CN101878398B - air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an air conditioning mechanism which can realize comfortable indoor environment as soon as possible after operation starts. An air conditioning mechanism (1) of the present invention performs energy-saving operation by automatic control, and comprises: a determination unit (8c) that determines whether or not the indoor temperature and humidity have reached target temperature values and target humidity values, respectively, which are target values for achieving comfort; and an adjustment unit (8d) that performs a 1 st adjustment process for adjusting the target temperature value in the vicinity of the target temperature value on the basis of the relationship between the humidity and the target humidity value, and/or a 2 nd adjustment process for adjusting the target humidity value in the vicinity of the target humidity value on the basis of the relationship between the temperature and the target temperature value.

Description

air conditioner

technical field

The present invention relates to air conditioning mechanisms.

Background technique

Conventionally, air conditioning mechanisms for maintaining a comfortable air-conditioning environment by controlling indoor temperature and/or humidity have been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1 and the like).

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-320750

However, when such an air-conditioning mechanism is used to achieve an air-conditioned environment with desired temperature and/or humidity, it is difficult to make both the temperature and humidity reach the target value immediately after the start of operation, so it takes a long time for the user to feel comfortable indoors. .

Contents of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide an air-conditioning mechanism capable of obtaining comfort based on both temperature and humidity as early as possible.

The air conditioner of the first invention is an air conditioner that performs energy-saving operation by automatic control, and includes a reception unit, a determination unit, and an adjustment unit. The acceptance unit accepts the user's request. The judging unit judges whether the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity have respectively reached the target temperature value and the target humidity value. The target temperature value and the target humidity value are target values for achieving comfort. When the operation mode accepted by the acceptance unit is the energy-saving automatic operation mode, the adjustment unit sets the target temperature value and the target humidity value according to the user request accepted by the acceptance unit, The first adjustment process is to adjust the relationship between the indoor humidity and the target humidity value, and adjust the target temperature value near the target temperature value. When the indoor humidity has not reached the target humidity value, the adjustment unit temporarily changes the target temperature value to the corrected target temperature value, that is, an excess temperature value, and then changes the target temperature value after the indoor humidity reaches the target humidity value. In the case of the target humidity value, the target temperature value is restored from the excess temperature value to the value before correction.

In the air conditioner of the present invention, when the indoor humidity has not reached the target humidity value, the target temperature value is adjusted around the target temperature value. On the other hand, when the temperature has not reached the target temperature value, the target humidity value is adjusted around the target humidity value. Wherein, the adjustment of the target temperature value near the target temperature value refers to setting the target temperature value to a value near 22°C such as 21°C or 23°C when the target temperature value is 22°C. Similarly, adjusting the target humidity value near the target humidity value refers to setting the target humidity value to a value near 50% such as 45% or 55% when the target humidity value is 50%.

Accordingly, even when the temperature or the humidity has not reached the target temperature value or the target humidity value, the physical comfort based on both the temperature and the humidity can be felt as early as possible.

The air-conditioning mechanism of the second invention is the air-conditioning mechanism of the first invention, when either the indoor temperature or the indoor humidity has reached the target temperature value or the target humidity value, but the other has not reached the target temperature value or the target humidity value. , the adjustment unit temporarily sets the one that has reached the target value as the exceeded target value, that is, the exceeded target value.

In the air conditioner of the present invention, when either the indoor temperature or the indoor humidity has reached the target value but the other has not reached the target value, the one that has reached the target value is temporarily set as exceeding the target value. For example, when the indoor room temperature has reached the target room temperature value but the indoor humidity has not reached the target humidity value, the setting of the target room temperature value is temporarily changed to a value exceeding the target room temperature value. Conversely, when the indoor humidity has reached the target humidity value but the indoor temperature has not reached the target room temperature value, the setting of the target humidity value is temporarily changed to a value exceeding the target humidity value.

Accordingly, it is possible to realize a comfortable indoor environment that takes into consideration either the temperature or the humidity that does not reach the target value.

In the air conditioner of the third invention, in the air conditioner of the second invention, when the indoor humidity has not reached the target humidity value in the first adjustment process, the adjustment unit sets the target temperature value to exceed the temperature value, and then the indoor When the humidity reaches the target humidity value, the target temperature value is restored from the exceeded temperature value to the target temperature value. Said excess temperature value refers to an excess target value of the target temperature value.

In the air conditioning mechanism of the present invention, if the humidity does not reach the target humidity value, the temperature exceeding the target temperature value is set as the target temperature value, and if the humidity reaches the target humidity value, the target temperature value is restored to the original target temperature value .

As a result, when the humidity reaches the target humidity value, the setting immediately returns to the target temperature value, so energy saving effects can also be obtained.

In the air conditioner according to a fourth invention, in the air conditioner according to any one of the first to third inventions, the energy-saving operation has a plurality of operation modes, and the target humidity value and the target temperature value are determined according to the operation modes.

In the air conditioner of the present invention, control is performed using a target temperature value and a target humidity value corresponding to the operation mode.

Thereby, a comfortable air-conditioning environment can be realized in each operation mode.

The air-conditioning mechanism of the 5th invention is the air-conditioning mechanism of any one of the 1st - 4th invention, and it further has the indoor humidity detection means. The indoor humidity detection unit detects indoor humidity.

In the air conditioning mechanism of the present invention, the humidity detected by the indoor humidity detecting means is compared with a target humidity value. Here, the indoor humidity detection unit refers to means for estimating humidity from the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, or a humidity sensor, for example.

This makes it possible to adjust the grasped humidity and realize a comfortable air-conditioned environment.

An air conditioner according to a sixth invention is the air conditioner according to any one of the first to fourth inventions, further comprising a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, a temperature detection unit, and an estimation unit. The temperature detection unit detects the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger. The estimation part estimates indoor humidity. Also, when the operation mode is cooling or dehumidification, the estimation unit estimates indoor humidity based on the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger detected by the temperature detection means.

The air conditioner of the seventh invention has: a reception unit that accepts a request from a user; a judgment unit that judges whether the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity have respectively reached a target temperature value and a target humidity value which are target values for achieving comfort; when the operation mode accepted by the acceptance unit is the energy-saving automatic operation mode, the adjustment unit sets the target temperature value and the target humidity value according to the user request accepted by the acceptance unit, and performing a second adjustment process of adjusting the target humidity value near the target humidity value based on the relationship between the indoor temperature and the target temperature value, and the adjustment unit does not reach the target humidity value when the indoor temperature does not reach the target humidity value. In the case of the target temperature value, temporarily change the target humidity value to the corrected target humidity value, that is, exceed the humidity value, and then make the target humidity value when the indoor temperature reaches the target temperature value. The humidity value is restored from the excess humidity value to the value before correction.

In the air conditioner of the present invention, the humidity estimated from the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is compared with the target humidity value.

Thereby, even when the air-conditioning mechanism does not have a humidity sensor, it is possible to realize a comfortable air-conditioning environment in consideration of humidity.

In the air-conditioning mechanism of the first invention, even when the humidity has not reached the target humidity value, the body can feel the comfort based on both the temperature and the humidity as early as possible.

In the air conditioning mechanism according to the second invention, it is possible to realize a comfortable indoor environment in consideration of any one of the temperature and the humidity that do not reach the target value.

In the air conditioner of the third invention, since the setting returns to the target temperature value immediately when the humidity reaches the target humidity value, energy saving effect can also be obtained.

In the air conditioning mechanism of the fourth invention, a comfortable air-conditioning environment can be realized in each operation mode.

In the air-conditioning mechanism of the fifth invention, it is possible to adjust the grasped humidity and realize a comfortable air-conditioning environment.

In the air-conditioning mechanism of the sixth invention, even when the air-conditioning mechanism does not have a humidity sensor, it is possible to realize a comfortable air-conditioning environment in consideration of humidity.

In the air-conditioning mechanism of the seventh invention, even when the temperature has not reached the target temperature value, the body can feel comfort based on both the temperature and the humidity as early as possible.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is an overall appearance view of an air conditioning mechanism according to this embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the refrigerant circuit of the indoor unit and the outdoor air-conditioning unit, the configuration of the humidifying unit, and the flow of air in the present embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a control block diagram of the air conditioning mechanism of the present embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing mode determination when an energy-saving automatic operation mode is selected.

Fig. 5A is a graph showing the relationship between humidity and temperature during heating.

Fig. 5B is a graph showing the relationship between humidity and temperature during cooling and dehumidification.

6A is a diagram showing a flow of processing when the heating operation is performed in the energy-saving automatic operation mode.

6B is a diagram showing a flow of processing when cooling operation is performed in the energy-saving automatic operation mode.

Label description

1 air conditioning mechanism; 2 indoor unit; 3 outdoor unit; 4 humidification unit; 5 outdoor air conditioning unit; 6 air supply pipe; 31, 32 refrigerant piping.

Detailed ways

(1) Structural overview of the air conditioning mechanism 1

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of an air conditioner 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioner 1 is mainly composed of an indoor unit 2 installed on the indoor wall and an outdoor unit 3 installed outdoors. The indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 3 use dedicated communication lines to send and receive signals. The outdoor unit 3 is composed of an outdoor air conditioning unit 5 and a humidifying unit 4 . The outdoor air-conditioning unit 5 is connected to the indoor unit 2 through refrigerant pipes 31 and 32, and the outdoor air-conditioning unit 5 and the indoor unit 2 constitute a refrigerant circuit described later. The humidifying unit 4 is connected to the indoor unit 2 through an air supply pipe 6 , and the outside air taken into the humidifying unit 4 is sent to the indoor unit 2 through the air supply pipe 6 .

The air conditioner 1 has various operation modes, such as a cooling operation mode, a heating operation mode, a dehumidification operation mode, and an energy-saving automatic operation mode, etc., to form a comfortable indoor environment according to user requirements. In this embodiment, the energy-saving automatic operation mode refers to a mode in which target temperature value, target humidity value, wind direction and air volume, etc. are set in advance so as to achieve sufficient comfort and control with high energy-saving efficiency. In the energy-saving automatic operation mode, the air-conditioning mechanism 1 is controlled using the target temperature value and target humidity value set in advance according to the cooling period or the heating period. In addition, dehumidification operation or cooling operation (dehumidification and cooling operation) is performed in the cooling period, and heating operation (humidification and heating operation) is performed in the heating period.

(1-1) Indoor unit 2 and outdoor air conditioning unit 5

FIG. 2 shows a refrigerant circuit diagram of the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor air-conditioning unit 5 . Next, the structures of the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor air-conditioning unit 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 .

(i) Indoor unit 2

The indoor unit 2 mainly includes an indoor heat exchanger 21 , a cross-flow fan 22 and an indoor fan motor 23 . The indoor heat exchanger 21 is composed of a heat transfer tube folded multiple times at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of fins inserted through the heat transfer tube, and exchanges heat with the air in contact with it. The indoor heat exchanger 21 functions as an evaporator during cooling operation, and lowers the temperature of the indoor air in contact with the indoor heat exchanger 21 . And the moisture in the air which contacts the indoor heat exchanger 21 becomes a water droplet, and drips on the water receiving pan (not shown) provided in the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger 21 . Therefore, the humidity of the air discharged into the room also decreases. On the other hand, during heating operation, the indoor heat exchanger 21 functions as a condenser. Thereby, the air heated by contacting the indoor heat exchanger 21 is sent indoors. The cross-flow fan 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of blades are provided on the peripheral surface. The cross-flow fan 22 forms an air flow in a direction intersecting the rotation axis, sucks indoor air into the indoor unit 2, and blows out the air after heat exchange with the indoor heat exchanger 21 into the room. The cross-flow fan 22 is driven to rotate by an indoor fan motor 23 . The indoor fan motor 23 is connected to the control unit 8 described later, and operates according to a control signal from the control unit 8 .

In addition, various sensors are installed in the indoor unit 2 . The various sensors include a suction temperature sensor 25, a room humidity sensor 26, and the like. The intake temperature sensor 25 detects the temperature of the indoor air sucked into the indoor unit 2, and the indoor humidity sensor 26 detects the indoor humidity. Here, the humidity detected by the indoor humidity sensor 26 is relative humidity. As shown in FIG. 3 , the suction temperature sensor 25 and the indoor humidity sensor 26 are respectively connected to the control unit 8 , and the values detected by the suction temperature sensor 25 and the indoor humidity sensor 26 are sent to the control unit 8 .

(ii) Outdoor air conditioning unit 5

The outdoor air conditioning unit 5 is mainly equipped with a compressor 51, a propeller blower 52, an outdoor fan motor 53, an outdoor heat exchanger 54, a four-way switching valve 55, an electric valve 56, a liquid side closing valve 57 and a gas side closing valve 58. The compressor 51 is a device whose capacity can be adjusted by inverter control, sucks low-pressure gas refrigerant, compresses the sucked gas refrigerant into high-pressure gas refrigerant, and discharges it. The propeller blower 52 is driven to rotate by the outdoor fan motor 53, and sucks outside air into the casing.

The outdoor heat exchanger 54 is used to exchange heat between the refrigerant flowing inside the outdoor heat exchanger 54 and the outside air sucked into the outdoor air conditioning unit 5 by the propeller blower 52 . One end of the outdoor heat exchanger 54 is connected to the four-way switching valve 55 , and the other end is connected to the electric valve 56 . The four-way switching valve 55 switches the refrigerant circuit according to the cooling/heating mode. The refrigerant flowing inside the outdoor heat exchanger 54 dissipates heat during the cooling mode operation (when the four-way switching valve 55 is in the state of the solid line), and during the operation in the heating mode (when the four-way switching valve 55 is in the state of the dotted line). endothermic. The electric valve 56 changes the opening of the valve to control the amount of refrigerant flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 54 . The liquid side shutoff valve 57 and the gas side shutoff valve 58 open and close the refrigerant circuit. Outdoor fan motor 53, compressor 51, four-way switching valve 55, electric valve 56, liquid side closing valve 57 and gas side closing valve 58, etc. are connected with control unit 8 as shown in FIG. act on the signal.

In addition, various sensors including the outside air temperature sensor 59 shown in FIG. 3 are provided in the outdoor air conditioning unit 5 . The outside air temperature sensor 59 detects the outside air temperature. The outside air temperature sensor 59 is connected to the control unit 8 described later, and the value detected by the outside air temperature sensor 59 is sent to the control unit 8 .

(1-2) humidification unit 4

Next, the configuration of the humidifying unit 4 will be described. The humidifying unit 4 humidifies the air taken in from the outside and supplies it indoors. Humidification unit 4 mainly includes adsorption humidification rotor 41 , rotor drive motor 42 , heater 43 , radial fan 44 , radial fan motor 45 , adsorption fan 46 , and adsorption fan motor 47 as shown in FIG. 2 .

The adsorptive humidification rotor 41 is a ceramic rotor having a substantially disk-shaped honeycomb structure, and has a structure through which air can easily pass. An adsorbent such as zeolite, silica gel, or alumina is held on the adsorption humidification rotor 41 . Thereby, the adsorption|suction humidification rotor 41 adsorb|sucks the moisture contained in the contacted air, and desorb|releases moisture by heating. The adsorption humidification rotor 41 is driven to rotate by a rotor driving motor 42 . The heater 43 heats the air taken in from the outside and sent to the adsorption humidification rotor 41 at the time of humidification. The radial fan 44 is arranged on the side of the adsorption humidification rotor 41 and is driven by a radial fan motor 45 . The radial fan 44 is used to form an air flow (A1 in FIG. 2 ) that introduces outdoor air into the humidifying unit 4 and delivers it indoors. The air flow formed by the radial fan 44 is introduced into the humidification unit 4 from the air supply port 40 a, passes through the adsorption humidification rotor 41 , and is sent to the indoor unit 2 through the air supply pipe 6 . The suction fan 46 is driven to rotate by a suction fan motor 47 . The suction fan 46 is used to create an air flow (A2 in FIG. 2 ), and discharges the air sucked into the casing of the humidification unit 4 from the suction port 40b to the outside of the casing through the air outlet 40c. The air sucked in from the suction port 40b for adsorption air is adsorbed with moisture by the adsorption humidification rotor 41, and then discharged to the outside through the air outlet 40c.

3, the rotor drive motor 42, the heater 43, the radial fan motor 45 and the suction fan motor 47 are connected to the control unit 8 described later, and operate according to control signals from the control unit 8. That is, when humidification is required, the heater 43 is activated, and the air taken in from the air inlet 40a is heated by the heater. The air heated by the heater contains moisture detached from the adsorption humidification rotor 41 and is sent to the air supply pipe 6 .

(1-3) Control unit 8

Next, the control part 8 which controls the air conditioning mechanism 1 is demonstrated using FIG. 3. FIG.

The control unit 8 is a microcomputer composed of a CPU and a memory, and is provided separately in the indoor unit 2, the outdoor air-conditioning unit 5 included in the outdoor unit 3, and the electrical component box disposed in the humidifying unit 4. Each device of the indoor unit 2, the outdoor air-conditioning unit 5, and the humidifying unit 4 is connected to the control unit 8, and signals are sent and received between the control unit 8 and these devices.

The control part 8 mainly has the acceptance part 8a, the adjustment part 8b, the detection part 8c, and the determination part 8d. The accepting unit 8 a accepts a request from a user received by the receiving unit 24 shown in FIG. 1 . Specifically, the accepting unit 8 a accepts, through the receiving unit 24 , requests for the operation mode, temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume set by the user using a remote controller (not shown).

The adjustment unit 8b adjusts the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume in accordance with the user's request received by the reception unit 8a. Specifically, the target value is set according to the set operation mode, temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume. For example, when the operation mode accepted by the receiving unit 8a is the heating operation mode, the cooling operation mode, or the dehumidification operation mode, the air conditioner 1 is controlled by setting the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume desired by the user as target values. That is, the adjustment unit 8b changes the frequency of the compressor 51 provided in the outdoor air-conditioning unit 5, the opening degree of the electric valve 56, the angle of the damper (not shown), and the frequency of the indoor fan motor 23 based on the set target value. In addition, the heater 43 provided in the humidification unit 4 is controlled to start/stop, and the rotor drive motor 42 is controlled. In this way, the temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume are adjusted, and the air conditioner 1 is controlled to make the indoor environment reach the temperature set by the user. On the other hand, when the operation mode accepted by the acceptance unit 8a is the energy-saving automatic operation mode, the adjustment unit 8b sets the preset temperature, humidity, wind direction, and air volume as target values so as to ensure energy saving and comfort. The target values are set for the heating period or the cooling period, as shown in FIG. Which type of cooling operation. In addition, the control unit 8 has a timer (not shown), detects the outside air temperature and room temperature every time a predetermined time measured by the timer is reached, and performs an energy-saving automatic operation mode based on the detected outside air temperature and room temperature. reset the heating operation or cooling operation.

In addition, in the present embodiment, in order to ensure comfort, the adjustment unit 8 b sets a temperature at which the PMV value (an index of thermal sensation indicating comfort) becomes near 0 as the target temperature value. In addition, the PMV value is a value determined using parameters such as room temperature, relative humidity, average radiant temperature, amount of clothing, activity level, and air volume. However, in this embodiment, parameters other than temperature and humidity are determined using reference values. control. Furthermore, in order to realize energy-saving operation, the regulator 8b corrects the target temperature value -0.5°C to the target temperature value during heating, and corrects the target temperature value +0.5°C to the target temperature value during cooling.

Specifically, when the air-conditioning operation in which the energy-saving automatic operation mode is selected, the air conditioner according to the present embodiment assumes that the room temperature is 22.5° C. In mechanism 1, the adjustment unit 8b sets the target room temperature value to 22.0°C and the target humidity value to 50%, respectively. On the other hand, during cooling operation, the PMV value can achieve the most comfort at a room temperature of 27.5°C and a humidity of 50%. , Set the target humidity value to 50%. After setting the target value, the regulator 8b outputs a control signal to each of the indoor unit 2, the outdoor air-conditioning unit 5, and the humidifying unit 4, and each device starts an operation corresponding to the target value.

Moreover, the adjustment part 8b changes the said target temperature value based on the judgment result of the judgment part 8d mentioned later. The details will be described together with the description of the judging section 8d.

The detection unit 8 c detects values obtained by the suction temperature sensor 25 and the indoor humidity sensor 26 .

The judgment part 8d judges whether the value detected by the detection part 8c has reached the said target temperature value and target humidity value. Here, when the energy-saving automatic operation mode is selected, it is determined that the value of the indoor humidity sensor 26 has not reached the target humidity even though it is determined that the value of the suction temperature sensor 25 detected by the detection unit 8c has reached the target temperature value. In the case of a value, the adjustment unit 8b corrects the target temperature value by 1°C. That is, set the target temperature value +1°C as the target temperature value (equivalent to the excess temperature value) during heating operation, and set the target temperature value -1°C as the target temperature value (equivalent to the excess temperature value) during cooling operation. ). Specifically, during heating operation, the previously set target temperature value of 22.0°C is corrected to 23.0°C, and during cooling operation, the previously set target value of 28.0°C is corrected to 27.0°C. By correcting the target temperature value in this way, the humidity can be changed and the comfort of the indoor environment can be ensured early.

Next, the correction of the target temperature value by the adjustment unit 8 b at this time and the change in humidity accompanying the correction of the target humidity value will be described using FIGS. 5A and 5B . 5A and 5B show the temperature at which the recommended humidity is changed. DHA_W1 and DHA_W2 shown in FIG. 5A and DHA_C1 and DHA_C2 shown in FIG. 5B respectively represent the determination reference humidity in the recommended humidity range during heating or cooling, and DDH represents the humidity range deviation. For example, when describing the heating operation (see FIG. 5A ), it is assumed that the indoor humidity is at the position of the solid line of DHA_W2 at the start of the operation. In this case, by correcting the target temperature value by 1.0°C, the humidity rises to the position of the solid line of DHA_W1. Then, when the humidity falls from the solid line position of DHA_W1 to the solid line position of DHA_W2, the humidification unit 4 is operated to perform humidification, and the temperature is increased by 1.0°C. On the other hand, during the cooling operation (see FIG. 5B ), it is assumed that the indoor humidity is at the position of the solid line of DHA_C2 at the start of the operation. In this case, by correcting the target temperature value by 1.0°C, the humidity drops to the solid line position of DHA_C1. And, when the humidity rises from the solid line position of DHA_C1 to the solid line position of DHA_C2, the temperature is lowered by 1.0°C. By changing the temperature in this way, the recommended humidity can be realized.

Then, when the determination unit 8d determines that the humidity detected by the detection unit 8c has reached the target humidity value, the adjustment unit 8b restores the target temperature value to the target temperature value before correction. Specifically, when the heating operation is performed in the energy-saving automatic operation mode, the adjustment unit 8b sets the target temperature value from 23°C to 22°C, and when the cooling operation is performed, the target temperature value is set from 27°C to 28°C. ℃.

(processing flow)

Next, the flow of processing when the air-conditioning mechanism 1 of this embodiment performs the control of the energy-saving automatic operation mode will be described using FIG. 6 . First, the processing flow when the heating operation is performed in the energy-saving automatic operation mode will be specifically described.

When the reception unit 8a receives a request for energy-saving automatic operation from the user (step S1), the heating operation is started based on the values of the suction temperature sensor 25 and the outside air temperature sensor 59 detected by the detection unit 8c (step S2) . At this time, the adjustment unit 8b sets the preset temperature value and humidity value as the target temperature value and target humidity value, including the compressor 51 of the outdoor air conditioning unit 5 and/or the radial fan motor 45 of the humidification unit 4, etc. Each device including these operates according to these target values, and performs heating operation (humidification and heating operation). Then, the determination unit 8d determines whether or not the value of the intake temperature sensor 25 detected by the detection unit 8c has reached the target temperature value (step S3). Here, when the value obtained by the suction temperature sensor 25 reaches the target temperature value, the determination unit 8d determines whether the value of the indoor humidity sensor 26 detected by the detection unit 8c has reached the target humidity value (step S4). Here, when the value of the indoor humidity sensor 26 has not reached the target humidity value, the adjustment unit 8 b corrects the target temperature value and sets it to a temperature higher by 1° C. (step S5 ). Then, when it is determined that the value of the indoor humidity sensor 26 detected by the detection unit 8c has reached the target humidity value (step S6), the adjustment unit 8b restores the target temperature value to the target temperature value before correction (step S7).

Next, the flow of processing when cooling operation is performed in the energy-saving automatic operation mode will be specifically described.

When the reception unit 8a receives a request for energy-saving automatic operation from the user (step S11), cooling operation is started based on the values of the suction temperature sensor 25 and the outside air temperature sensor 59 detected by the detection unit 8c (step S12). At this time, the adjustment unit 8b sets the preset temperature value and humidity value as the target temperature value and target humidity value, and each device including the compressor 51 of the outdoor air conditioning unit 5 operates according to these target values. Perform cooling operation (cooling and dehumidification operation). Then, the determination unit 8d determines whether or not the value of the intake temperature sensor 25 detected by the detection unit 8c has reached the target temperature value (step S13). Here, when the value obtained by the suction temperature sensor 25 reaches the target temperature value, the determination unit 8d determines whether the value of the indoor humidity sensor 26 detected by the detection unit 8c has reached the target humidity value (step S14). Here, when the value of the indoor humidity sensor 26 has not reached the target humidity value, the adjustment unit 8 b corrects the target temperature value and sets it to a temperature lower by 1° C. (step S15 ). Then, when it is determined that the value of the indoor humidity sensor 26 detected by the detection unit 8c has reached the target humidity value (step S16), the adjustment unit 8b restores the target temperature value to the target temperature value before correction (step S17).

(feature)

(1) The air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment is provided with a plurality of operation modes, and by selecting the energy-saving automatic operation mode among the plurality of operation modes, the temperature, humidity, air volume, and air direction, etc., in consideration of energy saving and comfort are automatically selected, A relatively comfortable indoor environment for the user can be realized as early as possible after the start of operation. In addition, it takes longer time for the indoor humidity to reach the target humidity value than for the temperature to reach the target temperature value. In view of this, the air conditioner 1 of this embodiment corrects the target temperature value until the humidity reaches the target humidity value. Therefore, the user can feel the comfort of the room as early as possible. In addition, considering energy saving, after the indoor humidity reaches the target humidity value, the target temperature value is restored to the target temperature value before correction. Therefore, control that satisfies both comfort and energy saving can be performed.

In addition, in the air conditioner 1 of the present embodiment, in order to obtain an energy-saving effect, control is performed such that the room temperature at which the PMV value is 0 is not set as the target temperature value during the cooling operation and the heating operation, and the room temperature at which the PMV value is 0 is set as the target temperature value during the cooling operation. The value obtained by adding 0.5°C to the room temperature where the PMV value is 0 is set as the target temperature value, and the value obtained by subtracting 0.5°C from the room temperature where the PMV value is 0 is set as the target temperature value during heating operation. Therefore, when the humidity reaches the expected humidity, it is preferable to return to the value set as the target temperature value as early as possible in order to seek energy saving and comfort.

(2) The air conditioner 1 according to the present embodiment can perform operation in consideration of comfort and energy saving simply by selecting the above-mentioned energy-saving automatic operation mode by the user using a remote controller (not shown).

(modified example)

(1) In the present embodiment, the outdoor unit 3 is provided with the outdoor air-conditioning unit 5 and the humidifying unit 4 , but an air supply/humidifying unit may be used instead of the humidifying unit 4 . When the air supply/humidification unit is used, air supply operation is performed to supply indoor air without humidifying it, and humidification operation is performed to supply indoor air after humidifying air taken in from outside. In this case, during the air supply operation without humidification, the heater 43 is stopped, and the air taken in from the air supply port 40 a is sent to the air supply pipe 6 as it is. Also in this case, the same effect as that of the air conditioning mechanism 1 of this embodiment can be obtained.

(2) In the present embodiment, when the energy-saving automatic operation mode is selected, the heating operation or the cooling operation is determined based on the values obtained from the suction temperature sensor 25 and the outside air temperature sensor 59, but it may be determined based on the suction temperature alone. The value obtained by the sensor 25 or the outside air temperature sensor 59 is determined.

(3) In this embodiment, the following situation is shown in the processing flow of the energy-saving automatic operation mode, that is, after it is determined whether the indoor temperature has reached the target temperature value in step S3 and step S13, in step S4 and step S14 It is judged whether the indoor humidity has reached the target humidity value. Although the indoor temperature has reached the target temperature value, the indoor humidity has not yet reached the target humidity value. In the air conditioner 1 installed in a room where the indoor temperature is less likely to change than the humidity, The order of step S3 and step S13 and step S4 and step S14 may be reversed. That is, in steps S3 and S13, it is judged whether the indoor humidity has reached the target humidity value, and if it is judged to have been reached, in steps S4 and S14, it is judged whether the indoor temperature has reached the target temperature value, and if the indoor temperature has not reached the target temperature value. In this case, the humidity is changed in step S5 and step S15 to create a comfortable indoor environment.

In addition, regarding the air conditioner 1 installed in a room where the temperature does not easily change, comfort can be ensured by controlling the air flow such as the air direction and/or air volume.

(4) In the energy-saving automatic operation mode of the present embodiment, the temperature and humidity are determined in advance based on the PMV value as values that can achieve comfort, but values that can achieve comfort may be determined based on other values. For example, the target value may be set according to a value of SET (Standard Effective Temperature) or the like.

(5) In the present embodiment, the humidity obtained by the indoor humidity sensor 26 is compared with the target humidity value, but in cooling or dehumidification, the humidity estimated by the estimating unit for estimating the indoor humidity may be used instead of the humidity obtained by the The humidity obtained by the indoor humidity sensor 26. Specifically, in an air conditioner that does not have an indoor humidity sensor as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-139371, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is detected using a sensor that detects the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and the detected temperature is used. The temperature of the indoor heat exchanger is used to estimate the indoor humidity. Accordingly, even when the air conditioning mechanism 1 does not have the indoor humidity sensor 26, the control of the air conditioning mechanism of the present invention can be performed, and a comfortable air conditioning environment in consideration of humidity can be realized.

(6) The indoor unit 2 of the present embodiment may further include a radiation sensor. In this case, by detecting body surface temperature with a radiation sensor, it is possible to control indoor temperature, humidity, and airflow in consideration of the influence of radiation temperature, user's activity level, amount of clothing, etc., and realize a more comfortable indoor environment.

(7) In the present embodiment, the air conditioner 1 is controlled using relative humidity, but absolute humidity may be used for control.

(8) In this embodiment, when the energy-saving operation mode is selected, the preset target temperature value and target humidity value are used, but it is also possible to estimate the radiant temperature from the outside air temperature, and control the indoor temperature by considering its influence. temperature, humidity and airflow.

(9) The indoor unit 2 of the present embodiment may also have a function of setting a room type (setting of room heat insulation, window area, number of doors, etc.). In such a case, a more comfortable indoor environment can be achieved by estimating the radiant temperature from the room form and the outside air temperature, and controlling the indoor temperature, humidity, and airflow by taking their influence into consideration.

(10) In this embodiment, an air-conditioning mechanism capable of adjusting room temperature and humidity is used, but an air-conditioning mechanism without a function of adjusting humidity may be used to correct the temperature based on the detected humidity.

Industrial availability

The present invention is very useful for an air-conditioning mechanism that enables the body to feel comfort based on both temperature and humidity as early as possible.

Claims (12)

1. An air conditioning mechanism, which has: Acceptance department, which accepts the user's request; a judging section that judges whether the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity have respectively reached a target temperature value and a target humidity value that are target values for achieving comfort; and an adjustment unit that sets the target temperature value and the target humidity value in response to a user request accepted by the acceptance unit when the operation mode accepted by the acceptance unit is an energy-saving automatic operation mode, and performing a first adjustment process of adjusting the target temperature value near the target temperature value according to the relationship between the indoor humidity and the target humidity value, When the indoor humidity has not reached the target humidity value, the adjustment unit temporarily changes the target temperature value to the corrected target temperature value, that is, an excess temperature value, and then changes the target temperature value after the indoor humidity reaches the target humidity value. In the case of the target humidity value, the target temperature value is restored from the excess temperature value to the value before correction. 2. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The air conditioning mechanism is capable of operating in a heating operation mode, In the heating operation mode, the excess temperature value is higher than the target temperature value before correction. 3. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The air conditioning mechanism is capable of operating in a cooling operation mode, In the cooling operation mode, the excess temperature value is lower than the target temperature value before correction. 4. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The energy-saving operation has a plurality of operation modes, and the target humidity value and the target temperature value are determined according to the operation mode of the energy-saving operation. 5. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The air conditioner further includes an indoor humidity detection unit that detects the indoor humidity. 6. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The air conditioner further has a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and an estimation unit that estimates the indoor humidity, When the operation mode is a cooling operation mode or a dehumidification operation mode, the estimation unit estimates the indoor humidity based on the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger detected by the temperature detection unit. 7. An air conditioning mechanism comprising: Acceptance department, which accepts the user's request; a judging section that judges whether the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity have respectively reached a target temperature value and a target humidity value that are target values for achieving comfort; and an adjustment unit that sets the target temperature value and the target humidity value in response to a user request accepted by the acceptance unit when the operation mode accepted by the acceptance unit is an energy-saving automatic operation mode, and performing a second adjustment process of adjusting the target humidity value near the target humidity value according to the relationship between the indoor temperature and the target temperature value, When the indoor temperature has not reached the target temperature value, the adjustment unit temporarily changes the target humidity value to the corrected target humidity value, that is, an excess humidity value, and then changes the target humidity value to the corrected target humidity value, and then changes the target humidity value to the corrected target humidity value, and then In the case of the target temperature value, the target humidity value is restored from the excess humidity value to the value before correction. 8. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 7, wherein: The air conditioning mechanism is capable of operating in a heating operation mode, In the heating operation mode, the excess humidity value is higher than the target humidity value before correction. 9. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: The air conditioning mechanism is capable of operating in a cooling operation mode, In the cooling operation mode, the excess humidity value is lower than the target humidity value before correction. 10. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 7, wherein: The energy-saving operation has a plurality of operation modes, and the target humidity value and the target temperature value are determined according to the operation mode of the energy-saving operation. 11. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 7, wherein: The air conditioner further includes an indoor humidity detection unit that detects the indoor humidity. 12. The air conditioning mechanism according to claim 7, wherein: The air conditioner further has a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, and an estimation unit that estimates the indoor humidity, When the operation mode is a cooling operation mode or a dehumidification operation mode, the estimation unit estimates the indoor humidity based on the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger detected by the temperature detection unit.

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