JP2002327947A - Energy saving support system and service system for freezing and air conditioning apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an energy saving support service and a service system for a freezing and air conditioning apparatus capable of reducing an initial investment by a user who wants energy saving, giving the energy saving service to the user, and also confirming an effect of energy saving (an effect of saving of a consumption power). SOLUTION: There is provided an energy saving support service for a load facility 300 having a motor. It has an energy saving operation mode in which a capacity control is carried out in response to a variation in load and a basic operation mode of a specified capacity. A difference in consumption power when a load facility 300 is operated under each of the operation modes is calculated, then a merit fee is calculated in response to this difference and noticed to the user.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a service method for maintaining and managing a refrigeration system, an air conditioner, etc., and is particularly suitable for an energy saving support service for supporting energy saving and a refrigeration system service system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various motors have been used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment to drive a compressor, a fan, a pump, and the like.
It is common practice to introduce an inverter for power saving (energy saving) and control its capacity according to the load. When introducing various driving inverters, the merits thereof are calculated in advance, and the inverter is purchased or leased or rented.

In order to motivate energy saving, it is known to analyze power consumption by load type and diagnose the consumption tendency.
No. 3 publication.

[0004]

In the above prior art, when purchasing an inverter for the purpose of energy saving, initial investment is difficult or investment is made without confirming the effect of energy saving in advance. Even if the energy saving effect was not sufficient after the introduction of the inverter, even if it was a lease or rental system, payment would have to be continued during the contract period even if it was not enough And hindered its spread. Further, the mere motivation for introducing energy-saving equipment was not sufficient simply based on the consumption tendency of each type of load.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to reduce the initial investment of a user who desires energy saving, receive a desired energy saving service, and confirm the energy saving effect (power saving effect). An object of the present invention is to provide an energy-saving support service and a service system for a refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus that motivate the introduction of energy-saving equipment.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to an energy-saving support service for a load facility having a motor, and an energy-saving operation mode for performing capacity control in accordance with a load change. And a basic operation mode of capacity, wherein a difference in power consumption when the load equipment is operated in each operation mode is obtained, a merit charge is obtained based on the difference, and notification is made.

Further, the present invention provides an energy saving support service for notifying a manager of a load facility having a motor of a power consumption amount, wherein a rotation speed of the motor is varied according to a load change of the load facility. An energy-saving operation mode to be controlled and a basic operation mode to be set to a constant speed. A predetermined period among the periods to be notified is operated in the basic operation mode, and the remaining period is operated in the energy-saving operation mode. Calculate the integrated power amount in the energy saving operation mode and the basic operation mode during the period to be notified from the integrated power amount and notify a value related to the difference as the power saving effect in the notified period. Things.

Further, the present invention relates to a service system for a refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus having a monitoring center for monitoring and controlling the operating state of the refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus, wherein operating data is transmitted from the refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus via the Internet. The monitoring center for setting the operation stop, operation mode, and temperature of the refrigeration air conditioner; the energy saving operation mode for controlling the operation stop, the operation mode, and the temperature so as to reduce the power consumption of the refrigeration air conditioner; Refrigeration and air-conditioning apparatus having the operation stop, operation mode, and basic operation mode for controlling the temperature regardless of whether the refrigeration and air conditioning system is in the energy-saving operation mode or the basic operation mode. The difference in power consumption in each operation mode was obtained from the operation data when the device was operated, and based on this difference, A lit fee is obtained by viewable as a WWW page.

Further, in the above, it is desirable that the load equipment is a refrigerating air conditioner having a plurality of compressors, and the energy saving operation mode is to control the number of compressors.

Further, in the above apparatus, the load equipment is a refrigerating air conditioner having a plurality of compressors, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator, and at least one of the plurality of compressors has a variable discharge amount. In the energy saving operation mode, it is desirable that the discharge amount of the compressor whose discharge amount is variable is variable.

Further, in the above apparatus, a monitoring center connected to the Internet for monitoring and controlling the load equipment is provided, the energy saving operation mode and the basic operation mode are switched from the monitoring center, and the load equipment is connected via the Internet. It is desirable that a difference in power consumption in each operation mode is obtained from the transmitted operation data, and the merit charge can be browsed as a WWW page based on the difference.

Furthermore, in the above, the operation in the basic operation mode is performed a plurality of times within the period to be notified, the average value of the respective integrated power amounts is obtained, and the power saving effect is calculated based on the average value. It is desirable.

Further, in the above, the load equipment is a refrigerating air conditioner having a compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator, and at least a motor for driving the compressor has an energy saving operation mode. desirable.

Further, in the above, it is desirable that the energy-saving operation mode is to control the number of revolutions of a motor for driving a compressor of the refrigerating air conditioner.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an entire configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 300 denotes a refrigeration air conditioner which is a load facility to be serviced. Refrigeration showcases installed in so-called convenience stores, ice temperature chilled cases, refrigerated showcases, refrigeration cycle devices for stores with in-store air conditioners, etc., as well as fans, blowers, pumps, etc. used in factories etc. There are facilities with These are also parts where energy saving measures are relatively delayed despite high power consumption, and various motors are used as drive sources. Therefore, users often have a desire to save energy while investing in these facilities and equipment as little as possible.

FIG. 2 shows details of a multi-air conditioner (air conditioner) as a refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus. Each of the outdoor units 4A and 4B includes a compressor 11 driven by a motor, a four-way valve 8 for switching between cooling and heating, It has an outdoor heat exchanger 9, a motor-driven outdoor fan, an electronic expansion valve 10, a receiver 12, and an accumulator 7 whose opening is adjusted in order to vary the amount of refrigerant for the outdoor heat exchanger 9. Indoor units 3A, 3B, 3
Each of C and 3D includes an indoor heat exchanger 13, a motor-driven indoor fan 17, and an electronic expansion valve 14 with a variable opening.

During cooling, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas discharged from the compressor 11 of the outdoor unit 4A passes through the four-way valve 8 and exchanges heat with the outdoor heat exchanger 9 to become a liquid refrigerant. Here, the electronic expansion valve 10 is fully open. The liquid refrigerant passes through the receiver 12 and the common liquid pipe 15 and is diverted to the liquid pipes of each indoor unit.
, And heat exchanges with the indoor air in the indoor heat exchanger 13 to become low-pressure gas. The low-pressure gas merges with the common gas pipe 16, passes through the gas pipe of the outdoor unit, returns to the compressor 11 via the four-way valve 8 and the accumulator 7, and is again discharged as compressed high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas.

At the time of heating, the high-temperature and high-pressure gas discharged from the compressor 11 of the outdoor unit 4A passes through the four-way valve 8 and joins the common gas pipe 16, where the heat is exchanged with the indoor air by the indoor heat exchanger 13, and the liquid refrigerant Becomes Here, the electronic expansion valve 14 is fully open. The liquid refrigerant joins the common liquid pipe 15, passes through the receiver 12 of the outdoor unit, is depressurized by the electronic expansion valve 10, exchanges heat with the outdoor air in the outdoor heat exchanger 9, becomes a low-pressure gas, passes through the four-way valve 8 and the accumulator 7, After returning to the compressor 11, it is discharged again.

In either the cooling or heating operation described above, the electronic expansion valve 14 of the indoor unit that needs to be stopped in response to a request in the room needs to be closed. In addition, the plurality of outdoor units are operated in total or in units of one unit according to the required capacity. Further, when two compressors 11 or outdoor heat exchangers 9 are provided by one outdoor unit 4A, the operating capacity can be controlled by controlling the number of the units.

The above selections and combinations in accordance with the required cooling or heating load, and particularly the capacity control of the compressor, are performed by the central control device 100. Here, controlling the capacity of the compressor by the centralized control device 100 may mean determining the number of operating outdoor units, or controlling the capacity of the compressor 11 of each outdoor unit with a variable frequency power supply (inverter). Or command. In addition, the central control device 100
Can control the flow rate of the refrigerant by controlling the opening of the electronic expansion valve 14 of each indoor unit so that the refrigerant is appropriately distributed to each indoor unit according to each indoor load.

The central control device 100 is a personal computer that also serves as a monitoring device, and is an air conditioner 30 that is to be monitored and controlled.
Connected to 0. The air conditioner 300 includes the outdoor units 4A and 4A.
B, a plurality of indoor units 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, etc. are connected via a transmission line, and data is transmitted and received, and control is performed. At least one of the outdoor units 4A and 4B is provided with a compressor 11, an outdoor heat exchanger 9, an electronic expansion valve 10 and the like whose drive frequency is varied by an inverter and whose capacity is controlled. Is provided with a pressure sensor 19 for detecting a discharge gas pressure value and a temperature sensor 20 for detecting a temperature. The indoor units 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D include the indoor heat exchanger 13 and the electronic expansion valves 14, respectively, and communicate with the outdoor units 4A and 4B and the refrigerant circulation path (the common gas pipe 1).
6, connected by a common liquid pipe 15) to form a refrigeration cycle.

The start / stop of the air conditioner 300, the operation mode, the set air volume, the set temperature, and the like can be instructed from a remote controller connected to the air conditioner 300 or the central control device 100. Further, for example, when the cooling operation is instructed, the condensation temperature is calculated from the pressure value from the suction pressure sensor 19 in the outdoor units 4A and 4B, and compared with the value from the temperature sensor 20, the optimum refrigerant flow rate of the entire refrigeration cycle is calculated. Is calculated, and the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve 14 of each indoor unit is controlled based on the calculated opening degree. Further, when the load is high, the compressor 11 is operated at a high speed by the inverter,
Control is performed so that the rotation becomes lower as the load becomes smaller.

The central control device 100 includes an air conditioner 300
Operating data (for example, the temperature of the main part during the refrigeration cycle, suction pressure, such as pressure, discharge pressure, temperature on the compressor,
Outdoor unit expansion valve opening, indoor unit expansion valve opening, compressor current value,
(Compressor frequency, outside air temperature, evaporation temperature, suction temperature, blowout temperature, freezing temperature, required frequency, gas pipe temperature, set temperature, etc.) or a combination thereof, and becomes a Web server via the Internet 600. Monitoring center 7
Transmit to 00. The monitoring center 700 converts the operation data into a database, and monitors the air conditioner 300 as application software.

When the air conditioner 300 is controlled from the application of the monitoring center 700, for example, control is performed on an arbitrary system of the air conditioner 300 or an indoor unit of a unit (=).
Items that can be set by remote control such as operation / stop, operation mode, air volume, temperature, louver position, etc.) can be performed. further,
The monitoring center 700 can be referred to by a normal browsing software as a WWW page on which input / output, calculation results, and the like are displayed on a screen by an application. Therefore,
The mobile phone 701 connected to the Internet and other terminal devices 702 such as a desktop PC can browse and input. FIG. 3 shows a contractor A (user) using the air conditioner 300 as a target load facility, and a monitoring center 7.
00 shows a relationship with the contractor B who provides the service, a predetermined contract is concluded between the contractor A and the contractor B, and the fee is exchanged via a finance company or the like. First, the service provider B delivers and installs the air conditioner 300, but does not charge the initial cost required for delivering the equipment. Further, the operation management and the after-sales service including the failure diagnosis and the abnormality alarm of the air conditioner 300 are started.

Next, the service provider operates the air conditioner 300 and the centralized control device 100 of the user in each of the energy saving operation mode in which the capacity is controlled according to the load variation and the basic operation mode in which the capacity is constant. A difference in power consumption when the air conditioner 300 is operated in the operation mode is determined, and a merit charge is determined based on the difference.
Conclude a power-saving equipment introduction contract with the usage fee of 0 and its attached equipment.

The actual operation data of the air conditioner 300 is as follows.
Monitoring center 7 via the Internet as operating data
Transmitted to 00.

The monitoring center 700 in which the operation stop, the operation mode, the temperature, and the like of the air conditioner 300 can be set can be set so that the operation stop, the operation mode, and the temperature are controlled so that the power consumption of the air conditioner 300 is reduced. The energy operation mode and the basic operation mode for controlling the operation stop, the operation mode, and the temperature irrespective of the power consumption are instructed, and the difference in the power consumption in each operation mode is obtained. : Power consumption), notify the user of the merit, calculate the usage fee as the power-saving device at a predetermined rate, and perform the billing process.

The user makes a payment based on the merit notification, and this payment may be made by using a finance company. In this case, an intermediary contract is made between the user and the financing company, a merit notification is made to the financing company, and the financing company receives payment from the user based on the merit notification. The monitoring center 70
If the merit charge can be browsed as a WWW page at 0, the merit charge can be confirmed by both the user and the finance company, and the sending and receiving of the merit notification as the basis for the payment becomes reliable and reliable. FIG. 4 shows a method of collecting actual operation data of the air conditioner 300,
Out of the air conditioners 300, the compressor 11 having a large power consumption
Is operated by controlling the number of revolutions of the motor for driving the motor by the inverter 34. In the figure, an ammeter 31 and a voltmeter 32 are provided on a line to which a motor for driving a compressor 11 is connected.
The current and voltage are measured from. These measured signals and detected signals are transmitted to the monitoring center 300 via the central control device 100 and the Internet together with the operation data.

An energy-saving operation mode in which the rotation speed of the compressor 11 is variably controlled by the inverter 34 according to a load change of the air conditioner 300, and a basic operation mode in which the inverter 34 is driven directly from a power supply to maintain a constant speed without using an inverter. Is switched by a command from the central control device 100 or the monitoring center 300. FIG. 6 shows the switching state at this time. If the merit notification is made every month, a predetermined period in one month, which is a period to be notified, for example, a plurality of times in one day as one hour, , Around noon and afternoon each hour in the basic operation mode, and in the remaining period, the operation is performed in the energy-saving operation mode in which the capacity control is performed, and the period to be notified in the energy-saving operation mode and the basic operation mode is calculated based on the integrated power. Calculate the integrated power amount that is assumed to be operating. When the operation in the basic operation mode is performed a plurality of times, the average value of the integrated power amounts is obtained, and the power saving effect is calculated based on the average value.

FIG. 5 shows an example of calculation of the power saving effect. It is assumed that most of the period to be notified is actually operated in the energy saving operation mode and the basic operation mode is operated for the entire period. The effect is almost equal to the result based on the actual power consumption, and the user pays the corresponding fee.

Also, the energy saving operation mode has been described as being based on rotation speed control using an inverter.
If the air conditioner 300 has a plurality of compressors, the energy saving operation mode may control the number of compressors. Furthermore, at least one of the plurality of compressors
One unit can change the discharge amount, and the energy saving operation mode may change the discharge amount. further,
If the energy saving operation mode is performed independently of the compressor 11 as well as the indoor fan 17 and the outdoor fan 18, a greater energy saving effect can be obtained. Further, the energy saving operation mode is not limited to the control of the number of revolutions by the inverter, and the operation stop, the operation mode, and the temperature may be controlled so as to reduce power consumption. For example, instead of always controlling the temperature so as to be equal to the set value of the indoor temperature, if the setting is heating, lower the set value by about 1 to 3 ° C. Alternatively, the energy saving operation mode in which the power consumption is prioritized may be increased by about 1 to 3 ° C., or sometimes, the setting value may be appropriately reduced by heating or increased by cooling, as appropriate. Instead of maximizing the capacity of the compressor 11, priority is given to power consumption. When the power consumption reaches a predetermined value, the electronic expansion valve 10 or the electronic expansion valve 14 increases the amount of refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle. It is also possible to provide an energy saving operation mode in which the opening of the motor is increased.

As described above, it is possible to provide an energy saving operation mode for controlling the operation stop, operation mode, and temperature so as to reduce the power consumption, and a basic operation mode for controlling the operation stop, operation mode, and temperature regardless of the power consumption. In addition, the power saving effect actually obtained by the energy saving operation mode can be grasped.

Further, in the case of a relatively large scale such that a large number of indoor units are connected, the operation data is transmitted by the centralized control device 100, and the monitoring center 700 calculates the integrated electric energy to obtain the merit charge. This is desirable because failure prediction for predicting a failure from operation data, failure diagnosis, version upgrade of indoor and outdoor unit programs, maintenance and management of equipment, and the like can be performed. On the other hand, in the case of a relatively small scale, the central control unit 100 performs the process up to obtaining the merit fee, and the result or the fault display code, the serial number of the air conditioner 300, and the like are permitted via the Internet 600. It is desirable that a person who has a password can view the contents on a notebook computer, a PDA, a mobile phone, or the like in terms of simplification of the system and high flexibility. In this case, if the centralized control device 100 itself is transmitted as a mobile phone or a PHS to the service provider by e-mail or the like, the versatility becomes higher.

In this way, when the merit charge is obtained based on the actual operation data and the billing process is performed, the user does not need to make an initial investment for energy saving. There is an advantage that maintenance management such as failure diagnosis is performed at the same time. On the other hand, on the service provider side, maintenance management and renewal services for the air conditioner and the like are facilitated, so that management costs can be reduced.

[0036]

According to the present invention, an energy saving support service and a refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus which can reduce the initial investment of a user who desires energy saving, receive a desired energy saving service, and confirm the energy saving effect. A service system can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an air conditioner of the system of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a basic configuration of a service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating switching of inverter driving according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating a power saving effect.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing switching between a basic operation mode and an energy-saving operation mode according to one embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

300: air conditioner (load equipment), 100: centralized controller, 600: monitoring center, 11: compressor, 34: inverter.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06F 17/60 504 G06F 17/60 504 ZEC ZEC

Claims (11)

[Claims] An energy saving support service for load equipment having a motor, comprising: an energy saving operation mode for performing capacity control according to a load change; and a constant capacity basic operation mode. The energy saving support service is characterized in that a difference in power consumption when the load equipment is operated is obtained, a merit charge is obtained based on the difference, and a notification is made. 2. An energy saving support service for notifying a manager of a load facility having a motor of a power consumption amount, wherein the energy saving control service variably controls a rotation speed of the motor according to a load change of the load facility. It has an operation mode and a basic operation mode with a constant speed. In the period to be notified, a predetermined period is the basic operation mode, and the remaining period is operated in the energy saving operation mode,
Calculate the integrated power amount for the period to be notified in the energy saving operation mode and the basic operation mode from the respective integrated power amounts, and calculate the value related to the difference as the power saving effect in the period to be notified. An energy saving support service characterized by notification. 3. A refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus service system having a monitoring center for monitoring and controlling the operation state of the refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus, wherein operation data is transmitted from the refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus via the Internet, and The monitoring center for setting operation stop, operation mode, temperature, and the operation stop, operation mode, energy saving operation mode for controlling the temperature so as to reduce the power consumption of the refrigeration air conditioner, regardless of the power consumption, A refrigerating air conditioner having a basic operation mode for controlling operation stop, an operation mode, and a temperature; andthe monitoring center operates the refrigerating air conditioner in the energy saving operation mode and the basic operation mode. The difference between the power consumption in each operation mode is obtained from the operation data at the time, and the merit charge based on this difference is expressed by W Service system of the refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus, characterized in that was viewable as W page. 4. The energy saving support service according to claim 1, wherein the energy saving operation mode is a rotation speed control using an inverter. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said load equipment is a refrigerating air conditioner having a plurality of compressors, and said energy saving operation mode is for controlling the number of said compressors. Characteristic energy saving support service. 6. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the load equipment is a refrigeration air conditioner having a plurality of compressors, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator, and at least one of the plurality of compressors is provided. An energy-saving support service, wherein the table is capable of changing a discharge amount, and in the energy-saving operation mode, the discharge amount of a compressor having a variable discharge amount is variable. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a monitoring center connected to the Internet for monitoring and controlling said load equipment, wherein said monitoring center switches between said energy saving operation mode and said basic operation mode, An energy saving support service wherein a difference in power consumption in each operation mode is obtained from operation data transmitted from a load facility via the Internet, and a merit charge can be viewed as a WWW page based on the difference. 8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation in the basic operation mode is performed a plurality of times during the period to be notified, and an average value of each integrated power amount is obtained. An energy saving support service characterized by calculating a power saving effect. 9. The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein said load equipment is a refrigeration air conditioner having a compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator, and said at least one motor for driving said compressor is saved. An energy saving support service having an energy operation mode. 10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the power saving effect is obtained from operation data transmitted from the load facility via the Internet, and the value can be browsed as a WWW page. Energy saving support service. 11. A refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus service according to claim 3, wherein said energy-saving operation mode is for controlling a rotation speed of a motor for driving a compressor of said refrigeration / air-conditioning apparatus. system.