Connected-type hot-water supply system
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Solution Overview
Problem
In connected-type hot-water supply systems, the simultaneous failure of multiple hot-water supply apparatuses at the end of their service life can lead to high repair costs and hot-water supply suspensions, as cumulative loads are not effectively managed to prevent overlapping failure times.
Innovation Solution
A control system that dynamically adjusts the usage of hot-water supply apparatuses by setting a main apparatus based on sequential rotation, incorporating a failure sign response mode to increase the usage time of apparatuses with failure signs, thereby accelerating their failure and preventing simultaneous failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If leveling control is performed by sequential rotation of main hot-water supply apparatus, then service life of the system is extended, but multiple apparatuses may fail simultaneously at the end of service life
Solution Approach 1:
The control means performs preliminary detection of failure signs in components before actual failure occurs. By identifying degradation trends early and adjusting the main use time allocation accordingly, the system prevents simultaneous failures of multiple apparatuses while maintaining extended service life through proactive load management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the main use time of each hot-water supply apparatus based on real-time failure sign detection results. Rather than fixed sequential rotation, the control means modifies usage patterns adaptively, increasing main use time for apparatuses with weaker failure signs and decreasing it for those showing stronger degradation, thereby preventing synchronized failures.
2Productivity
If main hot-water supply apparatus is constantly used, then hot-water supply capacity is ensured, but cumulative load increases faster causing deterioration and failures
Solution Approach 1:
The control means continuously monitors failure signs from multiple hot-water supply apparatuses and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust which apparatus serves as the main supply. This closed-loop control ensures adequate hot-water supply capacity while distributing cumulative loads based on real-time condition assessment, preventing rapid deterioration from constant usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters (main use time) of each hot-water supply apparatus based on detected failure signs. By adjusting the duration and intensity of usage for each apparatus according to its condition, the system maintains sufficient hot-water supply capacity while preventing excessive cumulative load on any single apparatus.
Data Source
AI summary
A connected-type hot-water supply system includes hot-water supply apparatuses connected in parallel and a control means. The control means sets one main hot-water supply apparatus and sub-hot-water supply apparatuses, and performs leveling control of cumulative loads of the hot-water supply apparatuses by setting the main hot-water supply apparatus based on sequential rotation among the hot-water supply apparatuses. The control means includes a failure sign response mode in which it is determined whether there is a failure sign respectively for components of the hot-water supply apparatuses, and when a component of a part of hot-water supply apparatuses is a failure sign component determined to have a failure sign, a main use time of a hot-water supply apparatus having the failure sign component is increased, and the main use time is a main use time of serving as the main hot-water supply apparatus in the leveling control.