JP2004360956A - Remaining hot water amount display device for storage type hot water supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remaining hot water amount display device for a storage type hot water supply device, allowing accurate and easy identification of a remaining amount of hot water. <P>SOLUTION: The remaining hot water amount display device comprises a rate computing means 34 for computing each of temperatures detected by a plurality of stored hot water temperature sensors 18a-18e as a rate to a boiling-up target temperature Ts, a graphic information creating means 35 for graphing the remaining amount of hot water in accordance with the rates computed by the rate computing means 34, and a display driver circuit 32 for displaying the graphic information created by the graphic information creating means 35 on a display part 31 of a remote controller 4 after graphing it. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a remaining hot water amount display device of a hot water supply type hot water supply device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in this type, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the temperature in a hot water storage tank for storing hot water boiled by a heating unit such as an electric heater or a heat pump circuit is increased and decreased on the upper and lower sides of the hot water storage tank. A plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors are used to detect the amount of remaining hot water, and a remote controller or the like is provided with a remaining hot water amount display lamp corresponding to the number of the hot water storage temperature sensors. The lamp is turned on, the lamp is turned on when the temperature is lower than a predetermined high temperature and is not lower than the lower limit temperature (for example, 40 ° C.), and the lamp is turned off when the temperature is lower than the lower limit temperature considered as hot water. It was displayed as a number.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-50353
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in this conventional apparatus, when the hot water supply load is small in summer or the like, the boiling target temperature at which the hot water is heated and stored by the heating means is lower than a predetermined high temperature. Even if the heating is completed, the remaining hot water amount display lamp does not turn on, and there is a possibility that the user may mistakenly think that the boiling has not been completed or that the boiling has not been performed normally.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, in order to solve the above-described problems, in the present invention, a plurality of hot water storage tanks for storing hot water, a heating unit for boiling the hot water in the hot water storage tank to a target temperature, and a plurality of the hot water storage tanks are provided. A hot water storage temperature sensor and a remote control having a display unit, in the hot water storage apparatus, a ratio calculating means for calculating each of the detected temperatures of the plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors as a ratio to the boiling target temperature, Graph information creating means for graphing the amount of remaining hot water based on the respective ratios calculated by the ratio calculating means, and graph information created by the graph information creating means is graphed and displayed on a display unit of the remote controller. I did it.
[0006]
As a result, since the remaining hot water amount is displayed as a graph relative to the boiling target temperature, immediately after the boiling is completed, the remaining hot water amount becomes 100% and is displayed in a graph, and it is understood that the boiling is completed normally and the hot water is stored to the full tank. If the amount of stored hot water decreases due to hot water supply, etc., the ratio of the remaining hot water amount to the boiling target temperature decreases, making it easy to recognize how much heat was used, and the remaining hot water amount in the hot water storage tank is reduced. It is accurate and easy to understand.
[0007]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a heating unit for boiling the hot water in the hot water storage tank to a target hot water storage calorie, a plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors provided in the hot water storage tank, and a display unit. In a hot water storage type hot water supply device including a remote controller, a residual heat amount calculating means for calculating a residual heat amount in the hot water storage tank from detection temperatures of the plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors, and a residual heat amount calculated by the residual heat amount calculating means. The remaining heat ratio calculating means for calculating the ratio to the target hot water storage amount, and the ratio calculated by the remaining heat ratio calculating means are displayed on the display of the remote controller as the remaining hot water amount.
[0008]
As a result, the remaining heat amount in the current hot water storage tank is displayed as a percentage of the target hot water storage amount, so that immediately after the completion of boiling, the remaining hot water amount becomes 100%, the boiling is completed normally, and the hot water is stored to the full tank. It is easy to understand, and if the amount of stored hot water decreases due to hot water supply, etc., the ratio to the target amount of stored hot water decreases, making it easy to recognize how much heat has been used. It is easy to understand.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 is a hot water storage tank unit, 2 is a heating unit composed of a heat pump unit, 3 is a hot water tap, 4 is a remote controller, 5 is a bathtub, and 6 is a power supply.
[0010]
The hot water storage tank unit 1 includes a hot water storage tank 7 for storing hot water, a hot water supply pipe 8 connected to an upper part of the hot water storage tank 7, a water supply pipe 9 connected to a lower part of the hot water storage tank 7, Mixing valve 11 for mixing water and low-temperature water from bypass pipe 10 branched from water supply pipe 9, hot water supply pipe 12 connected downstream of mixing valve 11, and hot water supply temperature sensor 13 provided on hot water supply pipe 12 A water supply temperature sensor 14 provided in the water supply pipe 8, a hot water pipe 15 branched from the hot water pipe 12 and connected to the bathtub 5, a hot water valve 16 for opening and closing the hot water pipe 15, and a hot water The hot water filling flow rate sensor 17 for integrating the flow rate flowing through the pipe 15, a plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors 18 a to e provided in the vertical direction on the side of the hot water storage tank 7, and a microcomputer for controlling the hot water storage tank unit 1 are mainly used. And constructed hot water supply control section 19 is configured by a heating circulation circuit 20 for circulating the hot water by connecting the hot water tank 7 and the heating unit 2.
[0011]
The heating unit 2 includes a compressor 21 for compressing a carbon dioxide refrigerant, a refrigerant-water heat exchanger 22 as a condenser, a decompressor 23, and a heat pump circuit 25 including an air heat exchanger 24 as an evaporator. A variable capacity circulating pump 26 provided in the middle of the heating circulation circuit 20 and a temperature of hot water flowing into the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 22 which is provided on the inlet side of the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 22 of the heating circulation circuit 20. A heat exchange inlet temperature sensor 27, which is provided on the outlet side of the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 22 of the heating circulation circuit 20, and detects a temperature of hot water flowing out of the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 22; And a heating control unit 29 mainly including a microcomputer for controlling the heating unit 2.
[0012]
Here, the power source 6 is a time zone light, and the power rate is set at a low price during the night (from 23:00 to 7:00 the following day). It is used to heat the amount of hot water stored on the day and use it during the daytime (from 7:00 to 23:00), and additional power is supplied when the remaining hot water becomes low. Boiling is performed. The power supply 6 is connected to a hot water supply control unit 19, and a communication signal is superimposed on the remote controller 4 and the heating control unit 29 (including the power required for the heat pump circuit 25) by a wired signal from the hot water supply control unit 19. What is supplied.
[0013]
Then, in the night time zone, the hot water supply control unit 19 calculates the required hot water storage heat amount Q on the next day, and instructs the heating control unit 29 to boil the target hot water storage heat amount Q by the end of the night time period. Then, the heat pump circuit 25 is operated to start driving the circulation pump 26 of the heating circulation circuit 20. Then, the hot and cold water taken out from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 7 by the driving of the circulation pump 26 flows into the refrigerant-water heat exchanger 22 of the heating unit 2 and is heated and returned to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 7 via the heating circulation circuit 20. As a result, high-temperature hot water is stored.
[0014]
Then, when the hot water storage temperature sensor 18 provided on the side surface of the hot water storage tank 7 detects that a predetermined amount of high-temperature water has been stored, or when the heat exchange inlet temperature sensor 27 detects a predetermined temperature or more, the hot water supply control is performed. The unit 19 instructs the heating control unit 29 to stop the heating operation, the operations of the heat pump circuit 25 and the circulation pump 26 are stopped, and the hot water storage operation is completed by the end of the night time zone.
[0015]
Here, the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage tank 7 is calculated by the hot water supply control unit 22 using the amount of heat considered appropriate from the hot water supply load for the past several days as the target hot water storage heat amount Q. The boiling target temperature Ts is varied in the range of 60 ° C. to 90 ° C. depending on the season (or the feed water temperature detected by the feed water temperature sensor 15) and the magnitude of the target hot water storage amount Q.
[0016]
The remote controller 4 includes an operation unit 30 having a temperature setting switch for setting a hot water supply setting temperature and a filling level setting switch for setting a filling level, and a display unit 31 including a dot matrix type fluorescent display tube. It mainly comprises a display driver circuit 32 for controlling the driving of the display unit 31, and a microcomputer for controlling the operation unit 30, the display unit 31 and the display driver circuit 32 and communicating with the hot water supply control unit 19. In normal operation, the display unit 31 displays the hot water supply set temperature and time information set by the operation unit 30, the remaining hot water amount detected by the hot water storage temperature sensor 18, and the like. . The display unit 31 may be a dot matrix type liquid crystal display unit.
[0017]
Next, when the hot-water tap 3 is opened, the high-temperature water in the upper part of the hot-water storage tank 7 is pushed out to the hot-water tap 8 by the feed pressure from the water feed pipe 9, and the mixing valve 11 controlled by the hot-water supply control unit 19 controls the bypass pipe 10. The low-temperature water and the temperature detected by the hot water supply temperature sensor 13 are mixed so as to reach a hot water supply set temperature set by the operation unit 30 of the remote controller 4 and supplied through the hot water supply pipe 12.
[0018]
If the amount of hot water becomes larger than usual and the amount of remaining hot water detected by the hot water storage temperature sensor 18 during the daytime power hours decreases, the hot water supply control unit 19 detects that the hot water has been stored in the hot water storage tank 7. If the hot water is expected to run out, the necessary amount of heat is increased at that time by using the daytime electric power.
[0019]
Next, when filling the bathtub 5, when a filling switch (not shown) of the operation unit 30 of the remote controller 4 is operated, the hot water supply control unit 19 opens the filling valve 16 to fill the bathtub. When the filling flow sensor 17 detects that the integrated flow has reached the filling amount since the start of filling, the filling valve 16 is closed to complete filling.
[0020]
Next, a remaining hot water amount display device which is a characteristic configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
Numeral 34 is a ratio calculating means for calculating the ratio of the detected hot water temperature to the boiling target temperature based on the temperatures detected by the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e and the boiling target temperature.
[0021]
Here, for example, a value obtained by subtracting the feed water temperature Tw detected by the feed water temperature sensor 14 from the temperature Tn (n = a to e) detected by the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to e is raised, and the feed water temperature Tw is subtracted from the target temperature Ts. Then, the ratio R is calculated by dividing by the calculated value. Expressing this as an equation,
R (%) = (Tn−Tw) · 100 / (Ts−Tw)
It becomes.
[0022]
Reference numeral 35 denotes graph information creating means for creating graph information of the remaining hot water amount based on the ratio of the hot water storage temperature to the boiling target temperature calculated by the ratio calculating means 34, based on the temperatures detected by the respective hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e. This is for creating graph information for displaying a bar graph as a percentage by percentage, and increasing the bar graph of the display unit 31 by one step in increments of 5%. The ratio calculating means 34 and the graph information creating means 35 are stored as programs as one function of the hot water supply control unit 19.
[0023]
Then, the graph information created by the graph information creating means 35 is transmitted from the hot water supply control unit 19 to the display driver circuit 32 of the remote control unit 33, and the display driver circuit 32 is provided in a form corresponding to each of the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e. The remaining hot water amount is displayed on the display unit 31 in a horizontal bar graph shape.
[0024]
Here, for example, the right side of the bar graph is set to have a higher ratio, the right end is set to 100%, the left end is set to 50%, and the ratio based on the temperatures detected by the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e is changed in one step in 5% steps. The end of the bar graph is displayed as being moved. Then, bar graphs of the same number as the number of sensors are arranged in a figure simulating the hot water storage tank 7 in the same manner as the positional relationship of the sensors in the vertical direction so as to correspond to each of the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e. The temperature distribution can be easily understood visually.
[0025]
As described above, since the remaining hot water amount is displayed in a bar graph shape in a form corresponding to the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e with respect to the boiling target temperature, immediately after the completion of boiling, regardless of the level of the boiling target temperature Ts, Is fully lit for the longest time, and it is easy to understand that the target hot-water storage heat quantity Q has been boiled, the boiling has been completed normally, and the hot water has been stored to the full tank. It is easy to recognize whether or not the amount of heat has been used, and the amount of remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank 7 can be accurately and easily known.
[0026]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, an electric heater may be directly arranged in the hot water storage tank 7 as the heating unit 2, and a bar graph may be used as a display form of the remaining hot water amount. Instead of the shape, it may be displayed in the form of a line graph.
[0027]
Further, in addition to those exemplified as the arithmetic expressions of the ratio calculating means 34, for example, hot water that can be used for filling a bathtub with a temperature Tn (n = a to e) detected by the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e. The value obtained by subtracting the temperature that can be regarded (for example, 40 ° C.) is divided by the value obtained by subtracting the temperature (for example, 40 ° C.) that can be regarded as hot water that can be used for filling the bathtub or the like from the boiling target temperature Ts. You may make it calculate. Expressing this as an equation,
R (%) = (Tn−40) · 100 / (Ts−40)
It becomes.
[0028]
Further, as an arithmetic expression of the ratio calculating means 34, for example, the ratio R is calculated by simply dividing the temperature Tn (n = a to e) detected by the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e by the boiling target temperature Ts. It may be. Expressing this as an equation,
R (%) = Tn · 100 / Ts
It becomes.
[0029]
Further, although the display form of the ratio of the remaining hot water amount is exemplified as 50% to 100%, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be displayed from 0% to 100%.
[0030]
Next, still another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
[0031]
Numeral 36 denotes residual heat amount calculating means for calculating the residual heat amount in the hot water storage tank 7 from the temperatures detected by the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e. Here, for example, the temperature Tn (n = n) detected by each of the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e The value obtained by subtracting the feed water temperature Tw from a to e) is multiplied by the hot water storage capacity An (n = a to e) assigned to each of the hot water storage temperature sensors 18a to 18e, respectively, and the values are integrated and stored in the hot water storage tank 7. Is calculated. Expressing this as an equation,
q = Σ (Tn−Tw) · An
It becomes.
[0032]
37 calculates the ratio of the present residual heat amount q to the target hot water storage amount Q from the residual heat amount q calculated by the residual heat amount calculation means 36 and the target hot water storage amount Q heated by the current boiling operation. Means for calculating the residual heat ratio. Expressing this as an equation,
R (%) = q · 100 / Q
It becomes.
[0033]
The residual heat amount calculating means 36 and the residual heat ratio calculating means 37 are stored as programs as one function of the hot water supply control unit 19.
[0034]
Then, the residual heat ratio calculated by the residual heat ratio calculating means 37 is transmitted from the hot water supply control unit 19 to the display driver circuit 32 of the remote control unit 33, and the display driver circuit 32 displays the residual heat ratio as a numerical value or a graphic. Things.
[0035]
As described above, since the remaining hot water amount is displayed as a ratio with respect to the target hot water storage amount Q, the ratio of the residual heat amount is displayed as 100% immediately after the completion of boiling regardless of the level of the boiling target temperature Ts, and the target hot water storage amount Q is displayed. It is easy to comprehend that the water has been heated and the boiling has been completed normally and the hot water has been stored up to the full tank. In addition, it is easy to recognize how much heat has been used for the target hot water storage heat quantity Q. The amount of residual hot water can be accurately and easily known.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the remaining hot water amount is displayed in a graph form in a form corresponding to the plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors at a ratio to the boiling target temperature, so that the boiling is normally completed immediately after the completion of the boiling. Thus, it is easy to understand that the hot water has been stored up to the full tank, it is easy to recognize how much heat has been used, and the remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank can be accurately and easily known.
[0037]
Also, since the remaining hot water amount is displayed as a percentage of the target hot water storage amount, it is easy to understand that the boiling has been completed normally and the hot water has been stored up to the full tank immediately after the completion of boiling. It is easy to recognize whether a certain amount of heat has been used, and the amount of remaining hot water in the hot water storage tank can be accurately and easily known.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the same embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Heating unit 4 Remote controller 7 Hot water storage tank 18 Hot water storage temperature sensor 31 Display unit 34 Ratio calculation unit 35 Graph information creation unit 36 Residual heat amount calculation unit 37 Residual heat ratio calculation unit

Claims (2)

A hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a heating unit for heating the hot water in the hot water storage tank to a target temperature, a plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors provided in the hot water storage tank, and a remote controller having a display unit. In the hot water supply type hot water supply device, a ratio calculating means for calculating each of the detected temperatures of the plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors as a ratio to the boiling target temperature, and a remaining hot water amount based on the respective ratios calculated by the ratio calculating means. A graph information creating means for making a graph, and the remaining hot water amount display device of the hot water supply type hot water supply apparatus, wherein the graph information created by the graph information creating means is graphed and displayed on a display unit of the remote controller. Hot water storage comprising a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a heating unit for boiling the hot water in the hot water storage tank to a target hot water storage calorie, a plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors provided in the hot water storage tank, and a remote controller having a display unit. In the hot water supply apparatus, a residual heat amount calculating means for calculating a residual heat amount in the hot water storage tank from the detected temperatures of the plurality of hot water storage temperature sensors, and a ratio of the residual heat amount calculated by the residual heat amount calculating means to the target hot water storage heat amount is calculated. Means for calculating the residual heat ratio, and a remaining hot water amount display device of the hot water supply apparatus for displaying the ratio calculated by the residual heat ratio calculation device on the display of the remote controller.

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