Hot water supply control device, hot water supply control system, hot water supply control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a hot water supply control device, etc., that can support the supply of hot water to multiple dwelling units. [Solution] The hot water supply control device 20 includes an acquisition unit 221 that acquires first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of the multiple hot water supply destinations 52, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of the multiple hot water supply devices can supply, and a control unit 222 that controls the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices based on the first information and second information acquired by the acquisition unit 221.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a hot water supply control device, a hot water supply control system, a hot water supply control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for controlling hot water supply from a storage type hot water supply device provided in a house to a unit bath or a kitchen in the house.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Generally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a hot water supply device is installed for each house. Here, for example, in an apartment house such as a condominium, when a hot water supply device is installed for each house, there are problems such as an increase in introduction costs and a need for a large installation space.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a hot water supply control device, a hot water supply control system, a hot water supply control method, and a program that can support hot water supply to a plurality of households.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the hot water supply control device according to the present disclosure includes an acquisition unit that acquires first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of a plurality of hot water supply destinations from each of the plurality of hot water supply destinations, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of the plurality of hot water supply devices can supply from each of the plurality of hot water supply devices, and a control unit that controls the hot water supply state of each of the plurality of hot water supply devices based on the first information and the second information acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0007] Furthermore, one embodiment of the hot water supply control system according to the present disclosure comprises a plurality of hot water supply devices, a plurality of solenoid valves for controlling the hot water supply status of each of the plurality of hot water supply devices, a plurality of hot water volume measuring units for measuring the amount of hot water required by each of the plurality of hot water supply destinations, an acquisition unit for acquiring from the request hot water volume measuring units first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of the plurality of hot water supply destinations, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of the plurality of hot water supply devices can supply, and a control unit for controlling the plurality of solenoid valves based on the first information and the second information acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0008] Furthermore, one embodiment of the hot water supply control method according to this disclosure includes an acquisition step of acquiring first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of a plurality of hot water supply destinations, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of a plurality of hot water supply devices can supply, and a control step of controlling the hot water supply state of each of the plurality of hot water supply devices based on the first information and the second information.

[0009] Furthermore, this disclosure can be implemented not only as the hot water supply control method described above, but also as a program that causes a computer to execute the hot water supply control method. Moreover, it can also be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium that stores the program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The hot water control device, hot water control system, hot water control method, and program related to this disclosure can support hot water supply to multiple dwelling units. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram of a hot water supply control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the hot water supply control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of operation 1 of the hot water supply control device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of operation 2 of the hot water supply control device according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] (Embodiment) The embodiments of the hot water supply control device, hot water supply control system, hot water supply control method, and program according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all preferred specific examples of the present invention. The numerical values, components, arrangement and connection configurations of components, steps, and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, components in the following embodiments that are not described in an independent claim will be described as any component constituting a preferred configuration.

[0013] Please note that each figure is a schematic diagram and not necessarily a strictly accurate representation. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted or simplified.

[0014] First, an overview of the hot water supply control system according to the embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram of the hot water supply control system 10 according to the embodiment.

[0015] The hot water supply control system 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a hot water supply control device 20, two first hot water supply devices 30, and one second hot water supply device 40.

[0016] The solid arrows shown in Figure 1 indicate the direction of hot water flow in the hot water supply control system 10.

[0017] First, the water supply device 30 or the water supply device 40 generates hot water. The hot water generated by the water supply device 30 is supplied to the header 60 through the pipe provided with the solenoid valve 32. The hot water generated by the water supply device 40 is supplied to the header 60 through the pipe provided with the solenoid valve 41. That is, the hot water generated in the hot water control system 10 is aggregated in the header 60. The header 60 is a tubular structure for distributing hot water, and the hot water aggregated in the header 60 is distributed to a plurality of hot water supply destinations 52.

[0018] The dashed arrows shown in FIG. 1 indicate the direction in which information is transmitted in the communication in the hot water control system 10. Note that communication not shown in FIG. 1 is also performed in the hot water control system 10.

[0019] Each of the plurality of residential units 50 includes one flow meter 51. Each of the plurality of flow meters 51 is communicably connected to the hot water control device 20 and transmits information indicating the amount of hot water required by the measured residential unit 50 to the hot water control device 20. Each of the plurality of hot water supply devices is communicably connected to the hot water control device 20 and transmits information indicating the amount of hot water stored in the tank provided in the hot water supply device to the hot water control device 20.

[0020] The hot water control device 20 controls the solenoid valves 32 and 41 based on the above-described information. In this way, the hot water control system 10 can supply hot water to the plurality of residential units 50 using an appropriate hot water supply device among the plurality of hot water supply devices.

[0021] [Configuration] The configuration of the hot water control system according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the hot water control system 10 according to the embodiment.

[0022] The hot water control system 10 is a system for supplying hot water to a plurality of hot water supply destinations 52 using a plurality of hot water supply devices.

[0023] The hot water supply control system 10 is installed, for example, in a multi-unit dwelling such as an apartment building or condominium, which has multiple dwelling units 50. Specifically, the hot water supply control system 10 comprises a hot water supply control device 20, two first hot water supply devices 30, and one second hot water supply device 40. The hot water supply control system 10 only needs to have at least one hot water supply device (either the first hot water supply device 30 or the second hot water supply device 40), and the number of first hot water supply devices 30 and the number of second hot water supply devices 40 provided by the hot water supply control system 10 are not particularly limited.

[0024] Furthermore, the number of hot water supply devices provided by the hot water supply control system 10, that is, the sum of the number of first hot water supply devices 30 and the number of second hot water supply devices 40, does not have to be the same as the number of multiple dwelling units 50. More specifically, the number of hot water supply devices provided by the hot water supply control system 10 may be less than the number of multiple dwelling units 50.

[0025] The hot water supply control device 20 is, for example, a server device installed in an apartment building. The hot water supply control device 20 communicates with flow meters 51 installed in each of the multiple dwelling units 50 to obtain first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of the multiple hot water supply destinations 52. The hot water supply control device 20 also communicates with one or more first hot water supply devices 30 and one or more second hot water supply devices 40 to obtain second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of the multiple hot water supply devices can supply. Based on the first and second information, the hot water supply control device 20 controls the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices by communicating with and controlling the first solenoid valve 32 or the second solenoid valve 41. In other words, controlling the hot water supply status of a hot water supply device means switching between a hot water supply ON state, in which hot water is supplied from the hot water supply device to the dwelling unit 50 by opening the solenoid valve corresponding to the hot water supply device, and a hot water supply OFF state, in which hot water is not supplied from the hot water supply device to the dwelling unit 50 by closing the solenoid valve.

[0026] The hot water supply control device 20 may be implemented as a dedicated server, or it may be implemented as one of the functions of a server in a system that controls the usage of energy other than hot water, such as an EMS (Energy Management System), which includes gas and electricity. Specifically, the hot water supply control device 20 comprises a communication unit 21, an information processing unit 22, and a storage unit 23.

[0027] The communication unit 21 is a communication circuit (communication module) for the hot water supply control device 20 to communicate with the first hot water supply device 30, the first solenoid valve 32, the second hot water supply device 40, the second solenoid valve 41, and the flow meter 51. The communication performed by the communication unit 21 may be wireless communication, for example, but it may also be wired communication. The communication standard for the communication performed by the communication unit 21 is not particularly limited.

[0028] The information processing unit 22 performs information processing and the like for the hot water control device 20 to control the hot water supply state of at least one of the first hot water supply unit 30 and the second hot water supply unit 40. The information processing unit 22 controls the hot water supply state of the first hot water supply unit 30 and the second hot water supply unit 40 by, for example, controlling the first solenoid valve 32 or the second solenoid valve 41. The information processing unit 22 is implemented by, for example, a microcomputer, but may also be implemented by a processor or dedicated circuit. The functions of the information processing unit 22 are realized by the hardware, such as a microcomputer or processor that constitutes the information processing unit 22, executing a computer program (software) stored in the storage unit 23. Specifically, the information processing unit 22 includes an acquisition unit 221, a control unit 222, and a determination unit 223.

[0029] The acquisition unit 221 acquires first information from the flow meter 51 and second information from the first hot water supply device 30 and the second hot water supply device 40.

[0030] The control unit 222 controls the hot water supply state of the first hot water supply unit 30 or the second hot water supply unit 40 by controlling the first solenoid valve 32 or the second solenoid valve 41.

[0031] The determination unit 223 determines whether or not to provide hot water using one of the multiple hot water supply devices.

[0032] The memory unit 23 is a storage device that stores various information necessary for the operation of the hot water control device 20. The memory unit 23 is implemented, for example, by semiconductor memory. The computer program stored in the memory unit 23 includes a dedicated application program for operating the hot water control device 20.

[0033] The first hot water supply system 30 is a gas water heater. The first hot water supply system 30 is installed in an apartment building and supplies hot water to each of the multiple dwelling units 50 included in the apartment building. The hot water is supplied from faucets or the like in the dwelling units 50. The first hot water supply system 30 uses city gas or LP gas as fuel, generates electricity by chemically reacting hydrogen extracted from the gas with oxygen in the air, and produces hot water by utilizing the heat generated during the power generation process. The first hot water supply system 30 is equipped with a tank to store the hot water heated and boiled by the combustion of gas, and measures the amount of hot water stored in the tank. The first hot water supply system 30 transmits information indicating the measured amount of hot water stored in the tank to the hot water supply control device 20. The first hot water supply system 30 is equipped with a sub-hot water supply system 31. Note that the first hot water supply system 30 does not necessarily have a power generation function.

[0034] The hot water supply control system 10 may or may not include a first hot water supply device 30. The number of first hot water supply devices 30 included in the hot water supply control system 10 may be one, two, or five. The number of first hot water supply devices 30 included in the hot water supply control system 10 is not particularly limited. However, if the hot water supply control system 10 does not include a first hot water supply device 30, the hot water supply control system 10 shall include one or more second hot water supply devices 40.

[0035] The sub-hot water heater 31 is a gas-powered hot water heater. The sub-hot water heater 31 is implemented, for example, by an instantaneous gas-powered hot water heater. The sub-hot water heater 31 does not have a tank for storing heated water. The first hot water heater 30 and the sub-hot water heater 31 supply hot water to the header 60 using the same piping.

[0036] The first solenoid valve 32 is controlled by the hot water supply control device 20 and is a device that changes the hot water supply state of the first hot water supply device 30 and the sub-hot water supply device 31. The first solenoid valve 32 is installed in the piping used for supplying hot water from the first hot water supply device 30 and the sub-hot water supply device 31. In other words, the first hot water supply device 30 and the first solenoid valve 32 are in a one-to-one correspondence. The first solenoid valve 32 takes on two states, "open state" and "closed state," when controlled by the hot water supply control device 20. Normally, the first solenoid valve 32 is controlled to the "closed state," and is controlled to the "open state" only during the period when hot water is supplied from at least one of the first hot water supply device 30 and the sub-hot water supply device 31.

[0037] The second hot water supply system 40 is a heat pump water heater. The second hot water supply system 40 is installed in an apartment building and supplies hot water to each of the multiple dwelling units 50 included in the apartment building. The hot water is supplied from faucets in the dwelling units 50. The second hot water supply system 40 generates hot water by absorbing heat from the atmosphere using a refrigerant, compressing the refrigerant with electricity to produce heat, and adding the resulting heat to water using a heat exchanger. The second hot water supply system 40 is equipped with a tank to store the hot water heated and boiled by the heat pump, and measures the amount of hot water stored in the tank. The second hot water supply system 40 transmits information indicating the measured amount of hot water stored in the tank to the hot water supply control device 20.

[0038] The hot water supply control system 10 may or may not include a second hot water supply device 40. The number of second hot water supply devices 40 included in the hot water supply control system 10 may be one, two, or five. The number of second hot water supply devices 40 included in the hot water supply control system 10 is not particularly limited. However, if the hot water supply control system 10 does not include a second hot water supply device 40, the hot water supply control system 10 shall include one or more first hot water supply devices 30.

[0039] The second solenoid valve 41 is controlled by the hot water supply control device 20 and is a device that changes the hot water supply state of the second hot water supply device 40. The second solenoid valve 41 is installed in the piping used for supplying hot water from the second hot water supply device 40. In other words, the second hot water supply device 40 and the second solenoid valve 41 are in a one-to-one correspondence. The second solenoid valve 41 takes on two states, "open state" and "closed state," when controlled by the hot water supply control device 20. Normally, the second solenoid valve 41 is controlled to the "closed state," and is controlled to the "open state" only during the period when hot water is supplied from the second hot water supply device 40.

[0040] A dwelling unit 50 is, for example, each of several private units included in a multi-unit dwelling such as a condominium or apartment building. The multiple dwelling units 50 in the hot water control system 10 may be all the dwelling units 50 included in the multi-unit dwelling, or they may be multiple dwelling units 50 included on a single floor. Specifically, a dwelling unit 50 is equipped with a flow meter 51 and a hot water outlet 52.

[0041] The flow meter 51 is a device that measures the amount of hot water flowing to the hot water supply destination 52, in other words, the amount of hot water required by the hot water supply destination 52 (i.e., the first information). The flow meter 51 is implemented, for example, by a hot water meter. For example, when a resident of a dwelling unit 50 turns on the faucet in the unit bath to get hot water, the flow meter 51 measures the amount of hot water supplied from the faucet in the unit bath. The flow meter 51 can communicate with the hot water supply control device 20 and can transmit the measured first information to the hot water supply control device 20. The flow meter 51 is an example of a hot water quantity request measurement unit.

[0042] The hot water outlet 52 is a general term for the appliances that actually supply hot water to the residents of the dwelling unit 50. In other words, the hot water outlet 52 is the end of the hot water flow in the hot water control system 10. In this disclosure, all supply means that can provide hot water to the dwelling unit 50 are collectively referred to as the hot water outlet 52. The hot water outlet 52 includes, for example, a faucet in the unit bathroom, a faucet in the kitchen, etc. One flow meter 51 is provided for each hot water outlet 52.

[0043] The header 60 is a device for distributing hot water supplied from multiple hot water heaters to multiple hot water outlets 52. In the hot water control system 10, the hot water supplied by the multiple hot water heaters is supplied from one of the multiple hot water outlets 52 via the header 60. Multiple headers 60 may be provided. For example, one may be provided per floor of an apartment building.

[0044] [Example of operation 1] Generally, one hot water supply unit is installed for each dwelling unit 50, but installing a hot water supply unit requires installation costs and space. Therefore, in apartment buildings or other multi-unit dwellings, the number of hot water supply units can be reduced by having multiple dwelling units 50 share a hot water supply unit. For example, by using three hot water supply units to supply hot water to four dwelling units 50, the number of hot water supply units can be reduced by one compared to conventional methods. The hot water supply control device 20 according to this embodiment makes it possible to reduce the number of hot water supply units provided for multiple dwelling units 50. Below, an example of operation 1 of such a hot water supply control device 20 will be described. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation example 1 of the hot water supply control device 20 according to this embodiment.

[0045] The hot water supply control device 20 is configured in advance to assign a priority to each of the multiple hot water supply devices provided by the hot water supply control system 10. The priority is set based on the hot water supply capacity of the hot water supply device. The hot water supply capacity of a hot water supply device is, for example, the pressure applied to the piping during hot water supply (also called the outlet pressure), but it may also be the cost required to produce a unit amount of hot water, or the amount of hot water that can be produced per unit time.

[0046] In this disclosure, priority is set based on the hot water outlet pressure, with higher hot water outlet pressure resulting in higher priority. Generally, the hot water outlet pressure of a gas water heater is higher than that of a heat pump water heater. In other words, the priority of the first hot water supply device 30 is set higher than that of the second hot water supply device 40. Priority may be set automatically based on the various performance characteristics of the hot water supply devices, or it may be set by input from the installer of the hot water supply devices.

[0047] First, the acquisition unit 221 acquires information indicating the required amount of hot water from multiple flow meters 51 (S11). More specifically, the acquisition unit 221 acquires information indicating the amount of hot water required by the corresponding hot water supply destination 52 as measured by the flow meters 51. The information indicating the amount of hot water required by each of the multiple hot water supply destinations 52 is an example of the first information. The acquisition unit 221 calculates a value by summing the amounts of hot water indicated by the multiple first information acquired from the multiple flow meters 51 as information indicating the required amount of hot water.

[0048] Next, the determination unit 223 determines whether the first hot water supply device 30 is capable of supplying hot water (S12). In this disclosure, "capable of supplying hot water" means that the hot water supply device has enough hot water stored in its tank to supply hot water for a certain period of time. More specifically, the acquisition unit 221 acquires information from the first hot water supply device 30 indicating the amount of hot water stored in the tank of the first hot water supply device 30, that is, information indicating the amount of hot water that the first hot water supply device 30 can supply. The information indicating the amount of hot water that the first hot water supply device 30 can supply is an example of second information. The determination unit 223 determines whether the first hot water supply device 30 is capable of supplying hot water by determining whether the amount of hot water that the first hot water supply device 30 can supply is above a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is, for example, 50L. The predetermined threshold may be 100L or 25L. The predetermined threshold is not particularly limited and may be changed as appropriate depending on the performance of the first hot water supply system 30, the number of dwelling units 50, and the average value of the required amount of hot water.

[0049] Furthermore, for example, the tank of the first hot water supply device 30 may be provided with a scale indicating a standard value, and the determination unit 223 may determine that the first hot water supply device 30 is capable of supplying hot water when the amount of hot water stored is equal to or greater than the scale indicating the standard value.

[0050] When it is determined that the first hot water supply unit 30 is capable of supplying hot water (Yes in S12), the control unit 222 controls the first hot water supply unit 30 to supply hot water (S13). The control unit 222 controls the first hot water supply unit 30 to the "open state" by controlling the first solenoid valve 32 corresponding to the first hot water supply unit 30 to the "hot water supply ON state". As a result, the hot water generated by the first hot water supply unit 30 is supplied to the header 60 through the piping in which the first solenoid valve 32 is installed. The amount of hot water supplied by the first hot water supply unit 30 is, for example, 20 L / min. The amount of hot water supplied by the first hot water supply unit 30 depends on the performance of the first hot water supply unit 30.

[0051] If it is determined that the first hot water supply device 30 is not capable of supplying hot water (No in S12), the process proceeds to step S15, which will be described later.

[0052] When the first hot water supply device 30 is controlled to dispense hot water, the determination unit 223 determines whether the required amount of hot water is satisfied (S14). The determination unit 223 determines whether the amount of hot water supplied by the first hot water supply device 30 is equal to or greater than the sum of the multiple pieces of first information obtained in step S11.

[0053] If it is determined that the required amount of hot water is satisfied (Yes in S14), the hot water supply control device 20 terminates its operation.

[0054] If it is determined that the required amount of hot water is not met (No in S14), the determination unit 223 determines whether the second hot water supply unit 40 is capable of supplying hot water (S15). The acquisition unit 221 acquires information from the second hot water supply unit 40 indicating the amount of hot water stored in the tank of the second hot water supply unit 40, that is, information indicating the amount of hot water that the second hot water supply unit 40 can supply. The information indicating the amount of hot water that the second hot water supply unit 40 can supply is an example of the second information. The determination unit 223 determines whether the second hot water supply unit 40 is capable of supplying hot water by determining whether the amount of hot water that the second hot water supply unit 40 can supply is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is, for example, 20L. The predetermined threshold may be 40L or 10L. The predetermined threshold is not particularly limited and may be changed as appropriate depending on the performance of the second hot water supply unit 40, the number of dwelling units 50 and the average value of the required amount of hot water, etc.

[0055] Furthermore, for example, the tank of the second hot water supply device 40 may be provided with a scale indicating a standard value, and the determination unit 223 may determine that the second hot water supply device 40 is capable of supplying hot water when the amount of hot water stored is equal to or greater than the scale indicating the standard value.

[0056] When it is determined that the second hot water supply unit 40 is capable of supplying hot water (Yes in S15), the control unit 222 controls the system to supply hot water from the second hot water supply unit 40 (S16). The control unit 222 controls the second hot water supply unit 40 to the "open state" by controlling the second solenoid valve 41 corresponding to the second hot water supply unit 40 to the "hot water supply ON state". As a result, the hot water generated by the second hot water supply unit 40 is supplied to the header 60 through the piping in which the second solenoid valve 41 is installed. The amount of hot water supplied by the second hot water supply unit 40 is, for example, 10 L / min. The amount of hot water supplied by the second hot water supply unit 40 depends on the performance of the second hot water supply unit 40.

[0057] If it is determined that the second hot water supply device 40 is not capable of supplying hot water (No in S15), the process proceeds to step S18, which will be described later.

[0058] When the second hot water supply device 40 is controlled to dispense hot water, the determination unit 223 determines whether the required amount of hot water is satisfied (S17). The determination unit 223 determines whether the total amount of hot water supplied by one or more hot water supply devices that are in the hot water supply ON state is equal to or greater than the sum of the multiple first pieces of information obtained in step S11.

[0059] If it is determined that the required amount of hot water is satisfied (Yes in S17), the hot water supply control device 20 terminates its operation.

[0060] If it is determined that the required amount of hot water is not met (No in S17), the control unit 222 controls the system to dispense hot water from the sub-hot water supply unit 31 (S18). The control unit 222 transmits a control signal to the first hot water supply unit 30, which is equipped with the sub-hot water supply unit 31, to initiate hot water supply from the sub-hot water supply unit 31, and controls the first solenoid valve 32 corresponding to the sub-hot water supply unit 31 to the "open state," thereby controlling the sub-hot water supply unit 31 to the hot water supply ON state. The amount of hot water supplied by the sub-hot water supply unit 31 is, for example, 20 L / min. The amount of hot water supplied by the sub-hot water supply unit 31 depends on the performance of the sub-hot water supply unit 31.

[0061] Here, the processes in steps S12 to S14 and step S18 are repeated for each first hot water supply unit 30 provided by the hot water supply control system 10. If the hot water supply control system 10 is equipped with multiple first hot water supply units 30, a priority is set for each of the multiple first hot water supply units 30, and the processes in steps S12 to S14 are executed in order from the first hot water supply unit 30 with the highest priority. The process in step S18 may also be executed in order from the first hot water supply unit 30 with the highest priority. In this case, in step S14, the determination unit 223 determines whether the amount of hot water supplied by one or more first hot water supply units 30 that are in the hot water supply ON state is equal to or greater than the sum of the multiple first pieces of information obtained in step S11.

[0062] Similarly, the processes in steps S15 to S17 are repeated for each second hot water supply unit 40 provided by the hot water supply control system 10. If the hot water supply control system 10 is equipped with multiple second hot water supply units 40, a priority is set for each of the multiple second hot water supply units 40, and the processes in steps S15 to S17 are executed in order from the second hot water supply unit 40 with the highest priority.

[0063] Furthermore, the processes described in steps S11 to S18 above are repeated at relatively short intervals, such as 30 seconds or 1 minute, during the period when the sum of the multiple first pieces of information is not zero, in other words, during the period when at least one of the multiple dwelling units 50 requires hot water.

[0064] Through the operation described above, the hot water control device 20 can support the supply of hot water to multiple dwelling units 50 by activating the appropriate hot water supply device when hot water is needed. In other words, it can supply hot water to multiple destinations 52 using multiple hot water supply devices. Such a hot water control device 20 can reduce the number of hot water supply devices that need to be installed for multiple dwelling units 50.

[0065] [Example of operation 2] In the above example of operation 1, it was possible to supply hot water from multiple hot water heaters simultaneously, but there are cases where it is not possible to supply hot water from multiple hot water heaters simultaneously. For example, if there is a large difference in the hot water supply capacity among multiple hot water heaters, especially if there is a large difference in the pressure applied to the pipes when the hot water is dispensed, supplying hot water from these hot water heaters simultaneously may lead to pressure loss or backflow in the pipes. Therefore, the hot water control device 20 needs to control the hot water supply status of the first hot water heater 30 and the second hot water heater 40 so that hot water is not supplied simultaneously from hot water heaters with a large difference in the dispensed hot water pressure. Below, example of operation 2 of such a hot water control device 20 will be described. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating example of operation 2 of the hot water control device 20 according to the embodiment.

[0066] The following describes a hot water supply control system 10 comprising one first hot water supply unit 30 and one second hot water supply unit 40, where the hot water pressure of the first hot water supply unit 30 is significantly higher than that of the second hot water supply unit 40. In such a case, if both the first hot water supply unit 30 and the second hot water supply unit 40 are controlled to the hot water supply ON state simultaneously, there is a risk of hot water flowing back into the second hot water supply unit 40. Therefore, both the first hot water supply unit 30 and the second hot water supply unit 40 are not controlled to the hot water supply ON state simultaneously.

[0067] First, the acquisition unit 221 acquires information indicating the required amount of hot water from multiple flow meters 51 (S21). More specifically, the acquisition unit 221 acquires information indicating the amount of hot water required by the corresponding hot water supply destination 52 as measured by the flow meters 51. The information indicating the amount of hot water required by each of the multiple hot water supply destinations 52 is an example of the first information. The acquisition unit 221 calculates a value by summing the amounts of hot water indicated by the multiple first information acquired from the multiple flow meters 51 as information indicating the required amount of hot water.

[0068] Next, the determination unit 223 determines whether the first hot water supply unit 30 is capable of supplying hot water (S22). More specifically, the acquisition unit 221 acquires information from the first hot water supply unit 30 indicating the amount of hot water stored in the tank of the first hot water supply unit 30, that is, information indicating the amount of hot water that the first hot water supply unit 30 can supply. The information indicating the amount of hot water that the first hot water supply unit 30 can supply is an example of the second information. The determination unit 223 determines whether the first hot water supply unit 30 is capable of supplying hot water by determining whether the amount of hot water that the first hot water supply unit 30 can supply is above a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is, for example, 50L. The predetermined threshold may be 100L or 25L. The predetermined threshold is not particularly limited and may be changed as appropriate depending on the performance of the first hot water supply unit 30, the number of dwelling units 50 and the average value of the required amount of hot water, etc.

[0069] When it is determined that the first hot water supply unit 30 is capable of supplying hot water (Yes in S22), the control unit 222 controls the first hot water supply unit 30 to supply hot water (S23). The control unit 222 controls the first hot water supply unit 30 to the "open state" by controlling the first solenoid valve 32 corresponding to the first hot water supply unit 30 to the "hot water supply ON state". As a result, hot water is supplied from the first hot water supply unit 30, and the hot water generated by the first hot water supply unit 30 is supplied to the header 60 through the piping in which the first solenoid valve 32 is installed. The amount of hot water supplied by the first hot water supply unit 30 is, for example, 20 L / min. The amount of hot water supplied by the first hot water supply unit 30 depends on the performance of the first hot water supply unit 30.

[0070] When the first hot water supply device 30 is controlled to dispense hot water, the determination unit 223 determines whether the required amount of hot water is satisfied (S24). The determination unit 223 determines whether the amount of hot water supplied by the first hot water supply device 30 is equal to or greater than the sum of the multiple first pieces of information obtained in step S21.

[0071] If it is determined that the required amount of hot water is satisfied (Yes in S24), the hot water supply control device 20 terminates its operation.

[0072] If it is determined that the required amount of hot water is not met (No in S24), the control unit 222 controls the system to dispense hot water from the sub-hot water supply unit 31 (S25). In other words, the control unit 222 controls the system to dispense hot water from both the first hot water supply unit 30 and the sub-hot water supply unit 31. Specifically, the control unit 222 transmits a control signal to the first hot water supply unit 30, which is equipped with the sub-hot water supply unit 31, to initiate hot water supply from the sub-hot water supply unit 31. Since the first solenoid valve 32 corresponding to the sub-hot water supply unit 31 is already controlled to the "open state" in step S23, hot water will be dispensed from the sub-hot water supply unit 31. The amount of hot water supplied by the sub-hot water supply unit 31 is, for example, 20 L / min. The amount of hot water supplied by the sub-hot water supply unit 31 depends on the performance of the sub-hot water supply unit 31.

[0073] If it is determined that the first hot water supply device 30 is not capable of supplying hot water (No in S22), the determination unit 223 determines whether the second hot water supply device 40 is capable of supplying hot water and whether it can satisfy the required amount of hot water (S26).

[0074] The determination unit 223 determines whether the second hot water supply unit 40 is capable of supplying hot water by determining whether the amount of hot water that the second hot water supply unit 40 can supply is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. Information indicating the amount of hot water that the second hot water supply unit 40 can supply is obtained from the second hot water supply unit 40 by the acquisition unit 221. The information indicating the amount of hot water that the second hot water supply unit 40 can supply is an example of the second information. The predetermined threshold is, for example, 20L. The predetermined threshold may be 40L or 10L. The predetermined threshold is not particularly limited and may be changed as appropriate depending on the performance of the second hot water supply unit 40, the number of dwelling units 50 and the average value of the required amount of hot water, etc.

[0075] The determination unit 223 determines whether the second hot water supply unit 40 can satisfy the required amount of hot water by determining whether the amount of hot water supplied by the second hot water supply unit 40 is equal to or greater than the sum of the multiple pieces of first information obtained in step S21. The amount of hot water supplied by the second hot water supply unit 40 is, for example, 10 L / min. The amount of hot water supplied by the second hot water supply unit 40 depends on the performance of the second hot water supply unit 40.

[0076] If it is determined that the second hot water supply unit 40 is capable of supplying hot water and can satisfy the required amount of hot water (Yes in S26), the control unit 222 controls the second hot water supply unit 40 to dispense hot water (S27). The control unit 222 controls the second hot water supply unit 40 to the "open state" by controlling the second solenoid valve 41 corresponding to the second hot water supply unit 40 to the "hot water supply ON state". As a result, hot water is dispensed from the second hot water supply unit 40 and supplied to the header 60 through the piping in which the second solenoid valve 41 is installed.

[0077] If it is determined that the second hot water supply unit 40 is unable to supply hot water or is unable to satisfy the required amount of hot water (No in S26), the control unit 222 controls the system to supply hot water from the sub-hot water supply unit 31 (S25). The control unit 222 transmits a control signal to the first hot water supply unit 30, which is equipped with the sub-hot water supply unit 31, to initiate hot water supply from the sub-hot water supply unit 31, and controls the first solenoid valve 32 corresponding to the sub-hot water supply unit 31 to the "open state," thereby controlling the sub-hot water supply unit 31 to the hot water supply ON state.

[0078] Through the operation described above, the hot water control device 20 can activate one of several hot water supply devices when hot water is needed, thereby supporting hot water supply to multiple dwelling units 50. Such a hot water control device 20 can suppress pressure loss and backflow in the piping by controlling the hot water supply status of the hot water supply devices so that hot water is not supplied simultaneously from hot water supply devices with large differences in outlet pressure. Furthermore, such a hot water control device 20 can reduce the number of hot water supply devices installed for multiple dwelling units 50.

[0079] In the above-described example 2 of operation, the case in which the hot water control system 10 is equipped with one first hot water supply unit 30 and one second hot water supply unit 40 was explained. However, the hot water control system 10 may be equipped with two or more first hot water supply units 30 or two or more second hot water supply units 40. In such cases as well, as explained in example 1 of operation, by making decisions in order based on the set priority, it is possible to supply hot water to multiple destinations 52 using any one of the multiple hot water supply units.

[0080] In the above-described example 2 of operation, the case in which the hot water control device 20 uses one of the multiple hot water supply devices to supply hot water to multiple destinations 52 was explained. However, if the multiple hot water supply devices include two or more devices with the same or nearly the same hot water outlet pressure, these two or more hot water supply devices may be controlled to be in the hot water ON state simultaneously. This is because backflow due to differences in hot water outlet pressure will not occur.

[0081] [Effects, etc.] The technologies derived from the disclosures in this specification include, for example, the following. The technologies derived from the disclosures in this specification will be described below, along with the effects obtained by such technologies.

[0082] Technology 1 is a hot water supply control device 20 comprising: an acquisition unit 221 that acquires first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of the multiple hot water supply destinations 52, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of the multiple hot water supply devices can supply; and a control unit 222 that controls the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices based on the first information and second information acquired by the acquisition unit 221.

[0083] Such a hot water control device 20 can supply hot water to multiple destinations 52 using multiple hot water supply devices by activating the appropriate hot water supply device when hot water is needed. In other words, it can support the supply of hot water to multiple dwelling units 50. Such a hot water control device 20 can reduce the number of hot water supply devices that need to be installed for multiple dwelling units 50.

[0084] Furthermore, since such a hot water control device 20 can identify the appropriate hot water supply device from among multiple hot water supply devices and execute the hot water supply, there is no need to separately install a dedicated hot water tank for storing the hot water generated by multiple hot water supply devices, thus reducing installation costs and saving space.

[0085] Technology 2 is a hot water control device 20 of Technology 1, wherein the multiple hot water supply devices are at least one of gas water heaters and heat pump water heaters.

[0086] Such a hot water supply control device 20 can supply hot water to multiple destinations 52 using multiple hot water supply devices, including at least one of a first hot water supply device 30 which is a gas water heater and a second hot water supply device 40 which is a heat pump water heater.

[0087] Technology 3 is a hot water supply control device 20 according to Technology 1 or 2, in which the control unit 222 controls the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices so that the amount of hot water supplied is equal to or greater than the sum of the first information obtained from each of the multiple hot water supply destinations 52.

[0088] Such a hot water control device 20 can calculate the required amount of hot water for the entire hot water control system 10 and operate the hot water supply equipment to satisfy that requirement.

[0089] Technology 4 is a hot water control device 20 according to any of Technologies 1 to 3, in which a priority order based on the hot water supply capacity is set for each of the multiple hot water supply devices, and the control unit 222 controls the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices so that hot water is supplied from the hot water supply device with the highest priority.

[0090] Such a hot water supply control device 20 can operate a more appropriate hot water supply device by setting priorities for multiple hot water supply devices in advance.

[0091] Technology 5 is a hot water control device 20 of Technology 4, in which the multiple hot water supply devices include gas water heaters and heat pump water heaters, and the priority of the gas water heaters is set higher than the priority of the heat pump water heaters.

[0092] Such a hot water supply control device 20 can select a hot water supply device that prioritizes the gas water heater over the heat pump water heater.

[0093] Technology 6 further includes a determination unit 223 that determines whether or not to provide hot water using one of the multiple hot water supply devices, and the determination unit 223 determines to provide hot water using one of the hot water supply devices if the value indicated by the second information acquired from one of the hot water supply devices by the acquisition unit 221 is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, and is a hot water supply control device 20 according to any of Technologies 1 to 5.

[0094] Such a hot water supply control device 20 can control the hot water supply device to supply hot water when the amount of hot water stored in the hot water supply device exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0095] Technology 7 is a hot water control device 20 according to any of Technologies 2 to 6, in which the control unit 222 controls the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices so that hot water is not supplied simultaneously from the gas water heater and the heat pump water heater.

[0096] Such a hot water supply control device 20 can prevent hot water supply devices with different hot water pressures, such as a gas water heater and a heat pump water heater, from operating simultaneously. Therefore, it can suppress pressure loss or backflow in the piping.

[0097] Technology 8 is a hot water supply control device 20 according to any of Technologies 1 to 7, in which the control unit 222 controls the hot water supply status of a sub-hot water supply device 31, which is a gas water heater other than the multiple hot water supply devices, when the multiple hot water supply devices are unable to supply an amount of hot water that satisfies the sum of the first information.

[0098] Such a hot water supply control device 20 can supply hot water not only using hot water that has already been generated, but also using hot water generated by the sub-hot water supply device 31.

[0099] Technology 9 is a hot water control device 20 according to any of Technologies 1 to 8, wherein multiple hot water supply devices are installed in an apartment building, and each of the multiple hot water supply destinations 52 is each of the multiple dwelling units 50 included in the apartment building.

[0100] Such a hot water control device 20 can supply hot water to multiple destinations 52 using multiple hot water supply devices by activating the appropriate hot water supply device when hot water is needed in an apartment building containing multiple dwelling units 50.

[0101] Technology 10 is a hot water control system comprising: multiple hot water heaters; multiple solenoid valves for controlling the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water heaters; multiple hot water volume measuring units for measuring the amount of hot water required by each of the multiple hot water destinations 52; an acquisition unit 221 that acquires from the multiple hot water volume measuring units first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of the multiple hot water destinations 52, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of the multiple hot water heaters can supply; and a control unit 222 that controls the multiple solenoid valves based on the first information and second information acquired by the acquisition unit 221.

[0102] Such a hot water supply control system 10 can operate a hot water supply device by controlling the solenoid valve corresponding to the appropriate hot water supply device when it obtains information indicating the amount of hot water that needs to be supplied from the hot water supply request unit 51. In other words, the hot water supply control system 10 can support the supply of hot water to multiple dwelling units 50. Such a hot water supply control system 10 can reduce the number of hot water supply devices that need to be installed for multiple dwelling units 50.

[0103] Technology 11 is a hot water supply control method that includes an acquisition step of acquiring first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of the multiple hot water supply destinations 52, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of the multiple hot water supply devices can supply, and a control step of controlling the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices based on the first information and the second information.

[0104] This hot water control method allows for the supply of hot water to multiple destinations 52 using multiple hot water heaters by activating the appropriate hot water heater when hot water is needed, thus supporting hot water supply to multiple dwelling units 50. Furthermore, it makes it possible to reduce the number of hot water heaters required for multiple dwelling units 50.

[0105] Technology 12 is a program that causes a computer to execute the hot water control method of Technology 11.

[0106] This type of program can supply hot water to multiple destinations using multiple hot water supply devices by activating the appropriate hot water supply device when hot water is needed, thus supporting hot water supply to multiple dwelling units 50.

[0107] (Other embodiments) Although embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0108] In the above embodiment, the hot water supply control system 10 was applied to an apartment building. However, the application of the hot water supply control system 10 is not limited to apartment buildings as long as there are multiple dwelling units 50. For example, it may be implemented as a system in which three neighboring houses share two hot water supply devices.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the hot water control system may be implemented by multiple devices or by a single device. Thus, the system described herein may consist of a single device or multiple devices. When the system is implemented by multiple devices, the components of the system may be distributed among the multiple devices in any way.

[0110] Furthermore, the communication method between devices in the above embodiment is not particularly limited. In addition, relay devices (such as broadband routers) not shown may be involved in the communication between devices.

[0111] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the processing performed by a specific processing unit may be performed by another processing unit. Also, the order of multiple processing units may be changed, or multiple processing units may be executed in parallel.

[0112] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each component may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may also be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0113] Furthermore, each component may be implemented by hardware. For example, each component may be a circuit (or integrated circuit). These circuits may form a single circuit as a whole, or they may be separate circuits. Also, each of these circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

[0114] Furthermore, the general or specific embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented as a system, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, or recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM. They may also be implemented in any combination of systems, apparatus, methods, integrated circuits, computer programs, and recording media.

[0115] For example, this disclosure may be implemented as a hot water supply control method executed by a computer system such as the hot water supply control system of the above embodiment, or as a program (computer program product) for causing a computer system to execute the hot water supply control method. Furthermore, this disclosure may be implemented as a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium on which such a program is recorded.

[0116] Furthermore, the present invention also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art could conceive, or forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0117] 10. Hot water supply control system 20 Hot water supply control device 221 Acquisition Department 222 Control Unit 223 Judgment section 30. First hot water supply system (hot water supply system) 31. Sub-hot water supply system 32. First solenoid valve (solenoid valve) 40. Second hot water supply system (hot water supply system) 41. Second solenoid valve (solenoid valve) 50 dwelling units 51 Flow meter (required hot water volume measurement unit) 52 Hot water supply destination

Claims

1. An acquisition unit that acquires first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of multiple hot water outlets, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of multiple hot water supply devices can supply, The system includes a control unit that controls the hot water supply status of each of the plurality of hot water supply devices based on the first information and the second information acquired by the acquisition unit, Hot water supply control device.

2. The aforementioned plurality of hot water supply systems include at least one of a gas water heater and a heat pump water heater. The hot water supply control device according to claim 1.

3. The control unit controls the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices so that the amount of hot water supplied is equal to or greater than the sum of the first information obtained from each of the multiple hot water supply destinations. The hot water supply control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Each of the aforementioned hot water supply devices is assigned a priority order based on its hot water supply capacity. The control unit controls the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices so that hot water is supplied starting from the hot water supply device with the highest priority. The hot water supply control device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The aforementioned multiple hot water supply systems include gas water heaters and heat pump water heaters. The priority of the gas water heater is set higher than the priority of the heat pump water heater. The hot water supply control device according to claim 4.

6. Furthermore, it includes a determination unit that determines whether or not to provide hot water using one of the multiple hot water supply devices, The determination unit determines that hot water supply will be performed by the first hot water supply device if the value indicated by the second information acquired by the acquisition unit from the first hot water supply device is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The hot water supply control device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The control unit controls the hot water supply status of each of the multiple hot water supply devices so that hot water is not supplied simultaneously from the gas water heater and the heat pump water heater. The hot water supply control device according to claim 2.

8. The control unit controls the hot water supply status of a sub-hot water heater, which is a gas water heater other than the multiple hot water heaters, when the multiple hot water heaters are unable to supply an amount of hot water that satisfies the sum of the first information. The hot water supply control device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The aforementioned multiple hot water supply systems are installed in apartment buildings. Each of the aforementioned multiple hot water supply destinations is each of the multiple dwelling units included in the aforementioned apartment building. The hot water supply control device according to claim 1 or 2.

10. Multiple hot water supply devices, A plurality of solenoid valves that control the hot water supply state of each of the plurality of hot water supply devices, Multiple hot water volume measuring units that measure the amount of hot water each of the multiple hot water outlets requires, An acquisition unit that acquires from the requested hot water volume measuring unit first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of the multiple hot water supply destinations, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of the multiple hot water supply devices can supply, The system includes a control unit that controls the plurality of solenoid valves based on the first information and the second information acquired by the acquisition unit, Hot water supply control system.

11. An acquisition step of acquiring first information indicating the amount of hot water required at each of multiple hot water outlets, and second information indicating the amount of hot water that each of multiple hot water supply devices can supply, The control step includes controlling the hot water supply state of each of the plurality of hot water supply devices based on the first information and the second information, Hot water supply control method.

12. A program that causes a computer to execute the hot water supply control method described in claim 11.

Images