JP2005055150A - Operating method and control device for air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To early perform a comfortable air-conditioning by regularly operating an internal combustion engine with a good engine efficiency regardless of an air-conditioning load, and early predicting a change in the air-conditioning load. <P>SOLUTION: This operating method is for an air conditioner comprising the internal combustion engine for driving a compressor and a generator and performing cooling or heating of a room by circulating a refrigerant between the outside and inside of the room. This method comprises steps of calculating the present operating point of the internal combustion engine; determining whether or not the internal combustion engine is operated at the most efficient operating point; determining whether or not an instruction for changing the load of the compressor is given; calculating the present load of the compressor from the rotating speed of the internal combustion engine and the intake-side pressure and discharge-side pressure of the compressor; calculating how much the load of the generator is set in order to operate the internal combustion engine at the most efficient operating point; and adjusting the load of the generator so that the calculated load of the generator is applied to the generator. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation method and a control device for an air conditioner, and particularly as an air conditioner, a compressor and a generator are driven by a gas engine (internal combustion engine), and engine cooling water of the gas engine is supplied during heating operation. The present invention relates to a gas heat type air conditioner used as a heating source for a liquid refrigerant.

  An air conditioner that performs an air conditioning operation such as air conditioning using a heat pump includes a refrigerant circuit including elements such as an indoor heat exchanger, a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a throttle mechanism. Air conditioning in the room is realized by exchanging heat with indoor air (hereinafter referred to as “indoor air”) and outdoor air in the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger while the refrigerant goes around the circuit. . In addition, the refrigerant circuit may be provided with a refrigerant heater for directly heating the refrigerant itself, rather than relying solely on receiving the heat of the refrigerant by the outdoor heat exchanger (during heating operation). .

  Incidentally, in recent years, a power source for a compressor provided in the above-described refrigerant circuit has been developed that uses a gas engine instead of a normally used electric motor. An air conditioner using this gas engine is generally called a gas heat pump type air conditioner (hereinafter abbreviated as “GHP”). According to this GHP, since relatively inexpensive city gas or the like can be used as fuel, running cost is increased like an air conditioner (hereinafter abbreviated as “EHP”) equipped with a compressor using an electric motor. There is no such thing, and the cost can be reduced for consumers.

  In addition, in GHP, for example, when heating operation is performed, if high-temperature exhaust gas discharged from a gas engine or heat of engine cooling water (so-called waste heat) is used as a refrigerant heating source, an excellent heating effect can be obtained. It becomes possible, and energy use efficiency can be increased as compared with EHP. Incidentally, in this case, the energy utilization efficiency of GHP is about 1.2 to 1.5 times higher than that of EHP. Moreover, if such a mechanism is introduced, it is not necessary to specially install a device such as the above-described refrigerant heater in the refrigerant circuit.

  In addition, in GHP, the defrosting operation of the outdoor heat exchanger necessary for heating operation, so-called defrosting operation, can also be performed using waste heat of the gas engine. Generally, the defrosting operation in EHP is such that the heating operation is stopped and the cooling operation is temporarily performed to defrost the outdoor heat exchanger. In this case, since cold air blows out into the room, the comfort of the indoor environment is impaired. In GHP, continuous heating operation is possible due to the above-described circumstances, and there is no problem that is of concern in EHP.

Recently, a gas engine that drives a generator together with a compressor in the gas engine described above and is controlled so that the load on the gas engine is constant has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-337231 A (Claim 3)

  In the invention of Patent Document 1 described above, the output of the inverter means is controlled so that the engine load is always constant according to the load fluctuation of the compressor driven by the engine. That is, since the output of the inverter means is controlled after the air-conditioning load changes and the load fluctuates in the compressor, there is a possibility that a time delay occurs and comfortable air-conditioning cannot be realized early.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can always operate a gas engine (internal combustion engine) where the engine efficiency is good regardless of the air conditioning load, and predict changes in the air conditioning load at an early stage. An object of the present invention is to provide an operation method of an air conditioner capable of realizing comfortable air conditioning at an early stage.

The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above problems.
The operation method of the air conditioner according to the present invention includes a compressor that compresses refrigerant, a generator that generates the same voltage and frequency as a commercial power source, and an internal combustion engine that drives the compressor and the generator. In a method of operating an air conditioner that cools or heats a room indoors by circulating the refrigerant between the outside and the room, calculating the current operating point of the internal combustion engine; and Determining whether the engine is operating at a good operating point; determining whether a command to change the load of the compressor is issued; and suction side pressure and discharge side pressure of the compressor, or the internal combustion engine Calculating the current compressor load from the engine speed, the compressor suction side pressure and the discharge side pressure; and operating the internal combustion engine at the most efficient operating point. Calculating the load of the generator; and adjusting the load of the generator so that the calculated load of the generator is applied to the generator. It is characterized by.

  According to such an operation method of the air conditioner, a command for changing the load of the compressor (for example, a signal indicating that the number of operating indoor units has been increased or decreased, or an indoor unit currently in operation is installed). The target air conditioning load can be predicted in advance by determining whether or not a signal indicating that the difference between the room temperature of the indoor room and the set temperature of the indoor unit has increased or decreased has been issued. It becomes.

  In the operation method of the air conditioner according to the present invention, when the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine and / or the intake pipe pressure or the throttle opening of the internal combustion engine changes rapidly, the internal combustion engine is temporarily operated at the predicted operating point. Then, when the load of the compressor is substantially stabilized, the internal combustion engine is operated again at the most efficient operating point.

  According to such an operation method of the air conditioner, when the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine and / or the intake pipe pressure or the throttle opening of the internal combustion engine changes suddenly, the internal combustion engine is temporarily operated at the predicted operating point. After that, when the load on the compressor is substantially stabilized, the internal combustion engine is operated again at the most efficient operating point.

  In the operating method of the air conditioner according to the present invention, the internal combustion engine is a gas engine.

  According to such an operation method of an air conditioner, a gas engine that can use a relatively inexpensive city gas or the like as a fuel is used as a drive source for driving the compressor and the generator.

  In the method of operating an air conditioner according to the present invention, the internal combustion engine is operated by a system controller that detects the number of indoor units operated and / or a difference between a room temperature at which the indoor unit is installed and a set temperature, and a signal from the system controller An engine controller that controls the operating state of the engine, a power generation controller that adjusts the power generation amount of the generator, and receives signals from these system controllers, engine controllers, and power generation controllers, or sends signals to these controllers And a remote monitoring device that changes the setting conditions of each controller, and the operation conditions are changed by sending signals from the remote monitoring device to the system controller, the engine controller, and the power generation controller.

  According to such a method of operating the air conditioner, signals (or data) are transmitted between the system controller and the remote monitoring device, between the engine controller and the remote monitoring device, and between the power generation controller and the remote monitoring device. Exchange takes place.

  An air conditioner control device according to the present invention includes a compressor that compresses refrigerant, a generator that generates the same voltage and frequency as a commercial power source, and an internal combustion engine that drives the compressor and the generator. In a control device for an air conditioner that cools or heats a room indoors by circulating the refrigerant between the outside and the room, means for calculating a current operating point of the internal combustion engine, and the internal combustion engine is the most efficient Means for determining whether or not the engine is operating at a good operating point; means for determining whether or not a command to change the load of the compressor is issued; and suction side pressure and discharge side pressure of the compressor, or the internal combustion engine Means for calculating the current compressor load from the engine speed, the suction side pressure and the discharge side pressure of the compressor, and operating the internal combustion engine at the most efficient operating point. Means for calculating how much the load on the generator is to be adjusted; and means for adjusting the load on the generator so that the calculated load on the generator is applied to the generator. It is characterized by.

  According to such a control device for an air conditioner, a command for changing the load of the compressor (for example, a signal indicating that the number of operating indoor units has been increased or decreased, or an indoor unit currently in operation is installed). The target air conditioning load can be predicted in advance by determining whether or not a signal indicating that the difference between the room temperature of the indoor room and the set temperature of the indoor unit has increased or decreased has been issued. It becomes.

According to the operation method and the control device of the air conditioner of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
A stage for determining whether or not a command for changing the load on the compressor is issued is provided, and the target air conditioning load can be predicted in advance, so that comfortable air conditioning can be realized at an early stage.

  When the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine and / or the intake pipe pressure or the throttle opening of the internal combustion engine change abruptly, once the internal combustion engine is operated at the predicted operating point and then the load on the compressor is substantially stabilized, the internal combustion engine Since the engine is operated again at the most efficient operating point, hunting (pulsation) of the engine speed and intake pipe pressure can be avoided, and abnormal vibration and noise of the internal combustion engine can be suppressed. Thus, it is possible to achieve early stabilization of the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine and the intake pipe pressure.

  As a driving source for driving the compressor and the generator, a gas engine that can use a relatively inexpensive city gas or the like as a fuel is used, so that the operating cost can be reduced. Clean exhaust gas that does not pollute the atmosphere can be released into the atmosphere.

By receiving a signal (or data) from the system controller, engine controller, or power generation controller with a remote monitoring device, it is possible to detect abnormalities in the air conditioning, the internal combustion engine, or the generator at a remote location.
Also, by appropriately sending commands from the remote monitoring device to the system controller, engine controller, or power generation controller, the operating state of the internal combustion engine or generator can be changed as appropriate, or data such as memory sticks provided in each controller can be rewritten. It is possible to always maintain the air conditioning system in a state suitable for the current use state (or to update to the one that is in reality).

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of an air-conditioning apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an overall configuration example (at the time of heating operation) of an air conditioner 10 according to the present embodiment, which is mainly configured by including an indoor unit 20 and an outdoor unit (outdoor unit) 30. It has been done.
In addition, between the indoor unit 20 consisting of one or a plurality of units (three in this embodiment) of the indoor units 21 and the outdoor unit 30 is connected to the refrigerant pipe 2 so that the refrigerant can be circulated. .

  Each of the indoor units 21 constituting the indoor unit 20 functions as an evaporator that evaporates and vaporizes the low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant during the cooling operation and takes heat from the indoor air (room air), and the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant during the heating operation. Is provided with an indoor heat exchanger (not shown) that functions as a condenser that heats indoor air by condensing liquid. Each refrigerant pipe 2 positioned on the outlet side of the indoor heat exchanger is provided with a throttle mechanism (not shown).

The outdoor unit 30 is divided into two large components inside.
The first component part is a part that forms a refrigerant circuit together with the indoor unit 20 centering on devices such as a compressor and a water heat exchanger (or outdoor heat exchanger), and is hereinafter referred to as a “refrigerant circuit unit”. To.
The second component part is a part including a gas engine for driving the compressor and a device attached thereto, and is hereinafter referred to as a “gas engine part”.

In the refrigerant circuit section, a compressor 11, a water heat exchanger (hydrothermal exchange) 12, and the like are provided.
The compressor 11 is operated using a gas engine (internal combustion engine) GE, which will be described later, as a drive source, and is a low-temperature and low-pressure gas sucked from either the indoor heat exchanger or the water heat exchanger 12 provided in the indoor unit 21. The refrigerant is compressed and discharged as a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant. Thus, during the cooling operation, even when the outside air temperature is high, the refrigerant can radiate heat to the outside air through the water heat exchanger 12. Moreover, at the time of heating operation, it becomes possible to give heat to indoor air through an indoor heat exchanger.

  The water heat exchanger 12 functions as a condenser that condenses and liquefies high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant during cooling operation and dissipates heat to the outside air, and conversely evaporates and vaporizes low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant during heating operation to take heat from the outside air. Function as. That is, the water heat exchanger 12 performs the reverse operation of the previous indoor heat exchanger during the cooling and heating operations.

  Moreover, the water heat exchanger 12 is provided in order for a refrigerant | coolant to collect | recover heat | fever from the engine cooling water of the gas engine GE mentioned later. That is, during the heating operation, the refrigerant can recover the waste heat from the engine coolant of the gas engine GE, so that the effect of the heating operation can be further enhanced.

On the other hand, the gas engine section is provided with an exhaust gas system, a fuel intake system, and an engine oil system (not shown) in addition to the cooling water system 40 and the command system 50 with the gas engine GE as the center.
The gas engine GE is connected to the compressor 11 installed in the refrigerant circuit section by a shaft or a belt, and the driving force is transmitted from the gas engine GE to the compressor 11.

  The cooling water system 40 includes a water amount valve (or a flow rate control valve) 41, a radiator 42, a water pump (cooling water pump) 43, and the like. This is a system for cooling GE. This engine cooling water absorbs heat in the process of flowing and cooling in the water jacket of the gas engine GE, and the process in which the exhaust gas exiting the gas engine GE passes through an exhaust gas heat exchanger (exhaust gas heat exchanger) 44 described later. It is heated by waste heat.

  The water amount valve 41 is a valve for controlling the amount of water flowing to the water heat exchanger 12 and / or the radiator 42. The radiator 42 is for releasing the heat taken by the engine coolant from the gas engine GE to the outside air. The water pump 43 is provided for circulating the cooling water of the gas engine GE to the circuit. In addition, the cooling water system 40 has a reservoir tank (not shown) for temporarily storing the surplus of the cooling water flowing through this circuit, or for supplying it when the cooling water is insufficient in the circuit. Is provided.

  The cooling water system 40 is provided with an exhaust gas heat exchanger 44 in addition to the above-described configuration. This is provided to recover the heat of the exhaust gas discharged from the gas engine GE into the engine cooling water. Further, the cooling water system 40 includes the water heat exchanger 12 described above, and is disposed so as to straddle both the refrigerant circuit unit and the cooling water system 40. For these reasons, during heating operation, the engine cooling water not only takes heat from the gas engine GE but also recovers heat from the exhaust gas, and the recovered heat passes through the water heat exchanger 12 from the engine cooling water. It is a mechanism that is given to the refrigerant.

The command system 50 includes an engine controller 51 and is a system for controlling the gas engine GE and the water amount valve 41 in accordance with signals from the indoor units 21.
The signal sent from each indoor unit 21 is, for example, whether or not the outdoor unit 21 is currently in operation, and if it is in operation, the difference between the current room temperature and the set temperature. .
The engine controller 51 controls the throttle opening of the gas engine GE based on the signal sent from each indoor unit 21 and the operating state of the gas engine GE.
At the same time, the engine controller 51 controls the valve opening degree of the water amount valve 41, that is, the distribution amount to the water heat exchanger 12 and the radiator 42 based on the signal sent from each indoor unit 21.

The outdoor unit 30 is provided with a generator 60 and a power generation controller 61. The generator 60 uses the gas engine GE as a drive source and generates the same voltage and frequency as the commercial power supply. The power generation controller 61 adjusts the amount of power generated by the power generator and superimposes the electric energy generated by the power generator 60 on the commercial power source. The electric energy that has passed through the power generation controller 61 is consumed as a load such as an electric light or an outlet.
Thus, in the outdoor unit 30, since one gas engine GE is used as a drive source for the compressor 11 and the generator 60, the load (air conditioning load + power generation load) of the gas engine GE increases. For this reason, the exhaust gas temperature rises, the temperature of the engine itself rises, and the temperature of the engine cooling water increases.

Hereinafter, the operation of the air conditioner 10 having the above-described configuration will be described along with the flow of refrigerant, engine cooling water, and the like for each operation of cooling and heating the room.
During the heating operation, the refrigerant flows in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1, that is, in the order of the compressor 11 → the indoor unit 21 → the water heat exchanger 12 → the compressor 11.
That is, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant compressed by the compressor 11 is condensed and liquefied by exchanging heat with indoor air in the indoor unit 21. In this process, the gas refrigerant dissipates heat and warms the room air, and then becomes a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant.

  The liquid refrigerant sent to the water heat exchanger 12 is depressurized by passing through a throttle mechanism (not shown) provided in the refrigerant pipe 2 that communicates the indoor unit 21 and the water heat exchanger 12, and is a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant. It becomes. In the water heat exchanger 12, the low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from the engine coolant and evaporates to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant.

  The refrigerant thus converted into a low-temperature and low-pressure gas is sucked into the compressor 11 after the liquid component is separated through an accumulator (not shown). Since the gas refrigerant sucked into the compressor 11 is compressed by the operation of the compressor 11 and becomes a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant and is sent again to the indoor unit 21, the refrigerant may form a refrigeration cycle that repeatedly changes its state. it can.

On the other hand, the engine coolant flows as follows. First, when the water amount valve 41 allows the flow only to the radiator 42, the engine cooling water is the water pump 43 → the exhaust gas heat exchanger 44 (and / or the water jacket) → the water amount valve 41 → the radiator 42 → the water pump. It flows in the order of 43. Further, when the water quantity valve 41 allows the flow only to the water heat exchanger 12, the engine cooling water is the water pump 43 → the exhaust gas heat exchanger 44 (and / or the water jacket) → the water quantity valve 41 → the water heat. It flows in the order of exchanger 12 → water pump 43.
As described above, the water amount valve 41 can cause the engine cooling water to flow only to one of the water heat exchanger 12 and the radiator 42, or depends on the temperature of the engine cooling water and the operating conditions of the indoor unit 21. Both of these can be selected as appropriate. The valve opening degree of the water amount valve 41 is adjusted by a signal from the engine controller 51 as described above. That is, the flow rate of the engine cooling water to each of the water heat exchanger 12 and the radiator 42 is adjusted according to the requirements of the indoor space (the number of indoor units operated and the difference between the room temperature and the set temperature).

Next, the flow of the refrigerant and engine cooling water during the cooling operation will be briefly described.
In this case, the refrigerant flow is in the opposite direction to that in the heating operation described above. That is, it flows in the order of the compressor 11 → the water heat exchanger 12 → the indoor unit 21 → the compressor 11.
That is, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant is condensed and liquefied by the water heat exchanger 12, and dissipates heat to the outside air to become a high-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant. This liquid refrigerant is depressurized in the process of passing through the throttle mechanism (not shown) and becomes a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant, and is sent to the indoor unit 21 that functions as an evaporator.

The low-temperature and low-pressure liquid refrigerant sent to the indoor unit 21 takes heat from the indoor air and evaporates. In this process, the indoor air is cooled to become a low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant, which is led to the compressor 11. The gas refrigerant sucked into the compressor 11 is compressed by the operation of the compressor 11 and is converted into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas refrigerant and sent to the hydrothermal exchanger 12 again, thereby forming a refrigeration cycle in which the refrigerant repeatedly changes its state. be able to.
During the cooling operation, the water amount valve 41 is in a state where only the flow path to the radiator 42 is opened, and the flow path to the water heat exchanger 12 is closed.

  On the other hand, the engine coolant flows in the order of the water pump 43 → the water jacket of the gas engine GE → the water amount valve 41 → the radiator 42 → the water pump 43, and the radiator 42 radiates the heat.

Now, in the air conditioning apparatus 10 by this invention, operation control is carried out according to the flowchart shown in FIG.
First, the current operating point of the gas engine GE is calculated (S10). That is, the operating torque at the current rotational speed of the gas engine GE is calculated from the rotational speed of the gas engine GE and / or the intake pipe pressure or the throttle opening, and the current operating point of the gas engine GE is obtained.

Next, it is determined whether or not the gas engine GE is operating at the rated point (the most efficient operating point) (S20). If the gas engine GE is operating at the rated point, the process proceeds to step 30 (S30). If the operation is not performed at the rated point, the process proceeds to step 70 (S70). The rated point is an operating point set based on the engine life and efficiency.
When the routine proceeds to step 70, the power generation amount of the generator 60 is adjusted so that the gas engine GE is operated at the rated point. The power generation amount is adjusted by changing the number of revolutions of the generator 60 when the generator 60 is an induction generator, as in step 60 (S60) described later, and when the generator 60 is a synchronous generator, the generator is adjusted. This is done by changing the magnitude of the excitation current flowing to 60.

In step 30, it is determined whether or not a command for changing the air conditioning load (that is, the load on the compressor 11) has been issued. The command to change the air conditioning load is, for example, a signal that the number of operating indoor units 21 is increased or decreased, the room temperature in the room where the currently operating indoor unit 21 is installed, and the setting of the indoor unit 21 For example, a signal indicating that the difference from the temperature has increased or decreased.
If it is determined that a command to change the air conditioning load has not been issued, the process returns to step 10 (S10) described above.

When a command to change the air conditioning load is issued, the process proceeds to step 40 (S40), and the current air conditioning load is calculated.
In this step 40, if the gas engine GE and the compressor 11 are variable speed type, the rotational speed of the compressor 11 or the gas engine GE, the discharge side pressure (high pressure) of the compressor 11, and the suction side pressure of the compressor 11 The air conditioning load is calculated from (low pressure).
Further, if the gas engine GE and the compressor 11 are of a constant speed type, the air conditioning load is calculated from the discharge side pressure (high pressure) of the compressor 11 and the suction side pressure (low pressure) of the compressor 11.

  After the air conditioning load is calculated in step 40, the process proceeds to step 50 (S50) to calculate the (desirable) power generation amount. That is, the (desirable) power generation amount (power generation load) is calculated by subtracting the air conditioning load calculated in step 40 from the engine rated output (output when operating at the rated point). That is, the power generation torque for operating the gas engine GE at the rated point is calculated.

After the (desirable) power generation amount is calculated in step 50, the process proceeds to step 60 (S60), and correction (adjustment) to the (desirable) power generation amount is performed.
The amount of power generation is corrected by changing the number of revolutions of the generator 60 when the generator 60 is an induction generator, and the magnitude of the excitation current flowing through the generator 60 is changed when the generator 60 is a synchronous generator. Is done.

  When the correction of the power generation amount is completed, the process returns to step 10 described above and the following steps are repeated.

By operating the air conditioner 10 according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2, the gas engine GE can always be operated at a place where the engine efficiency is high, that is, at a rated point (the most efficient operating point), and energy conversion. Efficiency can be improved.
At the same time, the fluctuation (or change) of the air conditioning load can be grasped at an early stage from the signal sent from the indoor unit 21, so that air conditioning with good responsiveness can be provided.
The calculation of the air conditioning load is performed from time to time based on the rotation speed of the compressor 11 or the gas engine GE, the discharge side pressure (high pressure) of the compressor 11, and the suction side pressure (low pressure) of the compressor 11. Therefore, comfortable air conditioning can be realized quickly.

On the other hand, in the present invention, when the air conditioning load changes suddenly, for example, when the number of indoor units operated is suddenly increased or decreased (specifically, the number of indoor units operated is increased from 1 to 3). The gas engine GE is once operated at the predicted operating point (for example, an operating point that is about 10% higher than the most efficient operating point) and then the air conditioning load, in other words When the load of the compressor is substantially stabilized, the gas engine GE is controlled to operate at the original operating point (that is, the most efficient operating point).
That is, the air conditioning load (compressor load) changes suddenly and the power generation load (generator load) changes suddenly, resulting in a large change in the rotational speed of the gas engine GE and / or the intake pipe pressure or the throttle opening. At the same time that the occurrence of (for example, the rate of change with respect to the rotational speed and intake pipe pressure at the rated point exceeds ± 10%) is detected, the gas engine GE is once operated at the predicted operating point. When the rotation of the gas engine GE and / or the compressor is substantially stable, that is, when the air conditioning load is substantially stabilized, the operating point of the gas engine GE is returned to the original operating point (the most efficient operating point).

  When the air-conditioning load changes suddenly, the gas engine GE is once operated at the predicted operating point and then operated at the original operating point, thereby avoiding hunting (pulsation) of the engine speed and intake pipe pressure. In addition, abnormal vibration and abnormal noise of the gas engine GE can be suppressed, and early stabilization of the engine speed and intake pipe pressure can be achieved.

  A second embodiment of the air conditioner according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The air conditioner 110 according to the present embodiment incorporates a remote monitoring / setting change system 120 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. Since the points other than the remote monitoring / setting change system 120 are the same as those of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted here. In addition, in this embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the member same as 1st Embodiment.

The remote monitoring / setting change system 120 includes a remote monitoring device 121 and a system controller 122 as main elements.
The system controller 122 sends a signal sent from each indoor unit 21, for example, whether or not the outdoor unit 21 is currently in operation, and if it is in operation, the difference between the current room temperature and the set temperature. And a signal based on the signal is transmitted to the engine controller 51.
The remote monitoring device 121 is configured to be able to exchange signals with each controller, that is, the engine controller 51, the power generation controller 61, and the system controller 122.
In other words, signals (or data) received by the controllers 51, 61, and 122 are sent to the remote monitoring device 121 in real time, and provided in the remote monitoring device 121, such as a display (display). Is displayed. In addition, a command can be sent manually or automatically from the remote monitoring device 121, the operating state of the gas engine GE or the generator 61 can be changed as appropriate, and data such as a memory stick provided in each controller can be rewritten. .

By incorporating the remote monitoring / setting change system 120, an abnormality in the gas engine GE, the generator 61, or the air conditioning can be detected at a remote location.
Abnormality of the gas engine GE can be detected by the rotational speed of the gas engine GE and the intake pipe pressure / gas consumption (throttle opening) with respect to the engine load calculated from the power generation load / air conditioning load.
Abnormality of the generator 61 can be detected by the actual rotational speed, current, and voltage of the generator with respect to the predicted power generation amount.
An abnormality in air conditioning, that is, an abnormality in the compressor 11 can be detected by the rotation speed, high pressure, low pressure, discharge temperature, and suction temperature of the compressor 11 with respect to the required load of the indoor unit.

If there is any sign of abnormality in the gas engine GE, generator 61, or air conditioning from the data sent to the remote monitoring device 121, the service department in each district is contacted to provide a business trip service to the user. .
Accordingly, maintenance and maintenance can be performed before the function of the air conditioner 110 is completely stopped, and the air conditioner 110 can be quickly restored, and repair costs and work time required for repair can be achieved. Can be kept to a minimum.

  On the other hand, by appropriately sending commands from the remote monitoring device 121, it is possible to change the operating state of the gas engine GE and the generator 61 as appropriate, or to rewrite data such as a memory stick provided in each controller. It is possible to maintain the air conditioning system 110 in a state suitable for the current use situation (or to update it to the one in accordance with the actual situation).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified and changed in any way.
The capacity of the generator is assumed to be less than 10 kW. This is because if the capacity is less than 10 kW, the qualification of “electrical chief engineer” is not required for handling. That is, the owner of a convenience store that does not have such qualifications and store owners such as family restaurants can also handle them freely.

It is a distribution diagram showing a 1st embodiment of an air harmony device by the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control state when driving the air conditioning apparatus shown in FIG. It is a systematic diagram which shows 2nd Embodiment of the air conditioning apparatus by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Air conditioning apparatus 11 Compressor 51 Engine controller 60 Generator 61 Power generation controller 110 Air conditioning apparatus 121 Remote monitoring apparatus 122 System controller GE Gas engine (internal combustion engine)

Claims (5)

A compressor that compresses the refrigerant; a generator that generates the same voltage and frequency as a commercial power supply; and an internal combustion engine that drives the compressor and the generator, and circulates the refrigerant between the outdoors and the room. In the operation method of the air conditioner that performs indoor cooling or heating by
Calculating a current operating point of the internal combustion engine;
Determining whether the internal combustion engine is operating at the most efficient operating point;
Determining whether a command to change the load on the compressor has been issued;
Calculating the current compressor load from the compressor suction side pressure and discharge side pressure, or the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine, the compressor suction side pressure and discharge side pressure;
Calculating how much load on the generator to run the internal combustion engine at the most efficient operating point;
Adjusting the load of the generator so that the calculated load of the generator is applied to the generator.   When the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine and / or the intake pipe pressure or the throttle opening of the internal combustion engine change abruptly, the internal combustion engine is once operated at a predicted operating point, and then the load on the compressor is substantially stabilized, 2. The method of operating an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine is operated again at the most efficient operating point.   The method of operating an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the internal combustion engine is a gas engine. A system controller that detects the number of indoor units operated and / or the difference between the room temperature at which the indoor unit is installed and the set temperature;
An engine controller for controlling an operating state of the internal combustion engine according to a signal from the system controller;
A power generation controller for adjusting the power generation amount of the generator;
A remote monitoring device that receives signals from these system controllers, engine controllers, and power generation controllers, or transmits signals to these controllers to change the setting conditions of each controller;
The operation method of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the operation condition is changed by sending a signal from the remote monitoring device to a system controller, an engine controller, and a power generation controller. A compressor that compresses the refrigerant; a generator that generates the same voltage and frequency as a commercial power supply; and an internal combustion engine that drives the compressor and the generator, and circulates the refrigerant between the outdoors and the room. In the control device of the air conditioner that performs indoor cooling or heating by
Means for calculating a current operating point of the internal combustion engine;
Means for determining whether the internal combustion engine is operating at the most efficient operating point;
Means for determining whether a command to change the load of the compressor has been issued;
Means for calculating the current compressor load from the suction side pressure and the discharge side pressure of the compressor, or the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine, the suction side pressure and the discharge side pressure of the compressor;
Means for calculating how much to load the generator in order to operate the internal combustion engine at the most efficient operating point;
A control device for an air conditioner, comprising: means for adjusting the load of the generator so that the calculated load of the generator is applied to the generator.

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