JP6928164B2 - Hot water supply system, cloud server, boiling schedule creation method and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hot water supply system, a cloud server, a boiling schedule creation method, and a program.

In recent years, in order to reduce the amount of electricity purchased from commercial power systems, an increasing number of homes are installing power generation facilities that generate electricity from natural energy such as solar power and wind power. Further, in recent years, there is a tendency to increase the self-consumption rate of electric power generated by power generation facilities, and various technical proposals have been made in response to such a request (for example, Patent Document 1).

The hot water storage type hot water supply system disclosed in Patent Document 1 predicts the amount of surplus electric power generated by the photovoltaic power generation on the next day, and changes the amount of boiling in the nighttime boiling operation according to the prediction result. For example, when the amount of surplus power generated is predicted to be large, the amount of boiling at night is reduced as compared with the case where the amount of surplus power is predicted to be small. As a result, the surplus electric power can be effectively used, and the electric power used for the boiling operation at night can be reduced.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-148287

By the way, in general, when a water heater is made to perform a boiling operation using only surplus power, surplus power of a certain size or more according to the specifications of the water heater is required, and if the surplus power is not sufficient, it is commercially available. It is difficult to carry out boiling operation without purchasing power from the power system.

Therefore, it is desired to propose a new technology capable of increasing the self-consumption rate even when the surplus power is small.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hot water supply system or the like capable of increasing the self-consumption rate even when the surplus electric power is small.

In order to achieve the above object, the hot water supply system according to the present invention
A hot water supply system equipped with a cloud server and a water heater installed in a house.
The cloud server
A prediction means for predicting the transition of surplus power generated by the power generation equipment installed in the house, and
A schedule creation means for creating a daytime boiling schedule for the daytime boiling operation of the water heater based on the transition of the surplus electric power, and
A schedule transmission means for transmitting the daytime boiling schedule to the water heater is provided.
The water heater acquires the daytime boiling schedule from the cloud server by communication, and performs the boiling operation with the first capacity or the second capacity lower than the first capacity according to the acquired daytime boiling schedule.
The schedule creating means is such that when the total time during which the water heater can perform the boiling operation with the first capacity only by the surplus power is equal to or longer than a predetermined reference time, the boiling operation is performed with the first capacity during the daytime. When the boiling schedule is created and the total time is shorter than the reference time and the water heater performs the boiling operation with the first capacity, the amount of the first hot water planned is the second capacity of the water heater. If the amount of the second hot water is less than or equal to the planned amount of the second hot water when the boiling operation is performed in the above, the daytime boiling schedule is created so that the water heater performs the boiling operation with the second capacity.

According to the present invention, even a small surplus electric power can be utilized, and the self-consumption rate can be improved.

The figure which shows the whole structure of the hot water supply system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. A block diagram showing a configuration of a heat pump unit included in the water heater according to the present embodiment. A block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a control device according to this embodiment. A block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control device according to the present embodiment. Block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the cloud server according to this embodiment Block diagram showing the functional configuration of the cloud server according to this embodiment The figure which shows an example of the transition of surplus power predicted in this embodiment. Flow chart showing the procedure of surplus power prediction processing of this embodiment A flowchart showing the procedure of the boiling schedule creation process of the present embodiment. A flowchart showing the procedure of the daytime boiling schedule creation process of the present embodiment. A flowchart showing the procedure of the low capacity determination process of the present embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the user inquiry screen in another embodiment

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a hot water supply system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The hot water supply system 1 includes a power generation facility 2, a power measuring device 3, a water heater 4, a control device 5, an operation terminal 6, and a cloud server 7, and is used to boil the water heater 4 installed in the house H. This is a system that enables operation according to the boiling schedule created by the cloud server 7.

<Power generation equipment 2>
The power generation facility 2 is a photovoltaic power generation facility including a PV (photovoltaic) panel 20 and a power conditioning system PV-PCS21. The PV panel 20 is, for example, a polycrystalline silicon type solar panel, which is installed on the roof of the house H and generates electricity by converting solar energy into electric energy. The PV-PCS 21 converts the DC power generated by the power generation of the PV panel 20 into AC power with a predetermined conversion efficiency to generate generated power, which is supplied to the distribution board 10 via the power line PL2.

<Power measuring device 3>
The power measuring device 3 measures the power transmitted through each of the power lines PL1 to PL3 arranged in the house H. The power line PL1 is arranged between the commercial power system 9 and the distribution board 10, the power line PL2 is arranged between the power generation facility 2 and the distribution board 10, and the power line PL3 is arranged with the distribution board 10. It is arranged between the water supply machine 4 and the water supply machine 4. The power measuring device 3 is connected to each of the CTs (Current Transformers) 1 to CT3 connected to the power lines PL1 to PL3 via a communication line. CT1 to CT3 are sensors that measure alternating current.

The power measuring device 3 measures the power P1 on the power line PL1 based on the measurement result of the CT1. The electric power P1 corresponds to commercial electric power which is the electric power purchased by the consumer from the electric power company in the house H. Further, the power measuring device 3 measures the power P2 on the power line PL2 based on the measurement result of the CT2. The electric power P2 is the electric power generated by the power generation facility 2. Further, the power measuring device 3 measures the power P3 on the power line PL3 based on the measurement result of the CT3. The electric power P3 corresponds to the electric power consumed in the water heater 4.

The power measuring device 3 is provided with a wireless communication interface, and is communicably connected to the control device 5 via a wireless network (hereinafter, referred to as a home network) constructed in the house H. The home network is, for example, a network conforming to ECHONET Lite. The power measuring device 3 may be connected to the home network via an external communication adapter (not shown).

In response to a periodic request (for example, a request every minute) from the control device 5, the power measuring device 3 determines the device ID (identification) of its own device and the current time (meaning the measurement time). , The power measurement information including the measured values of the powers P1 to P3 and the information in which the power line IDs of the power lines are associated with each other is transmitted to the control device 5. The device ID is an ID for identifying the power measuring device 3, the water heater 4, and the device 11 (11a, 11b, ...). The power line ID is an ID for identifying the power lines PL1 to PL3. The measured value of the electric power transmitted by the electric power measuring device 3 to the control device 5 may be expressed in units of electric power (watts), or the electric power may be integrated over a preset integration time. It may be expressed in units of the amount of electric power generated. Further, the power measurement device 3 may spontaneously transmit the power measurement information to the control device 5 at regular time intervals (for example, 1 minute intervals).

<Water heater 4>
The water heater 4 is a hot water storage type water heater including a heat pump unit 40 and a tank unit 41. The heat pump unit 40 and the tank unit 41 are connected by a water pipe 42 through which hot water flows. The water heater 4 is electrically connected to the commercial power system 9 and the power generation facility 2 via the power line PL3 branched by the distribution board 10, and is either one of the commercial power system 9 or the power generation facility 2, or , Operates with power from both of these.

The heat pump unit 40 is _{a heat pump type heat source device that uses CO 2} (carbon dioxide) or HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) as a refrigerant. The heat pump unit 40 uses the surrounding air as a heat source to boil the low-temperature water in the hot water storage tank 410 into high-temperature water. As shown in FIG. 2, the heat pump unit 40 includes a compressor 400, a first heat exchanger 401, an expansion valve 402, a second heat exchanger 403, a blower 404, a water pump 405, and a control board 406. And.

The compressor 400, the first heat exchanger 401, the expansion valve 402, and the second heat exchanger 403 are connected in an annular shape by the refrigerant pipe 407. As a result, a refrigerant circuit through which the refrigerant circulates is formed. The refrigerant circuit is also referred to as a heat pump or refrigeration cycle. The water pipe 42 is arranged so as to start from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 410, pass through the water pump 405 and the first heat exchanger 401, and return to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 410. As a result, a boiling circuit in which hot water circulates is formed.

The compressor 400 compresses the refrigerant to raise the temperature and pressure. The compressor 400 includes an inverter circuit capable of changing the capacitance, which is the amount of delivery per unit, according to the drive frequency. The compressor 400 changes the above capacitance according to the instruction from the control board 406.

The first heat exchanger 401 is a heating source for heating the city water to a target boiling temperature. The boiling temperature is also called the hot water storage temperature. The first heat exchanger 401 is a plate type, double pipe type or the like heat exchanger, and exchanges heat between the refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant pipe 407 and the water sent from the hot water storage tank 410. Due to the heat exchange in the first heat exchanger 401, the refrigerant dissipates heat and the temperature drops, and the water absorbs heat and the temperature rises.

The expansion valve 402 expands the refrigerant to lower the temperature and pressure. The expansion valve 402 changes the valve opening degree according to the instruction from the control board 406.

The second heat exchanger 403 exchanges heat between the outside air sent by the blower 404, that is, the taken-in outside air and the refrigerant. Due to the heat exchange in the second heat exchanger 403, the refrigerant absorbs heat and the temperature rises, and the taken-in outside air dissipates heat and the temperature drops.

The water pump 405 conveys the low temperature water from the lower part of the hot water storage tank 410 to the first heat exchanger 401. The water pump 405 includes an inverter circuit, and changes the water flow rate during transportation by changing the drive rotation speed according to a control value instructed from the control board 406.

Although not shown, the control board 406 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a communication interface, and an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). It is equipped with a readable / writable non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a flash memory. The control board 406 is communicably connected to each of the compressor 400, the expansion valve 402, the blower 404, and the water pump 405 via a communication line (not shown) to control their operations. Further, the control board 406 is communicably connected to the hot water supply controller 411 of the tank unit 41 via a communication line (not shown).

Returning to FIG. 1, the tank unit 41 includes a hot water storage tank 410, a hot water supply controller 411, and a mixing valve 412. These components are housed in a metal outer case.

The hot water storage tank 410 is made of a metal such as stainless steel, a resin, or the like. A heat insulating material is arranged on the outside of the hot water storage tank 410. As a result, the hot water can be kept warm for a long time in the hot water storage tank 410.

Although not shown, the hot water supply controller 411 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a communication interface, and a readable and writable non-volatile semiconductor memory such as an EEPROM and a flash memory, and controls the hot water supply machine 4 in an integrated manner. do. The hot water supply controller 411 is communicably connected to the control board 406 of the heat pump unit 40 via a communication line (not shown). Further, the hot water supply controller 411 is communicably connected to the remote controller 44 via the communication line 43. Further, the hot water supply controller 411 is communicably connected to the control device 5 via the above-mentioned home network. The hot water supply controller 411 may be installed in the heat pump unit 40.

The remote controller 44 is installed in the bathroom of the house H, and is used to receive operation inputs related to boiling, hot water supply, etc. from the user, and to display the operating state, hot water storage state, etc. of the water heater 4 and present the hot water supply to the user. This is a terminal device dedicated to the machine 4.

Although not shown, the remote control 44 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a communication interface, a readable and writable non-volatile semiconductor memory such as an EEPROM and a flash memory, and an input device such as a push button, a touch panel, and a touch pad. And a display such as an organic EL display and a liquid crystal display.

The remote controller 44 receives setting inputs and operation inputs related to boiling operation, hot water supply, etc. from the user, and outputs information related to the received inputs to the hot water supply controller 411 via the communication line 43. Further, the remote controller 44 displays information such as a set value, an operating state, and a hot water storage state of the water heater 4 supplied from the hot water supply controller 411. Specifically, the user selects an electricity rate plan, enables or disables the remote control function by the cloud server 7, enables or disables the daytime boiling function, sets the hot water temperature, and boiled via the remote controller 44. It is possible to set the temperature rise and the amount of hot water. Further, the user can give an instruction to start or stop the operation such as filling the bathtub with hot water and reheating the bathtub via the remote controller 44 to the water heater 4.

Subsequently, the basic operation of the water heater 4 will be described. The water heater 4 is roughly divided into a boiling operation and a hot water supply operation.
<< Boiling operation >>
At the start of the boiling operation, the high temperature water in the hot water storage tank 410 is consumed, and the low temperature water close to the temperature of the city water is stored in the lower part of the hot water storage tank 410. By operating the water pump 405, the low temperature water enters the first heat exchanger 401 of the heat pump unit 40, and the temperature rises due to heat exchange with the refrigerant to become high temperature water. This high-temperature water is returned to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 410, and in the hot water storage tank 410, high-temperature water stays in the upper part and low-temperature water stays in the lower part to form a temperature stratification, and a temperature boundary is formed between the high-temperature water and the low-temperature water. Layers are generated.

When the amount of boiling increases and the region of high-temperature water becomes large, the temperature boundary layer approaches the lower part of the hot water storage tank 410, and the water entry temperature, which is the temperature of the water entering the first heat exchanger 401, gradually rises.

Although the details will be described later, the water heater 4 of the present embodiment performs the boiling operation with either the first capacity indicating the normal capacity or the second capacity having a lower capacity than the first capacity.

<< Hot water supply operation >>
A hot water outlet pipe is connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 410, and the high-temperature water discharged from the hot water storage tank 410 through the hot water outlet pipe is mixed with the city water by the mixing valve 412. As a result, hot water at a temperature desired by the user (for example, 40 ° C.) is supplied to hot water supply terminals such as a shower 45 and a faucet 46 arranged in a bathroom, for example. At this time, in the hot water storage tank 410, city water is supplied from the water supply pipe connected to the lower part by the volume integral of the high temperature water flowing out from the upper part and the water pressure. As a result, the temperature boundary layer moves upward in the hot water storage tank 410. When the amount of hot water decreases, the water heater 4 performs additional boiling.

The hot water discharge pipe described above is provided with a hot water amount sensor (not shown) that measures the amount of hot water used (also referred to as the amount of hot water supplied), which is the amount of hot water discharged from the hot water storage tank 410. The amount of hot water used corresponds to the amount of hot water used in the house H. Further, the hot water storage tank 410 is provided with a hot water storage amount sensor (not shown) for measuring the amount of hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 410. The hot water amount sensor and the hot water storage amount sensor are communicably connected to the hot water supply controller 411 via a communication line (not shown). The hot water supply controller 411 responds to a periodic request from the control device 5 (for example, a request every minute), and obtains the amount of hot water used by the measurement of the hot water used sensor and the amount of hot water obtained by the measurement of the hot water storage sensor. The hot water amount measurement information including the hot water storage amount is generated and transmitted to the control device 5. The transmitted hot water amount measurement information further includes the device ID of the water heater 4 and the measurement time. The hot water supply controller 411 may spontaneously transmit the hot water amount measurement information to the control device 5 at regular time intervals (for example, 1 minute intervals).

<Devices 11a, 11b, ...>
The device 11 (devices 11a, 11b, ...) Is, for example, an electric device such as an air conditioner, a lighting device, a floor heating system, a refrigerator, an IH (Induction Heating) cooker, and a television. The electric devices 11a, 11b, ... Are installed in the house H and are electrically connected to the commercial power system 9 and the power generation facility 2 via the power lines PL4, PL5, ... Branched by the distribution board 10.

Each device 11 is provided with a wireless communication interface and communicates with the control device 5 via the above-mentioned home network. Each device 11 may have a specification of being connected to a home network via an external communication adapter (not shown). In response to the request from the control device 5, each device 11 transmits the operation state information in which the device ID, the current time, and the information indicating the current operation state are stored to the control device 5 via the home network.

<Operation terminal 6>
The operation terminal 6 is, for example, a smart device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, which includes an input device such as a push button, a touch panel, and a touch pad, a display device such as an organic EL display and a liquid crystal display, and a communication interface. The operation terminal 6 communicates with the control device 5 in accordance with well-known communication standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Wi-SUN (registered trademark), and wired LAN. The operation terminal 6 receives an operation from the user and transmits information indicating the received operation content to the control device 5. Further, the operation terminal 6 receives the information to be presented to the user transmitted from the control device 5, and displays the received information. In this way, the operation terminal 6 plays a role as an interface with the user (so-called user interface).

<Control device 5>
The control device 5 is installed at an appropriate location in the house H, and is information for collecting the above-mentioned information transmitted from the power measuring device 3, the water heater 4, and each device 11 installed in the house H via the home network. It is a collection unit. The control device 5 is, for example, a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) controller that manages the electric power used in the house H. As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 5 includes a CPU 50, a ROM 51, a RAM 52, a communication interface 53, and a secondary storage device 54. These components are connected to each other via a bus 55. The CPU 50 controls the control device 5 in an integrated manner.

The ROM 51 stores a plurality of firmwares and data used when executing these firmwares. The RAM 52 is used as a work area of the CPU 50.

The communication interface 53 includes a network card for wireless communication with the power measuring device 3, the water supply device 4, and each device 11 via the home network, a network card for wireless communication or wired communication with the operation terminal 6, and a router 12. It is provided with a network card for communicating with another device (for example, a cloud server 7) connected to the Internet via the above. The router 12 is a broadband router, and is connected to the control device 5 by a LAN (Local Area Network) cable. The secondary storage device 54 includes a readable and writable non-volatile semiconductor memory such as an EEPROM and a flash memory, or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The secondary storage device 54 stores one or more programs for managing the power consumed in the home and data used at the time of executing each program.

Functionally, as shown in FIG. 4, the control device 5 includes a measurement information acquisition unit 500, a performance information transmission unit 501, a water heater information acquisition unit 502, a water heater information transmission unit 503, and a schedule acquisition unit. 504 and a schedule transmission unit 505 are provided. These functional units are realized by the CPU 50 executing the above program stored in the secondary storage device 54.

The measurement information acquisition unit 500 acquires power measurement information and hot water amount measurement information from the power measurement device 3 and the water heater 4. Specifically, the measurement information acquisition unit 500 requests the power measurement device 3 to transmit the power measurement information at regular time intervals (for example, 1 minute intervals). In response to such a request, the measurement information acquisition unit 500 receives and acquires the power measurement information sent from the power measurement device 3. The measurement information acquisition unit 500 stores the acquired power measurement information in the performance information table 510.

Further, the measurement information acquisition unit 500 requests the water heater 4 to transmit the hot water amount measurement information at regular time intervals (for example, 1 minute intervals). In response to such a request, the measurement information acquisition unit 500 receives and acquires the hot water amount measurement information sent from the water heater 4. The measurement information acquisition unit 500 stores the acquired hot water amount measurement information in the performance information table 510.

The performance information table 510 is a data table stored in the secondary storage device 54. The performance information table 510 stores a history of power measurement information and hot water amount measurement information for a predetermined period (for example, one year).

In response to the request from the cloud server 7, the performance information transmission unit 501 periodically (for example, every hour) stores the power measurement information and the amount of hot water for the past one hour in the performance information table 510. The information is read out and transmitted to the cloud server 7 as electric power actual information and hot water amount actual information, respectively.

The water heater information acquisition unit 502 acquires water heater information from the water heater 4 in response to a request from the cloud server 7 or a user operation via the operation terminal 6. Specifically, the water heater information acquisition unit 502 requests the hot water supply controller 411 of the water heater 4 to transmit the water heater information. In response to such a request, the water heater information acquisition unit 502 receives and acquires the water heater information sent from the hot water supply controller 411. The water heater information acquisition unit 502 stores the acquired water heater information in the water heater information table 511, which is a data table stored in the secondary storage device 54. The water heater information includes the rated value of the water heater 4, the heating capacity, the reduction rate, and the like.

The above-mentioned rated value means the power consumption of the water heater 4 when the water heater 4 is operated by boiling with the above-mentioned first capacity. Further, the heating capacity means the heating capacity (unit: kW) of the water heater 4 when the water heater 4 is operated by boiling with the first capacity, and the reduction rate is the second capacity with respect to the first capacity of the water heater 4. It is a capacity ratio, which is 0.8 in this embodiment. In the water heater information, instead of the reduction rate, the drive frequency of the compressor 400 at the first capacity (for example, 50 Hz) and the drive frequency of the compressor 400 at the second capacity (for example, 40 Hz) are included. It may be included.

In response to the request from the cloud server 7, the water heater information transmission unit 503 reads the water heater information stored in the water heater information table 511 and transmits it to the cloud server 7.

The schedule acquisition unit 504 receives and acquires the boiling schedule sent from the cloud server 7 on a regular basis (for example, every 24 hours). The schedule transmission unit 505 transmits the boiling schedule acquired by the schedule acquisition unit 504 to the hot water supply controller 411 of the water heater 4. The hot water supply controller 411 controls the boiling operation by the hot water supply machine 4 according to the received boiling schedule.

<Cloud server 7>
The cloud server 7 is a server computer installed and operated by the manufacturer or sales company of the control device 5, has a function as a general Web server, and is connected to the Internet. As shown in FIG. 5, the cloud server 7 includes a CPU 70, a ROM 71, a RAM 72, a communication interface 73, and a secondary storage device 74. These components are connected to each other via a bus 75. The CPU 70 controls the cloud server 7 in an integrated manner. The performance of the CPU 70 is higher than that of the CPU 50 of the control device 5.

The ROM 71 stores a plurality of firmwares and data used when executing these firmwares. The RAM 72 is used as a work area of the CPU 70.

The communication interface 73 includes an interface for connecting to the Internet and communicating with other devices such as the control device 5 and the weather server 8.

The secondary storage device 74 is a large-capacity storage device including a readable and writable non-volatile semiconductor memory such as an EEPROM and a flash memory or an HDD. As shown in FIG. 5, the secondary storage device 74 stores the customer DB 740. The customer DB 740 is a database for managing information (hereinafter, customer information) about a user (that is, a customer) of the control device 5. Details of customer information will be described later.

Functionally, as shown in FIG. 6, the cloud server 7 includes a weather information acquisition unit 700, a power record acquisition unit 701, a hot water volume record acquisition unit 702, a water heater information acquisition unit 703, and a prediction unit 704. , A schedule creation unit 705 and a schedule transmission unit 706 are provided. These functional units are realized by the CPU 70 executing a schedule creation program (not shown) stored in the secondary storage device 74.

The weather information acquisition unit 700 acquires weather information from the weather server 8. The meteorological server 8 is a data server operated by the Japan Meteorological Agency, a meteorological operator, etc., and provides meteorological information so that it can be used by the general public. The weather server 8 is communicably connected to the cloud server 7 via the Internet, and distributes weather information to the cloud server 7 via the Internet. The meteorological information includes the weather forecast which is the forecast of the weather, the amount of solar radiation, the sunshine time, the temperature, etc. in the area including the house H, and the meteorological record which is the past record of these, and is the power generated by the power generation facility 2. It is used as a parameter for predicting a certain power P2.

The meteorological information acquisition unit 700 transmits a request for meteorological information to the meteorological server 8, and receives and acquires the meteorological information transmitted from the meteorological server 8 in response to the request. The weather information acquisition unit 700 acquires the weather information from the weather server 8 every time the weather information is updated on the weather server 8, and the weather included in the customer information corresponding to the customer in the customer DB 740 based on the acquired weather information. Update forecast information and weather record information. Customer information is registered in the customer DB 740 for each customer. Customer information includes water heater information, weather forecast information, meteorological record information, generated power information, power consumption information, hot water consumption information, hot water storage amount information, and the like. The weather forecast information is information indicating the weather forecast for the next day in the area including the house H. The meteorological record information is information indicating the meteorological record in the area including the house H. In the present embodiment, the meteorological record information includes the meteorological record for the past two weeks.

The electric power record acquisition unit 701 acquires electric power record information from the control device 5 of each customer on a regular basis (for example, every hour). The power record acquisition unit 701 periodically notifies each customer's control device 5 of a request for power record information, and receives the power record information transmitted from each control device 5 in response to the request. get. As described above, the electric power performance information includes the measured value of the electric power P1 which is the commercial power every minute, the measured value of the electric power P2 which is the generated power every minute, and 1 of the electric power P3 supplied to the water heater 4. The measured values for each minute are stored for a certain period of time (1 hour in the present embodiment). That is, the electric power record acquisition unit 701 acquires the actual results of the electric powers P1 to P3 for the past one hour every minute.

The electric power record acquisition unit 701 stores the acquired record of the electric power P3 for the past hour for each minute in the generated power information included in the customer information corresponding to the customer in the customer DB 740. The generated power information includes the actual results of the power P3 every minute for the past two weeks. In addition, the electric power record acquisition unit 701 removed the power consumption of the water heater 4 (electric power P3) from the total power consumption of the house H based on the acquired results of the electric powers P1 to P3 for the past hour every minute. Acquire the actual result of power consumption (hereinafter referred to as power Pc) every minute. The total power consumption of the house H corresponds to the sum of the electric power P1 and the electric power P2. The electric power record acquisition unit 701 stores the acquired record of the electric power Pc for the past hour for each minute in the power consumption information included in the customer information of the customer DB 740. The power consumption information includes the actual results of the power Pc every minute for the past two weeks.

The hot water amount actual acquisition unit 702 acquires hot water amount actual information from the control device 5 of each customer on a regular basis (for example, every hour). The hot water amount actual acquisition unit 702 periodically notifies each customer's control device 5 of a request for hot water amount actual information, and receives the hot water amount actual information transmitted from each control device 5 in response to the request. get. As described above, in the hot water amount actual information, the measured value of the amount of hot water used every minute and the measured value of the amount of hot water stored every minute are stored for a certain period (1 hour in the present embodiment). .. That is, the hot water amount actual acquisition unit 702 acquires the actual results of the amount of hot water used and the amount of hot water stored for the past one hour every minute.

The hot water amount actual acquisition unit 702 stores the acquired 1-minute actual result of the used hot water amount for the past hour in the used hot water amount information included in the customer information corresponding to the customer in the customer DB 740. The amount of hot water used includes the actual amount of hot water used every minute for the past two weeks. In addition, the hot water amount record acquisition unit 702 stores the acquired hot water storage amount for the past hour for each minute in the hot water storage amount information included in the customer information of the customer DB 740. The hot water storage amount information includes the actual results of the hot water storage amount every minute for the past two weeks.

The water heater information acquisition unit 703 acquires water heater information from the control device 5 of each customer on a regular basis (for example, every 24 hours). The water heater information acquisition unit 703 periodically notifies each customer's control device 5 of a request for water heater information, and receives the water heater information transmitted from each control device 5 in response to the request. To get. As described above, the water heater information includes the rated value of the water heater 4, the heating capacity, the reduction rate, and the like. The water heater information acquisition unit 703 stores the acquired water heater information in the water heater information included in the customer information corresponding to the customer in the customer DB 740.

The prediction unit 704 is an example of the prediction means according to the present invention. The prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the surplus power of the next day in the house H of each customer based on each customer information registered in the customer DB 740. The surplus electric power (hereinafter referred to as electric power Ps) here means the excess electric power when the electric power P2, which is the electric power generated by the power generation facility 2, exceeds the above-mentioned electric power Pc. That is, the electric power Ps corresponds to the difference between the electric power P2 and the electric power Pc.

Hereinafter, the prediction of the transition of the electric power Ps, which is the surplus electric power, will be described in detail. First, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the electric power P2 which is the generated electric power of the next day in the house H. Therefore, the prediction unit 704 creates a power generation prediction model based on the weather record information and the generated power information stored in the customer DB 740. The power generation prediction model is a model for predicting the power P2, and shows the measured values of the power P2 for the past predetermined target period (for example, 2 weeks) before today in time (for example, in 1-minute units). It is a model in which the electric power P2 is averaged in each group by grouping by the time) and the weather.

Specifically, the forecasting unit 704 refers to the past meteorological results in the target period, and groups the measured values of the electric power P2 at each time in the target period by weather such as sunny, cloudy, and rainy. The average value of the measured values of the electric power P2 in each group is calculated. Then, the prediction unit 704 creates a power generation prediction model by associating the average value of the calculated measured values of the electric power P2 with each time and the weather. The prediction unit 704 calculates the median value of the measured value of the electric power P2 in each group, and creates a power generation prediction model by associating the calculated median value of the measured value of the electric power P2 with each time and weather. May be good.

The forecasting unit 704 acquires the weather forecast for the next day in the area including the house H from the weather forecast information included in the customer information corresponding to the customer. The prediction unit 704 refers to the created power generation prediction model and acquires the average value of the measured values of the power P2 corresponding to the weather at each time of the next day. The prediction unit 704 sets the average value of the acquired measured values of the electric power P2 at each time as the predicted value of the electric power P2 at each time of the next day. In this way, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the electric power P2 on the next day.

Secondly, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the electric power Pc in the house H on the next day. As described above, the electric power Pc corresponds to the difference between the total power consumption (that is, the electric power P1 + the electric power P2) and the electric power P3 supplied to the water heater 4. In order to predict the transition of the electric power Pc, the prediction unit 704 creates a consumption prediction model based on the power consumption information stored in the customer DB 740. The consumption prediction model is a model for predicting the power Pc which is the power consumption in the house H, and the measured value of the power Pc for the above target period is the time (for example, the time indicated in 1 minute units) and the day of day. It is a model in which the electric power Pc is averaged in each group.

Specifically, the prediction unit 704 groups the measured values of the power Pc at each time in the past target period by day of the week, and calculates the average value of the measured values of the power Pc in each group. Then, the prediction unit 704 creates a consumption prediction model by associating the average value of the calculated measured values of the electric power Pc with the day of the week. The prediction unit 704 may create a consumption prediction model by calculating the median value of the measured value of the power Pc in each group and associating the median value of the calculated measured value of the power Pc with the day of the week. Alternatively, the prediction unit 704 may create a consumption prediction model by associating the maximum value of the measured value of the power Pc in each group with the day of the week. For example, if the average value is adopted as in the present embodiment, there is an effect that it is easy to grasp the tendency of the change in power consumption depending on the season. In addition, adopting the median has the effect of reducing the influence of outliers (for example, overuse by visitors, underuse by travel, etc.). In addition, if the maximum value is adopted, the maximum usage in the past is assumed, so that there is an effect that the risk of purchasing electricity can be further reduced.

The prediction unit 704 refers to the created consumption prediction model and acquires the average value of the measured values of the power Pc at each time corresponding to the day of the week of the next day. The prediction unit 704 sets the average value of the acquired measured values of the power Pc at each time as the predicted value of the power Pc at each time of the next day. In this way, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the electric power Pc on the next day. The prediction unit 704 may create a consumption prediction model in consideration of the user's home or absence record, and may predict the transition of the electric power Pc in the next day in consideration of the user's next day's home or absence schedule. ..

Then, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the power Ps, which is the surplus power, from the transition of the power P2 and the transition of the power Pc on the next day, which are predicted respectively. Specifically, the prediction unit 704 predicts the power Ps at each time of the next day (for example, the time indicated in 1-minute units) by subtracting the predicted value of the power Pc from the predicted value of the power P2. Calculate the value. In this way, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the power Ps, which is the surplus power, as shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the above-mentioned series of processing (hereinafter, referred to as surplus power prediction processing) by the prediction unit 704. In step S101, the prediction unit 704 creates a power generation prediction model based on the weather record information and the generated power information stored in the customer DB 740. Alternatively, if the power generation prediction model has already been created, the power generation prediction model is updated based on the latest information stored in the prediction unit 704 and the customer DB 740.

In step S102, the forecasting unit 704 acquires the weather forecast for the next day in the area including the house H from the weather forecast information stored in the customer DB 740.

In step S103, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the generated power on the next day. Specifically, the prediction unit 704 refers to the power generation prediction model and acquires the average value of the measured values of the power P2 corresponding to the weather at each time of the next day. Then, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the electric power P2 by setting the average value of the acquired measured values of the electric power P2 at each time as the predicted value of the electric power P2 at each time of the next day.

In step S104, the prediction unit 704 creates a consumption prediction model based on the power consumption information stored in the customer DB 740. Alternatively, if the consumption forecast model has already been created, the forecasting unit 704 updates the consumption forecast model based on the latest information stored in the customer DB 740.

In step S105, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of power consumption on the next day. Specifically, the prediction unit 704 refers to the consumption prediction model and acquires the average value of the measured values of the power Pc at each time corresponding to the day of the week of the next day. Then, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the power Pc by setting the average value of the acquired measured values of the power Pc at each time as the predicted value of the power Pc at each time on the next day.

In step S106, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the surplus power on the next day. Specifically, the prediction unit 704 calculates the predicted value of the power Ps at each time by subtracting the predicted value of the power Pc from the predicted value of the power P2 at each time of the next day. In this way, the prediction unit 704 predicts the transition of the electric power Ps on the next day.

Returning to FIG. 6, the schedule creation unit 705 is an example of the schedule creation means according to the present invention. After the above-mentioned surplus power prediction processing is completed, the schedule creation unit 705 sets the night-time boiling schedule for the night-time boiling operation of the water heater 4 and the daytime boiling based on the transition of the surplus power predicted by the prediction unit 704. Create a boiling schedule including a daytime boiling schedule for raising operation. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process of creating a boiling schedule (hereinafter, referred to as a boiling schedule creation process) by the schedule creation unit 705.

First, the schedule creation unit 705 executes a process of creating a daytime boiling schedule (hereinafter, referred to as a daytime boiling schedule creation process). FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the daytime boiling schedule creation process. The schedule creation unit 705 sets the target time zone from 0:00 to 0:30 as an initial setting (step S301). The schedule creation unit 705 determines whether or not the predicted value of the surplus power in the time zone is larger than the rated value of the water heater 4 (step S302). As described above, the surplus power is predicted to be, for example, the power Ps at the time indicated in 1 minute units (see FIG. 7). Therefore, in detail, the schedule creation unit 705 determines whether or not the minimum value of the predicted value of the surplus power in the time zone is larger than the rated value of the water heater 4, thereby determining the surplus power in the time zone. It is determined whether or not the predicted value is larger than the rated value of the water heater 4.

Further, in order to reduce the risk of receiving power supply from the commercial power system 9, that is, the risk of purchasing power, the schedule creation unit 705 sets the predicted value of surplus power in the time zone of the water heater 4 in step S302. It may be determined whether or not it is larger than the value obtained by adding a predetermined margin to the rated value.

When the predicted value of the surplus power in the time zone is larger than the rated value of the water heater 4 (step S302; YES), the schedule creation unit 705 turns on the boiling possible flag in the time zone (step S303). On the other hand, when the predicted value of the surplus power in the time zone is not larger than the rated value of the water heater 4 (step S302; NO), the schedule creation unit 705 turns off the boiling enable flag in the time zone (step). S304). The boiling enable flag is a variable corresponding to each time zone constituting the boiling schedule, and is temporarily expanded in the RAM 72. In the present embodiment, the boiling schedule is composed of time zones at intervals of 30 minutes from 0:00 to 24:00.

The schedule creation unit 705 advances the target time zone by 30 minutes (step S305), and determines whether or not the target new time zone is from 24:00 to 24:30 (step S306). When the target new time zone is not from 24:00 to 24:30 (step S306; NO), the schedule creation unit 705 repeats the processes of steps S302 to S305.

On the other hand, when the target new time zone is from 24:00 to 24:30 (step S306; YES), the schedule creation unit 705 sets the total time of the time zone in which the boiling enable flag is turned ON in advance. It is determined whether or not the time is equal to or longer than the predetermined reference time (step S307). Here, the reference time is the time required to boil the maximum daytime boiling amount, and is calculated by the following formula.

Reference time = maximum daytime boiling amount x (boiling temperature-city water temperature) / heating capacity of water heater 4 (Equation 1)

Maximum daytime boiling amount = full tank hot water storage amount-hot water shortage prevention amount (Equation 2)

The amount of hot water to be prevented is an amount that serves as a threshold for additional boiling, and corresponds to, for example, the amount of hot water for one hot water filling.

The reference time may be the average time or the minimum time of the daytime boiling time in the past predetermined period (for example, 2 weeks) before today.

When the total time of the time zone in which the boiling possible flag is turned ON is equal to or longer than the predetermined reference time (step S307; YES), the schedule creation unit 705 sets the maximum daytime boiling amount to ON. A daytime boiling schedule is created so that the normal ability (that is, the first ability) is used during the time period (step S308). After the process of step S308, the process of the schedule creation unit 705 shifts to step S202 of FIG.

On the other hand, when the total time in the time zone in which the boiling enable flag is turned ON is not equal to or longer than the predetermined reference time (step S307; NO), the schedule creation unit 705 determines whether the water heater 4 can boil with low capacity. (Hereinafter referred to as a low-capacity determination process) is executed (step S309). After the process of step S309, the process of the schedule creation unit 705 shifts to step S202 of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the low capacity determination process. The schedule creation unit 705 sets the target time zone from 0:00 to 0:30 as an initial setting (step S401). The schedule creation unit 705 determines whether or not the predicted value of the surplus power in the time zone is larger than the reduction value (step S402).

Here, the reduced value means the power consumption of the water heater 4 when the boiling operation is performed at a low capacity (that is, the second capacity), and the boiling operation at a low capacity means a load lower than usual. That is, it means that the compressor 400 is operated at a drive frequency lower than usual. In the present embodiment, the reduction value is calculated by multiplying the rated value by the reduction rate (that is, 0.8). As described above, in the water heater information, instead of the reduction rate, the drive frequency of the compressor 400 at the first capacity (for example, 50 Hz) and the drive frequency of the compressor 400 at the second capacity (for example, 50 Hz) are used. When 40 Hz) is included, the schedule creation unit 705 calculates the reduction rate based on both drive frequencies.

Further, the schedule creation unit 705 determines whether or not the minimum value of the predicted value of the surplus power in the time zone is larger than the reduction value, as in the case of step S302 in FIG. 10, in the time zone. It is determined whether or not the predicted value of surplus power is larger than the reduced value.

When the predicted value of the surplus power in the time zone is larger than the reduction value (step S402; YES), the schedule creation unit 705 turns on the low-capacity boiling possible flag in the time zone (step S403). On the other hand, when the predicted value of the surplus power in the time zone is not larger than the reduction value (step S402; NO), the schedule creation unit 705 turns off the low-capacity boiling possible flag in the time zone (step S404). .. The low-capacity boiling-capable flag, like the boiling-capable flag, is a variable corresponding to each time zone constituting the boiling schedule, and is temporarily expanded in the RAM 72.

The schedule creation unit 705 advances the target time zone by 30 minutes (step S405), and determines whether or not the target new time zone is from 24:00 to 24:30 (step S406). When the target new time zone is not from 24:00 to 24:30 (step S406; NO), the schedule creation unit 705 repeats the processes of steps S402 to S405.

On the other hand, when the target new time zone is from 24:00 to 24:30 (step S406; YES), the schedule creation unit 705 boil with the normal ability during the time zone when the boiling enable flag is turned on. The amount of hot water when the operation is performed (hereinafter referred to as the first hot water amount) and the amount of hot water when the low capacity boiling operation is performed during the time period when the low capacity boiling possible flag is turned on (hereinafter referred to as the second hot water amount). ) And are calculated (step S407).

Then, the schedule creation unit 705 determines whether or not the first hot water amount is larger than the second hot water amount (step S408). When the amount of the first hot water is larger than the amount of the second hot water (step S408; YES), the schedule creation unit 705 creates a daytime boiling schedule so that the boiling operation is performed at the normal capacity during the time when the boiling enable flag is ON. (Step S409). After the process of step S409, the process of the schedule creation unit 705 shifts to step S202 of FIG.

On the other hand, when the amount of the first hot water is not larger than the amount of the second hot water (step S408; NO), the schedule creation unit 705 boil in the daytime so as to perform the boiling operation with the low capacity during the time zone when the low capacity boiling possible flag is ON. Create a raising schedule (step S410). After the process of step S410, the process of the schedule creation unit 705 shifts to step S202 of FIG.

In step S202 of FIG. 9, the schedule creation unit 705 creates a night boiling schedule. In detail, the schedule creation unit 705 subtracts the amount of hot water planned when the boiling operation is performed according to the created daytime boiling schedule from the full tank storage amount, and uses the normal capacity at night when the electricity rate is low. Create a night boiling schedule to boil. In addition, when the created daytime boiling schedule is to perform the boiling operation with low capacity, the schedule creation unit 705 may create a night boiling schedule so as to perform the boiling operation with low capacity. ..

Returning to FIG. 6, the schedule transmission unit 706 is an example of the schedule transmission means according to the present invention. The schedule transmission unit 706 transmits to the control device 5 a boiling schedule in which the daytime boiling schedule and the night boiling schedule created as described above are integrated.

As described above, according to the hot water supply system 1 of the present embodiment, the hot water supply machine 4 is boiled and operated with a low capacity even in a time zone when the surplus electric power does not reach the rated value of the hot water supply machine 4. Therefore, the surplus electricity can be utilized more and the self-consumption rate can be improved.

For example, even when the rated capacity of the power generation facility 2 is small, the risk of receiving power supply from the commercial power system 9, that is, the risk of purchasing power can be reduced, and the economic loss can be suppressed.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, the control device 5 may be configured to further include at least one of an input device for receiving an operation from the user and a display device for presenting information to the user. Further, the control device 5 may create a boiling schedule. In this case, the control device 5 includes the same functional units as the weather information acquisition unit 700, the prediction unit 704, and the schedule creation unit 705 of the cloud server 7.

Further, the cloud server 7 may estimate the meteorological record from the actual amount of power generation instead of acquiring the meteorological record from the meteorological server 8. For example, the amount of power generation is classified into a predetermined number of classes, the class with the largest amount of power generation is classified as "sunny", and the class with the least amount of power generation is classified as "rain". In this case, since the amount of power generated differs in each time zone, the amount of solar radiation outside the atmosphere may be calculated from the latitude / longitude and date, the amount of power generated may be divided by the amount of solar radiation outside the atmosphere and the PV rating, and clustered by the amount of power generated. .. As a clustering method, the k-means method or the like can be adopted.

Further, the cloud server 7 may create only the daytime boiling schedule and send it to the control device 5. In this case, the night boiling schedule is created by the hot water supply controller 411 of the control device 5 or the water heater 4.

Further, the control device 5 does not transmit the boiling schedule received from the cloud server 7 as it is to the hot water supply controller 411, but transmits control data to the hot water supply controller 411 according to the received boiling schedule, thereby causing the water heater 4 to transmit the control data. You may control the boiling operation of.

Further, in the hot water supply system 1, the cloud server 7 may directly transmit the boiling schedule to the hot water supply controller 411 of the hot water supply machine 4 without the intervention of the control device 5. In this configuration, the hot water supply controller 411 includes a communication interface for connecting to the Internet via the router 12. Further, in this case, the hot water supply controller 411 may directly transmit the hot water amount actual information and the hot water supply machine information to the cloud server 7. Further, the cloud server 7 does not transmit the created boiling schedule to the hot water supply controller 411 as it is, but transmits control data to the hot water supply controller 411 according to the created boiling schedule, whereby the boiling operation of the water heater 4 is performed. May be controlled.

Further, in the above embodiment, the control device 5 acquires the water heater information including the rated value, the heating capacity, the reduction rate, etc. from the hot water supply controller 411 of the water heater 4, and transmits the information to the cloud server 5. Information that can identify the model such as the model number of the water heater 4 (hereinafter referred to as model identification information) may be transmitted to the cloud server 5. The control device 5 acquires such model identification information from the hot water supply controller 411. Alternatively, the model identification information may be stored in the secondary storage device 54 of the control device 5 by inputting by the user via the operation terminal 6. The cloud server 5 uses the model identification information received from the control device 5 to inquire of a server managed by the manufacturer or development department of the water heater 4 (hereinafter referred to as a water heater management server), thereby causing the water heater 4 to contact the server. Obtain water heater information including the rated value, heating capacity, reduction rate, etc. The cloud server 7 and the water heater management server are connected via the Internet or an intranet.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, a screen for inquiring the user whether or not to execute the daytime boiling operation (hereinafter referred to as a user inquiry screen) is displayed on the operation terminal 6, and the daytime boiling is performed only when the user permits it. The raising operation may be executed. On the user inquiry screen, the effect when the user permits, for example, the boiling operation time in the daytime, the amount of hot water boiled in the daytime, the amount of self-consumption power consumption, the economic merit associated with the self-consumption, etc. may be displayed. ..

Further, in step S307 of FIG. 10, instead of the total time of the time zone in which the boiling possible flag is ON, the maximum time during which the boiling possible flag is turned on continuously may be compared with the reference time. By doing so, the number of times the compressor 400 is started and stopped can be suppressed, and the product life of the water heater 4 can be prevented from being shortened. In this case, in step S308 of FIG. 10, the schedule creation unit 705 creates a daytime boiling schedule so as to boil with the normal capacity (that is, the first capacity) in the time zone related to the maximum time. Further, in step S407 of FIG. 11, the schedule creation unit 705 calculates the amount of hot water when the boiling operation is performed at the normal capacity during the time zone related to the maximum time, as the first hot water amount, and the low capacity boiling possible flag. The amount of hot water when the boiling operation is performed with low capacity during the time period corresponding to the longest time when is the most continuously turned on is calculated as the second amount of hot water. Then, in step S409 of FIG. 11, the schedule creation unit 705 creates a daytime boiling schedule so that the boiling possible flag is boiled with the normal ability in the time zone corresponding to the longest time when the boiling possible flag is turned on continuously. Further, in step S410, the schedule creation unit 705 creates a daytime boiling schedule so that the low-capacity boiling-capable flag is boiled at a low capacity during the time zone corresponding to the longest time when the low-capacity boiling-capable flag is turned on continuously.

Also, the low ability may have multiple stages. In this case, for example, the water heater information includes a plurality of reduction rates (eg, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, etc.). As described above, when there are a plurality of reduction rates, in the low capacity determination process of FIG. 11, the schedule creation unit 705 performs the processes of steps S401 to S407 at each reduction rate and calculates the amount of hot water corresponding to each reduction rate. Then, the largest amount of hot water is adopted as the second amount of hot water to be compared with the first amount of hot water in step S408. Further, in step S410, the schedule creation unit 705 creates a daytime boiling schedule so that the boiling operation is performed at a reduction rate corresponding to the largest amount of hot water. Alternatively, the schedule creation unit 705 may perform the low capacity determination process by changing the reduction rate for each time zone.

Further, in step S408 of FIG. 11, whether the boiling operation is performed with the normal capacity or the low capacity may be determined not by the amount of hot water of both, but by the COP (Coefficient Of Performance) of both. Generally, in the refrigeration cycle, the efficiency of the heat exchanger is higher when the load is low, so that the boiling operation with low capacity is easily adopted by judging by COP.

Further, the cloud server 7 or the control device 5 may instruct the water heater 4 to perform the boiling operation with a low capacity when the surplus power on the day is smaller than the prediction. As a result, the risk of purchasing electricity can be reduced while ensuring the amount of boiling water in the daytime.

In the above embodiment, the boiling operation with low capacity is realized by making the drive frequency of the compressor 400 smaller than usual. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, when the water heater 4 also has a configuration in which medium hot water is taken out from the middle position of the hot water storage tank 410 and conveyed to the first heat exchanger 401, the medium is medium. Performing the boiling operation using hot water may be referred to as the boiling operation with low capacity.

Further, all or a part of the functional parts (see FIG. 4) of the control device 5 may be realized by dedicated hardware. Similarly, all or part of the functional parts (see FIG. 6) of the cloud server 7 may be realized by dedicated hardware. Dedicated hardware is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof.

The above schedule creation programs include CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), magneto-optical disc (Magneto-Optical Disc), USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, memory card, HDD, etc. It is also possible to store and distribute it on a computer-readable recording medium. Then, by installing the schedule creation program distributed in this way on a specific or general-purpose computer, it is possible to make the computer function as the cloud server 7 in the above-described embodiment.

Further, the schedule creation program may be stored in a storage device of another server on the Internet so that the schedule creation program can be downloaded from the server to the cloud server 7.

The present invention is capable of various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope. Moreover, the above-described embodiment is for explaining the present invention, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is indicated not by the embodiment but by the claims. And various modifications made within the scope of the claims and within the equivalent meaning of the invention are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be suitably adopted in a hot water supply system.

1 Hot water supply system, 2 Power generation equipment, 3 Power measurement device, 4 Water heater, 5 Control device, 6 Operation terminal, 7 Cloud server, 8 Meteorological server, 9 Commercial power supply system, 10 Distribution board, 11a, 11b equipment, 12 Router , 20 PV panel, 21 PV-PCS, 40 heat pump unit, 41 tank unit, 42 water pipe, 43 communication line, 44 remote control, 45 shower, 46 faucet, 50, 70 CPU, 51, 71 ROM, 52, 72 RAM, 53,73 Communication interface, 54,74 Secondary storage, 55,75 Bus, 400 Compressor, 401 First heat exchanger, 402 Expansion valve, 403 Second heat exchanger, 404 Blower, 405 Water pump, 406 Control Board, 407 Coolant piping, 410 Hot water storage tank, 411 Hot water supply controller, 412 Mixing valve, 500 Measurement information acquisition unit, 501 Actual information transmission unit, 502,703 Water heater information acquisition unit, 503 Water heater information transmission unit, 504 Schedule acquisition unit , 505, 706 schedule transmission unit, 510 performance information table, 511 water heater information table, 700 weather information acquisition department, 701 power performance acquisition department, 702 hot water volume performance acquisition department, 704 prediction department, 705 schedule creation department, 740 customer DB

Claims (5)

A hot water supply system equipped with a cloud server and a water heater installed in a house.
The cloud server
A prediction means for predicting the transition of surplus power generated by the power generation equipment installed in the house, and
A schedule creation means for creating a daytime boiling schedule for the daytime boiling operation of the water heater based on the transition of the surplus electric power, and
A schedule transmission means for transmitting the daytime boiling schedule to the water heater is provided.
The water heater acquires the daytime boiling schedule from the cloud server by communication, and performs the boiling operation with the first capacity or the second capacity lower than the first capacity according to the acquired daytime boiling schedule.
The schedule creating means is such that when the total time during which the water heater can perform the boiling operation with the first capacity only by the surplus power is equal to or longer than a predetermined reference time, the boiling operation is performed with the first capacity during the daytime. When a boiling schedule is created and the total time is shorter than the reference time and the water heater performs the boiling operation with the first capacity, the amount of the first hot water planned is the second capacity of the water heater. A hot water supply system that creates the daytime boiling schedule so that the water heater performs the boiling operation with the second capacity when the amount of the second hot water is less than or equal to the planned amount when the boiling operation is performed in. The schedule creating means calculates the amount of hot water scheduled when the boiling operation is performed according to the created daytime boiling schedule, and based on the calculated amount of hot water, the night boiling related to the night boiling operation of the water heater is performed. Create more schedules
The schedule transmitting means further transmits the night boiling schedule to the water heater.
The hot water supply system according to claim 1, wherein the water heater further acquires the night boiling schedule from the cloud server by communication, and performs a boiling operation according to the acquired night boiling schedule. Forecasting means for predicting changes in surplus electricity generated by power generation equipment installed in houses,
A schedule creation means for creating a daytime boiling schedule for the daytime boiling operation of the water heater installed in the house based on the transition of the surplus electric power, and
A schedule transmission means for transmitting the daytime boiling schedule to the water heater is provided.
The schedule creating means is such that when the total time during which the water heater can perform the boiling operation with only surplus power at the first capacity is equal to or longer than a predetermined reference time, the daytime boiling operation is performed with the first capacity. The amount of the first hot water planned when the raising schedule is created and the total time is shorter than the reference time and the water heater performs the boiling operation with the first capacity is such that the water heater has the first capacity. in the case of less than or equal to the second amount of hot water, which is scheduled for when the capacity was boiling operation at a lower second capacity, the water heater is said to create a daytime boiling scheduled to perform the boiling operation in the previous Symbol the second capacity , Cloud server. Forecasting means predicts the transition of surplus electricity generated by the power generation equipment installed in the house,
The schedule creation means creates a daytime boiling schedule for the daytime boiling operation of the water heater installed in the house based on the transition of the surplus electric power.
The schedule transmitting means transmits the daytime boiling schedule to the water heater, and the schedule transmitting means transmits the daytime boiling schedule to the water heater.
The schedule creating means is such that when the total time during which the water heater can perform the boiling operation with only surplus power at the first capacity is equal to or longer than a predetermined reference time, the daytime boiling operation is performed with the first capacity. When the raising schedule is created and the total time is shorter than the reference time and the water heater performs the boiling operation with the first capacity, the amount of the first hot water planned is such that the water heater has the first capacity. in the case of less than or equal to the second amount of hot water, which is scheduled for when the capacity was boiling operation at a lower second capacity, the water heater is said to create a daytime boiling scheduled to perform the boiling operation in the previous Symbol the second capacity , How to make a boiling schedule. Computer,
Predictive means for predicting changes in surplus electricity generated by power generation equipment installed in houses,
A schedule creation means for creating a daytime boiling schedule for the daytime boiling operation of a water heater installed in the house based on the transition of the surplus electric power.
It functions as a schedule transmission means for transmitting the daytime boiling schedule to the water heater.
The schedule creating means is such that when the total time during which the water heater can perform the boiling operation with only surplus power at the first capacity is equal to or longer than a predetermined reference time, the daytime boiling operation is performed with the first capacity. When the raising schedule is created and the total time is shorter than the reference time and the water heater performs the boiling operation with the first capacity, the amount of the first hot water planned is such that the water heater has the first capacity. in the case of less than or equal to the second amount of hot water, which is scheduled for when the capacity was boiling operation at a lower second capacity, the water heater is said to create a daytime boiling scheduled to perform the boiling operation in the previous Symbol the second capacity ,program.

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