JP4093671B2 - Gas equipment usage state detection apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device-specific load survey technique for monitoring a gas use state for each gas device, and more specifically, for example, determination of a gas use state and gas use of a gas device that uses electricity such as a water heater, an air conditioner, and a rice cooker. The present invention relates to a technique for calculating an amount or charging a gas charge for each device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in order to measure the amount of gas used by each gas device, it has been necessary to install a separate measuring instrument for each gas device. In addition, there is a method of approximating the amount of gas used from control information inside the gas equipment.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above prior art, when a measuring instrument is separately installed for each gas device, it is necessary to install a measuring instrument for each of the plurality of gas devices, and transfer measurement information to the measuring instrument. However, it was necessary to install a dedicated communication medium, which required troublesome work and cost.
In addition, when the gas usage is approximately estimated from the control information inside the gas equipment, the gas equipment does not necessarily have an interface that can extract the control information to the outside, and it can be applied to a wide range of gas equipment. It was difficult.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is easy gas appliances used state detecting device and a method for calculating the determination and amount of gas used by the gas use state gas equipment, and more It is another object of the present invention to provide a billing system and method for gas charges by device.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve this object, the characteristic configuration of the gas equipment use state detection device according to the present invention is equivalent to the power consumption or power consumption of a gas equipment that uses electricity as described in claim 1 of the claims. Measuring means for measuring the amount of power consumed when the solenoid valve for turning on and off the gas supply in the gas appliance or the proportional valve for adjusting the gas supply amount in the gas appliance is operated, or a power consumption equivalent amount, Based on the relationship between the power consumption measured by the measuring means or the power consumption equivalent amount, the means for determining the operating state of the solenoid valve or the proportional valve, and the gas usage period which is the gas usage state of the gas device is calculated from the operating state. Power consumption or power consumption measured by the measuring means, power consumption or power consumption when the solenoid valve or proportional valve is actuated The relation relates to a gas flow rate of equivalents lies in having processing means and means for calculating the gas consumption within the gas usage period.
[0006]
In this specification, the power consumption equivalent means the current consumption of the gas equipment, a predetermined voltage proportional to the current consumption, or a physical quantity that has a certain correlation with the power consumption such as power consumption. To do. The gas flow rate is the amount of gas used per unit time.
[0007]
In order to achieve this object, the characteristic configuration of the billing system for each gas appliance according to the present invention is as follows. based on gas rates conversion for knowledge to perform the conversion of gas fee, appliance-specific gas for calculating the appliance-specific gas rates of the gas appliance from gas usage wherein the processing means has issued calculated gas appliances used state detecting device And a fee calculation means.
[0008]
In order to achieve this object, the characteristic configuration of the gas appliance use state detection method according to the present invention is that, as described in claim 3 of the claims, the measurement means uses power consumption of a gas appliance that uses electricity. Alternatively , the power consumption equivalent is measured, and the processing means is equivalent to the power consumption or power consumption consumed when the solenoid valve that turns gas supply on and off in the gas equipment or the proportional valve that adjusts the gas supply quantity in the gas equipment is activated. The operation state of the electromagnetic valve or proportional valve is determined from the relationship between the amount and the power consumption measured by the measuring means or the power consumption equivalent amount, and the gas usage period that is the gas usage state of the gas device is determined from the operation state. While calculating, the processing means consumes the power consumption or equivalent power consumption measured by the measurement means and the power consumption when the solenoid valve or proportional valve is actuated Others from related to gas flow rate and the power consumption equivalent amount, in that to calculate the gas consumption within the gas usage period.
[0009]
Characteristic feature of the gas appliance-specific charging method according to the present invention for achieving this objective, as described in claim 4 column claims, by the gas appliance used method for detecting the state of characteristic configuration Risan From the amount of gas used, the device-specific gas charge of the gas device is calculated based on the gas charge conversion knowledge for converting the device-specific gas charge.
[0010]
The operation and effect will be described below.
According to the characteristic configuration of the gas equipment use state detection device according to the present invention, the solenoid valve that turns on and off the gas supply of the gas equipment from the power consumption of the gas equipment that uses electricity measured by the measuring means or an amount equivalent to the power consumption. In addition, the power consumption of the proportional valve for adjusting the gas supply amount can be determined to determine the operating state of the solenoid valve or the proportional valve, so that the gas usage state of the gas device can be determined and the gas usage amount can be calculated.
Specifically, in a gas device without a proportional valve, the gas usage state can be determined from the operating state of the solenoid valve, and further, the gas flow rate in the gas usage state is constant, so the ON period in which the gas is in use is detected. Thus, the amount of gas used can be calculated.
Also, in gas equipment with a proportional valve, the opening of the proportional valve, that is, the gas flow rate can be detected by detecting the current required to open and close the proportional valve, so the gas consumption can be reduced by integrating the gas flow rate during the ON period. It can be calculated.
[0011]
Generally, the electricity used for the operation of solenoid valves and proportional valves is also used for operations other than solenoid valves and proportional valves. , And can be obtained based on the correlation knowledge of the two set in advance. Therefore, by adding the relationship between the power consumption of the solenoid valve or proportional valve and the gas flow rate to this correlation knowledge, the correlation knowledge between the gas flow rate and the power consumption or power consumption equivalent can be obtained. Without determining the power consumption of the proportional valve or the gas consumption of the gas equipment based on the knowledge of the correlation between the gas flow rate and the power consumption or power consumption equivalent. it is possible to calculate the determination and gas consumption of use.
[0012]
Further, in the case of a gas appliance that receives power supply from a commercial AC power source for household use, the determination of the gas usage state or the calculation result of the gas usage amount is carried through the power line of the commercial AC power source (also referred to as a light line). By communication, it can be transferred to a monitoring device or the like for monitoring the entire gas equipment without installing a new dedicated line. In addition, the power consumption or the information equivalent to the power consumption measured by the measurement means by separating the measurement means and the processing means can be transmitted to the processing means isolated from the gas equipment through the power line. It is possible to easily configure a gas equipment usage state detection apparatus that can determine the gas usage state of a plurality of gas equipments and calculate the amount of gas used by one processing means.
[0013]
According to the characteristic configuration of the billing system for each gas device according to the present invention, the gas device use state detection device can calculate the gas use amount for each gas device. Gas charges can be charged for each device. As a result, for example, in expanding sales of new products, a discount rate can be set for a purchaser for a certain period of time, and it is possible to promote replacement with energy-saving products.
[0014]
According to the characteristic configuration of the gas appliance usage state detection method according to the present invention, as in the characteristic configuration of the gas appliance usage status detection apparatus, the gas supply of the gas appliance is calculated from the power consumption of the gas appliance or an amount equivalent to the power consumption. The power consumption of the solenoid valve that turns on and off and the proportional valve that adjusts the gas supply amount can be determined to determine the operating state of the solenoid valve and proportional valve, and the gas usage status of the gas equipment and the calculation of the gas usage volume Can do.
[0015]
According to the characteristic configuration of the billing method for each gas device according to the present invention, the gas usage amount can be calculated for each gas device by the gas device usage state detection method. Gas charges can be charged for each device.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of a gas equipment usage state detection apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 1, the gas appliance use state detection apparatus 1 according to the present invention is an electric combined type that receives power supply from a commercial AC power supply of 100 V supplied to a general household such as a water heater, an air conditioner, and a rice cooker. The gas device 2 is used by being inserted between the power line 3 of the commercial AC power source and measuring the power consumption P of the gas device 2, and the gas flow rate and the power consumption P of the gas device 2. A processing unit 6 that calculates a gas usage amount Q of the gas device 2 from the power consumption P measured by the measuring unit 4 based on the correlation knowledge 5 between the transmission unit and a transmission / reception unit 7 that performs power line carrier communication via the power line 3. It has.
[0018]
The correlation knowledge 5 is obtained by experimentally investigating the correlation between the gas flow rate of the gas device 2 and the power consumption P for each gas device, or theoretically derived from the physical configuration of the gas device 2. Is stored in a predetermined storage device in the processing means 6 and is input in advance into the storage device at the time of manufacture of the gas equipment use state detection device 1 or from the outside via the power line 3 after manufacture. Is done.
[0019]
The processing means 6 is configured by an existing computer system such as a microcomputer, and is configured to calculate the gas usage Q from the correlation knowledge 5 and the power consumption P measured by the measuring means 4.
Below, the specific example of the correlation knowledge 5 and the process means 6 is demonstrated about the case where the gas apparatus 2 is the rice cooker 2a.
[0020]
First, the operation mode of a general rice cooker 2a will be described.
As operation modes, there are a standby mode, an ignition mode, a rice cooking mode, a normal heat retention mode, a long-time heat retention mode, and a reheating mode. The operation of each mode will be described based on the schematic configuration of the rice cooker 2a shown in FIG.
[0021]
The standby mode starts when the power switch is turned on, and the main board 11 and the operation board 12 are energized. In the on state of the power switch, the main board 11 and the operation board 12 are always energized to accept various inputs by the switch operation. In addition, a standby mode for starting cooking at scheduled times such as reserved cooking is also included.
[0022]
In the ignition mode, an ignition instruction is given from the operation board 12 to the main board 11 by operating the rice cooker switch, or in reserved rice cooking, the built-in timer of the main board 11 is a predetermined time before the desired cooking time stored in the built-in memory. Recognizing this, the ignition time is determined, the igniter 13 is activated, the original solenoid valve 14, the main solenoid valve 15, and the proportional valve 16 are integrally opened to enter the ignition sequence. When a thermoelectromotive force of a predetermined threshold value or more is detected, a flame is detected, and the process shifts to the rice cooking mode. The igniter 13 operates only in the ignition mode.
[0023]
The rice cooking mode is classified into three steps of preliminary cooking, main cooking, and murashi. In addition, each process is controlled in accordance with a rice cooking pattern such as “cooking rice immediately after washing”, “cooking rice after washing”, or “quick cooking”. Furthermore, pre-cooking includes gas pre-cooking using both gas combustion and electric heating, and electric pre-cooking using only electric heating, and is used in an appropriate combination according to the rice cooking pattern. In the gas preliminary cooking, gas combustion and electric heating of the upper lid heater 18 are used in combination, and in electric preliminary cooking, electric heating of the upper lid heater 18 and the bottom heater 19 is used in combination. In the main cooking, gas combustion and electric heating of the upper lid heater 18 are used in combination. In main cooking and gas preliminary cooking, the opening degree of the proportional valve 16 is controlled by the main board 11. For the unevenness, electric heating of the upper lid heater 18 is used.
[0024]
The normal heat retention mode starts after the cooking of rice is completed or the main substrate 11 recognizes the heat retention mode by operating the heat retention switch. In the normal heat insulation mode, the electric heat insulation by the electric heating of the top lid heater 18 and the bottom heater 19 is intermittently performed in order to keep the rice at a set temperature of 74 ° C.
The long-time heat retention mode starts when the heat retention switch is operated again in the normal heat retention mode. In the long-time heat retention mode, the set temperature is lowered to 71 ° C., and the temperature of the rice is raised to about 80 ° C. by gas heat retention using gas combustion and electric heating of the upper lid heater 18 at predetermined time intervals. Inhibits breeding and enables long-term heat insulation.
[0025]
The locations related to the power consumption in each of the above operation modes are the main board 11, the operation board 12, the igniter 13, the original solenoid valve 14, the main solenoid valve 15, the proportional valve 16, the top lid heater 18, and the bottom heater 19, and the proportional valve Except 16, it consumes constant power in the operating state. The power consumption of the proportional valve 16 changes according to the opening degree control of the main board 11.
This state is displayed as a list in FIG. In FIG. 3, “O” represents an operating state or an open state, and “X” represents a stopped state or a closed state. ◎ of the proportional valve 16 indicates a state in which the opening degree is controlled. As shown in FIG. 3, the power consumption of each part is P ₁₁ , P ₁₂ , P ₁₃ , P ₁₄ , P ₁₅ , P ₁₆ , P ₁₈ , P ₁₉ (subscript numbers and signs in the figure match. )), The power consumption P in each operation mode is the sum of the power consumptions P ₁₁ , P ₁₂ , P ₁₃ , P ₁₄ , P ₁₅ , P ₁₆ , P ₁₈ , P _{19 in} the operating state or open state. It is represented by Power P ₁₆ of the proportional valve 16 varies from P _16MIN ≦ P ₁₆ ≦ P _16MAX in accordance with the opening degree.
[0026]
FIG. 4 shows the measurement result of the power consumption P with the time axis as the horizontal axis when the rice cooker 2a is actually cooked. The power consumption P is calculated by the measurement means 4 measuring the current value and the voltage value at a constant sampling period T and calculating these values.
[0027]
When it is determined from the measurement result of the power consumption P whether the processing means 6 is in the gas usage state, it can be determined from FIG. 3 that the gas usage state is established when the relationship of Equation 1 or Equation 2 is established. Here, a _{P X = P 11 + P 12} + P 14 + P 15 + P 18, P 13 »P 16MAX. Equation 1 is established in an operation mode involving gas combustion other than the ignition mode, and Equation 2 is established in an ignition mode.
The gas use period T _S is calculated by integrating the sampling period T during the period in which it is determined that the gas is being used.
[0028]
[Expression 1]
P _X + P _16MIN ≦ P ≦ P _X + P _16MAX
[Expression 2]
P _X + P ₁₃ + P _16MIN ≦ P ≦ P _X + P ₁₃ + P _16MAX
[0029]
The opening degree v of the proportional valve 16 is given by Equation 3 when Equation 1 is established, and by Equation 4 when Equation 2 is established.
[0030]
[Equation 3]
v = (P−P _X −P _16MIN ) / (P _16MAX −P _16MIN )
[Expression 4]
v = (P−P _X −P ₁₃ −P _16MIN ) / (P _16MAX −P _16MIN )
[0031]
Accordingly, the processing means 6 calculates the gas usage amount Q (m ³ ) per sampling period T as a constant K (m ³ / s) based on Equation 5. Furthermore, the calculated gas consumption Q by integrating during gas usage period T _S, can be calculated gas amount Q _S in the gas use period T _S.
[0032]
[Equation 5]
Q = K × v × T
[0033]
As described above, the correlation knowledge 5 is composed of constants related to the equations 1 to 5, and the processing means 6 is based on the correlation knowledge 5 and the power consumption P measured by the measurement means 4 in the manner described above. The usage status is determined and the amount of gas used is calculated.
The gas use period T _S , the gas use amount Q, and the gas use amount Q _S calculated in this way are stored in a predetermined storage device of the processing means 6, and from a predetermined time interval or the gas use state collection monitoring device 8. The transmission / reception means 7 transmits the gas use period T _S , the gas use amount Q, and the gas use amount Q _S to the gas use state collection and monitoring device 8 through the power line 3 through the power line 3 based on the transfer request. The gas use state collection and monitoring device 8 collects and monitors the gas use state of each device with respect to the gas device that uses all electricity for each gas consumer by receiving similar calculation results from other gas devices. It will be possible.
[0034]
Next, an embodiment of a billing system for each gas appliance according to the present invention using the gas appliance usage state detection apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 5, the billing system for each gas device is based on the gas device use state detection device 1 and the gas charge conversion knowledge 9 for converting the gas charge for each device. processing means 6 is constituted by a device-gas charge calculating unit 10 for calculating the appliance-specific gas usage charge U _S gas appliances 2 for gas consumption Q _S of the gas used during the period T _S calculated. More specifically, the gas charge conversion knowledge 9 and the device-specific gas charge calculation means 10 are configured by the same microcomputer as the processing means 6. Therefore, the gas charge conversion knowledge 9 is stored in advance in a predetermined area of a storage device built in the device-specific gas charge calculation means 10.
Specifically, the knowledge 9 for gas rate conversion is calculated from the equation for calculating the device-specific gas usage fee U _S (yen) shown in Equation 6 and the gas fee U ₀ per unit usage of the target gas appliance 2 in Equation 6 ( Yen / m ³ ).
[0035]
[Formula 6]
U _S = U ₀ × Q _S
[0036]
Appliance-specific gas usage appliance-specific gas charge calculation unit 10 has calculated rates U _S is stored in a predetermined storage device in appliance-specific gas charge calculation unit 10, the transfer of a predetermined time interval or gas use state collecting monitoring device 8 Based on the request, the transmission / reception means 7 is transmitted to the gas use state collection monitoring device 8 via the power line 3 by power line carrier communication. Gas usage state collecting monitoring device 8 by receiving the same device-gas usage charge U _S from other gas appliances, the gas total amount of gas consumption Q _S of each gas appliance is a meter-reading result of the gas meter calculating a normal gas usage fee for gas consumption by subtracting the sum, by summing the sum of the appliance-specific gas usage charge U _S, to calculate the gas charge for all gas appliances in each gas consumer Can do it.
[0037]
As another embodiment of the charging system for each gas device, the gas charge conversion knowledge 9 and the device-specific gas fee calculation means 10 are not provided on the gas device use state detection device 1 side for each gas device, but for each gas device. May be provided on the gas use state collection monitoring device 8 side.
[0038]
Another embodiment will be described below.
<1> In the said embodiment, although the rice cooker 2a was assumed as the gas equipment 2, if it is gas equipment which uses electricity together, such as a water heater and an air conditioner, it is applicable besides rice cooker 2a. However, the correlation knowledge 5 and the gas charge conversion knowledge 9 need to be appropriately changed according to the gas equipment to be applied.
[0039]
<2> In addition, when the gas device 2 does not include the proportional valve 16 and a gas with a constant flow rate F (m ³ / s) is constantly consumed in the gas use state, the processing means 6 uses the gas from the power consumption P. performs determination of the state, to calculate the gas usage period T _S, the gas consumption Q _S in the gas use period T _S may be determined by the number 7. In this case, the correlation knowledge 5 is Equation 7 and a constant flow rate F. Further, if provided with gas rates terms for knowledge 9 and appliance-specific gas charge calculation unit 10 can calculate the appliance-specific gas usage charge U _S based on the above embodiments as well as 6. Therefore, the transmission / reception means 7 may transmit the gas use period T _S , the gas use amount Q _S , and the gas use charge for each device _US to the gas use state collection monitoring device 8 through the power line 3 via the power line 3.
[0040]
[Expression 7]
Q _S = F × T _S
[0041]
Further, the processing means 6 may calculate only the gas use period T _S and transmit it to the gas use state collection monitoring device 8. If there is the correlation knowledge 5 on the gas use state collection monitoring device 8 side, the gas use amount Q _S during the gas use period T _S can be similarly obtained. Further, by providing the gas rates terms for knowledge 9 and appliance-specific gas charge calculating unit 10 to the gas use status collection monitoring device 8 side, calculates the appliance-specific gas usage charge U _S based on the number 6 in the same manner as the above embodiment it can.
[0042]
<3> In the above embodiment, the appliance-specific gas usage charge U _S gas rates U ₀ per unit dose was constant regardless of the use time period of the gas appliance 2, device-gas charge calculation means 10 Gas By collecting gas usage time information as the equipment usage status, and by equipment corresponding to each usage period based on the gas rate U ₀ per unit usage amount that is different for each usage period set in the knowledge 9 for gas rate conversion it is also preferred embodiment to allow calculating the gas use fee U _S.
[0043]
<4> In the above embodiment, the measuring means 4 measures the current value and the voltage value at a constant sampling period T. However, when there is no fluctuation in the voltage value, only the current value, that is, the consumption current is measured. It doesn't matter. However, the correlation knowledge 5 needs to represent the relationship with the current consumption.
[0044]
<5> In the above embodiment, the processing means 6 and the device-specific gas charge calculation means 10 are configured by a computer system such as a microcomputer, but may be configured by dedicated hardware.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a gas appliance use state detection apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a rice cooker. FIG. 3 is an electric power for each operation mode of the rice cooker. Table showing breakdown of consumption [FIG. 4] Explanatory view showing one measurement result of power consumption of rice cooker [FIG. 5] Explanatory view showing configuration of one embodiment of billing system by gas appliance according to the present invention Explanation of]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gas apparatus use condition detection apparatus 2 Gas apparatus 2a Rice cooker 3 Power line 4 Measuring means 5 Correlation knowledge 6 Processing means 7 Transmission / reception means 8 Gas use condition collection monitoring apparatus 9 Gas charge conversion knowledge 10 Equipment-specific gas charge calculation means 11 Main Board 12 Operation board 13 Igniter 14 Original solenoid valve 15 Main solenoid valve 16 Proportional valve 17 Thermocouple 18 Top cover heater 19 Bottom heater P Power consumption Q _S , Q Gas consumption T _S Gas usage period U ₀ Gas charge per unit usage Gas usage fee by _US equipment

Claims (4)

It has a measuring means to measure the power consumption or equivalent power consumption of gas equipment that uses electricity ,
Power consumption or equivalent power consumption when a solenoid valve that turns gas supply on and off in a gas appliance or a proportional valve that adjusts the gas supply amount in a gas appliance is activated, and the power consumption or consumption measured by the measuring means Means for determining the operating state of the solenoid valve or proportional valve from the relationship with the power equivalent amount;
Means for calculating a gas use period which is a gas use state of the gas equipment from the operating state;
From the relationship regarding the gas flow rate between the power consumption or power consumption equivalent measured by the measuring means and the power consumption or power consumption equivalent consumed when the solenoid valve or proportional valve is actuated, Means for calculating the amount of gas used;
A gas appliance use state detection device comprising processing means having And gas equipment usage state detection apparatus according to claim 1,
Based on gas rates conversion for knowledge to perform the conversion of device-gas rates, calculates the appliance-specific gas rates of the gas appliance from gas usage wherein the processing means has issued calculated of the gas appliance used state detecting device equipment A charging system for each gas device comprising a separate gas charge calculation means. The measuring means measures the power consumption or equivalent power consumption of gas equipment that uses electricity,
The processing means measures the power consumption or equivalent power consumption when the solenoid valve for turning on / off the gas supply in the gas equipment or the proportional valve for adjusting the gas supply quantity in the gas equipment is operated, and the measurement means From the relationship with power consumption or power consumption equivalent amount, determine the operating state of the solenoid valve or proportional valve, calculate the gas usage period that is the gas usage state of the gas equipment from the operating state,
From the relationship regarding the gas flow rate between the power consumption or power consumption equivalent amount measured by the measurement means and the power consumption or power consumption equivalent amount consumed when the electromagnetic valve or proportional valve is operated, the processing means Gas equipment usage status detection method for calculating gas usage during the usage period . Risan from gas usage issued by the gas appliance use state detecting method according to claim 3, based on gas rates conversion for knowledge to perform the conversion of device-gas rates, appliance-specific gas rates of the gas appliances Ruga scan equipment by charging method to calculate the.

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