Device management apparatus, heat source system, management apparatus, and device management system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat source systems face complexity in adjusting control gains based on operational parameters, leading to difficulties in manufacturing and managing the systems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A device management system that includes a number-of-device determination unit and a standby time determination unit to manage the number of operating devices among heat source devices, optimizing their operation based on thermal load conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control gain is adjusted based on number of refrigerating machines in operation, operating state, and outside air temperature, then hunting of control variable is suppressed, but control complexity increases and manufacturing and adjustment becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex control gain adjustment logic from the heat source system itself and relocates it to a separate device management system. The heat source system only needs to report operational status, while the device management system performs the complex calculations and determines optimal device combinations, thereby simplifying the heat source system's control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The device management system acts as an intermediary between the heat source system and the external environment (sensors, users). It receives operational data from the heat source system, processes control decisions based on multiple parameters, and sends commands back, thereby isolating the heat source system from complex control logic.
2Productivity
If the number of operating devices is frequently changed to match thermal load, then system efficiency is improved, but extra change operations increase system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The device management system preliminarily evaluates multiple candidate device combinations and their expected efficiencies before actually changing device operations. It predicts the outcome of potential changes and selects the optimal combination in advance, reducing unnecessary changes and simplifying operational decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors actual thermal load and device operation status, providing feedback to the device management system. This feedback loop enables the system to learn from past operations and optimize future device combination selections, improving efficiency while maintaining controlled complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A device management system is configured to manage a number of operating devices of a plurality of heat source devices. The management system includes a number-of-operating-device determination unit and a standby time determination unit. The number-of-operating-device determination unit is configured to determine an increase or a decrease in the number of operating devices when a condition for changing the number of operating devices regarding a thermal load is continuously satisfied for a predetermined standby time. The standby time determination unit is configured to determine a length of the standby time based on predicted thermal load information.