EP2354691A2

EP2354691A2 - Air conditioner

Info

Publication number: EP2354691A2
Application number: EP20100009043
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masanori Aoki; Yasuhito Kumashiro; Naoya Matsunaga; Hidetoshi Marumatsu; Yasushi Kuwabara
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 2010-01-18
Filing date: 2010-08-31
Publication date: 2011-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 2030-08-31
Also published as: EP2354691A3; JP2011145038A; EP2354691B1; JP5446906B2

Abstract

An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes an air conditioner main unit including at least one indoor unit and an outdoor unit and a remote controller, wherein the at least one indoor unit includes a representative indoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit collects a power consumption calculated by the at least one indoor unit and totalizes a power consumption calculated by the outdoor unit and the collected power consumption, thereby obtaining a total power consumption, and transmits the total power consumption to the representative indoor unit, wherein the representative indoor unit integrates the total power consumption and calculates an amount of power consumption, and transmits the amount of power consumption to the remote controller, and wherein the amount of power consumption is converted into an amount of CO₂ emission, and the amount of CO₂ emission is displayed.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-007988 filed on January 18, 2010 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

An aspect of the present invention relates to an air conditioner having a device for displaying a CO₂ emission resultant from energy consumption.

BACKGROUND

There has been proposed a related-art air conditioner that automatically reports information pertaining to a consumption ratio required during a predetermined period according to power consumed during operation (see; for instance, JP-A-2008-261630 [pp. 3 to 10, Fig. 3]).
There has also been proposed a related-art air conditioner that has a display unit that calculates an amount of CO₂ emission from power consumption and displays the thus-calculated amount of CO₂ emission and a control device that control operation of an air conditioner main unit based on the thus-calculated amount of CO₂ emission (see; for instance, JP-A-2004-060998 [pp. 5 to 6, Fig. 3]).
There has also been proposed a related-art air conditioner that has a bidirectional communication device provided in both an air conditioner main unit and a remote controller. The main unit measures power consumption and the remote controller displays a total integrated value of power consumed over a predetermined number of days (see; for instance, JP-A-2001-099465 [pp. 2 to 4, Fig. 3]).
The related-art air conditioner has a low degree of accuracy of integration of power consumption used for calculating an amount of CO₂ emission and has hitherto drawbacks; namely, being able to display only rough power consumption and an rough amount of CO₂ emission, only displaying a mere comparison of power consumption integrated over a predetermined period with a predetermined threshold value, etc.
Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention may make it possible for an air conditioner to accurately calculate an amount of power used.
Additionally, another aspect of the present invention may make it possible for an air conditioner to display, in a comparative manner, an amount of CO₂ emission generated in a present day and an amount of CO₂ emission generated in a preceding day and also displaying a daily amount of CO₂ emission and a monthly amount of CO₂ emission, thereby making a user aware of an amount of CO₂ emission resultant from operation of an air conditioner and prompting the user to select energy-saving operation.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air conditioner comprising: an air conditioner main unit including at least one indoor unit and an outdoor unit; and a remote controller for remotely controlling the air conditioner main unit, wherein the at least one indoor unit includes a representative indoor unit, wherein the outdoor unit collects a power consumption calculated by the at least one indoor unit and totalizes a power consumption calculated by the outdoor unit and the collected power consumption, thereby obtaining a total power consumption, and transmits the total power consumption to the representative indoor unit, wherein the representative indoor unit integrates the total power consumption and calculates an amount of power consumption, and transmits the amount of power consumption to the remote controller, and wherein the amount of power consumption is converted into an amount of CO₂ emission, and the amount of CO₂ emission is displayed.
In the above-described air conditioner, the remote controller may display an integrated value of the amount of CO₂ emission generated by a current time in a present day and an integrated value of the amount of CO₂ emission generated in a preceding day side by side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an air conditioner of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a coolant circuit diagram of the air conditioner of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of other air conditioners of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a descriptive view of a display method for the air conditioner of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a descriptive view of a display method for the air conditioner of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and
Fig. 6 is a flowchart of the air conditioner of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION

First Embodiment

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an air conditioner of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a coolant circuit diagram of the air conditioner of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a schematic view of other air conditioners of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in Fig. 1, an air conditioner 100 includes a separation-type air conditioner main unit 10 and a remote controller 20. In the air conditioner main unit 10, an outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit 2 are separated from each other and connected together by a coolant pipe and a control communication line. The remote controller 20 is connected to a control communication section of the indoor unit, transmits operation command information to the air conditioner main unit 10, and displays operation information.
As shown in Fig. 2, the air conditioner main unit 10 includes a compressor 3, a four-way valve 4, a first heat exchanger 5, an expansion mechanism 6, and a second heat exchanger 7. They are sequentially connected together by a coolant pipe, thereby forming a refrigeration cycle. Specifically, the outdoor unit 1 includes the compressor 3, the four-way valve 4, the first heat exchanger 5, and the expansion mechanism 6, and the indoor unit 2 includes the second heat exchanger 7.
During cooling operation, the first heat exchanger 5 operates as a condenser, and the second heat exchanger operates as an evaporator. During heating operation, the four-way valve 4 is switched, and the second heat exchanger operates as the condenser, and the first heat exchanger operates as the evaporator.
As shown in Fig. 1, the remote controller 20 has a display unit 21 and an input section 22 and remotely controls the air conditioner main unit 10. The display unit 21 is configured to display an operating state of the air conditioner main unit 10. For example, the display unit 21 is configured to display whether or not the air conditioner is in operation, an operating mode (a cooling mode/a heating mode), a preset temperature, preset air capacity, a direction of wind, etc. The input section 22 includes a plurality of buttons (switches) and control information can be inputted For example, an operation/stop command, switching of an operation mode, a preset temperature, preset air capacity, a direction of the wind, etc., can be inputted.
The air conditioner shown in Fig. 3 is a multi-type air conditioner in which a plurality of indoor units are connected to one outdoor unit, and includes a one-coolant system. The one-coolant system forms a coolant circulation circuit in which a coolant discharged from the compressor 3 located in the outdoor unit 1 returns to the outdoor unit 1 by way of the indoor unit 2 and flows into an inlet side of the compressor 3. The remote controller 20 is connected to one of the plurality of indoor units 2 by the control communication line. The connected indoor unit receives operation command information from the remote controller 20. The information is then transmitted to another indoor unit by way of a crossover control communication line connected among the indoor units. Meanwhile, one indoor unit 2 is connected to the outdoor unit 1 by the control communication line and the information is transmitted to the outdoor unit 1 by the control communication line. The drawing illustrates a case where the outdoor unit 1 is linked to the indoor unit 2 that is connected to the remote controller 20, by the control communication line. However, the outdoor unit 1 may be connected to another indoor unit 2.
Fig. 4 is a descriptive view of a display method for the air conditioner of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing the information displayed on the display unit 21 of the remote controller 20 shown in Fig. 1. When operation of the air conditioner main unit 10 is stopped, a message "An amount of CO₂ emission is now being collected" showing that data are now being collected appears on the display unit 21 for about 5 to 10 seconds. Subsequently, an amount of CO₂ emission integrated in a present day and an amount of CO₂ emission integrated in a preceding day are displayed side by side. In the embodiment, a message showing that an integrated value of the amount of CO₂ emission generated as a result of air conditioning being performed by operating the air conditioner on the present day, by a current time on the present day when operation of the air conditioner is stopped is 12.5 kg, and another message showing that a recorded value of the amount of CO₂ emission generated in the preceding day is 120.5 kg, are displayed side by side.
As mentioned above, the integrated amount of emission generated in the present day and the integrated amount of emission generated in the preceding day are displayed side by side. Hence, the user becomes possible to easily compare the amounts of CO₂ emission, to thus become aware of energy saving.
Fig. 5 is a descriptive view of the display method for the air conditioner of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing the information displayed on the display unit 21 of the remote controller 20 shown in Fig. 1. A main menu is invoked on a display screen by actuation of a button on the remote controller 20. When a menu titled "Display an amount of CO₂ emission" is selected, the next screen titled "An amount of CO₂ emission display menu" appears. When either "Daily data (Data pertaining to amounts of CO₂ emission generated last week)" or "monthly data (Data pertaining to amounts of CO₂ emission generated for the last 14 months)" is selected in the screen titled ."An amount of CO₂ emission display menu", information [Display B] or [Display C] shown in Fig. 5 appears. For example, in the case of [Display B], a title of "Daily amounts of CO₂ emission" appears. Dates (year/month/day) and corresponding amounts of CO₂ emission generated on the dates are displayed in pairs beneath the title in descending sequence from the latest date. Moreover, in the case of [Display C], a title of "Monthly amounts of CO₂ emission" appears. Months and years (year/month) and corresponding amounts of CO₂ emission generated in the months are displayed in pairs beneath the title in descending sequence from the latest month. An "address 0" is displayed in some of the example displays in Fig. 5. The address shows, for example, the address set on each one-coolant system circuit. When the remote controller 20 is configured to control or communicate with a plurality of coolant systems, the address is used so as to enable a selection of a coolant system to which a specific air conditioner belongs. The specific air conditioner may be an air conditioner which information related to thereof is displayed and controlled.
Fig. 6 is a flowchart of the air conditioner of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. When the air conditioner main unit is in operation, the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor units 2 independently calculate their own power consumptions (S1). The outdoor unit 1 detects an average bus voltage and a corrected average primary current for each sample period and calculates the power consumption from the thus detected voltage and current. A formula to calculate the power consumption is, Power consumption (OC) = Average bus voltage × Corrected average primary current x Coefficient K × Moment. Meanwhile, each of the indoor units 2 calculates a power consumption (OI) according to the number of rotations of a fan (the target number of rotations of a fan for control purpose). However, is a longer period of time is consumed before occurrence of a change in the number of rotations of the fan of the indoor unit as compared with a period of a time consumed before occurrence of a change in the power consumption of the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit calculates the power consumption for each sampling period of a predetermined time, whilst the indoor unit 2 calculates the power consumption when a change occurs in the power consumption as a result of a change having arisen in the number of rotations of the fan. A drain pump correction value is added to the power consumption of the indoor unit as required.
The indoor units 2 transmit data pertaining to the calculated power consumptions (OI) of the respective indoor units to the outdoor unit 1 by way of transceiving device. The power consumptions are transmitted every time a change has arisen in power consumptions of the indoor units (S2). A volume of control communication between the outdoor unit 1 and the respective indoor units 2 can thereby be suppressed and capacity and capability for control communication can be lessened. The power consumptions (OI) calculated by the respective indoor units are received by the outdoor unit. The power consumption (OC) of the outdoor unit is added to the power consumptions (OI), thereby calculating a total power consumption (Pt) of the air conditioner main unit (S3). A previously-set representative indoor unit receives the total power consumption (Pt) from the outdoor unit 1 (S4). The representative indoor unit calculates an average value every minute and integrates calculation results, thereby calculating an amount of power consumption (S5). The thus-calculated amount of power consumption is stored in a storage device section of the representative indoor unit.
Subsequently, a signal for requesting data pertaining to the amount of power consumption from the remote controller 20 arrives to the representative indoor unit (S6). Data pertaining to the integrated, stored amount of power consumption are transmitted from the representative indoor unit to the remote controller 20. The remote controller 20 converts the received amount of power consumption into an amount of CO₂ emission [kg] by using a CO₂ conversion coefficient. As shown in Fig. 5, the amount of CO₂ emission is displayed on the display unit 21 (S7). The CO₂ conversion coefficient can be set by the remote controller so as to be able to address different power situations.
Accordingly, the air conditioner 100 of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention allows to efficiently inform a user of an amount of CO₂ emission resultant from operation of the air conditioner 100.

Claims

An air conditioner comprising:
an air conditioner main unit including at least one indoor unit and an outdoor unit; and

a remote controller for remotely controlling the air conditioner main unit,

wherein the at least one indoor unit includes a representative indoor unit,

wherein the outdoor unit collects a power consumption calculated by the at least one indoor unit and totalizes a power consumption calculated by the outdoor unit and the collected power consumption, thereby obtaining a total power consumption, and transmits the total power consumption to the representative indoor unit,

wherein the representative indoor unit integrates the total power consumption and calculates an amount of power consumption, and transmits the amount of power consumption to the remote controller, and

wherein the amount of power consumption is converted into an amount of CO₂ emission, and the amount of CO₂ emission is displayed.
The air conditioner according to claim 1,
wherein the remote controller displays an integrated value of the amount of CO₂ emission generated by a current time in a present day and an integrated value of the amount of CO₂ emission generated in a preceding day side by side.
The air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when a change arises in the power consumption, the at least one indoor unit transmits the calculated power consumption to the outdoor unit; and when no change arises, the at least one indoor unit does not transmit the power consumption to the outdoor unit.
The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the outdoor unit transmits the total power consumption to the representative indoor unit at each communication which if performed periodically.
The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein, when receiving the total power consumption, the representative indoor unit calculates an average value every predetermined time, to thus calculate and store an amount of power consumption; and, when receiving a request for data pertaining to the amount of power consumption, the representative indoor unit transmits the data pertaining to the amount of power consumption to the remote controller.
The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein a daily amount of CO₂ emission and a monthly amount of CO₂ emission is displayed by switching a display mode of the remote controller.
The air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 through 6, wherein the amount of CO2 emission is displayed on the remote controller regardless of whether the air conditioner main unit is in operation or not.