Hot Water Supplier Role Allocation for Daisy-Chain Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hot water supply systems require complex setup and information input to distinguish between multiple hot water suppliers for cooperative control, leading to potential complications during communication interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A hot water supply system with multiple suppliers connected in parallel, featuring first and second communication units and controllers that automatically determine role allocation through control processing, allowing cooperative control without pre-inputted information, using a daisy-chained communication connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple hot water suppliers are connected in a daisy-chained communication manner for cooperative control, then the hot water supply capacity is improved, but the setup complexity increases due to the need to input information that distinguishes between multiple hot water suppliers
Solution Approach 1:
The hot water suppliers automatically identify themselves and their positions in the communication chain without requiring manual input of distinguishing information. The system performs self-configuration by detecting communication connections and autonomously determining roles, eliminating the need for workers to input complex setup information while maintaining the ability to handle multiple suppliers for increased hot water supply capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the identification parameter from pre-inputted distinguishing information to dynamically detected communication connectivity status. By using the presence or absence of communication connections as the basis for identification, the system simplifies setup while supporting multiple hot water suppliers connected in parallel
2Device complexity
If a daisy-chained communication connection is used among multiple hot water suppliers, then the system structure is simplified, but the reliability decreases when communication interruptions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its control structure based on communication status. When communication interruptions occur, the system automatically reconfigures by having downstream hot water suppliers that detect communication failures become new master controllers, allowing the system to maintain reliability while preserving the simple daisy-chained physical structure
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential communication failures by implementing automatic master controller selection logic in advance. When a communication interruption occurs, the downstream hot water supplier is pre-programmed to detect the failure and automatically assume the master controller role, cushioning against the reliability impact of communication failures
3Reliability
If automatic master controller selection is implemented upon communication failure, then the system reliability is improved, but the ease of operation decreases due to the need for automatic role allocation
Solution Approach 1:
The hot water suppliers automatically perform role allocation and master controller selection without requiring worker intervention or input of distinguishing information. The system self-manages the complexity of role allocation while maintaining simple operation for users, improving reliability through automatic failure response
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a hot water supply system in which each of multiple hot water suppliers communicatively connected in series by a communication line includes a first communication unit for communicating with another adjacent hot water supplier on the downstream side via the communication line and a second communication unit for communicating with another adjacent hot water supplier on the upstream side. The controller of each hot water supplier executed a control processing to recognize, based on presence or absence of communication by the first communication unit and the second communication unit, its role as a leader positioned at the most upstream side of a series connection constituting a communication connection and operating to execute a supervisory control for cooperative control; a terminal follower positioned at the most downstream of the series connection constituting the communication connection; or a middle follower located between the leader and the end follower.