69 and 73 are control devices. The bath remote controller 51 is also formed of a microcomputer and can communicate with the communication microcomputer 22 of the heat source unit 1.

The control microcomputer 21 provided in the heat source unit 1 monitors the output of a sensor inside the heat source unit in response to an operation command from the remote controllers 51 and 61 and the control devices 65, 69 and 73 of the GCH terminal. Then, the actuator inside the heat source device is driven.

The actuator includes, for example, a gas solenoid valve of a combustion burner, an ignition igniter (not shown), circulating pumps 17 and 18, a bath hydrant 16, and thermal valves 62 and 66 for opening a circulation path to each terminal. 70, 74, etc., and the sensors include a water inlet temperature of the hot water supply passages 11, 14, a hot water temperature sensor (not shown), a combustion fan rotation speed sensor (not shown), and the like.

The control microcomputer 21 is connected to a nonvolatile memory 54 in which various parameters and set values of the heat source device are recorded. Further, the nonvolatile memory 54
Also stores the password of the heat source device 1. The control microcomputer 21 receives a command signal from each terminal, a monitor signal, a command signal from a remote controller, and the like via the communication microcomputer 22, and transmits a signal indicating an operation state or an error. The control microcomputer and the communication microcomputer may be realized by an integrated microcomputer.

When a hot water tap in a kitchen or a lavatory is opened or an operation command is issued from a bath remote controller, the control microcomputer 21 starts the combustion operation of the combustion burner 12, and the same operation as in a normal water heater. Combustion control is performed.

When an operation command is issued from the GCH terminal device, the operation command is transmitted to the communication microcomputer 2.
2 is sent. The communication between the microcomputer of each terminal and the communication microcomputer 22 is intelligent communication performed according to a common protocol determined in advance between manufacturers.

When receiving the operation command, the communication microcomputer 22 transmits the operation command to the control microcomputer 21. In response, the control microcomputer 21 controls to open the thermal valve of the terminal that has issued the operation command, and performs the corresponding combustion control.

In the present embodiment, a failure diagnosis device 2 composed of a portable information terminal such as a notebook computer has a protocol conversion device 3 having a monitor function for displaying a simple test execution instruction and a simple operation result according to the present invention. Is connected to the control microcomputer 21 in the heat source device 1 via the.

For this purpose, the heat source unit 1 is provided with a connector 23 for connecting a communication cable 26.

The failure diagnostic device 2 of the present embodiment is a portable information terminal such as a general-purpose notebook personal computer. Therefore, since it operates on a standard OS such as Windows 95 or Windows NT (both are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation), its communication protocol is also a standard protocol.

On the other hand, the control microcomputer 21 in the heat source unit 1 to be subjected to the failure diagnosis has a different specification for each maker, and a communication protocol which can be handled is also a unique specification different from the standard protocol. Often.
The communication function of the microcomputer 21 is normally developed for an operation test at the time of a shipping test by a manufacturer, and therefore, a communication protocol and a password are different for each manufacturer. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a protocol conversion device 3 is interposed between the failure diagnosis device 2 and the water heater 1, and the protocol conversion is performed between a message according to a standard protocol and a message according to a protocol unique to the water heater. I'm making it.

The protocol converter 3 includes a connector 31,
32 and a protocol conversion means 30 composed of a microcomputer or the like. Protocol conversion means 30
Has a CPU, a RAM, a ROM containing a program conversion program, an input / output buffer BUF, and the like.A communication control memory area in the memory RAM is converted into a communication control memory area including predetermined registers for protocol conversion. The necessary communication protocol parameters on the water heater side are recorded.

Microcomputer 2 for controlling heat source unit 1
1 incorporates a control program. This control program includes, for example, a combustion control sequence program for controlling a combustion sequence corresponding to an operation requested by each remote controller or terminal, and a communication control program for communicating with the failure diagnosis device 2. By having this communication control program, it is possible to communicate with the failure diagnosis device 2 and enable automatic failure diagnosis.

Further, the above-mentioned control program includes a program for controlling a simple test run to be monitored according to the present invention which will be described in detail later.

When the control microcomputer 21 in the heat source unit 1 receives a predetermined command signal such as a simple test run according to the present invention from the remote controller, the microcomputer of the GCH terminal device, and the failure diagnosis device 2, for example, A flag indicating execution of the control program is recorded in the built-in RAM.

The built-in combustion control sequence program executes the control program corresponding to the command signal with reference to the flag. The combustion control sequence program detects the state of the sensor from the sensor output data recorded in the built-in RAM, and sends data for instructing driving of an actuator necessary for combustion control to the built-in RAM.
Write to the corresponding area in. The control microcomputer 21 gives a command signal to the actuator in the heat source device with reference to the command data written in the built-in RAM.

Accordingly, the failure diagnosis device 2 uses the communication means to communicate with the microcomputer 21 in the heat source unit 1 described above.
By rewriting information in the built-in RAM, it is possible to instruct desired combustion control required for failure diagnosis,
Also, by reading out information from the RAM, it is possible to monitor the corresponding sensor output and the state in the water heater.

For this purpose, the failure diagnosis apparatus 2 is provided with a keyboard 28 and a monitor screen 27 as input means, and further, a communication port 29.

The communication port 29 of the failure diagnosis device 2
It is connected to the protocol converter 3 via the 2C cable 261. Then, the protocol conversion device 3 is connected to the connector 23 of the heat source device 1 via another cable 26.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration inside the failure diagnosis device 2. As shown in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numbers. The failure diagnosis device 2 has the above-described monitor screen 27, keyboard 28, connector terminal 29 as a communication port, CPU 30, hard disk 31 as a file storage device, and main memory 32 as hardware.

As part of the information file stored in the hard disk 31 together with the OS, application software for receiving input from the keyboard 28 and performing necessary display on the monitor screen 27 is included. Further, data for providing a common failure diagnosis menu screen to a repair worker using the application software is also stored in the hard disk 31.

A communication control program for performing communication via a cable connected to the connector terminal 29 is also included as a part of the information file stored in the hard disk 31. The communication control program creates a message format and communicates with the outside according to a standard communication protocol according to a general-purpose OS.

Further, the information file also has a failure diagnosis program for the GCH terminal device. As described later, the simple test run method according to the present invention is also realized as a part of the execution by the failure diagnosis program.

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of one embodiment of the present invention. When the installation of GCH system is completed or at the time of maintenance,
A test operation for confirming the operation of the GCH terminal device connected to the heat source device 1 is performed.

At this time, in the conventional method, the test operation is sequentially performed on each of the GCH terminal devices connected to the heat source device 1. On the other hand, in the present invention, the execution of the test run is instructed to all the connected GCH terminal devices at the same time.

For this purpose, a list of terminal devices connected to the heat source device 1 is displayed on the monitor 27 of the failure diagnosis device 2 (step S1).

FIG. 4 is an example of a list of terminal devices displayed on the monitor 27 of the failure diagnosis device 2. The list is divided into high temperature system and low temperature system.

According to the flow of FIG. 3, the maintenance technician sends a simple test run request from the failure diagnosis device 2 to the heat source unit 1 (step S2). In response to this, the heat source device 1 sends an operation command to all the connected terminal devices, and opens the thermal valves (step S3).

Next, each terminal device measures the corresponding thermistor temperature (step S4). From the measured thermistor temperature, a normal error (OK /
NG), and notifies this to the heat source device 1 (step S5).

Next, the heat source unit 1 notifies the failure diagnosis device 2 of the normal / abnormal judgment result notified from the high-temperature terminal device (step S6). The processing of steps S4 to S6 is repeated for all high-temperature connection terminals (step S7).

As shown in FIG. 4, the quality of the test operation results of the high-temperature connection terminal devices listed is notified from the heat source device 1 to the failure diagnosis device 2 and displayed.

On the other hand, with respect to low-temperature terminal equipment such as floor heating, the thermistor temperature is not measured by the heat source unit 1.
For this purpose, the temperature of the return pipe of the pair tube for hot water circulation is measured by the operator.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a method for measuring the test operation result of such a low-temperature terminal equipment. The temperature measurement probe 100 is connected to a return pipe of a pair tube for circulating hot water to the terminal equipment 60 having a floor heating function. Then, the worker measures the detected temperature with the measuring device 101, manually inputs the temperature into the failure diagnosis device 2, and displays the same (step S8).

In this way, it is easy to determine whether the connection terminal is normal or abnormal, which is displayed on the monitor 27 of the failure diagnosis device 2, and the work efficiency is improved.

The failure diagnosis device 2 can determine that the heat source device 1 is abnormal when a plurality of the displayed terminal devices are abnormal as a result of the test operation.

[0058]

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings, the present invention can reduce the time as compared with the conventional automatic test operation. Furthermore, the test operation result of the terminal device can be grasped at the position of the heat source device, and it is possible to easily estimate the failure location. This makes it possible to increase the efficiency not only at the time of construction but also at the time of checking the phenomenon at the time of repair or at the time of maintenance and inspection.

The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but extends to the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a GCH system and a failure diagnosis device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration inside a failure diagnosis device.

FIG. 3 is an operation flow of an embodiment of the simplified test run method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a display example of a monitor screen of the failure diagnosis device, and is a monitor screen of a simple test run result according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring a test operation result of a low-temperature terminal device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Heat source unit 2 Failure diagnosis device 3 Protocol conversion device 21 Control processor 22 Communication processor 60 Floor heating panel (GCH terminal device) 64 Bath dryer (GCH terminal device) 68, 73 Air conditioner (GCH terminal device)

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Satoshi Morita 1-5-20 Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo F-term in Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. 3K003 XA00 XB00 XC03 3K068 KA00 KA03 KA04 LA06 MA00 3L054 BE10 3L070 AA01 AA02 AA07 BB02 DD01 DD02 DD06 DD08 DE09 DF05 DG01

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A simple trial operation method of a central heating system having a heat source device and a terminal device connected to the heat source device via a hot water supply pipe and communication means in the system, the method comprising: The diagnostic device connected to the heat source device via the communication means on the communication board displays a list of terminal devices connected to the heat source device, and the diagnostic device requests a simple test run from the heat source device to the heat source device. Upon receiving the request for the simple test run, the terminal sets the thermal valves corresponding to all the connected terminal devices to the open state to execute the operation of the terminal devices, and among the connected terminal devices, each of the high-temperature terminal devices. Is to determine the normal abnormality of the terminal by measuring the corresponding thermistor temperature, notify the heat source device, Notify the determination result notified from the high-temperature terminal device from the heat source device to the diagnostic device, The diagnostic device comprises: Simple commissioning method of central heating system and displaying the health determination of each terminal device which is known for each terminal. 2. A simple trial run method of a central heating system having a heat source device and a terminal device connected to the heat source device via a hot water supply pipe and communication means in the system, wherein the heat source device is connected to Output a command to open the thermal valves corresponding to all the terminal devices connected to the terminal device, and among the connected terminal devices, each high-temperature terminal device determines the normal abnormality of its own terminal by measuring the corresponding thermistor temperature. , A notification to the heat source device, and a determination result notified from the high-temperature terminal device displayed on the heat source device. 3. The heat source device according to claim 1, further comprising: a temperature of a return tube of a pipe of a low-temperature terminal device connected to the heat source device, which is measured by an operator and notified to the heat source device. A simple trial operation method of a central heating system, wherein a normal or abnormal state is detected from a temperature state, and the detection result is displayed for each low-temperature terminal device. 4. The heat source device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of terminal devices are abnormal as a result of normality or abnormality detected from the temperature state notified to the heat source device. A simple commissioning method for a central heating system, which is determined to be a failure. 5. A central heating system having a heat source device and a terminal device connected to the heat source device via a hot water supply pipe and communication means in the system, wherein a communication board provided in the heat source device is provided. A diagnostic device connected to the heat source device via communication means, the diagnostic device displays a list of terminal devices connected to the heat source device, requests the heat source device for a simple test run, Upon receiving the request for the simple test run, the terminal sets the thermal valves corresponding to all the connected terminal devices to the open state to execute the operation of the terminal devices, and among the connected terminal devices, each of the high-temperature terminal devices. Measures the corresponding thermistor temperature to determine the normality of its own terminal, notifies the heat source unit, and further, the heat source unit notifies the diagnostic device of the determination result notified from the high-temperature terminal device. And the diagnostic device is notified A central heating system for displaying the normality judgment of each terminal device for each terminal. 6. A central heating system having a heat source unit and terminal equipment connected to the heat source unit via a hot water supply pipe and communication means in the system, wherein the heat source unit is connected to all terminals. Outputs a command to open a thermal valve corresponding to the device, and among the connected terminal devices, each high-temperature terminal device measures the corresponding thermistor temperature to determine whether the terminal itself is normal or abnormal, and A central heating system, wherein the determination result notified from the high-temperature terminal device is displayed on the heat source device. 7. The heat source device according to claim 5, further comprising a temperature of a return tube of a pipe of a low-temperature terminal device connected to the heat source device, which is measured by an operator and notified to the heat source device. A central heating system that detects normal or abnormal from the temperature state and displays the detection result for each low-temperature terminal device. 8. The heat source device according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of terminal devices are abnormal as a result of normality or abnormality detected from the temperature state notified to the heat source device. A central heating system that is determined to be a failure.