System management system

Abstract

To provide a system management system which properly detects a malfunction of a thermal medium system.SOLUTION: A system management system X1 comprises a processing part for calculating a loss calorie of a cold heat system H1 which is constituted so that water which is cooled by a cooling device E1 is introduced to a cold insulation device 23 via piping, and makes a display device display information including the loss calorie. The processing part calculates the loss calorie on the basis of a difference between an integration value of a supply calorie of the cooling device E1 in a prescribed period and an integration value of a consumption calorie of the cold insulation device 23 in the prescribed period, and the prescribed period includes a period from a start of the drive of the cooling device E1 up to a finish of the energy consumption of the cold insulation device 23 accompanied by the drive.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a system management system.

Background Art

[0002] Regarding a storage type water heater, for example, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is known. That is, Patent Document 1 describes that "when the effective output calorific value of the heat pump calculated by the calculation means does not reach a predetermined calorific value within a predetermined period after the boiling up instruction to the heat pump, it is determined that the heating capacity of the heat pump has decreased."

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For example, when a water leak occurs in a hot water path including a hot water storage tank of a water heater and a minute heat loss continuously occurs, the decrease width of the heating capacity per unit time becomes minute, so it becomes difficult to detect the water leak. It is desirable to detect problems such as water leaks at an early stage and not miss long-term losses in electricity consumption and water consumption, but such technology is not described in Patent Document 1.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The system management system relating to this disclosure includes a processing unit that calculates the amount of heat loss in a heat transfer medium system configured such that a heat transfer medium heated or cooled by a heat source device is guided through piping to a heat energy consumption device, and displays information including the amount of heat loss on a display device, wherein the processing unit calculates the amount of heat loss based on the difference between the cumulative value of the amount of heat supplied by the heat source device over a predetermined period and the cumulative value of the amount of heat consumed by the consumption device over the predetermined period, and the predetermined period includes the period from the start of operation of the heat source device to the end of energy consumption of the consumption device associated with said operation. The processing unit then diagnoses whether the abnormality in the heat transfer system is urgent, based on at least one of the difference between the amount of heat loss and a predetermined reference value, and the rate of change of the amount of heat loss, and changes the length of the predetermined period after the diagnosis according to whether or not it is urgent. This was decided upon. Further details will be explained in the embodiment section. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a configuration diagram including a system management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram including a system management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram showing the processing flow in the system management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing the instantaneous changes in the amount of heat supplied and the amount of heat consumed in a refrigeration system, which is the target of the system management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is an example of a display screen showing the trends in the cumulative values ​​of the supplied heat and consumed heat in the system management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is another example of a display screen showing the trends of the integrated values ​​of the supplied heat and the lost heat in the system management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a configuration diagram including a system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a functional block diagram including a system management device provided in the system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of refrigerant and hot water during the heating operation of a hot water supply system, which is the target of the system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10]This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of hot water during hot water supply operation of the hot water supply system, which is the target of the system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of hot water during the hot water filling operation of the hot water supply system, which is the target of the system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of hot water during reheating operation of a hot water supply system, which is the target of the system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of normality diagnosis based on operating information of the hot water supply system in the system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] This is an explanatory diagram showing the instantaneous changes in the heat supply and heat consumption values ​​in the hot water supply system, which is the target of the system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] This is an explanatory diagram showing the change in heat loss per diagnostic cycle in the system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 16] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of when an abnormality in the hot water supply system, which is the target of the system management system according to the second embodiment, is notified to the input / output device. [Figure 17] This is an explanatory diagram showing the display screen when an abnormality in the hot water supply system, which is the target of the system management system according to the second embodiment, is notified to the user's terminal device. [Figure 18] This is an explanatory diagram showing another display screen when an abnormality in the hot water supply system, which is the target of the system management system according to the second embodiment, is notified to the user's terminal device. [Figure 19] This is an explanatory diagram showing yet another display screen when an abnormality in the hot water supply system, which is the target of the system management system according to the second embodiment, is notified to the user's terminal device. [Figure 20] This is a flowchart relating to updating the amount of heat loss in the power system management system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 21] This is a flowchart relating to updating the flow characteristics of the heat source pump in the system management system according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] <<First Embodiment>> FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram including a system management system X1 according to the first embodiment. Note that the thick solid lines in FIG. 1 indicate pipes through which refrigerant or the like flows. Also, the broken lines in FIG. 1 indicate signal lines (including cases of wireless communication). The system management system X1 shown in FIG. 1 is a system that calculates the lost heat amount and the like in a cold heat system H1 (heat medium system), and is configured to include a system management device 100. Hereinafter, first, the cold heat system H1 will be briefly described, and then the system management system X1 will be described in detail.

[0008] <Configuration of Cold Heat System> The cold heat system H1 (heat medium system) is a system that maintains the cold storage space A1 of the cold storage device 23 within a predetermined temperature range by water (heat medium) cooled by the cooling device E1. As shown in FIG. 1, the cold heat system H1 includes a primary side system 10 in which refrigerant circulates and a secondary side system 20 in which water circulates. The primary side system 10 and the secondary side system 20 are in thermal contact with each other in the heat absorber 14.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, the primary side system 10 is a circuit in which refrigerant circulates sequentially through a compressor 11, a radiator 12 (condenser), an expansion valve 13, and a heat absorber 14 (evaporator). As the refrigerant in the primary side system 10, for example, in addition to R32 and R1234yf which are alternative Freon refrigerants, R744 which is a natural refrigerant is used.

[0010] The compressor 11 is a device that compresses refrigerant. The radiator 12 is a heat exchanger in which heat exchange occurs between the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 and the air sent by the blower fan 15. As such a radiator 12, for example, a cross fin tube heat exchanger or a flat tube heat exchanger is used. The expansion valve 13 is a valve that decompresses the refrigerant condensed in the radiator 12. Note that a capillary tube (not shown) may be used instead of the expansion valve 13. The refrigerant decompressed by the expansion valve 13 is led to the heat absorber 14.

[0011] The heat absorber 14 is configured such that the heat transfer tubes through which the refrigerant of the primary system 10 flows and the water piping through which the water of the secondary system 20 flows are in thermal contact in the direction of flow. Alternatively, the heat absorber 14 may be configured such that the heat transfer tubes through which the refrigerant of the primary system 10 flows are located inside or outside a water storage tank (not shown).

[0012] The secondary system 20 is a circuit through which water circulates sequentially via the transfer pump 21, the water piping of the heat absorber 14, the flow meter 22, and the container 23a of the cooling device 23. In the example shown in Figure 1, a pre-cooling temperature sensor 24 is installed on the inlet side of the water piping in the heat absorber 14. A post-cooling temperature sensor 25 is installed on the outlet side of the water piping in the heat absorber 14. The flow meter 22 detects the flow rate of water heading towards the cooling device 23 and is installed on the water piping upstream of the cooling device 23.

[0013] The cooling device 23 comprises a container 23a having a cooling space A1 for storing food or other items to be cooled, and water piping (not shown) wound around the outside of the container 23a. A cooling device inlet temperature sensor 26 is installed at the inlet side of the water piping wound around the container 23a, and a cooling device outlet temperature sensor 27 is installed at the outlet side. Alternatively, a predetermined water storage space (not shown) may be provided outside the cooling space A1, and water cooled by the heat absorber 14 may be allowed to flow into the water storage space, and water may also be allowed to flow out from the bottom of the water storage space.

[0014] In the example shown in Figure 1, in addition to the primary system 10 through which the refrigerant circulates, some components of the secondary system 20, such as the transfer pump 21, are installed in the cooling device E1 (heat source device). The remaining components of the secondary system 20 are installed in the cooling device 23 (consumer device). The connecting pipe K1 shown in Figure 1 is a pipe that leads the water cooled in the cooling device E1 to the cooling device 23. Another connecting pipe K2 is a pipe that returns the water that has absorbed heat in the cooling device 23 back to the cooling device E1. The outer periphery of these connecting pipes K1 and K2 is covered with an insulating material (not shown).

[0015] The cooling system H1 (heat transfer fluid system) is configured such that water (heat transfer fluid) cooled by the cooling device E1 (heat source device) is guided through piping to the insulation device 23 (thermal energy consumption device). As a result, the heat in the insulation space A1 (heat present in the initial state and heat entering from the outside) is dissipated into the low-temperature water, and the insulation space A1 is cooled.

[0016] Furthermore, the longer the connecting pipes K1 and K2, the easier it is for heat to penetrate from the outside, leading to increased heat loss. Also, if water leaks through pipe joints, even small leaks can result in significant heat loss over the long term. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the system management system X1 calculates the amount of heat lost by the cooling system H1.

[0017] <Configuration of the system management system> Figure 2 is a functional block diagram including the system management system X1. As shown in Figure 2, the system management device 100 includes a processing unit 30, an output unit 42, and a transmitting / receiving unit 43. The processing unit 30 has the function of calculating the amount of heat lost by the cooling system H1 (heat transfer medium system: see Figure 1) and displaying information including this amount of heat lost on the output unit 42 (display device) and the terminal device 50 (display device). As shown in Figure 2, the processing unit 30 includes a control unit 31, a supply temperature difference acquisition unit 32, a transport flow rate estimation unit 33, a transport estimation information storage unit 34, a supply flow rate acquisition unit 35, a supply heat amount calculation unit 36, and a heat amount storage unit 37. In addition to the above configuration, the system management device 100 also includes a consumption temperature difference acquisition unit 38, a consumption flow rate acquisition unit 39, a consumption heat amount calculation unit 40, and a heat loss amount calculation unit 41.

[0018] The control unit 31 calculates a rotational speed command value for the transport pump 21 based on the detected values ​​of each of the aforementioned sensors. This rotational speed command value is output to the transport pump 21 and also to the transport flow rate estimation unit 33, which will be described later. The supply temperature difference acquisition unit 32 calculates the temperature difference between the temperature of the water heading towards the heat absorber 14 (see Figure 1) and the temperature of the water cooled in the heat absorber 14 (see Figure 1). That is, the supply temperature difference acquisition unit 32 calculates the temperature difference between the upstream and downstream sides of the heat absorber 14 (see Figure 1) by subtracting the detected value of the post-cooling temperature sensor 25 from the detected value of the pre-cooling temperature sensor 24.

[0019] The transport flow rate estimation unit 33 calculates the flow rate of the transport pump 21 based on the rotational speed command value of the transport pump 21. The relationship between the rotational speed of the transport pump 21 and the flow rate is pre-stored in the transport estimation information storage unit 34 as a predetermined formula or data table. The supply flow rate acquisition unit 35 acquires the flow rate of the transport pump 21 from the transport flow rate estimation unit 33 and outputs the acquired flow rate to the supply heat quantity calculation unit 36.

[0020] The heat supply calculation unit 36 ​​calculates the instantaneous heat quantity (amount of heat released per unit time by water) when water is cooled in the heat absorber 14 (see Figure 1), based on the temperature difference calculated by the supply temperature difference acquisition unit 32, the flow rate acquired by the supply flow rate acquisition unit 35, and the density and specific heat of water. The calculation results of the heat supply calculation unit 36 ​​are stored in the heat quantity storage unit 37. The heat quantity storage unit 37 stores the calculated values ​​of the heat supply calculation unit 36 ​​and other information, associated with the date and time.

[0021] The consumption temperature difference acquisition unit 38 calculates the temperature difference between the temperature of the water flowing towards the cooling device 23 (see Figure 1) and the temperature of the water that has absorbed heat in the cooling device 23. Specifically, the consumption temperature difference acquisition unit 38 calculates the temperature difference between the upstream and downstream sides of the cooling device 23 (see Figure 1) by subtracting the detected value of the cooling device inlet temperature sensor 26 from the detected value of the cooling device outlet temperature sensor 27.

[0022] The flow rate acquisition unit 39 acquires the detected value from the flow meter 22 and outputs this detected value to the heat consumption calculation unit 40. The heat consumption calculation unit 40 calculates the instantaneous heat quantity (amount of heat absorbed by water per unit time) when the cooling device 23 (see Figure 1) is cooled by water, based on the temperature difference calculated by the temperature difference acquisition unit 38, the flow rate acquired by the flow rate acquisition unit 39, and the specific heat and density of water. The calculation results from the heat consumption calculation unit 40 are stored in the heat quantity storage unit 37, associated with the date and time.

[0023] The heat loss calculation unit 41 calculates the cumulative value of the supplied heat (amount of heat released by water in the heat absorber 14) and the cumulative value of the consumed heat (amount of heat absorbed by water in the cooling device 23) over a predetermined period. The heat loss calculation unit 41 then calculates the heat loss by subtracting the cumulative value of the consumed heat from the cumulative value of the supplied heat. The calculation result of the heat loss calculation unit 41 is stored in the heat storage unit 37, associated with the date and time.

[0024] The output unit 42 shown in Figure 2 is, for example, a display that shows predetermined information such as the integrated values ​​of supplied heat and consumed heat, and the amount of heat lost. The transmitting / receiving unit 43 transmits and receives data with the terminal device 50. Examples of such terminal devices 50 include the user's smartphone, tablet, or mobile phone, as well as a monitor in the central control room (not shown).

[0025] <Processing by the system management system> Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the processing flow in the system management system (see also Figure 2 as appropriate). In step S101 of Figure 3, the processing unit 30 of the system management device 100 acquires operating information of the refrigeration system H1 (see Figure 1). The operating information includes the detection values ​​of each sensor of the refrigeration system H1, as well as the rotational speed command value of the transport pump 21. In step S102, the processing unit 30 calculates the temperature difference (temperature difference before and after cooling) between the upstream and downstream sides of the heat absorber 14 (see Figure 1) using the supply temperature difference acquisition unit 32.

[0026] In step 103, the processing unit 30 calculates the transport flow rate of the transport pump 21 based on the rotational speed command value of the transport pump 21 using the transport flow rate estimation unit 33. In step S104, the processing unit 30 uses the heat supply calculation unit 36 ​​to calculate the amount of heat released per unit time (instantaneous heat supply) when the water is cooled in the heat absorber 14 (see Figure 1), based on the temperature difference of the water before and after cooling and the transport flow rate. In step S105, the processing unit 30 calculates the cumulative heat supply amount by having the heat loss calculation unit 41 accumulate (successively sum) the instantaneous heat supply amounts over a predetermined period.

[0027] In step S106, the processing unit 30 calculates the temperature difference between the upstream and downstream sides of the cooling device 23 (see Figure 1) (temperature difference before and after the cooling device) using the consumption temperature difference acquisition unit 38. In step S107, the processing unit 30 acquires the detected value (transported flow rate) from the flow rate acquisition unit 39. In step S108, the processing unit 30 uses the heat consumption calculation unit 40 to calculate the amount of heat absorbed by the water per unit time (instantaneous heat consumption) when the cooling device 23 (see Figure 1) is cooled by water, based on the temperature difference before and after the cooling device and the transport flow rate.

[0028] In step S109, the processing unit 30 calculates the cumulative heat consumption by accumulating (sequentially summing) the instantaneous heat consumption over a predetermined period using the heat loss calculation unit 41. In step S110, the processing unit 30 calculates the amount of heat loss by taking the difference between the cumulative amount of heat supplied and the cumulative amount of heat consumed using the heat loss calculation unit 41. In step S111, the processing unit 30 displays the calculation results such as the cumulative heat supply, cumulative heat consumption, and heat loss on the output unit 42. In step S112, the processing unit 30 transmits the calculation results of the cumulative heat supply, cumulative heat consumption, and heat loss to the terminal device 50 via the transmitting / receiving unit 43. The series of processes shown in Figure 3 are repeated at predetermined intervals.

[0029] The cooling device E1 shown in Figure 1 is controlled to maintain the refrigerated space A1 of the refrigeration device 23 within a predetermined temperature range. For example, if the temperature of the refrigerated space A1 drops too low, the compressor 11 is stopped to halt cooling. Conversely, if the temperature of the refrigerated space A1 rises too high, the compressor 11 is driven again to resume cooling. As a result, the compressor 11 alternates between being driven and stopped. If the supply capacity of the cooling device E1 and the heat consumption of the refrigeration device 23 remain in equilibrium, the compressor 11 will continue to operate without stopping. Even in this case, the compressor 11 will be driven and stopped repeatedly at intervals based on predetermined operating rules set by the user, such as daily, weekly, or monthly.

[0030] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the instantaneous changes in the heat supply and heat consumption in a cooling system (see also Figure 1 as appropriate). In Figure 4, the horizontal axis of the upper and lower graphs represents time. The vertical axis of the upper graph in Figure 4 represents the instantaneous value of the heat supplied, and the vertical axis of the lower graph represents the instantaneous value of the heat consumed. The instantaneous value of the heat supplied is the amount of heat released from the water to the refrigerant at each moment in the heat absorber 14 (see Figure 1). In Figure 4, the instantaneous value of the heat supplied in the steady state is denoted as Q1. The instantaneous value of the heat consumed is the amount of heat absorbed by the water in the cooling device 23 (see Figure 1) at each moment. In Figure 4, the instantaneous value of the heat consumed in the steady state is denoted as Q2.

[0031] In the cooling system H1 shown in Figure 1, water cooled by the heat absorber 14 is guided to the cooling device 23 via the connecting pipe K1. As a result, heat intrusion occurs in the connecting pipe K1 due to the temperature difference between the surroundings and the water. Therefore, when the cooling of the cooling space A1 is continuously performed, the supplied heat Q1 becomes greater than the consumed heat Q2, as shown in Figure 4. In this case, the amount of heat intrusion at any given moment is calculated by subtracting the consumed heat Q2 from the supplied heat Q1. Since the cooling device E1 and the cooling device 23 are separated by the length of the connecting pipe K1, a predetermined time delay occurs in the cooling effect. In Figure 4, this time delay in the cooling effect is denoted as Δt1.

[0032] When the system management device 100 calculates the cumulative heat supply (S104 in Figure 3) and the cumulative heat consumption (S108 in Figure 3), the predetermined period D1 (see Figure 4) to be used for the calculation is set as follows. That is, the period from when the compressor 11 is started to when it stops, until the instantaneous value of the heat consumption of the cooling device 23 becomes approximately zero (for example, from time t1 to t4 in Figure 4) is set as the predetermined period D1. In other words, the predetermined period D1 includes the period from when the cooling device E1 (heat source device) starts to when the energy consumption of the cooling device 23 (consumer device) associated with that operation ends. Note that the calculation result does not change significantly even if a period in which both the instantaneous values ​​of the heat supply and heat consumption are zero is included, so the timing of the start and end points of the calculation can be changed as appropriate.

[0033] For example, the cumulative values ​​of supplied heat and consumed heat may be calculated using a predetermined period D1 from the time the previous heat consumption becomes zero until the current heat consumption becomes zero. Alternatively, the cumulative values ​​of supplied heat and consumed heat may be calculated using a predetermined period D1 from the time the current drive of the compressor 11 starts until the next start of the compressor 11. More specifically, the starting point of the predetermined period D1 (for example, time t1 in Figure 4) is a predetermined timing between the end of the previous energy consumption of the refrigeration device 23 associated with the previous drive of the cooling device E1 and the start of the current drive of the cooling device E1. The ending point of the predetermined period D1 (for example, time t4 in Figure 4) is a predetermined timing between the end of the current energy consumption of the refrigeration device 23 and the start of the next drive of the cooling device E1. Note that the cycle of driving and stopping the compressor 11 does not need to be constant, so the lengths of the multiple predetermined periods D1 shown in Figure 4 may be different.

[0034] Then, the processing unit 30 of the system management device 100 calculates the amount of heat loss based on the difference between the cumulative value of the amount of heat supplied by the cooling device E1 (heat source device) during a predetermined period D1 and the cumulative value of the amount of heat consumed by the consumption device during a predetermined period D1 (S110 in Figure 3).

[0035] For example, if the insulation covering the connecting pipes K1 and K2 (see Figure 1) deteriorates, or if abnormal heating occurs in the water circulation path, the heat entering the water in the circulation path will increase compared to normal conditions. In such cases, the cooling device E1 is controlled to ensure that the amount of heat supplied is greater than the amount of heat consumed, so the difference between the instantaneous value of heat consumed and the instantaneous value of heat supplied widens.

[0036] Therefore, in the first embodiment, for example, the integrated value of supplied heat and consumed heat is calculated for a predetermined period D1 from the start of operation of the compressor 11 (see Figure 1) to the end of energy consumption in the cooling device 23 (see Figure 1). This makes it possible to appropriately detect abnormalities such as water leaks, even when, for example, the increase in heat loss from the normal state is small and it is difficult to detect the increase in heat loss by the difference between the instantaneous values ​​of supplied heat and consumed heat. In addition, since the amount of heat loss is evaluated by the balance of the integrated values ​​of supplied heat and consumed heat, the detection errors of each sensor are averaged out, and the influence of measurement variability caused by measurement accuracy can be suppressed.

[0037] If the instantaneous values ​​of the supplied heat and consumed heat at the same time are compared, the aforementioned time delay Δt1 (see Figure 4) exists, resulting in the comparison of instantaneous heat values ​​that are not causally related. As a result, it may become difficult to detect minute increases in heat loss. In contrast, in the first embodiment, the amount of supplied heat and consumed heat is integrated over a single operating cycle until the cooling energy associated with the operation of the compressor 11 (see Figure 1) is completely consumed by the cooling device 23 (see Figure 1). This makes it possible to evaluate the supply and demand relationship of heat that is causally related, and thus it is possible to detect small increases in heat loss that cannot be detected by comparing the instantaneous values ​​of the supplied heat and consumed heat at the same time with high accuracy.

[0038] Figure 5 is an example of a display screen showing the trends in the cumulative values ​​of the amount of heat supplied and the amount of heat consumed. The horizontal axis in Figure 5 represents the number of operating cycles of the refrigeration system H1 (see Figure 1). The vertical axis in Figure 5 represents the cumulative heat supply and cumulative heat consumption of the refrigeration system H1 (see Figure 1). One operating cycle is defined as the period from the start of operation of the compressor 11 until the heat consumption of the cooling device 23 is almost completely eliminated after the compressor 11 has stopped. The first operating cycle (or immediately after maintenance) is set to "1," and the operating cycle count is incremented each time the compressor 11 is restarted after stopping.

[0039] As shown in Figure 5, the cumulative values ​​of the supplied heat and consumed heat for each operating cycle (i.e., a predetermined period D1, which is one operating cycle: see Figure 4) are displayed as bar graphs on the output unit 42 (see Figure 2). This allows the user to see at a glance whether the heat supply is increasing or decreasing. In the example in Figure 5, the latest cumulative value of the supplied heat is displayed as "10kJ," and the latest cumulative value of the consumed heat is displayed as "8kJ." This display screen is updated as needed after each operating cycle is completed.

[0040] Figure 6 is an example of another display screen showing the trends in the integrated values ​​of heat supplied and heat lost. In Figure 6, the horizontal axis represents the number of operating cycles of the refrigeration system H1 (see Figure 1). The vertical axis represents the cumulative heat supply and heat loss of the refrigeration system H1. For example, the terminal device 50 (see Figure 2) displays the trend of the cumulative heat supply for each operating cycle as a bar graph, and the trend of heat loss as a line graph. The example in Figure 6 shows a case where both the heat supply and heat loss increase from a certain point.

[0041] In this way, by visually displaying the changes in the cumulative value of supplied heat in an easy-to-understand manner, users can grasp how much energy consumption has increased and take countermeasures, such as converting it into electricity costs. Furthermore, by quantifying and displaying the amount of heat loss, administrators can perform analyses such as identifying the date and time when an anomaly occurred and estimating the cause from the magnitude of the heat loss.

[0042] <Effects> According to the first embodiment, the period for aggregating the heat loss of the cooling system H1 (a predetermined period D1 in Figure 4) is set, for example, to the period from the start of operation of the cooling device E1 to the end of energy consumption of the refrigeration device 23. This establishes a causal relationship in which the heat of the water cooled by the cooling device E1 is used by the refrigeration device 23, and therefore, the heat loss, which indicates the heat balance, can be calculated with high accuracy based on the supplied heat and the consumed heat.

[0043] Furthermore, the rotational speed of the transfer pump 21 (see Figure 1) is used to calculate the amount of heat supplied to the cooling device E1, while the detected value of the flow meter 22 (see Figure 1) is used to calculate the amount of heat consumed by the insulation device 23. This improves the accuracy of individually calculating the amount of heat supplied to the cooling device E1 and the heat consumed by the insulation device 23. For example, if water leaks from a portion of the connecting pipes K1 and K2, a difference will occur between the detected value of the flow meter 22 and the flow rate based on the rotational speed of the transfer pump 21, resulting in a difference in the heat balance. As a result, it becomes possible to detect the water leak as an increase in heat loss. In addition, since there is no particular need to install flow meters in two locations near the cooling device E1 and the insulation device 23, equipment costs can be reduced.

[0044] ≪Second Embodiment≫ The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the system management system X2 (see Figure 7) calculates the amount of heat loss, etc., of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7). Furthermore, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in how the "predetermined period" used for aggregation when calculating the amount of heat loss, etc., by the system management system X2 is set. Other aspects are the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, we will explain the parts that differ from the first embodiment, and omit explanations of overlapping parts.

[0045] Figure 7 is a configuration diagram including the system management system X2 according to the second embodiment. In Figure 7, the thick solid lines indicate piping through which refrigerant and other fluids flow. In Figure 1, the dashed lines indicate signal lines. The hot water supply system H2 (heat transfer fluid system) shown in Figure 7 is a system that performs heating, reheating, and filling operations based on the operation of input / output devices 91 such as a bath remote control and a kitchen remote control.

[0046] <Configuration of the hot water supply system> As shown in Figure 7, the hot water supply system H2 consists of a heating device W1 (heat source device), a hot water storage unit U1 (consumer device), an input / output device 91, and a control board 92. The heating device W1 is a heat pump unit that heats the hot water (heat transfer medium) from the hot water storage tank 71 (thermal storage tank) during the boiling operation. The "boiling operation" is the operation in which the hot water in the hot water storage tank 71 is heated by the heating device W1. The "reheating operation" is the operation in which the hot water in the bathtub B1 is reheated.

[0047] As shown in Figure 7, the heating device W1 includes a circuit through which the refrigerant circulates sequentially via a compressor 61, a radiator 62 (condenser), an expansion valve 63, and a heat absorber 64 (evaporator), as well as a blower fan 65 for supplying air to the heat absorber 64. In addition to the above configuration, the heating device W1 also includes a heat source pump 67, a pre-heating temperature sensor 68, and a post-heating temperature sensor 69. The heat source pump 67 is a pump that pressurizes the hot water that has undergone heat exchange in the water piping of the radiator 62 to the top of the hot water storage tank 71. The pre-heating temperature sensor 68 is a sensor that detects the temperature of the hot water heading towards the radiator 62. The post-heating temperature sensor 69 is a sensor that detects the temperature of the hot water that has undergone heat exchange in the radiator 62.

[0048] The hot water storage unit U1 stores the hot water heated by the heating device W1 in the hot water storage tank 71, and also supplies the hot water from the hot water storage tank 71 to the hot water supply terminal T1 and the bathtub B1 after adjusting the temperature as appropriate. As shown in Figure 7, the hot water storage unit U1 includes the hot water storage tank 71, a pressure reducing valve 72, a water supply temperature sensor 73, a hot water supply mixing valve 74, a hot water supply flow meter 75, a hot water supply temperature sensor 76, a bath filling mixing valve 77, and a solenoid valve 78. In addition to the above configuration, the hot water storage unit U1 also includes a three-way valve 79, a bath flow meter 80, a bath supply temperature sensor 81, a reheating heat exchanger 82, a bath return temperature sensor 83, and a bath pump 84.

[0049] The hot water storage tank 71 is a tank for storing hot water and is covered with insulating material (not shown). The hot water storage tank 71 is always full of water. The lower part of the hot water storage tank 71 is connected to the secondary side of the radiator 62 via piping and is also connected to the water supply piping via a pressure reducing valve 72. The water supply temperature sensor 73 shown in Figure 6 is a sensor that detects the temperature of the water that has been depressurized by the pressure reducing valve 72.

[0050] The top of the hot water storage tank 71 is connected to the secondary side of the radiator 62 via piping, and is also connected to the hot water supply terminal T1 and the bathtub B1 via other piping. For example, when hot water is supplied to the hot water supply terminal T1, the water reduced in pressure by the pressure reducing valve 72 and the hot water from the top of the hot water storage tank 71 are combined in the hot water mixing valve 74, and the combined hot water is supplied to the hot water supply terminal T1 via the hot water flow meter 75 and the hot water temperature sensor 76 in sequence. Also, for example, when hot water is supplied to the bathtub B1, the water reduced in pressure by the pressure reducing valve 72 and the hot water from the top of the hot water storage tank 71 are combined in the hot water filling mixing valve 77, and the combined hot water is supplied to the bathtub B1 via the solenoid valve 78, the three-way valve 79, the bath flow meter 80, and the bath supply temperature sensor 81 in sequence.

[0051] The reheating heat exchanger 82 shown in Figure 7 is a heat exchanger for heating the hot water flowing in from the bathtub B1 with the high-temperature water in the hot water storage tank 71, and is installed inside the hot water storage tank 71. For example, during reheating operation, the hot water is returned to the bathtub B1 sequentially via the bathtub B1, the bath return temperature sensor 83, the bath pump 84, the reheating heat exchanger 82, the three-way valve 79, the bath flow meter 80, and the bath supply temperature sensor 81. In this way, the hot water (heat transfer medium) heated by the heating device W1 (heat source device) is stored in the hot water storage tank 71 (thermal storage tank), and the hot water from the hot water storage tank 71 is guided via piping to the hot water supply terminal T1 and the bathtub B1 (thermal energy consumption device). Note that the configuration of the hot water storage unit U1 shown in Figure 7 is an example and is not limited to this.

[0052] The input / output device 91 includes an input unit 91a that accepts predetermined input operations from the user, an output unit 91b that outputs operating information of the heating device W1 and the hot water storage unit U1, and a transmitting / receiving unit 91c that communicates with the terminal device 93.

[0053] The control board 92 is a board on which circuits for controlling the heating device W1 and the hot water storage unit U1 are mounted. The control board 92 comprises a control circuit 92a and a communication circuit 92b. The control circuit 92a transmits the rotation speed command value of the heat source pump 67 to the heating device W1, and also acquires the detection values ​​(operation information) of each sensor of the heating device W1 and the hot water storage unit U1. As shown in Figure 7, the control circuit 92a is connected to the heating device W1, as well as the input unit 91a and the output unit 91b via signal lines. The communication circuit 92b transmits the operation information acquired by the control circuit 92a to the system management device 100A.

[0054] The system management device 100A has the function of determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the hot water supply system H2 based on the amount of heat lost by the hot water supply system H2, and notifying the user of the result. The configuration of such a system management device 100A will be explained with reference to Figure 8.

[0055] <Configuration of the system management device> Figure 8 is a functional block diagram including the system management device 100A. As shown in Figure 8, the system management device 100A includes a processing unit 30A. The processing unit 30A has the function of calculating the amount of heat lost by the hot water supply system H2 (heat transfer medium system) and displaying information including the amount of heat lost on the input / output device 91 (display device: see Figure 7) and the terminal device 93 (display device). The processing unit 30A is configured to calculate the amount of heat supplied to the hot water and includes a supply temperature difference acquisition unit 51a, a transport flow rate estimation unit 51b, a transport estimation information storage unit 51c, a supply flow rate acquisition unit 51d, a supply heat amount calculation unit 51e, and a heat amount storage unit 51f.

[0056] The supply temperature difference acquisition unit 51a calculates the temperature difference between the temperature of the hot water heading towards the radiator 62 (see Figure 7) and the temperature of the water that has absorbed heat in the radiator 62 (see Figure 7). The transport flow rate estimation unit 51b calculates the transport flow rate of the heat source pump 67 based on the rotation speed command value of the heat source pump 67. The transport estimation information storage unit 51c stores the relationship between the rotation speed of the heat source pump 67 and the estimated flow rate. The supply flow rate acquisition unit 51d acquires the transport flow rate of the heat source pump 67 at a predetermined date and time from the transport flow rate estimation unit 51b and outputs the acquired transport flow rate to the supply heat quantity calculation unit 51e.

[0057] The heat supply calculation unit 51e calculates the instantaneous heat quantity (amount of heat absorbed by water per unit time) when the hot water is heated in the heat exchanger 62 (see Figure 7), based on the temperature difference calculated by the supply temperature difference acquisition unit 51a, the transport flow rate acquired by the supply flow rate acquisition unit 51d, and the density and specific heat of water. The calculation results of the heat supply calculation unit 51e are stored in the heat quantity storage unit 51f. The heat quantity storage unit 51f stores the calculation results of the heat supply calculation unit 51e and other units, associated with the date and time.

[0058] Furthermore, the processing unit 30A of the system management device 100A is equipped with a hot water temperature difference acquisition unit 52a and a hot water flow rate acquisition unit 52b as a configuration for calculating the instantaneous value of heat consumption during hot water supply operation. Note that "hot water supply operation" is the operation of supplying hot water to the hot water supply terminal T1 (see Figure 7). Furthermore, the processing unit 30A of the system management device 100A is equipped with a hot water temperature difference acquisition unit 52c and a hot water flow rate acquisition unit 52d as a configuration for calculating the instantaneous value of heat consumption during bath filling operation. Note that "bath filling operation" is the operation of supplying hot water to bathtub B1 (see Figure 7). Furthermore, the processing unit 30A of the system management device 100A is equipped with a reheating temperature difference acquisition unit 52e and a reheating flow rate acquisition unit 52f as a configuration for calculating the instantaneous value of heat consumption during reheating operation. As described above, "reheating operation" is the operation of reheating the hot water in bathtub B1.

[0059] In addition to the above-described configuration, the processing unit 30A of the system management device 100A includes a heat consumption calculation unit 52g, a heat loss calculation unit 53, a normality calculation unit 54, a reference value storage unit 55, a reference value update unit 56, an operation information storage unit 57, an abnormality cause estimation unit 58, a communication unit 59a, a transmission / reception unit 59b, and a transport estimation information update unit 60. The heat consumption calculation unit 52g calculates the amount of heat consumed per unit time during hot water supply operation, bath filling operation, and reheating operation. The heat storage unit 51f stores the calculation results of the heat supply calculation unit 51e and the heat consumption calculation unit 52g, as well as the calculation results of the heat loss calculation unit 53, which will be described next, along with the date and time.

[0060] The heat loss calculation unit 53 calculates the cumulative value of the supplied heat (amount of heat absorbed by the hot water in the radiator 62) and the cumulative value of the consumed heat (thermal energy consumed by the hot water storage unit U1) over a predetermined period. The heat loss calculation unit 53 then calculates the heat loss by taking the difference between the cumulative value of the supplied heat and the cumulative value of the consumed heat. The processing result of the heat loss calculation unit 53 is stored in the heat quantity storage unit 51f.

[0061] The normality calculation unit 54 diagnoses the normality of the heating device W1 and the hot water storage unit U1 based on the reference value of heat loss stored in the reference value storage unit 55 and the actual value of heat loss. The calculation results of the normality calculation unit 54 are output to the input / output device 91 via the communication unit 59a and the control board 92 in sequence, and are also transmitted to the terminal device 93 via the transmitting / receiving unit 59b. The reference value storage unit 55 stores reference values ​​related to the heat loss of the hot water supply system H2.

[0062] The reference value update unit 56 updates the reference value of heat loss at a predetermined timing based on the information stored in the heat quantity storage unit 51f. The processing result (new reference value) of the reference value update unit 56 is stored in the reference value storage unit 55. The operation information storage unit 57 stores operation information, including the detected values ​​of each sensor of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) and the rotation speed command value of the heat source side pump 67, associated with the date and time. The abnormality cause estimation unit 58 determines whether there is an abnormality in the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) based on the operation information described above, and estimates the cause of the abnormality if there is an abnormality. The estimation result of the abnormality cause estimation unit 58 is displayed on the input / output device 91 and the terminal device 93.

[0063] The transport estimation information update unit 60 updates information showing the relationship between the rotational speed of the heat source pump 67 (see Figure 7) and the transport flow rate. This relationship may be expressed as a predetermined mathematical formula or as a data table. When the relationship between the rotational speed of the heat source pump 67 and the estimated flow rate is updated by the transport estimation information update unit 60, the updated information is stored in the transport estimation information storage unit 51c. Next, each operating mode of the hot water supply system H2 will be explained in order using Figures 9 to 12.

[0064] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of refrigerant and hot water during the boiling operation. In Figure 9, the thick lines indicate the circulation paths of the refrigerant and hot water (the same applies to Figures 10 to 12). During the boiling operation, the refrigerant circulates in the heating device W1 using a well-known refrigeration cycle. In addition, as the heat source pump 67 is driven, the hot water heated by the radiator 62 is guided to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 71, and the hot water from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 71 is guided to the radiator 62. As this boiling operation continues, the height of the interface between the high-temperature and medium-temperature zones of the hot water storage tank 71 gradually decreases, and most of the hot water storage tank 71 is filled with high-temperature water. The high-temperature water in the hot water storage tank 71 is used for hot water supply operation, bath filling operation, and reheating operation.

[0065] Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of hot water during hot water supply operation. During hot water supply operation, hot water supplied from the top of the hot water storage tank 71 and water supplied via the water supply piping are combined at the hot water mixing valve 74, and the combined hot and cold water is supplied to the hot water terminal T1. Examples of hot water terminals T1 include kitchen faucets, bathroom showers, and dishwashers. The opening of the hot water mixing valve 74 is adjusted as appropriate so that the hot water temperature reaches a predetermined target value.

[0066] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of hot water during the bath filling operation. During the bath filling operation, the supply of hot water begins when the solenoid valve 78 is opened. At this time, the three-way valve 79 is fully open to the bath filling mixing valve 77, so no hot water flows into the reheating heat exchanger 82. The hot water supplied from the top of the hot water storage tank 71 and the water supplied via the water supply piping are combined at the bath filling mixing valve 77, and the combined hot water is supplied to the bathtub B1. The opening degree of the bath filling mixing valve 77 is adjusted as appropriate so that the temperature of the hot water heading to the bathtub B1 reaches a predetermined target value.

[0067] Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of hot water during reheating operation. During reheating operation, the three-way valve 79 is fully opened to the side of the reheating heat exchanger 82, and the bath pump 84 is also activated. As a result, the hot water from the bathtub B1 flows through the reheating heat exchanger 82, is heated by the high-temperature water in the hot water storage tank 71, and then returned to the bathtub B1. When the value detected by the bath return temperature sensor 83 reaches a predetermined target value, the reheating operation ends.

[0068] <Processing by the system control device> Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of normality diagnosis based on the operating information of the hot water supply system (see also Figure 7 as appropriate). In step S201 of Figure 13, the processing unit 30A of the system management device 100A acquires operational information of the hot water supply system H2. This operational information includes the detected values ​​from each sensor of the hot water supply system H2 and the rotational speed command values ​​of each pump. In step S202, the processing unit 30A calculates the temperature difference between the upstream and downstream sides of the heat sink 62 (temperature difference before and after heating) by subtracting the detected value of the pre-heating temperature sensor 68 from the detected value of the post-heating temperature sensor 69 using the supply temperature difference acquisition unit 51a (see Figure 8).

[0069] In step 203, the processing unit 30A calculates the flow rate of the heat source pump 67 based on the rotational speed command value of the heat source pump 67 using the transport flow rate estimation unit 51b (see Figure 8). That is, the processing unit 30A calculates the flow rate of the heat source pump 67 based on the rotational speed of the heat source pump 67 (pump) installed in the piping between the heating device W1 (heat source device) and the hot water storage unit U1 (consumer device), and the flow rate characteristics of the heat source pump 67.

[0070] In step S204, the processing unit 30A, using the heat supply calculation unit 51e (see Figure 8), calculates the amount of heat absorbed by the water per unit time (instantaneous heat supply) when the hot water is heated in the radiator 62, based on the temperature difference before and after heating and the transport flow rate. In step S205, the processing unit 30A calculates the cumulative heat supply amount by accumulating (sequentially summing) the instantaneous heat supply amount over a predetermined period using the heat loss calculation unit 53 (see Figure 8).

[0071] Furthermore, the instantaneous value of heat consumption is calculated as follows, corresponding to either hot water supply operation, bath filling operation, or reheating operation. First, during hot water supply operation, the hot water temperature difference acquisition unit 52a (see Figure 8) subtracts the detected value of the water supply temperature sensor 73 from the detected value of the hot water temperature sensor 76 to calculate the temperature difference between hot and cold water (hot water temperature difference) (S206). Then, the heat consumption calculation unit 52g calculates the amount of heat consumed per unit time (instantaneous hot water heat) based on the hot water temperature difference, the detected value of the hot water flow meter 75, as well as the specific heat and density of water (S207).

[0072] During the bath filling operation, the bath filling temperature difference acquisition unit 52c (see Figure 8) calculates the temperature difference between the hot and cold water (bath temperature difference) by subtracting the value detected by the water supply temperature sensor 73 from the value detected by the bath supply temperature sensor 81 (S208). Then, based on the bath temperature difference, the value detected by the bath flow meter 80, and the density and specific heat of water, the amount of heat consumed per unit time (instantaneous heat amount for bath filling) is calculated (S209).

[0073] During reheating operation, the reheating temperature difference acquisition unit 52e (see Figure 8) calculates the temperature difference between the hot and cold water (reheating temperature difference) by subtracting the value detected by the bath supply temperature sensor 81 from the value detected by the bath return temperature sensor 83 (S210). Then, based on the reheating temperature difference, the value detected by the bath flow meter 80, and the density and specific heat of water, the amount of heat consumed per unit time (instantaneous reheating heat) is calculated (S211). The instantaneous heat amounts for the hot water supply operation, bath filling operation, and reheating operation are added together as the instantaneous heat consumption by the heat consumption calculation unit 52g (S212).

[0074] In step S213, the processing unit 30A calculates the cumulative heat consumption by accumulating (sequentially summing) the instantaneous heat consumption over a predetermined period using the heat loss calculation unit 53 (see Figure 8). In step S214, the processing unit 30A calculates the amount of heat loss by taking the difference between the cumulative amount of heat supplied and the cumulative amount of heat consumed over a predetermined period using the heat loss calculation unit 53 (see Figure 8). In other words, the processing unit 30A calculates the amount of heat loss based on the difference between the cumulative amount of heat supplied by the heating device W1 (heat source device) and the cumulative amount of heat consumed by the hot water storage unit U1 (consumer device) over a predetermined period. The "predetermined period" for which the cumulative amount of heat supplied and cumulative heat consumed are aggregated will be described later.

[0075] In step S215, the processing unit 30A uses the normality calculation unit 54 (see Figure 8) to calculate the difference between the amount of heat loss and a predetermined reference value, as well as the rate of change of the amount of heat loss. In step S216, the processing unit 30A diagnoses the normality of the hot water supply system H2 using the normality calculation unit 54 (see Figure 8).

[0076] In step S217, the processing unit 30A estimates the cause of the abnormality based on the operating information of the hot water supply system H2 using the abnormality cause estimation unit 58 (see Figure 8). Examples of such abnormalities include water leaks or blockages in the hot water path, as well as deterioration of the insulation material covering the hot water storage tank 71. In step S218, the processing unit 30A outputs the calculation results of the normality calculation unit 54 (see Figure 8) and the estimation results of the abnormality cause estimation unit 58 (see Figure 8). That is, the processing unit 30A transmits information regarding the normality and abnormality cause of the hot water supply system H2 to the terminal device 93 (see Figure 8) via the transmission / reception unit 59b (see Figure 8), and also outputs it to the input / output device 91 (see Figure 8).

[0077] Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the instantaneous changes in the heat supply and heat consumption in the hot water supply system (see also Figure 7 as appropriate). In Figure 14, the horizontal axis of the upper and lower graphs represents time. Each of the multiple intervals P1 shown on the horizontal axis corresponds to one day (24 hours from 0:00). The vertical axis of the upper graph in Figure 14 represents the instantaneous value of the heat supplied to the hot water by the heating device W1. The vertical axis of the lower graph in Figure 14 represents the instantaneous value of the heat consumed by the hot water storage unit U1.

[0078] Because the daily heat consumption patterns differ depending on the user's lifestyle and circumstances, the time of heat consumption and the magnitude of maximum heat consumption also vary from day to day. Furthermore, regarding heat supply, the heating operation is performed as appropriate at times suitable for the user's electricity contract, etc. During the time periods when heat is being supplied as shown in Figure 14, the heating operation (see Figure 9) is performed. The heating operation is often started during the nighttime hours when electricity rates are low, but it may also be performed during the daytime depending on whether it is linked to a solar power generation system or depending on the details of the electricity rate contract. During the time periods when heat is being consumed as shown in Figure 14, one of the following operations is performed: hot water supply operation, bath filling operation, or reheating operation.

[0079] For example, at the connections of the water piping in the heating device W1 (see Figure 7) and the hot water storage unit U1 (see Figure 7), water leaks may occur due to deterioration of the gaskets, as well as loosening of joints due to earthquakes or vibrations. In particular, in the path through which hot water flows, the risk of leaks tends to be higher because the thermal expansion and contraction of the material is repeated with changes in temperature. In addition, if the insulation material installed in the hot water path from the radiator 62 to the hot water storage tank 71 or the insulation material surrounding the hot water storage tank 71 deteriorates, the amount of heat loss will also increase.

[0080] With previous technologies, if the degree of water leakage or deterioration of insulation was minor, users were unlikely to notice the increase in heat loss, which could lead to long-term losses. In particular, with the H2 hot water supply system, there is a time lag between the time when heat is used and the time when heat is stored, making it difficult to detect anomalies based on a comparison of instantaneous heat output at the same time.

[0081] Therefore, in the second embodiment, the predetermined period D2 for which the total heat supplied and consumed are aggregated is set to the period from the end of heat supply generation to the end of the next heat supply generation. This averages out the detection errors of each sensor and suppresses the effects of measurement variability caused by measurement accuracy. Furthermore, within the predetermined period D2 of one cycle, a supply and demand relationship is established in which heat is supplied to compensate for the amount of heat consumed, so water leaks and the like can be detected with high accuracy based on the amount of heat lost.

[0082] Furthermore, even if a period during which neither supplied nor consumed heat is generated is included in the predetermined period D2, the cumulative values ​​of supplied and consumed heat remain unchanged. Therefore, for example, the start of the predetermined period D2 may be set to the time when the generation of supplied heat has finished and the consumption of heat begins to increase, and the end of the predetermined period D2 may be set to the time when the consumption of heat begins to increase after the generation of the next supplied heat has finished. In short, the predetermined period D2 should be set to include the period from the start of energy consumption by the hot water storage unit U1 (consumer device) to the end of operation of the heating device W1 (heat source device) which is driven to supplement this energy consumption.

[0083] The starting point of the predetermined period D2 is a predetermined timing between the end of the previous operation of the heating device W1 and the start of the current energy consumption of the hot water storage unit U1 corresponding to the current operation of the heating device W1. The ending point of the predetermined period D2 is a predetermined timing between the end of the current operation of the heating device W1 and the start of the next energy consumption of the hot water storage unit U1.

[0084] This predetermined period D2 varies daily depending on the user's electricity contract and hot water usage patterns. When hot water is used regularly, the heating operation is usually performed at least once a day, so the predetermined period is basically about one day long. For example, the series of processes shown in Figure 13 are performed daily, and information on normality or the cause of abnormality based on the amount of heat lost is notified to the user's terminal device 93 (see Figure 7). Note that if the amount of heat consumed is large or the size of the hot water storage tank 71 (see Figure 7) is small, the heating operation may be performed multiple times a day, so the notification cycle to the user can be changed as appropriate.

[0085] Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the change in heat loss per cycle of the diagnostic process. In Figure 15, the horizontal axis represents the diagnostic cycle in the system management device 100A (see Figure 7), and the vertical axis represents the heat loss of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7). One diagnostic cycle corresponds to one instance of the predetermined period D2 (see Figure 14). The multiple points plotted in Figure 15 each represent the heat loss for one cycle. Figure 15 shows an example where some kind of abnormality occurs in the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7), and the heat loss increases from a certain point.

[0086] For example, the processing unit 30A of the system management device 100A (see Figure 8) sets the reference value Q of the heat loss. th In addition to the difference between the calculated heat loss and the actual heat loss, the normality of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) is diagnosed based on the slope of the approximate line of multiple points on which the heat loss is plotted (S215, S216 in Figure 13). Specifically, the heat loss is compared with the reference value Q. th If the value exceeds a certain threshold, or if the slope (rate of change) of the approximate straight line of the heat loss exceeds a predetermined value, the processing unit 30A diagnoses that there is an abnormality in the hot water supply system H2.

[0087] Furthermore, the degree of deviation of the heat loss from the standard value and the rate of change of the heat loss may be used to determine whether or not there is an "urgency" to address the malfunction. For example, the processing unit 30A (see Figure 8) diagnoses whether or not the abnormality in the hot water supply system H2 (heat transfer medium system) requires urgent attention based on at least one of the difference between the heat loss and a predetermined standard value, and the rate of change of the heat loss. Note that the standard value of heat loss is Q. th The values ​​used are those based on initial operating results or fixed values ​​defined in the specifications. In addition, the standard value Q for heat loss is used. th It may be possible to configure it to be updated regularly. Next, examples of how the normality diagnosis results are displayed will be explained in order using Figures 16 to 19.

[0088] Figure 16 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of when an abnormality in the hot water supply system is notified to the input / output device 91. As shown in Figure 16, the input / output device 91 includes front input sections 911 to 913 located on the front of the panel, and an internal input section 914 located inside the openable / closable cover V1. Furthermore, the input / output device 91 includes a display 915 as an output section 91b (see Figure 7) for notifying setting information and status. If an abnormality occurs in the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7), predetermined information for notifying the abnormality, as shown in Figure 16, will be displayed on the display 915. Note that the display on the display 915 is not limited to text information, but may also include numerical values ​​or graphs of heat loss.

[0089] Figure 17 is an explanatory diagram showing the display screen when an abnormality in the hot water supply system is notified to the user's terminal device 93. If any abnormality occurs in the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7), a message such as that shown in Figure 17 will be displayed on the terminal device 93. The information displayed on the terminal device 93 may be textual information as shown in Figure 17, or it may be a chart, numerical value, or a predetermined alarm such as sound or vibration. In addition, different types of notification methods may be used depending on the normality diagnosis result. For example, in the case of a high level of urgency, a predetermined string of characters or a diagram indicating the level of urgency will be displayed on the terminal device 93, and a predetermined message prompting notification to the call center may also be displayed.

[0090] Figure 18 is an explanatory diagram showing another display screen when an abnormality in the hot water supply system is notified to the user's terminal device 93. The display screen in Figure 18 is shown, for example, on the terminal device 93 of the service provider of the hot water supply system H2. In the example in Figure 18, the operating status and urgency level of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) are displayed as text information on the display screen of the terminal device 93, and below that, graph G1, which is the basis for the diagnostic result, is displayed. "Operating status" indicates whether the hot water supply system H2 is normal or abnormal. The determination of normal or abnormal is based on the normal status determination result (S216 in Figure 13) described above. "Urgency level" has the same meaning as "urgency" described above, and indicates whether or not emergency action is required when an abnormality occurs.

[0091] Graph G1 shown in Figure 18 shows the trend of the degree of abnormality. The horizontal axis of Graph G1 is the date, and the vertical axis is the degree of abnormality of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7). Here, "degree of abnormality" is a numerical value indicating the degree of abnormality of the hot water supply system H2, and is calculated based on the difference between the amount of heat loss and the standard value. Note that the vertical axis may display a value converted into an increase in electricity charges or water usage instead of the amount of heat loss. In this case, the processing unit 30A (see Figure 8) converts the increase in the amount of heat loss from the standard value and the coefficient of performance of the heating device W1 (see Figure 7) into electricity, and further converts the electricity into electricity charges. The processing unit 30A (see Figure 8) also converts the increase in the amount of heat loss from the standard value into hot water supply amount and water leakage amount, and further converts the hot water supply amount, etc. into water usage.

[0092] In the example in Figure 18, the most recent information is shown by a circular marker G11, the historical data G12 (trend in anomaly severity) is shown as a solid line, and the predicted future anomaly severity G13 is shown as a dashed line. The predicted value G13 is calculated, for example, based on the assumption that the most recent change in anomaly severity (slope of the line) will continue unchanged.

[0093] Below Graph G1, a predetermined text is displayed to explain the magnitude of the loss when converted to shower usage. Further below that, several estimated causes of abnormalities and their corresponding percentage values ​​are displayed. These percentage values ​​are calculated appropriately by the abnormality cause estimation unit 58 (see Figure 8).

[0094] Figure 18 shows an example where normality is diagnosed at each cycle of the predetermined period described above, but it is not limited to this. For example, the processing unit 30A may change the length of the "predetermined period" after diagnosis depending on whether there is an emergency or not. Specifically, if there is an emergency, the processing unit 30A changes the length of the "predetermined period" to be shorter than before the diagnosis. Note that the "predetermined period" before the change includes multiple "periods" (predetermined period D2 of one cycle: see Figure 14). For example, if the emergency is high, the processing unit 30A will then diagnose normality in small increments at each cycle, and if the emergency is low, it will then process from a long-term perspective based on the average value of the heat loss over multiple cycles, etc. This makes it possible to take action quickly after a high emergency. It also makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the diagnosis when the emergency is low.

[0095] Figure 19 is an explanatory diagram showing yet another display screen when an abnormality in the hot water supply system is notified to the user's terminal device 93. The display screen in Figure 19 is shown on the terminal device 93, for example, as a diagnostic results screen that the user can check on a daily basis. In the example in Figure 19, the status of heat loss is displayed as text information at the top of the display screen, and the underlying changes in the status are shown in graph G2. The horizontal axis of graph G2 represents the number of years elapsed since the start of use of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7), and the vertical axis represents the normality of the hot water supply system H2.

[0096] Here, "normality" refers to, for example, the increase in heat loss from the standard value, normalized by a predetermined maximum allowable heat loss. Note that the larger the heat loss, the lower the normality. In the example in Figure 19, the history of normality G22 from the start of use of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) to the present is shown by a solid line. Additionally, the caution line (normality corresponding to the maximum allowable heat loss) indicating areas requiring attention during use is shown by a dashed line.

[0097] Below graph G5, several messages are displayed to convey the diagnostic results. The first message explains that heat loss has increased and the heat retention performance has decreased. The second is the value of the increased heat loss converted into electricity costs. The third is an explanation regarding the warning line in graph G2 mentioned above. In the example in Figure 19, it is explained that if the warning line is reached, there is a high possibility that the amount of heat stored will be insufficient, especially on cold days. By presenting this information, users can easily understand malfunctions in the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) and the losses that result from them. Next, we will sequentially explain the updating of the standard value for heat loss and the updating of the flow characteristics of the heat source pump 67 (see Figure 7).

[0098] Figure 20 is a flowchart for updating the amount of heat loss (see also Figure 8 as needed). In step S301, the processing unit 30A of the system management device 100A determines whether it is the first operation of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) after installation or reset, or whether a certain period of time has elapsed since the most recent maintenance. If it is not the first operation of the hot water supply system H2 after installation or reset, and a certain period of time has not elapsed since the most recent maintenance (S301: No), the processing unit 30A terminates the series of processes (END). If, in step S301, it is the first operation of the hot water supply system H2 after installation or reset, or if a certain period of time has elapsed since the most recent maintenance (S301: Yes), the processing of the processing unit 30A proceeds to step S302.

[0099] In step S302, the processing unit 30A determines whether or not the value of the heat loss is stored (recorded) in the heat quantity storage unit 51f (see Figure 8). If the value of the heat loss is not stored in the heat quantity storage unit 51f during the initial operation, etc. (S302: Yes), the processing unit 30A proceeds to step S303. The next steps, S303 to S306, are processes for calculating a reference value for the heat loss.

[0100] In step S303, the processing unit 30A performs one cycle of operation (corresponding to the predetermined period D2 in Figure 14), including the use of hot water (heat consumption) and the subsequent boiling operation (heat supply). In step S304, the processing unit 30A calculates the amount of heat supplied to the heating device W1 (see Figure 7) during a predetermined period D2 (see Figure 14). In step S305, the processing unit 30A calculates the amount of heat consumed by the hot water storage unit U1 (see Figure 7) during a predetermined period D2 (see Figure 14). In step S306, the processing unit 30A calculates the amount of heat loss based on the amount of heat supplied and the amount of heat consumed.

[0101] In step S307, the processing unit 30A stores information on each heat quantity, such as the amount of heat supplied, the amount of heat consumed, and the amount of heat lost, in the heat quantity storage unit 51f (see Figure 8), associating it with the date and time. In step S308, the processing unit 30A performs a reference value update calculation. For example, immediately after the initial operation or maintenance, the processing unit 30A assumes that the hot water supply system H2 is normal and performs the following processing. That is, during the initial operation of the hot water supply system H2 (heat transfer fluid system), the processing unit 30A calculates the amount of heat loss based on the cumulative value of the supplied heat and the cumulative value of the consumed heat during a predetermined period D2 (see Figure 14) at the time of this initial operation. The processing unit 30A then sets a predetermined value higher than this amount of heat loss as the reference value for the amount of heat loss, and from the next operation onward, it diagnoses abnormalities in the hot water supply system H2 based on the new reference value. Furthermore, if a predetermined period has elapsed since the most recent maintenance of the hot water supply system H2 (heat transfer fluid system), the processing unit 30A updates the reference value for the amount of heat loss to a predetermined value higher than the amount of heat loss associated with the current operation of the hot water supply system H2. Then, from the next operation onward, the processing unit 30A diagnoses abnormalities in the hot water supply system H2 based on the updated reference value. In step S309, the processing unit 30A stores the new reference value in the reference value storage unit 55 (see Figure 8).

[0102] Furthermore, if the value of the heat loss is stored in the heat storage unit 51f (see Figure 8) in step S302 (S302: No), the processing unit 30A performs a reference value update calculation in step S308. For example, the processing unit 30A calculates a new reference value for the heat loss based on the average value of the heat loss over multiple cycles (multiple predetermined periods D2: see Figure 14). For example, if the piping of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) is replaced or parts are replaced, the magnitude of the heat loss under normal conditions may change. Even in such cases, the reference value of the heat loss is updated as described above, allowing for highly accurate diagnosis of the hot water supply system H2.

[0103] Figure 21 is a flowchart showing the process for updating the flow characteristics of the heat source pump (see also Figure 8 as appropriate). In step S401, the processing unit 30A of the system management device 100A determines whether it is the first operation of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) after installation or reset, or whether a certain period of time has elapsed since the most recent maintenance. If it is not the first operation of the hot water supply system H2 after installation or reset, and a certain period of time has not elapsed since the most recent maintenance (S401: No), the processing unit 30A terminates the series of processes (END). If, in step S401, it is the first operation of the hot water supply system H2 after installation or reset, or if a certain period of time has elapsed since the most recent maintenance (S401: Yes), the processing of the processing unit 30A proceeds to step S402.

[0104] In step S402, the processing unit 30A updates the transport estimation information. Specifically, the processing unit 30A sets new flow characteristics based on the rotational speed history of the heat source pump 67 (see Figure 7) and other operating history stored in the operation information storage unit 57 (see Figure 8). The flow characteristics refer to a formula or data table that shows the relationship between the rotational speed of the heat source pump 67 and the flow rate. If it is the first operation of the hot water supply system H2 (heat transfer medium system), or if a predetermined period has elapsed since the most recent maintenance of the hot water supply system H2, the processing unit 30A updates (sets) the flow characteristics parameters of the heat source pump 67 (pump) based on the operating information of the hot water supply system H2. An example of such parameters is a predetermined coefficient included in the formula for deriving the flow rate from the rotational speed of the heat source pump 67.

[0105] For example, if a blockage occurs in the water piping of the heat exchanger 62 (see Figure 7), the relationship between the rotational speed and flow rate of the heat source pump 67 changes. By updating its flow rate characteristics, the accuracy of the hot and cold water flow rate estimation can be maintained. Next, in step S403, the processing unit 30A stores the transport estimation information showing the new flow rate characteristics in the transport estimation information storage unit 51c (see Figure 8).

[0106] <Effects> According to the second embodiment, the period for aggregating the heat loss of the hot water supply system H2 (a predetermined period D2 in Figure 14) is set to the period from the end of the current operation of the heating device W1 to the end of the next operation. This establishes a causal relationship in which the heat of the hot water heated by the heating device W1 is used by the hot water storage unit U1, allowing for highly accurate calculation of the heat loss, which shows the heat balance between the supplied heat and the consumed heat. Furthermore, even if a small heat loss occurs, the user can be notified of the occurrence of a water leak or the like. In addition, according to the second embodiment, there is no particular need to increase the number of temperature sensors in the hot water storage tank 71 (see Figure 7) in order to improve the accuracy of temperature detection, thus suppressing an increase in equipment costs.

[0107] ≪Variations≫ Although the system management devices 100 and 100A related to this disclosure have been described in the embodiments above, the invention is not limited to these descriptions and various modifications can be made. For example, in the first embodiment, the predetermined period D1 (see Figure 4) for which heat energy is aggregated was described as including one cycle, from the start of operation of the cooling device E1 to the end of energy consumption of the cooling device 23. However, it is not limited to this. That is, the "predetermined period" may include periods of multiple cycles. In this case as well, the same effects as in the first embodiment are achieved, and the fluctuations in the detected values ​​of each sensor for each cycle are averaged out, so water leaks and the like can be detected with high accuracy. The same can be said for the second embodiment.

[0108] Furthermore, while the first embodiment described a case where the system management device 100 (see Figure 1) is separate from the cooling device E1 (see Figure 1) and the refrigeration device 23 (see Figure 1), the embodiment is not limited to this. That is, a predetermined circuit corresponding to the system management device 100 may be mounted on the control board (not shown) of the cooling device E1, or on the control board (not shown) of the refrigeration device 23. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0109] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, a flow meter 22 (see Figure 1) is installed in the path that leads water from the cooling device E1 to the refrigeration device 23, and a transport pump 21 (pump) is installed in the path that leads water from the refrigeration device 23 to the cooling device E1. However, the installation locations of the transport pump 21 and the flow meter 22 can be changed as appropriate. That is, the flow meter 22 may be installed in one of the pipes that leads water (heat transfer medium) from the cooling device E1 (heat source device) to the refrigeration device 23 (consumer device), and the transport pump 21 (pump) may be installed in the other. In such a configuration, the processing unit 30 obtains the flow rate of water (heat transfer medium) in one of the pipes from the flow meter 22 and calculates the flow rate of water flowing through the other pipe based on the rotational speed of the transport pump 21. This makes it possible to calculate the flow rate of water in each pipe individually.

[0110] Furthermore, while the first embodiment described a case where the amount of heat loss, which is the processing result of the system management device 100 (see Figure 1), is displayed on the output unit 42 (see Figure 2) or terminal device 50 (see Figure 2), it is not limited to this. For example, in addition to the amount of power consumed corresponding to the amount of heat loss and the electricity usage fee corresponding to the amount of power consumed, the amount of water corresponding to the amount of heat loss at a predetermined temperature difference and the water usage fee corresponding to the amount of water may also be displayed. In addition, the operating time of the cooling device E1 corresponding to the amount of heat loss and the operating time of the refrigeration device 23 may also be displayed. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0111] Furthermore, while each embodiment has described the case where the "heat transfer medium" used is water, it is not limited to this. In other words, other types of "heat transfer mediums" such as antifreeze, a specified refrigerant, or air may be used. Furthermore, in each embodiment, the difference between the maximum heat supply that the heat source device can output and the maximum heat consumption of the thermal energy consumption device may be displayed. Also, if the maximum allowable heat loss is set in advance, this maximum heat loss value may be displayed together with the actual heat loss. This allows the user to understand how the current heat loss is relative to the maximum heat loss.

[0112] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, a case was described in which water is cooled by a cooling device E1 (see Figure 1), which is a heat source device, and the cooled water is supplied to a cooling device 23 (see Figure 1), but the invention is not limited to this. For example, water (heat transfer medium) may be heated in the heat source device, and the heated water may be supplied to a thermal energy consumption device. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, a case was described in which hot water is heated by a heating device W1 (see Figure 7) and the heated hot water is supplied to a heat storage tank 71 (see Figure 7), which is a heat storage tank, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, water (heat transfer medium) may be cooled by a heat source device, and the cooled water may be supplied to the heat storage tank.

[0113] Furthermore, the configuration of the hot water supply system H2 (see Figure 7) in the second embodiment is an example and can be modified as appropriate. For example, a part of the internal path of the hot water storage unit U1 (see Figure 7) may be bypassed or rearranged as appropriate. Also, for example, the water supply temperature sensor 73 can be replaced with another sensor installed for measuring the temperature of the hot water storage tank 71, and the water supply temperature can be estimated using a representative value within one cycle. In addition, the heat exchanger for reheating may be installed outside the hot water storage tank 71. Furthermore, hot water flowing from the top of the hot water storage tank 71 through piping and water from the water supply piping may exchange heat in the heat exchanger and then be guided to the bottom of the hot water storage tank 71.

[0114] In the second embodiment, a flow meter (not shown) may be installed in one of the pipes that guides the refrigerant (heat transfer medium) from the heating device W1 (heat source device) to the hot water storage tank 71 (thermal storage tank), and the pipe that guides the refrigerant from the hot water storage tank 71 to the heating device W1, while a heat source side pump 67 (pump) is installed in the other. In such a configuration, the processing unit 30A obtains the flow rate of the refrigerant in the one pipe from the flow meter and calculates the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the other pipe based on the rotational speed of the heat source side pump 67. This allows the processing unit 30A to appropriately calculate the amount of heat supplied and the amount of heat consumed based on the flow rate of the refrigerant in each pipe.

[0115] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, a bath flow meter 80 (flow meter) may be installed in one of the pipes that guide hot water (heat transfer medium) from the hot water storage tank 71 (heat storage tank) to the bathtub B1 (consumer device), and a bath pump 84 (pump) may be installed in the other, and the following processing may be performed. That is, the processing unit 30A may obtain the flow rate of hot water in one of the pipes from the bath flow meter 80, and calculate the flow rate of hot water flowing through the other pipe based on the rotational speed of the bath pump 84. This allows the processing unit 30A to appropriately calculate the amount of heat supplied and the amount of heat consumed based on the flow rate of hot water in each pipe.

[0116] Furthermore, various methods can be used to estimate the cause of the abnormality in the hot water supply system H2 in the second embodiment. For example, the processing unit 30A may classify the cause of the abnormality in the hot water supply system H2 based on one or more fluctuation patterns of operational information and predetermined conditional branching. Alternatively, the processing unit 30A may pre-learn the characteristics of each cause of abnormality using predetermined machine learning or deep learning, and then classify the characteristics of the operational information of the hot water supply system H2 based on predetermined parameters included in the learning results.

[0117] Furthermore, the system management device 100 described in the first embodiment can be applied to various devices configured to guide a heat transfer medium from a heat source device that generates heat or cold to the consumption side via piping. Furthermore, the system management device 100A described in the second embodiment can be applied to various devices configured to store the heat or cold generated by the heat source device in a heat storage tank and to guide a heat transfer medium from the heat storage tank to the consumption side via piping. Furthermore, while the second embodiment (see Figure 7) describes a configuration in which one system management device 100A is provided for a pair of heating devices W1 and a hot water storage unit U1, the invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, multiple sets of heating devices and hot water storage units may be connected to a single system management device 100A. Also, the single system management device to which multiple sets of heating devices and hot water storage units are connected may be built on a server via the Internet.

[0118] Furthermore, the programs executed by the system management devices 100 and 100A (programs such as system management methods) can be provided via communication lines, or they can be written to recording media such as CD-ROMs and distributed. Furthermore, the embodiments are described in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating this disclosure and are not necessarily limited to having all the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace some of the configurations in the embodiments with other configurations. Furthermore, the mechanisms and configurations described above are those deemed necessary for explanatory purposes and do not necessarily represent all of the mechanisms and configurations shown in the actual product. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 23 Cold storage equipment (consumer equipment) 30,30A Processing Unit 21. Conveyor pump (pump) 42 Output section (display device) 50 Terminal devices (display devices) 60. Transport Estimate Information Update Unit 67. Heat source side pump (pump) 71. Hot water storage tank (thermal storage tank) 80 Bath Flow Meter (Flow Meter) 84. Bath pump (pump) 91 Input / output device (display device) 92 Control board 93 Terminal devices (display devices) 100,100A grid management device B1 Bathtub (Consumption device) E1 Cooling device (heat source device) H1 Refrigeration System (Heat Transfer System) H2 Hot Water Supply System (Heat Transfer System) K1, K2 connecting pipes T1 Hot water supply terminal (consumer device) U1 Hot water storage unit (consumer device) W1 Heating device (heat source device) X1 System Management System

Claims

1. The system includes a processing unit that calculates the amount of heat loss in a heat transfer medium system configured such that a heat transfer medium heated or cooled by a heat source device is guided through piping to a heat energy consumption device, and displays information including the amount of heat loss on a display device. The processing unit calculates the heat loss based on the difference between the cumulative amount of heat supplied by the heat source device during a predetermined period and the cumulative amount of heat consumed by the consumption device during the predetermined period. The predetermined period includes the period from the start of operation of the heat source device to the end of energy consumption of the consumption device associated with said operation. The processing unit diagnoses whether an abnormality in the heat transfer system is urgent based on at least one of the difference between the amount of heat lost and a predetermined reference value, and the rate of change of the amount of heat lost, and changes the length of the predetermined period after the diagnosis according to whether or not it is urgent.

2. The system includes a processing unit that calculates the amount of heat loss in a heat transfer system configured such that a heat transfer medium heated or cooled by a heat source device is stored in a heat storage tank, and the heat transfer medium is guided from the heat storage tank to a heat energy consumption device via piping, and displays information including the amount of heat loss on a display device. The processing unit calculates the heat loss based on the difference between the cumulative amount of heat supplied by the heat source device during a predetermined period and the cumulative amount of heat consumed by the consumption device during the predetermined period. The predetermined period includes the period from the start of energy consumption of the consumption device to the end of operation of the heat source device which is driven to supplement said energy consumption, The processing unit diagnoses whether an abnormality in the heat transfer system is urgent based on at least one of the difference between the amount of heat lost and a predetermined reference value, and the rate of change of the amount of heat lost, and changes the length of the predetermined period after the diagnosis according to whether or not it is urgent.

3. The starting point of the predetermined period is a predetermined timing between the end of the previous energy consumption of the consumption device associated with the previous operation of the heat source device and the start of the current operation of the heat source device. The end of the predetermined period is a predetermined timing between the end of the current energy consumption of the consumption device and the start of the next operation of the heat source device. A system management system according to claim 1, characterized by the following:

4. The starting point of the predetermined period is a predetermined timing between the end of the previous operation of the heat source device and the start of the current energy consumption of the consumption device corresponding to the current operation of the heat source device. The end of the predetermined period is a predetermined timing between the end of the current operation of the heat source device and the start of the next energy consumption of the consumption device. The system management system according to claim 2, characterized by the following:

5. A flow meter is installed in one of the pipes that guide the heat transfer medium from the heat source device to the consumption device, and a pump is installed in the other pipe that guides the heat transfer medium from the consumption device to the heat source device. The processing unit obtains the flow rate of the heat transfer medium in one of the pipes from the flow meter and calculates the flow rate of the heat transfer medium flowing through the other pipe based on the rotational speed of the pump. A system management system according to claim 1, characterized by the following:

6. A flow meter is installed in one of the pipes that guide the heat transfer medium from the heat source device to the heat storage tank, and the other pipe that guides the heat transfer medium from the heat storage tank to the heat source device, and a pump is installed in the other. The processing unit obtains the flow rate of the heat transfer medium in one of the pipes from the flow meter and calculates the flow rate of the heat transfer medium flowing through the other pipe based on the rotational speed of the pump. The system management system according to claim 2, characterized by the following:

7. A flow meter is installed in one of the pipes that guide the heat transfer medium from the heat storage tank to the consumption device, and a pump is installed in the other pipe that guides the heat transfer medium from the consumption device to the heat storage tank. The processing unit obtains the flow rate of the heat transfer medium in one of the pipes from the flow meter and calculates the flow rate of the heat transfer medium flowing through the other pipe based on the rotational speed of the pump. The system management system according to claim 2, characterized by the following:

8. The processing unit, during the initial operation of the heat transfer system, calculates the heat loss based on the cumulative value of the supplied heat and the cumulative value of the consumed heat during the predetermined period of the initial operation, sets a predetermined value higher than the heat loss as the reference value for the heat loss, and from the next operation onward, diagnoses any abnormalities in the heat transfer system based on the reference value. A system management system according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the above.

9. The processing unit calculates the flow rate of the pump based on the rotational speed of the pump installed in the piping between the heat source device and the consumption device, and the flow rate characteristics of the pump. If it is the initial operation of the heat transfer system, or if a predetermined period has elapsed since the most recent maintenance of the heat transfer system, the parameters of the flow rate characteristics shall be updated based on the operating information of the heat transfer system. A system management system according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the above.

10. The processing unit, if there is an emergency, changes the length of the predetermined period to be shorter than before the diagnosis. The predetermined period before the change includes multiple such periods. A system management system according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the above.

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