Connected hot water supply system

Abstract

This invention provides a connected hot water supply system that prevents the overlap of failure periods for multiple hot water supply devices. The connected hot water supply system includes multiple hot water supply devices connected in parallel and a control unit. The control unit is configured to use a primary hot water supply device first during hot water supply operation and a secondary hot water supply device used when hot water supply capacity is insufficient. By sequentially setting the primary hot water supply device among the multiple hot water supply devices, the cumulative load of the multiple hot water supply devices is leveled. The control unit includes a fault prediction response mode, which determines whether there are fault predictions for multiple components of the multiple hot water supply devices. If some components of a hot water supply device are determined to have fault predictions, the primary usage time of the hot water supply device with the fault prediction component as the primary hot water supply device in the leveling control is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a connected hot water supply system, which is composed of multiple hot water supply devices connected in parallel. Background Technology

[0002] For a long time, interconnected hot water supply systems, which consist of multiple hot water supply devices connected in parallel, have been widely used. These systems pre-select a main hot water supply device from among the multiple devices, and this main device is used first to supply hot water when the hot water supply begins. Furthermore, if the hot water supply capacity is insufficient when using only the main hot water supply device, secondary hot water supply devices other than the main device are used to supply hot water according to the insufficient capacity.

[0003] During hot water supply, the main hot water supply unit is constantly in use. Therefore, compared with the secondary hot water supply unit, the cumulative load on the main hot water supply unit increases rapidly (consumption occurs quickly), which can easily lead to a decrease in heating capacity and malfunctions. To prevent this, the connected hot water supply system implements control measures to level the cumulative load.

[0004] For example, as in Patent Document 1, there is a known hot water supply device that, by reducing the output of a heating element that has a higher usage rate than other heating elements, levels the usage rate of the cumulative load of multiple heating elements. Furthermore, as in Patent Document 2, there is a known interconnected hot water supply system that, if the usage time of a main hot water supply device reaches a predetermined time, then the next main hot water supply device is sequentially set up, thereby leveling the cumulative load of multiple hot water supply devices.

[0005] [Existing technical documents]

[0006] [Patent Literature]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-223745

[0008] [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-16409 Summary of the Invention

[0009] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0010] If the cumulative load of multiple hot water supply devices is leveled as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the service life of the connected hot water supply system can be extended. However, each hot water supply device is consumed to the same extent at the end of its service life, so it is possible that multiple hot water supply devices will fail at the same time, resulting in concentrated repairs and high repair costs. Moreover, although the connected hot water supply system can prevent the situation of not being able to supply hot water by using multiple hot water supply devices, the leveling of the cumulative load may cause multiple hot water supply devices to fail at the same time, resulting in the inability to supply hot water.

[0011] The purpose of this invention is to provide a connected hot water supply system that prevents the failure times of multiple hot water supply devices from overlapping.

[0012] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0013] The interconnected hot water supply system of technical solution 1 comprises: multiple hot water supply devices connected in parallel; and a control unit that controls the operation of the hot water supply by changing the number of devices in use among the multiple hot water supply devices according to the required hot water supply capacity. The control unit is configured to use a main hot water supply device first at the start of the hot water supply operation and a secondary hot water supply device used when the hot water supply capacity of the main hot water supply device is insufficient. By sequentially setting the main hot water supply device among the multiple hot water supply devices, a leveling control is performed to level the cumulative load of the multiple hot water supply devices. The interconnected hot water supply system is characterized in that the control unit includes a fault prediction response mode, which determines whether there are fault predictions for multiple parts of the multiple hot water supply devices. If a part of one of the multiple hot water supply devices is a fault prediction part, the main usage time of the hot water supply device with the fault prediction part as the main hot water supply device in the leveling control is increased.

[0014] According to the structure, the cumulative load of multiple hot water supply devices is leveled by sequentially setting the main hot water supply device through control components, thereby extending the service life of the connected hot water supply system. The leveling control includes a fault prediction response mode, which increases the primary usage time of hot water supply devices that have fault-predicted components. Furthermore, through this fault prediction response mode, the cumulative load of the hot water supply device with the fault-predicted component increases faster than other hot water supply devices. Therefore, the connected hot water supply system prevents the failure time of the hot water supply device with the fault-predicted component from overlapping with the failure time of other hot water supply devices, thus preventing a situation where multiple hot water supply devices fail simultaneously, which is easily caused by the leveling of cumulative load.

[0015] The interconnected hot water supply system of technical solution 2 is the invention of technical solution 1. Its characteristic is that, when the part of the hot water supply device is a plurality of hot water supply devices, the main operating time of the hot water supply device with the fault-predicting part having the shortest calculated remaining life of the part of the hot water supply device is increased.

[0016] According to the aforementioned structure, when multiple hot water supply units have fault-predicting components, the main operating time of the hot water supply unit with the fault-predicting component having the shortest calculated remaining lifespan increases. Therefore, when a fault is predicted in one of the multiple hot water supply units, the cumulative load of the hot water supply unit with the fault-predicting component having the shortest remaining lifespan and the component expected to fail earliest increases faster than other hot water supply units. Thus, the failure time of the hot water supply unit with the fault-predicting component having the shortest remaining lifespan can be advanced, preventing overlap with the failure times of other hot water supply units.

[0017] The interconnected hot water supply system of technical solution 3 is the invention of technical solution 1. Its characteristic is that, when the part of the hot water supply device consists of multiple hot water supply devices, the main operating time of the hot water supply device with the most critical fault-predicting component among the part of the hot water supply devices is increased.

[0018] According to the aforementioned structure, when multiple hot water supply units have fault-predicting components, the main operating time of the hot water supply unit with the fault-predicting component of the highest importance among these components increases. Therefore, when a fault is identified in one of the multiple hot water supply units, the cumulative load of the hot water supply unit with the fault-predicting component of the highest importance increases faster than that of other hot water supply units. Consequently, the failure time of the hot water supply unit with the fault-predicting component of the highest importance can be advanced, and the failure time of other hot water supply units can be prevented from overlapping.

[0019] The interconnected hot water supply system of technical solution 4 is an invention of any one of technical solutions 1 to 3, characterized in that it includes: multiple pumps connected in parallel in a manner that can circulate hot water to the multiple hot water supply devices; the control component performs pump leveling control to level the cumulative load of the multiple pumps by causing the pumps used in the multiple pumps to take turns in turn; and the control component includes: a pump failure warning response mode, which determines whether there is a pump failure warning for the multiple pumps, and if there is a pump failure warning, increases the usage time of the pump in the pump leveling control compared to the pump without the pump failure warning.

[0020] According to the aforementioned structure, by having the pumps used to circulate hot water to multiple hot water supply devices in a manner that allows for immediate supply of warm water from hot water taps, the cumulative load of the multiple pumps is leveled out, thereby extending the service life of the connected hot water supply system. Furthermore, through the pump failure warning response mode in the pump leveling control that increases the usage time of pumps showing signs of failure, the failure time of pumps with signs of failure can be advanced, preventing overlap with the failure times of other pumps.

[0021] The interconnected hot water supply system of technical solution 5 is an invention of any one of technical solutions 1 to 4, characterized in that the control component is a management server communicatively connected via an external communication network.

[0022] According to the structure, the management server controls the operation of hot water supply using multiple hot water supply devices, thus simplifying the structure of the connected hot water supply system. Even with the structure of the connected hot water supply system, it can be controlled in a way that the failure times do not overlap.

[0023] [The effects of the invention]

[0024] According to the interconnected hot water supply system of the present invention, the failure periods of multiple hot water supply devices do not overlap. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1A diagram illustrating the structure of a connected hot water supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 A diagram showing the structure of a hot water supply device.

[0027] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates a typical alternating configuration of the main hot water supply device in this embodiment.

[0028] Figure 4 The flowchart illustrates a leveling control system with a fault prediction response mode, as shown in the example.

[0029] Figure 5 Flowchart for the fault prediction and control of drive components.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the control process for detecting early signs of failure in a temperature sensor.

[0031] Figure 7 A diagram illustrating an example of alternating fault warning response modes.

[0032] Figure 8 A diagram illustrating another example of alternating fault warning response modes.

[0033] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating another example of leveling control with a fault prediction response mode.

[0034] Figure 10 A diagram illustrating the setting of the importance of a part.

[0035] Figure 11 A diagram illustrating a typical alternating configuration of the pump.

[0036] Figure 12 A diagram illustrating an example of alternating settings for pump failure warning response modes.

[0037] Figure 13 This diagram illustrates another structural example of a connected hot water supply system.

[0038] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0039] 1a~1c: Hot water supply taps

[0040] 2: Circulatory pathway

[0041] 3: External communication network

[0042] 4: Management Server

[0043] 10: Connected hot water supply system

[0044] 11: Switching valve

[0045] 12: System Controller

[0046] 13: Operating terminal

[0047] 14: Communication device

[0048] 21: Burner

[0049] 22: Combustion fan

[0050] 23: Heat exchanger

[0051] 23a: First heat exchanger

[0052] 23b: Second heat exchanger

[0053] 23c: Drainage tray

[0054] 24: Water supply route

[0055] 25: Hot water drainage path

[0056] 26: Neutralizer

[0057] 26a: Water level detection component

[0058] 27: Opening and closing solenoid valve

[0059] 28: Water supply temperature sensor

[0060] 29: Water supply flow sensor

[0061] 30: Bypass Path

[0062] 31: Flow regulating valve

[0063] 32: Hot water discharge temperature sensor

[0064] 33: Hot water supply temperature sensor

[0065] 34: Control Department

[0066] WH1~WH4: Hot water supply devices

[0067] P1, P2: Pumps Detailed Implementation

[0068] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on examples.

[0069] [Example]

[0070] First, the structure of the connected hot water supply system will be explained.

[0071] like Figure 1As shown, in a facility that, for example, has multiple hot water taps (not shown) besides hot water taps 1a to 1c as hot water supply destinations, a circulation path 2 for circulating warm water is provided so that hot water can be immediately supplied from any of the hot water taps. For the hot water supply unit that supplies warm water to the circulation path 2, it is required to be able to handle hot water supply from small to large flow rates and to prevent situations where hot water cannot be supplied due to malfunctions. Therefore, a connected hot water supply system 10 with multiple hot water supply devices is connected to the circulation path 2 as the hot water supply unit. When hot water is supplied from the hot water taps, tap water is supplied to the circulation path 2 as indicated by arrow W.

[0072] The connected hot water supply system 10 includes: multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4 connected in parallel; multiple pumps P1 and P2 connected in parallel to the circulation passage 2 to circulate hot water to the multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4; a switching valve 11 that switches the flow path according to the pump P1 or pump P2 used; and a system controller 12, a control component that controls the operation of the hot water supply to drive these components. Furthermore, the number of hot water supply devices and pumps in the connected hot water supply system 10 can be appropriately set, for example, according to the required hot water supply capacity.

[0073] The system controller 12 is communicatively connected to an operating terminal 13 for making various settings and other configurations, and a communication device 14. The system controller 12 is connected to an external communication network 3 (e.g., the Internet) via the communication device 14. The external communication network 3 may be connected to a management server 4, which manages the provision of maintenance services based on operational information received from the connected hot water supply system 10. The management server 4 is provided by the maintenance service provider or manufacturer of the connected hot water supply system 10 to quickly respond to any malfunctions and to prevent future problems.

[0074] Next, hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4 will be described. Since hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4 have the same structure, hot water supply device WH1 will be described, and the description of hot water supply devices WH2 to WH4 will be omitted.

[0075] like Figure 2 As shown, the hot water supply device WH1 is a combustion-type hot water supply unit that uses the heat generated by burning fuel gas to heat hot water. The hot water supply device WH1 includes: a burner 21 for burning fuel gas; a combustion fan 22 for supplying air for combustion; and a heat exchanger 23 for heating hot water through heat exchange with the combustion gases generated by combustion.

[0076] The heat exchanger 23 includes a first heat exchanger 23a for recovering the sensible heat of the combustion gases and a second heat exchanger 23b for recovering the latent heat of the recovered combustion gases. The second heat exchanger 23b is connected to the first heat exchanger 23a. A water supply passage 24 is connected to the second heat exchanger 23b for supplying tap water or circulating hot water from the circulation passage 2 to the heat exchanger 23. A hot water discharge passage 25 is connected to the first heat exchanger 23a for supplying hot water heated by the heat exchanger 23. In the second heat exchanger 23b, water contained in the combustion gases condenses to produce acidic condensate, and therefore includes a drain pan 23c for collecting the condensate and a neutralizer 26 containing a neutralizing agent to neutralize the condensate collected in the drain pan 23c. The neutralizer 26 has a water level detection component 26a that detects overflow when the water level reaches H or higher.

[0077] The water supply passage 24 includes: an on / off solenoid valve 27; a water supply temperature sensor 28 for detecting the temperature of tap water or hot water before it is heated by the heat exchanger 23; and a water supply flow sensor 29 for detecting the flow rate of tap water or hot water supplied to the heat exchanger 23. Downstream of the on / off solenoid valve 27, a bypass passage 30 branches off from the water supply passage 24 and connects to the hot water discharge passage 25. The bypass passage 30 has a flow regulating valve 31 for adjusting the temperature of the hot water supply. This flow regulating valve 31 is used to adjust the flow rate of the tap water or hot water mixed with the heated hot water before heating to the hot water discharge passage 25.

[0078] The hot water discharge passage 25 includes: a hot water discharge temperature sensor 32, which detects the temperature of the hot water heated by the heat exchanger 23; and a hot water supply temperature sensor 33, which detects the temperature of the hot water after temperature adjustment. Furthermore, the hot water supply device WH1 includes a control unit 34, which performs drive control of the combustion fan 22, drive control of the solenoid valve 27 and the flow regulating valve 31, and combustion control of the burner 21.

[0079] The control unit 34 receives detection signals from the water supply temperature sensor 28, the water supply flow sensor 29, the hot water discharge temperature sensor 32, and the hot water supply temperature sensor 33. The control unit 34 is communicatively connected to the system controller 12 and opens and closes the solenoid valve 27 based on instructions from the system controller 12. When the solenoid valve 27 is open, if the water supply flow sensor 29 detects a flow rate exceeding the specified flow rate, hot water supply operation is initiated; that is, combustion begins, and the flow regulating valve 31 is adjusted to supply hot water at the adjusted temperature.

[0080] During hot water supply operation, the drive components of the hot water supply device are driven to a set target value (e.g., the target speed of the combustion fan 22). Furthermore, hot water supply operation includes, for example, supplying hot water from hot water taps 1a to 1c, and also reheating the warm water circulating in the circulation passage 2 by driving pump P1 or pump P2.

[0081] The system controller 12 pre-sets one main hot water supply device from hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4, and sets the others as secondary hot water supply devices. For example, when hot water supply device WH1 is set as the main hot water supply device, the solenoid valve 27 of hot water supply device WH1 is opened, and the solenoid valves 27 of hot water supply devices WH2 to WH4, which are set as secondary hot water supply devices, are closed. For example, when the hot water supply tap 1a is turned on, or when pump P1 is driven, if the water supply flow sensor 29 detects a flow rate exceeding the specified flow rate, the hot water supply device WH1, set as the main hot water supply device, starts hot water supply operation.

[0082] Next, the leveling control performed by the system controller 12 will be explained.

[0083] System controller 12, such as Figure 3 As shown, by sequentially setting the main hot water supply devices, leveling control is performed to level the cumulative load of multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4.

[0084] For example, if the usage time (main usage time) of hot water supply device WH1, which is set as the main hot water supply device, reaches a preset time (e.g., 8 hours), then hot water supply device WH2 is set as the next main hot water supply device. Then, using hot water supply device WH2 as the main hot water supply device, the timing of the main usage time of hot water supply device WH2 is started, and the main usage time of hot water supply device WH1, which was set as the previous main hot water supply device, is reset to zero.

[0085] Whenever the combustion time of the main hot water supply device reaches the specified time, the main hot water supply device is set sequentially among the multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4. As a result, the main usage time of hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4 is leveled, and thus the cumulative load of each hot water supply device WH1 to WH4 is leveled.

[0086] During hot water supply operation, if the heating capacity of the main hot water supply device is insufficient when multiple hot water faucets 1a to 1c are used simultaneously, the secondary hot water supply devices are operated sequentially to compensate for the deficiency, changing the number of devices used to correspond to the required heating capacity. The order in which the secondary hot water supply devices operate is set, for example, based on the order in which the main hot water supply devices are set, so that the previously operated main hot water supply device becomes the last secondary hot water supply device to operate.

[0087] By leveling the load, combustion is not concentrated on a specific hot water supply unit, thus extending the service life of the connected hot water supply system 10. On the other hand, the cumulative load of the multiple hot water supply units WH1 to WH4 is leveled, so that sometimes at the end of the service life, some of the multiple hot water supply units WH1 to WH4 may fail at the same time.

[0088] If a malfunction occurs, the management server 4 is notified, and after adjusting the repair schedule, a repairman is dispatched by the maintenance service provider. When multiple hot water supply units malfunction simultaneously, the cost of a single repair becomes expensive, increasing the burden on the user. Therefore, the system controller 12 performs leveling control of the fault prediction response mode in the following manner: it determines whether there are fault predictions for multiple components of each hot water supply unit WH1 to WH4, increasing the chance that the hot water supply unit with the fault prediction component will be used as the main hot water supply unit. Regarding the leveling control with the aforementioned fault prediction response mode, based on... Figure 4 The flowchart, while referring to Figure 5 , Figure 6 The explanation will be provided below. In the diagram, Si (i = 1, 2, ...) represents the steps.

[0089] For example, when hot water supply device WH1 is set as the main hot water supply device, step S1 determines whether the preset rotation time has elapsed. The rotation time is the time used as the main hot water supply device, and for hot water supply devices without fault-predicting components, it is preset to, for example, 8 hours. If the determination in S1 is no, the determination in S1 is repeated until the rotation time has elapsed, that is, until the main usage time of hot water supply device WH1 reaches the rotation time. If the determination in S1 is yes, the process proceeds to S2.

[0090] In step S2, it is determined whether any of the multiple components of the multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4 are identified as having signs of failure. The determination of whether a component has signs of failure is performed by the system controller 12 during hot water supply operation or standby, and the determination result is used in step S2.

[0091] Here, the determination of whether a component shows signs of failure is explained. For the drive components of a hot water supply device used in hot water supply operation, for example... Figure 5 In order to operate the hot water supply, the device is driven to achieve the set target value (S11), and an actual value relative to the target value is obtained (S12). Next, if the obtained actual value is within the preset normal range (Yes in S13) and reaches the preset fault indication benchmark (No in S14), the device is determined to be a fault indication device (S16).

[0092] If the acquired performance value is within the preset normal range (Yes in S13) and does not meet the fault warning benchmark (Yes in S14), it is determined that there is no fault warning (S15). If the acquired performance value exceeds the preset normal range (No in S13), it is determined that a fault has occurred (S17), and the use of the hot water supply device with this component is prohibited. The judgment results of each component are sent to the management server 4.

[0093] Furthermore, regarding the water supply temperature sensor 28, hot water discharge temperature sensor 32, and hot water supply temperature sensor 33, it is difficult to detect any signs of malfunction during hot water supply operation. Therefore, in standby mode, these temperature sensors are set to a state where they can measure the same temperature, for example, as... Figure 6 In this state, with the solenoid valve 27 open, pump P1 or pump P2 is driven without combustion (S21) to obtain the detected temperature of the circulating hot water (S22). If the temperature difference between these temperature sensors is within a preset normal range (Yes in S23) and reaches a preset fault warning threshold (No in S24), the combined shared temperature sensor that reaches the fault warning threshold is identified as a fault warning component (S26). The detected temperatures can also be compared among multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4.

[0094] If the temperature difference is within the preset normal range (Yes in S23) and does not reach the preset fault warning threshold (Yes in S24), it is determined that there is no fault warning (S25). If the temperature difference exceeds the preset normal range (No in S23), it is determined that a fault has occurred (S27), and the hot water supply device with this temperature sensor is prohibited from use. The judgment results of each temperature sensor are sent to the management server 4.

[0095] Regarding the neutralizer 26, for example, if the water level detection component 26a temporarily detects overflow during hot water supply operation, and the overflow is no longer detected even without stopping the hot water supply operation, it is considered a sign of blockage and is determined to be a fault precursor component. Furthermore, regarding the heat exchanger 23, for example, the occurrence of a fault and the presence of fault precursors are determined based on the calculated thermal efficiency; regarding the burner 21, for example, the occurrence of a fault and the presence of fault precursors are determined based on the responsiveness to changes in combustion volume. These determination results are sent to the management server 4.

[0096] exist Figure 4 If the S2 determination is negative (No), proceed to S3. In S3, set to normal (normal mode) leveling control, for example, set the rotation time of the next main hot water supply device to a specified time (8 hours) and return.

[0097] On the other hand, if the determination in S2 is "Yes", proceed to S4. In S4, identify the hot water supply device with the shortest remaining lifespan among the components showing signs of failure, and proceed to S5. The remaining lifespan of the component can be calculated, for example, by subtracting the time already used from the pre-set service life of the component, or by taking into account factors such as the rate of consumption. Furthermore, if there is only one component showing signs of failure, the calculation of the remaining lifespan of the component can be omitted.

[0098] In S5, the leveling control of the fault prediction response mode is performed and then returned. In the leveling control of the fault prediction response mode, during the period when the main hot water supply device is set to run in turn, the usage time of the hot water supply device determined in S4 as the main hot water supply device is increased, thereby increasing the main usage time.

[0099] For example, in the case of a fault-predicting part in the hot water supply unit WH1 with the shortest remaining lifespan, such as... Figure 7 Therefore, when the hot water supply device WH1 is set as the main hot water supply device the next time, a 12-hour rotation period will be set instead of the usual 8 hours. As a result, the main usage time of the hot water supply device WH1 will increase during the rotation period of the main hot water supply device.

[0100] Moreover, such as Figure 8 As shown, the main hot water supply device can also be set alternately for a period of time, increasing the number of times hot water supply device WH1 is set as the main hot water supply device, thereby increasing the main usage time. It is also possible to... Figure 7 and Figure 8 The combination of these elements increases the main usage time.

[0101] By leveling the fault prediction response mode, the main operating time of the hot water supply unit with the fault prediction component that has the shortest remaining lifespan and is therefore expected to fail earliest can be increased, thus bringing forward the failure time. Furthermore, by bringing forward the failure time of the hot water supply unit with the fault prediction component that has the shortest remaining lifespan, the failure time of other hot water supply units can be avoided from overlapping with the failure time of other hot water supply units.

[0102] System controller 12 can also be configured to replace the control in leveling control. Figure 4 In S4, the hot water supply device is identified as having the component with the shortest calculated remaining lifespan as a potential failure indicator. Figure 9 Like S34, this is a hot water supply device that identifies components with the highest pre-defined component importance as potential failure indicators. Regarding component importance, for example... Figure 10 Therefore, for parts that prioritize safety and have a significant impact on combustion control, the importance of the parts should be set high, while for parts that have alternative components for control, the importance of the parts should be set low.

[0103] For example, the flow regulating valve 31 can be controlled by using the temperature detected by the hot water supply temperature sensor 33 instead of the supply water temperature sensor 28. Furthermore, even if the heat exchanger 23's heat exchange function is reduced due to the adhesion of mineral components contained in the tap water, the insufficient hot water supply capacity can be compensated by other hot water supply devices.

[0104] On the other hand, if the combustion fan 22 reduces its air supply capacity, incomplete combustion may occur. A malfunction in the hot water supply temperature sensor 33 may result in the supply of high-temperature hot water that could cause burns. Therefore, the importance of these components is set high. In the case of multiple fault-predicting components with the same importance, a hot water supply device with the fault-predicting component having the shortest calculated remaining lifespan can be identified, or multiple hot water supply devices with fault-predicting components can be identified.

[0105] Similar to the leveling control of the multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4, the system controller 12, as... Figure 11 As shown, pump leveling control is achieved by having the pumps used in multiple pumps P1 and P2 take turns at intervals of usage time (e.g., every 8 hours), thereby leveling the cumulative load on the pumps. This pump leveling control, for example, is achieved through methods such as... Figure 12 As shown, the operating time of pump P1, which shows signs of pump failure, is set to be longer than usual, for example, 12 hours. This allows the failure time of pump P1 to occur earlier and not overlap with the failure time of other pumps P2. The presence or absence of pump failure signs is determined by the system controller 12 based on set values ​​such as pump speed during pump operation and actual values ​​relative to those set values.

[0106] The control unit for performing the leveling control and pump leveling control can also be configured as a management server 4. Therefore, not only... Figure 1 The connected hot water supply system 10, in such Figure 13 In the simpler connected hot water supply system 10A that omits the system controller 12, the same leveling control and pump leveling control can also be performed. Furthermore, the connected hot water supply system 10A is configured such that the control units 34 of each of the multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4 can communicate with a management server 4 connected to an external communication network 3 via a communication device 14.

[0107] The function and effect of the connected hot water supply systems 10 and 10A in the above embodiments will be explained.

[0108] The system controller 12, as a control component of the connected hot water supply system 10, levels the cumulative load of multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4 by sequentially setting the main hot water supply device, thereby extending the service life of the connected hot water supply system 10. Furthermore, the leveling control includes a fault prediction response mode: for hot water supply devices with fault-predicted components, the primary usage time as the main hot water supply device is increased. Through this fault prediction response mode, the cumulative load of the hot water supply device with the fault-predicted component increases faster than other hot water supply devices. Therefore, the failure period of the hot water supply device with the fault-predicted component does not overlap with the failure period of other hot water supply devices, preventing a situation where multiple hot water supply devices fail simultaneously, which is easily caused by the leveling of cumulative load.

[0109] Furthermore, in the fault prediction response mode, when multiple hot water supply units have fault prediction components, the main operating time of the hot water supply unit with the fault prediction component having the shortest calculated remaining lifespan is increased. Therefore, when multiple hot water supply units are determined to have fault prediction components, the cumulative load of the hot water supply unit with the fault prediction component having the shortest remaining lifespan and the component expected to fail earliest increases faster than other hot water supply units. Thus, the failure time of the hot water supply unit with the fault prediction component having the shortest remaining lifespan can be advanced, preventing overlap with the failure times of other hot water supply units.

[0110] In cases where multiple hot water supply units have components with pre-defined fault indications, the primary operating time of the hot water supply unit with the component having the highest pre-defined fault indication importance among these components can be increased. Therefore, when multiple hot water supply units are determined to have components with fault indications, the cumulative load of the hot water supply unit with the component having the highest pre-defined fault indication importance increases faster than other hot water supply units. Consequently, the failure time of the hot water supply unit with the component having the highest pre-defined fault indication importance can be advanced, preventing overlap with the failure times of other hot water supply units.

[0111] Regarding pumps P1 and P2, which circulate hot water to multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4 in a manner that allows for immediate supply of warm water from hot water supply taps 1a to 1c, the cumulative load of the multiple pumps P1 and P2 is leveled by rotating the pumps in turn, thereby extending the service life of the connected hot water supply system 10. Furthermore, the pump failure warning response mode in the pump leveling control, which increases the usage time of pumps showing signs of failure, allows the failure time of such pumps to occur earlier, preventing overlap with the failure times of other pumps.

[0112] In the simplified connected hot water supply system 10A, which omits the system controller 12, the management server 4 can also be used as the control component. The management server 4 controls the operation of hot water supply using multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4, thus simplifying the structure of the connected hot water supply system 10A. Even with the structure of the connected hot water supply system 10A, the failure periods of the multiple hot water supply devices WH1 to WH4 and the failure periods of the multiple pumps P1 and P2 do not overlap.

[0113] Furthermore, those skilled in the art can implement the embodiments with various modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the invention includes such modified implementations.

Claims

1. A connected hot water supply system comprising: a plurality of hot water supply devices connected in parallel; and a control unit that controls the operation of the hot water supply by changing the number of the plurality of hot water supply devices in use according to the required hot water supply capacity. The control unit is configured to use a primary hot water supply device first at the start of the hot water supply operation, and a secondary hot water supply device to be used when the primary hot water supply device's capacity is insufficient. Furthermore, by sequentially setting the primary hot water supply device among the plurality of hot water supply devices, a leveling control is performed to level the cumulative load of the plurality of hot water supply devices. The connected hot water supply system is characterized in that... The control component includes: The fault prediction response mode determines whether there are fault predictions for multiple components of the multiple hot water supply devices. If a component of one of the multiple hot water supply devices is determined to be a fault prediction component, the main usage time of the hot water supply device with the fault prediction component, which serves as the main hot water supply device in the leveling control, is increased. The fault prediction response mode, when the portion of the hot water supply device consists of multiple hot water supply devices, increases the main operating time of the hot water supply device with the fault-predicting component that has the shortest calculated remaining lifespan.

2. The connected hot water supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that... include: Multiple pumps are connected in parallel to circulate hot water to the multiple hot water supply devices. The control unit performs pump leveling control by sequentially rotating the pumps used in the plurality of pumps to level the cumulative load of the plurality of pumps, and includes: a pump failure warning response mode, which determines whether there is a pump failure warning for the plurality of pumps, and if there is a pump failure warning, increases the usage time of the pump in the pump leveling control compared to the pump without the pump failure warning.

3. The connected hot water supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is a management server that can be connected via an external communication network.

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