HEAT SOURCE UNIT COUPLING SYSTEM

Abstract

A heat source unit coupling system disclosed herein may include a heat medium circulation channel including a heat medium outgoing pipe and a heat medium return pipe; a water distribution channel including a water supply pipe and a hot water outlet pipe; a plurality of heat source units connected in parallel to the heat medium circulation channel and the water distribution channel; and a coupling controller communicable with each of the plurality of heat source units. Each of the plurality of heat source units may be configured to perform a space heating operation for heating a heat medium supplied from the heat medium return pipe and supplying it to the heat medium outgoing pipe; and a hot water supplying operation for heating water supplied from the water supply pipe and supplying it to the hot water outlet pipe.

Claims

1. A heat source unit coupling system, comprising: a heat medium circulation channel including a heat medium outgoing pipe and a heat medium return pipe; a water distribution channel including a water supply pipe and a hot water outlet pipe; a plurality of heat source units connected in parallel to the heat medium circulation channel and the water distribution channel; and a coupling controller communicable with each of the plurality of heat source units, wherein each of the plurality of heat source units is configured to perform: a space heating operation for heating a heat medium supplied from the heat medium return pipe and supplying it to the heat medium outgoing pipe; and a hot water supplying operation for heating water supplied from the water supply pipe and supplying it to the hot water outlet pipe, wherein the coupling controller is configured to: instruct each of the plurality of heat source units to start or stop the hot water supplying operation based on priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation; and instruct each of the plurality of heat source units to start or stop the space heating operation based on priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the space heating operation, and wherein the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation are at least partially different from the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the space heating operation.

2. The heat source unit coupling system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of heat source units comprises a first heat source unit and a second heat source unit, when a priority of the first heat source unit for the hot water supplying operation is higher than a priority of the second heat source unit for the hot water supplying operation, a priority of the first heat source unit for the space heating operation is lower than a priority of the second heat source unit for the space heating operation, and when the priority of the first heat source unit for the hot water supplying operation is lower than the priority of the second heat source unit for the hot water supplying operation, the priority of the first heat source unit for the space heating operation is higher than the priority of the second heat source unit for the space heating operation.

3. The heat source unit coupling system according to claim 1, wherein among the plurality of heat source units, heat source units having higher priorities for the hot water supplying operation are lower in the priorities for the space heating operation, and heat source units having lower priorities for the hot water supplying operation are higher in the priorities for the space heating operation.

4. The heat source unit coupling system according to claim 1, wherein the coupling controller is further configured to, when a predetermined rotation condition is met, perform a rotation to rotate the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation and simultaneously perform a rotation to rotate the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the space heating operation.

5. The heat source unit coupling system according to claim 4, wherein the rotation condition is based on a number of times the heat source unit coupling system has been used for hot water supply.

6. The heat source unit coupling system according to claim 4, wherein the rotation condition is based on a time period during which the heat source unit coupling system has been used for hot water supply.

7. The heat source unit coupling system according to claim 4, wherein the coupling controller is further configured to determine post-rotation priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation based only on pre-rotation priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation.

8. The heat source unit coupling system according to claim 2, wherein among the plurality of heat source units, heat source units having higher priorities for the hot water supplying operation are lower in the priorities for the space heating operation, and heat source units having lower priorities for the hot water supplying operation are higher in the priorities for the space heating operation, and the coupling controller is further configured to, when a predetermined rotation condition is met, perform a rotation to rotate the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation and simultaneously perform a rotation to rotate the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the space heating operation, and the rotation condition is based on a number of times the heat source unit coupling system has been used for hot water supply and/or a time during which the heat source unit coupling system has been used for hot water supply, and the coupling controller is further configured to determine post-rotation priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation based only on pre-rotation priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a heat source unit coupling system 1 according to an embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 2 shows how heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 are switched between starting and stopping a hot water supplying operation and a space heating operation in the heat source unit coupling system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 3 shows how priorities for the space heating operation and hot water supplying operation are rotated among the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 in the heat source unit coupling system 1 according to the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Representative, non-limiting examples of the present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art further details for practicing aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each of the additional features and teachings disclosed below may be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachings to provide improved heat source unit coupling system, as well as methods for using and manufacturing the same.

[0023] Moreover, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the following detailed description may not be necessary to practice the present disclosure in the broadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describe representative examples of the present disclosure. Furthermore, various features of the above-described and below-described representative examples, as well as the various independent and dependent claims, may be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated in order to provide additional useful embodiments of the present teachings.

[0024] All features disclosed in the description and/or the claims are intended to be disclosed separately and independently from each other for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter, independent of the compositions of the features in the embodiments and/or the claims. In addition, all value ranges or indications of groups of entities are intended to disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediate entity for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter.

[0025] (Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, a heat source unit coupling system 1 according to an embodiment comprises a heat medium circulation channel 30, a water distribution channel 34, six heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and a fluid mixer 20. The heat medium circulation channel 30 comprises a heat medium return pipe 31 and a heat medium outgoing pipe 33. The water distribution channel 34 comprises a water supply pipe 35 and a hot water outlet pipe 36. The heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 are connected in parallel to the heat medium circulation channel 30 and the water distribution channel 34. A flow sensor 40 is disposed in the water supply pipe 35, and the flow sensor 40 is configured to detect a flow rate of water flowing in the water supply pipe 35. To heat one or more spaces by using the heat source unit coupling system 1, a heat medium for space heating (e.g., water or an antifreeze liquid) is delivered from the fluid mixer 20 through the heat medium return pipe 31 into at least one of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and heated therein, and then the heated heat medium flows back to the fluid mixer 20 through the heat medium outgoing pipe 33. The heat medium for space heating then flows from the fluid mixer 20 into space heating terminals (not shown) through a space heating terminal outgoing channel 43 and is used for space heating therein, and then this cooled heat medium flows back to the fluid mixer 20 through a space heating terminal return channel 41. To supply hot water by using the heat source unit coupling system 1, water is delivered from the water supply pipe 35 into at least one of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and heated therein, and then the heated water flows out into the hot water outlet pipe 36.

[0026] The heat source unit 100 comprises a burner 101, a controller 102, a first heat exchanger 103 at which the heat medium is heated by the burner 101, a branched heat medium return pipe 121 branched off from the heat medium return pipe 31 and connected to an inlet of the first heat exchanger 103, a branched heat medium outgoing pipe 123 extending from an outlet of the first heat exchanger 103 and connected to the heat medium outgoing pipe 33, a pump 107 disposed in the branched heat medium return pipe 121, a bypass pipe 109 connecting the branched heat medium outgoing pipe 123 to a portion of the branched heat medium return pipe 121 located upstream of the pump 107, a three-way valve 111 located at a position where the branched heat medium outgoing pipe 123 is connected to the bypass pipe 109 and configured to direct the heat medium flowing out from the first heat exchanger 103 to the bypass pipe 109 or the heat medium outgoing pipe 33, a second heat exchanger 130 located on the bypass pipe 109, a water heating circuit 125 for supplying water from the water supply pipe 35 to the hot water outlet pipe 36 via the second heat exchanger 130, and an on-off valve 115 configured to flow or stop the water in the water heating circuit 125. At the second heat exchanger 130, the water flowing in the water heating circuit 125 is heated by exchanging heat with the heat medium flowing in the bypass pipe 109.

[0027] The controller 102 comprises a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. and controls the burner 101, the pump 107, the three-way valve 111, and the on-off valve 115 of the heat source unit 100. In order for the heat source unit 100 to perform a space heating operation, the controller 102 controls the three-way valve 111 to direct the heat medium flowing out from the first heat exchanger 103 to the heat medium outgoing pipe 33 and also activates the pump 107. Consequently, the heat medium flows through the heat medium return pipe 31 and the branched heat medium return pipe 121 and then flows into the first heat exchanger 103. After flowing out from the first heat exchanger 103, the heat medium flows through the branched heat medium outgoing pipe 123 and then flows into the heat medium outgoing pipe 33. The controller 102 turns on the burner 101. The heat medium flowing through the first heat exchanger 103 is thereby heated and the heated heat medium is supplied to the heat medium outgoing pipe 33.

[0028] In order for the heat source unit 100 to perform a hot water supplying operation, the controller 102 controls the three-way valve 111 to direct the heat medium flowing out from the first heat exchanger 103 to the bypass pipe 109 and also activates the pump 107. This causes the heat medium to circulate between the first heat exchanger 103 and the second heat exchanger 130. The controller 102 also opens the on-off valve 115 and turns on the burner 101. Consequently, the heat medium flowing through the first heat exchanger 103 is heated, and the heated heat medium is supplied to the second heat exchanger 130, thereby heating the water flowing through the water heating circuit 125 and supplying the heated water to the hot water outlet pipe 36.

[0029] The heat source units 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 each have the same configuration as the heat source unit 100. Thus, the same components of the heat source units 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 are labeled with 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 numbering systems, respectively, and their detailed descriptions are not repeated.

[0030] In the heat source unit coupling system 1, the controllers 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602 are communicable with each other. In the heat source unit coupling system 1, one of the controllers 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602 (e.g., the controller 102) functions as a parent controller for controlling the overall operation of the heat source unit coupling system 1, while the other controllers function as child controllers that operate according to instructions from the parent controller. When functioning as the parent controller, the controller 102 determines, for each of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, whether to cause the heat source unit to perform the space heating operation, to perform the hot water supplying operation, or to stand by without performing the space heating operation nor the hot water supplying operation, based on amounts of heat required for hot water supply and/or space heating. When functioning as the child controllers, the controllers 202, 302, 402, 502, 602 cause the heat source units 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 to perform the space heating operation, to perform the hot water supplying operation, or to stand by without performing the space heating operation nor the hot water supplying operation according to instructions from the parent controller 102. The parent controller 102 causes the heat source unit 100 to perform the space heating operation, to perform the hot water supplying operation, or to stand by without performing the space heating operation nor the hot water supplying operation according to an instruction from itself.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, priorities for the hot water supplying operation and priorities for the space heating operation are assigned in advance to the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600. In the example of FIG. 2, the priorities for the hot water supplying operation and the priorities for the space heating operation are assigned such that heat source units having higher priorities for the hot water supplying operation are lower in the priorities for the space heating operation and heat source units having lower priorities for the hot water supplying operation are higher in the priorities for the space heating operation.

[0032] As shown in (A) in FIG. 2, once the hot water supply and the space heating are requested in the heat source unit coupling system 1, the parent controller 102 causes the heat source unit 100 having the highest priority for the hot water supply operation to start the hot water supply operation and also causes the heat source unit 600 having the highest priority for the space heating operation to start the space heating operation. As the amounts of heat required for the hot water supply and the space heating increase, the controller 102 causes the heat source unit 200 having the second highest priority for the hot water supplying operation to start the hot water supplying operation and also causes the heat source unit 500 having the second highest priority for the space heating operation to start the space heating operation as shown in (B) in FIG. 2. As the amounts of heat required for the hot water supply and the space heating further increase, the controller 102 causes the heat source unit 300 having the third highest priority for the hot water supplying operation to start the hot water supplying operation and also causes the heat source unit 400 having the third highest priority for the space heating operation to start the space heating operation as shown in (C) in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, when the amounts of heat required for the hot water supply and the space heating further increase while all the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 are performing the hot water supplying operation or the space heating operation as shown in (C) in FIG. 2, the controller 102 causes the heat source unit 400 having the fourth highest priority for the hot water supplying operation to stop the space heating operation and start the hot water supplying operation as shown in (D) in FIG. 2. Thus, in the heat source unit coupling system 1 according to this embodiment, the hot water supplying operation is prioritized over the space heating operation when these operations are requested in one heat source unit.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 3, how the priorities of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 for the hot water supplying operation and the space heating operation are rotated is described. In the heat source unit coupling system 1 according to this embodiment, the priorities for the hot water supplying operation and the space heating operation are rotated in response to a time period during which the heat source unit coupling system 1 has been used for hot water supply (this time period is termed hot water supplying time period hereinafter) reaching a predetermined period (e.g., 24 hours). For example, as shown in (A) in FIG. 3, in the heat source unit coupling system 1, the heat source units 100, 200, 300 having higher priorities for the hot water supplying operation are performing the hot water supplying operation, and the heat source unit 600 having the highest priority for the space heating operation is performing the space heating operation. When the hot water supplying time period of the heat source unit coupling system 1 reaches the predetermined period, the parent controller 102 rotates the priorities of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 for the hot water supplying operation and the space heating operation, so that the priority of the heat source unit 600 for the hot water supplying operation is changed from the lowest priority to the highest priority and the priorities of the other heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 for the hot water supplying operation are each lowered by one. The parent controller 102 also changes the priority of the heat source unit 600 for the space heating operation, which now has the highest priority for the hot water supplying operation, to the lowest priority and raises each of the priorities of the other heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 for the space heating operation by one. As a result of this rotation, the parent controller 102 causes the heat source units 100 and 200 to continue the hot water supplying operation, causes the heat source unit 300 to stop the hot water supplying operation and stand by, causes the heat source unit 500 to start the space heating operation and causes the heat source unit 600 to stop the space heating operation and start the hot water supplying operation.

[0034] Thereafter, when the hot water supplying time period of the heat source unit coupling system 1 reaches the predetermined period again, the parent controller 102 rotates the priorities of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 for the hot water supplying operation and the space heating operation, so that the priority of the heat source unit 500 for the hot water supplying operation is changed from the lowest priority to the highest priority and the priorities of the other heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 600 for the hot water supplying operation are each lowered by one. The parent controller 102 also changes the priority of the heat source unit 500 for the space heating operation, which now has the highest priority for the hot water supplying operation, to the lowest priority and raises each of the priorities of the other heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 600 for the space heating operation by one. As a result of this rotation, the parent controller 102 causes the heat source units 100 and 600 to continue the hot water supplying operation, causes the heat source unit 200 to stop the hot water supplying operation and stand by, causes the heat source unit 400 to start the space heating operation and causes the heat source unit 500 to stop the space heating operation and start the hot water supplying operation. Thereafter, when the hot water supplying time period of the heat source unit coupling system 1 reaches the predetermined period again, the parent controller 102 rotates the priorities of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 for the hot water supplying operation and the space heating operation, so that the priority of the heat source unit 400 for the hot water supplying operation is changed from the lowest priority to the highest priority and the priorities of the other heat source units 100, 200, 300, 500, 600 for the hot water supplying operation are each lowered by one, as shown in (D) in FIG. 3. The parent controller 102 also changes the priority of the heat source unit 400 for the space heating operation, which now has the highest priority for the hot water supplying operation, to the lowest priority and raises each of the priorities of the other heat source units 100, 200, 300, 500, 600 for the space heating operation by one. As a result of this rotation, the parent controller 102 causes the heat source units 500 and 600 to continue the hot water supplying operation, causes the heat source unit 100 to stop the hot water supplying operation and enter standby, causes the heat source unit 300 to start the space heating operation and causes the heat source unit 400 to stop the space heating operation and start the hot water supplying operation. The heat source unit coupling system 1 according to this embodiment rotates the priorities of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 for the hot water supplying operation and the space heating operation as described above.

[0035] (Variants) The heat source unit coupling system 1 may use the number of times the heat source unit coupling system 1 has been used for hot water supply reaching a predetermined number (e.g., ten) as the rotation condition for the priorities for the hot water supplying operation and the space heating operation, instead of the hot water supplying time period of the heat source unit coupling system 1 reaching the predetermined period. Alternatively, the heat source unit coupling system 1 may use a time period during which the heat source unit coupling system 1 has been used for space heating reaching a predetermined period (e.g., 24 hours) or the number of times the heat source unit coupling system 1 has been used for space heating reaching a predetermined number (e.g., ten) as the rotation condition for the priorities for the hot water supplying operation and the space heating operation.

[0036] The heat source unit coupling system 1 may prioritize the space heating operation over the hot water supplying operation when these operations are requested in one heat source unit.

[0037] The heat source unit coupling system 1 may rotate the priorities for the hot water supplying operation and the priorities for the space heating operation not at the same time but at different timings. In this case, the same condition may be used.

[0038] The heat source unit coupling system 1 may rotate the priorities for the hot water supplying operation and the priorities for the space heating operation separately based on different conditions.

[0039] The heat source unit coupling system 1 may comprise another controller configured to function as a parent controller other than the controllers 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, 602.

[0040] The heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 may each comprise another burner for heating the water during the hot water supplying operation other than the burner 101, 201, 301, 401, 501, 601 for heating the heat medium during the space heating operation. In this case, the heat source unis 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 may be configured to simultaneously perform the hot water supplying operation and the space heating operation.

[0041] In the heat source unit coupling system 1, the flow sensor 40 may not be provided in the water supply pipe 35. In this case, a flow sensor may be provided in each of the water heating circuits 125, 225, 325, 425, 525, 625 of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and the flow rate of water flowing in the water supply pipe 35 may be calculated by summing the flow rates from these flow sensors.

[0042] The three-way valves 111, 211, 311, 411, 511, 611 of the heat source units 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 may be located at positions where the branched heat medium return pipes 121, 221, 321, 421, 521, 621 are connected to the bypass pipes 109, 209, 309, 409, 509,

[0043] (Correspondence Relationship) The parent controller 102 is an example of coupling controller.