JP2012189227A - Cogeneration system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cogeneration system for preventing reduction in energy-saving effect and a method of controlling the same.SOLUTION: A fuel cell system 1 includes a fuel cell unit 10 for generating electric power and heat, a hot water storage unit 20 for storing water heated by the heat generated in the fuel cell unit 10, and a controller 30 for controlling the hot water storage unit 20 to supply a predetermined facility M with electric power and water. The controller 30 acquires information on the estimated bath time of a user of the facility M and estimated amount of hot-water to be used during taking a bath, and calculates a hot water supply time required for supplying the estimated amount of hot-water into the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20. The controller 30 supplies hot water from the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20 to the hot water utilization facility B of the facility M at a time earlier by at least the hot water supply time than the estimated bath time.

Description

  The present invention relates to a cogeneration system that supplies electric power and hot water to a predetermined facility.

  As a conventional cogeneration system, it has a power generation unit that generates electric power and heat, and a hot water storage unit that stores hot water heated by the heat generated by the power generation unit, and the hot water stored in the hot water storage unit is used for hot water supply and heating equipment. What is used is known (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-064753 A

  In the conventional cogeneration system as described above, for example, when hot water is supplied from a hot water storage unit to a bathtub of a facility to which power is distributed and then filled, then the hot water storage unit stores the hot water in advance. The amount of hot water provided is not sufficient, and it is necessary to separately generate hot water using a hot water heater or the like. As a result, the energy saving effect is reduced in the conventional fuel cell system.

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to provide the cogeneration system which can suppress reduction of an energy saving effect.

  In order to solve the above problems, a cogeneration system according to the present invention is a cogeneration system that supplies electric power and hot water to a predetermined facility, and includes a power generation unit that generates electric power and heat, and heat generated by the power generation unit. A hot water storage unit for storing warm hot water, and a control unit for controlling at least the hot water storage unit, the control unit being used when bathing, information indicating an expected bathing time when a user of the facility is expected to bathe In addition to obtaining information indicating the expected hot water usage, calculate the hot water storage time required to store the expected hot water usage in the hot water storage unit, and at a predetermined time that is at least a hot water storage time after the expected bathing time. The hot water is supplied to a bathtub in a predetermined facility.

  This cogeneration system supplies hot water from a hot water storage unit to a bathtub at a time that is at least a hot water storage time after the expected bathing time. For this reason, at the scheduled bathing time when hot water is actually used, the hot water filling to the bathtub is completed, and a sufficient amount of hot water is stored in the hot water storage unit. Therefore, when hot water is used during bathing, hot water does not easily run out, and the amount of hot water separately generated by a hot water heater or the like can be reduced. As a result, a reduction in energy saving effect can be suppressed.

  In the cogeneration system according to the present invention, the cogeneration system further comprises selection receiving means for accepting selection from the user as to whether or not to operate the cogeneration system in the energy saving mode, and the control unit operates the cogeneration system in the energy saving mode. When the selection accepting means accepts the selection to do, it obtains information indicating the expected bathing time and information indicating the expected amount of hot water used, calculates hot water storage time, and supplies hot water from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub at a predetermined time. It is preferable. In this case, the user can select whether or not to operate the cogeneration system in the energy saving mode.

  Moreover, in the cogeneration system which concerns on this invention, the control part can acquire at least one of the information which shows bathing assumption time, and the information which shows use amount of hot water based on a user's past bathing performance. In this case, it is not necessary for the user to set the expected bathing time and the expected hot water usage each time.

  Alternatively, in the cogeneration system according to the present invention, a first input that receives at least one input of information indicating an expected bathing time and information indicating an assumed hot water usage amount from the user and transmits the received information to the control unit. An input receiving unit is further provided, and the control unit can acquire at least one of information indicating an expected bathing time and information indicating an assumed amount of hot water to be used by receiving from the first input receiving unit. In this case, the expected bathing time and the expected amount of hot water to be used can be set as desired by the user.

  In the cogeneration system according to the present invention, the control unit further acquires information indicating an assumed temperature assumed to be set when the user takes a bath, and the hot water supplied to the bathtub is assumed to be the assumed bathing time. It is preferable to supply hot water having a temperature higher than the assumed temperature from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub so as to reach the temperature. In this case, since it is difficult to require additional cooking at the expected bathing time, it is possible to further suppress the energy saving effect.

  Moreover, in the cogeneration system which concerns on this invention, the control part can acquire the information which shows assumption temperature based on a user's past bathing performance. In this case, the user does not need to set the assumed temperature each time.

  Alternatively, in the cogeneration system according to the present invention, the control unit further includes a second input receiving unit that receives input of information indicating the assumed temperature from the user and transmits the received information to the control unit. Information indicating the assumed temperature can be acquired by receiving the information from the second input receiving unit. In this case, the assumed temperature can be set as desired by the user.

  Further, in the cogeneration system according to the present invention, the control unit provides the user with information for prompting the user to confirm that the drain plug of the bathtub is closed before supplying hot water to the bathtub. It is preferable to provide. In this case, hot water can be prevented from being supplied to the bathtub from the hot water storage unit in a state where the drain plug of the bathtub is not closed.

  Furthermore, in the cogeneration system according to the present invention, when the hot water is supplied from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub, the control unit notifies the user to that effect, or the hot water supply from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub is completed. It is preferable to notify the user to that effect. In this case, the user can recognize that hot water is being supplied from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub or that the supply of hot water from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub has been completed.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the cogeneration system which can suppress reduction of an energy saving effect can be provided.

It is a lineblock diagram showing a 1st embodiment of a cogeneration system concerning the present invention. 2 is a flowchart showing a control method of the fuel cell system shown in FIG. 1. It is a graph which shows the weighting coefficient used with the control part shown by FIG. It is a graph which shows the time change of the heat storage amount of a hot water tank. It is a block diagram which shows 2nd Embodiment of the cogeneration system which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control method of the fuel cell system shown by FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another control method of the fuel cell system shown in FIG. 5.

Hereinafter, a fuel cell system as a preferred embodiment of a cogeneration system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each figure, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same or an equivalent part, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.
[First Embodiment]

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell system 1 includes a fuel cell unit (power generation unit) 10 that generates electric power and heat, a hot water storage unit 20 that stores hot water heated by the heat generated by the fuel cell unit 10, and And a control unit 30 for controlling the hot water storage unit 20. Such a fuel cell system 1 supplies electric power and hot water to a predetermined facility M.

  The fuel cell unit 10 includes a reformer 12 and a fuel cell stack 14. The reformer 12 has a reformer (not shown) having a reforming catalyst and a heating device (such as a burner) (not shown) for heating the reforming catalyst, and is heated by the heating device. The reformed catalyst is used to reform the raw fuel and water to generate reformed gas. The reformer 11 supplies the generated reformed gas to the fuel cell stack 14.

  The raw fuel is introduced into the reformer 12 after the sulfur content is removed in a desulfurizer (not shown). As the raw fuel, a hydrocarbon gas fuel such as natural gas, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), city gas, or a hydrocarbon liquid fuel such as kerosene can be used.

  The fuel cell stack 14 is formed by stacking a plurality of layers of cells called PEFC (Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell), for example. Each cell is configured by disposing an electrolyte, which is a polymer film, between a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode. In the fuel cell stack 14, the reformed gas generated by the reformer 12 is introduced to the fuel electrode side, and an oxygen-containing gas (for example, air or pure oxygen) is introduced to the oxidant electrode side.

  Thus, the fuel cell stack 14 generates power using the reformed gas and the oxygen-containing gas, and supplies the obtained power to the facility M via a power conditioner (not shown) or the like. The off-gas of the reformed gas introduced to the fuel electrode side of the fuel cell stack 14 is supplied to the burner of the reformer 12 and reused.

  The hot water storage unit 20 has a hot water storage tank 22. The hot water tank 22 stores water for recovering heat generated in the fuel cell unit 10. The hot water storage tank 22 can have a capacity of, for example, 137L or 200L. In the hot water tank 22, a circulation line 24 for circulating the water stored in the hot water tank 22 and a water introduction line 25 for introducing water (for example, tap water) from the bottom of the hot water tank 22 into the hot water tank 22. And are connected. The circulation line 24 has one end connected to the bottom of the hot water tank 22 and the other end connected to the top of the hot water tank 22.

  The circulation line 24 is provided with a heat exchange unit 26 for heating the water by heat exchange between the heat generated in the reformer 12 and the fuel cell stack 14 and the water flowing through the circulation line 24. . Therefore, the water discharged from the bottom of the hot water tank 22 is warmed by the heat exchanging part 26 when flowing through the circulation line 24 and introduced as hot water into the top of the hot water tank 22. The hot water introduced into the top of the hot water storage tank 22 is led out from the top of the hot water storage tank 22 as it is pushed out by the introduction of new water into the bottom of the hot water storage tank 22 through the water introduction line 25. . At this time, the temperature of the water introduced from the water introduction line 25 into the hot water storage tank 22 is lower than that of the hot water heated by the heat exchange unit 26.

  As a result, hot water having a relatively high temperature is stored in the top (upper part) of the hot water tank 22, and water having a relatively low temperature is stored in the lower part (lower part) of the hot water tank 22. In addition, when all the water stored in the hot water storage tank 22 reaches a maximum temperature (for example, 65 ° C.) that can be raised by the heat exchanging unit 26, a so-called full storage state in which no more heat can be stored is obtained.

  The control part 30 acquires the information which shows the bathing assumption time assumed that the user of the facility M bathes, and the information which shows the use amount of hot water assumed to be used at the time of the bathing. Moreover, the control part 30 calculates the hot water storage time required in order to store the use hot water volume. Then, the control unit 30 forcibly supplies hot water from the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B at a predetermined time at least by the hot water storage time from the expected bathing time.

  As described above, the control unit 30 acquires information indicating the estimated bathing time and the amount of hot water to be used, calculates the hot water storage time, and stores the hot water stored in the hot water storage unit 20 at a predetermined time that is at least back from the expected bathing time. A mode in which hot water is forcibly supplied from the tub 22 to the bathtub B to fill the hot water is referred to as an energy saving mode.

  The control unit 30 is configured as a computer system having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an input / output port, and the like, and performs control processing of the hot water storage unit 20 as described above when the CPU executes a predetermined program. .

  Next, a control method of the fuel cell system 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, first, the control unit 30 acquires information indicating an expected bathing time at which the user of the facility M is expected to bathe (step S1).

  Information indicating the expected bathing time can be acquired (by a so-called learning function) based on the past bathing performance of the user of the facility M. In this case, the control unit 30 calculates the expected bathing time based on data obtained by multiplying data indicating the time when the user of the facility M bathed in the past with a predetermined weighting factor.

  The weighting factor can be set as shown in the table of FIG. 3, for example. As shown in FIG. 3, the weighting factor for the data indicating the time when the user took a bath one day before the day on which the control is performed (implementation date) is “8”. The weighting factor for the data indicating the bathing time is “6”. In this way, the weighting factor increases as it approaches the implementation date. This is because the daily schedule of users closer to the implementation date is often closer to the daily schedule of users on the implementation date, so the data closer to the implementation date is more accurate. This is because it is considered to be data.

  On the other hand, the weighting factor for the data indicating the time when the user took a bath seven days before the implementation date is a large value of “10”. This is because the user's daily schedule is generally determined for each day of the week, and therefore, data seven days before, which is the same day as the implementation date, is considered to be more accurate data. Similarly, the weighting factors for 14 days and 21 days before are also relatively large values. By setting the weighting coefficient in this way, it is possible to obtain an expected bathing time that meets the user's wishes.

  Then, the control part 30 acquires the information which shows the use amount of hot water assumed to be used at the time of bathing (step S2). The expected amount of hot water used includes, for example, the amount of hot water used in a shower, the amount of hot water used for additional hot water filling, and the amount of hot water used for an application (such as cooking) different from bathing.

  Then, the control part 30 acquires the information which shows the assumed temperature assumed to be set when a user bathes (step S3). These steps S1 to S3 may be executed in any order.

  Subsequently, the control unit 30 calculates the hot water storage time necessary for storing the assumed hot water usage acquired in step S3 in the hot water storage tank 22 (step S4). The hot water storage time can be calculated as follows, for example.

  That is, assuming that the power generation amount of the fuel cell stack 14 is 1892 W and 945 W, which is about half of the power generation amount, can be recovered as waste heat, about 0.5417 L of 40 ° C. hot water is stored per minute. Therefore, for example, if the assumed temperature is 40 ° C. and the assumed amount of hot water used is 137 L, the assumed hot water amount is stored in the hot water storage tank 22 in about 252.9 minutes, that is, about 4.2 hours. Approximately 4.2 hours.

  Subsequently, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the current time is a time (hot water supply start time) at which hot water supply from the hot water tank 22 to the bathtub B is started (step S5). The hot water supply start time is a predetermined time that is at least retroactive from the estimated bathing time acquired in step S2 by the hot water storage time calculated in step S4. Specifically, for example, when the expected bathing time is 21:00 and the hot water storage time is 4 hours, the hot water supply start time can be 17:00, 4 hours later from 21:00.

  As a result of the determination in step S5, if the current time is not the hot water supply start time, the determination in step S5 is repeated at a predetermined time interval. On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S5, when the current time is approximately the hot water supply start time, the control unit 30 forcibly supplies hot water from the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B and performs hot water filling. (Step S6). At this time, hot water having a temperature higher than the assumed temperature is set so that the hot water supplied to the bathtub B is approximately at the assumed temperature at the expected bathing time (that is, in anticipation of the amount of cooling before the expected bathing time). Supply to B.

  Next, changes in the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage tank 22 and the hot water storage layer (hereinafter referred to as hot water storage layer A) of the conventional fuel cell system will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the capacities of the hot water tank 22 and the hot water tank A are 137L. As shown in FIG. 4, when the operation of the fuel cell system 1 and the conventional fuel cell system is started, the amount of heat stored in the hot water tank 22 and the hot water tank A (the amount of stored hot water) gradually increases. To go. And when the heat demand (demand of hot water) generate | occur | produces in the facility M at the time T1, the heat storage amount of the hot water storage tank 22 and the hot water storage tank A will once reduce.

  Thereafter, when the demand for heat at the facility M disappears, the amount of heat stored in the hot water tank 22 and the hot water tank A rises again. In the fuel cell system 1, hot water is supplied from the hot water storage tank 22 to the bathtub B of the facility M at time T2, which is the hot water supply start time, and the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage tank 22 decreases. On the other hand, in the conventional fuel cell system, since hot water is not supplied at this time T2, the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage tank A rises as it is.

  Thereafter, at time T3, the hot water storage layer A is in a fully stored state where heat cannot be stored any more. After that, when the user of the facility M starts bathing at time T4, which is the expected bathing time, a large heat demand is generated in the facility M, and the heat storage amounts of the hot water storage tank 22 and the hot water storage tank A are rapidly reduced.

  At this time, in the fuel cell system of the comparative example, the amount of heat corresponding to the hot water for filling the bathtub B and the hot water used for other purposes is required. It is zero at time T5 (hot water out of hot water tank A has occurred).

  On the other hand, in the fuel cell system 1, since the hot water filling of the bathtub B has already been completed, the decrease in the amount of heat stored in the hot water storage tank 22 is only the amount of hot water used for purposes other than the hot water filling. In addition, since a sufficient amount of heat is stored in the hot water storage tank 22 between the times T2 and T4, the heat storage amount of the hot water storage tank 22 is not zero (no hot water out of the hot water storage tank 22 has occurred). .

  As described above, in the fuel cell system 1 according to the present embodiment, the control unit 30 supplies hot water from the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B at the hot water supply start time that goes back at least by the hot water storage time from the expected bathing time. Supply and fill with water. For this reason, at the scheduled bathing time when hot water is actually used, hot water filling to the bathtub B is completed, and a sufficient amount of hot water is stored in the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20. Therefore, when the user of the facility M uses hot water at the time of bathing, it is difficult for the hot water storage tank 22 to run out, and the amount of hot water separately generated by a hot water heater (not shown) or the like can be reduced. As a result, a reduction in energy saving effect can be suppressed.

  In the fuel cell system 1, the control unit 30 forcibly supplies hot water in the hot water storage tank 22 to the bathtub B and cold water to the hot water storage tank 22 at the hot water supply start time that is back by the hot water storage time from the bathing start time. As a result, the amount of heat stored in the hot water tank 22 decreases. For this reason, according to the fuel cell system 1, even if it is the hot water storage tank 22 of a capacity | capacitance small compared with the conventional fuel cell system, the frequency which becomes full storage can be suppressed low. As a result, in addition to improving the energy saving effect, the hot water storage tank 22 can be downsized.

  Furthermore, in the fuel cell system 1, the control unit 30 supplies hot water having a temperature higher than the assumed temperature to the bathtub B so that the hot water supplied to the bathtub B reaches the assumed temperature at the expected bathing time. Even if the temperature of the hot water in the bathtub B falls between the time and the scheduled bathing time, there is no need for additional cooking, and therefore the energy saving effect can be further suppressed.

In addition, the control part 30 can be acquired also about the information which shows use amount of hot water and assumption temperature based on the past bathing performance of the user of the facility M similarly to the information which shows bathing assumption time.
[Second Embodiment]

  As shown in FIG. 5, the fuel cell system 1A is a remote control (selection accepting means, first input accepting means, Second input receiving means) 40 is further provided.

  The remote controller 40 receives a selection as to whether or not to operate the fuel cell system 1 </ b> A in the energy saving mode from a user of the facility M, and transmits information indicating a result of the selection to the control unit 30. In addition, the remote controller 40 receives input of information indicating the expected bathing time, information indicating the estimated amount of hot water to be used, and information indicating the estimated temperature from the user of the facility M, as necessary, and the control unit 30 receives the received information. Send to.

  Next, a control method of the fuel cell system 1A will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, first, the remote controller 40 accepts a selection as to whether or not to operate the fuel cell system 1 </ b> A in the energy saving mode from the user of the facility M, and sends information indicating the result of the selection to the control unit 30. Transmit (step S11).

  Subsequently, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the user of the facility M has selected the operation of the fuel cell system 1A in the energy saving mode based on the information transmitted from the remote controller 40 (step S12).

  As a result of the determination in step S12, when the user of the facility M selects the operation of the fuel cell system 1A in the energy saving mode, the control unit 30 confirms that the drain plug of the bathtub B is closed. Information for prompting the user is provided to the user of the facility M through the remote controller 40 (step S13).

  The provision of this information may be performed, for example, by displaying a message for prompting the user of the facility M to confirm that the drain plug of the bathtub B is closed on the display screen of the remote control 40, The sound indicating the message may be played from the speaker of the remote control 40, or may be performed by playing a predetermined electronic sound or music from the speaker of the remote control 40.

  Then, the control part 30 acquires the information which shows the bathing assumption time which the user of the plant | facility M assumes bathing similarly to step S1 (step S14). Then, the information which shows the use hot water volume assumed to be used at the time of bathing is acquired (step S15), and the information which shows the assumed temperature assumed to be set when a user bathes is acquired (step S16). . These steps S14 to S16 may be executed in any order.

  Subsequently, similarly to step S4, the control unit 30 calculates the hot water storage time required for storing the assumed hot water usage acquired in step S15 in the hot water storage tank 22 (step S17).

  Subsequently, similarly to step S5, control unit 30 determines whether or not the current time is the hot water supply start time (step S18). As a result of this determination, if the current time is not the hot water supply start time, this determination is repeated at predetermined time intervals.

  On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S18 is that the current time is approximately the hot water supply start time, the controller 30 forcibly supplies hot water from the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B, as in step S6. Then, hot water filling is performed (step S19).

  At this time, the controller 30 notifies the user of the facility M via the remote controller 40 that hot water is being supplied from the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B (step S20). This notification may be performed by displaying on the display screen of the remote controller 40 a message indicating that hot water is being supplied from the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B (for example, “forced hot water supply”). The sound indicating the message may be played from the speaker of the remote controller 40, or may be performed by playing a predetermined electronic sound or music from the speaker of the remote controller 40.

  On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S12, when the user of the facility M does not select the operation of the fuel cell system 1A in the energy saving mode, the process is terminated.

  Next, another control method of the fuel cell system 1A will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, first, the remote controller 40 receives input of information indicating the expected bathing time from the user of the facility M, and transmits the received information to the control unit 30 (step S31). That is, when the user of the facility M inputs the time at which he / she wants to take a bath to the remote controller 40, the inputted information is transmitted to the control unit 30 to make a reservation for bathing.

  Subsequently, as in step S <b> 13, the control unit 30 transmits information for prompting the user of the facility M to confirm that the drain plug of the bathtub B is closed via the remote controller 40. (Step S32).

  Subsequently, the control unit 30 receives information from the remote controller 40, thereby acquiring information indicating the expected bathing time (that is, acquiring information indicating the expected bathing time by user input) (step S33). . Subsequently, information indicating the assumed hot water usage is acquired (step S34), and information indicating the assumed temperature is acquired (step S35).

  Here, the control unit 30 may acquire the information indicating the assumed hot water volume and the estimated temperature by the learning function or by receiving from the remote controller 40 that has received an input from the user of the facility M. Also good.

  Subsequently, the control unit 30 calculates hot water storage time in the same manner as in step S17 (step S36), and determines whether or not the current time is the hot water supply start time as in step S18 (step S37). As a result of this determination, if the current time is not the hot water supply start time, this determination is repeated at predetermined time intervals.

  On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S37 is that the current time is approximately the hot water supply start time, the controller 30 forcibly supplies hot water from the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B as in step S19. Then, hot water filling is performed (step S38). At this time, the control unit 30 notifies the user of the facility M via the remote controller 40 that hot water is being supplied from the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B as in step S20. (Step S39).

  As described above, according to the fuel cell system 1A according to the present embodiment, the user of the facility M can select whether or not to operate the fuel cell system 1A in the energy saving mode via the remote controller 40. it can. Alternatively, according to the fuel cell system 1 </ b> A according to the present embodiment, the user of the facility M can make a reservation for bathing via the remote controller 40.

  In addition, according to the fuel cell system 1A, when the operation in the energy saving mode is selected and when a bathing reservation is made, it is confirmed that the drain plug of the bathtub B is closed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent hot water from being supplied from the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B in a state where the drain plug of the bathtub B is not closed.

  Note that the fuel cell system 1A may notify the user of the facility M when supply of hot water from the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B is completed (when hot water filling is completed). This notification may be performed by displaying on the display screen of the remote controller 40 a message indicating that the hot water filling of the bathtub B has been completed, or by performing a sound indicating the message from the speaker of the remote controller 40. Alternatively, a predetermined electronic sound or music may be played from the speaker of the remote controller 40.

  Further, in the fuel cell system 1A, the remote controller 40 can be an arbitrary multifunction terminal capable of wireless communication with the control unit 30, for example.

  As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to each embodiment mentioned above. For example, in each of the embodiments described above, PEFC is used as the fuel cell. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cells) can also be used.

  In addition, the control unit 30 uses the facility M to confirm that the drain plug of the bathtub B is closed at an arbitrary timing before supplying hot water from the hot water storage tank 22 of the hot water storage unit 20 to the bathtub B of the facility M. Information for prompting the user can be provided to the user of the facility M.

  Moreover, the control part 30 sets it as the aspect which acquires at least one of the information which shows bathing assumption time, the information which shows the amount of assumed hot water used, and the information which shows assumption temperature based on a user's past bathing performance. Can do. Or the control part 30 can be set as the aspect which acquires by receiving at least one of the information which shows bathing assumption time, the information which shows use amount of hot water used, and the information which shows assumption temperature from the remote control 40.

  Moreover, this invention is applicable not only to a fuel cell system but to the whole cogeneration system which has a hot water storage tank.

  Further, “start” and “end” in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7 respectively indicate the start and end of a series of processes shown in the respective drawings, and the start and end of the fuel cell system 1 and the fuel cell system 1A. It does not indicate a stop.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1A ... Fuel cell system, 10 ... Fuel cell unit, 20 ... Hot water storage unit, 30 ... Control part, 40 ... Remote control.

Claims (10)

A cogeneration system that supplies power and hot water to a predetermined facility,
A power generation unit for generating electric power and heat;
A hot water storage unit for storing hot water heated by the heat generated by the power generation unit;
A control unit for controlling at least the hot water storage unit,
The control unit obtains information indicating an expected bathing time when a user of the facility is expected to bathe, and information indicating an assumed hot water amount assumed to be used at the time of bathing. Hot water storage time required for storing in the hot water storage unit is calculated, and hot water is supplied from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub of the predetermined facility at a predetermined time that is at least as far as the hot water storage time from the expected bathing time. Cogeneration system. A selection receiving means for receiving from the user a selection as to whether or not to operate the cogeneration system in an energy saving mode;
When the selection accepting unit accepts the selection of operating the cogeneration system in the energy saving mode, the control unit obtains information indicating the expected bathing time and information indicating the assumed hot water use amount, and the hot water storage time. The cogeneration system according to claim 1, wherein hot water is supplied from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub at the predetermined time.   The said control part acquires at least one of the information which shows the said bathing assumption time, and the information which shows the said use hot water volume based on the past bathing performance of the said user, The Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. Cogeneration system. A first input receiving means for receiving from the user at least one input of information indicating the expected bathing time and information indicating the estimated amount of hot water used, and further transmitting the received information to the control unit;
The said control part is acquired by receiving at least one of the information which shows the said bathing assumption time, and the information which shows the said estimated amount of hot water to be used from the said 1st input reception means, The characterized by the above-mentioned. Cogeneration system described in 1.   The control unit further acquires information indicating an assumed temperature assumed to be set when the user takes a bath, and the hot water supplied to the bathtub becomes the assumed temperature at the assumed bathing time. The cogeneration system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein hot water having a temperature higher than an assumed temperature is supplied from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub.   The said control part acquires the information which shows the said estimated temperature based on the past bathing result of the said user, The cogeneration system of Claim 5 characterized by the above-mentioned. A second input receiving means for receiving an input of information indicating the assumed temperature from the user and transmitting the received information to the control unit;
The cogeneration system according to claim 5, wherein the control unit acquires information indicating the assumed temperature by receiving the information from the second input receiving unit.   The control unit provides the user with information for prompting the user to confirm that the drain plug of the bathtub is closed before supplying hot water to the bathtub. The cogeneration system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.   The cogeneration system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein when the hot water is supplied from the hot water storage unit to the bathtub, the control unit notifies the user to that effect. .   The said control part alert | reports that to the said user, when supply of the hot water from the said hot water storage unit to the said bathtub is completed, The cogeneration as described in any one of Claims 1-9 characterized by the above-mentioned. system.

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