JP2748527B2 - Hot water mixing control device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot and cold water mixing control device for mixing hot water and water to produce hot water for use in showering, washing or filling a bathtub.

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional hot and cold water mixing control device has a configuration shown in FIG. 4 as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-112879. First, a conventional configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4, a water-side valve 2 is mounted in the middle of the water-side pipe 1, and a hot-water valve 4 is mounted in the middle of the hot-side pipe 3.
The water-side valve 2 is controlled by a water-side driving unit 5 (for example, a stepping motor), and the hot-water-side valve 4 is controlled by a hot-water-side driving unit 6. The water side pipe 1 and the hot water side pipe 3 join to form a mixing pipe 7. A hot water temperature detecting means 8 is provided in the middle of the mixing pipe 7,
Further, it is connected to a shower 9 or the like. The output signal of the hot water temperature detecting means 8 is input to the control unit 10, and outputs a drive signal to the water side drive unit 5 and the hot water side drive unit 6.

Next, the operation of the conventional configuration will be described. FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the output signal of the hot water temperature detecting means 8 and the amount of bias of the water side drive unit 5 or the hot water side drive unit 6. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit.

First, the hot water temperature value is set, and then the water side drive unit 5 controls the water side valve 2.
Open to the initial position. Next, the hot water side valve 4 is opened via the hot water side drive unit 6 to mix hot water and water. Then, the temperature of the mixed hot water is detected by the hot water temperature detecting means 8 and compared with the set temperature by the control unit 10. When the temperature difference between the set temperature and the tapping temperature is larger than the allowable value of 0.5 ° C., the water side valve 2 is rotated at a speed proportional to the absolute value of the temperature deviation.
Is adjusted in the opening direction or the closing direction. When the temperature deviation falls within the allowable range of ± 0.5 ° C., the driving of the water side valve 2 is stopped.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention If the time between once hot water supply and subsequent use is long, the temperature of the hot water in the hot water side pipe 3 drops to near the set temperature. For example, the set temperature is 40 ° C. and the hot water temperature in the hot water side pipe 3 is originally about 80 ° C.
Suppose it was 40 ° C. After the hot water supply is started, when the hot water temperature reaches the set value, the hot water side valve 4 is fully opened and the water side valve 2 is fully closed. In this state, when low-temperature hot water in the hot-water side pipe 3 comes out, the original hot water of 80 ° C. starts to be supplied. Since the water side valve 2 is fully closed and the hot water side valve 4 is fully open, hot water at a temperature much higher than the set temperature flows. When the hot water temperature detecting means 8 detects that the hot water temperature becomes higher than the set temperature, the water side valve 2 is driven in the opening direction and the hot water side valve 4 is driven in the closing direction according to the characteristic diagram of FIG. Therefore, a considerably high overshoot occurs before reaching the valve position for making the hot water at the set temperature.

The fully closed position of the water-side valve 20 has some play to improve the closing accuracy, and there is a slight delay from when the water starts to open until the water comes out. This leads to more and more overshoot.

When the user is using a shower or the like and hot water near the set temperature is coming out, suddenly the hot water as described above suddenly comes out, which is extremely dangerous and may have a serious impact on human life, such as burns. Bring. The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hot and cold water mixing control device that quickly setstles at a set temperature without generating a large overshoot.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention solves the above problems by mixing means for adjusting the mixing ratio of the amount of hot water, hot water detecting means for detecting the temperature of the hot water, and hot water for setting the hot water temperature. Setting means, deviation calculation means for determining a temperature deviation, deviation change gradient detection means for detecting a change gradient of the deviation, and steady state detection means for determining whether the temperature of the hot water supplied to the mixing means is stable. A first control rule storage unit, a second control rule storage unit, and a first or second control rule storage unit for storing, as a control rule, a relationship between the amount of bias to the mixing unit and the temperature deviation. Switching means for switching, control inference means for obtaining an energizing amount of the mixing means from a temperature deviation signal and an output signal of the first or second control rule storage means, flow rate detecting means for detecting a mixing flow rate, Detect the position of the mixing means Position detecting means, opening degree calculating means for calculating the opening degree of the mixing means, hot water supply amount calculating means for obtaining the supply flow rate from the mixing flow rate and the opening degree, and determining whether dead water has come out and starting hot water re-starting After the dead water state is detected and the learned dead water amount is detected to be discharged, the dead water amount determining means for outputting a switching signal to the first control rule storage means to the switching means, and the dead water amount learned and stored. And a dead water storage means for storing the value for use as a determination value of the dead water determination means.

The present invention provides a hot water mixing control device having the above-described configuration, in which the hot water is used by learning and storing the dead water amount in the hot water side pipe connected to the mixing means, and when the hot water is reused after a long time, first, The mixing means fully opens the hot water side so as to quickly discharge the dead water, and furthermore, when the hot water amount reaches the vicinity of the learned dead water amount, infers from the first control rule and the temperature deviation to obtain an optimum operation amount. Is driven to the position of the optimum mixing ratio to prevent overshoot of the tapping temperature.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of the hot and cold water mixing control device of the present invention. The same components as those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals. 11 is a mixing means for adjusting the mixing ratio of the amount of hot and cold water. The mixing means 11 has a water-side valve for adjusting the amount of water and the amount of hot water, and a hot-water-side valve arranged on one axis to adjust the mixing ratio with one drive means (for example, a stepping motor). This includes the case where the mixing ratio is adjusted by being driven by independent driving means. Numeral 12 denotes a flow rate detecting means for detecting a mixed flow rate. Reference numeral 13 denotes a flow rate adjusting means for controlling the flow and stoppage of the mixed hot water or the flow rate adjustment. The flow rate adjusting means 13 also has a flow path switching function and has a shower 9
Alternatively, the flow path can be switched to Karan 14. 16
Is an operation means for outputting to the control unit 10 a user's instruction to output the mixed hot water from the curran 14 or the shower 9, an instruction to set the mixed hot water temperature, an instruction to set the mixing flow rate, and the like.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the control unit 10 according to the present invention. 17
The mixed water temperature is set by the hot water temperature setting means, and its output is input to the deviation calculating means 18 together with the hot water temperature detecting means 8. The deviation calculating means 18 obtains a temperature deviation. 19 obtains a change gradient from the temperature deviation detected by the deviation change gradient detecting means. Reference numeral 20 denotes a steady state detecting means for judging whether or not high-temperature hot water is stably supplied to the mixing means 11 from the temperature deviation signal. 21 is a position detecting means for detecting the position of the mixing means 11. For example, when the mixing means 11 is driven by a stepping motor, the position is detected by the number of pulses applied to the stepping motor, or a valve provided with a hot-side valve or a water-side valve for adjusting the amount of hot water of the mixing means 11. A potentiometer is provided on the shaft to detect the position from the resistance value or voltage level. Numeral 22 denotes an opening degree calculating means for obtaining a hot water side opening amount from a signal obtained from the position detecting means 21. Reference numeral 23 determines the amount of hot water in the hot water side pipe 3 from the hot water side opening amount obtained by the supplied hot water amount calculating means and the signal of the flow rate detecting means 12. Numeral 24 denotes dead water amount determining means for obtaining the amount of low temperature hot water in the hot water side pipe 3 from the deviation change gradient detecting means 19 and the supplied hot water amount calculating means 23 and outputting it to the dead water amount storing means 25, and only learning and obtaining the low temperature hot water amount. It is determined whether or not the low-temperature hot water in the hot-water-side pipe 3 has come out and output to the switching means 26.
Next, the first control rule storage means 27 and the second control rule storage means 28 are connected to the switching means 26 and are switched by signals from the steady state detection means 20 and the dead water determination means 25. Numeral 29 is a control inference means for performing fuzzy inference from the temperature deviation signal and the control rules of the first or second control rule storage means 27 and 28 to obtain and output the operation amount of the mixing means 11.

Next, the operation of the configuration of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 shows an operation flowchart.

When the tapping start instruction is output from the operation means 16, first, the amount of hot water in the hot water side pipe 3 from the water heater to the mixing means 11 is learned and obtained. First, the current position of the mixing means 11 is
Ask by 21. Next, the hot water side opening amount is obtained by the opening degree calculating means 22. Moreover, obtaining the supply amount of hot water Q _H from the following formula and a mixed flow rate Q _O and hot water valve opening C _H and fully open degree amount L calculated by the flow rate detecting unit 12. Q _H = (L _H / L) · Q _{O The} amount of hot water calculated from the above equation is integrated from the start of tapping. If the hot water is not used for a long time, the tapping temperature does not reach the set temperature even if the mixing ratio of the hot and cold water is adjusted by the mixing means 11, and the change gradient of the temperature deviation is flat. It can be seen that the temperature of the hot water in the middle is not the temperature sent from the hot water heater but a low temperature state. With the above method, it is detected that the temperature of the hot water in the hot water side pipe 3 is in a low temperature state, and the supplied hot water amount is integrated.

When the low-temperature hot water in the hot-water-side pipe 3 comes out, the original high-temperature hot water is sent. That is, the hot water temperature signal detected by the hot water temperature detecting means 8 is detected as a change gradient via the deviation change gradient detecting means 19. When this change in the hot water temperature is detected, the amount of hot water in the hot water side pipe 3,
That is, since the dead water amount is obtained, it is stored. Therefore, if low-temperature hot water of the amount of dead water stored by the dead water amount determining means 24 is available, the control is switched to the first control rule via the switching means 26. Further, the operation amount of the mixing means 11 is obtained and inferred from the temperature deviation signal and the first control rule and output.

Steady state detection means when tapping temperature reaches set temperature
The control is switched to the second control rule by the signal of 20. Mixing means
When the temperature of the hot water supplied to 11 returns to the original temperature, the operation amount of the mixing means 11 is obtained according to the second control rule, and the mixing ratio is adjusted so as to always maintain the set temperature.

If learning of the dead water amount is completed by obtaining the amount of hot water up to the mixing means 11 in the hot water side pipe 3 in this manner, a dead water state in which the gradient of the temperature deviation at the start of re-watering is flat is detected (third water state). (Decision of "dead water" in the figure) The hot water side of the mixing means 11 was opened widely, and the dead water, that is, the low-temperature water was discharged quickly by the determined amount so that the original high-temperature water could be supplied, and the original high-temperature water began to be discharged. When this is detected by a change in hot water temperature, it is determined that dead water is completely discharged (determination of “dead water is completed” in FIG. 3), and the mixing means 1 is controlled according to the first control rule. Therefore, it is possible to quickly control the hot water at the set temperature without causing a large overshoot even at the start of hot water re-starting. Therefore, the user can use hot water of a suitable temperature quickly.

As described above, the present invention first detects the current position of the mixing means, obtains the flow rate in the hot water side pipe from the mixed hot water amount obtained by the flow rate detection means, and integrates until the original high-temperature hot water is supplied. By storing the learned result, when the hot water is used again after a long time, the hot water side of the mixing means is opened widely and the hot water is discharged as quickly as the learned hot water amount, and the fact that the hot water is completely discharged is detected from the change gradient of the deviation. The operation amount of the mixing means is inferred from the first control rule of the first control rule storage means and the temperature deviation signal obtained by the deviation calculation means to adjust the mixing ratio of the mixing means, and thereafter the second control rule storage means By switching to and adjusting the mixing ratio, if it is detected that the dead water state at the start of tapping, it is possible to supply hot water at a temperature desired by the user by quickly tapping the learned hot water quantity,
In addition, the usability is extremely improved without overshoot in the temperature of the mixed water even after the tap water is discharged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a hot water mixing control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control section of the device, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the device, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8 hot water temperature detecting means, 11 mixing means, 12 flow rate detecting means, 17 hot water temperature setting means, 18 deviation calculating means, 19
… Deviation change gradient detecting means, 20… steady state detecting means, 21
... Position detecting means, 22 ... Opening degree calculating means, 23 ... Supply hot water amount calculating means, 24 ... Dead water amount determining means, 25 ... Dead water amount storing means, 26 ... Switching means, 27 ... First Control rule storage means, 28 second control rule storage means, 29 control inference means.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A mixing means for adjusting a mixing ratio of hot water and water; a hot water temperature detecting means for detecting a mixed hot water temperature; a hot water temperature setting means for setting a mixed hot water temperature; Deviation calculating means for obtaining a temperature deviation from the hot water temperature setting means; deviation change gradient detecting means for obtaining a change gradient of the temperature deviation from the deviation calculating means; and whether or not the temperature of the hot water supplied to the mixing means is stable. Steady state detecting means for judging, and first control rule storing means for storing, as a control rule, a relationship between a temperature deviation when a change gradient of the hot water temperature supplied to the mixing means is large and an energizing amount of the mixing means. And second control rule storage means for storing, as a control rule, a relationship between a temperature deviation when the temperature of the hot water supplied to the mixing means is stable and the amount of energization of the mixing means; Storing the first control rule with an output signal of the means Switching means for switching to a step or the second control rule storage means, and energizing the mixing means from output signals from the deviation calculation means and the first control rule storage means or the second control rule storage means. Control inference means for inferring the amount, flow rate detection means for detecting the mixing flow rate of the hot water from the mixing means, position detection means for detecting the position of the mixing means, and the mixing means based on the output signal of the position detection means Opening degree calculating means for determining the hot water side opening degree, supplied hot water amount calculating means for determining the supplied hot water amount from output signals of the flow rate detecting means and the opening degree calculating means, the deviation change gradient detecting means and the supplied hot water amount calculating means From the above, it is determined whether or not the dead water in the hot water side pipe has run out of water, and after detecting the dead water state at the start of re-watering, it is determined whether or not the learned dead water amount has been discharged. When it is determined that the discharge is completed, the dead water amount determining means for outputting a signal for switching to the first control rule storage means to the switching means, and the dead water amount obtained by the dead water amount determining means are learned. A hot water mixing control device comprising: a dead water amount storage unit that stores a stored value as a determination value of the dead water amount determination unit to determine whether or not hot water has been discharged.