Heat source unit coupling system

Abstract

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

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat source unit coupling system, comprising:
 a heat medium circulation channel including a heat medium outgoing pipe and a heat medium return pipe;   a water distribution channel including a water supply pipe and a hot water outlet pipe;   a plurality of heat source units connected in parallel to the heat medium circulation channel and the water distribution channel; and   a coupling controller communicable with each of the plurality of heat source units,   wherein each of the plurality of heat source units is configured to perform:   a space heating operation for heating a heat medium supplied from the heat medium return pipe and supplying it to the heat medium outgoing pipe; and   a hot water supplying operation for heating water supplied from the water supply pipe and supplying it to the hot water outlet pipe,   wherein the coupling controller is configured to:   instruct each of the plurality of heat source units to start or stop the hot water supplying operation based on priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation; and   instruct each of the plurality of heat source units to start or stop the space heating operation based on priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the space heating operation, and   wherein the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation are at least partially different from the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the space heating operation.   
     
     
         2 . The heat source unit coupling system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of heat source units comprises a first heat source unit and a second heat source unit,   when a priority of the first heat source unit for the hot water supplying operation is higher than a priority of the second heat source unit for the hot water supplying operation, a priority of the first heat source unit for the space heating operation is lower than a priority of the second heat source unit for the space heating operation, and   when the priority of the first heat source unit for the hot water supplying operation is lower than the priority of the second heat source unit for the hot water supplying operation, the priority of the first heat source unit for the space heating operation is higher than the priority of the second heat source unit for the space heating operation.   
     
     
         3 . The heat source unit coupling system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 among the plurality of heat source units, heat source units having higher priorities for the hot water supplying operation are lower in the priorities for the space heating operation, and heat source units having lower priorities for the hot water supplying operation are higher in the priorities for the space heating operation.   
     
     
         4 . The heat source unit coupling system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the coupling controller is further configured to, when a predetermined rotation condition is met, perform a rotation to rotate the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation and simultaneously perform a rotation to rotate the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the space heating operation.   
     
     
         5 . The heat source unit coupling system according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the rotation condition is based on a number of times the heat source unit coupling system has been used for hot water supply.   
     
     
         6 . The heat source unit coupling system according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the rotation condition is based on a time period during which the heat source unit coupling system has been used for hot water supply.   
     
     
         7 . The heat source unit coupling system according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the coupling controller is further configured to determine post-rotation priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation based only on pre-rotation priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation.   
     
     
         8 . The heat source unit coupling system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 among the plurality of heat source units, heat source units having higher priorities for the hot water supplying operation are lower in the priorities for the space heating operation, and heat source units having lower priorities for the hot water supplying operation are higher in the priorities for the space heating operation, and   the coupling controller is further configured to, when a predetermined rotation condition is met, perform a rotation to rotate the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation and simultaneously perform a rotation to rotate the priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the space heating operation, and   the rotation condition is based on a number of times the heat source unit coupling system has been used for hot water supply and/or a time during which the heat source unit coupling system has been used for hot water supply, and   the coupling controller is further configured to determine post-rotation priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation based only on pre-rotation priorities of the plurality of heat source units for the hot water supplying operation.