JP2017141771A - Feed water device and control method of feed water device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To propose a feed water device and a control method of the feed water device with a high energy efficiency and capable of maintaining the pressure of a faucet by avoiding the cut-off of water.SOLUTION: A feed water device comprises: a pump for transferring water; a first pressure sensor; a second pressure sensor; and a control part. The first pressure sensor detects the discharge side pressure of the pump, and the second pressure sensor detects a feed water pressure supplied to a water supply target. The control part includes a first control mode and a second control mode as a pump operation control mode. During the first control mode, the control part controls the pump so that the discharge side pressure becomes a first target pressure on the target pressure control curve based on the discharge side pressure from the first pressure sensor. Also during the second control mode, the control part controls the pump so that the feed water pressure becomes a second target pressure different from the first target pressure based on the feed water pressure from the second pressure sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a water supply apparatus and a control method for the water supply apparatus.

  A water supply device is widely used to supply tap water to buildings such as a detached house, a condominium, an office building, a commercial facility, or a school. This water supply apparatus generally has a pump for transferring water and a control unit for controlling the operation of the pump. For example, in a water supply device capable of inverter control, the control unit controls the number of revolutions of the pump according to the use state of tap water, and in a water supply device that does not perform inverter control, the pump is stopped according to the use of water. To control.

  As a control of the water supply device, there is one that controls the operation of the pump so that the water pressure at the faucet (for example, faucet) of the building is maintained at a predetermined pressure. Specifically, a pressure sensor is provided near the terminal faucet of the building, and based on the terminal pressure detected by the pressure sensor, the terminal pressure constant control is performed to control the pump so that the terminal pressure is maintained at a predetermined pressure. It is known (see Patent Document 1). In addition, there has been proposed a system in which a pressure sensor and an elevated water tank are provided at the uppermost portion of the discharge pipe to control the operation of the pump (see Patent Document 2). In these water supply devices, since the pump and the control unit and the pressure sensor are provided at positions apart from each other, especially when the building is large and the pipe line is long, the equipment cost and the maintenance cost of the signal line between the pressure sensor and the control unit are high. Will become bigger.

  Therefore, in recent years, a pressure sensor is provided at the discharge part of the pump, and the estimated terminal pressure constant control for controlling the operation of the pump is performed by estimating the pressure at the terminal faucet based on the discharge side pressure detected by the pressure sensor. (See Patent Document 3). In this water supply device, the pump discharge side pressure (hereinafter referred to as PA) at the maximum flow rate at which the maximum amount of water is used in all hydrants in the building and the deadline in which water is not used in all the hydrants in the building. The discharge side pressure (hereinafter referred to as PB) of the pump during operation is stored in the storage unit. The control unit sets a target pressure control curve for the pump based on PA and PB. And a control part changes the target pressure of a pump according to the resistance loss in the water supply pipe | tube in a building using this target pressure control curve, and controls the pressure in a terminal water tap uniformly. Here, since it is difficult to accurately determine the PA and PB of the building by hydraulic calculation, in general, the PA and PB have a certain margin so that water can be supplied with sufficient pressure to all the faucets in the building. Set to a value. Further, in order to accurately determine PA and PB, a water supply apparatus that actually measures the terminal pressure in the setting mode operation and corrects the target pressure control curve has been proposed (see Patent Document 4).

JP-A 62-197679 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-49690 International Publication No. 2012/099242 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-9148

Estimated terminal pressure constant control is particularly effective for energy saving in schools and event facilities where there is a large difference in the amount of water used at the hydrant over time. On the other hand, constant terminal pressure constant control gives PA and PB a margin in order to avoid insufficient water pressure at the faucet, so that the pump is operated at a large rotational speed, and energy efficiency is accordingly reduced. . Further, as described in Patent Document 4, in order to actually measure PA and PB in the setting mode operation, a large amount of water must be discharged in order to open each water tap in order to the maximum water amount.

  The terminal pressure constant control can be expected to save more energy than the estimated terminal pressure constant control. However, as described above, in the terminal pressure constant control, since the pump and the control unit and the pressure sensor are provided at positions separated from each other, the signal from the pressure sensor is compared with the case where the pressure sensor is provided at the discharge part of the pump. Is not input to the control unit, and disconnection, short circuit, and the like are likely to occur, and noise is easily applied to the pressure sensor signal wiring from a device that is a noise source in the building. If the signal from the pressure sensor is not input to the control unit, it is impossible to perform the terminal pressure constant control. However, the water supply device is an important infrastructure that supports the lives of residents such as buildings, and water outage should be avoided as much as possible.

  This invention is made in view of the situation mentioned above, and it aims at proposing the control method of a water supply apparatus with high energy efficiency while being able to maintain the pressure of a terminal water faucet avoiding a water stop, and a water supply apparatus. To do.

(Means 1)
The water supply apparatus which supplies water to the water supply object in this invention is provided with the pump which transfers water, a 1st pressure sensor, a 2nd pressure sensor, and a control part. The first pressure sensor is provided in a discharge part of the pump and detects a discharge side pressure of the pump. A 2nd pressure sensor is provided in the terminal water supply object, and detects the water supply pressure supplied to the terminal water supply object. The control unit has a first control mode and a second control mode as pump operation control modes. Then, when the operation control mode of the pump is the first control mode, the control unit makes the discharge side pressure become the first target pressure on the target pressure control curve based on the discharge side pressure from the first pressure sensor. Set the number of revolutions of the pump to control the pump. In addition, when the operation control mode of the pump is the second control mode, the control unit pumps the water supply pressure to be a second target pressure different from the first target pressure based on the water supply pressure from the second pressure sensor. The number of rotations is set to control the pump.

  With this configuration, the water supply device of the present invention controls the operation of the pump based on the discharge pressure of the pump from the first pressure sensor or the supply water pressure supplied to the water supply target from the second pressure sensor. For this reason, while being able to maintain the pressure of the terminal water tap of water supply object, energy efficiency can be made high. In particular, energy efficiency can be increased by controlling the operation of the pump based on the feed water pressure from the second pressure sensor. In addition, when an abnormality occurs in the first pressure sensor or the second pressure sensor, it is only necessary to control the operation of the pump based on the normal pressure sensor, so that water cutoff can be avoided.

(Means 2)
The water supply device of the means 1 may further include a switch that can be operated by the operator, and the control unit may set the operation control mode of the pump according to the operation of the switch.
In this way, the operator can set the operation control of the pump by operating the switch.

(Means 3)
In the water supply device of means 1 or 2, the control unit includes a storage unit that stores setting information related to the pump control set by the operator, and sets the operation control mode of the pump based on the setting information stored in the storage unit. It may be set.
By doing so, the operator can set the operation control mode of the pump by changing the setting information stored in the storage unit.

(Means 4)
In any one of the water supply apparatuses 1 to 3, the control unit determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor, and determines that an abnormality has occurred in the first pressure sensor. In this case, the pump operation control mode may be set to the second control mode, and when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the second pressure sensor, the pump operation control mode may be set to the first control mode.
In this way, even if an abnormality occurs in one of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor, the pump can be controlled based on the normal pressure sensor, and the water supply target can be avoided from being cut off.

(Means 5)
In any one of the water supply apparatuses 1 to 4, either one of the discharge side pressure from the first pressure sensor and the water supply pressure from the second pressure sensor may be input to the control unit. The control unit sets the operation control mode of the pump to the first control mode when the discharge-side pressure from the first pressure sensor is input to the control unit, and the feed water pressure from the second pressure sensor is supplied to the control unit. When input, the operation control mode of the pump may be set to the second control mode.
In this way, the pressure input to the control unit can be made one, and the present invention can be applied even when the input of the control unit is limited.

(Means 6)
The water supply apparatus according to any one of the means 1 to 5 may further include a display unit that displays information related to pump control.

(Means 7)
The water supply apparatus according to any one of the means 1 to 6 may further include a communication unit configured to transmit information related to pump control to an external display.

(Means 8)
In the water supply device of the means 7, the communication unit may be an antenna unit that receives radio waves from an external display and converts the radio waves into electric power.

(Means 9)
In the water supply apparatus according to the means 7 or 8, the communication unit may transmit information to the external display device by near field communication (NFC).

(Means 10)
Another water supply apparatus in the present invention includes a pump that transfers water, a first pressure sensor, and a control unit that controls the pump. The first pressure sensor is provided in a discharge part of the pump and detects a discharge side pressure of the pump. A control part acquires the discharge pressure of a pump from a 1st pressure sensor, and acquires the water supply pressure supplied to a water supply object from the 2nd pressure sensor provided in the water supply object. Further, the control unit has a first control mode and a second control mode as pump operation control modes. Then, when the operation control mode of the pump is the first control mode, the control unit makes the discharge side pressure become the first target pressure on the target pressure control curve based on the discharge side pressure from the first pressure sensor. Set the number of revolutions of the pump to control the pump. In addition, when the operation control mode of the pump is the second control mode, the control unit pumps the water supply pressure to be a second target pressure different from the first target pressure based on the water supply pressure from the second pressure sensor. The number of rotations is set to control the pump.
Even in such a configuration, the same effect as the above water supply device can be obtained.

(Means 11)
The control method of the water supply apparatus of this invention is a control method of the water supply apparatus which is equipped with the pump which transfers water and supplies water to a water supply object. This control method includes a step of detecting at least one of a discharge side pressure of the pump and a supply water pressure supplied to the supply target. The operation control mode of the pump is set to one of the first control mode and the second control mode. When the operation control mode of the pump is the first control mode, the number of revolutions of the pump is set based on the detected discharge side pressure so that the discharge side pressure becomes the first target pressure on the target pressure control curve. When the pump is controlled and the operation control mode of the pump is the second control mode, the rotation speed of the pump is set based on the detected feed water pressure so that the feed water pressure becomes a second target pressure different from the first target pressure. And controlling the pump.
With this configuration, the method for controlling the water supply apparatus of the present invention can achieve the same effects as the water supply apparatus of the present invention.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the water supply apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of a control mode switching process. It is a schematic diagram which shows the water supply apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the control part and external display of a 1st modification. It is a figure which shows the control part and external display of a 2nd modification.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a water supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This water supply device is a device for supplying tap water mainly to a building (water supply target) such as a detached house, a condominium, an office building, a commercial facility, or a school. As shown in FIG. 1, the suction port of the water supply apparatus 100 is connected to a water pipe (water main pipe) 4 or a water receiving tank (not shown) through an introduction pipe 5. A water supply pipe 7 is connected to the discharge port of the water supply apparatus 100, and the water supply pipe 7 communicates with a water tap (for example, a faucet) 10 of each building. The water supply apparatus 100 increases the pressure of water from the water pipe (or water receiving tank) and supplies the water to the water taps 10 of the building.

  The water supply apparatus 100 includes a pump 2, a motor 3 as a drive source for driving the pump 2, and an inverter 20 as a drive apparatus for driving the motor 3 at a variable speed. Further, the water supply apparatus 100 includes a check valve 22, a flow switch 24, a pressure sensor 26, and a pressure tank 28 on the discharge side (downstream side) of the pump 2.

  Between the introduction pipe 5 and the water supply pipe 7, a bypass pipe 8 for supplying water only by the pressure of the water pipe 4 is provided, and the bypass pipe 8 is provided with a check valve 23. In the example shown in FIG. 1, two sets of the pump 2, the motor 3, the check valve 22, and the flow switch 24 are provided, and these are provided in parallel. One set, or three or more sets of pump 2, motor 3, check valve 22, and flow switch 24 may be provided. By providing a plurality of pumps 2, when some of the pumps 2 cannot be operated, water supply is continued with other operable pumps 2 so as to avoid water interruption as much as possible.

  The backflow prevention device 25 is provided in the introduction pipe 5 connected to the suction port of the water supply device 100 and prevents the backflow of water from the water supply device 100 to the water pipe 4. A pressure sensor 21 is provided on the upstream side of the backflow prevention device 25. The pressure sensor 21 is a pressure measuring device for measuring the suction side pressure of the pump 2.

The check valve 22 is provided in a discharge pipe (discharge unit) 32 connected to the discharge port of the pump 2, and prevents reverse flow of water when the pump 2 is stopped. A flow switch 24 is provided on the downstream side (secondary side) of the check valve 22. The flow switch 24 is a flow rate detector that detects that the flow rate of water flowing through the discharge pipe 32 has decreased to a predetermined value, that is, an excessive amount of water. A pressure sensor 26 and a pressure tank 28 are provided further downstream of the flow switch 24 in the discharge pipe 32. The pressure sensor (first pressure sensor) 26 is a pressure measuring instrument for measuring the discharge side pressure of the pump 2 (hereinafter, the discharge side pressure indicates a pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 26). The pressure tank 28 is a pressure retainer for retaining the discharge side pressure while the pump 2 is stopped.

  In addition, the water supply device 100 has a pressure sensor (second pressure) provided in a building (water supply target) separately from the pressure sensor (first pressure sensor) 26 provided in the discharge pipe (discharge portion) 32 of the pump 2. Sensor) 29 is further provided. In the present embodiment, the pressure sensor 29 is provided in the vicinity of the faucet (hereinafter referred to as the terminal faucet 10A) 10 having the largest pressure loss of the water transferred from the pump 2 among the faucets 10 in the building. . Although the terminal faucet 10A depends on the piping structure of the building, for example, among the faucets 10 provided at the highest position, the terminal faucet 10A can be the faucet 10 at the position where the piping distance from the pump 2 is the longest. The pressure sensor 29 is a pressure measuring device for measuring a water supply pressure supplied to the building (hereinafter, the water supply pressure indicates a pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 29). In this embodiment, the water supply pressure indicates the pressure of the terminal water tap 10A. However, the pressure sensor 29 is not limited to the one that is provided in the vicinity of the end faucet 10A and measures the water pressure of the end faucet 10A, and may be provided at any place in the building.

  The water supply apparatus 100 includes a control unit 40 that controls the water supply operation. As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 40 includes a storage unit 47, a calculation unit 48, an I / O unit 50, a setting unit 46, and a display unit 49. The setting unit 46 and the display unit 49 are provided in the operation panel 51 of the water supply apparatus 100.

  The setting unit 46 is used to set various setting values used for water supply by an external operation. Various setting values set in the setting unit 46 are stored in the storage unit 47. As an example, the user can input stop pressure, starting pressure, PA, PB, and other information used for control via the setting unit 46. The control unit 40 sets a target pressure control curve for the constant estimated terminal pressure control based on the PA and PB stored in the storage unit 47. The target pressure control curve may be set by a known method, and a plurality of target pressure control curves may be set, or the target pressure control curve may be corrected according to the operation state of the pump 2. . Since the target pressure control curve itself does not form the core of the present invention, further detailed description is omitted.

  Further, the setting unit 46 is provided with an operation button 55 for switching the control mode of the pump 2. By pressing down the operation button 55, the control unit 40 determines that there is a request for switching the control mode, and the control mode of the pump 2 is controlled by a constant terminal pressure control (second control mode) and an estimated terminal pressure constant control (first control). 1 control mode). The current control mode of the pump 2 is stored in the storage unit 47. However, instead of the operation button 55, a toggle switch for switching the control mode of the pump 2 may be provided. The operation button 55 may be a mechanical button or a virtual button provided on a part of the display screen. Further, the setting unit 46 may set the control mode of the pump 2 together with the stop pressure, the starting pressure, and other information used for control without providing the operation button 55. In this case, the set control mode of the pump 2 is stored in the storage unit 47, and the control unit 40 controls the pump 2 based on the control mode stored in the storage unit 47.

The display unit 49 functions as a user interface, and various data such as set values stored in the storage unit 47, the current operation state (operation state) of the pump 2, for example, operation or stop of the pump 2, operation frequency, The current, the suction side pressure, the discharge side pressure, the feed water pressure, the control mode of the pump 2, and the like are displayed.

  As the storage unit 47, a memory such as a RAM or a ROM is used. The storage unit 47 stores various data, for example, calculation result data (operation time, integrated value, etc.) in the calculation unit 48, pressure values (suction side pressure, discharge side pressure), data input through the setting unit 46, and I Data or the like input through the / O unit 50 or output through the I / O unit 50 is stored.

  A port or the like is used as the I / O unit 50. The I / O unit 50 includes a circuit that acquires the signals of the pressure sensors 26 and 29 and the signal of the flow switch 24, and sends the acquired signal information to the calculation unit 48. In the present embodiment, the motor 3 is provided with a rotation speed sensor (not shown) that detects the rotation speed of the motor 3. The I / O unit 50 acquires the rotation speed of the motor 3 detected by the rotation speed sensor via the inverter 20, and sends the acquired signal information to the calculation unit 48. However, the rotational speed of the motor 3 is not limited to that detected by the rotational speed sensor provided in the motor 3, and may be estimated from the output frequency of the inverter 20. The I / O unit 50 also performs input / output of signals in communication. In this embodiment, the pump 2 and the motor 3 are synchronized, and the rotational speed of the pump 2 and the rotational speed of the motor 3 are the same. When a transmission is interposed between the pump 2 and the motor 3, the rotation speed of the pump 2 is determined based on the transmission gear ratio (current transmission gear ratio when variable) and the motor 3 rotation speed. You may get it. The rotation speed of the pump 2 may be obtained from a rotation speed command value (frequency command value) transmitted from the control unit 40 to the inverter 20 or from a rotation speed sensor that directly detects the rotation speed of the pump 2. May be.

  A CPU is used as the calculation unit 48. The calculation unit 48 sets, measures, and calculates various data for operating the pump 2 based on a program and various data stored in the storage unit 47 and a signal input from the I / O unit 50. Etc. An output from the calculation unit 48 is input to the I / O unit 50.

  Further, the I / O unit 50 and the inverter 20 are connected to each other by communication means such as RS422, RS232C, and RS485. Control signals such as various set values, frequency command values, start / stop signals (operation / stop signals) are sent from the I / O unit 50 to the inverter 20, and the actual frequency is transmitted from the inverter 20 to the I / O unit 50. The operation status (operating state) such as value and current value is sent sequentially.

  An analog signal and / or a digital signal can be used as a control signal transmitted and received between the I / O unit 50 and the inverter 20. For example, an analog signal can be used for the rotation frequency or the like, and a digital signal can be used for the operation stop command or the like.

  Next, control of the pump 2 by the control unit 40 will be described. When the discharge side pressure is reduced to a predetermined starting pressure while the pump 2 is stopped, the control unit 40 starts the pump 2. Specifically, the control unit 40 issues a command to the inverter 20 to start driving the motor 3. In the present embodiment, the operation control mode of the pump 2 includes a terminal pressure constant control based on the feed water pressure (second control mode) and an estimated terminal pressure constant control based on the discharge side pressure (first control mode). The controller 40 controls the operation of the pump 2 according to the control mode. In addition, when there are a plurality of pumps 2, the number of pumps is controlled according to the predetermined pressure and the amount of water used by the number of pumps that can be activated simultaneously.

In the terminal pressure constant control, the control unit 40 controls the pump 2 based on the supply water pressure from the pressure sensor 29 provided in the vicinity of the terminal water tap 10A. At this time, the control unit 40 controls the pump 2 so that the feed water pressure becomes a predetermined pressure (second target pressure). Specifically, the target rotational speed of the pump 2 is set by PI calculation or PID calculation based on the difference between the feed water pressure from the pressure sensor 29 and the second target pressure. In the present embodiment, the pressure of the terminal faucet 10A is maintained at the second target pressure by the terminal pressure constant control. By such control, the pump 2 is driven so that the water supply pressure is maintained. Therefore, the pump 2 is driven at the optimum number of rotations and the number of water in accordance with the amount of water used in each of the water taps 10 to save energy. be able to.

  As an example of the installation location of the pressure sensor 29, if it is an apartment, it may be installed on the primary side of a domestic water meter located at the end. In that case, the second target pressure is a pressure required for a water heater or the like, and is generally 20 m to 30 m. In addition, if it is a school, it may be installed in the vicinity of the water supply pipe of the hand washing place on the top floor farthest from the water supply apparatus 100. In that case, the second target pressure is a pressure required for general water washing, and is generally 20 m to 30 m. When the pressure sensor 29 is provided away from the terminal faucet 10A, the second target pressure may be changed according to the operating state of the pump 2 and the like. The pressure sensor 29 is provided in the building (water supply target) and detects the pressure at a position closer to the terminal faucet 10A than the pressure sensor 26. Therefore, the pressure sensor 29 controls the pump 2 based on the water supply pressure from the pressure sensor 29. Thus, energy saving can be achieved as compared with the control based on the discharge side pressure.

  In the estimated terminal pressure constant control, the control unit 40 controls the pump 2 based on the discharge side pressure from the pressure sensor 26 provided in the discharge pipe 32. At this time, the control unit 40 controls the pump 2 so that the discharge side pressure becomes the target pressure (first target pressure) on the target pressure control curve. Specifically, the first target pressure is set using the discharge flow rate (or rotation speed) of the pump 2 and the target pressure control curve, and based on the difference between the discharge side pressure from the pressure sensor 26 and the first target pressure. PI calculation or PID calculation is performed, and the target rotational speed of the pump 2 is set based on the calculation result. In this estimated terminal pressure constant control, the target pressure of the pump 2 is changed in consideration of the piping loss that changes according to the amount of water used. By such control, the pump 2 is driven at the optimum rotation speed and number according to the amount of water used in each hydrant 10 to maintain the terminal pressure, and energy saving can be achieved as compared with the constant discharge side pressure control. it can. However, in the estimated terminal pressure constant control, the terminal pressure is estimated based on the discharge side pressure. Therefore, the set pressure (PA, PB) is set to a value with a margin so that the pressure at each water tap 10 is not insufficient. . For this reason, in the estimated terminal pressure constant control, since the pump 2 is operated at a higher rotational speed than the terminal pressure constant control and the flow rate is increased by adjusting the pipe resistance of the water tap, energy efficiency tends to be low. is there.

  When the amount of water used in the building decreases during the operation of the pump 2 by the terminal pressure constant control or the estimated terminal pressure constant control, the flow switch 24 detects an excessive water amount and sends a detection signal to the control unit 40. The control unit 40 receives this detection signal, issues a command to the inverter 20, increases the rotation speed of the pump 2 until the discharge side pressure reaches a predetermined stop pressure, accumulates the pressure in the pressure tank 28, and then stops the pump 2 (small Stop water). When water is used again in the building after the pump 2 has stopped for a small amount of water, the discharge side pressure drops below the starting pressure and the pump 2 starts. In addition, when there are a plurality of pumps 2, it is preferable to rotate the pump 2 to be started to level the operation time of the pump 2 and to prevent water from staying in the pump 2. In addition, as a method for detecting the amount of insufficient water, other means such as a low load due to the current value of the motor 3 or a cutoff pressure may be used without using the flow switch 24.

  Next, switching of the control mode (constant terminal pressure constant control, estimated terminal pressure constant control) of the pump 2 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the control mode switching process. This control mode switching process is executed by the control unit 40 while the water supply apparatus 100 is activated.

  In the operation control switching process, first, the control unit 40 determines whether or not the current control mode of the pump 2 is the terminal pressure constant control (step S110). For example, the control unit 40 refers to the control mode stored in the storage unit 47 and determines the current control mode of the pump 2.

  When the current operation control of the pump 2 is the terminal pressure constant control (S110: Yes), the control unit 40 determines whether or not there is a request to switch the control mode (step S120). In the present embodiment, when the operation button 55 provided on the operation panel 51 is pressed, the control unit 40 determines that there is a request to switch the control mode. However, when the operation button 55 is pressed during the operation of the pump 2, the control unit 40 may determine that there is a request to switch the control mode after the pump 2 stops a small amount of water. Alternatively, the control unit 40 may not accept the operation of the operation button 55 during the operation of the pump 2, and may generate an operation error sound or the like from a buzzer or the like (not shown). Such control can prevent the control mode of the pump 2 from being inadvertently switched during the operation of the pump 2.

  When there is no request for switching the control mode (S120: No), the control unit 40 subsequently determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the pressure sensor 29 that detects the feed water pressure (step S130). For example, when the input signal from the pressure sensor 29 indicates a lower limit value (for example, less than 1 V) or an upper limit value (for example, 5 V or more) outside the specified range, the control unit 40 fails in the pressure sensor 29 itself, or the pressure sensor 29 And the I / O unit 50 are determined to be abnormal due to disconnection / short circuit.

  When no abnormality has occurred in the pressure sensor 29 (S130: No), the control unit 40 determines that there is no need to switch the control mode of the pump 2, and returns to the process of step S110 as it is. In this case, the control unit 40 subsequently controls the pump 2 by the terminal pressure constant control. Thereby, as described above, the pump 2 is controlled based on the feed water pressure from the pressure sensor 29 so that the feed water pressure becomes the second target pressure.

  When there is a request to switch the control mode during the constant terminal pressure control (S120: Yes), the control unit 40 switches the pressure sensor used for controlling the pump 2 from the pressure sensor 29 to the pressure sensor 26 (step S150). ). Then, the control unit 40 switches the control mode of the pump 2 from constant terminal pressure constant control to estimated terminal pressure constant control (step S160), and returns to the process of step S110. When the control mode is switched, the control unit 40 changes the control mode stored in the storage unit 47, and executes the estimated terminal pressure constant control based on the discharge side pressure from the pressure sensor 26. Thereby, the control mode of the pump 2 can be switched in response to pressing of the operation button 55. In addition, when switching the control mode of the pump 2 during the operation of the pump 2, it is preferable to set the target rotational speed of the pump 2 so that the rotational speed of the pump 2 changes smoothly. In this case, for example, the amount of change per unit time of the target rotational speed may be limited, or the target rotational speed set last time is changed to a newly set target rotational speed with a predetermined time constant τ. May be. In addition, when using a switch that can maintain the operation state, such as a toggle switch, the control unit 40 may switch the control mode in conjunction with the switch state.

Even when there is no request to switch the control mode, when an abnormality occurs in the pressure sensor 29 that detects the feed water pressure (S130: Yes), the control unit 40 determines that the control mode should be switched. In this case, the control unit 40 displays the abnormality of the pressure sensor 29 on the display unit 49 (step S140), and notifies the user of the abnormality of the pressure sensor 29. Subsequently, the control unit 40 switches the pressure sensor used for the control to the pressure sensor 26 (step S150), switches the control mode to the estimated terminal pressure constant control (step S160), and returns to the process of step S110. However, the present invention is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 2, and when the abnormality occurs in the pressure sensor 29 and the control mode is switched, the control mode switching process may be terminated without returning to step S110. Now, it is considered that the terminal pressure constant control is performed based on the feed water pressure from the pressure sensor 29. If an abnormality occurs in the pressure sensor 29, the terminal pressure constant control cannot be properly executed. Therefore, when an abnormality occurs in the pressure sensor 29, the control unit 40 switches the control mode to the estimated terminal pressure constant control using the discharge side pressure regardless of the operation of the user or the like. The pressure sensor 29 is provided in the building apart from the pump 2 and the control unit 40, and an abnormality such as disconnection or a short circuit is likely to occur as compared with the configuration inside the cabinet 30. On the other hand, when it is determined that the pressure sensor 29 is abnormal, the control unit 40 according to the present embodiment switches the pressure sensor used for the control and executes the estimated terminal pressure constant control. 10 pressure deficiency and water outage can be prevented.

  When the current operation control of the pump 2 is the estimated terminal pressure constant control in Step S110 (S110: No), the control unit 40 determines whether or not there is a request to switch the control mode to the terminal pressure constant control (Step S110). S220). For example, the control unit 40 determines that there is a request to switch the control mode when the operation button 55 is pressed down, similarly to the processing in step S120 described above. When there is no request for switching the control mode (S220: No), the control unit 40 subsequently determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the pressure sensor 26 that detects the discharge side pressure (step S230). When the input signal from the pressure sensor 26 indicates a lower limit value (for example, less than 1 V) or an upper limit value (for example, 5 V or more) outside the specified range, the control unit 40 fails or the pressure sensor 26 and I It is determined that an abnormality has occurred due to disconnection / short circuit of the wiring with the / O unit 50.

  When there is no abnormality in the pressure sensor 26 (S230: No), the control unit 40 determines that there is no need to switch the control mode of the pump 2, and returns to the process of step S110 as it is. In this case, the control unit 40 continues to control the pump 2 by the estimated terminal pressure constant control. Accordingly, as described above, the pump 2 is controlled based on the discharge side pressure from the pressure sensor 26 so that the discharge side pressure becomes the target pressure on the target pressure control curve.

  If there is a request to switch the control mode during the estimated terminal pressure constant control (S220: Yes), the control unit 40 switches the pressure sensor used for control of the pump 2 from the pressure sensor 26 to the pressure sensor 29 (step) S250). Then, the control unit 40 switches the control mode of the pump 2 from the estimated terminal pressure constant control to the terminal pressure constant control (step S260), and returns to the process of step S110. When the control mode is switched, the control unit 40 changes the control mode stored in the storage unit 47 and executes the terminal pressure constant control based on the feed water pressure from the pressure sensor 29.

  Even when there is no request to switch the control mode, if an abnormality occurs in the pressure sensor 26 that detects the discharge side pressure (S230: Yes), the control unit 40 determines that the control mode should be switched. . In this case, the control unit 40 displays the abnormality of the pressure sensor 26 on the display unit 49 (step S240), and notifies the user of the abnormality of the pressure sensor 26. Subsequently, the control unit 40 switches the pressure sensor used for the control to the pressure sensor 29 (step S250), switches the control mode to the terminal pressure constant control (step S260), and returns to the process of step S110. However, as in the case of the abnormality of the pressure sensor 29, the control mode switching process may be terminated when the abnormality occurs in the pressure sensor 26 and the control mode is switched. Now, the case where the estimated terminal pressure constant control is performed based on the discharge side pressure from the pressure sensor 26 is considered, and if the abnormality occurs in the pressure sensor 26, the estimated terminal pressure constant control cannot be properly executed. End up. For this reason, when an abnormality occurs in the pressure sensor 26, the control unit 40 switches the control mode to the terminal pressure constant control using the feed water pressure regardless of the operation of the user or the like. Thereby, insufficient pressure and water shutoff of each water tap 10 can be prevented.

The water supply apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment described above includes the pressure sensor 26 that detects the discharge-side pressure and the pressure sensor 29 that detects the water supply pressure, and the control unit 40 performs the estimated terminal pressure constant control and the terminal pressure constant control. One of these can be selected to control the operation of the pump 2. For this reason, the pump 2 is controlled by the optimal rotation speed and number of units so that the pressure of the water tap 10 is maintained, and energy saving can be achieved. In particular, the energy efficiency of the water supply apparatus 100 can be increased by controlling the operation of the pump 2 by the terminal pressure constant control based on the water supply pressure. When an abnormality occurs in one of the pressure sensors 26 and 29, the terminal pressure constant control or the estimated terminal pressure constant control can be executed using the other normal pressure sensor 29 and 26, and the building Water outage can be avoided. When an abnormality has occurred in both the pressure sensors 26 and 29, the control unit 40 may stop the pump 2 and display the abnormality on the display unit 49 to notify the user.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a water supply apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the water supply device 100 </ b> A of the second embodiment, the detection signals from the pressure sensors 26 and 29 are not directly input to the I / O unit 50 of the control unit 40, but are input via the switching unit 54. It differs from the water supply apparatus 100 of 1st Embodiment by the point input into the part 50. FIG. The other configuration of the water supply device 100A of the second embodiment is the same as that of the water supply device 100 of the first embodiment, and redundant description is omitted.

  In the water supply apparatus 100A of the second embodiment, signals from the pressure sensor 26 that detects the discharge-side pressure and the pressure sensor 29 that detects the supply water pressure are input to the switching unit 54, and only one of the pressure sensors 26 and 29 is detected. A signal is input from the switching unit 54 to the I / O unit 50. As an example, the control unit 40 may transmit a command to the switching unit 54, and the switching unit 54 may switch the pressure signal input to the I / O unit 50 in accordance with the command from the control unit 40. However, it is not limited to such an example, For example, the input of the pressure signal from the switching unit 54 to the control unit 40 may be configured to be manually switched. Then, the control unit 40 controls the operation of the pump 2 based on the detected pressure input from the switching unit 54. Specifically, when the discharge side pressure is input from the switching unit 54, the control unit 40 controls the operation of the pump 2 by the estimated terminal pressure constant control based on the input detected pressure. Further, when the water supply pressure is input from the switching unit 54, the control unit 40 controls the operation of the pump 2 by the constant terminal pressure control based on the input detected pressure. With such a configuration, one input circuit or the like for inputting the pressure signal of the I / O unit 50 can be provided. Such a water supply device 100A of the second embodiment is realized by, for example, providing the switching unit 54 and the pressure sensor 29 and updating the programming of the control unit 40 and the like for the existing water supply device that performs constant control of the estimated terminal pressure. can do. Also in the water supply device 100A of the second embodiment, the pump 2 can be operated and controlled by the estimated terminal pressure constant control or the terminal pressure constant control based on the detected pressure from the pressure sensors 26 and 29. The same effect as the water supply apparatus 100 can be exhibited.

(First modification)
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a control unit and an external display according to a first modification. As illustrated, in the first modification, an external display 70 is further provided in addition to the display unit 49 of the control unit 40A. The external indicator 70 may be configured as a part of the water supply apparatus 100 or may be configured as an external apparatus. The external display 70 may be a display that can display information that is equivalent to or more detailed than the operation panel 51 described above, or that can perform complicated operations.

  In the first modification, the control unit 40A further includes a communication unit 60, and is connected to the external display 70 by wired communication or wireless communication. Further, in the first modification, the operation panel 51 is provided with a reset button 52 and a clear button 53. By pressing the clear button 53, the control unit 40A clears only the display on the display unit 49. Further, by pressing the reset button 52, the control unit 40A causes the abnormality determination of the pressure sensors 26 and 29, and other maintenance information (for example, operation time, number of starts, usage period of consumable parts, failure history), and the like. To reset.

As the external display 70, for example, a general-purpose terminal device such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a personal computer, a tablet, or a dedicated terminal device such as a remote monitor is adopted. In the first modification, a simple indicator such as a 7-segment LED and an indicator lamp can be employed as the display unit 49. Further, as the external display 70, a high-function display on a liquid crystal screen using a touch input method or a press button method can be adopted. In this case, simple information can be displayed on the display unit 49, and a large amount of information can be displayed on the external display 70. With such a configuration, information related to the control of the pump 2 by the control unit 40 (for example, the rotational speed of the pump 2, the suction side pressure, the discharge side pressure, the feed water pressure, the control mode, etc.) or the pressure sensor By displaying the abnormal information 26 and 29, the user who is unfamiliar with the water supply apparatus can recognize the state of the water supply apparatus 100 without misunderstanding. Moreover, the water supply apparatus 100 may be installed in an environment with much electrical noise such as a machine room or a pump room. In preparation for such a case, as the display unit 49, a display unit including a 7-segment LED, a display lamp, a mechanical press button, etc., which are more resistant to electrical noise than a liquid crystal display or a touch panel may be used. As a result, even when an abnormality occurs in the liquid crystal display or touch panel operation of the external display 70 due to electrical noise generated from the external environment, the minimum display and operation necessary for the operation of the water supply apparatus 100 by the display unit 49. It can be performed. Therefore, the water supply apparatus 100 can be installed even in an environment with a lot of electrical noise.

  Further, when a general-purpose terminal device such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a personal computer, or a tablet is adopted as the external display 70, dedicated application software for acting as the external display 70 is applied to these devices. It may be installed. In this case, it is possible to provide a display operation in accordance with the level or purpose of the user by preparing and using a plurality of dedicated application software.

  Here, the operation panel 51 (display unit 49) is not provided in the control unit 40, and only the external display (high function display) 70 may be provided instead. In this case, all the functions of the operation panel described above can be implemented by the external display device 70. Since it is not necessary to provide the indicator itself in the water supply apparatus 100, the cost of the entire water supply apparatus 100 can be further reduced. Further, the reset button 52 and the clear button 53 may not be provided in the setting unit 46 of the operation panel 51, and instead, the reset button (not shown) or the clear button (not shown) may be provided in the external display device 70. When the clear button on the external display 70 is pressed, the display displayed on the external display 70 is deleted.

  In FIG. 4, the communication unit 60 is connected to a remote monitoring device (for example, a personal computer, a smartphone, or a dedicated monitor) provided in a maintenance management company or an administrator room via a public line, a network, a dedicated line, or the like. You may communicate. In this case, for example, information related to the control of the pump 2 in the water supply device 100 is transmitted from the communication unit 60 to the remote monitoring device. The remote monitoring device includes pump operation information of the water supply device 100 (the number of rotations of the pump 2, suction side pressure, discharge side pressure, water supply pressure, control mode, etc.), maintenance information (operation time, number of starts, usage period of consumable parts, Other information such as failure history and device information (product number, parts replacement history, parts list, etc.) may also be displayed.

(Second modification)
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a control unit and an external display according to a second modification. The control unit 40B of the second modified example includes a control unit side antenna unit 67 instead of the communication unit 60, and an integrated circuit 68 connected to the control unit side antenna unit 67. It is different from the control unit 40A of the first modification. The integrated circuit 68 is electrically connected to a storage unit 47 having a nonvolatile storage area and a volatile storage area. Note that the control unit 40B illustrated in FIG. 5 does not include the display unit 49, but may include the display unit 49. Moreover, the external indicator 70 of a 2nd modification may be comprised as a part of water supply apparatus 100, and may be comprised as an external device.

  The external display device 70 of the second modification includes a display-side antenna unit 71 that transmits and receives radio waves, a display unit 72, a battery 73, and a data reader 74. In the external display 70, data received by the display-side antenna unit 71 is read by the data reader 74. Then, data read by the data reader 74 (for example, the rotation speed of the pump 2, the suction side pressure, the discharge side pressure, the supply water pressure, the control mode, etc.) is displayed on the display unit 72. The battery 73 supplies power to the display-side antenna unit 71, the data reader 74, and the display unit 72.

  As the external display device 70, for example, a general-purpose terminal device such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a personal computer, or a tablet may be used, or a dedicated terminal device such as a remote monitor may be used. In particular, if a general-purpose terminal device such as a smartphone is used as an external display, the cost of producing a dedicated display can be reduced, so that the cost of the water supply device can be reduced. Moreover, since the several user can display the state of the water supply apparatus 100 on each general purpose terminal device, it is possible to provide display operation according to a user's level or purpose. For example, it is possible to provide an inexpensive water supply apparatus that can inform a user who does not have specialized knowledge about the water supply apparatus, such as a manager of a condominium or a building, in an easy-to-understand manner regarding information related to the control of the pump 2.

  The external display device 70 is connected to the control unit 40 by a near field communication (NFC) technique. More specifically, when the display-side antenna unit 71 generates radio waves while the external display unit 70 is close to the control unit 40, the control-side antenna unit 67 receives the radio waves, and the control-unit-side antenna unit 67. Converts radio waves into electric power. This electric power is supplied to the integrated circuit 68 and the storage unit 47 to drive the integrated circuit 68 and the storage unit 47. The integrated circuit 68 reads the data stored in the storage unit 47 and sends the data to the control unit side antenna unit 67. The control unit side antenna unit 67 transmits radio waves together with data to the display unit side antenna unit 71. The data reader 74 reads data received by the display-side antenna unit 71 and causes the display unit 72 to display the data.

  The external display device 70 may include a clear button 76 for erasing the display and a reset button (not shown) for resetting data. When the user presses the clear button 76, information display (for example, the rotation speed of the pump 2, the suction side pressure, the discharge side pressure, the feed water pressure, the control mode) displayed on the display unit 72 is displayed. Erased. When the reset button is pressed, a reset signal is transmitted to the control unit 40B, and the control unit 40B that has received the reset signal resets data such as maintenance information. The clear button 76 of the present embodiment is a virtual button that appears on the screen of the display unit 72, but the clear button 76 may be a mechanical button provided outside the display unit 72. The control unit 40B of the second modified example does not include the clear button, but the control unit 40B may be provided with a clear button and a reset button.

  Note that operation for clearing the display and resetting the data may be provided. Specifically, a clear button 76 is provided on the external display 70 used mainly by the user, and a reset button is provided on the control unit 40B used mainly by maintenance personnel. Thus, by providing the reset button only in the control unit 40B, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation of the reset button by the user who operates the external display device 70. By providing the external display device 70 instead of a complicated method of canceling the use restriction such as a password, it is possible to prevent a reset due to a user's erroneous operation.

In the second modification, data stored in the storage unit 47 of the control unit 40 (for example, the rotation speed of the pump 2, the suction side pressure, the discharge side pressure, the feed water pressure, the control mode, etc.) is transmitted by wireless communication to the control unit. 40 to an external display 70. According to the second modification, even when the water supply apparatus 100 is not turned on, the control unit side antenna unit 67 generates power from the radio wave emitted from the external display device 70 and drives the integrated circuit 68 and the storage unit 47. can do. Therefore, even when power is not being supplied to the control unit 40 during maintenance of the water supply apparatus 100, the external display device 70 can acquire and display data from the storage unit 47 of the control unit 40.

  NFC is a technology for mutual communication at a short distance of several centimeters. Therefore, when displaying various types of information on the external display 70, the user and the maintenance staff bring the external display 70 close to the control unit 40 to a distance that allows mutual communication. This means that the user and maintenance personnel are close to the water supply device 100 when operating the external display 70. For this reason, it leads to preventing the unexpected operation | movement of the water supply apparatus 100 resulting from the erroneous operation in the replacement | exchange operation | work of consumables, for example. Moreover, in the field where the several water supply apparatus 100 was installed, since mutual communication is possible in the short distance of the water supply apparatus 100 which wants to display, the erroneous display of displaying the state of another unintended water supply apparatus is prevented. I can do it.

  In the above example, NFC is used as an example of a wireless communication method between the control unit 40B and the external display 70, but wireless communication of an arbitrary method such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi is also possible. Is available. However, NFC is advantageous in that communication can be completed simply by bringing the control unit 40B and the external display 70 close to each other. In addition, the control unit 40B and the external display device 70 may perform wired communication. For example, the control unit 40B is provided with an external connection terminal such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) instead of the control unit side antenna unit 67, and communication is possible by connecting an external display 70 thereto. It may be.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments of the present invention are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and the present invention includes the equivalents thereof. In addition, any combination of the embodiment and the modified example is possible within a range where at least a part of the above-described problems can be solved or a range where at least a part of the effect can be achieved, and is described in the claims and the specification. Any combination or omission of each component is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Pump 3 ... Motor 4 ... Water pipe 5 ... Introduction pipe 7 ... Water supply pipe 8 ... Bypass pipe 10 ... Water supply tap 10A ... Terminal water tap 20 ... Inverter 21 ... Pressure sensor 22 ... Check valve 23 ... Check valve 24 ... Flow switch 25 ... Backflow prevention device 26 ... Pressure sensor 28 ... Pressure tank 29 ... Pressure sensor 30 ... Cabinet 32 ... Discharge pipe 40, 40A, 40B ... Control unit 46 ... Setting unit 47 ... Storage unit 48 ... Calculation unit 49 ... Display unit DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 50 ... I / O part 51 ... Operation panel 52 ... Reset button 53 ... Clear button 54 ... Switching part 55 ... Operation button 60 ... Communication part 67 ... Control part side antenna part 68 ... Integrated circuit 70 ... External display 71 ... Display Side antenna 72 ... Display 73 ... Battery 74 ... Data reader 76 ... Clear button 100, 100A ... Water supply device

Claims (11)

A water supply device for supplying water to a water supply object,
A pump for transferring water;
A first pressure sensor provided at a discharge portion of the pump for detecting a discharge side pressure of the pump;
A second pressure sensor that is provided in a water supply target and detects a water supply pressure supplied to the water supply target;
As the operation control mode of the pump, there are a first control mode and a second control mode, and when the operation control mode of the pump is the first control mode, based on the discharge side pressure from the first pressure sensor. The number of revolutions of the pump is set to control the pump so that the discharge side pressure becomes the first target pressure on the target pressure control curve, and when the operation control mode of the pump is the second control mode, A control unit configured to control the pump by setting the number of rotations of the pump based on the feed water pressure from the second pressure sensor so that the feed water pressure becomes a second target pressure different from the first target pressure; ,
A water supply apparatus comprising: It further includes a switch that can be operated by the operator,
The control unit sets an operation control mode of the pump according to an operation of the switch.
The water supply apparatus according to claim 1. The control unit includes a storage unit that stores setting information related to the control of the pump set by an operator, and sets the operation control mode of the pump based on the setting information stored in the storage unit.
The water supply apparatus of Claim 1 or 2. The controller determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor, and when determining that an abnormality has occurred in the first pressure sensor, sets the operation control mode of the pump. When the second control mode is set and it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the second pressure sensor, the operation control mode of the pump is set to the first control mode.
The water supply apparatus of any one of Claim 1 to 3. Either one of the discharge side pressure from the first pressure sensor and the feed water pressure from the second pressure sensor is input to the control unit,
The control unit sets an operation control mode of the pump to the first control mode when the discharge-side pressure from the first pressure sensor is input to the control unit, and the control unit controls the pump from the second pressure sensor. When the feed water pressure is input to the control unit, the operation control mode of the pump is set to the second control mode,
The water supply apparatus as described in any one of Claim 1 to 4.   The water supply apparatus of any one of Claim 1 to 5 further provided with the display part which displays the information regarding control of the said pump.   The water supply apparatus of any one of Claim 1 to 6 further provided with the communication part comprised so that the information regarding control of the said pump might be transmitted to an external indicator.   The water supply device according to claim 7, wherein the communication unit is an antenna unit that receives radio waves from the external display and converts the radio waves into electric power. The water supply device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the communication unit transmits the information to the external display by near field communication (NFC). A water supply device for supplying water to a water supply object,
A pump for transferring water;
A first pressure sensor provided at a discharge portion of the pump for detecting a discharge side pressure of the pump;
A control unit that acquires the discharge pressure of the pump from the first pressure sensor, acquires a water supply pressure supplied to the water supply target from a second pressure sensor provided in the water supply target, and controls the pump; ,
With
The control unit has a first control mode and a second control mode as the operation control mode of the pump, and when the operation control mode of the pump is the first control mode, the discharge from the first pressure sensor. Based on the side pressure, the number of revolutions of the pump is set to control the pump so that the discharge side pressure becomes the first target pressure on the target pressure control curve, and the operation control mode of the pump is the second control. In the mode, the pump is controlled by setting the rotation speed of the pump based on the feed water pressure from the second pressure sensor so that the feed water pressure becomes a second target pressure different from the first target pressure. To
Water supply device. A control method for a water supply device that includes a pump for transferring water and supplies water to a water supply target,
Detecting at least one of a discharge side pressure of the pump and a water supply pressure supplied to the water supply target;
Setting the operation control mode of the pump to one of a first control mode and a second control mode;
When the operation control mode of the pump is the first control mode, the rotation speed of the pump is set so that the discharge side pressure becomes the first target pressure on the target pressure control curve based on the detected discharge side pressure. The pump is controlled, and when the operation control mode of the pump is the second control mode, the feed water pressure becomes a second target pressure different from the first target pressure based on the detected feed water pressure. Setting the number of rotations of the pump to control the pump;
Control method of water supply apparatus including

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