JP2008147100A - Control device of heating element - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem where, in a conventional control device of heating elements, since one cycle of power supply and power shutoff is repeated in a certain period, power consumption is increased if a power supply time is increased, and initial temperature rise of the heating element cannot be set high if the power supply time is reduced. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of heating elements are connected to this control device of heating elements; and, while power is being supplied to one of the heating elements (a PTC heating element 2A), power to the other heating elements (PTC heating elements 2A) is shut off. The control device 3 of heating elements alternately repeating a plurality of times of power supply and power shutoff to the respective heating elements is provided with a power supply control means 20 gradually reducing time spent in one cycle of power supply and power shutoff to the heating element from the start of the power supply to the heating element. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a control device for a heating element that can increase the initial temperature rise of the plurality of heating elements and can suppress power consumption of the plurality of heating elements.

In a floor heating apparatus provided with a plurality of heating elements, if power is supplied to the plurality of heating elements simultaneously, the current flowing through the plurality of heating elements increases, causing a breaker to be cut off and power supply being cut off. Accordingly, a floor heating apparatus is known that includes a heating element control device that alternately repeats power supply and power interruption for each of a plurality of heating elements in order to suppress current consumption of the heating element. In this control device, the time spent for one cycle of power supply and power interruption from the start of power supply is constant.
Japanese Patent No. 3536286

  However, according to the conventional control device for a heating element, one cycle of power supply and power interruption is repeated with a constant period of power supply time and power interruption time. Therefore, if the power supply time is lengthened, power consumption increases. There is a problem that the initial temperature rise of the heating element cannot be increased if the power supply time is shortened.

The control device for a heating element according to the present invention is configured such that a plurality of heating elements are connected, and while supplying power to one heating element, the power to other heating elements is cut off and to each heating element. Electric power that gradually shortens the time spent for one cycle of power supply and power interruption from the start of power supply to the heat generator in the heating element control device that alternately repeats power supply and power interruption multiple times respectively Supply control means were provided.
The power supply control means includes a connection portion to which a plurality of heating elements are individually connected, and the power supply control means cuts off the power to the other heating elements while supplying power to one heating element.
The heating element is also a heating element having a positive resistance temperature coefficient characteristic.

According to the heating element control device of the present invention, the power supply control means for gradually shortening the time required for one cycle of power supply and power interruption from the start of power supply is provided. The power consumption of a plurality of heating elements can be suppressed.
By controlling a heating element having a positive resistance temperature coefficient characteristic, that is, a PTC heating element, it is possible to provide a comfortable heating by shortening the time required for temperature rise after turning on the power, and after reaching a predetermined temperature. Is economical because it is difficult to consume power.

  FIG. 1 shows the best mode of a control device for a heating element according to the present invention, FIG. 1 (a) shows the configuration of a floor heating device provided with the control device, and FIG. 1 (b) shows the ON / OFF timing of contact points of a relay switch. Indicates. FIG. 2 is a graph showing the result of Control Example 1 by the control device of the best mode, and FIG. 3 is a graph showing the result of Control Example 2 by the conventional device.

The configuration of the floor heating device will be described with reference to FIG.
The floor heating device 1 includes two PTC heating elements 2 and a control device 3 that controls power supply to the two PTC heating elements 2.

The PTC heating element 2 is a heating element having a positive resistance temperature coefficient characteristic (PTC (Positive Thermal Co-efficient) characteristic). The PTC heating element 2 is a planar heating element configured in a planar shape by a base (not shown), an electrode provided on the base, and a PTC heating part. The PTC heat generating part is formed of a kneaded material of a semiconductor resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene and a conductive resin such as carbon or graphite.
In the state where the temperature of the PTC heating part is low, the PTC heating element 2 has a current flowing between the positive electrode and the negative electrode via the conductive particles when a voltage is applied between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. Although it generates heat due to resistance when passing, it has a property that when the temperature of the PTC heat generating portion becomes high, the semiconductor particles expand and current is difficult to pass between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, thereby suppressing heat generation. That is, it is an economical heating element that can provide a comfortable heating by shortening the time required for the temperature rise after the power is turned on, and that does not easily consume electric power after reaching a predetermined temperature.

The control device 3 includes a control unit 11, relay switches 12; 13, a power cord 14, and output terminals 15; 16.
The control unit 11 includes a control program (not shown) and a processing device such as a CPU that executes the control program.
The contact A of the relay switch 12 and the output terminal 15 are connected, and the contact B of the relay switch 13 and the output terminal 16 are connected.
The output terminal 15 and the PTC heating element 2A (2) are connected to each other by an electric cord 17, and the output terminal 16 and the PTC heating element 2B (2) are connected to each other by an electric cord 18.
The connecting portion of the electrical cords 17; 18 of the PTC heating element 2A; 2B and the output terminal 15; 16 of the control device 3 are connected to each other, and the power plug of the power cord 14 of the control device 3 is connected to the power source portion of the AC power source 19. Connected.
The two PTC heating elements 2A; 2B are installed, for example, under the flooring of the floor.

The control device 3 is activated by a power input, and the processing device executes a control program, thereby controlling on / off of the contacts A; B of the relay switches 12; That is, when the power switch is turned on, power is supplied to the control unit 11 of the control device 3 and the processing device executes the control program, thereby controlling the on / off of the contacts A; B of the relay switches 12; 13 as follows. Timer to be configured.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the contacts A; B of the relay switches 12; 13 are on / off controlled. That means
・ Contact A on and contact B off for 3 minutes → Contact B on and contact A off for 3 minutes → Contact A on and contact B off for 2 minutes → Contact B on and contact A off 2 minutes → contact A is turned on and contact B is turned off for 1 minute → contact A is turned off and contact B is turned off for 1 minute → contacts A and B are both turned on and maintained as they are.

In other words, power supply to the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B is controlled as follows.
-Power supply for PTC heating element 2A 3 minutes-> Power off for 3 minutes-> Power supply for 2 minutes-> Power off for 2 minutes-> Power supply for 1 minute-> Power off for 1 minute-> Power supply continued.
-Power interruption for PTC heating element 2B for 3 minutes-> Power supply for 3 minutes-> Power interruption for 2 minutes-> Power supply for 2 minutes-> Power interruption for 1 minute-> Power supply continued.

  That is, the control device 3 includes power supply control means 20 formed by the control unit 11 and the relay switch 12; 13, and the power supply control means 20 starts from the start of power supply to the PTC heating elements 2A; 2B. Power supply and power interruption are alternately repeated a plurality of times for the PTC heating elements 2A; 2B, and the time spent for one cycle of power supply and power interruption from the start of power supply is gradually shortened.

  According to the control device 3 of the best mode, the time spent for the first power supply to the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B and one cycle of power interruption from the start of the power supply is increased, and the subsequent power supply and Since the time spent for one cycle of power interruption is gradually shortened, the initial temperature rise of the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B can be increased. Moreover, although the initial temperature rise of the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B can be increased, the power consumption of the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B can also be suppressed.

  As in the best mode, the time spent in one cycle of power supply and power interruption from the start of power supply to the PTC heat generator 2A and the PTC heat generator 2B is gradually shortened, that is, time interval variation control (hereinafter, Control example 1) and, as in the prior art, one cycle of power supply and power cut-off to the PTC heating element is repeated with a constant period of power supply time and power cut-off time, that is, time interval equalization control ( Hereinafter, control example 2) was performed and compared.

As Control Example 1, power supply and power interruption were performed on the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B under the following conditions. The temperature change of the PTC heating element 2A in the control example 1 is shown in FIG.
Control example 1
-Power supply for PTC heating element 2A 3 minutes-> Power off for 3 minutes-> Power supply for 2 minutes-> Power off for 2 minutes-> Power supply for 1 minute-> Power off for 1 minute-> Power supply continued.
-Power interruption for PTC heating element 2B for 3 minutes-> Power supply for 3 minutes-> Power interruption for 2 minutes-> Power supply for 2 minutes-> Power interruption for 1 minute-> Power supply continued.

As Control Example 2, power supply and power interruption were performed on the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B under the following conditions. The temperature change of the PTC heating element 2A in this control example 2 is shown in FIG.
Control example 2
-Power supply for PTC heating element 2A 2 minutes-> Power off for 2 minutes-> Power supply for 2 minutes-> Power off for 2 minutes-> Power supply for 2 minutes-> Power off for 2 minutes-> Power supply continued.
-Power interruption for PTC heating element 2B for 2 minutes-> Power supply for 2 minutes-> Power interruption for 2 minutes-> Power supply for 2 minutes-> Power interruption for 2 minutes-> Power supply continued.

As can be seen from FIG. 2: 3, according to the control example 1 which is the best mode, the initial temperature rise of the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B can be increased as compared with the conventional control example 2. In other words, the time from the start of power supply until the final target temperature rise value X is reached can be shortened. For example, as shown in FIG. 2: 3, the time required to reach the final target temperature rise value X of 34.5 ° C. from the start of power supply is 3 minutes in Control Example 1 and 10 minutes in Control Example 2. It is. The power consumption of the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B consumed in 10 minutes from the start of power supply is substantially the same in the control example 1 and the control example 2.
That is, in the control example 1, compared with the control example 2, the initial temperature rise of the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B can be increased. Moreover, in the control example 1, although the initial temperature rise of the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B can be increased, the power consumption of the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B is substantially the same as in the control example 2. In Control Example 1, power consumption can also be suppressed.

Further, as control example 2, when power is supplied to and cut off from the PTC heating element 2A and the PTC heating element 2B under the following conditions, the initial temperature rise of the PTC heating element 2A; 2B is increased as in the control example 1. Although the effect of being able to be increased is the same, the power consumption is increased as compared with Control Example 1.
Control example 2
-Power supply for PTC heating element 2A 3 minutes-> Power off for 3 minutes-> Power supply for 3 minutes-> Power off for 3 minutes-> Power supply for 3 minutes-> Power off for 3 minutes-> Power supply continued.
・ For PTC heating element 2B, power cut off for 3 minutes → power supply for 3 minutes → power cut for 3 minutes → power supply for 3 minutes → power cut for 3 minutes → power supply continued.

  That is, in the control example 2, it is possible to increase the initial temperature rise of the plurality of PTC heating elements 2A and PTC heating elements 2B, and to suppress the power consumption of the plurality of PTC heating elements 2A and PTC heating elements 2B. If one of them is obtained, the other cannot be obtained, but in Control Example 1, both effects can be obtained.

The PTC heating elements 2A; 2B and the control device 3 may be connected wirelessly.
The control device 3 may be configured to be able to control two or more sets of one set of PTC heating elements 2A and PTC heating elements 2B as shown in FIG.
The control device 3 can similarly control heating elements other than the PTC heating element 2. For example, the present invention can also be applied to control of a sheet heating element formed by providing a wire heating element such as a nichrome wire on a substrate.

(A) is a block diagram which shows the floor heating apparatus provided with the control apparatus, (b) is a timing chart (best form) which shows the ON / OFF timing of the contact of a relay switch. The graph which shows the temperature change of the heat generating body in the example 1 of control by a control apparatus (best form). The graph which shows the temperature change of the heat generating body in the example 2 of control by a conventional apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

2 (2A; 2B) PTC heating element (heating element), 3 control device,
15; 16 Output terminal (connection part), 20 Power supply control means.

Claims (2)

  While multiple heating elements are connected and power is supplied to one heating element, power to other heating elements is cut off, and power supply and power interruption are alternately performed for each heating element. In the control device for a heating element that repeats a plurality of times, it is provided with power supply control means for gradually shortening the time spent for one cycle of power supply to the heating element and power interruption from the start of power supply to the heating element. Control device for heating element.   2. The heating element control device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is a heating element having a positive resistance temperature coefficient characteristic.

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