JP3965129B2 - Heat medium leak detection method for heating equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a heat medium leak detection method for a heating apparatus such as a central heating system using a heat medium such as water.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a heating device of a central heating system is configured as shown in FIG. The heat source machine A includes a burner 2 and a heat exchanger 3 for heating a heat medium, a pump 4 for circulating the heat medium, and a heat medium tank 5 in which the heat medium is accumulated in a heat medium circulation path 1 such as water. It is arranged. A heating terminal 6 such as a floor heating device is communicated with the circulation path 1 via a forward header 7 and a return header 8, and an open / close valve 13 is disposed in the forward header 7. A heat exchanging unit 10 for heating the bath 9 is arranged in the middle of the circulation path 1. Reference numeral 11 denotes a forward thermistor, reference numeral 12 denotes a return thermistor, and reference numeral 14 denotes an operation signal of the heating terminal 6. The heating medium tank 5 is provided with an electrode as a level sensor for detecting the liquid level of the heating medium. The upper electrode Hi for detecting the upper liquid level and the lower liquid level are detected on this electrode. There is a lower limit electrode Lo to be detected. The heat medium tank 5 is replenished with a heat medium such as water when the liquid level falls below the lower limit level, and overflows when the liquid level reaches a predetermined height higher than the liquid level at the upper limit level. It has become.
[0003]
When the operation signal from the heating terminal 6 is input, the heat source machine A is operated and the burner 2 is combusted, and a heat medium such as water is circulated by the pump 4, and the on-off valve 13 is opened to be heated by the heating terminal 6. Heat medium is supplied. When there is an operation signal from the bath, heat is exchanged by the heat exchanging unit 10 and the bath is reheated and heated. When the operation of the heating terminal 6 is stopped and only the bath operation is performed, the on-off valve 13 is closed.
[0004]
Although the operation is performed as described above, the liquid level of the heat medium such as water is detected in the heat medium tank 5, and when the liquid level falls below the lower limit level, the heat medium such as water is replenished to the upper limit position. However, if there is a heat medium leak on the heating terminal 6 side, this heat medium leak must be detected, so the following control is performed. That is, when the liquid level falls below the lower limit level, if the replenishment of the heating medium to the upper limit level continues, for example, twice at a replenishment interval of 64 hours or less, it is determined that the heating medium has leaked and the error is stopped.
[0005]
By the way, a resin pipe such as cross-linked polyethylene is used for the pipe line through which the heating medium of the heating terminal 6 passes. However, since such a resin pipe has high air permeability, the heating terminal 6 is arranged at a high position such as on the floor. Then, when the heating terminal 6 is stopped for a long time, air enters due to a water head difference, and a heat medium such as water on the heating terminal 6 side falls and accumulates in the heat medium tank 5 (hereinafter referred to as heat medium dropping). ) If the amount of the heat medium further falls, the heat medium tank 5 overflows. However, if the amount of the heat medium that overflows due to such a heat medium dropping is large, the heating terminal 6 may not be vented unless the heat medium is replenished to the heat medium tank 5 many times. In such a case, there is a possibility that the heat medium is erroneously detected as a leakage of the heat medium and the error is stopped, although the heat medium is replenished for dropping the heat medium.
[0006]
In order to prevent this erroneous detection, the decrease in the liquid level in the heating medium tank 5 due to the leakage of the heating medium and the decrease in the liquid level due to the dropping of the heating medium in the heating terminal 6 are distinguished by the operation suspension time of the heat source unit A. Is long, it is determined that the heating medium is replenished due to overflow due to the falling of the heating medium, and there is one that prevents erroneous detection by repeatedly replenishing the heating medium without giving an error (for example, Patent Document 1).
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-295846 A
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional technique, since the heat medium leakage or the heat medium dropping is determined only by the operation stop time and the liquid level in the heat medium tank, there are the following problems.
(1) It is determined whether or not air has entered the heating piping system based on whether or not the operation stop time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, and erroneous detection of a heat medium leak is prevented. In other words, the longer the operation stop time, the more the heat medium does not circulate in the heating terminal and the more air may enter the heating piping system, and the more air will enter, so operation after the operation stop time becomes longer When the temperature of the heating medium tank drops below the lower limit level, it is considered that the heating medium has overflowed. Therefore, the liquid level in the heat medium tank decreases after the operation has been stopped for a long time without determining that the heat medium has leaked. It is designed to prevent false detections that are judged as follows. Therefore, even if the heating terminal is installed at a position lower than the heat source machine, even if air does not actually enter, the heating medium leaks in the heating operation after stopping operation for a certain time or more. Do not make a decision. That is, when a heat medium leak actually occurs, the detection of the heat medium leak may be delayed. In addition, when multiple heating terminals are connected and the heating terminals are operated in order with a large amount of air intruding into each terminal system, erroneous detection of heat medium leakage can be prevented first. Only the heating terminal that went. About the heating terminal which operated after the 2nd, since operation stop time will be less than a fixed time, when air has penetrated into the 2nd and subsequent heating terminals, it will be mistakenly detected as a heat carrier leak. .
(2) In order to determine whether or not air has entered the heating piping system based on whether or not the operation stop time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, one heating terminal in a case where a plurality of heating terminals are connected ( If only the bathroom heater / dryer that may be used) is used on a daily basis, the operation downtime is shortened. However, since other heating terminals (floor heating used only in winter, for example) are not actually operated, air continues to enter when the heating season is off, and the heat medium replaced by air from the heating terminal to the heat medium tank May return and overflow. In this state, if a heating terminal that has not been operated so far is started at the beginning of the heating season or the like, the operation stop time is within a certain time, so there is a possibility of erroneously detecting a heat medium leak.
(3) In addition, there is a possibility that a device that uses the same heat source device to reheat a bath may be erroneously detected if it is determined by the operation stop time (when reheating, a heat medium is circulated through the heating terminal. Since the air is circulated in the heat source machine, the air from the heating terminal is not released, and since the reheating is a function that is used frequently, the operation stop time is shortened.)
(4) When a plurality of heating terminals are connected, even if leakage can be detected, a system in which leakage has occurred cannot be predicted.
(5) When a plurality of heating terminals are connected, if a leak occurs from a certain heating terminal system, the heating operation is stopped as an error, so that all the systems that are not leaking cannot be used.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is possible to detect a heat medium leak for each heating terminal, and it is possible to prevent erroneous detection of a heat medium leak when a heat medium is dropped. It is an object to provide a method.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention for solving the above-described problem is a heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus that performs heating by circulating a heated heating medium to a heating terminal through a circulation path. A means for detecting an operation signal from the heating terminal, a process for determining whether or not a liquid level of a heat medium in a heat medium tank provided in the middle of the circulation path is equal to or lower than a predetermined lower limit level, and the heat medium When the liquid level is less than or equal to a lower limit level, the heating medium tank is replenished with the heating medium up to a predetermined upper limit level, and the number of replenishing processes for replenishing the heating medium or the liquid level of the heating medium is Counts the number of times that the temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined lower limit level (the number of times of replenishment processing for replenishing the heat medium or the number of times that the liquid level of the heat medium is equal to or lower than the predetermined lower limit level). It is characterized by that.
[0011]
By counting the number of times of heating medium replenishment for each heating terminal as described above, the number of times of heating medium replenishment can be counted for each connected heating terminal. A highly reliable system can be predicted, and a heat medium leak can be detected appropriately for each heating terminal. In the current central heating system, the heat source machine starts operation upon receiving an operation signal from the heating terminal, and the upper and lower levels of the amount of heat medium in the heat medium tank are detected. This means that there is no need to add a new device.
[0012]
The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating device according to claim 2 of the present invention is the method according to claim 1, wherein the number of replenishments stored for each heating terminal reaches a predetermined number of times or more in at least one heating terminal. The heating terminal is determined to be a heat medium leak.
[0013]
By doing the above, in order to determine that only the heating terminal whose heating medium has been replenished more than a predetermined number of times as a heating medium leak, the heating medium leaks with a system that is likely to have a heating medium leak. It can be distinguished from the system that is not.
[0014]
When the heating terminal is not used for a long period of time, as described above, the heat medium replaced by the air that has entered the heating terminal returns to the heat medium tank, and the liquid level of the heat medium rises. Further, the amount of the heat medium falling in the heat medium tank increases as the installation height of the heating terminal is higher and the number of heating terminals is larger. The capacity of the heating medium tank is smaller than the amount of heating medium held by the heating terminal system, so if the installation height of the heating terminal is high and the number of heating terminals is large, the heat medium that falls into the heating medium tank even for a short period of time. The amount may increase and overflow from the open heat medium tank. Then, when the heating terminal is operated in order at the beginning of use in the heating season or the like in a state where the overflow amount is equal to or greater than a certain amount, the heating medium is frequently replenished. Therefore, in the conventional method for judging the heat medium leakage for all the systems together, there was a possibility that the heat medium was frequently replenished and erroneously detected as the heat medium leakage. It is possible to prevent erroneous detection by judging the above. (For example, if the heating medium is replenished once for each system, even if the number of times of heating medium replenishment increases as a heat source machine, since the number of times of heating medium replenishment is only once for each heating terminal, there is no false detection. .)
In addition, as described above, the number of replenishments is counted for each heating terminal, and when the number of replenishments reaches a predetermined number, the heating terminal is stopped as a heat medium leak, but it is longer than a predetermined time (for example, 64 hours). If the heating medium is not replenished even after a lapse of time and there is no leakage of the heating medium, the heating terminal is reset so that the number of replenishment times becomes zero.
[0015]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heating medium leakage detection method for a heating device, wherein the heating terminal that is determined to have the leakage of the heating medium in claim 2 is supplied with the heating medium. The on / off valve that opens and closes is closed to disable the heating operation, and the other heating terminals are continuously usable in the current operation state.
[0016]
Only heating terminals that are judged to have a high possibility of leaking heat medium due to the above will be shut down and disabled, so heating terminals that do not leak heat medium will continue to be used. it can.
[0017]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the number of heating medium replenishments generated during the heating operation is counted only for a heating terminal having an operation command from the heating terminal. It is characterized by doing.
[0018]
As described above, during operation, replenishment of the heating medium is counted for all heating terminals during heating operation. Regarding the replenishment of the heat medium that occurred during the simultaneous use of multiple systems, it is not possible to identify the system that is leaking, so by counting all the heating terminals that are being used simultaneously, erroneous determination of the system that is leaking the heat medium is prevented. can do.
[0019]
The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating device according to claim 5 of the present invention is the method according to claim 1, wherein the number of times of heating medium replenishment that occurs when all heating terminals are stopped is counted for all heating terminals. It is characterized by.
[0020]
Similarly, while the operation is stopped, the system that has leaked the heat medium cannot be identified, but the misjudgment of the system that has leaked the heat medium can be prevented by counting the supply of the heat medium for all heating terminals. Can do.
[0021]
According to claim 6 of the present invention, there is provided a heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process determines whether the level of the heating medium in the heating medium tank is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit level, And processing for counting the time during which the liquid level of the heat medium in the heat medium tank is equal to or higher than the upper limit level, and when the time during which the liquid level of the heat medium is equal to or higher than the upper limit level is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, The first replenishment count after the start is not counted.
[0022]
As described above, the first heating medium replenishment number after the start of heating performed after the heating medium tank keeps the liquid level above the upper limit level for a certain period of time is not counted. In other words, when the heating terminal is not used for a long period of time, as described above, the heat medium replaced by the air that has entered the heating terminal falls into the heat medium tank, so keep the liquid level above the upper limit level of the heat medium tank. Continue. Further, the amount of the heat medium falling in the heat medium tank increases as the installation height of the heating terminal is higher and the number of heating terminals is larger. Since the capacity of the heating medium tank is smaller than the amount of the heating medium possessed by the heating terminal system, if the installation height of the heating terminals is high and the number of heating terminals is large, there is a possibility of overflowing even in a short period. Further, in the heating operation performed after the liquid level above the upper limit level is kept for a certain time or more, there is a high possibility that the heating medium is replenished in order to remove air from the heating terminal. This replenishment is for replenishing the overflowed heat medium. Therefore, in the heating operation after the liquid level of the heat medium above the upper limit level has been kept for a certain time or more, it is determined that the first replenishment is due to air venting and is not counted, so that the heat medium leak determination It is possible to prevent the count number from increasing.
[0023]
The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating device according to claim 7 of the present invention is the elapsed time from when the operation signal from the heating terminal is detected until the liquid level of the heating medium decreases to the lower limit level. Alternatively, the elapsed time until the liquid level of the heat medium falls from the upper limit level to the lower limit level is counted, and when the elapsed time is within a certain time, the first replenishment count after starting the heating operation is counted. It is characterized by not.
[0024]
When the time until the liquid level drops and falls below the lower limit level is within a certain time, that is, when the speed at which the liquid level drops is high, the counting is not performed. As described above, in the first heating operation after the overflow has occurred, the air level of the heating terminal is vented, so that the liquid level rapidly decreases immediately after the start of the heating operation. That is, when the liquid level lowering speed is high, there is a high possibility that the air bleeding operation is performed. Therefore, by not counting, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of counts until the heat medium leakage determination. Note that when a large amount of leakage occurs, the time until the liquid level drops and the lower limit level is cut is shortened. If the upper limit is not reached within the time (about 2 minutes), it is determined that there is a large leak.
[0025]
The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating device according to claim 8 of the present invention is the method of claim 1, further comprising a process of counting an elapsed time after detecting an operation signal from the heating terminal. When the elapsed time after the signal detection is within a predetermined time, the replenishment frequency is not counted.
[0026]
The number of replenishments performed within a certain time after the start of heating operation is not counted. As described above, immediately after the start of the heating operation, the air accumulated in the heating terminal may be replaced. When the amount of overflow is large, the heating medium is frequently replenished. It is possible to prevent an increase in the number of counts until the heat medium leakage determination is made by determining that the replenishment of the heat medium performed within a certain period of time after the start of the heating operation is due to air bleeding and not counting.
[0027]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The structure of the heating device is as shown in FIG. 1 and is the same as that described in the prior art, so that the description thereof is omitted. The control means for performing the heating control and the like is constituted by a microcomputer or the like, and controls the heat medium leakage detection control, the heat medium replenishment control, the heat medium circulation control, the heating operation control, the bath reheating control, and the like.
[0028]
By the way, in the case of a heat medium leak on the heating terminal 6 side, the liquid level in the heat medium tank 5 continues to decrease gradually from the upper limit level as shown in FIG. 2 (a) to the lower limit level as shown in FIG. 2 (b). Then, the heating medium is replenished to the upper limit level when the liquid level of the heating medium falls below the lower limit level. For example, if the phenomenon in which the replenishment interval is within 64 hours continues twice, for example, it is determined that the heat medium leaks.
[0029]
Further, in the case of a heat medium drop from the piping system of the heating terminal 6, the liquid level continues to rise from the upper limit level as shown in FIG. 3 (a) and overflows and overflows (of the heating terminal 6). (The piping system is replaced with air.) If air has accumulated in the piping over a long period of time, the liquid level will drop rapidly as shown in FIG. In the case of heat transfer, there is a phenomenon as described above, but in the case of the present invention, the heat transfer is determined using the characteristics of the phenomenon of the transfer of heat. Sometimes the heat medium replenishment operation is repeated without stopping the error of the heat medium leak.
[0030]
That is, as an example, it is determined that the heat medium has dropped as follows, for example. In the case of a heat medium drop, the state where the liquid level of the heat medium is higher than the upper limit level as shown in FIG. 3B continues, but the state where the liquid level is high means that the heat medium has dropped. Conceivable. For this purpose, means for measuring the time during which the liquid level of the heat medium continues to be higher than the upper limit level is provided, and it is determined whether or not the time during which the liquid level of the heat medium continues to be higher than the upper limit level is longer than a predetermined time. Thus, it is determined whether or not the heat medium has dropped.
[0031]
As another example, it is determined that the heat medium has dropped as follows, for example. In the case of dropping the heat medium, the liquid level suddenly drops as shown in FIG. 3 (c) from the state of FIG. 3 (b) when operated, but this sudden drop in the liquid level means that the heat medium has dropped. It is thought that replenishment was repeated because the amount of circulating heat medium decreased because the heat medium overflowed. For this reason, there is provided means for measuring the elapsed time when the liquid level in the heat medium tank is lowered to the lower limit level upon detection of the operation signal, or the time when the liquid level is lowered from the upper limit level to the lower limit level, and the time when the liquid level is lowered is constant time (for example 1 minute) By judging whether it is above, it is judged whether it is the overflow by a heat-medium drop | off.
[0032]
As another example, it is determined that the heat medium has dropped as follows. When the operation signal is input after the heat medium falls and overflows, the liquid level of the heat medium is lowered and the replenishment of the heat medium is considered only for a certain period of time (for example, 5 minutes) from the start of operation. It is done. The fact that the liquid level of the heating medium falls within this fixed time is considered to be a drop of the heating medium. Therefore, it is determined by determining whether the liquid level of the heating medium falls to the lower limit level within a certain period of time after the start of heating operation. It is determined whether or not the medium has fallen out.
[0033]
Further, in the present invention, the heat medium leakage is detected for each heating terminal 6, and the number of times the heat medium is replenished in the heat medium tank 5 is counted and stored for each heating terminal 6. When the number of replenishments stored for each heating terminal 6 reaches a predetermined number or more in at least one heating terminal 6, it is determined that the heat medium leaks. When it is determined that a heat medium leak has occurred as described above, the terminal for which it is determined that the heat medium leak has occurred is closed by closing the on-off valve 13 to stop the heating operation, and other heating For the terminal 6, the current operating state is continuously used.
[0034]
As described above, the number of times of replenishment of the heat medium is counted, but the number of times of replenishment that occurs during the heating operation is counted only for the heating terminal 6 that has an operation command from the heating terminal 6. In addition, the number of replenishments that occur while all the heating terminals 6 are stopped are counted for all the heating terminals 6.
[0035]
Further, as described above, the number of times of replenishment is counted and stored for each heating terminal 6, and when the number of times of replenishment reaches a predetermined number, the heating terminal 6 is stopped as a heat medium leak. If the heating medium is not replenished even after 64 hours) and there is no leakage of the heating medium, the heating terminal 6 is reset so that the count of the number of replenishment times becomes zero.
[0036]
In addition, in the case where the heat medium is dropped as described above, the state where the liquid level of the heat medium is higher than the upper limit level as shown in FIG. 3B continues. It is thought that we are doing. For this reason, the process which judges whether the liquid level of the heat medium of the heat medium tank 5 is more than a predetermined upper limit level, and the process which counts the time when the heat medium of the said heat medium tank 5 is more than an upper limit level, If the time during which the liquid level of the heat medium is equal to or higher than the upper limit level is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the first replenishment process after starting the heating operation is not counted as replenishment in the case of a heat medium drop It is like that.
[0037]
In addition, when the heat medium is dropped as described above, the liquid level suddenly drops as shown in FIG. 3 (c) from the state of FIG. 3 (b) when it is operated. It is thought that the heat medium dropped and overflowed. Therefore, an elapsed time from when the operation signal from the heating terminal 6 is detected until the liquid level of the heating medium is lowered to the lower limit level, or an elapsed time until the liquid level of the heating medium is lowered from the upper limit level to the lower limit level. When the elapsed time is within a certain time, the first replenishment process after starting the heating operation is not counted as the number of times of replenishment when the heat medium is dropped.
[0038]
When the heat medium drops and overflows as described above, the liquid level may drop only for a certain time (for example, 5 minutes) from the start of operation. For this reason, it is provided with a process of counting the elapsed time after detecting the operation signal from the heating terminal 6, and if the elapsed time after the detection of the heating terminal operation signal is within a predetermined time, the overflow of the heat medium drops Therefore, it is not counted as the number of times of replenishment in the case of heat medium dropping.
[0039]
Next, the heat medium leakage detection method of the heating apparatus of the present invention described above will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. In this description, in order to describe the heat medium as water, the liquid level of the heat medium is assumed to be water level, the supply of the heat medium is assumed to be supplementary water, the heat medium leakage is assumed to be water leakage, and the heat medium drop is assumed to be water drop. When the operation switch is turned on to start the heating operation, the pump operation is always performed before the heating operation, and the water circulation is performed in the circulation path 1, but the flowchart control shown in FIGS. It is continuously executed regardless of whether the system is in the heating operation, that is, during the pump operation or during the stop.
[0040]
First, the flowchart of FIG. 4 will be described. When the operation is started, the connection of the heating terminal 6 is confirmed in step S1, and the water replenishment count of each heating terminal 6 is set to “0”. Then, the process proceeds to step S2, where it is determined whether the operation command from the heating terminal 6 is “Yes”. If there is an operation command, the process proceeds to step S3, and the water level of the heat medium tank 5 is detected as a low water level below the lower limit level. Determined. And if a low water level is detected, it will move to step S4 and water will be replenished until the water level of the heat-medium tank 5 reaches an upper limit level. When the water is replenished, the process moves to step S5 and the heating operation is started. When the heating operation is started, the process proceeds to step S6, where it is determined whether the water level of the heat medium tank 5 detects a low water level that is lower than the lower limit level, and if it is determined that the low water level is detected, the process goes to step S7. The water is replenished until the water level in the heat medium tank 5 reaches the upper limit level. When the water is refilled, the process proceeds to step S8, and the water replenishment count of the heating terminal 6 in operation is incremented by "+1". When the water replenishment count is reached, the process proceeds to step S9, and it is determined that the interval between the water replenishment in step S4 and the water replenishment in step S7 is within a certain time (for example, within 64 hours). Then, it is determined whether the water replenishment count of all the heating terminals 6 in operation is equal to or less than a certain number of times (for example, twice). If the water replenishment count is equal to or smaller than the predetermined number, the process proceeds to step S11, where it is determined whether there is a heating terminal 6 in operation, and if there is a heating terminal 6 in operation, the process returns to step 6. If it is determined in step 11 that there is no heating terminal 6 in operation, the process returns to step 2.
[0041]
If it is determined in step S10 that the replenishment count of the heating terminal 6 is equal to or greater than a certain number of times, it is determined that water has leaked, and the process proceeds to step S12 where the on-off valve 13 of the heating terminal 6 having the maximum replenishment count is closed and stopped. If it is determined in step S9 that the interval between the water replenishment in step S4 and the water replenishment in step S7 is not within a certain time, it is determined that there is no water leakage and the process proceeds to step S13 so that the water replenishment count of the heating terminal 6 during operation becomes “0”. The process returns to step S6. That is, the absence of water replenishment for a certain time (for example, 64 hours) means that there is no leakage of the hot water terminal 6 during operation, and the count of the hot water terminal 6 is reset to “0” at this time.
[0042]
When it is determined in step S2 that there is no operation command from the heating terminal 6, the process proceeds to step S14, where it is determined whether the water level in the heating medium tank 5 detects a low water level lower than the lower limit level, and the low water level is detected. If it is, the process proceeds to step S15 and there is a possibility that water has leaked. However, since the heating terminal 6 that has leaked water cannot be specified, the replenishment count of all the heating terminals 6 is set to “1”. When it is determined in step S14 that the low water level is not detected, the process returns to step S2.
[0043]
When it is determined in step S3 that the low water level is not detected, the process proceeds to step S16, where it is determined whether or not a certain time has elapsed after the heat medium tank 5 detects a high water level that is equal to or higher than the upper limit level, and it is determined that a certain time or more has elapsed. Then, since it is predicted that the water level has risen due to water drop, the process proceeds to step 17, and the replenishment count of the heating terminal 6 with the operation command is set to “−1”, and the process proceeds to step S5. This is because the heating operation that is performed after a certain period of time has passed since the high water level was detected while the operation was stopped has overflowed due to water drop, and there is a possibility that refilling will be performed frequently. In order not to count the first water replenishment, the water replenishment count is decreased by 1 in advance. If it is determined in step 16 that a certain amount of time has not elapsed since the high water level was detected, the flow proceeds to step 6 without passing through step 17 because there is no water drop.
[0044]
Next, the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 will be described. This flowchart is basically the same as the flowchart of FIG. 4, and there is no step S16 and step 17 of FIG. 4, but step S9 ′ is provided between step S9 and step S10 of FIG. 4. The operation is the same except for the presence of step S9 '. If it is determined in step S9 that the interval between the replenishment in step S4 and the replenishment in step S7 is not within a certain time, the process proceeds to step 9 'to determine whether a certain time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed since the start of the heating operation. If the time has passed, the process proceeds to step 10. If it is determined in step S9 ′ that the predetermined time has not elapsed since the start of the heating operation, it is predicted that water has dropped, and the process proceeds to step S13 so that the water supplement count of the operating heating terminal 6 becomes “0”. The process returns to step S6.
[0045]
In the flowchart of FIG. 4, it is determined that the water level is low when a certain time or more has elapsed after detecting the high water level in step 16, and it is determined that the water has dropped. In the flowchart, in step S9 ′, the low water level within a certain time from the start of the heating operation is not counted as replenishment at the time of the water fall, but the speed at which the water level in the heat medium tank 5 is lowered. It is also possible to determine that the water has dropped at a high speed and not count the replenishment.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
The invention of claim 1 of the present invention is a heating medium leakage detection method of a heating apparatus for heating by circulating a heated heating medium through a circulation path to a heating terminal, and means for detecting an operation signal from the heating terminal; A process for determining whether or not the liquid level of the heat medium in the heat medium tank provided in the middle of the circulation path is equal to or lower than a predetermined lower limit level, and when the liquid level of the heat medium is equal to or lower than the lower limit level, A process of replenishing the heating medium to a predetermined upper limit level, and counting the number of heating medium replenishment for each heating terminal, so that the number of heating medium replenishment for each connected heating terminal can be counted. Therefore, it is possible to predict a system in which there is a high possibility that the heat medium is leaking, and it is possible to detect the heat medium leak appropriately for each heating terminal.
[0047]
Further, the invention of claim 2 of the present invention is that in claim 1, when the number of replenishments stored for each heating terminal reaches a predetermined number or more in at least one heating terminal, the heating terminal leaks a heat medium. Therefore, only the heating terminal whose heating medium has been replenished more than the predetermined number of times is judged as a heat medium leak, so that there is no heat medium leak with a system that is likely to have a heat medium leak. The system can be distinguished from the system.
[0048]
Further, in the invention of claim 3 of the present invention, in the heating terminal which is determined that the heat medium leak has occurred in claim 2, the on-off valve is closed to stop the heating operation and the heating terminal is disabled. As for the terminal, since the current operating state is continuously usable, only the heating terminal that is judged to have a high possibility of leaking heat medium is shut down and disabled. About the non-heating terminal, it can be used as it is.
[0049]
Further, the invention of claim 4 of the present invention is that in claim 1, the number of replenishment of the heat medium generated during the heating operation is counted only for the heating terminal having an operation command from the heating terminal. It is possible to prevent erroneous determination of the existing system.
[0050]
Further, the invention of claim 5 of the present invention is that in claim 1, since the number of times of heating medium replenishment generated while all the heating terminals are stopped is counted for all the heating terminals, the heating medium leaks. It is possible to prevent system misjudgment.
[0051]
The invention according to claim 6 of the present invention is the process according to claim 1, wherein the process determines whether or not the liquid level of the heating medium in the heating medium tank is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit level, and the heating medium in the heating medium tank. And processing for counting the time during which the liquid level is equal to or higher than the upper limit level. When the time during which the liquid level of the heat medium is equal to or higher than the upper limit level is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the first replenishment after starting the heating operation Since the number of times is not counted, in the heating operation after the liquid level of the heating medium above the upper limit level has been kept for a certain time or more, the first heating medium replenishment is judged to be due to air venting and should not be counted. Thus, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of counts until the heat medium leakage determination, and to prevent erroneous determination.
[0052]
The invention according to claim 7 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the elapsed time from when the operation signal from the heating terminal is detected until the liquid level of the heating medium falls to the lower limit level, or the liquid level of the heating medium. When the elapsed time is within a certain time, the elapsed time from the upper limit level to the lower limit level is counted, and the liquid level is lowered because the first replenishment count is not counted after the heating operation is started. When the speed is high, there is a high possibility that the air bleeding operation is being performed. Therefore, by not counting, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of counts until the heat medium leakage determination, thereby preventing erroneous determination.
[0053]
The invention according to claim 8 of the present invention is the method according to claim 1, further comprising a process of counting an elapsed time after detecting the operation signal from the heating terminal, wherein the elapsed time after the detection of the heating terminal operation signal is predetermined. Since the number of times of replenishment is not counted, the replenishment of the heat medium performed within a certain period of time after the start of heating operation is determined to be due to air venting and does not count until the heat medium leak determination It is possible to prevent the number of counts from increasing, and to prevent erroneous determination.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram showing an entire heating apparatus.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view for explaining the operation of the heat medium tank when the heat medium leaks.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view for explaining the operation of the heat medium tank when the heat medium is dropped.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of another example of the above.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 circuit
5 Heat transfer tank
6 Heating terminal

Claims (8)

A heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus for heating by circulating a heated heating medium through a circulation path to a plurality of heating terminals,
Means for detecting an operation signal from the heating terminal;
A process for determining whether or not the liquid level of the heat medium in the heat medium tank provided in the middle of the circulation path is equal to or lower than a predetermined lower limit level;
When the liquid level of the heating medium is equal to or lower than the lower limit level, the heating medium tank includes a process of replenishing the heating medium to a predetermined upper limit level,
The number of replenishment processes for replenishing the heat medium or the number of times the liquid level of the heat medium falls below a predetermined lower level (the number of replenishment processes for replenishing the heat medium or the liquid level of the heat medium falls below a predetermined lower limit level The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus is characterized in that the number of times (hereinafter simply referred to as the number of replenishments) is counted for each heating terminal. 2. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein when the number of replenishments stored for each heating terminal reaches a predetermined number or more in at least one heating terminal, the heating terminal determines that the heat medium leaks. Heat medium leak detection method. For a heating terminal that has been determined that the heat medium leak has occurred, the heating operation is stopped by closing the on-off valve that opens and closes the supply of the heat medium to the heating terminal, and the other heating terminals are disabled. The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the current operating state is continuously usable. The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of times of replenishment of the heat medium generated during the heating operation is counted only for the heating terminal having an operation command from the heating terminal. The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of times of replenishment of the heat medium generated while all the heating terminals are stopped is counted for all the heating terminals. A process for determining whether or not the liquid level of the heat medium in the heat medium tank is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit level, and a process for counting the time during which the liquid level of the heat medium in the heat medium tank is equal to or higher than the upper limit level. The said replenishment frequency | count of the 1st after starting heating operation is not counted when the time when the liquid level of the said heat medium is more than predetermined level is more than predetermined time. Heat medium leak detection method for heating device. Counts the elapsed time from when the operation signal from the heating terminal is detected until the liquid level of the heating medium falls to the lower limit level, or the elapsed time until the liquid level of the heating medium falls from the upper limit level to the lower limit level. The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the elapsed time is within a certain time, the first replenishment number after starting the heating operation is not counted. A process of counting the elapsed time after detecting the operation signal from the heating terminal is included, and if the elapsed time after the detection of the heating terminal operation signal is within a predetermined time, the replenishment count is not counted. The heating medium leakage detection method for a heating apparatus according to claim 1.

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