JP3630607B2 - Simple trial operation method for terminal equipment and central heating system to which this method is applied - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a simple test run method for a central heating system. In particular, the present invention relates to a simple trial operation method of a central heating system that makes it possible to easily determine the normality of a plurality of connection terminals and the normality of a heat source device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, gas central heating (GCH) systems have become widespread. In the GCH system, a heat source having a relatively large capacity supplies hot water to GCH terminal devices such as a floor heating panel, an air conditioner, and a dryer in addition to hot water to a bath, a kitchen, a washroom, and the like.
[0003]
Accordingly, the heat source machine is connected to the bath, kitchen, and washroom via a hot water supply pipe, and is also connected to the GCH terminal device via a hot water supply pipe that is a circulation path. The heat source unit is connected to a remote controller for a bath or a kitchen remote controller through a communication line in the same way as a normal water heater, and performs predetermined combustion operation such as automatic hot water filling or reheating in response to an operation request from the remote controller. Do.
[0004]
Furthermore, the heat source unit is also connected to a remote control and a control panel of the GCH terminal device through a communication line, and performs a corresponding combustion operation in response to an operation request from the remote control or the control panel.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Such a GCH system needs to perform a trial run when the installation work is completed and to confirm correct functional operation. Alternatively, a trial run operation is necessary to find out which device is the cause of the malfunction at the time of failure repair.
[0006]
For this reason, it is possible to run the connected terminals sequentially and check their normality, but it takes a considerable amount of driving time for one terminal, and therefore a test run test for all connected terminals is performed. Takes a long time, and the construction and maintenance work is not efficient.
[0007]
Furthermore, in order for the connection terminal to operate normally, the function of the heat source machine is normal and the connection terminal equipment is properly supplied with hot water. It is important in judging normality.
[0008]
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple operation method of a central heating system that enables efficient determination of normality at the time of completion of laying work of a GCH system or maintenance and inspection.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A simple trial operation method for a central heating system, comprising: a heat source device that achieves the object of the present invention; and a terminal device connected to the heat source device via a hot water supply pipe and in-system communication means. Display a list of terminal devices connected to the heat source unit in a diagnostic device connected to the heat source unit via a communication means on the communication board, and request a simple test run from the diagnostic unit to the heat source unit, When receiving a request for a simple test operation, the heat source machine causes the operation of the terminal device by opening the thermal valves corresponding to all the connected terminal devices, and each of the high-temperature systems among the connected terminal devices. The terminal device measures the corresponding thermistor temperature to determine whether the terminal itself is normal or abnormal, notifies the heat source device, and notifies the diagnostic device of the determination result notified from the high temperature terminal device. , The diagnostic apparatus and displaying the health determination of each terminal device is notified to each terminal.
[0010]
Furthermore, as a preferable aspect, the heat source device outputs a thermal valve opening command corresponding to all connected terminal devices, and among the connected terminal devices, each high-temperature terminal device corresponds. The thermistor temperature is measured to determine normality / abnormality of the terminal itself, notified to the heat source device, and the determination result notified from the high temperature system terminal device is displayed on the heat source device.
[0011]
Further, as a preferred embodiment, the temperature of the return tube of the piping of the low-temperature system terminal device connected to the heat source device, which is measured by an operator and is normal or abnormal from the temperature state notified to the heat source device. Detecting and displaying the detection result for each terminal.
[0012]
Furthermore, as a preferable aspect, when two or more terminal devices are abnormal as a result of detecting normality or abnormality from the temperature state notified to the heat source apparatus, it is determined that the heat source apparatus is out of order. It is characterized by that.
[0013]
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments of the invention described with reference to the following drawings.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, such an embodiment does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the drawings, the same or similar elements are described with the same reference numerals or reference symbols.
[0015]
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between an embodiment configuration of a GCH system that is an object of implementation of the simple test operation method of the present invention and a failure diagnosis device as an automatic test operation monitoring device independent of a heat source device.
[0016]
In the following embodiments, an example in which a bath, a floor heating panel, a bath dryer, and two air conditioners are connected to a heat source device as terminal devices of the GCH system will be described.
[0017]
In FIG. 1, the GCH system includes a heat source unit 1 that burns gas to supply hot water or circulate hot water, and a plurality of GCH terminal devices connected thereto, such as a floor heating panel 60, a bath dryer 64, an air conditioner 68, an air conditioner. 72 and bath 50.
[0018]
The heat source machine 1 includes a hot water supply path 11 for supplying hot water to a bath, a kitchen, and a washroom, its heat exchanger 10, a hot water supply path 14 for supplying circulating hot water to other GCH terminal devices, and its heat exchanger 13. Each heat exchanger is provided with combustion burners 12 and 15 for burning gas.
[0019]
A water supply pipe (not shown) and a hot water tap are connected to the first hot water supply path 11, and when the hot water tap is opened, water is supplied from the water supply pipe into the hot water supply path 11, and the burner 12 burns in response to this, Hot water is supplied to the stopper. Hot water taps are provided in kitchens, washrooms, baths, and the like.
[0020]
Further, the first hot water supply path 11 supplies hot water to the bath 50 via the on-off valve 16 and the recirculation circulation path 53. The reheating circulation path 53 is connected to the reheating heat exchanger 19, and the hot water in the bathtub is warmed by heat exchange from the hot water bypassing the second hot water supply path 14.
[0021]
In addition, the second hot water supply path 14 is connected to the floor heating panel 60, the bath dryer 64, and the air conditioners 68 and 72 via respective circulation paths connected to the forward header 80 and the return header 81, respectively. In response to a request from the terminal device, hot water is circulated through these circulation paths.
[0022]
Circulation of hot water to the terminal equipment is performed through on-off valves 62, 66, 70, and 74 that are thermal valves provided in the respective circulation paths. These thermal valves are opened and closed by driving from the control microcomputer 21 in the heat source unit 1.
[0023]
The GCH terminal equipment is provided with control microcomputers 61, 65, 69, 73, respectively, and is connected to the communication microcomputer 22 in the heat source unit 1 via a communication line. In the case of the floor heating panel 60, the microcomputer 61 is a floor heating remote controller, in the case of the bath dryer 64, the microcomputer 65 is a control device, and also in the case of the air conditioners 68 and 72, the microcomputers 69 and 73 are controlled. Device. The bath remote controller 51 is also configured by a microcomputer and can communicate with the communication microcomputer 22 of the heat source unit 1.
[0024]
The control microcomputer 21 provided in the heat source device 1 monitors the output of the sensor in the heat source device in response to the operation commands from the remote controllers 51, 61 and the control devices 65, 69, 73 of the GCH terminal. Drive the actuator inside the machine.
[0025]
The actuator includes, for example, a gas solenoid valve of a combustion burner, an ignition igniter (not shown), circulation pumps 17 and 18, bath hot water tap 16, and thermal valves 62, 66, 70, and 74 that open circulation paths to the terminals. The sensors are the incoming water temperature of the hot water supply passages 11, 14, the outgoing hot water temperature sensor (not shown), the rotational speed sensor (not shown) of the combustion fan, and the like.
[0026]
The control microcomputer 21 is connected to a nonvolatile memory 54 in which various parameters and set values of the heat source device are recorded. Further, the password of the heat source device 1 is also stored in the nonvolatile memory 54. The control microcomputer 21 receives a command signal from each terminal, a monitor signal, a command signal from a remote controller, and the like via the communication microcomputer 22, and transmits a signal indicating an operation state or an error. The control microcomputer and the communication microcomputer may be realized by an integrated microcomputer.
[0027]
When the hot water tap in the kitchen or washroom is opened or an operation command is issued from the bath remote controller, the control microcomputer 21 starts the combustion operation of the combustion burner 12, and the combustion control similar to that of a normal water heater is performed. Done.
[0028]
When an operation command is issued from the GCH terminal device, the operation command is transmitted to the communication microcomputer 22. Communication between the microcomputer of each terminal and the communication microcomputer 22 is intelligent communication performed by a common protocol previously decided between manufacturers.
[0029]
When receiving the operation command, the communication microcomputer 22 transmits the operation command to the control microcomputer 21. In response to this, the control microcomputer 21 controls to open the thermal valve of the terminal that issued the operation command, and performs corresponding combustion control.
[0030]
In the present embodiment, the fault diagnosis device 2 composed of a portable information terminal such as a laptop computer is provided via the protocol conversion device 3 as having a monitor function for displaying a simple test execution instruction and simple driving results according to the present invention. The control microcomputer 21 in the heat source unit 1 is connected.
[0031]
For this purpose, the heat source device 1 is provided with a connector 23 for connecting a communication cable 26.
[0032]
The failure diagnosis apparatus 2 of the present embodiment is a portable information terminal such as a general-purpose notebook personal computer. Therefore, for example, it is operated by a standard OS such as Windows 95 or Windows NT (both are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation), and the communication protocol is also a standard protocol.
[0033]
On the other hand, the control microcomputer 21 in the heat source apparatus 1 that is the target of failure diagnosis is configured with different specifications for each manufacturer, and the communication protocol that can be handled may be an original specification that is different from the standard protocol. Many. The communication function by the microcomputer 21 is usually developed for an operation test at the time of a shipping test at a manufacturer, and therefore, the communication protocol and password are different for each manufacturer.
Therefore, in this embodiment, the protocol conversion device 3 is interposed between the failure diagnosis device 2 and the water heater 1, and protocol conversion is performed between a message based on the standard protocol and a message based on a protocol unique to the water heater. I let you.
[0034]
The protocol conversion device 3 includes connectors 31 and 32 and protocol conversion means 30 configured by a microcomputer or the like. The protocol conversion means 30 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM containing a program conversion program, an input / output buffer BUF, and the like. The memory area for communication control in the memory RAM is a memory area for communication control composed of predetermined registers. The parameters of the communication protocol on the water heater side necessary for protocol conversion are recorded.
[0035]
The control microcomputer 21 of the heat source device 1 contains a control program. This control program includes, for example, a combustion control sequence program for controlling a combustion sequence corresponding to an operation requested from each remote controller or terminal, and a communication control program for communicating with the failure diagnosis apparatus 2. By having this communication control program, it is possible to communicate with the failure diagnosis apparatus 2 and to enable automatic failure diagnosis.
[0036]
Further, the control program includes a program for controlling a simple test run to be monitored according to the present invention described in detail later.
[0037]
When the control microcomputer 21 in the heat source apparatus 1 receives a predetermined command signal such as a simple test run according to the present invention from the remote control, the microcomputer of the GCH terminal device, and the failure diagnosis apparatus 2, for example, the control program 21 A flag indicating execution is recorded in the built-in RAM.
[0038]
The built-in combustion control sequence program executes the control program corresponding to the command signal with reference to the flag. The combustion control sequence program detects the state of the sensor from the sensor output data recorded in the built-in RAM, and writes data for instructing driving of the actuator necessary for the combustion control to the corresponding area in the built-in RAM. . The control microcomputer 21 refers to the command data written in the built-in RAM and gives a command signal to the actuator in the heat source unit.
[0039]
Therefore, the failure diagnosis apparatus 2 instructs the desired combustion control necessary for failure diagnosis by rewriting the information in the RAM built in the microcomputer 21 in the heat source unit 1 using communication means. In addition, by reading out information from the RAM, it is possible to monitor the sensor output corresponding to the information and the state in the water heater.
[0040]
For this purpose, the failure diagnosis apparatus 2 is provided with a keyboard 28 and a monitor screen 27 as input means, and further with a communication port 29.
[0041]
The communication port 29 of the failure diagnosis apparatus 2 is connected to the protocol conversion apparatus 3 via the RS232C cable 261. Then, the protocol conversion device 3 is connected to the connector 23 of the heat source unit 1 via another cable 26.
[0042]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example in the failure diagnosis apparatus 2. The same reference numerals are given to the same parts as in FIG. The failure diagnosis apparatus 2 includes the above-described monitor screen 27, keyboard 28, connector terminal 29 as a communication port, CPU 30, hard disk 31 as a file storage device, and main memory 32 as hardware.
[0043]
Application software that receives input from the keyboard 28 as part of an information file stored in the hard disk 31 together with the OS and performs necessary display on the monitor screen 27 is included. Further, data for providing a common failure diagnosis menu screen to repair workers by such application software is also stored in the hard disk 31.
[0044]
A communication control program for performing communication via a cable connected to the connector terminal 29 is also included as a part of the information file stored in the hard disk 31. This communication control program creates a message format and communicates with the outside by a standard communication protocol according to a general-purpose OS.
[0045]
Furthermore, the information file also has a failure diagnosis program for the GCH terminal device. As will be described later, the simple test run method according to the present invention is also realized as part of the execution by such a failure diagnosis program.
[0046]
FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of one embodiment of the present invention. When the installation of the GCH system is completed or maintained, a trial operation for confirming the operation of the GCH terminal device connected to the heat source unit 1 is performed.
[0047]
At this time, in the conventional method, the trial run was performed in order for each of the GCH terminal devices connected to the heat source device 1. On the other hand, in this invention, execution of a test run is instruct | indicated simultaneously with respect to all the GCH terminal devices connected.
[0048]
For this purpose, a list of terminal devices connected to the heat source device 1 is displayed on the monitor 27 of the failure diagnosis apparatus 2 (step S1).
[0049]
FIG. 4 is an example of a list of terminal devices displayed on the monitor 27 of the failure diagnosis apparatus 2. The list is divided into high temperature system and low temperature system.
[0050]
According to the flow of FIG. 3, a simple test operation request is sent from the failure diagnosis device 2 to the heat source unit 1 by the maintenance person (step S2). In response to this, the heat source device 1 sends an operation command to all the connected terminal devices and opens the thermal valve (step S3).
[0051]
Next, each terminal device measures the corresponding thermistor temperature (step S4). Normality abnormality (OK / NG) is determined for each corresponding terminal device from the measured thermistor temperature, and this is notified to the heat source unit 1 (step S5).
[0052]
Next, the heat source unit 1 notifies the failure diagnosis device 2 of the normal / abnormal determination result notified from the high temperature system terminal device (step S6). The processes in steps S4 to S6 are repeated for all the high-temperature connection terminals (step S7).
[0053]
As shown in FIG. 4, whether or not the test operation result of the high-temperature connection terminal device listed is good or bad is notified from the heat source device 1 to the failure diagnosis device 2 and displayed.
[0054]
On the other hand, the thermistor temperature is not measured by the heat source unit 1 for low-temperature terminal devices such as floor heating. For this purpose, the temperature of the return pipe of the pair tube for circulating hot water is measured by the operator.
[0055]
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method of measuring the test operation result of such a low-temperature system terminal device. The temperature measurement probe 101 is placed on the return pipe of a pair tube that circulates hot water to the terminal device 60 of the floor heating function. The person measures the detected temperature with the measuring instrument 102 and manually inputs it into the failure diagnosis apparatus 2 and displays it (step S8).
[0056]
In this way, it is easy to determine whether the connected terminal displayed on the monitor 27 of the failure diagnosis apparatus 2 is normal or abnormal, and work efficiency is improved.
[0057]
Note that the failure diagnosis apparatus 2 can determine that the heat source device 1 is abnormal when a plurality of displayed terminal devices are determined to be abnormal as a result of the trial operation.
[0058]
【The invention's effect】
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings, the present invention reduces the time compared to the conventional automatic test run. Furthermore, it is possible to grasp the result of the trial operation of the terminal device at the position of the heat source device, and it is possible to easily guess the failure location. Thereby, not only the time of construction but also the phenomenon confirmation at the time of repair or the work at the time of maintenance inspection can be made efficient.
[0059]
The protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but extends to the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a GCH system and a failure diagnosis apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration in a failure diagnosis apparatus.
FIG. 3 is an operation flow of an embodiment of the simple test operation method of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a display example of a monitor screen of the failure diagnosis apparatus, and is a monitor screen of a simple test run result according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring a test run result of a low-temperature terminal device according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Heat source machine 2 Fault diagnosis apparatus 3 Protocol conversion apparatus 21 Control processor 22 Communication processor 60 Floor heating panel (GCH terminal equipment)
64 Bath dryer (GCH terminal equipment)
68,73 Air conditioner (GCH terminal equipment)

Claims (6)

A simple trial operation method of a central heating system having a heat source device and a terminal device connected via the heat source device and a hot water supply pipe and communication means in the system,
Displaying a list of terminal devices connected to the heat source device on a diagnostic device connected to the heat source device via a communication means on a communication board provided in the heat source device;
Request a simple test run from the diagnostic device to the heat source machine,
When the heat source machine receives a request for a simple test run, the thermal valve corresponding to all the connected terminal devices is opened, and the terminal device is operated,
Among the connected terminal devices, each high-temperature terminal device measures the corresponding thermistor temperature to determine whether the terminal itself is normal or abnormal, and notifies the heat source device,
Notifying the diagnostic device from the heat source unit of the determination result notified from the high-temperature system terminal device,
The diagnostic apparatus displays a normality determination of each notified terminal device for each terminal displayed in the list, and is a simple trial operation method for a central heating system. Oite to claim 1,
Further, the temperature of the return tube of the piping of the low-temperature system terminal device connected to the heat source device, which is measured by an operator, detects normality or abnormality from the temperature state notified to the heat source device, and the detection A simple trial operation method for a central heating system, wherein the result is displayed for each low-temperature terminal device. In claim 1 or 2 ,
As a result of detecting normality or abnormality from the temperature state notified to the heat source unit, if a plurality of terminal devices are abnormal, it is determined that the heat source unit is out of order. Simple test run method. A central heating system comprising a heat source device, and a terminal device connected to the heat source device via a hot water supply pipe and in-system communication means,
Having a diagnostic device connected to the heat source device via a communication means on a communication board provided in the heat source device;
The diagnostic device displays a list of terminal devices connected to the heat source unit, requests a simple test run from the heat source unit,
When the heat source device receives a request for a simple trial operation, the thermal valve corresponding to all the connected terminal devices is opened to execute the operation of the terminal device, and each of the high-temperature systems among the connected terminal devices is executed. The terminal device measures the corresponding thermistor temperature to determine normality / abnormality of its own terminal and notifies the heat source device, and the heat source device further determines the determination result notified from the high temperature system terminal device. Notify
The diagnostic apparatus displays the notified normality determination of each terminal device for each terminal displayed in the list. Oite to claim 4,
Further, the temperature of the return tube of the piping of the low-temperature system terminal device connected to the heat source device, which is measured by an operator, detects normality or abnormality from the temperature state notified to the heat source device, and the detection A central heating system that displays the results for each low-temperature terminal device. In claim 4 or 5 ,
As a result of detecting normality or abnormality from the temperature state notified to the heat source unit, if a plurality of terminal devices are abnormal, it is determined that the heat source unit is out of order. .

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