JP3149934B2 - Air conditioner operation control method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner operation control method for automatically selecting an operation mode such as a cooling operation, a dehumidification operation, and a heating operation when the air conditioner starts its automatic operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an automatic operation of an air conditioner, an indoor unit having a built-in indoor heat exchanger is provided with an indoor temperature detector to detect an indoor temperature at the time of starting the operation. Each operation mode such as a cooling operation, a dehumidification operation, and a heating operation is selected and determined based on the room temperature.
In Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-68538, an operation mode is selected based on the room temperature, the selected operation mode is stored, and the operation mode is stored for a predetermined period of time after the operation is stopped. When the operation is restarted within the above-mentioned predetermined time after the operation is stopped, the operation is restarted in the stored operation mode, that is, the operation mode selected at the time of the operation stop, and the predetermined time or more has elapsed since the operation was stopped. An operation control device that selects an operation mode based on the room temperature at the start when the operation is restarted after the operation is described.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional air conditioner, since the indoor temperature detector is installed near the indoor heat exchanger, the heat influence of the indoor heat exchanger itself after operation is stopped. As a result, there is a problem that the room temperature cannot be accurately detected. Therefore, when the operation of the air conditioner is temporarily stopped and then restarted, if the stop time is short, if the operation mode is determined based on the room temperature at the start of the re-operation, the desired operation mode may not be selected. . For example, if the heating operation is temporarily stopped and restarted after a short pause in the hope of continuing the heating operation, the temperature detected by the indoor temperature detector rises during the suspension time, and restarting is performed. At the time of the start, the detected temperature becomes high, and the cooling operation is selected. As described above, in order to solve the above problem, an operation mode before the operation is stopped has been proposed to be stored for a certain period of time. In this operation control device, the operation mode before the operation is stopped is stored. It is necessary to provide a means for holding the operation mode storage for a predetermined time, which complicates the apparatus and has a problem that the stored last operation mode is not always optimal. On the other hand, when the circulation is performed by driving only the indoor fan or the like before the operation is started, there is a problem that the wind direction and the wind speed set in the circulation operation are inappropriate and give a feeling of discomfort to a person. Furthermore, recently, home automation (centralized control of housing equipment) has been adopted, and various kinds of housing equipment are provided by a preset operation signal output from a home automation control panel or a telephone controller (an external signal by a touch-tone telephone). An air conditioner has been operated in an unmanned room before returning home by an operation signal from a controller that outputs an operation signal to the device), but even in an unmanned room, the operation of the air conditioner is manned. Because it was not different from the case of, the diffusion of indoor air by circulation operation was insufficient,
There is a problem that it is difficult to detect a more accurate room temperature.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner capable of accurately detecting a room temperature and automatically selecting an optimal operation mode when automatic operation is started by an operation signal from home automation. To provide a method for controlling the operation of the machine.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above object, an operation control method for an air conditioner according to the present invention includes an air conditioner equipped with an indoor temperature detector and having a variable cooling and heating capacity. Automatic operation and external command automatic operation based on an external operation command signal by telephone etc. are distinguished, and the circulation operation at the start of automatic operation is set differently when normal automatic operation starts and when external command automatic operation starts After performing under the conditions, the operation mode and the set temperature are determined based on the room temperature. Normally, the circulation operation at the start of automatic operation is performed with the set wind speed set to low wind and the blowing direction is fixed in the horizontal direction, and the circulation operation at the start of external command automatic operation is performed with the set wind speed at medium or strong wind, and the blowing direction Is continuously changed in the vertical direction.

[0006]

According to the operation control method of the air conditioner of the present invention, when the automatic operation is started, the circulation operation at the start of the automatic operation is performed under different setting conditions between the start of the normal automatic operation and the start of the external command automatic operation. When the detected indoor temperature becomes substantially constant, the operation mode and the set temperature are determined based on the indoor temperature, so that regardless of the length of the operation stop time, the heat influence of the indoor heat exchanger is eliminated, The operation mode can be determined based on the accurate room temperature, and the optimum operation mode at the time of starting the automatic operation can be determined. In addition, the circulation operation at the start of normal automatic operation
By setting the blowing speed to a weak wind and fixing the blowing direction to the horizontal direction, while ensuring the comfort of people in the room,
An accurate room temperature can be detected. Furthermore, the circulation operation at the start of the external command automatic operation is performed by setting the set wind speed to medium wind or strong wind and continuously changing the blowing direction in the vertical direction, so that the diffusion speed of indoor air, which is usually unmanned, and the effect. And a more accurate room temperature can be detected by a short circulation operation.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of a control circuit of an air conditioner having a refrigerant circulation circuit having a compressor to which the present invention is applied and having variable cooling and heating capacity, in which an indoor temperature detector 1 such as a thermistor is connected. The analog-to-digital converter 2 and the remote controller 3 are connected to the input circuit 4 of the microcomputer 9, and the microcomputer 9 includes an input circuit 4, a CPU 5, a storage circuit 6, a timer circuit 7, and an output circuit 8. The input circuit 4 is connected to the CPU 5. A storage circuit 6, a timer circuit 7, and an output circuit 8 are connected to the CPU 5, and the output circuit 8 includes a cooling / heating switching device 10 such as a four-way valve for switching a refrigerant circulation flow path and a compressor.
11, a drive circuit 12 and an up / down deflection louver 13, and a drive circuit 14 and an indoor blower fan 15 are connected.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the automatic operation is started, it is a normal automatic operation started by a direct operation of the remote controller 3 or an operation unit provided in the air conditioner main body, or a home started by an external operation command signal (hereinafter referred to as an HA signal) by telephone. It is determined whether or not the operation is automation automatic operation (hereinafter, referred to as HA operation). In the case of normal automatic operation, by fixing the vertical deflection louver 13 in the horizontal direction and fixing the blowing direction in the horizontal direction, by operating the indoor blower fan 15 in the weak wind operation and starting the circulation operation, Perform a circulation operation without causing discomfort to people in the room. On the other hand, in the case of the HA operation, since the room is usually unmanned, the indoor blower fan 15 is operated with the set wind speed as medium wind or strong wind, and the vertical louver 13 is continuously reciprocated up and down to move the blow direction up and down. By performing the circulation operation while continuously varying the direction, the diffusion speed and effect of the indoor air can be enhanced, and the accurate indoor temperature TR can be reliably detected.

After starting the circulation operation, the indoor temperature TR is detected when a predetermined time t has elapsed, and the operation mode and the set temperature Ts are determined based on the detected indoor temperature TR. Transfer to control. As an example of the relationship between the room temperature TR and each operation mode and the set temperature Ts, as shown in the table of FIG.
Is 22 ° C or lower, the set temperature Ts is 24 ° C for the heating operation, and the indoor temperature TR is 22 ° C to 26 ° C, the set temperature Ts is 24 ° C for the dehumidifying operation.
Cooling operation with a set temperature Ts of 25 ° C when the indoor temperature TR is 26 ° C to 28 ° C, and a set temperature Ts of 26 ° C when the indoor temperature TR is 28 ° C to 30 ° C
Cooling operation, when the indoor temperature TR is 30 ° C or higher, the set temperature Ts
A 27 ° C cooling operation is selected.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing an example of a temporal change of the room temperature TR and an operation timing of various loads when the automatic operation mode of the normal automatic operation is determined. During normal automatic operation by direct operation, the HA signal is off, the operation switch is turned on by manual operation, the indoor blower fan 15 is driven by a weak wind, the vertical deflection louver 13 is fixed in the horizontal direction, and the blowing direction is The circulation operation is performed while being fixed in the horizontal direction. When a predetermined time t has elapsed since the start of the circulation operation, the room temperature TR at that time A is detected, the operation mode and the set temperature Ts are determined based on the detected room temperature TR, and the compressor 11 is turned on. The indoor blower fan 15 is driven at the set operation mode and at the set wind speed corresponding to the set temperature Ts, and the vertical louver 13 is held at the set position or is swung at the set speed.

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing an example of a temporal change of the room temperature TR and an operation timing of various loads when the automatic operation mode of the HA operation is determined. When the HA signal is input by the telephone, the operation switch is turned on, and the indoor blower fan 15 is driven by the middle wind or the strong wind,
The vertical deflection louvers 13 are continuously reciprocated in the vertical direction to perform a circulation operation. The indoor blower fan 15 is driven by medium or strong wind,
Is continuously reciprocated in the vertical direction, thereby generating a random airflow in the room and enabling accurate detection of the room temperature TR. When a predetermined time t has elapsed since the start of the circulation operation, the room temperature TR at that point A is detected, the operation mode and the set temperature Ts are determined based on the detected room temperature TR, and the compressor 11 is turned on. The indoor blower fan 15 is driven at the set operation mode and the set wind speed corresponding to the set temperature Ts, and the vertical deflection louver 13 is held at the set position or is swung at the set speed.

In the above embodiment, the operating time t of the circulation operation in the normal automatic operation and the HA operation is made equal. However, the room temperature in the circulation operation in the HA operation is higher than that in the normal automatic operation. TR
The operation time of the circulation operation in the HA operation may be set to be shorter than the operation time in the normal automatic operation since the stabilization of the operation is quick.

Further, the circulation operation time may not be constant, and the circulation operation may be terminated based on a change in the room temperature TR. For example, while the circulation operation is being performed, the room temperature TR is detected at intervals of a fixed sampling time t, and the temperature gradient D = () is calculated from the room temperature TR detected this time and the room temperature TR ₀ detected last time. TR ₀ −T
R) / t is calculated. When the temperature gradient D falls within a predetermined range (for example, −0.1 ° C./sec≦TD≦0.1° C./sec),
Indoor temperature TR without being affected by indoor heat exchanger temperature TH
Is stably detected, the operation mode and the set temperature Ts are determined based on the room temperature TR at this time, and the room temperature is controlled using the determined operation mode and the set temperature Ts.

[0014]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained. At the start of automatic operation, the circulation operation at the start of automatic operation is performed under different setting conditions between the start of normal automatic operation and the start of external command automatic operation, and when the detected indoor temperature becomes substantially constant, Since the operation mode and the set temperature are determined based on the temperature, the influence of the heat of the indoor heat exchanger can be eliminated regardless of the length of the operation stop time, and the operation mode can be determined based on the accurate indoor temperature. In addition, the optimum operation mode at the time of starting the automatic operation can be determined. In addition, the circulation operation at the start of normal automatic operation is performed by setting the wind speed to a weak wind and fixing the blowing direction to the horizontal direction, ensuring accurate indoor temperature while ensuring the comfort of people indoors can do. Furthermore, the circulation operation at the start of the external command automatic operation is performed by setting the set wind speed to medium wind or strong wind and continuously changing the blowing direction in the vertical direction, so that the diffusion speed of indoor air, which is usually unmanned, and the effect. And a more accurate room temperature can be detected by a short circulation operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of an air conditioner to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a table showing an example of an operation mode and a set temperature with respect to a room temperature.

FIG. 4 is a time chart of a room temperature change and a control operation during normal automatic operation.

FIG. 5 is a time chart of a change in room temperature and a control operation during the HA operation.

[Description of Signs] 1 Indoor temperature detector, 2 Analog / Digital converter 2 3 Remote controller, 4 Input circuit, 5 CP
U, 6 memory circuit 7 timer circuit, 8 output circuit, 9 microcomputer 10 cooling and heating switching device, 11 compressor, 12, 14 drive circuit,
13 Vertical louver 15 Indoor fan

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An air conditioner having an indoor temperature detector and a variable cooling / heating capacity, wherein a normal automatic operation by direct operation and an external command automatic operation based on an external operation command signal by a telephone or the like are discriminated. At the start of automatic operation and at the start of external command automatic operation, after performing the circulation operation at the time of automatic operation start under different setting conditions, the operation mode and the set temperature are determined based on the indoor temperature. Operation control method for air conditioners 2. The circulation operation at the start of the normal automatic operation is performed with the set wind speed set to a weak wind and the blowing direction is fixed in the horizontal direction. 2. The operation control method for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the air is blown in a strong wind and the blowing direction is continuously changed in a vertical direction.