JP7610100B2 - Hot water system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hot water supply system, a diagnostic method for a hot water supply device, and a diagnostic program.

JP 11-110038 A (Patent Document 1) discloses a monitor device that monitors the usage status of a combustion appliance. This monitor device has a data storage unit that accumulates and stores data on the usage status of the combustion appliance, a data storage unit that stores life expectancy prediction curve data that shows the relationship between data corresponding to the usage status of the combustion appliance and data corresponding to the failure rate, a data import unit that imports the usage status data stored in the data storage unit upon receiving a data import command, and a display unit that displays the data imported by the data import unit on a screen.

In the above configuration, the display unit is configured to display on a screen the life prediction curve data stored in the data storage unit, and to display the position of the data corresponding to the imported usage conditions on the life prediction curve data.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-110038

The monitoring device described in Patent Document 1 can objectively display a life prediction for a combustion appliance. However, the life prediction curve data is created for each model of combustion appliance based on data on the failure rate for initial failures, data on the failure rate for random failures, and data on the failure rate for wear-out failures for each component that makes up the combustion appliance. Therefore, in order to improve the accuracy of the life prediction curve data, a large amount of actual data for each failure is required, and there is a concern that it will take time to improve the accuracy. Furthermore, if the amount of actual data is insufficient, the life prediction curve data cannot be updated, and there is a concern that the accuracy of the prediction cannot be guaranteed.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a hot water supply system, a hot water supply device diagnostic method, and a diagnostic program that can diagnose a hot water supply device easily and accurately.

In one aspect of the present invention, a hot water supply system includes a hot water supply device and a diagnostic device that is connected to the hot water supply device and diagnoses the hot water supply device. The hot water supply device includes a hot water supply circuit that has a combustion unit and outputs hot water heated by the heat generated by the combustion unit, and a controller that controls the operation of the hot water supply circuit. The controller acquires information about the usage history of the hot water supply circuit based on the usage status of the hot water supply circuit during operation of the hot water supply circuit. The controller transmits the acquired information about the usage history of the hot water supply circuit to the diagnostic device. The information about the usage history of the hot water supply circuit includes the accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit since the installation of the hot water supply device. The diagnostic device acquires information about the usage history of the hot water supply circuit by communicating with the hot water supply device. The diagnostic device uses the acquired information about the usage history of the hot water supply circuit to calculate a usage rate, which is the ratio of the accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit to the total usage time of the hot water supply circuit that is expected in advance. The diagnostic device predicts the remaining life of the hot water supply circuit based on the calculated usage rate of the hot water supply circuit, and displays the usage rate and remaining life of the hot water supply circuit.

The present invention provides a hot water supply system, a hot water supply device diagnostic method, and a diagnostic program that can easily and accurately diagnose a hot water supply device.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a hot water supply system and a communication system to which a diagnostic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the water heater shown in FIG. 1 . 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a method for diagnosing a water heating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; This is a histogram of the output numbers of the hot water circuit. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a usage history confirmation screen displayed on a display unit. FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic change over time in the usage rate of a combustion burner in a hot water supply circuit. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a prediction result display screen displayed on a display unit. 4 is a graph showing a schematic diagram of a usage tendency of a hot water supply circuit in a hot water supply apparatus to be diagnosed.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following, the same or corresponding parts in the drawings will be given the same reference numerals, and in principle, their description will not be repeated.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of a hot water supply system and a communication system to which the diagnostic device according to this embodiment is applied.

Referring to FIG. 1, the hot water supply system 1 includes a hot water supply device 110 and a remote controller (hereinafter simply referred to as "remote control") 12. Hot water from the hot water supply device 110 is delivered to a hot water supply destination via piping connected to a plurality of hot water supply outlets 111. In addition to the faucet, the hot water supply destination includes a bathtub and a heating terminal (neither of which are shown) that are disposed in the bathtub.

A circuit board 115 is mounted inside the water heater 110. A controller 140 for driving and controlling the water heater 110 is mounted on the circuit board 115. The controller 140 is configured, for example, by a microcomputer. The controller 140 controls a solenoid valve (not shown) for controlling the supply of fuel gas to a combustion section (not shown), a blower fan (not shown) for supplying air to be mixed with the fuel gas, and the like.

The remote control 12 is connected to the water heater 110, for example, by a two-core communication line. The remote control 12 has a display unit and an operation unit. The user can fill the bathtub with water, set the hot water temperature, and so on, by operating the operation unit according to the screen displayed by the display unit. For example, the remote control 12 can be installed in the kitchen or bathroom.

The communication system 100 includes a hot water supply system 1, a diagnostic device 2, an interface device 3, an external communication network 4, and a server 5.

The interface device 3 is a communication repeater for connecting devices within a certain range, including the remote control 12, to the server 5 via the external communication network 4. For example, the interface device 3 can be configured with a so-called wireless LAN (Local Area Network) router. The external communication network 4 is typically the Internet. Hereinafter, the external communication network 4 will also be referred to simply as the Internet 4.

The server 5 is connected to the Internet 4 and has a function for managing remote control (remote operation and remote monitoring) of the hot water supply system 1. The remote control 12 is communicatively connected to the interface device 3 by wireless communication, and is thereby able to communicate with the server 5 via the Internet 4. In this way, the hot water supply system 1 is communicatively connected to the server 5.

It is also possible to connect to the server 5 from a mobile terminal device 8 such as a smartphone or tablet terminal. When the mobile terminal device 8 is within a range where it can connect to the interface device 3, the mobile terminal device 8 can communicate with the server 5 by connecting to the interface device 3 via wireless communication. Also, when the mobile terminal device 8 is outside the home, the mobile terminal device 8 can communicate with the server 5 by connecting to the Internet 4 via a router 6 or a base station 7.

The diagnostic device 2 is an operation terminal used by a worker to diagnose the water heating apparatus 110. For example, a tablet terminal or a personal computer (PC) owned by a field worker is used as the diagnostic device 2. In the example of FIG. 1, the diagnostic device 2 is a PC owned by a field worker, and is connected to the circuit board 115 inside the water heating apparatus 110 by a communication line 9.

The diagnostic device 2 is communicatively connected to the circuit board 115 inside the water heating apparatus 110, and is therefore able to communicate with the controller 140 mounted on the circuit board 115. The diagnostic device 2 can obtain information relating to the usage history of the various devices that make up the water heating apparatus 110 by exchanging data with the controller 140. The diagnostic device 2 can then use the information obtained from the controller 140 to diagnose the deterioration state and remaining lifespan of the various devices that make up the water heating apparatus 110.

An application program (hereinafter also referred to as the "diagnostic program") for diagnosing the water heating apparatus 110 can be installed in the diagnostic device 2 and the server 5. The diagnostic program can further be downloaded from the server 5 and then installed in the mobile terminal device 8. This allows each of the server 5 and the mobile terminal device 8, in addition to the diagnostic device 2, to be used as an operation terminal for diagnosing the water heating apparatus 110.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of the water heating device 110 shown in Figure 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the water heater 110 includes a water heater circuit 101 for dispensing hot water when a hot water tap such as a faucet 105 is opened, a reheating circuit 102 for heating and circulating the hot water in the bathtub 700, a heating circuit 103 for circulating and supplying the hot water, which is a heat medium, to a heating terminal (not shown), and a controller 140.

The reheating circuit 102 is configured to form a reheating circulation path between the inlet 191 and the outlet 192 for heating and circulating the hot water in the bathtub 700. The inlet 191 and the outlet 192 are each connected via piping to an opening provided in a circulation adapter (not shown) placed in the bathtub 700. The heating terminal that receives the heat medium from the heating circuit 103 is connected between the heating return port 302 and the heating output port (low temperature) 304, or between the heating return port 302 and the heating output port (high temperature) 306.

The configurations of the hot water supply circuit 101, the reheating circuit 102, and the heating circuit 103 are explained below.

The hot water supply circuit 101 includes a primary heat exchanger 11a, a secondary heat exchanger 21a, a combustion burner 30a, and a blower fan 40a, all of which are housed in a water heater body 10a. The hot water supply circuit 101 further includes a water inlet pipe 50, a bypass pipe 60, and a hot water outlet pipe 70.

Tap water or the like is supplied to the water inlet pipe 50. A bypass pipe 60 is placed between the water inlet pipe 50 and the hot water outlet pipe 70. A distribution valve 80 is interposed and connected to the water inlet pipe 50 to control the diversion to the bypass pipe 60. Depending on the opening of the distribution valve 80, a portion of the water supply is diverted from the water inlet pipe 50 to the bypass pipe 60. The proportion of the diverted water to the total water supply is controlled according to the opening of the distribution valve 80.

Furthermore, a temperature sensor 112 and a flow rate sensor 150 are disposed in the water inlet pipe 50. The temperature sensor 112 detects the inlet water temperature. The flow rate sensor 150 is disposed downstream (on the can body side) of the distribution valve 80. Therefore, the flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor 150 indicates the flow rate passing through the can body 10a (can body flow rate).

The water in the water inlet pipe 50 is first preheated by the secondary heat exchanger 21a, and then primarily heated by the primary heat exchanger 11a. Hot water heated to a predetermined temperature by the primary heat exchanger 11a and the secondary heat exchanger 21a is discharged from the hot water outlet pipe 70.

The hot water outlet pipe 70 is connected to the bypass pipe 60 at the junction 75. Therefore, hot water at an appropriate temperature, which is a mixture of high-temperature hot water output from the boiler body 10a and water from the bypass pipe 60, is supplied from the hot water supply system 1 to a designated hot water supply point such as the hot water tap 105 or a hot water supply circuit to a bathtub (not shown).

The hot water outlet pipe 70 is provided with a flow rate adjustment valve 90 and temperature sensors 120, 130. The temperature sensor 120 is located upstream (on the boiler body side) of the junction 75 of the hot water outlet pipe 70 with the bypass pipe 60, and detects the output hot water temperature (boiler body outlet temperature) from the boiler body 10a. The temperature sensor 130 is located downstream (on the hot water outlet side) of the junction 75, and detects the hot water outlet temperature after it is mixed with water from the bypass pipe 60. The flow rate adjustment valve 90 is provided to control the hot water outlet flow rate.

In the can body 10a, a mixture of fuel gas and combustion air supplied by a blower fan 40a is output from the combustion burner 30a. The mixture is ignited by an ignition device, causing the fuel gas to burn and generating a flame. The combustion heat generated by the flame from the combustion burner 30a is provided to the primary heat exchanger 11a and secondary heat exchanger 21a within the can body 10a.

The primary heat exchanger 11a heats the inlet water by heat exchange using the sensible heat (combustion heat) of the combustion gas from the combustion burner 30a. The secondary heat exchanger 21a heats the water flowing through it by the latent heat of the combustion exhaust gas from the combustion burner 30a. In this way, in the boiler body 10a, the water supplied from the water inlet pipe 50 is heated in the primary heat exchanger 11a and the secondary heat exchanger 21a by the amount of heat generated by combustion in the combustion burner 30a.

An exhaust path 15 for exhausting the combustion exhaust gas after heat exchange is provided downstream of the combustion gas flow direction of the can body 10a. A CO sensor 16 is installed in the exhaust path 15. The CO sensor 16 detects the CO concentration in the combustion exhaust gas. For example, a contact combustion sensor is used for the CO sensor 16. The contact combustion sensor has a configuration in which a coil made of platinum wire is coated with a combustion catalyst such as aluminum oxide or palladium, and then dried and baked. In such a CO sensor, if pollutants or moisture adhere to the surface, an error occurs in the sensor output. Therefore, during the combustion operation of the water heater 110, the CO sensor 16 is maintained at a high temperature by passing electricity through it so that pollutants and moisture contained in the combustion exhaust gas do not adhere to it.

A main gas solenoid valve 32, a gas proportional valve 33, and a capacity switching valve 35 are arranged in the gas supply pipe 31 to the combustion burner 30a. The main gas solenoid valve 32 has the function of turning on and off the supply of fuel gas to the combustion burner 30a. The gas flow rate in the gas supply pipe 31 is controlled according to the opening degree of the gas proportional valve 33.

The capacity switching valve 35 is controlled to open and close in order to switch the number of burners (number of burners firing) to which fuel gas is supplied among the multiple combustion burners 30a. The amount of heat generated in the can body 10a is proportional to the amount of gas supplied to the entire combustion burner 30a, which is determined by the combination of the number of burners and the gas flow rate. Therefore, a setting map can be created in advance that determines the combination of the opening and closing pattern of the capacity switching valve 35 (number of burners firing) and the opening degree of the gas proportional valve 33 (gas flow rate) in response to the required amount of heat to be generated.

Next, the configuration related to supplying hot water to the bathtub 700 in the hot water supply system 1, including the reheating circuit 102, will be described. Note that in the following, supplying hot water to the bathtub 700 will be referred to as "pouring hot water," while supplying hot water to hot water taps other than the bathtub 700 (such as the faucet 105) will be referred to simply as "supplying hot water."

The hot water supply device 110 further includes a hot water supply pipe 180 that branches off from the hot water outlet pipe 70 to supply hot water to the bathtub 700. The hot water supply pipe 180 branches off from the hot water outlet pipe 70 via a flow control valve 90. Furthermore, a hot water supply solenoid valve 210 and a check valve 220 are interposed and connected to the hot water supply pipe 180. The hot water supply pipe 180 is connected to the bath return pipe 190 at a junction 185. The opening and closing of the hot water supply solenoid valve 210 by the controller 140 can be controlled to open and close a path for supplying hot water from the hot water supply circuit 101 to the bathtub 700.

The reheating circuit 102 includes a bath return pipe 190, a bath supply pipe 195, a reheating circulation pump 400, and a bath heat exchanger 410.

The bath return pipe 190 is provided between the suction port 191 from the bathtub 700 and the suction port of the reheating circulation pump 400. The discharge side of the reheating circulation pump 400 is connected to one end of the bath heat exchanger 410. The other end of the bath heat exchanger 410 is connected to the discharge port 192 to the bathtub 700 by the bath supply pipe 195.

During reheating operation, the reheating circulation pump 400 operates to draw hot water from the bathtub 700 into the hot water supply system 1 through the intake port 191. A reheating circulation path is then formed in which the drawn hot water passes through the bath return pipe 190, the reheating circulation pump 400, the bath heat exchanger 410, and the bath supply pipe 195, and is returned to the bathtub 700 through the discharge port 192. In the reheating circulation path, temperature sensors 374 and 375 are provided on the input and output sides of the bath heat exchanger 410, respectively. The temperature sensor 374 detects the temperature of the hot water flowing through the bath return pipe 190, thereby detecting the temperature of the hot water in the bathtub 700 (hereinafter also referred to as the "bathtub water temperature").

During reheating operation, the thermal valve 330 of the heating circuit 103 is opened. This causes the heat transfer medium heated in the heating circuit 103 to flow through the bath heat exchanger 410. As a result, the hot water in the reheating circulation path is heated by the bath heat exchanger 410, and the bath water temperature can be increased.

Furthermore, the bath return pipe 190 is connected to the hot water supply pipe 180 at the junction 185. As a result, when the hot water supply solenoid valve 210 is opened, hot water from the hot water supply circuit 101 is supplied to the junction 185 via the hot water supply pipe 180. During hot water supply operation, the reheating circulation pump 400 is stopped, so the supplied hot water is supplied to the bathtub 700 from both the intake port 191 and the discharge port 192 via the bath return pipe 190 and the bath supply pipe 195, respectively. A water level sensor 412 is connected to the bath return pipe 190. The water level sensor 412 detects the hot water level in the bathtub 700 based on the water pressure of the hot water circulating through the reheating circulation path, and outputs a signal corresponding to the detected water level to the controller 140.

Next, the heating circuit 103 in the hot water supply system 1 will be described. During heating operation, the heating circuit 103 is configured to form a circulation path for hot water, which is a heat medium, between the heating return port 302 and the heating output port (low temperature) 304, and between the heating return port 302 and the heating output port (high temperature) 306.

The heating circuit 103 includes a primary heat exchanger 11b, a secondary heat exchanger 21b, and a combustion burner 30b. The primary heat exchanger 11b, the secondary heat exchanger 21b, and the combustion burner 30b are stored in a boiler body 10b. The primary heat exchanger 11b, the secondary heat exchanger 21b, and the combustion burner 30b may be stored in a boiler body common to the primary heat exchanger 11a, the secondary heat exchanger 21a, and the combustion burner 30a of the hot water supply circuit 101.

The primary heat exchanger 11b heats the incoming water by heat exchange using the sensible heat (combustion heat) of the combustion gas from the combustion burner 30b, and the secondary heat exchanger 21b heats the water flowing through it by the latent heat of the combustion exhaust gas from the combustion burner 30b. The number of burners to which fuel gas is supplied is switched among the multiple combustion burners 30b by controlling the opening and closing of the capacity switching valve 36. Fuel gas is supplied to the combustion burners 30b via the gas supply pipe 31, main gas solenoid valve 32, and gas proportional valve 33, which are shared with the combustion burners 30a.

Furthermore, the heating circuit 103 includes a heating circulation pump 310, a heating expansion tank 320, a thermal valve 330, pipes 350, 360, 370, 380, and 390, an on-off valve 610, a bypass on-off valve 365, and temperature sensors 382 and 384.

The pipe 350 connects the heating output port (low temperature) 304 to one end of the primary heat exchanger 11b. The pipe 360 is disposed between the other end of the primary heat exchanger 11b and the pipes 362 and 370.

The piping 380 connects the heating return port 302 to one end (inlet side) of the secondary heat exchanger 21b. The piping 390 connects the other end (outlet side) of the secondary heat exchanger 21b to the heating expansion tank 320. The suction port 311 of the heating circulation pump 310 is connected to the heating expansion tank 320. The discharge port 312 of the heating circulation pump 310 is connected to the branching portion 355 of the piping 350.

The heating expansion tank 320 is connected to the intake port 311 of the heating circulation pump 310. The heating expansion tank 320 temporarily stores the heat transfer medium circulating through the heating circuit 103. When the water level in the heating expansion tank 320 drops, water can be supplied from the pipe 51 by opening the water supply valve 305.

The pipe 360 branches into pipes 362 and 370. Therefore, the heat medium output from the primary heat exchanger 11b and flowing through the pipe 360 is divided into a path output by the pipe 370 to the heating output port (high temperature) 306 and a path circulated via the pipe 362. The pipe 370 is further branched into a pipe 371 leading to the pipe 390 via the bypass opening/closing valve 365, and a pipe 372 leading to the heating output port (high temperature) 306. The pipe 371 is connected to the pipe 390 at the junction 395. The pipe 371 forms a path for circulating the heat medium heated by the primary heat exchanger 11b to the heating expansion tank 320 via the pipe 390.

A temperature sensor 384 is disposed on the output side of the primary heat exchanger 11b to detect the output temperature (temperature at the outlet side of the tank) from the tank body 10b in the heating circuit 103. On the other hand, a temperature sensor 382 is disposed in the heating expansion tank 320 to detect the temperature of the hot water in the tank.

Thermal valve 330 is connected to pipe 362. Opening and closing of thermal valve 330 is controlled according to an opening and closing command from controller 140. When thermal valve 330 is open, the heat medium heated in primary heat exchanger 11b flows through bath heat exchanger 410. That is, when thermal valve 330 is open, a path is further formed to circulate the heat medium output from primary heat exchanger 11b to secondary heat exchanger 21b via bath heat exchanger 410, junction 385, and pipe 380.

The water heater 110 further includes a drain treatment circuit 104. The drain treatment circuit 104 is provided to neutralize drain (condensed water) generated in the water heater bodies 10a and 10b and discharge it to the outside of the water heater 110. The drain treatment circuit 104 includes a water collection pan 323, a discharge pipe 325, a neutralizer 327, a drain tank 328, and a drain discharge pump 329.

The water collection pan 323 is configured to collect drainage from the secondary heat exchangers 21a and 21b. The collected drainage is guided to the neutralizer 327 via the discharge pipe 325. The neutralizer 327 neutralizes the acidic drainage and then supplies the drainage to the drain tank 328. The drain tank 328 is connected to the suction port of the drain discharge pump 329. The drain tank 328 temporarily stores the neutralized drainage. When the water level in the drain tank 328 reaches or exceeds a predetermined upper limit, the drain discharge pump 329 is driven to discharge the drainage in the drain tank 328. When the water level in the drain tank 328 falls below a predetermined lower limit after the drainage is discharged, the drain discharge pump 329 is stopped and the discharge of the drainage is stopped.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the controller 140 receives output signals from each sensor and user operations to control the operation of the hot water supply circuit 101, the reheating circuit 102, the heating circuit 103, and the drain treatment circuit 104.

Furthermore, while each circuit is in operation, the controller 140 acquires information regarding the usage history of the equipment that constitutes each circuit. The controller 140 stores the acquired information in a memory unit. When the controller 140 is communicatively connected to the diagnostic device 2, it transmits the information stored in the memory unit to the diagnostic device 2. The diagnostic device 2 can use the information acquired from the controller 140 to diagnose the deterioration state and remaining lifespan of the equipment in each circuit of the water heating device 110.

Figure 3 is a functional block diagram for explaining a method for diagnosing a water heating apparatus according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, during a diagnosis mode in which the water heating apparatus 110 is diagnosed, the diagnosis device 2 is communicatively connected to the water heating apparatus 110.

Referring to FIG. 3, the controller 140 of the water heating device 110 has a control unit 401, an information acquisition unit 402, a calculation unit 404, a memory unit 406, and a communication unit 408.

The storage unit 406 has a memory and stores various programs and data. The functions of the control unit 401, the information acquisition unit 402, and the calculation unit 404 can be realized by software processing in which a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown) executes programs stored in the storage unit 406. Note that at least some of the functions of the control unit 401, the information acquisition unit 402, and the calculation unit 404 may be realized by hardware processing such as a dedicated electronic circuit.

The control unit 401 receives output signals from each sensor and user operations, and generates control commands for each device to control the overall operation of the hot water supply system 1. User operations include operation on/off commands for the hot water supply system 1 and set hot water temperature commands. For example, user operations are input to the remote control 12. Control commands include opening/closing and opening degree commands for each valve. Operation on/off commands include on/off commands for hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation by the hot water supply circuit 101, reheating operation by the reheating circuit 102, and heating operation by the heating circuit 103.

During hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation, the low-temperature water in the water inlet pipe 50 is heated by combustion in the combustion burner 30a of the hot water supply circuit 101 and output to the hot water outlet pipe 70. The control unit 401 calculates the required heat generation P* by the combustion burner 30a during hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation. This required heat generation P* is calculated based on the flow rate detected by the flow sensor 150, the inlet water temperature detected by the temperature sensor 112, and the water heater outlet temperature in the hot water supply circuit 101 detected by the temperature sensor 120 so that the detected value of the water heater outlet temperature is controlled to a target value. The target value of the water heater outlet temperature can be set based on the set temperature during hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation set by the user and the flow division ratio of the bypass pipe 60 (opening of the distribution valve 80).

During reheating operation and heating operation, the heat medium circulating through the heat medium circulation path formed by driving the heating circulation pump 310 is heated by combustion in the combustion burner 30b. The control unit 401 calculates the required amount of heat generation P* by the combustion burner 30b so that the detected value of the output temperature (water tank outlet temperature) of the primary heat exchanger 11b detected by the temperature sensor 384 is controlled to the target value. In other words, the required amount of heat generation P* by the combustion burner 30b can be calculated based on the target water tank temperature in the heating circuit 103 and the detected temperatures (water temperature inside the tank, water tank outlet temperature) by the temperature sensors 382, 384.

The control unit 401 calculates the amount of gas to be supplied to the combustion burners 30a, 30b according to the calculated required heat generation amount P* in each of the hot water supply operation, hot water supply operation, heating operation, and reheating operation. Furthermore, the control unit 401 determines the combination of the number of burners to be fired and the gas flow rate among the combustion burners 30a, 30b that will achieve the calculated amount of gas to be supplied, and controls the opening and closing of the gas proportional valve 33 and the capacity switching valves 35, 36 so that the determined number of burners to be fired and the gas flow rate are achieved.

Furthermore, the control unit 401 controls the rotation speeds of the blower fans 40a and 40b so that the ratio (air-fuel ratio) of the air volumes blown by the blower fans 40a and 40b becomes a predetermined value (e.g., ideal air-fuel ratio) relative to the calculated supply gas volume.

The information acquisition unit 402 acquires information indicating the usage status of each device constituting the water heating device 110 during each of the hot water supply operation, hot water pouring operation, heating operation, and reheating operation. Specifically, the information acquisition unit 402 acquires the power supply time of the water heating device 110. When the outlet is plugged into a power source and power starts to flow to the controller 140, the information acquisition unit 402 starts measuring the power supply time. When power to the controller 140 is stopped, the information acquisition unit 402 stops measuring the communication time.

In addition, the information acquisition unit 402 acquires information indicating the usage status of each device constituting the hot water supply circuit 101 during hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation. Specifically, the information acquisition unit 402 measures the combustion time of the combustion burner 30a and the driving time of the blower fan 40a during hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation. The information acquisition unit 402 further acquires information indicating the required amount of heat generated P* by the combustion burner 30a and the outlet hot water temperature detected by the temperature sensor 130 during hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation. In the hot water supply device 110, the required amount of heat is generally calculated in units of "number". Number = 1 corresponds to the amount of heat required to raise the hot water temperature by 25°C at a boiler body flow rate of 1 L/min.

Furthermore, during reheating operation, the information acquisition unit 402 acquires information indicating the usage status of each device constituting the reheating circuit 102. Specifically, the information acquisition unit 402 measures the combustion time of the combustion burner 30b, the driving time of the blower fan 40b, the driving time of the heating circulation pump 310, and the driving time of the reheating circulation pump 400 during reheating operation. The information acquisition unit 402 further acquires information indicating the required amount of heat generated P* by the combustion burner 30b during reheating operation, and the can body outlet temperature detected by the temperature sensor 384.

In addition, the information acquisition unit 402 acquires information indicating the usage status of each device constituting the heating circuit 103 during heating operation. Specifically, the information acquisition unit 402 measures the combustion time of the combustion burner 30b, the driving time of the blower fan 40b, and the driving time of the heating circulation pump 310 during heating operation. The information acquisition unit 402 further acquires information indicating the required amount of heat generated P* by the combustion burner 30b during heating operation, and the can body outlet temperature detected by the temperature sensor 384.

Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 402 acquires information indicating the usage status of each device constituting the drain treatment circuit 104. Specifically, the information acquisition unit 402 measures the usage time of the neutralizer 327 and the operation time of the drain discharge pump 329. The information acquisition unit 402 acquires the combustion time of the combustion burners 30a, 30b as the usage time of the neutralizer 327. However, when the neutralizing agent in the neutralizer 327 is replenished or when the neutralizer 327 is replaced, the information acquisition unit 402 initializes the usage time of the neutralizer 327.

Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 402 acquires information regarding the usage status of the CO sensor 16. Specifically, the information acquisition unit 402 acquires the power-on time of the CO sensor 16.

The memory unit 406 stores information indicating the usage status of the water heater 110 acquired by the information acquisition unit 402. The memory unit 406 stores the combustion time of one combustion of the combustion burner 30a (from the start of combustion to the end of combustion) in association with the required amount of heat generated P* (number) and the outlet water temperature. The memory unit 406 stores the combustion time of one combustion of the combustion burner 30b in association with the required amount of heat generated P* and the outlet temperature of the boiler body.

The calculation unit 404 uses the information stored in the memory unit 406 to acquire information about the usage history of the water heating device 110 since the hot water supply system 1 was constructed. Specifically, the calculation unit 404 acquires the accumulated power supply time of the water heating device 110 since the hot water supply system 1 was constructed by accumulating the power supply time measured by the information acquisition unit 402.

The calculation unit 404 acquires the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30a by integrating the combustion time of the combustion burner 30a measured by the information acquisition unit 402. The calculation unit 404 further acquires the number of combustions of the combustion burner 30a since the hot water supply system 1 was installed. The calculation unit 404 acquires the accumulated drive time of the blower fan 40a by integrating the drive time of the blower fan 40a.

The calculation unit 404 acquires the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30b by integrating the combustion time of the combustion burner 30b measured by the information acquisition unit 402. The calculation unit 404 acquires the number of combustions of the combustion burner 30b since the hot water supply system 1 was installed. The calculation unit 404 further acquires the accumulated drive time of the reheating circulation pump 400 by integrating the drive time of the reheating circulation pump 400. The calculation unit 404 acquires the accumulated drive time of the heating circulation pump 310 by integrating the drive time of the heating circulation pump 310. The calculation unit 404 acquires the accumulated drive time of the blower fan 40b by integrating the drive time of the blower fan 40b.

The calculation unit 404 acquires the accumulated driving time of the drain discharge pump 329 by integrating the driving time of the drain discharge pump 329. The calculation unit 404 acquires the accumulated usage time of the neutralizer 327 by integrating the usage time of the neutralizer 327. As described above, the measured value of the usage time of the neutralizer 327 is initialized each time the neutralizer in the neutralizer 327 is refilled or replaced, so the accumulated usage time of the neutralizer 327 corresponds to the accumulated usage time from when the neutralizer in the neutralizer 327 is refilled or replaced. The calculation unit 404 acquires the accumulated current flow time of the CO sensor 16 by integrating the current flow time of the CO sensor 16.

The memory unit 406 stores information regarding the usage history of the water heating device 110 since the construction of the water heating system 1, which is acquired by the calculation unit 404.

The communication unit 408 is communicatively connected to the diagnostic device 2, and is therefore capable of transmitting data to and from the diagnostic device 2. In the diagnostic mode, the communication unit 408 can transmit information indicating the usage status of the water heating device 110 and information relating to usage history, which are stored in the memory unit 406, to the diagnostic device 2.

The diagnostic device 2 has a communication unit 500, an information acquisition unit 502, a calculation unit 504, a prediction unit 506, a storage unit 508, a display unit 510, and an operation unit 512. The storage unit 508 has a memory and stores various programs and data. The functions of the information acquisition unit 502, the calculation unit 504, and the prediction unit 506 can be realized by software processing in which a CPU (not shown) executes a program stored in the storage unit 508. Note that at least some of the functions of the information acquisition unit 502, the calculation unit 504, and the prediction unit 506 may be realized by hardware processing such as a dedicated electronic circuit.

The communication unit 500 is communicatively connected to the controller 140 of the water heating apparatus 110, and is therefore capable of transmitting and receiving data between the controller 140. In the diagnostic mode, the communication unit 500 can receive information indicating the usage status of the water heating apparatus 110 and information regarding usage history from the controller 140.

The information acquisition unit 502 acquires information indicating the usage status of the water heating device 110 and information regarding usage history via the communication unit 500. The information acquisition unit 502 stores the acquired information in the storage unit 508.

The calculation unit 504 uses the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 502 to calculate the usage rate of the various devices that make up the water heating device 110. In this specification, the "usage rate" of a device refers to the ratio (%) of the accumulated usage time of the device to the total usage time of the device that is assumed in advance.

The total usage time of the equipment corresponds to the total usage time of the equipment until the accumulated power supply time of the water heating device 110 reaches the previously estimated life time. In other words, the total usage time of each equipment corresponds to the life time of the equipment. The total usage time of each equipment can be set based on the design value of the life time of the water heating device 110. For example, if the design value of the life time of the water heating device 110 is X (years), and the estimated daily usage time of a certain equipment is Td (hours), the total usage time of the equipment is set to Td (hours) x 365 (days) x X (years). This estimated usage time Td (hours) can be set taking into account the average usage pattern of the water heating device 110 in an average household.

When the calculation unit 504 acquires the accumulated usage time of a certain device in the water heating apparatus 110 via the information acquisition unit 502, it calculates the ratio (usage rate) of the accumulated usage time to the total usage time of the device. Specifically, the calculation unit 504 calculates the usage rate of the combustion burner 30a by dividing the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30a in the water heating apparatus 110 by the total combustion time (corresponding to the total usage time) of the combustion burner 30a. Similarly, the calculation unit 504 calculates the usage rate of the combustion burner 30b by dividing the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30b by the total combustion time of the combustion burner 30b.

The calculation unit 504 can also calculate the ratio of the actual number of combustions of the combustion burners 30a, 30b to the total number of combustions of the combustion burners 30a, 30b as the usage rate of the combustion burners 30a, 30b. In this case, the total number of combustions of the combustion burners 30a, 30b is set to Nd (times) x 365 (days) x X (years), assuming that the expected number of combustions of the combustion burners per day is Nd (times). The calculation unit 504 calculates the usage rate of the combustion burners 30a, 30b by dividing the actual number of combustions of the combustion burners 30a, 30b by the corresponding total number of combustions.

The calculation unit 504 further calculates the usage rate of each of the pumps, blower fans 40a, 40b, and sensors included in the water heater 110. Specifically, the calculation unit 504 calculates the usage rate of the reheating circulation pump 400 by dividing the accumulated driving time of the reheating circulation pump 400 by the total driving time of the reheating circulation pump 400. The total driving time of the reheating circulation pump 400 corresponds to the total usage time of the reheating circulation pump 400 until the accumulated power supply time of the water heater 110 reaches a predetermined life time.

Similarly, the calculation unit 504 calculates the usage rate of the heating circulation pump 310 by dividing the accumulated driving time of the heating circulation pump 310 by the total driving time of the heating circulation pump 310. The calculation unit 504 calculates the usage rate of the drain discharge pump 329 by dividing the accumulated driving time of the drain discharge pump 329 by the total driving time of the drain discharge pump 329.

The calculation unit 504 also calculates the usage rate of the CO sensor 16 by dividing the accumulated power-on time of the CO sensor 16 by the total power-on time of the CO sensor 16. The total power-on time of the CO sensor 16 corresponds to the total usage time of the CO sensor 16 until the accumulated power-on time of the water heating device 110 reaches a predetermined life time.

The calculation unit 504 calculates the usage rate of the neutralizer 327 by dividing the accumulated usage time of the neutralizer 327 by the total usage time of the neutralizer 327. The total usage time of the neutralizer 327 corresponds to the total usage time of the neutralizer 327 until the accumulated power supply time of the water heating device 110 reaches a predetermined life time.

The calculation unit 504 further uses the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 502 to calculate the usage trends of the various devices that make up the water heating device 110. Specifically, the calculation unit 504 calculates the average output number of the water heating circuit 101 as an index showing the usage trend of the water heating circuit 101. For example, the calculation unit 504 calculates the average output number of the water heating circuit 101 based on the number of combustions of the combustion burner 30a and the required amount of heat generated P* (number) for each combustion.

Figure 4 is a histogram of the output number of the hot water supply circuit 101. Figure 4 (A) is a histogram of the output number of the hot water supply circuit 101 of a first hot water supply device 110 for a certain user. Figure 4 (B) is a histogram of the output number of the hot water supply circuit 101 of a second hot water supply device 110 for another user. In each histogram, the horizontal axis indicates the output number (required heat generation amount P*), and the vertical axis indicates the frequency of use (%). The frequency of use indicates the ratio of the number of combustions of each output number to the number of combustions of the combustion burner 30a.

According to FIG. 4(A), the output numbers of the hot water supply circuit 101 in the first hot water supply device 110 are distributed in the range of about 12 to 28, with the average output number being 20. In contrast, in FIG. 4(B), the output numbers of the hot water supply circuit 101 in the second hot water supply device 110 are distributed in the range of about 23 to 28, with the average output number being 26. According to this, when the cumulative combustion time of the combustion burner 30a is the same between the first hot water supply device 110 and the second hot water supply device 110, it is presumed that the second hot water supply device 110 has a larger average supply capacity than the first hot water supply device 110, and therefore the damage to the equipment such as the heat exchangers 11a and 21a included in the hot water supply circuit 101 will be greater. As a result, it is expected that the lifespan of the equipment constituting the hot water supply circuit 101 will be shorter in the second hot water supply device 110 than in the first hot water supply device 110.

The calculation unit 504 stores data indicating the calculated usage rate and usage trend of each device in the memory unit 508 and displays the data on the display unit 510. The display unit 510 displays a usage history confirmation screen for confirming the usage history of the hot water heating device 110 being diagnosed.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a usage history confirmation screen displayed on the display unit 510.

As shown in FIG. 5, the usage history confirmation screen includes data d1 indicating identification information (e.g., product name (model number), product number, etc.) of the water heating apparatus 110 to be diagnosed, and data d2 indicating the accumulated power-on time of the water heating apparatus 110. As described above, the accumulated power-on time of the water heating apparatus 110 is the accumulated power-on time of the water heating apparatus 110 since the hot water supply system 1 was installed.

The usage history confirmation screen includes data d3 indicating the usage history of the hot water supply circuit 101, which includes data indicating the accumulated combustion time for hot water supply and the number of combustions for hot water supply. The accumulated combustion time for hot water supply corresponds to the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30a during hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation, and the number of combustions for hot water supply corresponds to the number of combustions of the combustion burner 30a during hot water supply operation and hot water pouring operation.

The cumulative combustion time for hot water supply and the number of combustions for hot water supply are each expressed as a usage rate. The usage rate R1% for the cumulative combustion time for hot water supply indicates the ratio of the cumulative combustion time of the combustion burner 30a to the total combustion time of the combustion burner 30a until the cumulative power supply time of the hot water supply device 110 reaches its life time. The usage rate R2% for the number of combustions for hot water supply indicates the ratio of the number of combustions of the combustion burner 30a to the total number of combustions of the combustion burner 30a until the cumulative power supply time of the hot water supply device 110 reaches its life time.

The usage history confirmation screen includes data indicating the cumulative combustion time for reheating and the cumulative drive time of the reheating circulation pump as data d4 indicating the usage history of the reheating circuit 102. The cumulative combustion time for reheating corresponds to the cumulative combustion time of the combustion burner 30b during reheating operation, and the cumulative drive time of the reheating circulation pump corresponds to the cumulative drive time of the reheating circulation pump 400. The cumulative combustion time for reheating and the cumulative drive time of the reheating circulation pump are each expressed as a usage rate. The usage rate R3% in the cumulative combustion time for reheating indicates the ratio of the cumulative combustion time of the combustion burner 30b during reheating operation to the total combustion time of the combustion burner 30b until the cumulative power supply time of the water heater 110 reaches its life time. The usage rate R4% in the cumulative drive time of the reheating circulation pump indicates the ratio of the cumulative drive time of the reheating circulation pump 400 to the total drive time of the reheating circulation pump 400 until the cumulative power supply time of the water heater 110 reaches its life time.

The usage history confirmation screen includes data d5 indicating the usage history of the heating circuit 103, which indicates the accumulated combustion time for heating and the accumulated driving time of the heating circulation pump. The accumulated combustion time for heating corresponds to the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30b during heating operation, and the accumulated driving time of the heating circulation pump corresponds to the accumulated driving time of the heating circulation pump 310. The accumulated combustion time for heating and the accumulated driving time of the heating circulation pump are each expressed as a usage rate. The usage rate R5% in the accumulated combustion time for heating indicates the ratio of the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30b during heating operation to the total combustion time of the combustion burner 30b until the accumulated power supply time of the water heater 110 reaches its life time. The usage rate R6% in the accumulated driving time of the heating circulation pump indicates the ratio of the accumulated driving time of the heating circulation pump 310 to the total driving time of the heating circulation pump 310 until the accumulated power supply time of the water heater 110 reaches its life time.

The usage history confirmation screen includes data indicating the neutralizer cumulative usage time and the drain discharge pump cumulative drive time as data d6 indicating the usage history of the drain processing circuit 104. The neutralizer cumulative usage time corresponds to the cumulative usage time of the neutralizer 327, and the drain discharge pump cumulative drive time corresponds to the cumulative drive time of the drain discharge pump 329. The heating cumulative combustion time and the heating circulation pump cumulative drive time are each expressed as a usage rate. The usage rate R7% in the neutralizer cumulative usage time indicates the ratio of the cumulative usage time of the neutralizer 327 to the total usage time of the neutralizer 327 until the cumulative power supply time of the water heating device 110 reaches its life time. The usage rate R8% in the drain discharge pump cumulative drive time indicates the ratio of the cumulative drive time of the drain discharge pump 329 to the total drive time of the drain discharge pump 329 until the cumulative power supply time of the water heating device 110 reaches its life time.

The usage history confirmation screen includes data indicating the cumulative power-on time of the CO sensor as data d7 indicating the usage history of the sensors. The cumulative power-on time of the CO sensor corresponds to the cumulative power-on time of the CO sensor 16. The cumulative power-on time of the CO sensor is expressed as a usage rate. The usage rate R9% of the cumulative power-on time of the CO sensor indicates the ratio of the cumulative power-on time of the CO sensor 16 to the total power-on time of the CO sensor 16 until the cumulative power-on time of the water heating device 110 reaches its life time.

The usage history confirmation screen further includes data d8 indicating the usage trend of the water heater 110, which indicates the average output number and average hot water outlet temperature of the hot water heater circuit 101. The average output number A of the hot water heater circuit 101 is calculated based on the number of combustions of the hot water heater circuit 101 and the required amount of heat generated P* (number) for each combustion, as described in FIG. 4. The average hot water outlet temperature B°C of the hot water heater circuit 101 can be calculated based on the number of combustions of the hot water heater circuit 101 and the hot water outlet temperature for each combustion (the value detected by the temperature sensor 130).

According to the usage history confirmation screen shown in FIG. 5, the usage history of each device for the hot water heater 110 being diagnosed is expressed as a usage rate, which is the ratio of the accumulated usage time of the device to the total usage time of the device until the end of its life. Therefore, the worker can diagnose the deterioration state of the device based on the magnitude of the displayed usage rate.

In addition, the usage history confirmation screen shows the usage trends of each device (for example, average output number and average hot water temperature). This allows on-site workers to compare expected usage trends with actual usage trends, and based on the comparison results, they can estimate the degree of deterioration of the equipment.

Returning to FIG. 3, the prediction unit 506 predicts the remaining life of each piece of equipment based on the usage rate of each piece of equipment in the water heating apparatus 110 acquired by the calculation unit 504. The method for predicting the remaining life of an equipment by the prediction unit 506 will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the time transition of the usage rate of the combustion burner 30a in the hot water supply circuit 101. The horizontal axis of Figure 6 shows the accumulated power supply time of the hot water supply device 110, and the vertical axis shows the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30a. The accumulated combustion time is expressed as a usage rate (%). As described above, the usage rate of the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30a indicates the ratio of the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30a to the total combustion time (total usage time) of the combustion burner 30a until the accumulated power supply time of the hot water supply device 110 reaches the life time X (years). In Figure 6, the usage rate calculated for each accumulated power supply time of the hot water supply device 110 is shown in a bar graph.

As shown in FIG. 6, the usage rate gradually increases as the accumulated power-on time of the water heater 110 increases to t1, t2, t3, .... Line L1 in FIG. 6 shows the time progression of the usage rate assuming that when the accumulated power-on time reaches the life time X (years), the accumulated combustion time of the combustion burner 30a reaches the total combustion time of the combustion burner 30a, i.e., the usage rate reaches 100%. Therefore, if the combustion burner 30a is used as expected, the usage rate will change on line L1 as the accumulated power-on time increases.

In the example of FIG. 6, when the accumulated current flow time is t1 and t2, the usage rate changes on line L1. Therefore, when the accumulated current flow time is t2, it can be predicted that the combustion burner 30a will also reach its total usage time when the accumulated current flow time reaches the life time X (years). The remaining life of the combustion burner 30a can then be calculated by subtracting the current accumulated current flow time t2 from the predicted total usage time X (years).

In the example of FIG. 6, when the accumulated current flow time exceeds t2, the usage rate deviates from line L1. Specifically, when the accumulated current flow time reaches t3, t4, and t5, the actual usage rate drops compared to the usage rate (assumed value) on line L1. Line L2 in FIG. 6 shows the time progression of the usage rate based on the usage rate when the accumulated current flow time is from t3 to t5. Line L2 shows the time progression of the usage rate assuming that the combustion burner 30a continues to be used at the same pace as when the accumulated current flow time is from t3 to t5, even after the accumulated current flow time exceeds t5.

Line L2 has a smaller slope than line L1. According to line L2, the usage rate reaches 100% at time Z (Z>X) when the accumulated current flow time is longer than the life time X (years). According to this, at the time when the accumulated current flow time is t5, it can be predicted that the combustion burner 30a will reach its total usage time when the accumulated current flow time reaches time Z. The remaining life can be calculated by subtracting the current accumulated current flow time t3 from the predicted total usage time Z.

On the other hand, when the accumulated current flow time reaches t7, the actual usage rate increases compared to the usage rate (assumed value) on line L1. Line L3 in FIG. 6 shows the time progression of the usage rate based on the usage rate when the accumulated current flow time is from t5 to t7. Line L3 shows the time progression of the usage rate assuming that the combustion burner 30a continues to be used at the same pace as when the accumulated current flow time is from t5 to t7, even after the accumulated current flow time exceeds t7.

Line L3 has a steeper slope than line L1. According to line L3, the usage rate reaches 100% at time Y (Y<X) when the accumulated current time is shorter than the life time X (years). Therefore, at the point in time when the accumulated current time is t7, it is possible to predict that the combustion burner 30a will reach its total usage time when the accumulated current time reaches time Y. Then, by subtracting the current accumulated current time t7 from this predicted total usage time Y, the remaining life of the combustion burner 30a can be calculated.

The prediction unit 506 stores the calculated data indicating the remaining life of each device in the memory unit 508 and displays it on the display unit 510. The display unit 510 can display the calculation results of the remaining life together with the graph showing the time progression of the usage rate shown in FIG. 6.

As described above, the remaining life of each device that constitutes the water heating apparatus 110 can be predicted by calculating the usage rate, which is the ratio of the accumulated usage time to the total usage time until the end of its life, and determining the change in the calculated usage rate over time.

In addition, the remaining life of each piece of equipment can be predicted based on a comparison between the expected change in usage rate over time (line L1 in Figure 6) and the lines showing the change in actual usage rate over time (lines L2 and L3 in Figure 6). This makes it possible to predict the remaining life using a simple method without the need to accumulate historical data showing past failures.

Furthermore, according to the prediction method described above, it is possible to predict when an error will be issued notifying the end of life of each device that constitutes the water heating device 110.

Specifically, in the water heater 110 of FIG. 2, when a catalytic combustion sensor is used as the CO sensor 16, if pollutants or moisture contained in the exhaust gas adhere to the surface of the sensor, this may cause an error in the sensor output. Therefore, in order to ensure the detection accuracy of the CO sensor 16, the controller 140 is configured to issue an error using the remote control 12 to notify the user that the CO sensor 16 has reached the end of its life when it is assumed that the cumulative power supply time of the CO sensor 16 has reached a predetermined time.

In addition, in the drain treatment circuit 104, the neutralizing agent filled in the neutralizer 327 is consumed by neutralizing the drain, so the controller 140 is configured to use the remote control 12 to generate an error to notify the user that the neutralizer 327 has reached the end of its life when it is assumed that the consumption of the neutralizing agent has reached a predetermined amount or less.

The diagnostic device 2 according to this embodiment can predict when the above error will be issued based on data indicating the usage history of the CO sensor 16 and neutralizer 327 obtained from the hot water heater 110 being diagnosed.

Specifically, the prediction unit 506 generates data for the CO sensor 16 that indicates the change in the usage rate of the CO sensor 16 relative to the accumulated power-on time of the water heating device 110, as shown in FIG. 6. The usage rate of the CO sensor 16 indicates the ratio of the accumulated power-on time of the CO sensor 16 to the total power-on time of the CO sensor 16 until the accumulated power-on time of the water heating device 110 reaches the lifetime X (years). The total power-on time of the CO sensor 16 corresponds to the lifetime of the CO sensor 16.

When the prediction unit 506 obtains data indicating the usage rate of the CO sensor 16 from the calculation unit 504, it obtains a line indicating the time change in the usage rate at the most recent specified time. Then, based on the point on this line where the usage rate is 100%, the prediction unit 506 predicts the accumulated current flow time when the accumulated current flow time of the CO sensor 16 reaches the total current flow time. The prediction unit 506 considers the time when the predicted accumulated current flow time is reached as the time when an error will be issued to notify the end of the life of the CO sensor 16. Furthermore, the prediction unit 506 obtains the remaining time until the time when the error will be issued by subtracting the current accumulated current flow time from the predicted accumulated current flow time.

The prediction unit 506 also generates data for the neutralizer 327 that indicates the change in the usage rate of the neutralizer 327 relative to the accumulated power-on time of the water heating apparatus 110. The usage rate of the neutralizer 327 indicates the ratio of the accumulated usage time of the neutralizer 327 to the total usage time of the neutralizer 327 until the accumulated power-on time of the water heating apparatus 110 reaches the life time X (years).

When the prediction unit 506 acquires data indicating the usage rate of the neutralizer 327 from the information acquisition unit 502, it obtains a line indicating the time change in usage rate at the most recent specified time. Then, based on the point on this line where the usage rate is 100%, the prediction unit 506 predicts the accumulated power-on time when the accumulated usage time of the neutralizer 327 will reach the total usage time. The prediction unit 506 regards the predicted accumulated power-on time as the time when an error will be issued to notify the neutralizer 327 of the end of its life. Furthermore, the prediction unit 506 subtracts the current accumulated power-on time from the predicted accumulated power-on time to obtain the remaining time until the time when the error will be issued.

The prediction unit 506 stores data indicating the predicted time when an error will occur and the remaining time until the error will occur in the memory unit 508, and displays the data on the display unit 510. The display unit 510 can display the calculation results of the remaining time together with a graph showing the progress of the usage rate of each device.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of a prediction result display screen displayed on the display unit 510.

As shown in FIG. 7, the prediction result display screen includes data d1 indicating identification information (e.g., product name (model number), product number, etc.) of the hot water supply device 110 being diagnosed, and data d2 indicating the accumulated power supply time of the hot water supply device 110, as well as data d11 to d14 indicating the prediction results of the remaining life of each device. Data d11 to d14 include data indicating the remaining life of the combustion parts (combustion burners, heat exchangers, etc.) and pumps included in each of the hot water supply circuit 101, the reheating circuit 102, the heating circuit 103, and the drain treatment circuit 104.

The prediction result display screen further includes data d15 indicating the remaining time until the CO sensor 16 issues an error signal, and data indicating the remaining time until the neutralizer 327 issues an error signal.

Some conventional water heating devices are configured to issue an error to notify users of the end of their life when the accumulated power-on time reaches a predetermined expected life time. As described above, this type of water heating device is also configured to issue an error to notify users of the end of their life for specific devices (CO sensor, neutralizer, etc.). When an error is issued from the water heating device, a technician visits the user's home to inspect the water heating device and repair or replace parts as necessary.

With the water heating device described above, a worker must visit the user's home every time an error is reported, which increases the user's financial burden and raises concerns about the increased workload of the worker. With this embodiment, the remaining life of the equipment and the time remaining until an error is reported are displayed, predicted from the usage rate based on the usage history of each device that makes up the water heating device, so the worker can inform the user in advance when it is time to inspect the water heating device. Furthermore, the worker can schedule the inspection based on the displayed information, which improves work efficiency and reduces the user's burden.

[Other configuration examples]
(1) Modification of remaining life prediction method Instead of the above-mentioned method of predicting remaining life based on time transition of the usage rate of the equipment, prediction unit 506 can also predict the remaining life of the equipment by taking into account the usage trend of the equipment. Below, a method of predicting the remaining life of each equipment by taking into account the usage trend of water heating apparatus 110 will be described.

Figure 8 is a graph that shows a schematic of the usage trend of the hot water supply circuit 101 in the hot water supply device 110 being diagnosed. The graph in Figure 8 is a histogram of the output number of the combustion burner 30a in the hot water supply circuit 101 at the point when the accumulated power supply time of the hot water supply device 110 reaches one year. The output number corresponds to the required heat generation amount P* of the combustion burner 30a in one combustion. The horizontal axis of Figure 8 shows the output number, and the vertical axis shows the frequency of use of each output number.

Here, it is assumed that durability testing of the water heater 110 has yielded test data showing that the water heater circuit 101 reaches the end of its life when the output number of the combustion burner 30a is set to 24 and the combustion burner 30a is burned 100,000 times.

In the following explanation, the product of the output number, frequency of use, and number of combustions (= output number x frequency of use x number of combustions) is used as an index showing the usage record of the hot water supply circuit 101. According to this, the lifespan of the hot water supply circuit 101 can be expressed as 24 numbers x 1 (100%) x 100,000 times = 2,400,000.

In the example of Figure 8, assume that the number of combustions of the combustion burner 30a at the point when the cumulative energization time reaches one year is 10,000. Of these combustions, the frequency of use when the output number is 10 is 10%, when the output number is 16 is 15%, when the output number is 20 is 30%, and when the output number is 24 is 45%.

In this case, the current usage record of the hot water supply circuit 101 is the sum of the usage records for each size, which is {10 size x 0.1 (10%) + 16 size x 0.15 (15%) + 20 size x 0.3 (30%) + 24 size x 0.45 (45%)} x 10,000 times = 190,000.

Therefore, if it is assumed that the water heating device 110 will continue to be used according to the usage trend (histogram) shown in Figure 7, the lifespan of the water heating circuit 101 can be predicted to be 2,400,000/190,000 = 12.6 years.

(2) Message Display Function In the hot water supply device 110 shown in FIG. 2, the blower fans 40a and 40b and pumps such as the reheating circulation pump, the heating circulation pump, and the drain discharge pump may generate vibrations and abnormal noises as deterioration progresses. The hot water supply device 110 does not have a sensor for detecting vibrations and abnormal noises, so it cannot diagnose whether vibrations and abnormal noises are occurring. Therefore, the diagnostic device 2 is configured to display a message on the display unit 510 to prompt the user to ask about the occurrence of vibrations and abnormal noises when the difference between the accumulated power supply time and the life time X (years) of the hot water supply device 110 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value. This allows the on-site worker to repair the blower fans and pumps at the same time as inspecting them.

The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

1 Hot water supply system, 2 Diagnostic device, 16 CO sensor, 101 Hot water supply circuit, 102 Reheating circuit, 103 Heating circuit, 104 Drain treatment circuit, 110 Hot water supply device, 140 Controller, 310 Heating circulation pump, 327 Neutralizer, 400 Reheating circulation pump.

Claims (7)

A water heater;
a diagnostic device that is communicatively connected to the water heating apparatus and that diagnoses the water heating apparatus;
The hot water supply device includes:
A hot water supply circuit having a combustion unit and supplying hot water heated by the heat generated by the combustion unit;
A controller for controlling the operation of the hot water supply circuit,
The controller:
acquiring information regarding a usage record of the hot water supply circuit based on a usage status of the hot water supply circuit during operation of the hot water supply circuit;
Transmitting the acquired information on the usage record of the hot water supply circuit to the diagnostic device;
The information regarding the usage history of the hot water supply circuit includes an accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit from the time of installation of the hot water supply device,
The diagnostic device comprises:
Acquiring information regarding a usage record of the hot water supply circuit through communication with the hot water supply device;
Using the acquired information on the usage record of the hot water supply circuit, a usage rate is calculated, which is a ratio of the accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit to a total usage time of the hot water supply circuit that is expected in advance;
predicting a remaining life of the hot water supply circuit based on the calculated usage rate of the hot water supply circuit;
Displaying the usage rate and the remaining life of the hot water supply circuit ;
The water heating apparatus has a CO sensor and is configured to generate an error signal to notify the end of the life of the CO sensor;
The diagnostic device comprises:
Acquire an integrated current-carrying time of the CO sensor through communication with the hot water supply device;
predicting a time when the error will be issued based on a usage rate that is a ratio of the accumulated current-on time to a total current-on time of the CO sensor that is estimated in advance;
The hot water supply system displays the remaining time until the predicted error is to be generated . A water heater;
a diagnostic device that is communicatively connected to the water heating apparatus and that diagnoses the water heating apparatus;
The hot water supply device includes:
A hot water supply circuit having a combustion unit and supplying hot water heated by the heat generated by the combustion unit;
A controller for controlling the operation of the hot water supply circuit,
The controller:
acquiring information regarding a usage record of the hot water supply circuit based on a usage status of the hot water supply circuit during operation of the hot water supply circuit;
Transmitting the acquired information on the usage record of the hot water supply circuit to the diagnostic device;
The information regarding the usage history of the hot water supply circuit includes an accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit from the time of installation of the hot water supply device,
The diagnostic device comprises:
Acquiring information regarding a usage record of the hot water supply circuit through communication with the hot water supply device;
Using the acquired information on the usage record of the hot water supply circuit, a usage rate is calculated, which is a ratio of the accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit to a total usage time of the hot water supply circuit that is expected in advance;
predicting a remaining life of the hot water supply circuit based on the calculated usage rate of the hot water supply circuit;
Displaying the usage rate and the remaining life of the hot water supply circuit ;
The hot water supply device has a neutralizer and is configured to issue an error to notify the end of the life of the neutralizer,
The diagnostic device comprises:
Acquire an accumulated usage time of the neutralizer by communicating with the hot water supply device;
predicting the time when the error will be issued based on a usage rate, which is a ratio of an accumulated usage time of the neutralizer to a total usage time of the neutralizer that is estimated in advance;
The hot water supply system displays the remaining time until the predicted error is to be generated . A water heater;
a diagnostic device that is communicatively connected to the water heating apparatus and that diagnoses the water heating apparatus;
The hot water supply device includes:
A hot water supply circuit having a combustion unit and supplying hot water heated by the heat generated by the combustion unit;
A controller for controlling the operation of the hot water supply circuit,
The controller:
acquiring information regarding a usage record of the hot water supply circuit based on a usage status of the hot water supply circuit during operation of the hot water supply circuit;
Transmitting the acquired information on the usage record of the hot water supply circuit to the diagnostic device;
The information regarding the usage history of the hot water supply circuit includes an accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit from the time of installation of the hot water supply device,
The diagnostic device comprises:
Acquiring information regarding a usage record of the hot water supply circuit through communication with the hot water supply device;
Using the acquired information on the usage record of the hot water supply circuit, a usage rate is calculated, which is a ratio of the accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit to a total usage time of the hot water supply circuit that is expected in advance;
predicting a remaining life of the hot water supply circuit based on the calculated usage rate of the hot water supply circuit;
Displaying the usage rate and the remaining life of the hot water supply circuit ;
The hot water supply device further includes a reheating circuit having a reheating circulation pump for heating and circulating hot water in the bathtub,
The controller:
Based on the usage status of the reheating circuit during operation of the reheating circuit, information regarding the usage record of the reheating circuit is acquired,
Transmitting the acquired information regarding the usage record of the reheating circuit to the diagnostic device,
The information regarding the usage history of the reheating circuit includes an accumulated usage time of the reheating circuit from the time of installation of the hot water supply apparatus,
The diagnostic device comprises:
By communicating with the hot water supply device, information regarding the usage record of the reheating circuit is obtained,
Using the acquired information on the usage history of the reheating circuit, a usage rate is calculated, which is the ratio of the accumulated usage time of the reheating circuit to the total usage time of the reheating circuit expected in advance,
A hot water supply system that predicts the remaining life of the reheating circuit based on the calculated usage rate of the reheating circuit . A water heater;
a diagnostic device that is communicatively connected to the water heating apparatus and that diagnoses the water heating apparatus;
The hot water supply device includes:
A hot water supply circuit having a combustion unit and supplying hot water heated by the heat generated by the combustion unit;
A controller for controlling the operation of the hot water supply circuit,
The controller:
acquiring information regarding a usage record of the hot water supply circuit based on a usage status of the hot water supply circuit during operation of the hot water supply circuit;
Transmitting the acquired information on the usage record of the hot water supply circuit to the diagnostic device;
The information regarding the usage history of the hot water supply circuit includes an accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit from the time of installation of the hot water supply device,
The diagnostic device comprises:
Acquiring information regarding a usage record of the hot water supply circuit through communication with the hot water supply device;
Using the acquired information on the usage record of the hot water supply circuit, a usage rate is calculated, which is a ratio of the accumulated usage time of the hot water supply circuit to a total usage time of the hot water supply circuit that is expected in advance;
predicting a remaining life of the hot water supply circuit based on the calculated usage rate of the hot water supply circuit;
Displaying the usage rate and the remaining life of the hot water supply circuit ;
The hot water supply device further includes a heating circuit having a heating circulation pump and for circulating and supplying a heat medium to a heating terminal;
The controller:
acquiring information regarding a usage record of the heating circuit based on a usage status of the heating circuit during operation of the heating circuit;
Transmitting the acquired information regarding the usage record of the heating circuit to the diagnostic device;
The information regarding the usage history of the hot water supply circuit includes an accumulated usage time of the heating circuit from the time of installation of the hot water supply device,
The diagnostic device comprises:
Acquiring information regarding the usage history of the heating circuit through communication with the hot water supply device;
Using the acquired information on the usage record of the heating circuit, a usage rate is calculated, which is a ratio of the accumulated usage time of the heating circuit to a previously estimated total usage time of the heating circuit;
A hot water supply system that predicts a remaining life of the heating circuit based on the calculated usage rate of the heating circuit . A hot water supply system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the diagnostic device predicts the remaining life of the hot water supply circuit by predicting the total usage time of the hot water supply circuit based on a comparison between a previously estimated time progression of the usage rate and a calculated time progression of the usage rate. The hot water supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic device further calculates a usage tendency of the hot water supply circuit using information on a usage record of the hot water supply circuit, and displays the calculated usage tendency. The hot water supply system of claim 6, wherein the diagnostic device calculates an index indicating the usage history of the hot water supply circuit based on the calculated usage trend, and predicts the total usage time of the hot water supply circuit based on a comparison of the calculated index with an index indicating a previously estimated lifespan of the hot water supply circuit.

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