JPH0828870A - Combustion device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a combustion device in which a degree of consumption of the combustion device can be positively understood and monitored and a positive countermeasure can be carried out in response to the degree of consumption understood. CONSTITUTION:A gas flow rate sensor 8 is arranged at a fuel gas supplying passage for a burner. There is provide a gas amount measuring means 25 for use in measuring an amount of gas supplied at the time of combustion at the burner for every predetermined time. In addition, there is provided an adding means 27 for accumulating and adding the amount of gas measured by the gas amount measuring means 25 for every predetermined time, and there is provided a memory means 26 for storing and holding the accumulated and added value obtained at that time. The accumulated and added value stored and held in the memory means 26 is compared with a predetermined discrimination value and there is provided a monitoring means 28 for monitoring a degree of consumption at the combustion device in response to the result of comparison.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a combustion device such as a water heater and a gas stove.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, hot water heaters, heaters, gas stoves, and other combustion devices have a limited life, and it is not preferable to use the combustion device beyond its life because various troubles are likely to occur. For this reason, in this type of combustion device, the life (depletion level) of the combustion device is grasped, and when the life is reached, the combustion device may be disabled or an alarm may be issued to inform the user. It is desired to apply.

In order to grasp the life (wear level) of the combustion apparatus in this way, there is a conventional method, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
The one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 62318 is known.

In this device, both or one of the number of combustions and the combustion time of the burner are measured and integrated, and the consumption value of the combustion device is grasped by the integrated value. Then, when the integrated value reaches a value close to a predetermined value as the service limit of the apparatus, an alarm is issued so that the user is notified that the life of the combustion apparatus is near.

However, according to the knowledge of the inventors of the present application, generally, a combustion apparatus such as a water heater or a gas stove is rarely used with a constant combustion amount each time, and is used with a different combustion amount each time it is used. It is often done. In addition, the amount of combustion is often changed to various values even after one use.

[0006] In such a combustion apparatus in which the amount of combustion changes with each use, and the amount of combustion changes even during use, as described above, only the number of combustions and the duration of combustion of the combustion apparatus are used. Even when trying to grasp the degree of wear, it is difficult to make an accurate grasp.

That is, comparing, for example, a case where the combustion device is used in a state where the combustion amount is relatively small and a case where the combustion device is used in a state where the combustion amount is large, even if the number of combustions and the combustion time are the same, The former has a longer life than the latter and is less consumed.

Further, comparing the case where the amount of combustion is constant and the case where the amount of combustion is frequently changed to various values of large and small in one use, the former has a longer life than the latter. .

Therefore, in the conventional apparatus that grasps the life (consumption degree) of the combustion apparatus only by the number of combustions and the combustion time, it is not possible to accurately grasp the life of the combustion apparatus. Since the life (consumption degree) cannot be accurately measured, the user is made to recognize that the product is still in a life even though it is in a state where it can be used sufficiently, or the life has already been reached. However, there is an inconvenience that the user judges that the life is not yet reached and causes various failures.

[0010]

In view of such a background, the present invention is capable of accurately grasping and monitoring the degree of wear of the combustion device, and performing an appropriate treatment based on the grasped degree of wear. It is an object of the present invention to provide a combustion device that can be used.

[0011]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides a gas flow rate sensor provided in a fuel gas supply passage to a burner and an amount of gas supplied to the burner when the burner burns. Is obtained by the gas flow rate sensor at predetermined time intervals, an addition means for cumulatively adding the gas quantities measured by the gas amount measurement means at the predetermined time intervals, and the addition means. Storage means for storing and holding the cumulative addition value, and monitoring means for comparing the cumulative addition value stored and held in the storage means with a predetermined determination value and monitoring the degree of wear of the combustion apparatus based on the comparison result. It is characterized by that.

In the present invention, combustion inhibiting means may be provided for inhibiting combustion of the burner when the cumulative addition value stored and held in the storage means becomes equal to or more than the predetermined determination value.

Further, an alarm generating means may be provided for issuing an alarm when the cumulative addition value stored and held in the storage means becomes equal to or more than the predetermined judgment value.

The storage means is preferably a writable / erasable non-volatile storage means.

Further, a gas amount setting means for setting a gas amount to be supplied to the burner according to a required combustion amount, and a target gas for which the gas amount detected by the gas flow rate sensor is set by the gas amount setting means. It is preferable to provide valve control means for controlling the amount of gas supplied to the burner by controlling the opening of a gas flow control valve provided in the gas supply passage so as to match the amount.

[0016]

The cumulative addition value obtained by the adding means when the burner burns is a cumulative cumulative addition of the gas quantity measured by the gas quantity measuring means every predetermined time. Since the storage means stores and retains the cumulative addition value, when the burner burns intermittently, the addition means adds the next time to the cumulative addition value stored and retained in the storage means at the previous combustion. Add the amount of gas cumulatively added during combustion. Then, the cumulative addition value becomes a larger value as the amount of gas supplied at the time of combustion of the burner increases, that is, an amount corresponding to the load due to the actual combustion of the burner, regardless of the number of combustions of the burner and the combustion duration time. It is proportional to the degree of wear of the combustion device.

The monitoring means compares the cumulative addition value stored and held in the storage means with the predetermined determination value, and accurately grasps and monitors the life (consumption degree) of the combustion apparatus.

In the present invention, by providing the combustion prohibiting means, the combustion of the burner is prohibited when the cumulative addition value becomes equal to or more than the predetermined judgment value, and the occurrence of a failure of the combustion device due to the life etc. Prevent it in advance.

Further, by providing the alarm generating means, an alarm is issued when the cumulative addition value becomes equal to or more than the predetermined determination value, and the user is notified that the combustion device has reached the end of its service life or that the service life of the combustion device is about to expire. Let me know.

Further, by using a writable / erasable non-volatile storage means (so-called EEPROM) as the storage means, the cumulative addition value for grasping the degree of wear of the combustion device can be obtained regardless of power failure or disturbance. , Surely hold the memory.

Further, in the present invention, the opening of the gas flow control valve is controlled by the valve control means so that the gas quantity detected by the gas flow rate sensor matches the target gas quantity set by the gas quantity setting means. Is controlled, it is possible to determine the life of the combustion device while controlling the gas supply amount to the burner to a desired amount corresponding to the required combustion amount.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a water heater which is a combustion apparatus of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of a main part of the water heater of FIG.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a water heater main body having a heat exchanger 2 and a burner 3 for heating the same, 4 is a water pipe piped through the heat exchanger 2, and 5 is water flowing through the water pipe 4. Flow rate sensor for detecting the flow rate of the heat exchanger 2 on the upstream side of the heat exchanger 2,
A temperature sensor 6 detects the temperature of the hot water flowing through the water pipe 4 on the downstream side of the heat exchanger 2. Further, 7 is a gas supply pipe (gas supply passage) for supplying the fuel gas to the burner 3, and 8 is a gas flow rate provided in the gas supply pipe 7 in the vicinity of the burner 3 to detect the amount of gas supplied to the burner 3. Sensors 9 and 10 are a gas flow rate control valve and an opening / closing solenoid valve provided in the gas supply pipe 7 on the upstream side of the gas flow rate sensor 8. Further, 11 is a combustion fan that blows combustion air to the burner 3, 12 is a fan motor that drives the combustion fan 11, and 13 is the combustion fan 1
A rotation speed sensor for detecting the number of rotations of 1, a reference numeral 14 is an operation section for the user to set the hot water temperature, and a reference numeral 15 is the set temperature of the hot water set by the operation section 14 and the respective sensors 5, 6 Fan motor 1 according to detection signals of
1, a gas flow control valve 9, a solenoid valve 10 and the like. Further, 16 is an alarm device (alarm generating means) including an alarm lamp and a buzzer, 17 is an igniter for igniting the burner 3, and 18 is a frame rod for detecting a combustion state of the burner 3 such as misfire. Is.

The upstream side of the water pipe 4 is connected to a water pipe (not shown), and the downstream side is connected to a hot water supply tap (not shown) of a kitchen or a bathroom.

As the gas flow rate sensor 8, for example, a thermal type flow rate sensor or a hot wire type flow rate sensor is used.

Further, the gas flow control valve 9 is a governor-equipped proportional valve that opens with an opening that causes a gas pressure proportional to the amount of electricity to flow therethrough, for example.

In FIG. 2, the controller 15 is composed of an electronic circuit including a microcomputer and the like, and its main functional structure is the operation unit 14.
Set temperature and water input sensor (not shown) given by
The required combustion amount of the burner 3 required to match the outlet water temperature to the set temperature is based on the inlet water temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the hot water temperature detected by the temperature sensor 6, the water flow rate detected by the water flow rate sensor 5, and the like. A required combustion amount calculation unit 19 that is obtained moment by moment, and a target rotation that sets a target rotation number of the combustion fan 11 for obtaining a supply amount of combustion air corresponding to the required combustion amount obtained by the required combustion amount calculation unit 19. Number setting part 2
0 and the combustion fan 1 detected by the rotation speed sensor 13
The fan control unit 21 controls the rotation speed of the combustion fan 11 via the fan motor 12 so that the rotation speed of 1 matches the target rotation speed set by the target rotation speed setting unit 20. Further, the controller 15 sets the target gas amount setting unit 2 that sets the target gas amount to the burner 3 according to the rotation speed of the combustion fan 11 detected by the rotation speed sensor 13.
2 and the amount of electricity to the gas flow control valve 9 (the opening of the gas flow control valve 9 so that the amount of gas detected by the gas flow sensor 8 matches the target gas amount set by the target gas amount setting unit 22). ) Is controlled by the valve control unit (valve control means) 23.

Further, the controller 15 controls the gas amount detected by the gas flow sensor 8 at predetermined intervals (0.
A measuring unit (gas amount measuring means) 25 for measuring every 1 second,
The gas amount measured by the measuring unit 25 is cumulatively added every predetermined time, and at the same time, an EEPROM (electrical writing
An addition operation unit (adding means) 27 for adding to a data value (details will be described later) currently stored and held in the erasable non-volatile storage means 26 and for newly storing and holding the added value in the EEPROM 26; A comparison unit (monitoring unit) 28 that compares the added value obtained from the addition calculation unit 27 with a predetermined determination value, and the combustion of the burner 3 when the comparison result by the comparison unit 28 is equal to or greater than the predetermined determination value. And a combustion prohibition unit (combustion prohibition means) 29 for prohibiting

The controller 15 closes the gas flow rate control valve 9 together with the solenoid valve 10 by the valve controller 23 when the water heater is not operating, thereby shutting off the gas supply to the burner 3. There is.

Next, the operation of the water heater of this embodiment will be described.

When the water flow through the water flow pipe 4 is started, the controller 15 detects this through the water flow rate sensor 5, and the fan control section 21 causes the fan motor 1 to respond to the detection.
The combustion fan 11 is rotationally driven via 2, and the valve control unit 23 opens the gas flow rate control valve 9 of the gas supply pipe 7 together with the solenoid valve 10 to start the gas supply to the burner 3. Then, in this state, the burner 3 is ignited via the igniter 17, whereby the combustion operation (hot water supply operation) of the burner 3 is started.

When the combustion operation of the burner 3 is started in this way, the controller 15 causes the required combustion amount calculation unit 19 to control the hot water temperature detected by the temperature sensor 6 to the operation unit 1.
The required combustion amount of the burner 3 required to match the set temperature set by 4 is obtained momentarily based on the detection data of the inlet water temperature, the outlet hot water temperature, the water passage amount, and the like. Then, the target rotation speed setting unit 20 of the controller 15 sets the target rotation speed of the combustion fan 11 for supplying the burner 3 with the amount of combustion air corresponding to the required combustion amount calculated by the required combustion amount calculation unit 19. Set according to a predetermined data table. At this time, the fan control unit 21 adjusts the rotation speed of the combustion fan 11 so that the rotation speed of the combustion fan 11 detected by the rotation speed sensor 13 matches the target rotation speed set by the target rotation speed setting unit 20. It is controlled via the motor 12.

On the other hand, in parallel with this operation, the target gas amount setting unit 22 of the controller 15 determines the number of revolutions of the combustion fan 11 detected by the number of revolutions sensor 13 in accordance with a predetermined data table according to a predetermined data table. The target gas amount of the fuel gas to be supplied to is set. in this case,
Since the rotation speed of the combustion fan 11 is controlled to the target rotation speed corresponding to the required combustion amount, as a result, the target gas amount corresponding to the required combustion amount is set. The data table used at this time is determined according to the type of fuel gas used, and such a data table is provided in the controller 15 by a vendor when the water heater is shipped or installed, for example. The data is written in a memory (not shown).

The target gas amount set as described above is given to the valve control unit 23. At this time, the valve control unit 23 determines that the gas amount detected by the gas flow rate sensor 8 is the given target gas amount. The opening of the gas flow control valve 9 is controlled so as to match the amount. As a result, the amount of gas measured by the gas flow rate sensor 8 corresponds to the required amount of combustion. In this case, since the gas flow rate control valve 9 is energized and controlled based on the gas amount detected by the gas flow rate sensor 8, it is not affected by fluctuations in the atmospheric pressure of the combustion chamber, the opening area of the nozzle of the burner 3, and the like. The gas amount to the burner 3 is always controlled to an appropriate amount corresponding to the required combustion amount.

When the water flow through the water flow pipe 4 is completed, the controller 15 detects this through the water flow rate sensor 5, and the valve control unit 23 causes the gas supply pipe 7 to operate in response to the detection.
The gas flow rate control valve 9 is closed together with the opening / closing solenoid valve 10 to shut off the gas supply to the burner 3, and the fan control unit 21 stops the combustion fan 11, which causes the burner 3 to operate.
Stop the combustion operation of. Such a stopping operation of the combustion operation is similarly performed when the flame rod 18 detects a misfire of the burner 3 during the hot water supply operation.

Next, the operation of monitoring the degree of wear (life) of the water heater of this embodiment will be described.

When the operation of the water heater of the present embodiment is started and the combustion of the burner 3 as described above is started, first, the time measurement by the timer 24 is started and the accumulation of the addition calculation unit 27 is started. The added value is initialized (set to “0”).

Then, at the time of such combustion, the following processing is carried out at every predetermined time (0.1 seconds).

That is, the gas amount measured by the measuring unit 25 is input to the addition calculation unit 27, and the addition calculation unit 27 cumulatively adds the gas amount at the predetermined time intervals.

Next, when the hot water supply is completed and the operation of the hot water supply device is stopped, the following processing is performed by the controller 15.

First, the addition calculation unit 27 causes the EEPR to operate.
The data stored and held in the OM 26 is read. In this case, the data stored and held in the EEPROM 26 is obtained by adding up the sum of the cumulative addition values obtained by the addition calculation unit 27 at the end of each hot water supply operation for each hot water supply operation until the last hot water supply operation. It is a cumulative addition value obtained by adding up.

Then, the addition arithmetic unit 27 adds the finally obtained cumulative addition value to the cumulative addition value stored and held in the EEPROM 26 at the end of the hot water supply operation this time, and the addition result is newly accumulated. EEPROM26 as the additional value
Write in.

Since the cumulative addition value written in the EEPROM 26 at the end of the hot water supply operation is the total amount of gas supplied at the time of combustion of the burner 3, not only the number and time of combustion operation of the burner 3 but also The combustion amount of the burner 3 and the amount of change in the burner 3 at each combustion are reflected, and the consumption level of the burner 3 is accurately indicated.

Since the cumulative addition value is stored and held in the EEPROM 26, it is surely stored and held regardless of a power failure or disturbance.

Next, the new cumulative addition value thus written in the EEPROM 26 is input to the comparison unit 28, and the comparison unit 28 compares the cumulative addition value with a predetermined judgment value. In this case, the judgment value of the comparison unit 28 is a numerical value (7500 m ^{3 in} this embodiment) determined to correspond to the case where the water heater reaches the end of its life, and when the water heater reaches the end of its life. Is equivalent to. In addition,
The judgment value used at this time is determined according to the type of fuel gas used, and such a judgment value is
For example, it is written in a memory (not shown) provided in the controller 15 by a trader when the water heater is shipped or installed.

In the comparison judgment by the comparison unit 28, if the cumulative addition value indicating the degree of wear of the water heater is smaller than the judgment value (7500 m ³ ), the judgment signal is not output to the combustion prohibition unit 29, In this case, the control relating to the life monitoring ends. On the other hand, when the cumulative addition value reaches the judgment value (7500 m ³ ) or more, the comparison unit 28 outputs a judgment signal indicating that the water heater has reached the end of its life to the combustion prohibition unit 29. In this case, The combustion prohibition unit 29 drives the alarm device 16 and takes measures to prohibit the operation of the water heater. Specifically, the combustion prohibition unit 29 gives an alarm via the alarm device 16 to inform the user that the life of the water heater is approaching, and at the same time, regardless of the user's hot water supply operation, for example, the opening / closing solenoid. The valve 10 is maintained in the closed state, whereby the gas supply to the burner 3 is shut off and the burner 3 is made inoperable.

As a result, after the hot water supply device has reached the end of its life, the burner 3 becomes inoperable and a failure or the like is prevented.

As described above, in the water heater of this embodiment, the degree of wear can be accurately grasped in accordance with the actual degree of wear, and when the life of the water heater is near or has reached the end of life. In addition, appropriate measures can be taken to prevent the occurrence of a failure or the like.

Although the hot water supply device has been described in the above-described embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a combustion device such as a gas stove or an oven.

[0050]

As is apparent from the above, according to the present invention, the gas amount detected at every predetermined time when the burner burns is cumulatively added at each predetermined time, and the cumulative addition value is stored in the storage means. By memorizing and holding in the storage means, the degree of wear of the combustion device can be accurately grasped and monitored by the cumulative addition value stored and held in the storage means.

Further, in the present invention, when the cumulative addition value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined judgment value, an alarm is issued to notify that the life of the combustion apparatus is near to the user or that the life has been reached. It can be announced and appropriate measures can be taken, such as replacing the combustion device.

Further, by making the burner incombustible when the cumulative addition value becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined judgment value, the combustion device is in a state close to the life, or when the life is reached, a failure or the like occurs. Can be prevented in advance.

Further, since the storage means is composed of a writable / erasable non-volatile storage means, the cumulative addition value can be surely stored and held regardless of a power failure, disturbance, etc., and the combustion device is consumed. Degree of life (life)
Monitoring can be continuously performed without any trouble.

Furthermore, a gas flow rate sensor and a gas flow rate control valve are provided in the gas supply path to the burner so that the gas amount detected by the gas flow rate sensor matches the target gas amount set corresponding to the required combustion amount. Further, by controlling the gas flow rate control valve based on the detected gas amount and the target gas amount, the combustion device while controlling the gas supply amount to the burner to a desired amount corresponding to the required combustion amount. Can determine the lifespan of.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a combustion device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of a main part of the combustion device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ... Burner, 7 ... Gas supply pipe (gas supply passage), 8 ... Gas flow rate sensor, 9 ... Gas flow rate control valve, 16 ... Alarm device (alarm generating means), 22 ... Target gas amount setting unit (gas amount setting means) ), 23 ... Valve control unit (valve control unit), 25 ... Measuring unit (gas amount measuring unit), 26 ... EEPROM (Storage unit), 27 ... Addition calculation unit (Adding unit), 28 ... Comparison unit (Monitoring unit) , 29 ... Combustion prohibition unit (combustion prohibition means).

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A gas flow sensor provided in a fuel gas supply path to a burner, and a gas amount for measuring the amount of gas supplied to the burner at the time of combustion through the gas flow sensor at predetermined time intervals. The measuring means, an adding means for cumulatively adding the gas amount measured by the gas amount measuring means for each predetermined time, a storing means for storing and holding the cumulative added value obtained by the adding means, and the storing means. A combustor comprising: a cumulative addition value stored and held and a predetermined determination value; and a monitoring unit that monitors the degree of wear of the combustion apparatus based on the comparison result. 2. The combustion inhibiting means for inhibiting the combustion of the burner when the cumulative addition value stored and held in the storage means becomes equal to or larger than the predetermined determination value. Combustion device. 3. The combustion apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising alarm generating means for issuing an alarm when the cumulative added value stored and held in the storage means becomes equal to or larger than the predetermined determination value. . 4. The combustion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage means is a writable / erasable nonvolatile storage means. 5. A gas amount setting means for setting a gas amount to be supplied to the burner according to a required combustion amount, and a target gas in which the gas amount detected by the gas flow rate sensor is set by the gas amount setting means. A valve control means for controlling the gas amount supplied to the burner by controlling the opening of a gas flow control valve provided in the gas supply path so as to match the amount. The combustion apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.