JP2005147638A - Cogeneration system, and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cogeneration system, and its control method capable of improving operation efficiency by properly sorting or classifying a plurality of control forms when filling a bathtub with hot water, and enhancing prediction accuracy in regard to hot water supply demand (or demand regarding heat). <P>SOLUTION: The cogeneration system includes a hot water generating means 1, an operating means 4 for determining an operation mode regarding bathing, detecting means F1, F2, T1-T3, and T10 for detecting a state of a hot water supply system, and a control means 4. The control means 4 has a database 4d storing data of demand regarding heat, and it is composed so as to sort the data of demand regarding heat during bathing per hot water supply state and store it in the database 4d. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a cogeneration system using a fuel cell, a gas engine, or the like.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of a conventional cogeneration system.
In FIG. 5, a cogeneration system AJ having a fuel cell 1 includes a hot water storage tank 2 for storing hot water, a heat source unit 3 for supplying hot water to a home B, and a hot water storage tank 2 and a heat source unit 3 via a signal circuit Le. And a control unit 4J for sending a control signal.
In such a cogeneration system AJ, in order to operate the system efficiently, hot water (hot water) generated simultaneously with power generation by the fuel cell 1 is used by the hot water supply system. For example, in the case of a fuel cell cogeneration system for general households, hot water generated during power generation is stored in the hot water storage tank 2 to meet various hot water supply demands for home use.
In FIG. 5, the code | symbol 10J shows the warm water supply system.

  Here, when the amount of heat is stored up to the upper limit level where heat can be stored in the hot water storage tank 2 (the upper limit level of heat amount is obtained by the following formula: {(exhaust heat temperature of the fuel cell)-(water temperature at that time)} × Tank capacity), and beyond that, power generation is impossible unless heat is dissipated by the radiator. Therefore, how to determine the hot water storage start time in the hot water storage tank 2, that is, the starting time of the fuel cell 1, is important in improving the operating efficiency of the fuel cell cogeneration system AJ.

  For this reason, for example, a technology for predicting hot water supply and other demand related to heat (including hot water demand) and controlling the determination of the fuel cell device activation time according to such prediction has already been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).

In such demand prediction, it is important to classify the demands related to heat, such as hot water supply demand, into “bathroom” and “others” and accurately predict “bathroom”.
If the ratio of demand for “bathroom” in the demand for heat is large and the time of “bathroom” is accurately estimated, the accuracy will affect the prediction accuracy of the overall demand for hot water supply, and the optimal amount of energy consumption will be small. The fuel cell start time can be accurately predicted, and the operating efficiency of the fuel cell cogeneration system is improved.

Here, bathing: automatic hot water filling, additional hot water, lukewarm water, chasing, and other various controls are executed by, for example, a control panel or a bath remote controller.
By appropriately classifying or classifying a plurality of such controls and increasing the accuracy of demand prediction for “bathrooming”, the operation efficiency of the cogeneration system is directly improved.

However, conventionally, there is no technology for predicting demand by classifying the demand related to heat (hot water demand, etc.) for such a “bathroom” into a plurality of cases.
For example, when hot water is used for cooking or other purposes during “automatic hot water filling” (when there is a hot water supply demand other than “automatic hot water filling”), both are classified and the amount of demand is measured. However, it did not exist in the past, and it was impossible to classify and measure both.
In addition, when "Additional hot water" is used after "Automatic hot water filling", or when "Reheating" is performed, the hot water temperature in the bathtub is kept constant. When the water level decreases, there are various types of control, such as a control for detecting the water level and returning it to the original water level (a control for automatically performing “addition hot water”).
Among them, it is difficult to classify only “automatic filling” control in terms of control technology.
Here, “automatic hot water filling” means a control mode in which hot water is accumulated from a state in which the bathtub is empty and a state having a water level close to the sky to a set water level for classification in the database.
JP 2003-45460 A

  The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and appropriately classifies or divides a plurality of control modes in so-called “bathrooming” and relates to heat demand (including hot water supply demand). The purpose of the present invention is to provide a cogeneration system and its control method capable of improving the prediction accuracy and thereby improving the operation efficiency.

  In order to achieve such an object, the cogeneration system of the present invention includes a hot water generating means (fuel cell 1, gas engine, etc.) and operation modes relating to bathing ("automatic hot water filling", "addition hot water", "automatic hot water"). Various modes such as “Nuruyu”, “Heat insulation”, etc .: Control means to determine the mode of automatic filling to the set water level even when there is residual water in the hot water bath (control panel) 40 or bath remote control) and detection means for detecting the state of the hot water supply system (instantaneous hot water flow rate, hot water flow rate integrated value, whether or not the bathtub bottom is plugged, bath temperature, water temperature, etc.) Bath water level sensor Sw, flow meters F1 and F2, temperature sensors T1 to T3, T10, etc.) and control means (4), the control means (4) includes demand related to heat (including hot water demand, etc.) Day of The database (4d) is stored, and the demand data related to heat at the time of bathing is classified for each hot water supply state and stored in the database (4d) (for example, “bath hot water demand” and “other than bath hot water filling” Demand volume other than bath hot water is further classified into "general hot water demand" and "additional hot water volume" and stored in the databases Dg and Db). (Claim 1).

  The control method of the cogeneration system according to the present invention detects the signal from the operating means (40) and operates in relation to bathing ("automatic hot water filling", "addition hot water", "automatic hot water", "lubricating hot water"). ”, Various modes such as“ warming ”) and the operation mode determination step (S5, S6, S8, S9, S13, S15) and hot water supplied from the hot water generating means (fuel cell 1, gas engine, etc.) Means (bath water level sensor Sw, flow meters F1, F2, temperature sensor T1) for detecting the state (instantaneous hot water flow rate, hot water flow rate integrated value, whether the bottom of the bathtub 5 is plugged, bath temperature, water temperature, etc.) ~ T3, T10, etc.) Detecting steps (S1 to S3) and the demand data related to heat at the time of bathing from the operation mode and hot water state are classified for each hot water supply state and stored in the database. For example, it classifies into “demand for hot water bath” and “demand other than bath water”, and further classifies “demand other than hot water bath” into “general hot water demand” and “addition hot water”. And storing in a database) (S18 to S21). (Claim 2)

According to the present invention having such a configuration,
(1) Heat demand such as hot water demand can be classified into “bathroom” and “others” and used for heat demand prediction.
(2) Since the prediction data related to “bathroom”, which accounts for a large proportion of heat demand, is satisfied, the prediction accuracy related to “bathroom” demand is improved.
(3) If the accuracy of demand prediction for “bathrooms”, which has a large proportion of demand for heat, is improved, the effect of improving the accuracy will affect the accuracy of the overall demand prediction for heat.
(4) If the accuracy of demand prediction related to heat is improved, the optimal fuel cell start time can be predicted with high accuracy, and the operating efficiency of the fuel cell cogeneration system is improved.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  In FIG. 1, the cogeneration system A includes a hot water supply system 10 having a hot water storage tank 2 and a heat source unit 3, a fuel cell 1, and a control panel 40 serving as operating means in the home B.

The control panel 40 is a control means and has a control unit 4 having a built-in database 4d. Further, the control unit 4 is connected to a home-counting means HC, such as a plurality of infrared sensors installed indoors, for measuring the number of people at home.
In addition, although not clearly shown, an operation plan such as the start time of the fuel cell is drawn up, or the power demand measurement wiring is connected from the distribution board in the house to the control unit 4 in order to determine the operation command. It is connected to the. Although not shown, the control unit 4 and the fuel cell 1 are electronically connected by an operation control command signal cable.

  In the fuel cell 1, water stored in the hot water storage tank 2 due to exhaust heat generated during operation of the fuel cell 1 circulates in the fuel cell 1 or the gas engine via the circulation line Lw, and is warmed for hot water supply. Hot water is made.

The heat source unit 3 includes a hot water supply backup burner 32 for preheating and heating hot water when the temperature of hot water supplied through the hot water supply line Lh is low, and a heating backup burner for preheating and heating the hot refrigerant of the floor heating 7. 34 and a heat exchanger for bathing (not shown).
The heat source device 3 has a circuit board (interface) 31. The circuit board 31 includes the control unit 4, measuring means (flow meter, temperature sensor, etc.) described later, and the backup burners 32, 34. Connected, relays the reception of input signals and relays the control of the operation / non-operation of the backup burners 32, 34.

  The hot-water supply line Lh is provided with a bypass line Lb for short-circuiting the hot-water supply backup burner 32 at the branch point Pb1 and the junction Pg1 of the hot-water supply line Lh. By switching the switching valve interposed at the branch point Pb1 of Lb, the hot water supply is not preheated, that is, bypassed or preheated by the backup burner 32 without being bypassed. Yes.

  A temperature sensor T <b> 10 that measures the temperature of hot water in the bathtub 5 is interposed in the vicinity of the bathtub 5 on the discharge side of the bath reheating line La.

The terminal of the hot water supply line Lh is connected to the hot water supply port 5W for the bath and the hot water supply device 6 for the kitchen via the branch point Pb3.
A branch point Pb2 is formed in a region between the junction points Pg1 and Pb3 of the hot water supply line Lh, and the junction point Pb2 and the junction point Pg2 formed on the return side of the reheating line La are communicated by a line Lc. ing.

A first temperature sensor T1 for measuring a hot water supply temperature is provided in a region between the hot water storage tank 2 and the branch point Pb1 of the hot water supply line Lh, and a region between the junction point Pg1 and the branch point Pb2 is arranged in the order of flow. Two temperature sensors T2 and a first flow meter F1 are interposed.
A third temperature sensor T3 and a second flow meter F2 are interposed in the flow-through line La on the upstream side of the junction Pg2 in order of flow.
A third flow meter F3 is interposed in the line Lc connecting the hot water supply line Lh and the reheating line La.
Further, a water level meter Sw for measuring the amount of hot water (water level) in the bathtub 5 is interposed in a region between the junction Pg <b> 2 of the reheating line La and the bathtub 5.

  The hot water storage tank 2 is supplied with clean water by a clean water supply line Lm. In addition, when hot water is too hot in the region between the hot water storage tank 2 and the first temperature sensor T1 of the hot water supply line Lh, cold water is supplied to the water supply line Ln in order to lower the temperature of the hot water supply (adjust temperature). It is piped to be added by.

  The water supply line Lm has a fourth temperature sensor T4 for measuring the temperature of the feed water, and the hot water storage tank 2 has fifth to ninth temperature sensors T5 to T9 in five layers from the top. These temperature sensors T4 to T9 are once connected to the connector C, and the connector is connected to the control unit 4 in the home B by a signal line Lt.

  The temperature sensors T1 to T3 and the flow meters F1 to F3 are connected to the circuit board 31, and the circuit board (interface) 31 is connected to the home B via a connector 31c provided on the circuit board 31. The control unit 4 is connected by a signal line Ltf. On the other hand, the database 4d built in the control unit 4 stores information from the sensors on the heat source unit 3 side and the sensors connected to the control unit side via the circuit board 31.

Here, the sensors such as the temperature sensor, the flow meter, and the water level sensor described above do not need to be newly provided when the illustrated embodiment is applied to a recent hot water supply / heating heat source machine. Remote control is available for changing the hot water supply set temperature and heating operation commands as communication means for hot water heating / heating heat source machines, but in recent hot water heating / heating heat source machines, in addition to this communication means, the efficiency of the production line and after sales For equipment maintenance, acquisition of equipment internal information of hot water supply / heating heat source equipment (connection to circuit board connector 31c, communication line, for example, RS232C standard serial communication so that remote operation is possible by connecting to a network. Etc.) and a mechanism capable of instructing specific actions.
In other words, detection signals such as a flow rate sensor and a temperature sensor already built in the hot water supply / heating heat source machine can be easily obtained via the connector 31c. Therefore, if the illustrated embodiment is applied to a recent hot water supply / heating heat source machine, there is no need to newly add a sensor or the like to the piping or the like, which is excellent in terms of cost and the number of wires.
Here, at the time of maintenance of the cogeneration system A, the pins of the handheld computer H are connected to connection holes (not shown) provided for the respective items of the connector 31c of the circuit board, so that failure diagnosis or checking is performed for various items. Maintenance work is performed.

In order to predict the hot water supply demand, it is necessary to accumulate the hot water supply demand every hour in the database.
With reference to FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the type (classification) of hot water supply demand that can be covered and the storage (registration) destination (database) distinguished by the classification will be described below.

First, hot water supply demand (here treated as calorific value) is “demand other than bath demand (demand for kitchens, toilets, etc.)” Dm1 and “bath demand (demand directly supplied to the bathtub,” meaning “shower” It does not correspond to the demand for baths. ”
“Bath demand” Dm2 is available when there is an additional hot water operation and an automatic operation. During automatic operation, hot water in the bathtub is used and the water level drops, so the hot water is automatically added to the set water level. There is a hot water supply demand by "Addition hot water" Qta and a hot water supply demand by "Automatic hot water filling" Qyu.

On the other hand, as a database of storage (registration), “bath hot water filling database” Db for storing heat demand at the time of “automatic hot water filling” Qyu and “other than automatic hot water filling (the same hot water supply piping system as a shower) And “general hot water supply database” Dg for storing the heat demand Qg of general hot water.
This is because “automatic hot water filling” Qyu is the largest daily hot water supply demand in the home, and it is important to reliably predict this, so the database is called “bath hot water filling database” Db and “general Divided into “hot water database” Dg.
Note that “additional hot water” Qta and the like during automatic operation are not large in quantity, and are classified as other demands Qg.

Here, lukewarm water and reheating do not correspond to the “general hot water supply database” Dg or the “bath hot water database” Db. In other words, lukewarm water only adds water, and reheating only heats the warm water in the bathtub and raises the temperature. None of the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 is used. It is not directly related to the operation plan and need not be stored as a database.
However, there is a system that uses pipe heat through the tank and indirectly uses the heat (hot water) of the tank by exchanging heat there. When such a system is used, The data is classified into a “general hot water database” Dg.

Next, the control method of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in step S1, water heater data is acquired by the temperature sensors T1 to T4, T10, the flow meters F1 to F3, and the like.

In the next step S2, the control unit 4 checks the operation state at the previous time (for example, confirming by a code signal corresponding to the operation state, such as whether the reheating button of the bath remote controller has been pressed), the accumulated flow rate of hot water filling, and the bathtub 5 Get the unplugged state of.
Here, the previous time means the time when the previous control flow is turned (the control flow is turned every predetermined period, for example, every minute).
In addition, when the accumulated flow rate of hot water filling is obtained, for example, when an operation such as pressing an automatic button is performed, the operation is reset, hot water comes out from the hot water outlet of the bathtub 5, and counting starts from there. When hot water is stored up to the set water level, the automatic hot water filling ends and the temperature is kept warm, and until that time, the value of the integrated flow rate of the automatic hot water filling increases.
In the case of the addition hot water, the addition hot water is terminated when the total filling flow rate reaches 20 liters, for example. Thus, the accumulated flow rate of hot water when the flow is rotating is obtained.
Here, after the automatic hot water filling is finished and the temperature is kept warm, when the stopper (not shown) of the bathtub 5 is removed and there is no water level in the bathtub, the “plugged-off state” is “0 (zero)”, and If hot water is accumulated, the “plugged state” is “1”. That is, the “plugged state” indicates by 0 and 1 whether hot water is accumulated in the bathtub.

In the next step S3, an instantaneous value of the hot water flow rate is obtained, and in step S4, the flow rate (supplied heat amount) is reset.
Here, the instantaneous value of the hot water flow rate means the hot water supply flow rate supplied to the bathtub at the moment measured by communication in the flow.

In the next step S5, the control unit 4 determines whether or not the automatic operation flag is 0.
Here, flag = 1 is set for automatic operation, and flag = 0 is set for automatic operation.
If the automatic operation flag = 0 (YES in step S5), the process proceeds to step S6. If flag = 1 (NO in step S5), the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S6, the control unit 4 determines whether or not the driving state ≠ replenishment and the driving state ≠ lukewarm water, that is, “not automatic but adding hot water operation”.
If it is “not an automatic but an additional hot water operation” (YES in step S6), the hot water supply demand (hot water supply heat amount) Qta of the additional hot water is obtained by the following calculation formula (step S7).
Qta = (bath thermistor temperature−water temperature t4) × instant water flow rate instantaneous value Here, the bath thermistor temperature is, for example, the measured temperature at Pg2 in FIG. 1 (the measured temperature is input to the circuit board 31), and the water temperature t4 is measured by the temperature sensor T4. Measurement temperature. Instead of the bath thermistor temperature, a “bath set temperature” set by the bath remote controller or the control panel 40 may be used. After obtaining Qta, the process proceeds to step S17.
On the other hand, if it is not “automatic but not automatic operation” (NO in step S6), the process directly proceeds to step S17.

In step S8, the control unit 4 is in the operation state = warming (a state where the bath is heated up), and whether the previous time operation state = automatic hot water filling, that is, “immediately after the automatic hot water filling is finished”. Judge whether or not.
If automatic hot water filling has been completed (if the bath has just been fired; YES in step S8), the process proceeds to step S9. On the other hand, if automatic hot water filling has not been completed (NO in step S8), step S13 is performed. Proceed to

In step S 9, the control unit 4 determines that the plug removal flag = 0 at the previous time (previous flow) and the current plug removal flag = 1, that is, the control to be performed is “a certain amount of hot water or water is already in the bathtub ( Is the hot water supplied from the pooled state (above the height of the position where the circulation fitting is installed) (Did you add water)? Or is the hot water supplied from the state where the bathtub is empty or close to the sky (below the height of the circulation fitting installation position) (automatic hot water filling was performed)? Judging.
Here, the plug removal flag is “0” even if a considerable amount of hot water is stored in the bathtub 5 as long as the operation state is not from the automatic hot water filling to the heat retaining mode. Only when the operation state is the heat retention mode, the plug removal flag becomes “1”.
If "the bath is empty or close to empty" (YES in step S9), the process proceeds to step S10, while the unplugging flag at the previous time (previous flow) = 0. In addition, if the current plug open flag is not 1, that is, the previous time plug open = 1, the hot water is filled from a state where the hot water is originally filled to some extent, and the bath is filled by automatic hot water filling. In that case, since the amount of heat is less than the automatic hot water filling when the bathtub is empty or nearly empty, it is not “Qyu” shown in step S10 but “addition hot water” (NO in step S9), and the process proceeds to step S12. .
“Additional hot water” in this case is a loop for sending data to the general hot water supply database Dg.
In step S9, the state of the plug removal flag is checked at the start of automatic hot water filling in step S14, and if hot water or water is higher than the level of the circulating metal fitting in the bathtub, that is, if hot water is originally filled to some extent. (Unplugging flag = 1) The flag is set to 1 and the state of the flag is stored. If the storage flag is 1 at the subsequent time in step S9, the process goes to YES in step S10, and the flag is not 1. The determination may be made by determining that the process proceeds to step S12 with NO when the bath is empty or close to empty at the start of the automatic hot water filling in step S14 (plug opening flag = 0).

In step S10, the control unit 4 obtains hot water supply demand (hot water supply heat amount) Qyu in “automatic hot water filling” by the following calculation formula.
Qyu = (bath thermistor temperature−water temperature t4) × integrated flow rate of hot water Here, “bath set temperature” set by the bath remote controller or the control panel 40 may be used instead of “bath thermistor temperature”.
Here, the flow rate data does not go to the database 4d until the moment when it is stored in the bathtub 5 (when the automatic hot water filling ends when the hot water is filled). Therefore, the total hot water supply amount is sent to the database 4d using the flow rate integrated value. This is different from the case where the database is sent for each instantaneous value as in step S7.

  After step S10, the obtained Qyu value and the automatic hot water filling start time (stored in step S14) are registered in the bath hot water filling database Db (step S11), and then the process proceeds to step S17. As a data recording method for the bath water filling database, for example, automatic hot water filling start time (or automatic hot water filling end time may be used) and Qyu are recorded for each day of the week, and updated every day of the week. If the value of the day of the week is used from the database at the time of prediction, the bath filling time and Qyu can be predicted.

In step S12 (the loop of “addition hot water”), the control unit 4 obtains the hot water supply demand (hot water supply heat amount) Qta in the case of the addition hot water using the following calculation formula.
Qta = (bath thermistor temperature−water temperature t4) × integrated flow rate of hot water Here, “bath set temperature” set by the bath remote controller or control panel 40 may be used instead of “bath thermistor temperature”.
Here, the flow rate data does not go to the database 4d up to the set water level in the bathtub 5. Therefore, the total hot water supply amount is sent to the database 4d using the flow rate integrated value.
After step S12 is completed, the process proceeds to step S17 as it is.

In step S <b> 13, the control unit 4 determines whether or not the operation state is “automatic filling” and the previous driving state is not “automatic filling”. That is, it is determined whether or not “automatic hot water filling is started”.
“If automatic hot water filling is to be started (for example, the moment when the“ auto ”button on the remote control is pressed: YES in step S13), the process proceeds to step S14, the automatic hot water filling start time is stored in the database 4d, and then step S17. Proceed to
On the other hand, if automatic hot water filling is not started (in the case of automatic hot water filling or “NO in step S9”, the state where the “automatic” button is pressed but the predetermined water level has not been reached; (NO in step S13), the process proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, the control unit 4 determines whether or not the operation state ≠ automatic hot water filling and the incoming water flow rate> 0 (or the hot water filling flow rate instantaneous value> 0). That is, it is determined whether or not it is “warm and hot water”.
In the case of “Additional hot water with heat retention” (YES in step S15), the hot water supply demand (hot water supply heat amount) Qta of the additional hot water is obtained by the following calculation formula (step S16), and the process proceeds to step S17.
Qta = (bath thermistor temperature−water temperature t4) × (current hot water filling integrated flow rate—the hot water filling integrated flow rate at the previous time)
Here, instead of the “bath thermistor temperature”, a “bath set temperature” set by the bath remote controller or the control panel 40 may be used.
In calculating Qta, in this process, the accumulated filling flow rate is counted, and the accumulated filling flow rate at the previous time (previous routine) is subtracted to obtain only the flow rate supplied in that routine. .
On the other hand, if the hot water filling is not in the process of “automatically adding hot water with warming”, or if the hot water is replenished (the incoming water flow rate = 0: or the hot water filling flow rate instantaneous value = 0) (NO in step S15), the process proceeds to step S17. move on.

In step S <b> 17, the control unit 4 obtains the hot water supply demand Qkyu for the kitchen, cooking, etc. by the following calculation formula.
Qkyu = (hot water temperature t2−water temperature t4) × (incoming water flow rate−hot water flow rate instantaneous value)
Here, the “hot water temperature t2” is a measured temperature of the temperature sensor T2 in FIG.

In the next step S18, the sum (Qkyu + Qta) of the hot water supply demand Qkyu for the kitchen and cooking and the hot water supply demand (hot water supply heat amount) Qta for the added hot water previously obtained (Qkyu + Qta) is registered in the general hot water supply database Dg. Then, the process proceeds to step S19.
In step S18, if “YES” in step S6, the demand amount obtained by adding Qta to Qkyu is registered in the general hot water supply database Dg. If “NO” in step S6, only Qkyu is supplied because there is no Qta. Register in database Dg.

In step S19, the operating state at the current time is saved, and the hot water filling integrated flow rate at the current time is saved (step S20). In the last step S21, the plug-out state at the current time is saved, and this routine control is finished.
The operation state is determined by a communication signal from the connector 31c (the content of the communication signal changes depending on which button of the remote control is pressed).

FIG. 4 is an actual measurement graph showing the effect obtained by the embodiment of the present invention having the configuration and control described above.
According to FIG. 4, the difference between the time predicted based on the present invention (the predicted bath time) and the actual time (the bath demand occurrence time) is about 30 minutes, which is extremely accurate. The peak of the heat storage in the tank and the actual bathing are very small, so there is almost no need for reheating, and the operation is efficient.
From this measurement result, it can be understood that the hot water supply prediction was extremely effective.
That is,
(1) Heat demand such as hot water demand can be classified into “bathroom” and “others” and used for heat demand prediction.
(2) Prediction data related to “bathroom”, which accounts for a large proportion of demand related to heat, will be satisfied, and the prediction accuracy related to “bathroom” demand will be improved.
(3) If the accuracy of demand prediction for “bathroom”, which has a large proportion of demand for heat, is improved, the effect of improving the accuracy will affect the accuracy of the overall demand prediction for heat.
(4) If the accuracy of demand prediction related to heat is improved, the optimal fuel cell start time can be predicted with high accuracy, and the operating efficiency of the fuel cell cogeneration system is improved.

  It should be noted that the illustrated embodiment is merely an example, and is not a description to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

The block diagram which showed the structure of the whole cogeneration system in embodiment of this invention. A table showing the classification of hot water demand and the database of the classified hot water demand that should be stored. The flowchart which showed the control method until it preserve | saves the hot-water supply demand in the said database in embodiment of this invention. The actual measurement data which showed the effect acquired when embodiment of this invention is implemented. The block diagram which shows the outline | summary of the cogeneration system in a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

A ... Cogeneration system B ... Home (housing)
H ... Handheld computer HC ... Number of people detection means Lh ... Hot water supply line Lw ... Circulation line La ... Reheating line Lm, Ln ... Water supply line Lt, Ltf ... Signal line Sw ... Bath water level sensors F1, F2, F3 ... Flow meters T1-T10 ... Temperature sensor 1 ... Fuel cell 2 ... Hot water storage tank 3 ... Heat source device 4 ... Control Unit 4d ... Database 5 ... Bath 5w ... Hot water outlet 6 for bath ... Water heater 7 ... Heating system 10 ... Hot water supply system 31 ... Circuit board / interface 32 ... Hot water backup burner 34 ... Heating backup burner 40 ... Control panel

Claims (2)

  A database that includes hot water generating means, operating means for determining an operation mode relating to bathing, detection means for detecting the state of the hot water supply system, and control means, the control means storing heat demand data The cogeneration system is characterized in that it is configured to classify the demand data related to heat during bathing into hot water supply states and store them in a database.   From the operation mode determination step of detecting the signal from the operation means to determine the operation mode related to bathing, the detection step of detecting the state of the hot water supplied from the hot water generating means by the detection means, and the operation mode and the state of the hot water A method for controlling a cogeneration system, comprising: classifying data on demand for heat at the time of bathing for each hot water supply state and storing the data in a database.

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