Water heater parallel system control method and system

Abstract

The invention discloses a water heater parallel system control method and system.The water heater parallel system comprises a main control board assembly and a plurality of water heaters in communication connection with the main control board assembly, water paths of the water heaters are connected in parallel, and the water heaters at least comprise one water heater in an idle state; the method comprises the steps that the continuous combustion duration of the started water heater is obtained; if the continuous combustion duration of the water heater reaches the preset limit duration, the water heater is turned off; according to the water heater parallel system, combustion overtime detection is conducted on the water heaters, the situation that the continuous combustion time of the water heaters is too long is avoided, and the problems that in an existing water heater parallel system, the continuous combustion time of the water heaters is too long, so that equipment aging is accelerated, and the service life is shortened are effectively solved; meanwhile, hot water supply can be kept; at least one water heater in an idle state is included in the multiple water heaters, and all the water heaters can be started in turn when the system operates.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of water heater control, and in particular to a water heater parallel system control method and system. Background Art

[0002] The water heater parallel system refers to a hot water supply system composed of multiple water heaters connected in parallel. It is composed of multiple water heaters connected in parallel and can meet the scenarios with large demand for domestic hot water.

[0003] The water heater parallel system currently on the market often starts all parallel gas water heaters in order to quickly respond to large-flow hot water demands. In this full-on mode, the water heaters run continuously for a long time, which will cause heat accumulation inside the water heaters, accelerate equipment aging and reduce service life. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a water heater parallel system control method and system.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a control method for a water heater parallel system, wherein the water heater parallel system comprises a main control board assembly, and a plurality of water heaters communicatively connected to the main control board assembly, wherein water paths of the plurality of water heaters are mutually connected in parallel, and wherein at least one of the plurality of water heaters is in an idle state, and the method comprises:

[0006] Get the continuous combustion time of the turned-on water heater;

[0007] If the continuous combustion time of a water heater reaches a preset limit time, shut down the water heater whose continuous combustion time reaches the preset limit time;

[0008] Turn on an idle water heater to keep the hot water flowing.

[0009] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a water heater parallel system, which includes a main control board assembly and multiple water heaters communicatively connected to the main control board assembly, and the water circuits of the water heaters are connected in parallel with each other; wherein the main control board assembly is used to execute the method described in the first aspect.

[0010] The above-mentioned water heater parallel system control method and system can obtain the continuous combustion time of the turned-on water heaters; by judging and shutting down the water heater whose continuous combustion time reaches the preset limit time, a water heater in an idle state is turned on, thereby avoiding the continuous combustion time of the water heater being too long, and effectively solving the problem of the current water heater parallel system in which the continuous combustion time of the water heater is too long, which accelerates the aging of the equipment and reduces the service life, while maintaining the hot water supply; and, if at least one water heater in an idle state is included among the multiple water heaters, the system can activate each water heater in turn during operation, making the switching of water heaters feasible.

[0011] It should be understood that the contents described in this section are not intended to identify the key or important features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Other features of the present invention will become easily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0013] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a water heater parallel system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a water heater parallel system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a method for adjusting the number of water heaters provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a water heater parallel system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method for detecting a fault of a water heater provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 6 is a flow chart of a water heater parallel system control method provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of a water heater parallel system control device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a water heater provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the scheme of the present invention, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] The water heater parallel system control method provided by the embodiment of the present invention can be applied to Figure 1 The water heater parallel system shown in Figure 1 In the invention, the water heater parallel system includes a main control board assembly and multiple water heaters connected to the main control board assembly, and each water heater shares a water inlet, a water outlet and an air inlet pipe. The main control board assembly serves as the host, and multiple water heaters serve as slaves. The main control board assembly can communicate with all water heaters.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, a water heater parallel system control method is provided, and the method is applied to Figure 1 Taking the water heater parallel system in the example as an example, the water heater parallel system control method includes the following steps S201-S203:

[0025] S201, obtaining the continuous combustion time of the turned-on water heater.

[0026] Among them, the continuous combustion time is the combustion working time after the water heater was last turned on. After the water heater is turned on, its own continuous combustion time is updated in real time and sent to the main control board assembly.

[0027] S202: If the continuous combustion time of the water heater reaches a preset limit time, shut down the water heater whose continuous combustion time reaches the preset limit time.

[0028] Specifically, the main control board assembly obtains the continuous combustion time of the turned-on water heaters, and performs a combustion timeout judgment on the continuous combustion time of each turned-on water heater. If it is determined that a water heater has timed out, a shutdown command is sent to the water heater. The water heater automatically shuts down upon receiving the shutdown command. After being shut down, the water heater returns to an idle state, thereby preventing the water heater from being in a high temperature state for a long time, reducing the rate of scaling and corrosion, and thus extending its service life.

[0029] In addition, after the water heater is turned off, the water valve in the shut-down water heater is controlled to be closed to cut off the water heater from the water circuit.

[0030] S203: Turn on a water heater that is in an idle state to maintain hot water supply.

[0031] After shutting down a water heater, the number of open water heaters decreases. If the total heat load demand does not decrease, the heat load of other open water heaters will increase, which may cause some of the open water heaters to overload. Therefore, after shutting down a water heater, turn on an idle water heater. The newly turned on water heater replaces the shut-down water heater to provide heat load, which can maintain a continuous supply of hot water and prevent other open water heaters from overloading.

[0032] In the water heater parallel system, the multiple water heaters include at least one water heater in an idle state, and specifically, the idle state is a state when the water heater is not started. When the system is running, each water heater can be activated in turn, so that the water heater switching is feasible.

[0033] Specifically, other water heaters in an idle state except the currently turned-off water heater may be used as backup water heaters, and one backup water heater may be turned on randomly.

[0034] Furthermore, the continuous shutdown time of each water heater in an idle state can be obtained, and the water heaters with a continuous shutdown time greater than the preset cooling time can be used as backup water heaters. A backup water heater is randomly turned on, and preferably, the backup water heater with the longest continuous shutdown time is turned on. This can optimize the cooling effect of the water heater while satisfying the need to turn on a new idle water heater.

[0035] The above-mentioned water heater parallel system control method can obtain the continuous combustion time of the turned-on water heaters; by judging and closing the water heater whose continuous combustion time reaches the preset limit time, a water heater in an idle state is turned on, thereby avoiding the continuous combustion time of the water heater being too long, and effectively solving the problem of the current water heater parallel system in which the continuous combustion time of the water heater is too long, which accelerates the aging of the equipment and reduces the service life, while maintaining the hot water supply; and, if at least one water heater in an idle state is included among the multiple water heaters, the system can activate each water heater in turn during operation, making the switching of water heaters feasible.

[0036] In an optional embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the water heater parallel system control method also includes a water heater quantity adjustment method, and the specific steps are as follows S301-S302:

[0037] S301. Obtain the current interval time and the target interval time, where the interval time is the interval time from the last time the number of water heaters turned on changed.

[0038] The change in the number of water heaters turned on includes an increase or decrease in the number of water heaters turned on.

[0039] The target interval time is the preset interval time, and the current interval time is the actual interval time, which is specifically started from the last time the number of water heaters turned on changed.

[0040] S302: When the adjustment condition for the number of water heaters turned on is met, the number of water heaters turned on is adjusted, wherein the adjustment condition at least includes that the current interval time reaches the target interval time.

[0041] Adjusting the number of water heaters that are turned on at least when the current interval reaches the target interval can avoid frequent starting and closing of the water heater, and can also allow the water heater to get more cooling time, slow down component wear and reduce the occurrence of failures.

[0042] In an optional example, when the adjustment condition of the number of water heaters turned on is met, the number of water heaters turned on is adjusted, specifically including: when the condition of increasing the number of water heaters turned on is met, turning on one water heater; when the condition of decreasing the number of water heaters turned on is met, turning off one water heater.

[0043] The increase condition includes that the heat load of any turned-on water heater is greater than the preset first load value, and the difference between the number of non-faulty water heaters and the number of turned-on water heaters is greater than one. The decrease condition includes that the heat load of all water heaters is less than the preset second load value, and the number of turned-on water heaters is greater than one, and the first load value is greater than the second load value.

[0044] In the addition condition, if the heat load of any turned-on water heater is greater than the preset first load value, it means that there is a water heater operating under high load. At this time, adding a turned-on water heater can share part of the heat load for the water heater operating under high load, avoiding damage or reduction of the service life of the water heater due to high load operation. The difference between the number of non-faulty water heaters and the number of turned-on water heaters is the number of non-faulty water heaters in idle state. If a turned-on water heater is added under the condition of meeting the addition condition, the newly turned-on water heater is a non-faulty water heater in idle state, and it can still ensure that there is at least one non-faulty water heater in idle state, making water heater switching feasible.

[0045] In the reduction condition, the heat load of all water heaters is less than the preset second load value, indicating that the system still has a demand for hot water supply and the turned-on water heaters are operating under a low load state. At this time, reducing one turned-on water heater can reduce the number of turned-on water heaters, allowing the turned-off water heaters to return to an idle state and cool down, slowing down component wear, making their performance more stable, and reducing the occurrence of failures. In addition, when reducing one turned-on water heater, the heat load of the turned-on water heater will usually increase accordingly, but because the heat load of all water heaters is small, even if the heat load increases, the heat load of the water heater will not be at a high level. The reduction condition also includes the number of turned-on water heaters being greater than one. Since the entire system still has a demand for hot water supply, it is necessary to ensure that after turning off one turned-on water heater, there is still at least one turned-on water heater to ensure the hot water supply demand.

[0046] Furthermore, the water heaters are turned on one by one with an interval time set to prevent the water heaters from reaching the preset limit time at the same time. The water heaters are turned off one by one with an interval time set to prevent multiple water heaters from turning off at the same time, causing water temperature fluctuations, and other faults such as system circuit overload caused by a sharp increase in the heat load of other turned-on water heaters. Appropriate interval time can keep the overall performance of the water heater in a good state, ensuring the use effect and safety.

[0047] In an optional embodiment, the water heater parallel system control method also includes: obtaining the number of water heaters turned on and a first preset relationship, and determining a first load value based on the number of water heaters turned on and the first preset relationship, wherein the preset first load value is positively correlated with the number of water heaters turned on.

[0048] When the heat load of any turned-on water heater is greater than a preset first load value, it is one of the conditions for turning on a water heater. When the number of turned-on water heaters is greater, the first load value is greater, and it is more difficult to turn on a new water heater. This ensures that when more water heaters are turned on, the water heaters are in a state of high combustion power and high heat load, that is, the water heaters can fully and efficiently utilize the water heater resources after being turned on, and at the same time avoid the situation where too many water heaters are turned on and affect the cooling effect of the water heater.

[0049] Specifically, the first preset relationship is:

[0050] L1 = N / (N+a)-R1;

[0051] Among them, L1 is the first load value, N is the number of water heaters turned on, a is a constant greater than 0, and R1 is the preset redundant load value. Setting the redundant load value can ensure that the water heater is prevented from overloading while fully utilizing the thermal load of the water heater.

[0052] For example, a=1, R1=10%. When N=1, L1=1 / 2-10%=40%; when N=2, L1=2 / 3-10%=56.6%; when N=3, L1=3 / 4-10%=65%; and so on.

[0053] In an optional embodiment, the water heater parallel system control method further includes: obtaining the number of water heaters turned on and a second preset relationship, and determining a second load value according to the number of water heaters turned on and the second preset relationship, wherein the preset second load value is positively correlated with the number of water heaters turned on.

[0054] When the heat load of all water heaters is less than the preset second load value, it is one of the conditions to shut down a water heater. When the number of water heaters turned on is larger, the second load value is larger, and the difficulty of shutting down a water heater is smaller. This can ensure that when more water heaters are turned on and the heat load of the water heaters is relatively low, the number of water heaters turned on can be reduced, so that the closed water heaters can dissipate heat and cool, and the turned-on water heaters can be fully utilized, avoiding the situation where the number of water heaters turned on is large and the water heater usage is low, which affects the cooling effect of the water heater. When the number of water heaters turned on is smaller, the second load value is smaller, and the difficulty of shutting down a water heater is greater, which can ensure that there are enough water heaters turned on to meet the water heater supply.

[0055] Specifically, the second preset relationship is:

[0056] L2=L1 / 2+R2=[N / (N+a)-R1] / 2+R2;

[0057] Among them, L1 and L2 are the first load values ​​respectively, N is the number of water heaters turned on, a is a constant greater than 0, R1 is the preset redundant load value, and R2 is the equal load value when the water heater is turned on.

[0058] For example, a=1, R1=10%, R2=5%. When N=1, L2=20%+5%=25%; when N=2, L2=28.3%+5%=33.3%; when N=3, L2=32.5%+5%=37.5%; and so on.

[0059] In an optional embodiment, the water heater parallel system control method further includes: when the number of water heaters turned on changes, updating the target interval time according to the current number of water heaters turned on.

[0060] Specifically, after the number of water heaters turned on increases by one, it is determined whether the number of water heaters turned on reaches a preset ratio of the number of non-faulty water heaters; if so, the target interval is updated according to the third preset relationship between the current number of water heaters turned on and the target interval; if not, the target interval is set to the preset first fixed duration; after the number of water heaters turned on decreases by one, the target interval is set to the preset second fixed duration. By dynamically adjusting the target interval, each water heater can obtain an appropriate cooling time, reduce equipment loss, ensure stable performance of the water heater, and extend the service life of the water heater.

[0061] Among them, a non-faulty water heater is a water heater that can operate normally, including a turned-on water heater and an idle (turned-off) non-faulty water heater, and the turned-on water heater is determined to be a non-faulty water heater. When the number of turned-on water heaters reaches a preset ratio of the number of non-faulty water heaters, it means that the number of turned-on water heaters is relatively large, and the number of idle non-faulty water heaters is relatively small, then the target interval time is updated according to the third preset relationship between the current number of turned-on water heaters and the target interval time; when the number of turned-on water heaters does not reach the preset ratio of the number of non-faulty water heaters, it means that the number of idle non-faulty water heaters is relatively large, then the interval time can be directly set to the preset first fixed time length.

[0062] Furthermore, when the target interval time is updated according to the third preset relationship between the current number of water heaters turned on and the target interval time, the target interval time is proportional to the number of water heaters turned on, that is, the more the number of water heaters turned on, the longer the target interval time is, which can ensure that the water heater has sufficient heat dissipation and cooling time.

[0063] Specifically, the third preset relationship is as follows:

[0064] f(N)=S+(Nb)*d;

[0065] Among them, f(N) is the interval time, S is the preset initial duration, N is the number of water heaters turned on, d is the incremental time parameter, and b is a constant greater than 0.

[0066] Exemplarily, assuming S=1 (minute), b=1, d=0.5 (minute), if the number of water heaters turned on N=5, then the next target interval time is 3 minutes, if the number of water heaters turned on N=6, then the next target interval time is 3.5 minutes.

[0067] In an optional example, the first fixed duration is less than the minimum value of the target interval time, and it can be known from the third preset relationship mentioned above that the minimum value of the target interval time is S. By setting the first fixed duration less than the minimum value of the target interval time, when the number of water heaters turned on does not reach a preset ratio of the number of non-faulty water heaters, that is, when the number of idle non-faulty water heaters is large, the idle non-faulty water heaters can be turned on quickly. Since the cooling time of the idle non-faulty water heaters is usually sufficient in this case, turning on the idle non-faulty water heaters quickly at this time will not affect the heat dissipation and cooling effect of the water heaters, but can also improve the operating efficiency of the water heaters and ensure the timely supply of hot water.

[0068] In an alternative example, Figure 4 As shown, the water heater parallel system control method also includes the following steps S401-S404:

[0069] S401, obtaining the status of the main control board assembly.

[0070] S402: Determine whether the main control board assembly is in a shutdown state.

[0071] If the main control panel assembly is in the off state, then enter S403 to turn off all water heaters. If the main control panel assembly is in the on state, then enter S404 to perform fault detection on all water heaters.

[0072] S403. Turn off all water heaters.

[0073] S404: Perform fault detection on all water heaters.

[0074] S405: When the detection is completed, execute the step of obtaining the current interval time and the target interval time.

[0075] Specifically, the above S401-S405 are fault detection steps before adjusting the number of water heaters turned on each time, which can effectively obtain the number of non-faulty water heaters, so that the number of water heaters turned on can be adjusted according to the number of non-faulty water heaters, ensuring that the entire water heater parallel system can operate stably.

[0076] Furthermore, after each water heater is turned off, the water valve corresponding to each water heater is controlled to be closed, and the water heater is cut off from the water circuit.

[0077] Among them, the process of fault detection of water heater is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, in Figure 5 In the example, the whole machine refers to a water heater, and the fault detection process specifically includes steps S501-S509:

[0078] S501: Determine the serial number of the whole machine currently being tested.

[0079] Each complete machine corresponds to a number. For example, 10 complete machines are numbered 1-10 respectively. The number of the complete machine detected for the first time is the smallest number of the non-faulty complete machine.

[0080] S502: Determine whether the whole machine with the current number is faulty.

[0081] When the whole machine with the current number is not faulty, the process goes to S503. When the whole machine with the current number is faulty, the process goes to S504.

[0082] S503: Clear the number of failures of the currently numbered machine.

[0083] S504: record the fault count of the currently numbered machine, add 1, and clear the fault.

[0084] S505: Determine whether the number of failures of the currently numbered machine is greater than a predetermined threshold.

[0085] When the number of failures is greater than a predetermined threshold (for example, 3 times), the process proceeds to S506 ; when the number of failures is not greater than the predetermined threshold, the process proceeds to S507 .

[0086] S506: Determine that the whole machine with the current number is a faulty machine, and do not test it again in the next test process.

[0087] This embodiment introduces a fault accumulation judgment mechanism. The system can automatically identify and record the fault conditions of each water heater. Once the number of failures of a water heater reaches a predetermined threshold, the system will mark it as a faulty machine and will no longer enable the faulty machine in the rotation operation. This mechanism effectively avoids the repeated activation of the faulty machine in the system, reduces the safety hazards caused by the faulty machine, reduces the overall maintenance frequency and cost of the system, and ensures the continuity and reliability of the hot water supply.

[0088] After executing S506, enter S507.

[0089] S507: Set the current machine number plus 1.

[0090] S508: Determine whether all the machines have been inspected.

[0091] If all the devices have been tested, the process proceeds to S509 ; if not, the process returns to S501 .

[0092] S509: Fault detection is completed.

[0093] When the fault detection is completed, the total number of all machines and the total number of faulty machines can be obtained.

[0094] In order to further explain the solution of the present invention, a specific example is described below. Figure 6 As shown, the control process of the water heater parallel system provided in the embodiment of the present application may include:

[0095] S1: Turn on the power.

[0096] S2: The minimum number of devices to be turned on is 1.

[0097] S3: Count the total number of complete machines H and the total number of faulty complete machines h.

[0098] S4: Obtain the current interval time f1 and the target interval time f(N).

[0099] When the current interval time f1 reaches the target interval time f(N), that is, f1 ≥ f(N), the process goes to S5 to perform additional condition judgment.

[0100] S5: Determine whether the heat load of (any whole machine) is greater than the first load value.

[0101] The first load value is positively correlated with the number of water heaters that are turned on. Specifically, the first load value can be determined based on the number of water heaters that are turned on and the first preset relationship, and then the heat load of the turned-on machines is compared with the first load value in turn. When the heat load of any machine is greater than the first load value, enter S6. When the heat load is not greater than the first load value, enter S8 to determine the reduction conditions.

[0102] S6: Determine whether the number of devices turned on is less than Hh-1.

[0103] H is the total number of machines, h is the total number of faulty machines, and Hh is the number of non-faulty machines.

[0104] When the number of powered-on machines is less than Hh-1, it means that the difference between the number of non-faulty machines and the number of powered-on machines is greater than 1, and the condition for adding a machine is currently met, then S7 is entered to add a new machine. When the number of powered-on machines is not less than Hh-1, the condition for adding a machine is currently not met, then S11 is entered to determine the change in the number of powered-on machines.

[0105] S7: The number of devices turned on increases by 1.

[0106] After executing S7, enter S11 to determine the change in the number of devices turned on.

[0107] S8: Determine whether the heat load (of all the whole machines) is less than the second load value.

[0108] The second load value is positively correlated with the number of water heaters turned on. Specifically, the second load value can be determined based on the number of water heaters turned on and the second preset relationship, and then the heat load of all the machines is compared with the second load value. When the heat load of all the machines is less than the second load value, enter S9. When the heat load of all the machines is not less than the second load value, enter S11 to determine the change in the number of machines turned on.

[0109] S9: Determine whether the number of powered-on devices is greater than 1.

[0110] When the number of turned-on machines is greater than one, the condition for reducing the number of machines is currently met, and S10 is entered to reduce one machine. When the number of turned-on machines is not greater than one, the condition for reducing the number of machines is currently not met, and S11 is entered to determine the change in the number of turned-on machines.

[0111] S10, the number of devices turned on decreases by 1.

[0112] S11: Determine whether the number of devices turned on has changed.

[0113] When the number of the whole machine turned on changes, enter S12 to reset the target interval time. When the number of the whole machine turned on does not change, enter S13 to determine whether to shut down.

[0114] S12. Reset the target interval time.

[0115] The target interval time is updated according to the current number of water heaters turned on. For details, reference may be made to the target interval time update process described previously.

[0116] After executing S12, the current round of the whole machine quantity adjustment process is completed, and you can wait to enter the next round of the whole machine quantity adjustment process or shut down and enter S13.

[0117] S13, determine whether (the main control board assembly) is turned off.

[0118] If the main control panel assembly is turned off, it means that there is no demand for hot water supply at present, and then enter S14 to shut down all the whole machines. If the main control panel assembly is not turned off, it means that you can wait to enter the next round of whole machine quantity adjustment process, and then enter S3.

[0119] S14. Turn off all the devices.

[0120] After shutting down all machines, wait for them to restart.

[0121] In one example, the water heater parallel system provided by the present invention can be applied to target buildings with a large number of residents, such as hotels or dormitories. After the main control board assembly is turned on, one water heater is started. When more residents need to use hot water, for example, during the peak water usage period (19:00-22:00), the heat load demand may gradually increase, and it is difficult for one water heater to meet the heat load demand. Then, the target interval time for starting the second water heater is calculated and the current (actual) interval time is obtained. When the current interval time reaches the target interval time, it is determined whether the increase condition or decrease condition (of the water heater) is currently met. During peak hours, the increase condition is usually met, so the second water heater is turned on, and the target interval time is updated according to the number of water heaters turned on, and so on. When the water demand gradually decreases, for example, after the peak water consumption period, it will enter the level of use period or low peak period (22:30-24:00), and the heat load demand may gradually decrease, then the multiple water heaters that have been turned on exceed the heat load demand. Similarly, the current target interval time and the current interval time can be obtained. When the current interval time reaches the target interval time, it is determined whether the increase condition or decrease condition (of the water heater) is currently met. In the level of use period or low peak period, the decrease condition is usually met, then one water heater is turned off, and the target interval time is updated according to the number of water heaters turned on, and so on. Among them, after each adjustment of the number of water heaters and before the next round of quantity adjustment, it is necessary to determine the state of the main control board assembly, perform fault detection on the water heater when it is not shut down, and shut down the water heater when it is shut down. In addition, during the use of the water heater, the continuous combustion time of each water heater is monitored in real time. If the continuous combustion time of a water heater reaches the preset limit time, the water heater whose continuous combustion time reaches the preset limit time is turned off; a water heater in an idle state is turned on to maintain hot water supply.

[0122] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a water heater parallel system control device for implementing the above-mentioned water heater parallel system control method. Figure 7 As shown, the water heater parallel system control device includes:

[0123] The continuous combustion duration acquisition module 701 is used to acquire the continuous combustion duration of the turned-on water heater;

[0124] The timeout judgment module 702 is used to shut down the water heater whose continuous combustion time reaches the preset limit time if the continuous combustion time of the water heater reaches the preset limit time;

[0125] The standby water heater switching module 703 is used to start a water heater in an idle state to maintain hot water supply.

[0126] Optionally, the water heater parallel system control device further includes:

[0127] An interval time acquisition module is used to acquire the current interval time and the target interval time, wherein the interval time is the interval time from the last time the number of water heaters turned on changed;

[0128] The water heater quantity adjustment module is used to adjust the number of water heaters turned on when the adjustment condition of the number of water heaters turned on is met, wherein the adjustment condition at least includes that the current interval time reaches the target interval time.

[0129] Optionally, the water heater quantity adjustment module includes:

[0130] The water heater start submodule is used to start a water heater when the conditions for increasing the number of water heaters to be started are met;

[0131] The water heater closing submodule is used to close a water heater when the condition of reducing the number of water heaters turned on is met;

[0132] Among them, the increase condition includes that the heat load of any turned-on water heater is greater than a preset first load value, and the difference between the number of non-faulty water heaters and the number of turned-on water heaters is greater than one; the reduction condition includes that the heat load of all water heaters is less than a preset second load value, and the number of turned-on water heaters is greater than one, and the first load value is greater than the first load value.

[0133] Optionally, the water heater parallel system control device further includes:

[0134] The first load value determination module is used to obtain the number of water heaters turned on and a first preset relationship, and determine the first load value according to the number of water heaters turned on and the first preset relationship; wherein the preset first load value is positively correlated with the number of water heaters turned on.

[0135] Optionally, the water heater parallel system control device further includes:

[0136] The second load value determination module is used to obtain the number of water heaters turned on and a second preset relationship, and determine the second load value according to the number of water heaters turned on and the second preset relationship; wherein the preset second load value is positively correlated with the number of water heaters turned on.

[0137] Optionally, the water heater parallel system control device further includes:

[0138] The target interval time updating module is used to update the target interval time according to the current number of water heaters turned on when the number of water heaters turned on changes.

[0139] Optional, target interval update module, including:

[0140] The opening ratio judgment submodule is used to judge whether the number of water heaters turned on reaches a preset ratio of the number of non-faulty water heaters after the number of water heaters turned on increases by one; if so, the content of the first updating submodule is executed; if not, the content of the second updating submodule is executed;

[0141] A first updating submodule, configured to update the target interval time according to a third preset relationship between the current number of water heaters turned on and the target interval time;

[0142] A second updating submodule, used for setting the interval time to a preset first fixed duration;

[0143] The third updating submodule is used to set the interval time to a preset second fixed time length after the number of turned-on water heaters is reduced by one.

[0144] Optionally, when the target interval time is updated according to a third preset relationship between the current number of water heaters turned on and the target interval time, the target interval time is proportional to the number of water heaters turned on.

[0145] Optionally, the water heater parallel system control device further includes:

[0146] A main control board assembly status acquisition module, used to acquire the status of the main control board assembly;

[0147] A shutdown module, used to shut down all water heaters if the main control board assembly is in a shutdown state;

[0148] A fault detection module, used for performing fault detection on all water heaters if the main control board assembly is in an on state;

[0149] The detection completion module is used to execute the interval time acquisition module content when the detection is completed.

[0150] The water heater parallel system control device provided in the embodiment of the present invention can execute the water heater parallel system control method provided in any embodiment of the present invention, and has the corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects of the execution method.

[0151] The water heater structure in the embodiment of the present invention is as follows Figure 8 As shown, the water heater comprises:

[0152] a housing and a burner for heating;

[0153] The heat exchanger is arranged close to the burner and heats the internal water by the heating temperature of the burner;

[0154] A water inlet water circuit connected to the heat exchanger via a water inlet;

[0155] The inlet water flow sensor and the inlet water temperature sensor are both arranged at the water inlet;

[0156] A water outlet waterway connected to the water outlet via a heat exchanger;

[0157] The water outlet temperature sensor is arranged at the water outlet.

[0158] The controller is connected with the water inlet temperature sensor, the water inlet flow sensor, the water regulating proportional valve and the water outlet temperature sensor, and is connected with the main control board assembly through the carrier communication circuit. It is used to obtain the water inlet temperature through the water inlet temperature sensor, obtain the water inlet flow through the water inlet flow sensor, and obtain the set temperature through the carrier communication circuit, determine the temperature to be heated according to the water inlet temperature, the water inlet flow and the set temperature, control the heating of the burner, and then judge whether the water outlet temperature reaches the set temperature according to the water outlet temperature sensor; it is also used to synchronize the heat load of the machine with the main control board assembly in real time.

[0159] In an optional embodiment, the present invention further provides a water heater parallel system. The structural diagram of the water heater parallel system can be as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the water heater parallel system controls the water heater parallel system, including a main control board assembly and a plurality of water heaters communicatively connected to the water heater parallel system control main control board assembly, and the water heater parallel system controls the water circuits of the water heaters in parallel with each other; wherein, the water heater parallel system controls the main control board assembly for executing the above-mentioned water heater parallel system control method.

[0160] In one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 9 As shown, Fig. 9 A block diagram of an electronic device 40 that can be used to implement an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The electronic device is intended to represent various forms of digital computers. The electronic device may also represent various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital processing, cellular phones, smart phones, and other similar computing devices. The components shown herein, their connections and relationships, and their functions are merely examples and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention described and / or claimed herein.

[0161] like Fig. 9As shown, the electronic device 40 includes at least one processor 41, and a memory connected to the at least one processor 41, such as a read-only memory (ROM) 42, a random access memory (RAM) 43, etc., wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be executed by at least one processor, and the processor 41 can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to the computer program stored in the read-only memory (ROM) 42 or the computer program loaded from the storage unit 48 to the random access memory (RAM) 43. In the RAM 43, various programs and data required for the operation of the electronic device 40 can also be stored. The processor 41, the ROM 42, and the RAM 43 are connected to each other through a bus 44. An input / output (I / O) interface 45 is also connected to the bus 44.

[0162] A number of components in the electronic device 40 are connected to the I / O interface 45, including: an input unit 46, such as a keyboard, a mouse, etc.; an output unit 47, such as various types of displays, speakers, etc.; a storage unit 48, such as a disk, an optical disk, etc.; and a communication unit 49, such as a network card, a modem, a wireless communication transceiver, etc. The communication unit 49 allows the electronic device 40 to exchange information / data with other devices through a computer network such as the Internet and / or various telecommunication networks.

[0163] The processor 41 may be a variety of general and / or special processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of the processor 41 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various processors running machine learning model algorithms, a digital signal processor (DSP), and any appropriate processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. The processor 41 executes the various methods and processes described above, such as a water heater parallel system control method.

[0164] In some embodiments, the water heater parallel system control method can be implemented as a computer program, which is tangibly contained in a computer-readable storage medium, such as a storage unit 48. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program can be loaded and / or installed on the electronic device 40 via the ROM 42 and / or the communication unit 49. When the computer program is loaded into the RAM 43 and executed by the processor 41, one or more steps of the water heater parallel system control method described above can be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the processor 41 can be configured to execute the water heater parallel system control method in any other appropriate manner (for example, by means of firmware).

[0165] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described above herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application specific standard products (ASSPs), systems on chips (SOCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations can include: being implemented in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which can be a special purpose or general purpose programmable processor that can receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmit data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0166] Computer programs for implementing the methods of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These computer programs may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, so that when the computer program is executed by the processor, the functions / operations specified in the flow chart and / or block diagram are implemented. The computer program may be executed entirely on the machine, partially on the machine, partially on the machine and partially on a remote machine as a stand-alone software package, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0167] In the context of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium may be a tangible medium that may contain or store a computer program for use by or in combination with an instruction execution system, device or equipment. A computer-readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices or equipment, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Alternatively, a computer-readable storage medium may be a machine-readable signal medium. A more specific example of a machine-readable storage medium may include an electrical connection based on one or more lines, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0168] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to reorder, add or delete steps. For example, the steps described in the present invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially or in different orders, as long as the desired results of the technical solution of the present invention can be achieved, and this document does not limit this.

[0169] The above specific implementations do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modification, equivalent substitution and improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a water heater parallel system, the water heater parallel system comprising a main control board assembly, a plurality of water heaters communicatively connected to the main control board assembly, the water circuits of the plurality of water heaters being mutually connected in parallel, characterized in that: The plurality of water heaters includes at least one water heater in an idle state, and the method includes: Get the continuous combustion time of the turned-on water heater; If the continuous combustion time of a water heater reaches a preset limit time, shut down the water heater whose continuous combustion time reaches the preset limit time; Turn on an idle water heater to keep the hot water flowing.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: Get the current interval time and the target interval time, where the interval time is the interval time since the last time the number of water heaters was turned on; When the adjustment condition of the number of water heaters turned on is met, the number of water heaters turned on is adjusted, wherein the adjustment condition at least includes that the current interval time reaches the target interval time.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that When the adjustment condition of the number of water heaters turned on is met, adjusting the number of water heaters turned on includes: When the conditions for increasing the number of water heaters to be turned on are met, one water heater is turned on; When the conditions for reducing the number of water heaters turned on are met, one water heater is turned off; Among them, the increase condition includes that the heat load of any turned-on water heater is greater than a preset first load value, and the difference between the number of non-faulty water heaters and the number of turned-on water heaters is greater than one; the reduction condition includes that the heat load of all water heaters is less than a preset second load value, and the number of turned-on water heaters is greater than one, and the first load value is greater than the first load value.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The method further comprises: The number of water heaters turned on and a first preset relationship are obtained, and the first load value is determined according to the number of water heaters turned on and the first preset relationship; wherein the preset first load value is positively correlated with the number of water heaters turned on.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The method further comprises: The number of water heaters turned on and a second preset relationship are obtained, and the second load value is determined according to the number of water heaters turned on and the second preset relationship; wherein the preset second load value is positively correlated with the number of water heaters turned on.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that Also includes: When the number of water heaters turned on changes, the target interval time is updated according to the current number of water heaters turned on.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that When the number of water heaters turned on changes, the target interval time is updated according to the current number of water heaters turned on, including: After the number of turned-on water heaters increases by one, determining whether the number of turned-on water heaters reaches a preset ratio of the number of non-faulty water heaters; If yes, updating the target interval time according to a third preset relationship between the current number of water heaters turned on and the target interval time; If not, setting the target interval time to a preset first fixed duration; After the number of water heaters turned on is reduced by one, the target interval time is set to a preset second fixed time length.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that When the target interval time is updated according to the third preset relationship between the current number of water heaters turned on and the target interval time, the target interval time is in direct proportion to the number of water heaters turned on.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that Also includes: Obtaining the status of the main control board assembly; If the main control panel assembly is in the shutdown state, all water heaters are turned off; If the main control panel assembly is in the on state, all water heaters are tested for faults; When the detection is completed, the steps of obtaining the current interval time and the target interval time are executed.

10. A water heater parallel system, characterized in that: The water heater parallel system includes a main control board assembly and a plurality of water heaters communicatively connected to the main control board assembly, and the water circuits of the water heaters are connected in parallel with each other; wherein the main control board assembly is used to execute the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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