Rainwater collection system

Abstract

The objective is to provide a rainwater collection system that can collect rainwater according to the amount of water in the rainwater tank. [Solution] The rainwater collection system 10 includes a water volume determination unit that determines the amount of rainwater stored in a rainwater tank, an electromagnetic valve 40 as a switching unit that switches the flow path for rainwater to either a storage pipe 94 which is a flow path that sends rainwater to the rainwater tank or a first drain pipe 92 which is a flow path that does not send rainwater to the rainwater tank, and a control unit that controls the switching unit based on the amount of rainwater stored determined by the water volume determination unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a rainwater collection system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a rainwater storage device for storing rainwater. This rainwater storage device has initial rainwater drainage means for draining rainwater containing contaminants that have dripped onto the water collection surface at the initial stage of rainfall. The initial rainwater drainage means includes an on-off valve provided in a water pipe for sending rainwater that has dripped onto the water collection surface to a storage tank, measurement means for measuring the electrical conductivity of rainwater, and control means for controlling the on-off valve to store or drain rainwater to the storage tank based on the electrical conductivity measured by the measurement means.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In Patent Document 1, even when the amount of water in the rainwater tank is insufficient, rainwater may be drained without being stored in the rainwater tank. On the other hand, in a device such as a circulating water treatment device that uses rainwater, in order to avoid a shortage of the amount of water to be circulated, it is necessary to take in rainwater when the amount of water in the rainwater tank is insufficient. Therefore, there is room for improvement in maintaining the amount of stored water collected and stored in the rainwater tank.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a rainwater collection system capable of collecting rainwater according to the amount of water in a rainwater tank.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The rainwater collection system 10 according to the first embodiment includes a water volume determination unit that determines the amount of rainwater stored in a rainwater tank for storing rainwater, a switching unit that switches the flow path for rainwater to either a flow path that sends rainwater to the rainwater tank or a flow path that does not send rainwater to the rainwater tank, and a control unit that controls the switching unit based on the amount of rainwater stored determined by the water volume determination unit.

[0007] In the second embodiment of the rainwater collection system 10, the control unit controls the switching unit to store rainwater in the rainwater tank when the amount of rainwater stored in the rainwater tank, as determined by the water volume determination unit, is less than a predetermined threshold.

[0008] The third embodiment of the rainwater collection system 10 is the same as the second embodiment of the rainwater collection system 10, and includes a water quality detection unit for detecting the water quality of the rainwater and a water quality identification unit for identifying the water quality of the water stored in the rainwater tank. The control unit controls the switching unit to switch the flow path for the rainwater to a flow path that sends the rainwater to the rainwater tank when the amount of stored water identified by the water quantity identification unit is equal to or greater than the threshold, and the water quality of the rainwater detected by the water quality detection unit is better than the water quality of the stored water identified by the water quality identification unit. The control unit controls the switching unit to switch the flow path for the rainwater to a flow path that does not send the rainwater to the rainwater tank when the amount of stored water identified by the water quantity identification unit is equal to or greater than the threshold, and the water quality of the rainwater detected by the water quality detection unit is worse than the water quality of the stored water identified by the water quality identification unit.

[0009] The fourth embodiment of the rainwater collection system 10 is the rainwater collection system 10 according to the third embodiment, wherein the rainwater tank is equipped with a discharge unit capable of discharging the stored water, and the control unit controls the discharge unit to discharge the stored water when the amount of stored water is equal to or greater than the threshold and the quality of the stored water is better than that of the stored water to be stored in the rainwater tank.

[0010] The rainwater collection system 10 according to the fifth embodiment is equipped with a rain amount detection unit that detects the amount of rainwater flowing into the rainwater tank, and the control unit controls the discharge unit so that the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank is within a predetermined range.

[0011] The rainwater collection system 10 according to the sixth embodiment is a rainwater collection system 10 according to any one of the first to fifth embodiments, and includes a filtration unit that filters rainwater flowing into the rainwater tank or stored water flowing out of the rainwater tank toward a system that utilizes the stored water in the rainwater tank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the disclosed technology, rainwater can be collected according to the amount of water in the rainwater tank. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a rainwater collection system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart showing an example of a storage process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing an example of a replacement process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows an example of an emissions adjustment process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a rainwater collection system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing an example of a replacement process according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a rainwater collection system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing an example of replacement processing according to the third embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, the rainwater collection system 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent components are given the same reference numerals. Also, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of explanation and may be different from the actual ratios. Further, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and appropriate modifications can be made within the scope of the object of the present disclosure and implemented.

[0015] <Summary of the Present Embodiment> The rainwater collection system 10 according to the present embodiment aims to collect as clean rainwater as possible while preventing a shortage of the stored amount of water in the rainwater tank. Conventionally, the intake determination has been made based only on the quality of rainwater, and there has been a possibility of water shortage when the stored water volume in the rainwater tank is small. Therefore, in the rainwater collection system 10 of the present embodiment, when the stored water volume in the rainwater tank is small, the rainwater is configured to be taken into the rainwater tank regardless of the quality of the rainwater. Then, the rainwater taken into the rainwater tank is provided to the user after being subjected to water treatment (for example, filtration, UV treatment, chlorine treatment, etc.). This water treatment is performed when rainwater is taken into the rainwater tank, when rainwater is provided to a system that uses the rainwater stored in the rainwater tank, and the like. Note that the above-described water treatment may be performed within the system that uses rainwater, or may be performed when the treated water treated by the system is provided to the user.

[0016] [First Embodiment] (Rainwater Collection System) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a rainwater collection system 10 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the rainwater collection system 10 of the present embodiment includes a rainwater tank 20, a water quality sensor 30, an electromagnetic valve 40, a flow rate sensor 50, a first filter 60, a second filter 62, a drain 80, and a control device 100 (see FIG. 2) described later. Further, the flow rate sensor 50 of the present embodiment includes flow rate sensors 50A and 50B. Note that the numbers of the rainwater tank 20, the water quality sensor 30, the electromagnetic valve 40, the flow rate sensor 50, the first filter 60, the second filter 62, and the drain 80 are not limited to the numbers shown in FIG. 1.

[0017] The rainwater collection system 10 is provided, for example, indoors, outdoors, or both of a building not shown. The outdoors of the building includes, for example, the ground under the building. Also, a part of the rainwater collection system 10 may be buried in the ground. Here, the building is provided with, for example, a rain gutter and a trash screen. Rain falling on the building is collected along the rain gutter and the trash is removed by the trash screen for water intake. Then, the rainwater collected along the rain gutter is stored in the rainwater tank 20 through the water intake pipe 90.

[0018] The rainwater tank 20 is a tank for storing the taken-in rainwater. In the present embodiment, the rainwater taken in through the water intake pipe 90 is stored in the rainwater tank 20 through the storage pipe 94. Further, the rainwater stored in the rainwater tank 20 (hereinafter also referred to as stored water) is supplied to a device that uses rainwater through the supply pipe 96 or discarded through the second drain pipe 98. Also, the rainwater tank 20 may be provided with an overflow port (not shown) for preventing the stored water from overflowing unintentionally from above the wall surface of the rainwater tank 20. Note that the stored water discharged from the overflow port may be discarded through the second drain pipe 98.

[0019] In this embodiment, the water stored in the rainwater tank 20 is supplied to the circulation system 200. The circulation system 200 in this embodiment is a system that uses treated water, obtained by filtering raw water such as rainwater, surface water, or groundwater, as drinking water or domestic water. In this embodiment, drinking water may include, for example, water used for washing the face, cooking, etc. Domestic water refers to water used in daily life, such as for bathing, showering, laundry, and washing dishes.

[0020] Furthermore, the rainwater tank 20 is equipped with a water volume sensor 70. The water volume sensor 70 in this embodiment is a sensor that detects the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20. The water volume sensor 70 is, for example, a water level sensor or a weight sensor. The water level sensor may be of any type, such as a float type, pressure type, capacitive type, or optical type. Also, the location where the water volume sensor 70 is installed is not limited to the rainwater tank 20. The water volume sensor 70 may be, for example, a pressure sensor attached to the second drain pipe 98. If the water volume sensor 70 is a pressure sensor attached to the second drain pipe 98, the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20 is calculated from the water head pressure measured by the pressure sensor. The following description assumes that the water volume sensor 70 is a water level sensor.

[0021] The water quality sensor 30 is a sensor that detects water quality. In this embodiment, the water quality sensor 30 is attached to the water intake pipe 90 and detects the water quality of rainwater passing through the water intake pipe 90. The water quality sensor 30 can be appropriately selected from, for example, an EC sensor, a pH sensor, a turbidity sensor, a color sensor, an SS (suspended solids) sensor, an ORP (oxidation-reduction potential) sensor, a residual chlorine meter, and a DO (dissolved oxygen) sensor, with an EC sensor being particularly preferred. The water quality sensor 30 is an example of a "water quality detection unit".

[0022] The electromagnetic valve 40 is a valve capable of switching the flow path. In this embodiment, the electromagnetic valve 40 can switch the flow path of rainwater between a first drain pipe 92 that discards rainwater and a storage pipe 94 that stores rainwater in the rainwater tank 20. The electromagnetic valve 40 may also be an electric valve. The electromagnetic valve 40 is an example of a "switching unit". The first drain pipe 92 is an example of a "flow path that does not send rainwater to the rainwater tank". The storage pipe 94 is an example of a "flow path that sends rainwater to the rainwater tank". The electromagnetic valve may also be attached to the supply pipe 96 and the second drain pipe 98, etc. By attaching the electromagnetic valve to the supply pipe 96 and the second drain pipe 98, etc., the destination of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20, the destination of the water and the destination of the water are changed.

[0023] The flow sensor 50 is a sensor that detects flow rate. In this embodiment, the flow sensor 50A is attached to the storage pipe 94 and detects the flow rate of rainwater flowing into the rainwater tank 20 through the storage pipe 94. The flow sensor 50B is attached to the second drain pipe 98 and detects the flow rate of stored water discharged from the rainwater tank 20. The flow sensor 50A is an example of a "rain amount detection unit".

[0024] The first filter 60 is a filter for filtering rainwater. In this embodiment, the first filter 60 is attached to the storage pipe 94 and can filter rainwater flowing into the rainwater tank 20. For example, a metal mesh filter is used for the first filter 60. The type of first filter 60 is not particularly limited, and at least one of the following may be selected: a spool filter, a sediment filter, an MF (microfiltration membrane), an UF (ultrafiltration membrane), an NF (nanofiltration membrane), a ceramic filter, an ion exchange filter, and an activated carbon filter. The first filter 60 is an example of a "filtration unit".

[0025] The second filter 62 is a filter that filters the stored water supplied from the rainwater tank 20. In this embodiment, the second filter 62 is attached to the supply pipe 96 and filters the stored water supplied to the circulation system 200. For example, a mesh filter is used for the second filter 62. The type of second filter 62 is not particularly limited as long as it includes a filtration membrane, and may be selected from reverse osmosis membranes (RO membranes), nanofiltration membranes (NF membranes), ultrafiltration membranes (UF membranes), microfiltration membranes (MF membranes), etc. The second filter 62 may also be equipped with a mechanism for applying pressure to the supplied raw water, and this mechanism may be connected to an external power source. The filtered water filtered by the second filter 62 is supplied to the circulation system 200, while concentrated wastewater may be discharged or returned to the rainwater tank 20. The second filter 62 is an example of a "filtration unit".

[0026] Drain 80 is a drain outlet whose discharge amount of stored water can be adjusted by controlling an on-off valve. In this embodiment, drain 80 is installed at the bottom of the rainwater tank 20 and adjusts the discharge amount of stored water discharged from the second drain pipe 98 by increasing or decreasing the opening amount of the on-off valve. Drain 80 may also only be able to control whether the on-off valve is open or closed. Alternatively, an electric valve or the like may be attached to the second drain pipe 98, and the discharge amount of stored water from the rainwater tank 20 may be adjusted by controlling the electric valve. Drain 80 is an example of a "discharge section".

[0027] (Control device hardware configuration) Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of the control device 100 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the control device 100 of this embodiment is connected to each sensor and each device of the rainwater collection system 10, receives signals from each sensor, and controls each device. The control device 100 is an example of a "control unit".

[0028] The control device 100 of this embodiment is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 110, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 120, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 130, storage 140, a communication interface 150, and an input / output interface 160. Each component is connected to the others via a bus 170 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0029] The CPU 110 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls various parts. The ROM 120 stores various programs and data. In this embodiment, the ROM 120 stores data including the control program 121. The control program 121 may also be stored in the storage 140, which will be described later. The RAM 130 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. That is, the CPU 110 reads a program from the ROM 120 or storage 140 and executes the program using the RAM 130 as a working area.

[0030] The control program 121 is a program that executes processes including storage processing (see Figure 4), replacement processing (see Figure 5), and discharge adjustment processing (see Figure 6), which will be described later. When the control program 121 is executed, the control device 100 uses various hardware resources to execute the processes based on the control program 121.

[0031] Storage 140 consists of flash memory, SSD (Solid State Drive), etc., and stores various programs and data, including the rainwater information database 141.

[0032] The rainwater information database 141 is a database that stores information related to rainwater (hereinafter also referred to as rainwater information). The rainwater information database 141 stores information including water quality data detected by the water quality sensor 30 and rainwater flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor 50. For example, the rainwater information database 141 stores water quality data of rainwater passing through the intake pipe 90 and rainwater flow rate data of rainwater passing through the storage pipe 94. The rainwater information database 141 may also store water volume data detected by the water volume sensor 70. Furthermore, the rainwater information database 141 stores time-related information. For example, the rainwater information database 141 stores time data such as the date and year on which the rainwater quality data and flow rate data were acquired, in association with the rainwater quality data and flow rate data. In addition, the rainwater information database 141 stores regional information of the area where the rainwater tank 20 is installed. Regional information includes, for example, the name of the area and annual rainfall data for that area. The rainwater collection system 10 can utilize the rainwater information stored in the rainwater information database 141 as described above. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, it is possible to estimate the amount of rainwater collected at a given time based on seasonal rainfall trends, and to estimate the water quality of the rainwater based on the amount of rainwater collected. Furthermore, when the rainwater collection system 10 is newly installed, it is possible to acquire and utilize the aforementioned rainwater information from systems located in the same area, adjacent areas, and areas with similar environments.

[0033] The Communication I / F150 is an interface for communicating with other devices. Specifically, the Communication I / F150 communicates with various devices via a network. For this communication, wireless communication standards such as 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi®, or Bluetooth®, or wired communication standards such as Ethernet® are used.

[0034] The input / output interface 160 is an interface for connecting to input / output devices and is used for inputting and outputting various types of information. In this embodiment, the input / output interface 160 is connected to the water quality sensor 30, the solenoid valve 40, the flow sensor 50, the water volume sensor 70, and the drain 80.

[0035] (Functional configuration of the control unit) Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control device 100 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the control device 100 functions as an acquisition unit 110A, a water volume identification unit 110B, a water quality identification unit 110C, a flow path control unit 110D, and an discharge control unit 110E when the CPU 110 executes the control program 121.

[0036] The acquisition unit 110A has the function of acquiring various types of data. Specifically, the acquisition unit 110A acquires water quality data from the water quality sensor 30, flow rate data from the flow rate sensor 50, and water volume data from the water volume sensor 70. The acquisition unit 110A also stores the acquired data in the rainwater information database 141.

[0037] The water volume identification unit 110B has the function of identifying the amount of stored water. Specifically, the water volume identification unit 110B identifies the amount of stored water in the rainwater tank 20 from the water volume data acquired by the acquisition unit 110A. The water volume data is, for example, data indicating the water level or weight of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20.

[0038] The water quality identification unit 110C has the function of identifying the water quality of the stored water. The water quality identification unit 110C can directly identify the water quality of the stored water by having the water quality identification unit 110C inside the rainwater tank 20, it can also identify the water quality of the wastewater discharged from the rainwater tank 20, and it can also identify the water quality of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 by estimating the water quality of the entire stored water remaining in the rainwater tank 20 from the history of rainwater information stored in the rainwater information database 141 regarding the water quality and flow rate of rainwater that has flowed into the rainwater tank 20.

[0039] Here, the history of rainwater information is obtained by the water quality identification unit 110C referring to the rainwater information database 141. The history of rainwater information includes, for example, the history of water quality data and the history of water volume data. The acquired water quality data is, for example, data representing water quality by electrical conductivity if an EC sensor is used as the water quality sensor 30. In this case, the water quality identification unit 110C identifies the water quality by electrical conductivity. Using the electrical conductivity and inflow rate of rainwater flowing into the rainwater tank 20, and the amount of stored water in the rainwater tank 20, the electrical conductivity of the stored water due to inflow and discharge can be estimated or calculated. Note that the water quality of the stored water may be defined not only by the electrical conductivity in the above example, but also by the measured values ​​of any water quality sensor 30.

[0040] The flow path control unit 110D has a function to switch the flow path of rainwater. Specifically, the flow path control unit 110D controls the electromagnetic valve 40 to switch the flow path of rainwater passing through the intake pipe 90 between the first drain pipe 92 and the storage pipe 94. The flow path control unit 110D may also control the flow path of rainwater to remain in the first drain pipe 92 until the value of the rainwater water quality data acquired by the acquisition unit 110A stabilizes. This prevents initial rainwater with poor water quality from flowing into the rainwater tank 20.

[0041] The discharge control unit 110E has the function of controlling the discharge amount of stored water. Specifically, the discharge control unit 110E controls the discharge amount of stored water discharged from the second drain pipe 98 by controlling the amount the on-off valve of the drain 80 is opened.

[0042] (action) Next, the process of storing rainwater in the rainwater tank 20 will be explained using Figures 4 to 6.

[0043] (Storage processing) Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the storage process according to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the storage process is performed by the CPU 110 of the control device 100 reading the control program 121 from the ROM 120 or storage 140, loading it into the RAM 130, and executing it (the same applies to the processes executed by the CPU 110 hereafter). The storage process is a process that controls whether or not to store rainwater in the rainwater tank 20 by controlling the electromagnetic valve 40 according to the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20. As an example, the storage process is a process that is repeatedly executed while the flow sensor 50A is detecting the flow rate of rainwater (i.e., when it is raining). The storage process may also be terminated when the flow sensor 50A stops detecting the flow rate of rainwater (i.e., when it stops raining).

[0044] In step S100 of Figure 4, the CPU 110 acquires rainwater quality data. Specifically, the CPU 110 acquires the water quality data detected by the water quality sensor 30 attached to the water intake pipe 90 and stores it in the rainwater information database 141 of the storage 140.

[0045] In step S101, the CPU 110 acquires water volume data from the rainwater tank 20. Specifically, the CPU 110 acquires water volume data from the rainwater tank 20 detected by the water volume sensor 70. For example, the CPU 110 acquires data indicating the water level of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20.

[0046] In step S102, the CPU 110 determines whether the amount of water in the rainwater tank 20 is below a predetermined threshold. Specifically, the CPU 110 determines whether the amount of water indicated by the water volume data acquired in step S101 is below a predetermined threshold. Here, the predetermined threshold is set to vary as appropriate depending on the season and the user's usage, but it is preferable that the predetermined threshold be set so that the amount of water in the rainwater tank 20 is always maintained between 80% and full. The predetermined threshold may be a value calculated or detected by a water volume sensor 70, such as water level, water pressure, or weight. The range of 80% to full in the rainwater tank 20 is an example of a "predetermined range".

[0047] If the CPU 110 determines that the amount of water in the rainwater tank 20 is below a predetermined threshold (step S102: YES), it proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the CPU 110 determines that the amount of water in the rainwater tank 20 is not below a predetermined threshold (step S102: NO), it proceeds to step S104.

[0048] In step S103, the CPU 110 changes the rainwater flow path to the storage pipe 94. Specifically, the CPU 110 controls the electromagnetic valve 40 so that the rainwater flow path becomes the storage pipe 94. Then, the CPU 110 returns to step S100. If the rainwater flow path is already the storage pipe 94, the CPU 110 may simply return to step S100. Alternatively, the CPU 110 may control the rainwater flow path to remain the first drain pipe 92 until the value of the rainwater water quality data acquired in step S100 stabilizes. This allows the CPU 110 to store rainwater in the rainwater tank 20 until the amount of water in the rainwater tank 20 exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0049] In step S104, the CPU 110 performs the replacement process described later. Then, the CPU 110 returns to step S100.

[0050] (Replacement process) Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a replacement process according to the first embodiment. The replacement process is a process in which the water stored in the rainwater tank 20 is replaced under predetermined conditions when the amount of water in the rainwater tank 20 is above a predetermined threshold. The replacement process is, as an example, a process performed in step S104 (see Figure 4).

[0051] In step S200 of Figure 5, the CPU 110 identifies the water quality of the water stored in the rainwater tank 20. Specifically, the CPU 110 identifies the water quality of the stored water by referring to the rainwater water quality data from the rainwater information database 141 when the water stored in the rainwater tank 20 was taken in.

[0052] In step S201, the CPU 110 determines whether the water quality of the rainwater is better than that of the stored water. Specifically, the CPU 110 determines whether the water quality of the rainwater, as represented by the water quality data acquired in step S100 (see Figure 4), is better than that of the stored water identified in step S200. If the CPU 110 determines that the water quality of the rainwater is better than that of the stored water (step S201: YES), it proceeds to step S203. On the other hand, if the CPU 110 determines that the water quality of the rainwater is inferior to that of the stored water (step S201: NO), it proceeds to step S202. Here, the determination of whether the water quality is good or bad can be made by whether the water quality values ​​are high or low, or whether they are close to the appropriate values. Depending on the water quality values, a higher value may indicate better water quality, or a lower value may indicate better water quality. Also, the closer the water quality value is to the appropriate value, the better the water quality may be. For example, if the judgment is based on the results of an EC sensor, the lower the electrical conductivity, the better the water quality is judged to be. Similarly, if the judgment is based on the results of a pH sensor, for example, the closer the pH value is to neutral or around 7.5, the better the water quality is judged to be.

[0053] In step S202, the CPU 110 changes the rainwater flow path to the first drain pipe 92. Specifically, the CPU 110 controls the electromagnetic valve 40 so that the rainwater flow path becomes the first drain pipe 92. Then, the CPU 110 terminates the replacement process. If the rainwater flow path is already the first drain pipe 92, the CPU 110 may terminate the replacement process immediately. This allows the CPU 110 to maintain the water stored in the rainwater tank 20 if the water quality of the stored water is better than the water quality of the collected rainwater.

[0054] In step S203, the CPU 110 changes the rainwater flow path to the storage pipe 94. Specifically, the CPU 110 controls the electromagnetic valve 40 so that the rainwater flow path becomes the storage pipe 94. If the rainwater flow path is already the storage pipe 94, the CPU 110 may proceed directly to step S204.

[0055] In step S204, the CPU 110 may either open the drain 80 or allow it to flow out through the overflow pipe. Specifically, the CPU 110 controls the drain 80 to open its opening valve. If the drain 80 is already open, the CPU 110 may proceed directly to step S205.

[0056] In step S205, the CPU 110 performs the discharge adjustment process described later. Then, the CPU 110 returns to step S200. This allows the CPU 110 to replace the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 if the quality of the collected rainwater is better than the quality of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20.

[0057] (Emissions adjustment treatment) Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the discharge adjustment process according to the first embodiment. The discharge adjustment process is a process that adjusts the discharge of stored water from the rainwater tank 20 according to the amount of rainwater flowing into the rainwater tank 20. The discharge adjustment process is, as an example, a process that is performed in step S205 (see Figure 5).

[0058] In step S300 of Figure 6, the CPU 110 acquires the amount of rainwater inflow. Specifically, the CPU 110 acquires flow rate data detected by the flow sensor 50A attached to the storage pipe 94.

[0059] In step S301, the CPU 110 obtains the discharge amount of the stored water. Specifically, the CPU 110 obtains flow rate data detected by the flow sensor 50B attached to the second drain pipe 98.

[0060] In step S302, the CPU 110 determines whether the inflow is greater than the outflow. Specifically, the CPU 110 determines whether the flow rate represented by the flow rate data obtained in step S300 is greater than the flow rate represented by the flow rate data obtained in step S301. If the CPU 110 determines that the inflow is greater than the outflow (step S302: YES), it proceeds to step S303. On the other hand, if the CPU 110 determines that the inflow is less than the outflow (step S302: NO), it proceeds to step S304.

[0061] In step S303, the CPU 110 increases the discharge amount from the rainwater tank 20. Specifically, the CPU 110 controls the drain 80 to increase the amount the on-off valve of the drain 80 is opened. Then, the CPU 110 terminates the discharge adjustment process.

[0062] In step S304, the CPU 110 reduces the amount of rainwater discharged from the rainwater tank 20. Specifically, the CPU 110 controls the drain 80 to reduce the amount of opening of the drain valve. Then, the CPU 110 terminates the discharge adjustment process.

[0063] (Summary of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, the rainwater collection system 10 controls the electromagnetic valve 40 based on the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20, which is determined from the water volume data detected by the water volume sensor 70. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, rainwater can be collected according to the amount of water in the rainwater tank 20.

[0064] In the first embodiment of the rainwater collection system 10, when the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20 is below a predetermined threshold, the electromagnetic valve 40 controls the rainwater flow path to become the storage pipe 94. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, insufficient water volume in the rainwater tank 20 can be prevented, and stored water can be stably supplied to the circulation system 200.

[0065] In the first embodiment of the rainwater collection system 10, when the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20 is above a predetermined threshold and the water quality of the rainwater detected by the water quality sensor 30 is better than the water quality of the specified stored water, the electromagnetic valve 40 controls the rainwater flow path to become the storage pipe 94. Also, when the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20 is above a predetermined threshold and the water quality of the rainwater detected by the water quality sensor 30 is worse than the water quality of the specified stored water, the rainwater collection system 10 controls the electromagnetic valve 40 to become the first drain pipe 92. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, the water quality of the stored water can be improved by storing rainwater with a better water quality than the water quality of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20.

[0066] In the first embodiment of the rainwater collection system 10, when the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20 is above a predetermined threshold and rainwater of better quality than the specified stored water is to be stored in the rainwater tank 20, the drain 80 is controlled to discharge the water stored in the rainwater tank 20. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, it is possible to replace the stored water with rainwater of better quality, thereby efficiently improving the water quality of the stored water.

[0067] In the first embodiment, the rainwater collection system 10 controls the opening amount of the drain 80's release valve to increase when the amount of rainwater inflow detected by the flow sensor 50A is greater than the amount of stored water discharged by the flow sensor 50B. Conversely, the rainwater collection system 10 controls the opening amount of the drain 80's release valve to decrease when the amount of rainwater inflow detected by the flow sensor 50A is less than the amount of stored water discharged by the flow sensor 50B. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, the amount of stored water in the rainwater tank 20 can be maintained.

[0068] The rainwater collection system 10 of the first embodiment includes a first filter 60 that filters rainwater flowing into the rainwater tank 20. Therefore, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment can improve the water quality of the rainwater stored in the rainwater tank 20. The rainwater collection system 10 of the first embodiment also includes a second filter 62 that filters the stored water supplied to the circulation system 200 that utilizes the stored water in the rainwater tank 20. Therefore, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment can improve the water quality of the stored water supplied to the circulation system 200. Furthermore, since the rainwater filtered by the first filter 60 is stored in the rainwater tank 20, the load on the second filter 62 can be reduced, and the lifespan of the second filter 62 can be extended.

[0069] [Second Embodiment] The rainwater collection system 10 of the second embodiment estimates the water quality of the water stored in the rainwater tank 20 from the water quality data of the discharged stored water detected by a water quality sensor 30 attached to the second drain pipe 98. The differences from the first embodiment will be described below. Note that the other configurations are the same as in the embodiment described above, and a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0070] Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of the rainwater collection system 10 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the water quality sensor 30 of the rainwater collection system 10 in this embodiment includes water quality sensors 30A and 30B. Note that water quality sensor 30A is the same as water quality sensor 30 in the first embodiment, and in the following description, water quality sensor 30 is a collective term for water quality sensors 30A and 30B.

[0071] In the second embodiment, the water quality sensor 30B is attached to the second drain pipe 98 and detects the water quality of the stored water passing through the second drain pipe 98.

[0072] The rainwater information database 141 of the second embodiment (see Figure 2) stores water quality data of the stored water passing through the second drainage pipe 98.

[0073] The water quality identification unit 110C (see Figure 3) of the second embodiment identifies the water quality of the water stored in the rainwater tank 20 by estimating the water quality of the entire stored water remaining in the rainwater tank 20 from the history of water quality data related to the water quality of the rainwater that flows into the rainwater tank 20, the history of water quality data related to the water quality of the stored water discharged from the rainwater tank 20, and the history of water volume data of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20. Alternatively, the water quality identification unit 110C may identify the water quality of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 solely from the water quality data acquired from the water quality sensor 30B.

[0074] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the replacement process according to the second embodiment. The differences from the replacement process according to the first embodiment (see Figure 5) will be explained below. Steps S202 to S205 are the same as in the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0075] In step S400 of Figure 8, the CPU 110 identifies the water quality of the water stored in the rainwater tank 20. Specifically, the CPU 110 identifies the water quality of the stored water by referring to the water quality data of the stored water discharged from the rainwater tank 20 from the rainwater information database 141. Alternatively, the CPU 110 may identify the water quality of the stored water from the water quality data of the stored water discharged from the drain 80, which is acquired in step S402 described later.

[0076] In step S401, the CPU 110 determines whether the water quality of the rainwater is better than that of the stored water. Specifically, the CPU 110 determines whether the water quality of the rainwater, as represented by the water quality data acquired in step S100 (see Figure 4), is better than that of the stored water identified in step S400. Since step S401 is the same process as step S201, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0077] In step S402, the CPU 110 acquires water quality data of the stored water discharged from the drain 80. Specifically, the CPU 110 acquires water quality data detected by the water quality sensor 30B attached to the second drain pipe 98 and stores it in the rainwater information database 141 of the storage 140. Step S402 is executed after step S204 and before step S205.

[0078] In the second embodiment, the rainwater collection system 10 identifies the water quality of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 from the water quality data of the discharged stored water detected by the water quality sensor 30B. Therefore, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment can identify the water quality of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 more accurately than when the water quality of the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 is identified from the water quality data of the rainwater detected by the water quality sensor 30A.

[0079] [Third Embodiment] The rainwater collection system 10 of the third embodiment acquires water quality data of the stored water detected by a water quality sensor 30 attached to the rainwater tank 20. The differences from the first embodiment will be described below. The other configurations are the same as in the embodiments described above, and a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0080] Figure 9 is a block diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of the rainwater collection system 10 according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, the water quality sensor 30 of the rainwater collection system 10 in this embodiment includes water quality sensors 30A and 30C. Note that water quality sensor 30A is the same as water quality sensor 30 in the first embodiment, and in the following description, water quality sensor 30 is a collective term for water quality sensors 30A and 30C.

[0081] In the third embodiment, the water quality sensor 30C is attached to the rainwater tank 20 and detects the water quality of the water stored in the rainwater tank 20.

[0082] In the third embodiment, the water quality identification unit 110C (see Figure 3) identifies the water quality of the water stored in the rainwater tank 20 by acquiring water quality data relating to the water quality of the water stored in the rainwater tank 20. The water quality data may be acquired by the water quality identification unit 110C by referring to the rainwater information database 141, or it may be acquired from the detection results of the water quality sensor 30C.

[0083] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the replacement process according to the third embodiment. The differences from the replacement process according to the first embodiment (see Figure 5) will be explained below. Steps S202 to S205 are the same as in the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0084] In step S500 of Figure 10, the CPU 110 acquires water quality data of the water stored in the rainwater tank 20. Specifically, the CPU 110 acquires water quality data detected by the water quality sensor 30C.

[0085] In step S501, the CPU 110 determines whether the water quality of the rainwater is better than that of the stored water. Specifically, the CPU 110 determines whether the water quality of the rainwater, as represented by the water quality data obtained in step S100 (see Figure 4), is better than that of the stored water, as represented by the water quality data obtained in step S400. Since step S501 is the same process as step S201, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0086] The rainwater collection system 10 of the third embodiment acquires water quality data of the stored water detected by a water quality sensor 30C attached to the rainwater tank 20. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, the water quality of the stored water can be acquired with high accuracy.

[0087] [Other embodiments]

[0088] In the rainwater collection system 10 of the above embodiment, the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20 was determined from the water volume data detected by the water volume sensor 70. However, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment may also determine the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank 20 by integrating the flow rate data detected by the flow rate sensor 50A. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, the amount of water stored can be determined without using the water volume sensor 70.

[0089] In the rainwater collection system 10 of the above embodiment, the amount of stored water discharged from the rainwater tank 20 was obtained from flow rate data detected by the flow rate sensor 50B. However, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment is not limited to this, and may determine the amount of stored water discharged from the change in the amount of water in the rainwater tank 20 detected by the water volume sensor 70. In other words, in the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, the flow rate sensor 50B is not necessarily required, and the function of the flow rate sensor 50 may be replaced by using the water volume sensor 70. Furthermore, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment may determine whether the amount of rainwater inflow is greater than the amount of stored water discharged from the rainwater tank 20 based on the change in the amount of water in the rainwater tank 20 detected by the water volume sensor 70. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, the amount of stored water discharged can be adjusted without using the flow rate sensor 50.

[0090] The rainwater collection system 10 of the above embodiment was equipped with a first filter 60 and a second filter 62. However, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment is not limited to this, and may be equipped with either the first filter 60 or the second filter 62, or may not be equipped with either. Even if at least one of the first filter 60 and the second filter 62 is not equipped, the system is configured so that treated water, which has undergone predetermined water treatment in the circulation system 200 etc. to which the water is supplied from the supply pipe 96, is supplied to the user.

[0091] The rainwater collection system 10 of the above embodiment was controlled to store rainwater in the rainwater tank 20 when it was determined that the water quality of the rainwater was better than that of the stored water. However, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment is not limited to this, and may also store rainwater in the rainwater tank 20 when the water quality of the rainwater reaches a predetermined standard. Here, the predetermined standard can be any standard for detectable water quality, such as water conductivity, pH value, and turbidity. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, it is possible to determine whether or not to store the rainwater based on the detected water quality of the rainwater.

[0092] The rainwater collection system 10 of the above embodiment was equipped with one storage pipe 94. However, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment is not limited to this, and may be equipped with multiple storage pipes, such as storage pipes having a first filter 60 and storage pipes without a first filter 60, depending on the water quality of the rainwater. For example, when the rainwater collection system 10 collects rainwater whose water quality does not meet a predetermined standard, it may store the rainwater in the rainwater tank 20 through a storage pipe having a first filter 60. Alternatively, when the rainwater collection system 10 collects rainwater whose water quality meets a predetermined standard, it may store the rainwater in the rainwater tank 20 through a storage pipe without a first filter 60. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system of this embodiment, the frequency of replacing the first filter 60 can be reduced.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the rainwater collection system 10 exchanged incoming rainwater with the water stored in the rainwater tank 20 by controlling the drain 80. However, the rainwater collection system 10 is not limited to this, and in this embodiment, the rainwater collection system 10 may also exchange rainwater with stored water by discharging the stored water from an overflow port (not shown) located above the wall of the rainwater tank 20. For example, the rainwater collection system 10 installs the outlet of the storage pipe 94 (i.e., the inlet for rainwater to the rainwater tank 20) ​​at the bottom of the rainwater tank 20. Then, the stored water pushed out by the newly incoming rainwater from the outlet of the storage pipe 94 is discharged from the overflow port, thereby efficiently exchanging rainwater with stored water.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the rainwater collection system 10 disposed of the collected rainwater through the first drain pipe 92, or the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 through the second drain pipe 98. However, the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment may also supply the collected rainwater through the first drain pipe 92, or the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 through the second drain pipe 98, to a system different from the circulation system 200. Furthermore, the rainwater collection system 10 may filter the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 through the second drain pipe 98 and re-introduce it into the rainwater tank 20. In addition, the second drain pipe 98 may be equipped with an electromagnetic valve 40 to switch between a flow path for utilizing the discharged stored water and a flow path for disposing of the discharged stored water. Therefore, according to the rainwater collection system 10 of this embodiment, the stored water in the rainwater tank 20 can be used without waste.

[0095] The rainwater collection system 10 in the above embodiment was controlled to collect rainwater into the rainwater tank 20. However, it is not limited to this, and the rainwater collection system 10 in this embodiment may be configured to collect any type of water that can be collected as raw water, such as snowmelt and surface water (including spray), as well as water from air conditioning equipment, dehumidifiers, dryers, etc. Therefore, the rainwater collection system 10 in this embodiment can collect water in a manner appropriate to the local environment.

[0096] Furthermore, the configurations of the rainwater collection system 10 and the control device 100 described in the above embodiment are examples and may be modified as needed without departing from the main purpose.

[0097] Furthermore, the program processing flow described in the above embodiment is just one example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps added, or the processing order rearranged, as long as it does not deviate from the main purpose.

[0098] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each process that the CPU reads and executes the software (program) may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of processors in this case include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacturing, and dedicated electrical circuits such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) which have a circuit configuration specifically designed to execute a particular process.

[0099] Furthermore, the operation of the processor in the above embodiment may not be performed by a single processor, but may be performed by multiple processors located in physically separate locations working together. Also, the order of the processor operations is not limited to the order described in the above embodiment, but may be changed as appropriate.

[0100] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes a configuration in which the information processing program is pre-stored (installed) in ROM, the invention is not limited to this. The program may be provided in the form of a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), and USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. Alternatively, the program may be provided in the form of a download from an external device via a network. This disclosure is also applicable to programs and program products. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0101] 10. Rainwater collection system 20 Rainwater tanks 30 Water Quality Sensors 40 Solenoid valves 50 Flow Sensor 60 First Filter 62 Second filter 70 Water volume recovery 80 drain 90 Water intake pipe 92 First drain pipe 94 Storage pipe 96 Supply pipe 98 Second drain pipe 100 Control device 110A Acquisition Department 110B Water quantity identification section 110C Water Quality Specification Department 110D Flow Control Unit 110E Emissions Control Unit 121 Control Program 140 storage 141 Rainwater Information Database 200 Circulation System

Claims

1. A water volume determination unit that determines the amount of rainwater stored in a rainwater tank, The water quality detection unit for detecting the water quality of the rainwater, A water quality identification unit that identifies the water quality of the water stored in the rainwater tank, A switching unit that switches the flow path for rainwater to either a flow path that sends rainwater to the rainwater tank or a flow path that does not send rainwater to the rainwater tank, Based on the amount of water specified by the water volume specification unit, a control unit controls the switching unit, Equipped with, The control unit, If the amount of rainwater stored in the rainwater tank, as determined by the water volume determination unit, is less than a predetermined threshold, the switching unit is controlled to store rainwater in the rainwater tank. If the amount of stored water identified by the water volume identification unit is equal to or greater than the threshold, and the water quality of the rainwater detected by the water quality detection unit is better than the water quality of the stored water identified by the water quality identification unit, the channel for discharging the rainwater is switched to a channel for sending it to the rainwater tank. If the amount of stored water identified by the water volume identification unit is equal to or greater than the threshold, and the water quality of the rainwater detected by the water quality detection unit is inferior to the water quality of the stored water identified by the water quality identification unit, the switching unit is controlled to switch the flow path for the rainwater to a flow path that does not send the rainwater to the rainwater tank. Rainwater collection system.

2. The rainwater tank is equipped with a discharge section that can discharge the stored water, The control unit, When the amount of rainwater stored is equal to or greater than the threshold, and the rainwater is of a better quality than the stored water, the discharge unit is controlled to discharge the stored water. The rainwater collection system according to claim 1.

3. The system includes a rainfall detection unit that detects the amount of rainwater flowing into the aforementioned rainwater tank, The control unit, The discharge unit is controlled so that the amount of water stored in the rainwater tank falls within a predetermined range. The rainwater collection system according to claim 2.

4. The system includes a filtration unit that filters rainwater flowing into the rainwater tank, or the stored water flowing out of the rainwater tank, for use in a system that utilizes the stored water in the rainwater tank. The rainwater collection system according to claim 1.

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