Control method, control device, and control program

Abstract

This control device transmits a plurality of control commands for controlling a plurality of water heaters belonging to a first operation group controlled according to a first operation rule for performing a boiling-up operation in a predetermined time zone, a second operation group controlled according to a second operation rule for starting the boiling-up operation before a peak time of total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the boiling-up operation in the past according to the first operation rule or a peak time of reference power consumption in a predetermined period in the past of electric apparatuses other than the plurality of water heaters installed in a plurality of houses in which the plurality of water heaters are installed, and a third operation group controlled according to a third operation rule for ending the boiling-up operation at a time when the reference power consumption exceeds a predetermined value according to an operation rule corresponding to each operation group.

Description

Control method, control device, and control program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to technology for controlling a plurality of water heaters.

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that for each combination of assignments indicating which sub-time slot within a specific time slot the heating time slot of each water heater is assigned to, the estimated power values are used to estimate the peak of the total sum of power consumed by a plurality of houses within the specific time slot, and a heating time slot determining unit that determines the heating time slot of each water heater by determining a combination that makes the peak smaller than when all heating time slots of each water heater are assigned to the same sub-time slot in the combination, and a heating control unit that controls heating of each water heater based on the determined heating time slot. A control device comprising the same is disclosed.

[0003] However, with the above-mentioned conventional technology, there is a risk that the power peak generated when a plurality of water heaters collectively perform heating operations cannot be stably suppressed, and further improvement has been required.

[0004] International Publication No. 2018 / 229847

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology capable of stably suppressing a power peak generated when a plurality of water heaters collectively perform heating operations.

[0006] A control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a control method performed by a control device that controls a plurality of water heaters, and includes transmitting a plurality of control commands to control the plurality of water heaters belonging to the following groups according to the operation rules corresponding to each operation group: a first operation group controlled according to a first operation rule that performs a water heating operation during a predetermined time period; a second operation group controlled according to a second operation rule that starts the water heating operation before the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule or before the peak time of the reference power consumption of electrical equipment other than the plurality of water heaters installed in a plurality of houses in which the plurality of water heaters are installed during a predetermined period in the past; and a third operation group controlled according to a third operation rule that ends the water heating operation at a time when the reference power consumption exceeds a predetermined value.

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to stably suppress the power peak generated when multiple water heaters perform concentrated heating operations.

[0008] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the control system according to this embodiment. This figure is for explaining the start time of the second operation rule and the end time of the third operation rule in this embodiment. This is the first flowchart for explaining the control processing by the server in this embodiment. This is the second flowchart for explaining the control processing by the server in this embodiment.

[0009] (Knowledge forming the basis of this disclosure) The above-mentioned conventional technology suppresses power peaks caused by multiple water heaters heating water at the same time by distributing the operation of multiple water heaters across three time zones. However, since the start time or end time of heating water within a specific time zone is not clear, and the heating time differs for each water heater, there is a risk that power peaks cannot be stably suppressed.

[0010] In particular, with conventional technology, if the heating operation is concentrated near the boundary of the three time zones, there is a risk that a power peak will occur near the boundary of the three time zones.

[0011] To address the above challenges, the following technologies are disclosed.

[0012] (1) A control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a control method performed by a control device that controls a plurality of water heaters, and includes transmitting a plurality of control commands to control the plurality of water heaters belonging to the following groups according to the operation rules corresponding to each operation group: a first operation group which is controlled according to a first operation rule which performs a water heating operation during a predetermined time period; a second operation group which is controlled according to a second operation rule which starts the water heating operation before the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater which has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule or before the peak time of the reference power consumption of electrical equipment other than the plurality of water heaters installed in a plurality of houses in which the plurality of water heaters are installed during a predetermined period in the past; and a third operation group which is controlled according to a third operation rule which ends the water heating operation at a time when the reference power consumption exceeds a predetermined value.

[0013] In this configuration, the start time of the heating operation of multiple water heaters controlled according to the second operating rule is the same, but the operating time required for the heating operation differs for each water heater. Therefore, in the latter half of the operation of multiple water heaters controlled according to the second operating rule, power consumption gradually decreases. Also, the end time of the heating operation of multiple water heaters controlled according to the third operating rule is the same, but the operating time required for the heating operation differs for each water heater. Therefore, in the first half of the operation of multiple water heaters controlled according to the third operating rule, power consumption gradually increases.

[0014] Therefore, the heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the first operating rule, the heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the second operating rule, and the heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the third operating rule can be distributed so as not to overlap, and the power peaks that occur when multiple water heaters perform heating operations in a concentrated manner can be stably suppressed.

[0015] (2) In the control method described in (1) above, the control according to the second operation rule may start the heating operation from a time earlier than the peak time, which is earlier than the average operating time of the multiple water heaters that have performed the heating operation in the past.

[0016] This configuration makes it possible to more reliably suppress the overlap between the heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the first operating rule and the heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the second operating rule.

[0017] (3) In the control method described in (1) above, the control according to the second operation rule may start the water heating operation before the peak time, such that the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the second operation rule arrives.

[0018] This configuration makes it possible to suppress the overlap between the peak time of total power consumption of multiple water heaters controlled according to the first operating rule and the peak time of total power consumption of multiple water heaters controlled according to the second operating rule, thereby stably suppressing power peaks.

[0019] (4) In the control method described in (1) above, the control according to the second operation rule may start the water heating operation before the time when the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule exceeds a predetermined value.

[0020] With this configuration, the heating operation of multiple water heaters controlled according to the second operating rule can be started before the peak time of total power consumption of multiple water heaters controlled according to the first operating rule, thereby stably suppressing the power peak.

[0021] (5) In the control method described in (1) above, the control according to the second operation rule may start the boiling operation from the time when the reference power consumption falls below a predetermined value.

[0022] With this configuration, during periods when the baseline power consumption of electrical equipment other than water heaters over a predetermined period in the past decreases, the heating operation of multiple water heaters controlled according to the second operating rule can be initiated, thereby stably suppressing power peaks.

[0023] (6) In the control method described in (1) above, the control according to the third operation rule may terminate the heating operation at a time after the average operating time of the multiple water heaters that have performed the heating operation in the past, rather than at the peak time.

[0024] This configuration makes it possible to more reliably suppress the overlap between the heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the first operating rule and the heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the third operating rule.

[0025] (7) In the control method described in (1) above, the control according to the third operation rule may terminate the heating operation such that the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the heating operation in the past according to the third operation rule arrives after the peak time.

[0026] This configuration makes it possible to suppress the overlap between the peak time of total power consumption of multiple water heaters controlled according to the first operating rule and the peak time of total power consumption of multiple water heaters controlled according to the third operating rule, thereby stably suppressing power peaks.

[0027] (8) In the control method described in (1) above, the control according to the third operation rule may terminate the heating operation after the time at which the total power consumption of the at least one water heater that has performed the heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule falls below a predetermined value.

[0028] With this configuration, the heating operation of multiple water heaters controlled according to the third operating rule can be terminated after the peak time of the total power consumption of multiple water heaters controlled according to the first operating rule, thereby stably suppressing the power peak.

[0029] (9) In the control method described in (1) above, the control according to the third operation rule may terminate the boiling operation at the time when the reference power consumption exceeds a predetermined value.

[0030] With this configuration, during periods when the baseline power consumption of electrical equipment other than water heaters increases over a predetermined period in the past, the heating operation of multiple water heaters controlled according to the third operating rule can be terminated, thereby stably suppressing power peaks.

[0031] (10) In the control method described in (1) above, at least one of the control according to the second operation rule and the control according to the third operation rule may cause the boiling operation to be performed multiple times a day.

[0032] This configuration allows for greater distribution of at least one of the water heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the second operating rule and the water heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the third operating rule.

[0033] (11) In the control method described in (10) above, at least one of the control according to the second operation rule and the control according to the third operation rule may cause the boiling operation to be performed in each of the multiple time periods in which the reference power consumption is less than or equal to a predetermined value.

[0034] With this configuration, at least one of the water heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the second operating rule and the water heating operations of multiple water heaters controlled according to the third operating rule can be distributed to each of multiple time periods in which the standard power consumption is below a predetermined value.

[0035] (12) In the control method described in (11) above, the plurality of time periods include a first time period during the night and a second time period during the day, and the control according to the second operation rule may, if the start time of the boiling operation of the second operation rule exceeds the first time period, cause the boiling operation for the excess time to be performed within the second time period, and the control according to the third operation rule may, if the end time of the boiling operation of the third operation rule exceeds the first time period, cause the boiling operation for the excess time to be performed within the second time period.

[0036] With this configuration, the boiling operation of the second operation rule or the boiling operation of the third operation rule can be distributed between the first time period at night and the second time period during the day.

[0037] (13) In the control method described in any one of (1) to (12) above, the classification of the plurality of water heaters may include classifying the plurality of water heaters into the first operation group, the second operation group, and the third operation group based on a predetermined ratio.

[0038] According to this configuration, multiple water heaters can be classified into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group based on a predetermined ratio.

[0039] (14) The control method described in (13) above may further include determining the predetermined ratio for classifying into the second operation group and the third operation group based on the reference power consumption.

[0040] With this configuration, multiple water heaters can be classified into a first operating group, a second operating group, and a third operating group based on a predetermined ratio determined based on the standard power consumption.

[0041] (15) In the control method according to (14) above, the determination of the predetermined ratio is based on the ratio between the reference power consumption at the start time of the boiling operation of the second operation rule and the reference power consumption at the end time of the boiling operation of the third operation rule, and may include determining the predetermined ratio for classifying into the second operation group and the third operation group.

[0042] According to this configuration, by making the proportion of operation groups with lower reference power consumption higher than that of operation groups with higher reference power consumption, the number of water heaters controlled according to the operation rule with lower reference power consumption can be made larger than the number of water heaters controlled according to the operation rule with higher reference power consumption, and the boiling operations of multiple water heaters can be further dispersed.

[0043] (16) The control method according to any one of (1) to (15) above further includes acquiring operation histories of the plurality of water heaters for a predetermined period, and the classification of the plurality of water heaters may include calculating the peak time based on the acquired operation histories.

[0044] According to this configuration, based on the operation histories of the plurality of water heaters for a predetermined period, the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed boiling operations in the past in accordance with the first operation rule is calculated, so the peak time corresponding to the actual boiling operations of the plurality of water heaters can be calculated.

[0045] In addition, the present disclosure can not only be implemented as a control method that executes the above characteristic processes, but also can be implemented as a control device having a characteristic configuration corresponding to the characteristic processes executed by the control method. It can also be implemented as a computer program that causes a computer to execute the characteristic processes included in such a control method. Therefore, the following other aspects can also achieve the same effects as the above control method.

[0046] (17) A control device according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a control device that includes a communication unit and controls a plurality of water heaters, wherein the communication unit includes: a first operation group controlled in accordance with a first operation rule that performs a boiling operation in a predetermined time period; a second operation group controlled in accordance with a second operation rule that starts the boiling operation before the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has previously performed the boiling operation in accordance with the first operation rule, or before the peak time of reference power consumption in a past predetermined period of an electrical device other than the plurality of water heaters installed in a plurality of houses where the plurality of water heaters are installed; and a third operation group controlled in accordance with a third operation rule that ends the boiling operation at a time when the reference power consumption exceeds a predetermined value. The communication unit transmits a plurality of control commands for controlling the plurality of water heaters belonging to the respective operation groups according to the operation rule corresponding to each operation group.

[0047] (18) A control program according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a control program for controlling a plurality of water heaters, wherein: a first operation group is controlled in accordance with a first operation rule that performs a boiling operation in a predetermined time period; a second operation group is controlled in accordance with a second operation rule that starts the boiling operation before the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has previously performed the boiling operation in accordance with the first operation rule, or before the peak time of reference power consumption in a past predetermined period of an electrical device other than the plurality of water heaters installed in a plurality of houses where the plurality of water heaters are installed; and a third operation group is controlled in accordance with a third operation rule that ends the boiling operation at a time when the reference power consumption exceeds a predetermined value. The control program causes a computer to function to transmit a plurality of control commands for controlling the plurality of water heaters belonging to the respective operation groups according to the operation rule corresponding to each operation group.

[0048] A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to another aspect of the present disclosure stores the control program described in (18) above.

[0049] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are all specific examples of this disclosure. The numerical values, shapes, components, steps, and order of steps shown in the following embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Furthermore, components in the following embodiments that are not described in the independent claim representing the highest-level concept will be described as optional components. Also, in all embodiments, the contents of each can be combined.

[0050] (Embodiment) Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0051] The control system 1 includes a server 10 and a plurality of electric water heaters 30.

[0052] Multiple electric water heaters 30 are installed in each of the multiple houses. Electric water heater 30 is just one example of a water heater. Electric water heater 30 is, for example, an electric water heater or a heat pump water heater. Electric water heater 30 heats water using electricity that is cheaper during the nighttime hours of the day (for example, between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.) and stores the heated water in a hot water storage tank. The hot water in the hot water storage tank is used during the daytime hours. Note that the hours when electricity rates are cheaper than the standard rate vary depending on the power company, region, or contract with the power company.

[0053] The electric water heater 30 includes a control command receiving unit 31 and a control unit 32.

[0054] The control command receiving unit 31 receives control commands transmitted by the server 10. The control command includes operation rule type information indicating whether the electric water heater 30 will perform the heating operation according to the first operation rule, the second operation rule, or the third operation rule.

[0055] The first operating rule is to perform the water heating operation during a predetermined time period. For example, the predetermined time period is the off-peak hours when electricity rates are lower than the predetermined rate. The first operating rule is the same as the normal water heating operation of the electric water heater 30. When operating according to the first operating rule, the electric water heater 30 determines the time to start or end the water heating operation based on the amount of hot water needed the next day, the outside temperature the previous day, and electricity rate information indicating the time period when electricity rates are lower than the predetermined rate. The electric water heater 30 determines the start time or end time of operation so that the operating time from the start to the end of the water heating operation falls within the time period when electricity rates are lower.

[0056] The second operation rule starts the water heating operation before the peak time of total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a water heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule. When the electric water heater 30 is controlled according to the second operation rule, the control command includes the start time of the water heating operation determined by the server 10.

[0057] The third operation rule terminates the water heating operation at a time when the standard power consumption of electrical equipment other than the multiple electric water heaters 30 installed in multiple houses where multiple electric water heaters 30 are installed exceeds a predetermined value over a predetermined period in the past. The predetermined value may be, for example, the standard power consumption at the start time of the operation of the second operation rule, the standard power consumption at the start time of a period with low electricity rates, or a predetermined multiplier of the lowest standard power consumption within a period with low electricity rates. When the electric water heaters 30 are controlled according to the third operation rule, the control command includes the end time of the water heating operation determined by the server 10.

[0058] Furthermore, the second operating rule may allow the heating operation to start before the peak time of the standard power consumption of electrical equipment other than the multiple electric water heaters 30 installed in multiple houses where multiple electric water heaters 30 are installed, over a predetermined period in the past.

[0059] Multiple electric water heaters 30 are classified by the server 10 into a first operation group controlled according to a first operation rule, a second operation group controlled according to a second operation rule, and a third operation group controlled according to a third operation rule.

[0060] The control unit 32 controls the water heating operation based on the control command received by the control command receiving unit 31. If the operation rule type information included in the control command indicates a first operation rule, the control unit 32 estimates the operation time required to heat the water and performs the water heating operation so that it is completed within a predetermined time period. If the operation rule type information included in the control command indicates a second operation rule, the control unit 32 performs the water heating operation from the start time instructed by the server 10. If the operation rule type information included in the control command indicates a third operation rule, the control unit 32 estimates the operation time required to heat the water and performs the water heating operation so that it is completed at the end time instructed by the server 10.

[0061] In this embodiment, the multiple electric water heaters 30 belong to one of the first to nth equipment groups. Each of the first to nth equipment groups includes multiple electric water heaters 30. Electric water heaters 30 belonging to the same equipment group are controlled according to the same operating rules. That is, the multiple electric water heaters 30 are classified into operating groups on an equipment group basis. In this embodiment, the multiple electric water heaters 30 belong to one of the multiple equipment groups, but this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the multiple electric water heaters 30 do not necessarily belong to multiple equipment groups.

[0062] Server 10 is an example of a control device and computer. Server 10 is connected to multiple electric water heaters 30 via a network so that they can communicate with each other. An example of a network is the internet. Server 10 is a cloud server composed of, for example, one or more computers. However, this is just an example, and Server 10 may also be composed of edge servers.

[0063] Server 10 includes, for example, a computer system comprising a control program, a processing circuit such as a processor or logic circuit that executes the control program, and a recording device such as internal memory or accessible external memory that stores the control program. Server 10 may be implemented, for example, by hardware implementation using a processing circuit, by execution of a software program held in memory by the processing circuit or distributed from an external server, or by a combination of these hardware and software implementations.

[0064] The server 10 includes a processor 21 and a communication unit 22. The processor 21 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) and includes an information acquisition unit 11, an operation rule determination unit 12, an operation prediction unit 13, a reference power consumption prediction unit 14, a classification pattern generation unit 15, a simulation unit 16, and a control command generation unit 17.

[0065] The communication unit 22 is a communication interface that connects the server 10 to the network.

[0066] The information acquisition unit 11 acquires operation history information for a predetermined period of time from multiple electric water heaters 30. The predetermined period is, for example, one day, one week, one month, or one year. The operation history information includes the operation rule type, the start date and time of the water heating operation, the end date and time of the water heating operation, and the power consumption used for the water heating operation. The operation rule type indicates whether the operation was performed using the first operation rule, the second operation rule, or the third operation rule. The power consumption used for the water heating operation may be the average power consumption from the start to the end of the water heating operation. The information acquisition unit 11 may read the operation history information stored in the memory of the server 10, or it may acquire the operation history information from multiple electric water heaters 30 via the communication unit 22.

[0067] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires reference power consumption information, which is time-series data of reference power consumption over a predetermined period in the past for electrical equipment other than the multiple electric water heaters 30 installed in multiple houses where multiple electric water heaters 30 are installed. The information acquisition unit 11 may also read the reference power consumption information stored in the memory of the server 10. Alternatively, the information acquisition unit 11 may acquire time-series data of power consumption over a predetermined period in the past for electrical equipment other than the electric water heaters 30 from each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 via the communication unit 22, and create reference power consumption information by aggregating the acquired time-series data of power consumption over a predetermined period in the past. Alternatively, the information acquisition unit 11 may acquire time-series data of power consumption over a predetermined period in the past for electrical equipment other than the electric water heaters 30 from said electrical equipment via the communication unit 22.

[0068] The predetermined period is, for example, one day. The information acquisition unit 11 may acquire reference power consumption information for the previous day.

[0069] The reference power consumption represents time-series data of the power consumption of electrical equipment other than the electric water heater 30 in all houses that have the electric water heater 30 to be controlled. The reference power consumption may be pre-stored in the memory of the server 10. Alternatively, the information acquisition unit 11 may acquire the power consumption of electrical equipment other than the electric water heater 30 and calculate the reference power consumption from the acquired power consumption of electrical equipment other than the electric water heater 30. Alternatively, the information acquisition unit 11 may acquire the power consumption of the electric water heater 30 and the power consumption of all electrical equipment in the house from each house, and calculate the power consumption of electrical equipment other than the electric water heater 30 by subtracting the power consumption of the electric water heater 30 from the power consumption of all electrical equipment.

[0070] The operation rule determination unit 12 determines the start time of the second operation rule and the end time of the third operation rule. Based on the operation history of the multiple electric water heaters 30 acquired by the information acquisition unit 11, the operation rule determination unit 12 calculates the average operating time of the multiple electric water heaters 30. The average operating time is the average of the time each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 performs the heating operation. Based on the operation history of the multiple electric water heaters 30 acquired by the information acquisition unit 11, the operation rule determination unit 12 calculates the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed the heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule.

[0071] The operation rule determination unit 12 determines the start time for the second operation rule, which starts the heating operation before the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed heating operations in the past according to the first operation rule. The operation rule determination unit 12 calculates the start time for the second operation rule based on the calculated peak time and average operating time. The operation rule determination unit 12 determines the start time for the second operation rule to be a time that is before the peak time by the average operating time.

[0072] Furthermore, the operation rule determination unit 12 determines the operation end time for the third operation rule, which terminates the water heating operation at the time when the standard power consumption of electrical equipment other than the multiple electric water heaters 30 installed in multiple houses where multiple electric water heaters 30 are installed exceeds a predetermined value over a predetermined period in the past. The operation rule determination unit 12 calculates the operation end time for the third operation rule based on the calculated peak time and average operating time. The operation rule determination unit 12 determines the operation end time for the third operation rule to be a time after the average operating time and after the peak time.

[0073] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the start time of the second operation rule and the end time of the third operation rule in this embodiment.

[0074] In Figure 2, the vertical axis represents power, and the horizontal axis represents time. The line graph 201 shows the standard power consumption of electrical equipment other than the electric water heaters 30 from 0:00 AM to 11:00 PM on the previous day. The period from 0:00 AM to 6:00 AM represents the nighttime off-peak period when the standard power consumption is below a predetermined value.

[0075] The first time zone 211 represents the time period in the past when at least one electric water heater 30 primarily operated according to the first operating rule. The dashed curve above the first time zone 211 shows the time variation of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that operated according to the first operating rule. The center of the first time zone 211 represents the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that performed heating operations in the past according to the first operating rule. The width of the first time zone 211 represents the average operating time of the multiple electric water heaters 30. In Figure 2, the peak time is 3:00 AM, and the average operating time is 3 hours.

[0076] The second time zone 212 indicates the time period during which at least one electric water heater 30 is primarily in operation according to the second operating rule. The dashed curve above the second time zone 212 shows the time variation of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 operating according to the second operating rule. The start time of the second time zone 212 is earlier than the peak time of the first operating rule, with an average operating time prior. The width of the second time zone 212 represents the average operating time of the multiple electric water heaters 30. In Figure 2, the start time of the second operating rule is midnight, and the average operating time is 3 hours.

[0077] The third time zone 213 indicates the time period during which at least one electric water heater 30 is primarily in operation according to the third operating rule. The dashed curve above the third time zone 213 shows the time variation of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 operating according to the third operating rule. The end time of the third time zone 213 is after the average operating time compared to the peak time of the first operating rule. The width of the third time zone 213 represents the average operating time of the multiple electric water heaters 30. In Figure 2, the end time of operation for the third operating rule is 6:00 AM, and the average operating time is 3 hours.

[0078] The start times of operation for multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the second operating rule are the same. However, since the operating time of each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 is different, the end times of operation differ for each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 and are distributed. In addition, the second operating rule starts the heating operation before the peak time of total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has previously performed heating operation according to the first operating rule. Therefore, during the period when the operating times of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the second operating rule overlap with the operating times of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the first operating rule, the total power consumption of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the second operating rule gradually decreases, and the total power consumption of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the first operating rule gradually increases. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of power peaks during the period when the operating times of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the second operating rule overlap with the operating times of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the first operating rule.

[0079] Furthermore, the end times of operation for the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the third operation rule are the same. However, since the operating times of each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 are different, the start times of operation differ for each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 and are distributed. In addition, the third operation rule terminates the heating operation at the time when the reference power consumption of electrical equipment other than the multiple electric water heaters 30 installed in the multiple houses where the multiple electric water heaters 30 are installed exceeds a predetermined value over a predetermined period in the past. Therefore, during the period when the operating times of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the third operation rule and the operating times of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the first operation rule overlap, the total power consumption of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the third operation rule gradually increases, and the total power consumption of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the first operation rule gradually decreases. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of power peaks during the period when the operating times of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the third operation rule and the operating times of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the first operation rule overlap.

[0080] The operation rule determination unit 12 may calculate the peak time of total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the second operation rule, based on the operation history of the multiple electric water heaters 30 acquired by the information acquisition unit 11. The operation rule determination unit 12 may also determine the start time of the second operation rule such that the peak time of total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the second operation rule arrives before the peak time of total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule.

[0081] Furthermore, the operation rule determination unit 12 may determine the start time of the second operation rule to be a time earlier than the time when the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule exceeds a predetermined value. Alternatively, the operation rule determination unit 12 may determine the start time of the second operation rule to be a time when the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is a value lower than the peak value of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule.

[0082] Furthermore, the operation rule determination unit 12 may determine the start time of the second operation rule as the time when the reference power consumption in the reference power consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value.

[0083] Furthermore, it is preferable that the start time of the second operation rule is after the start time of a predetermined time period (for example, the late-night period) (for example, 11 p.m.).

[0084] Furthermore, the operation rule determination unit 12 may calculate the peak time of total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the third operation rule, based on the operation history of the multiple electric water heaters 30 acquired by the information acquisition unit 11. The operation rule determination unit 12 may also determine the operation end time of the third operation rule such that the peak time of total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the third operation rule arrives after the peak time of total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule.

[0085] Furthermore, the operation rule determination unit 12 may determine the end time of the third operation rule to be a time later than the time when the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule falls below a predetermined value. Alternatively, the operation rule determination unit 12 may determine the end time of the third operation rule to be a time when the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule falls below a predetermined value. The predetermined value is a value lower than the peak value of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule.

[0086] Furthermore, the operation rule determination unit 12 may determine the time at which the reference power consumption in the reference power consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value as the operation end time of the third operation rule. The predetermined value may be, for example, the reference power consumption at the start time of the operation of the second operation rule, the reference power consumption at the start time of a period when electricity rates are low, or a predetermined multiplier of the minimum value of the reference power consumption within a period when electricity rates are low.

[0087] Furthermore, it is preferable that the end time of the third operation rule is before the end time of a predetermined time period (for example, the late-night period) (for example, 7:00 a.m.).

[0088] The operation prediction unit 13 predicts the operating time and power consumption of each of the electric water heaters 30 on the scheduled control date, based on the operation history of the multiple electric water heaters 30 acquired by the information acquisition unit 11. The scheduled control date is, for example, the next day. The operation prediction unit 13 may calculate the predicted operating time and power consumption of the electric water heater 30 for the next day using the operating time and power consumption of the electric water heater 30 for the previous day. Alternatively, the operation prediction unit 13 may calculate the predicted operating time and power consumption of the electric water heater 30 for the next day using the average operating time and average power consumption over a predetermined period in the past.

[0089] The reference power consumption prediction unit 14 predicts the reference power consumption for each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 on the scheduled control date, based on the reference power consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11. The scheduled control date is, for example, the next day. The operation prediction unit 13 may calculate the previous day's reference power consumption as the predicted value for the next day's reference power consumption. Alternatively, the operation prediction unit 13 may calculate the average reference power consumption over a predetermined period in the past as the predicted value for the next day's reference power consumption.

[0090] The classification pattern generation unit 15 generates classification patterns that classify the multiple electric water heaters 30 into a first operation group controlled according to a first operation rule, a second operation group controlled according to a second operation rule, and a third operation group controlled according to a third operation rule. The classification pattern generation unit 15 generates multiple classification patterns by changing the combination of the multiple electric water heaters 30 classified into the first operation group, the second operation group, and the third operation group.

[0091] The classification pattern generation unit 15 includes a ratio determination unit 151 and a classification unit 152.

[0092] The ratio determination unit 151 determines a predetermined ratio for classifying the multiple electric water heaters 30 into a second operation group and a third operation group based on the reference power consumption predicted by the reference power consumption prediction unit 14. The ratio for classifying into the first operation group is predetermined. For example, the ratio for classifying into the first operation group is 20%. The ratio determination unit 151 determines a predetermined ratio for classifying into the second operation group and the third operation group based on the ratio of the reference power consumption at the start time of the heating operation of the second operation rule and the reference power consumption at the end time of the heating operation of the third operation rule.

[0093] For example, if there are 8 equipment groups and 20% are classified into the first operational group, the number of equipment groups classified into the first operational group is 8 * 0.2 = 1.6. In this case, the decimal part is rounded up, and 2 equipment groups are classified into the first operational group. Alternatively, the decimal part may be truncated.

[0094] Next, if the reference power consumption at the start time of the heating operation of the second operation rule is 3, and the reference power consumption at the end time of the heating operation of the third operation rule is 2, then the proportion to be classified into the second operation group is 2 / (3+2) = 40%, and the proportion to be classified into the third operation group is 3 / (3+2) = 60%. In this case, the proportion determination unit 151 makes the proportion of the operation group with the lower reference power consumption higher than the proportion of the operation group with the higher reference power consumption. This makes it possible to have more electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the operation rule with the lower reference power consumption than more electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the operation rule with the higher reference power consumption.

[0095] This ratio is used to determine the number of classification action groups. If the calculation results in a decimal number of classification action groups, the larger decimal part is rounded up, and the smaller decimal part is rounded down.

[0096] For example, in the above example, if the number of device groups classified into the first operation group is 2, and the remaining 6 device groups are classified into the second or third operation group, then the number of device groups classified into the second operation group is 6 * 0.4 = 2.4, and the number of device groups classified into the third operation group is 6 * 0.6 = 3.6. Then, applying the above rounding method, the number of device groups classified into the second operation group becomes 2, and the number of device groups classified into the third operation group becomes 4.

[0097] The classification unit 152 classifies the multiple electric water heaters 30 into three groups: a first operation group controlled according to a first operation rule that performs a heating operation during a predetermined time period; a second operation group controlled according to a second operation rule that starts a heating operation before the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule; and a third operation group controlled according to a third operation rule that ends the heating operation at the time when the reference power consumption of electrical equipment other than the multiple electric water heaters 30 installed in multiple houses where multiple electric water heaters 30 are installed exceeds a predetermined value over a predetermined period in the past.

[0098] The classification unit 152 classifies the multiple electric water heaters 30 into one of the first operation group, the second operation group, and the third operation group based on a predetermined ratio determined by the ratio determination unit 151. For example, if there are eight equipment groups and the ratio of the first operation group, the second operation group, and the third operation group is 2:2:4, the classification unit 152 classifies two of the eight equipment groups into the first operation group, two of the eight equipment groups into the second operation group, and four of the eight equipment groups into the third operation group.

[0099] For example, the classification unit 152 may classify multiple device groups into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group in a predetermined proportion, starting with the device group with the smallest device group ID. Alternatively, the classification unit 152 may classify multiple device groups into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group in a predetermined proportion, starting with the device group with the largest device group ID. Alternatively, the classification unit 152 may randomly classify multiple device groups into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group in a predetermined proportion.

[0100] The classification unit 152 may generate multiple classification patterns by changing the combination of equipment groups to be classified. For example, the classification unit 152 may generate a first classification pattern in which the first and second equipment groups are classified into the first operation group, the third and fourth equipment groups into the second operation group, and the fifth to eighth equipment groups into the third operation group. It may also generate a second classification pattern in which the seventh and eighth equipment groups are classified into the first operation group, the fifth and sixth equipment groups into the second operation group, and the first to fourth equipment groups into the third operation group. The classification unit 152 may also generate multiple classification patterns for all combinations in which multiple equipment groups are classified into the first operation group, the second operation group, and the third operation group according to a predetermined ratio.

[0101] In the above description, a predetermined ratio is determined according to the number of equipment groups, and the multiple electric water heaters 30 are classified into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group on an equipment group basis. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the multiple electric water heaters 30 may be classified individually into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group by determining a predetermined ratio according to the number of multiple electric water heaters 30.

[0102] The classification unit 152 creates multiple classification patterns, each with a different combination of how it classifies the multiple electric water heaters 30 into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group.

[0103] The simulation unit 16 creates time-series data of the total power consumption of all electrical equipment, including the multiple electric water heaters 30 classified by the classification unit 152, based on the operating time and power consumption of each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 predicted by the operation prediction unit 13 and the reference power consumption predicted by the reference power consumption prediction unit 14. The simulation unit 16 stores the created time-series data of total power consumption in memory, associating it with the classification pattern of the multiple electric water heaters 30. The memory stores the time-series data of total power consumption for each of the multiple classification patterns. The classification unit 152 and the simulation unit 16 repeat the classification process and creation process until the number of times the classification patterns have been generated reaches a predetermined number of times.

[0104] The simulation unit 16 creates time-series data of the total power consumption for all combinations of classification patterns and selects the optimal classification pattern from among the multiple classification patterns. The optimal classification pattern is the one with the lowest peak value during nighttime hours.

[0105] The control command generation unit 17 generates multiple control commands for controlling multiple electric water heaters 30, which are classified into each operation group, according to the operation rules corresponding to each operation group.

[0106] If the peak value is lower than a predetermined value, the control command generation unit 17 generates multiple control commands for each of the multiple electric water heaters 30. The control command generation unit 17 generates a control command that includes the type of operation rule to be performed on the electric water heater 30 and the start time of the heating operation or the end time of the heating operation. When the electric water heater 30 operates according to the first operation rule, the control command includes only the type of operation rule and does not include the start time and end time of the heating operation. When the electric water heater 30 operates according to the second operation rule, the control command includes the type of operation rule and the start time of the heating operation. When the electric water heater 30 operates according to the third operation rule, the control command includes the type of operation rule and the end time of the heating operation. Even if the electric water heater 30 operates according to the third operating rule, the control command generation unit 17 may calculate the start time of the heating operation based on the end time of the heating operation and the predicted operating time of the electric water heater 30, and generate a control command that includes the operating rule type and the start time of the heating operation.

[0107] The control command generation unit 17 generates a first control command for controlling a plurality of electric water heaters 30 classified into a first operation group according to a first operation rule corresponding to the first operation group, a second control command for controlling a plurality of electric water heaters 30 classified into a second operation group according to a second operation rule corresponding to the second operation group, and a third control command for controlling a plurality of electric water heaters 30 classified into a third operation group according to a third operation rule corresponding to the third operation group.

[0108] Control according to the second operating rule starts the water heating operation at a time before the peak time, prior to the average operating time of multiple electric water heaters 30 that have performed water heating operations in the past. Control according to the third operating rule ends the water heating operation at a time after the average operating time of multiple electric water heaters 30 that have performed water heating operations in the past, prior to the peak time.

[0109] Furthermore, control according to the second operation rule may start the heating operation before the peak time, such that the peak time for the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed heating operations in the past according to the second operation rule arrives. Control according to the second operation rule may start the heating operation before the time when the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed heating operations in the past according to the first operation rule exceeds a predetermined value. Control according to the second operation rule may start the heating operation from the time when the reference power consumption falls below a predetermined value.

[0110] Furthermore, control according to the third operation rule may terminate the heating operation after the peak time, so that the peak time for the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed heating operations in the past according to the third operation rule arrives later than the peak time. Control according to the third operation rule may terminate the heating operation after the time when the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed heating operations in the past according to the first operation rule falls below a predetermined value. Control according to the third operation rule may terminate the heating operation at the time when the reference power consumption exceeds a predetermined value.

[0111] The communication unit 22 transmits multiple control commands to control the multiple electric water heaters 30 belonging to a first operation group controlled according to a first operation rule, a second operation group controlled according to a second operation rule, and a third operation group controlled according to a third operation rule, according to the operation rules corresponding to each operation group. The communication unit 22 transmits the multiple control commands generated by the control command generation unit 17 to each of the multiple electric water heaters 30.

[0112] Next, the control processing by the server 10 in this embodiment will be described.

[0113] Figure 3 is a first flowchart illustrating the control process by the server 10 in this embodiment, and Figure 4 is a second flowchart illustrating the control process by the server 10 in this embodiment.

[0114] The control processes shown in Figures 3 and 4 are performed at a time before the late-night hours when the multiple electric water heaters 30 are operated (for example, at 6 PM and 10 PM the previous day).

[0115] First, in step S1, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires operation history information for a predetermined period of time for multiple electric water heaters 30.

[0116] Next, in step S2, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires reference power consumption information, which is time-series data of reference power consumption over a predetermined period in the past for electrical equipment other than the multiple electric water heaters 30 installed in multiple houses where multiple electric water heaters 30 are installed.

[0117] Next, in step S3, the operation rule determination unit 12 calculates the average operating time of the multiple electric water heaters 30 based on the operation history of the multiple electric water heaters 30 acquired by the information acquisition unit 11.

[0118] Next, in step S4, the operation rule determination unit 12 calculates the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one electric water heater 30 that has performed a heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule, based on the operation history of the multiple electric water heaters 30 acquired by the information acquisition unit 11.

[0119] Next, in step S5, the operation rule determination unit 12 calculates the start time of the second operation rule based on the calculated peak time and average operation time.

[0120] Next, in step S6, the operation rule determination unit 12 calculates the operation end time of the third operation rule based on the calculated peak time and average operation time.

[0121] Next, in step S7, the operation prediction unit 13 predicts the operating time and power consumption of each of the electric water heaters 30 on the scheduled control date, based on the operation history of the multiple electric water heaters 30 acquired by the information acquisition unit 11.

[0122] Next, in step S8, the reference power consumption prediction unit 14 predicts the reference power consumption for each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 on the scheduled control date, based on the reference power consumption information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11.

[0123] Next, in step S9, the ratio determination unit 151 determines a predetermined ratio for classifying the multiple electric water heaters 30 into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group, based on the reference power consumption predicted by the reference power consumption prediction unit 14.

[0124] Next, in step S10, the classification unit 152 classifies the multiple electric water heaters 30 into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group based on predetermined ratios determined by the ratio determination unit 151. The classification unit 152 may also create a classification pattern in which all electric water heaters 30 are classified into the first operation rule.

[0125] Next, in step S11, the simulation unit 16 creates time-series data of the total power consumption of all electrical equipment, including the multiple electric water heaters 30, classified by the classification unit 152, based on the operating time and power consumption of each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 predicted by the operation prediction unit 13 and the reference power consumption predicted by the reference power consumption prediction unit 14.

[0126] Next, in step S12, the simulation unit 16 stores the created time-series data of total power consumption in memory, associating it with the classification patterns of the multiple electric water heaters 30.

[0127] Next, in step S13, the simulation unit 16 determines whether the number of times the classification pattern has been generated has reached a predetermined number.

[0128] If it is determined that the number of times the classification pattern has been generated has not reached a predetermined number (NO in step S13), the process returns to step S10.

[0129] On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of times a classification pattern has been generated has reached a predetermined number (YES in step S13), in step S14, the simulation unit 16 selects a classification pattern from among the multiple time series data stored in memory that corresponds to the time series data with the lowest peak value during a predetermined time period. The predetermined time period is the late-night period when electricity charges are below a predetermined rate.

[0130] Next, in step S15, the control command generation unit 17 generates a plurality of control commands for each of the plurality of electric water heaters 30 to operate them according to the first operation rule, the second operation rule, and the third operation rule, based on the classification pattern selected by the simulation unit 16.

[0131] Next, in step S16, the communication unit 22 transmits a plurality of control commands generated by the control command generation unit 17 to the plurality of electric water heaters 30.

[0132] Thus, the start time of the heating operation of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the second operating rule is the same, but the operating time required for the heating operation differs for each of the multiple electric water heaters 30. Therefore, in the latter half of the operation of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the second operating rule, power consumption gradually decreases. Also, the end time of the heating operation of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the third operating rule is the same, but the operating time required for the heating operation differs for each of the multiple electric water heaters 30. Therefore, in the first half of the operation of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the third operating rule, power consumption gradually increases.

[0133] Therefore, the heating operations of multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the first operating rule, the heating operations of multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the second operating rule, and the heating operations of multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the third operating rule can be distributed so as not to overlap, and the power peaks that would be generated by multiple electric water heaters 30 performing heating operations in a concentrated manner can be stably suppressed.

[0134] Furthermore, since the start time of the heating operation of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the second operation rule and the end time of the heating operation of the multiple electric water heaters 30 controlled according to the third operation rule are determined, the operation plan for the multiple electric water heaters 30 can be created more precisely.

[0135] In this embodiment, the simulation unit 16 determines whether the number of times a classification pattern has been generated has reached a predetermined number of times, but this disclosure is not limited to this. The simulation unit 16 may also determine whether the time for generating the classification pattern has reached a predetermined time. Furthermore, the simulation unit 16 may determine whether all combinations of classification patterns have been generated.

[0136] The simulation unit 16 may, each time it creates time-series data of total power consumption, determine whether the peak value of the created time-series data of total power consumption during the nighttime hours is lower than a predetermined value. If the peak value is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the classification unit 152 may reclassify the multiple electric water heaters 30 into a first operation group, a second operation group, and a third operation group. In this case, the classification unit 152 classifies them using a different classification pattern than before. The simulation unit 16 may then create time-series data of total power consumption for all electrical equipment, including the multiple electric water heaters 30 that have been reclassified by the classification unit 152. The simulation unit 16 may again determine whether the peak value of the created time-series data of total power consumption during the nighttime hours is lower than a predetermined value. The classification unit 152 and the simulation unit 16 may repeat the classification process, creation process, and determination process until the number of times the classification pattern has been generated reaches a predetermined number of times. Even if the number of times classification patterns are generated reaches a predetermined number, if there are no classification patterns with a peak value lower than the predetermined value, the simulation unit 16 may determine the operation rule for all electric water heaters 30 to be the first operation rule and classify all electric water heaters 30 into the first operation group.

[0137] Furthermore, if the number of classification patterns generated reaches a predetermined number, but no classification pattern exists with a peak value lower than the predetermined value, the simulation unit 16 may select the classification pattern with the lowest peak value from among the multiple classification patterns generated.

[0138] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 classified into the first operation group determines its own start time or end time. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the server 10 may determine the start time or end time of operation for each of the multiple electric water heaters 30 classified into the first operation group.

[0139] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the operation rule determination unit 12 may set the operation times of the second and third operation rules not only during the late-night hours from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., but also during the daytime hours when the reference power consumption is below a predetermined value.

[0140] At least one of the control according to the second operation rule and the control according to the third operation rule may perform the water heating operation multiple times a day. At least one of the control according to the second operation rule and the control according to the third operation rule may perform the water heating operation in each of the multiple time periods in which the reference power consumption is below a predetermined value. The multiple time periods may include a first time period at night and a second time period during the day. The first time period is a predetermined time period (midnight period). If the start time of the water heating operation according to the second operation rule exceeds the first time period, the water heating operation for the excess time may be performed within the second time period. If the end time of the water heating operation according to the third operation rule exceeds the first time period, the water heating operation for the excess time may be performed within the second time period.

[0141] In Figure 2, if the peak time for the first operation rule is 3:00 AM and the average operating time is 5 hours, the start time for the second operation rule will be 10:00 PM, which exceeds the start time of the nighttime period (for example, 11:00 PM). Therefore, the classification unit 152 may determine the start time for the second operation rule to be 11:00 PM, which is the start time of the nighttime period, and set the start or end time of the water heating operation for the hour exceeding the nighttime period within the daytime off-peak period when the standard power consumption is below a predetermined value. The fourth time period 214 is the time period during which water heating operations are performed for the time exceeding the nighttime period.

[0142] Furthermore, in Figure 2, if the peak time for the first operation rule is 3:00 AM and the average operating time is 5 hours, the end time for the third operation rule will be 8:00 AM, which exceeds the end time of the nighttime period (for example, 7:00 AM). Therefore, the classification unit 152 may determine the end time for the third operation rule to be 7:00 AM, which is the end time of the nighttime period, and set the start or end time for the water heating operation for the hour exceeding the nighttime period within the daytime off-peak period when the standard power consumption is below a predetermined value. The fifth time period 215 is the time period during which water heating operations are performed for the time exceeding the nighttime period.

[0143] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the apparatus according to the embodiments of this disclosure may be realized by a processor such as a CPU executing a program.

[0144] Furthermore, all figures used above are illustrative examples provided to illustrate this disclosure, and this disclosure is not limited to these illustrative figures.

[0145] Furthermore, the order in which the steps shown in the flowchart above are performed is illustrative for the purpose of specifically illustrating this disclosure, and other orders are acceptable as long as similar effects are achieved. Also, some of the steps above may be performed simultaneously (in parallel) with other steps.

[0146] The technology disclosed herein is useful as a technology for controlling multiple water heaters because it can stably suppress the power peak generated when multiple water heaters perform concentrated heating operations.

Claims

1. A control method performed by a control device that controls multiple water heaters, comprising: transmitting a plurality of control commands to control the plurality of water heaters belonging to a first operation group controlled according to a first operation rule that performs a water heating operation during a predetermined time period; a second operation group controlled according to a second operation rule that starts the water heating operation before the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule, or before the peak time of the reference power consumption of electrical equipment other than the plurality of water heaters installed in a plurality of houses in which the plurality of water heaters are installed, over a predetermined period in the past; and a third operation group controlled according to a third operation rule that ends the water heating operation at a time when the reference power consumption exceeds a predetermined value, according to an operation rule corresponding to each operation group.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the control according to the second operating rule starts the water heating operation from a time earlier than the peak time, which is earlier than the average operating time of the multiple water heaters that have performed the water heating operation in the past.

3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the control according to the second operation rule starts the water heating operation so that the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the second operation rule arrives before the peak time.

4. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the control according to the second operation rule starts the water heating operation before the time at which the total power consumption of the at least one water heater that has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule exceeds a predetermined value.

5. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the control according to the second operating rule starts the boiling operation from the time when the reference power consumption falls below a predetermined value.

6. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the control according to the third operating rule terminates the water heating operation at a time later than the peak time, after the average operating time of the multiple water heaters that have performed the water heating operation in the past.

7. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the control according to the third operation rule terminates the water heating operation so that the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the third operation rule arrives after the peak time.

8. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the control according to the third operation rule terminates the water heating operation after a time when the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has previously performed the water heating operation according to the first operation rule falls below a predetermined value.

9. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the control according to the third operating rule terminates the boiling operation at the time when the reference power consumption exceeds a predetermined value.

10. The control method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the control according to the second operation rule and the control according to the third operation rule causes the boiling operation to be performed multiple times a day.

11. The control method according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the control according to the second operation rule and the control according to the third operation rule causes the boiling operation to be performed in each of a plurality of time periods in which the reference power consumption is less than or equal to a predetermined value.

12. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of time periods include a first time period of nighttime and a second time period of daytime, and the control according to the second operation rule causes the boiling operation to be performed within the second time period for the amount of time exceeding the first time period if the start time of the boiling operation of the second operation rule exceeds the first time period, and the control according to the third operation rule causes the boiling operation to be performed within the second time period for the amount of time exceeding the first time period if the end time of the boiling operation of the third operation rule exceeds the first time period.

13. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the classification of the plurality of water heaters includes classifying the plurality of water heaters into a first operating group, a second operating group, and a third operating group based on a predetermined ratio.

14. The control method according to claim 13, further comprising determining the predetermined ratios for classifying into the second operation group and the third operation group based on the reference power consumption.

15. The control method according to claim 14, wherein the determination of the predetermined proportions includes determining the predetermined proportions to be classified into the second operation group and the third operation group based on the ratio of the reference power consumption at the start time of the boiling operation of the second operation rule and the reference power consumption at the end time of the boiling operation of the third operation rule.

16. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising obtaining the operation history of the plurality of water heaters for a predetermined period, wherein the classification of the plurality of water heaters includes calculating the peak time based on the obtained operation history.

17. A control device equipped with a communication unit for controlling a plurality of water heaters, wherein the communication unit transmits a plurality of control commands for controlling the plurality of water heaters belonging to a first operation group, which is controlled according to a first operation rule that performs a water heating operation during a predetermined time period; a second operation group, which is controlled according to a second operation rule that starts the water heating operation before the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule, or before the peak time of the standard power consumption of electrical equipment other than the plurality of water heaters installed in a plurality of houses in which the plurality of water heaters are installed, over a predetermined period in the past; and a third operation group, which is controlled according to a third operation rule that ends the water heating operation at a time when the standard power consumption exceeds a predetermined value, according to an operation rule corresponding to each operation group.

18. A control program for controlling multiple water heaters, comprising: a first operation group controlled according to a first operation rule that performs a water heating operation during a predetermined time period; a second operation group controlled according to a second operation rule that starts the water heating operation before the peak time of the total power consumption of at least one water heater that has performed the water heating operation in the past according to the first operation rule, or before the peak time of the standard power consumption of electrical equipment other than the multiple water heaters installed in multiple houses where the multiple water heaters are installed, over a predetermined period in the past; and a third operation group controlled according to a third operation rule that ends the water heating operation at a time when the standard power consumption exceeds a predetermined value; and a control program that causes a computer to transmit multiple control commands to control the multiple water heaters belonging to each operation group according to the operation rule corresponding to each operation group.

Images