JPH02267609A - Hot water/cool water mixing controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the overshoot for the temperature of the discharged hot water by performing an inference based on a 1st control rule and a temperature deviation for acquisition of a proper controlled variable and driving a mixing means to a position having an optimum mixing ratio. CONSTITUTION:The present position of a mixing means 11 is detected and the flow rate is obtained in a pipeline for hot water from the detected position of the means 11 and the volume of hot water mixed with the cool water obtained by a flow rate detecting means 12. This flow rate is continuously integrated until the supply of the original hot water of a high temperature is received and this learnt result is stored. When the hot water mixed with the cool water is used again after a long period of time passed, the hot water side of the means 11 is opened wide to discharge the hot water fast by an amount equal to the learnt volume of hot water. Then a fact that the hot water is completely discharged is detected from the changing slope of a deviation. The controlled variable of the means 11 is inferred based on a 1st control rule of a 1st control rule storage means 27 and a temperature deviation signal obtained by a deviation arithmetic means 18, and the mixing ratio of the means 11 is controlled. Then the means 27 is switched to a 2nd control rule storage means 28 for control of the mixing ratio. Thus the hot water of a temperature desired by a user is quickly supplied and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of overshoot for the temperature of the hot water mixed with the cool water after discharge of the dead water.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot water mixing control device for mixing hot water and water to produce hot water at a suitable temperature for use in filling a shower, sink, or bathtub.

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional hot water mixing control device is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-1128.
As shown in Publication No. 79, it had the configuration shown in Figure 4.

First, the conventional configuration will be explained with reference to FIG.

In Fig. 4, a water side valve 2 is installed in the middle of the water side piping 1,
In addition, a hot water side valve 4 is installed in the middle of the hot water side piping 3, and the water side valve 2 is controlled by a water side drive unit 5 (for example, a stepping motor, etc.), and the hot water side valve 4 is controlled by a hot water side drive unit 6 to control the valve opening amount. Adjust. The water side pipe 1 and the hot water side pipe 3 merge to form a mixing pipe 7. A hot water temperature detection means 8 is provided in the middle of the mixing pipe 7, and is further connected to a shower 9 and the like. ? The force signal of the ik temperature detection means 8 is input to the control section 10, which also outputs a drive signal to the water side drive section 5 and the hot water side drive section 6.

Next, the operation of the conventional configuration will be explained. In FIG.
The sixth section showing the relationship between the amount of energization and the amount of energization is a flowchart showing the operation of the control section.

After setting the water temperature value, the water side drive unit 5 opens the water side valve 2 to the initial position. Next, the hot water side valve 4 is opened via the hot water side drive unit 6 to mix the hot water and water. Then, the mixed water temperature is detected by the hot water temperature detection means 8 and compared with the set temperature by the control section 10. If the temperature difference between the set temperature and the hot water outlet temperature is larger than the allowable range value of 0.5°C, the water side valve 2 is adjusted in the opening direction or in the opening direction at a speed proportional to the absolute value of the temperature deviation. . If the temperature deviation is within the tolerance range of ±0.5°C, water side valve 2
Stops driving.

Problem to be solved by the invention If it takes a long time to use the hot water after it is heated, the hot water side piping 3
The temperature of the water inside will drop to near the set temperature. For example, assume that the set temperature is 40°C and the temperature of the hot water in the hot water side piping 3 is 40'C, although it should originally be about 80°C. After the start of hot water supply, when the hot water outlet temperature reaches a set value, the hot water side valve 4 is fully open and the water side valve 2 is fully closed. In this state, when the low temperature hot water in the hot water side pipe 3 is exhausted, the original hot water of 80°C starts to be supplied. Since the water side valve 2 is fully open and the hot water side valve 4 is fully open, hot water with a temperature much higher than the set temperature comes out. When the hot water temperature detecting means 8 detects that the outlet temperature has become 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 considerable overshoot occurs until the valve reaches the position that produces hot water at the set temperature.

Further, the fully closed position of the water side valve 2 has some play in order to improve the closing accuracy, and there is a slight delay in opening until water comes out. Therefore, the overshoot becomes larger.

If a user uses a shower etc. and the hot water is around the set temperature, but suddenly hot water of the above-mentioned temperature comes out, it is extremely dangerous and can have a serious impact on human life, such as causing burns. bring about. The present invention has been made in view of this problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a hot water mixing control device that quickly settles the temperature to a set temperature without causing a large overshoot.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a mixing means for adjusting the mixing ratio of the amount of hot water, a hot water temperature detecting means for detecting the mixed water temperature, and a hot water temperature for setting the mixed water temperature. a setting means, a deviation calculating means for calculating a temperature deviation, a deviation change slope detecting means for detecting a change slope of the deviation, a steady state detecting means for determining whether or not the temperature of the hot water supplied to the mixing means has stabilized; Switching between a first control rule storage means, a second control rule storage means, and a first or second control rule storage means that stores the relationship between the energization amount to the mixing means and the temperature deviation as a control rule. a switching means, a control inference means for determining the energizing amount of the mixing means from a temperature deviation signal and an output signal of the first or second control rule storage means, a flow rate detection means for detecting the mixing flow rate, and a flow rate detection means for detecting the mixing flow rate; a position detection means for detecting the position of the means; and an opening calculation means for determining the opening of the mixing means;
It consists of a supplied hot water amount calculation means for determining the supplied flow rate from the mixed flow rate and the opening amount, a dead water amount determining means for determining whether dead water has been exhausted, and a dead water amount storage means for learning and storing the dead water amount.

Function The hot water mixing control device of the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration. By learning and storing the amount of dead water in the hot water side piping connected to the mixing means, the hot water mixing control device of the present invention learns and stores the amount of dead water in the hot water side piping connected to the mixing means. The mixing means fully opens the hot water side so that the dead water can be discharged quickly, and when the amount of hot water coming out approaches the learned amount of dead water, the mixing means calculates the optimum operation amount by inferring from the first control rule and the temperature deviation. By driving the pump to a position with the optimum mixing ratio, overshoot of the hot water temperature is prevented.

Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the present invention will be explained in detail.

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of the hot water mixing control device of the present invention. Components equivalent to those in FIG. 4 are given the same numbers. 11 is a mixing means for adjusting the mixing ratio of the amount of hot water. Mixing means 11
When the water side valve and the hot water side valve are arranged on one axis and the mixing ratio is adjusted by one driving means (e.g. stepping motor), the water side valve and the hot water side valve are each driven independently. It is driven by means and the mixing ratio is 1! This also includes cases where there are clauses.

12 is a flow rate detection means for detecting the mixed flow rate. Reference numeral 13 denotes a flow rate adjusting means for supplying and stopping the mixed hot water or for adjusting the flow rate. The flow rate ijJ node means 13 also has a flow path switching function and can switch the flow path to the shower 9 or the flush 14. Reference numeral 16 denotes an operating means that outputs to the control unit 10 instructions by the user to dispense mixed hot water from the tap 14 or the shower 9, instructions to set the temperature of the mixed hot water, and instructions to set the mixing flow rate.

Regarding the control section 10, an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1
Numeral 7 is a hot water temperature setting means for setting the mixed hot water temperature, and its output section is manually input to the deviation calculating means 18 together with the hot water temperature detecting means 8. The deviation calculating means 18 calculates the temperature deviation. Reference numeral 19 calculates a change slope from the temperature deviation detected by the deviation change slope detection means. Reference numeral 20 denotes steady state detection means that determines whether hot water at high temperature is being stably supplied to the mixing means 11 based on the temperature deviation signal. 21 is a position detecting means that detects 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 the position of the mixing means 1 is detected by the number of pulses applied to the stepping motor.
If a potentiometer or the like is installed on the valve shaft to which the hot water side valve or water side valve is attached to adjust the amount of hot water in step 1, the position is detected from the resistance value or voltage level. Reference numeral 22 denotes an opening calculation means which calculates the hot water side opening amount using the signal obtained from the position detection means 21. 23 determines the amount of hot water in the hot water side piping 3 from the hot water side opening amount determined by the supplied hot water amount calculating means and the signal from the flow rate detecting means 12. Reference numeral 24 denotes a dead water amount determination means which calculates the amount of low temperature hot water in the hot water side piping 3 from the deviation change gradient detection means 19 and the supplied hot water amount calculation means 23 and outputs it to the dead water amount storage means 25, and also outputs only the learned and determined low temperature hot water amount. The first control rule storage means 27 and the second control rule storage means 2 determine whether or not the low-temperature hot water in the hot water side piping 3 has run out and output it to the switching means 26. It is connected and switched by signals from steady state detection means 20 and dead water amount determination means 25. Reference numeral 29 denotes a control inference means which performs fuzzy inference from the temperature deviation signal and the control rules stored in the first or second control rule storage means 27 and 28 to determine and output the manipulated variable of the mixing means 11.

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

When a hot water start instruction is output from the operation means 16, first, the amount of hot water in the hot water side piping 3 from the water heater to the mixing means 11 is learned and determined. First, the current position of the mixing means 11 is determined by the position detection means 21, and the opening amount on the hot water side is determined by the opening calculation means 22. Also, the mixed flow rate Q determined by the flow rate detection means 12. From the hot water side opening CH and the full opening measurement, the supplied hot water amount Q is determined from the following equation. QH= (LH
/L) - From the start of Q0 hot water supply, integrate the amount of hot water obtained from the above formula. Mixing method 1 if long opening is not used
Even if the mixing ratio of the amount of hot water is adjusted according to 1, the hot water temperature does not reach the set temperature, and the gradient of temperature deviation is flat.
This shows that the temperature of the hot water in the hot water side pipe 3 is not the original temperature sent from the water heater, but is in a low temperature state. By the above method, it is detected that the temperature of the hot water in the hot water side piping 3 is in a low temperature state, and the amount of supplied hot water is integrated.

When the low-temperature hot water in the hot water side piping 3 is exhausted, 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 changing slope via the deviation change slope detecting means 19. When this hot water temperature is detected, the amount of hot water in the hot water side piping 3,
In other words, since the amount of dead water is determined, it is memorized. Therefore, when the amount of low-temperature hot water corresponding to the amount of dead water stored by the dead water amount measuring means 24 is exhausted, the control rule is switched to the first control rule via the switching means 26.

Furthermore, the operation amount of the mixing means 11 is determined and output by inference from the temperature deviation signal and the first control rule.

When the hot water temperature reaches the set temperature, the steady state detection means 2
A signal of 0 switches to the second control rule. When the temperature of the water supplied to the mixing means 11 returns to the original temperature, the operating amount of the mixing means 11 is determined by the second control B rule, and the mixing ratio is adjusted so as to always maintain the set temperature.

In this way, by determining the amount of hot water up to the mixing means 11 in the hot water side piping 3, when a dead water state is detected, the hot water side of the mixing means 11 is wide opened to rapidly discharge dead water, that is, low-temperature hot water by the determined amount. To be able to supply the original high temperature water.

Therefore, users can quickly use hot water at the appropriate temperature.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention first detects the current position of the mixing means, and then calculates the flow rate in the hot water side piping from the amount of mixed hot water determined by the amount detecting means until the original high temperature hot water is supplied. By integrating and storing the learned results, when using the hot water again after a long period of time, the hot water side of the mixing means is wide open, the learned amount of hot water is quickly dispensed, and when the hot water is completely dispensed, the deviation change slope is calculated. The operation amount of the mixing means is inferred from the first control rule in the first control rule storage means and the temperature deviation signal obtained by the deviation calculation means, the mixing ratio by the mixing means is adjusted, and then the second control is performed. By switching to the rule storage means and adjusting the mixing ratio, if it is detected that the hot water is dead at the start of hot water dispensing, the learned amount of hot water can be quickly dispensed to quickly supply hot water at the temperature desired by the user.
Moreover, even after the dead water is discharged, there is no overshoot in the mixed water temperature, making it extremely easy to use.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a system diagram of a hot water mixing control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the control section of the device, Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the device, and Fig. 4 is a conventional system diagram. FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram of the device shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the device shown in FIG. 4. 8... Hot water temperature detection means, 11... Mixing means, 12... Flow rate detection means, 17...
Hot water temperature setting means, 18... Deviation calculation means, 19.
... Deviation change slope detection means, 20 ... Steady state detection means, 21 ... Position detection means, 22
. . . Opening degree calculation means, 23 . . . Supply hot water amount calculation means, 24 . . . Dead water amount measurement means, 25.
...Dead water amount storage means, 26...Switching means,
27...first control rule storage means, 28...
. . . second control rule storage means, 29 . . . control inference means. Name of agent: Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano (1 person)

Claims (1)

[Claims] A mixing means for adjusting the mixing ratio of hot water and water, a hot water temperature detecting means for detecting the mixed hot water temperature, a hot water temperature setting means for setting the mixed hot water temperature, the hot water temperature detecting means and the hot water temperature setting means. a deviation calculation means for calculating a temperature deviation from the deviation calculation means; a deviation change slope detection means for calculating a change slope of the temperature deviation from the deviation calculation means;
Steady state detection means for determining whether the temperature of hot water supplied to the mixing means is stable; and temperature deviation and energizing amount of the mixing means when the gradient of change in the temperature of hot water supplied to the mixing means is large. a first control rule storage means that stores the relationship between the two as a control rule, and a control rule that stores the relationship between the temperature deviation and the energizing amount of the mixing means when the temperature of the hot water supplied to the mixing means is stable; a second control rule storage means for storing;
a switching means for switching to the first control rule storage means or the second control rule storage means in response to an output signal of the dead water completion detection means or the steady state detection means; and the deviation calculation means and the first control rule storage. control inference means for inferring the energization amount of the mixing means from the output signal of the means or the second control rule storage means; a flow rate detection means for detecting the mixed flow rate discharged from the mixing means; a position detection means for detecting the position of the means; an opening calculation means for determining the hot water side opening of the mixing means from the output signal of the position detection means; and output signals from the flow rate detection means and the opening calculation means. a supply hot water amount calculating means for calculating the supplied hot water amount; a dead water amount determining means determining whether dead water in the hot water side piping has been completely discharged from the deviation change gradient detecting means and the supplied hot water amount calculating means; and the dead water amount determining means. A hot water mixing control device comprising a dead water amount storage means for storing the amount of dead water obtained by the means.